Who Do You Say He Is?

I'm writing/typing this post with one hand (my left hand), and I'm right handed...all because of a stupid accident that has changed our Summer and threatened to throw us temporarily off course from where God was leading us. I broke my arm and wrist on the last day of the kids school.  Since then I've had surgery, but more importantly, I've had the Word of God, telling me I am healed. Not only am I healed, but I WILL have full mobility of my arm and wrist, and I will show the Doctors and Physical Therapist that it didn't take the year that they predicted. I will have a speedy recovery in Jesus Name!

How can I make these bold statements?

Because that is what I believe, and the Word backs me up.

I was spending time in worship this morning and I heard a song that was quoting this Scripture:

Matthew 16:15-17 -  “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven." 

As I  thought about how Jesus asked the Disciples what they believed about who He was, I began to imagine Jesus asking me, "who do I say He is?  

The answer is, like Peter, He is the Son of the most high God. He's obviously my Savior, but then I began to add a long list of attributes that I believe Jesus is to me.  It included my Healer and Provider, two things that speak to my situation right now. One of my favorite Old Testament names that described God was "El Shaddai", which means "the all-sufficient One". Whatever you need, it's found in Him! Bring that over to the New Testament and it's the same...whatever you need, it was provided for on the cross!

I love how Jesus told Peter that he didn't come up with his correct answer based on any human intelligence. It was truth revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. I think the same has to be true for me today when it comes to really living what I believe.  After all, I believe everything in the Bible because I know it is God's holy Word.  But I may only walk in a certain percent of that belief, based on what I really have in my heart, and not just believe theologically.  The Holy Spirit revealing that truth to Peter, is what is talked about in Ephesians as "revelation knowledge", or back in the day Christians called it a "Rhema" word. It's where the truth of the written (logos) word is revealed by the Holy Spirit and it becomes a personal word that you apply.

So, now I really must examine this question more carefully..."who do I say Jesus is?", and not just by my words. Does my life display evidence that back up my testimony of Jesus?

One thing is certain...no matter what religious people, society, false teachers and god haters have to say in answer to this question, it doesn't change the truth of who Jesus really is. Furthermore, it is only revealed by the Holy Spirit. The world can never understand the ways of God by trying to figure it out with their carnal mind.

What about you? Who do you say Jesus is?

Ouch!!!

I fell off a ladder decorating for my son's 5th grade graduation party and broke my arm and wrist. Please join me in the prayer of agreement that I AM healed by Jesus stripes!

I hope to be back on here real soon.

God bless,
Angie

A Tale of Two Criminals

We probably all know someone who's walking down the wrong path at the moment, and desperately needs to know Jesus as their Savior. Perhaps that person is in your own family, or one of your closest friends. For some, this unsaved loved one has taken such wrong turns, it may seem they're too far gone for redemption. Maybe you've prayed for years, and believed God for a miracle, and yet all you've seen is heartbreak.

I was reminded this week of the story of the two thieves who hung on the cross alongside of Jesus. "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Luke 23:39-41

It's like a tale of two criminals. We don't know the details of their crime, but here's what we do know:

• They're both guilty and deserving of punishment
• They're both watching Jesus as He's going through His horrible ordeal

Their response is completely different:

• One mocks Him and says if you're the Savior, save yourself AND us! (Still self-absorbed to the very end)
• The other realizes that Jesus is not only innocent, but has the fear of the Lord come on him - no doubt he respects the way Jesus is taking punishment for a crime He didn't commit. (Remember, people are watching how we live as well.)

Then, something happened that opened the door to faith, as this thief realized Jesus was no ordinary man. He believed that He was who He claimed to be, and with his last moments on this earth, he spoke the words that would forever change his destiny...

"Remember ME when you come into Your kingdom" Luke 23:42

Jesus heard his plea (just like He hears our prayers for lost loved ones) and He answered "Today you will be with Me in paradise." Luke 23:43

So don't give up hope – pray for their eyes to be open, the fear of the Lord will be on them, and they will ask God to REMEMBER them so they can enter into His kingdom!

Power in Agreement

I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to write about my weekend retreat I took a few weeks ago. I had the privilege of going to the Women's Aglow meeting with special guest speaker

Dr. Sandra Kennedy, with Whole Life Ministries.  If you're not familiar with her, she is a powerful teacher and she's especially anointed in the gift of healing. But the most amazing thing I found about her was her love for the Word of God. It was truly contagious! I came away wanting to read the Word, know the Word, and live the Word like I did when I first gave my heart to Jesus.

I know the Scriptures, or at least I thought I did, but she really ignited a hunger for them fresh & new, and made me realize that the blessings are really only promised to the "doers" of the Word, not just the "hearers".  It's not enough to know and believe in the Bible verses, it has to be applied knowledge. You may think this sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many of us have acted as if believing that the Word was true, was our only responsibility, and that God was going to swoop down and take care of the rest!  The truth is, Jesus already came down...and He did all He was going to do...on the cross!  Did He not say "It is finished"? Now, it's up to us to take hold of all the promises and provisions that were made on the cross.  All we have to do is line up in agreement with the Word of God on any particular issue, and it's an already done deal.

Sound too simple? It is the only time you'll hear something that "sounds too good to be true" but it really is. 

This revelation will totally change the way most of us pray. Too often we're praying, asking, begging & pleading...sometimes we even put a "if it be your will" in there somewhere.  The Bible is clear in James, if you ask and don't believe, you won't receive anything. The Bible says if WE speak to a mountain and tell it to move...not if we ask Jesus to move our mountain, it will be moved.  What mountains do we speak to? The mountains that don't line up with the will of God.

I pray that you will be blessed today by a new love for the Word of God, and that we'll all be doers and not hearers only. Don't wait for God to move for you, speak His Word out of your mouth and prophesy to your situation. See what amazing thing God will do through your agreement with His Word.