Healing: Obtain It, Maintain It, Sustain It!

Working in a senior community, I often wondered if the residents enjoy being sick more then living healthy. I watched as they had family coming in and out of their apartments. The ill residents were hardly ever seen...well, until they stopped getting visitors. Hmm, mystery solved.

There was one resident in particular that fascinated me. He didn't have much family but plenty of neighbors and friends that cared about him. He wanted for nothing (Proverbs 19:4 AMP). When he became ill, he was surrounded by scores of friends. He complained that he couldn't breath and needed further medical assistance. The ambulance was there in a few minutes. When they asked what the matter was, he kept gasping but never answered them. They left for the hospital. He was admitted and stayed for over a week. When he returned, the neighbors and friends took shifts to make sure he had round the clock care. After some time, they insisted for him to get up and walk around. He claimed that he couldn't. They urged for him to do some menial tasks for himself. He retorted that he wasn't well enough yet. So they suggested that he might have to return to the hospital. He paused before rejecting that suggestion as well. It was about then that they felt imposed upon and stopped taking shifts. They no longer answered his calls. When he did got visitors again after some time, they weren't surprised to see how well he did for himself. In fact, he was even ready to go outside for a walk which used to be his regular routine (Proverbs 17:9 AMP).

As Christians, don't we have a different belief system? Do you remember how we spoke the mantra, "name it then claim it"? What happened to that? It was going to be the title of this entry, but then I wondered if I would get any readers. That very mantra was a discussion in a Christian group on one of the social networks. It became heated and I had to leave wondering what happened to our values. Believers have become so angry with God because they have lost family members, friends, and members of their own bodies because of sickness and disease. Alright, we can get angry, but let it be justified. Let there be a legitimate reason for it and not waste time when you could be doing something more constructive. God tells us to state our case (Isaiah 43:26 AMP). Make it plain and make sure you are reminding Him of His Word so you can get your facts straight. By the way, don't forget to add faith in there (Hebrews 11:6 AMP). Don't tell Him what you saw and how you felt...you'll only make Him angry and then it will be awhile before you get any answers (Hebrews 11:1 AMP). Don't believe me? Click on the references and read for yourself.

From my perspective, I know what I have overcome and what I still have to do. As a child, I hated household chores. It took away from the fun I could have outside with my friends. Even when I was allowed to play first, I knew when it was all over, the chores would be waiting for me. If I didn't do them, I would be punished. As a grown woman, not cleaning your own house spills over into other things. Being disorganized at your job, brain fog, and an overall sense of depression. Having this understanding, puts some things into perspective and therefore cleaning for your own physical, emotional, and mental health made sense to do and maintain (1 Corinthians 13:11 AMP).

Because of the training I received as a child having both parents retired from the military, it was unheard of to have an unkempt home. When they divorced, dusting and vacuuming wasn't a priority. Keeping it emotionally together was. Not knowing that, made everything difficult to do. Blame was placed and the focus on serious matters were displaced. Sickness was waiting to get a stronghold...but God. In spite of the long journey ahead, Mom kept us in church. Eventually, we got it some of those things together, first by understanding why faith and then we could use it. It was the habitual practice of what God says to do that kept us strong to be who we are today. We understood why the need to have a healthy diet, exercise, and a well kept home didn't mean anything without rest in God. Some things are better understood then others and the journey continues, but we aren't where we used to be.

Gnats like an unkempt house. Actually, all sorts of bugs do as well. As dust settles on and around the occupant, he/she begins to cough. A cough that seems to last longer then the average cold. More dust settles and becomes thicker - like a blanket. The cobwebs don't look like spiders made them anymore. The dust starts to hang like grey weeping willows in a forest of ick. After awhile, even the house knows that it is no longer being cared for and one thing after another starts to break down. If not the roof, then the plumbing, if not that the flooring is loose, or the railing, or one of the shingles fell off. If these matters aren't tended to, then it isn't long before vermin accepts the invitation for residency; and not just the 4 legged kind. There are vermin that we can't see that manifests itself in other ways. Those that have been treated for ringworm and other skin diseases got them from someone who has issues with cleaning their house. Watching the show, Hoarders, if nothing else, can teach lessons on having the desire to keep a home clean - always!

Now look at your house - that is, your physical body. It is the temple of the Lord. The Lord being the Prince of Peace, the way maker, the life giver, the healer, the miracle worker. He is the greater one on the inside of you. Why would you have any sickness or disease on or around you? It doesn't make sense, does it? You are needed for a time such as this but can't do what God has called you to do because you aren't feeling well? What? Why? Have you asked (James 4:2-4 AMP)?

The common thing to do for Christians is pray first then go seek medical attention. Yeah, yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. The suggestion here is why not add one more step to what you already know to do. Ask God, in your prayers, why. What happened? What did you say, do, or think that would cause for this to come upon you? You must have this understanding to keep sickness off of you. We understand that the generational curse is broken (John 3:17-19 AMP). We understand that God desires for us to be healed (Matthew 19:12-13 AMP). We understand that if it has a name it must bow to the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:10 KJV). Now, understand it so that it is a habit and not something that you take out every once in awhile. Healing belongs to you. You have not because you ask not. Now that you know, lets put the hospitals out of business!!!

Women's Day (Part 3)

Realizing that Esther was a girl and having to learn along the way, is good reason to re-evaluate what you have been taught so that the application of those lessons in your life can get you out of error and back on the path of righteousness. Esther did not have it all right; however because of the righteous living of her Uncle, she was able to have favor with those who were in authority of her and then be chosen as the queen. Cooking a meal, did not get her there. If food is the way to a man's heart, you chose the wrong man. As

you may have already realized, appetites can change.

The last example I am going to use is popular among female ministers. It is the book of Ruth. The ministerial staff and guest speakers where I use to attend would have such glowing remarks about Ruth and Naomi. They gleaned from the good attributes in the book rather then expounding on some features that did not fare well for them. In so doing, it gives the listener a false sense of direction when trying to apply what was heard into practical living. So let's really break this thing down and get what is really useful from this book allowing the rest of the dross to be just that.

First, let's just please notice how little the Lord or practices of righteousness are used in this book. That in of itself should have the reader and all those ministering from this book doing so gingerly. It begins with Naomi's husband doing away with a direct command of God for the children of Israel to stay in the land. Because there was famine, Naomi's husband decides to do a big move of disobedience (Joshua 1:1-18 AMP). What was Naomi going to do, rebel? That would have been the difference between living and dying for Naomi. She followed along after her husband and brought her two sons as well. So that is disobedient act, number one.

In their travels they came upon a place that seemed habitable; however the people were idol worshipers and considered evil in the sight of God. These people came from the incestuous acts of Lot and his daughters (Genesis 19:30-38 AMP). They were called the Moabites. Naomi's sons grew up in this land and married Morabite women. God told the children of Israel not to marry foreign women (foreign to the things of God) because they would cause for them to turn away from the ways of the Lord and to do things that were not pleasing to God. Naomi's sons grew up in this land and married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. This is disobedient act, number two.

Because of these two disobedient acts there were direct consequences. Naomi's husband died. The Word tells us that her son's married these Moabite women and then they died as well (Ruth 1:1-5 AMP). Here is where a lesson can be taught that I have not heard and possibly others as well. Seeing that when a woman marries, she becomes one with this man, it would be one of those helpful times for a woman to speak up when her husband is hell bent on causing discord in her house. If it is not apart of the culture for the woman to speak, there is nothing the matter in her praying so that God hears her prayers and has mercy on the disobedient acts of her husband (James 5:16 AMP). You don't think this is possible? What about when Abigail hurried and pleaded for the evil acts of her husband, Nebal to David. David had mercy on that man's life (1 Samuel 25:3-32 AMP). Would God have less mercy then His own creation? If you know what the right thing is to do, even if your husband doesn't, you can make change happen through prayer....it is written.

Now lets see the decision of Naomi and Ruth trying to make some sense of what has happened to them and where should they go from here. Naomi comes to the resolve that she needs to be with her family. She knows of nothing else but from where she came. Orpah thinks the same thing. She doesn't know anything else but where she has lived all her life. The big decision came from Ruth. She has decided to move to a land where she has only heard about by being with her husband and her husband's family. Ruth essentially shows, not what Naomi has taught her but how much she picked up being one with her husband, Naomi's son. He cleaved to his wife and because of that, we see how Ruth responds to her mother-in-law and how she received direction even when she has her own needs and has her own ways of the Moabites (Ruth 1;11-16 AMP).

What are the ways of the Moabites? Well, look at Abram and his family. They were liars and thieves. God was limited in blessing Abram because of his surroundings. His environment was conducive to what he has always known, to lie and steal. Those are not characteristics of God. So when God told Abram to leave his kinfolk and go to a land where God would show him, Abram brought Lot with him (Genesis 12: 1-4 AMP). In those travels, Abram sought how he could keep himself safe. He lied about Sarai being his wife. Notice how he didn't hesitate when Sarai offered her concubine to birth his first child. That's his personality showing. Also see how when he had his son Isaac that when he was grown, he used the same lie as his father. Lot, Abram's nephew, while they lived in Sodom and Gomorrah, he had a separate home where his wife enjoyed that sort of lifestyle. We didn't hear what Lot thought; however, he was one with his wife so how much more different could his opinion have been when his wife turned to look at the city she loved just before turning to salt? The other thing that strikes interesting is the character of his daughters. Why was their thinking so limited where they became afraid that there would be no men on earth and they would never have children? Then the entertainment of that thought branched off into the corrupted solution of having sex with their father after they get him drunk in order to fulfill their need to impulsively have children. This is a synapse of what made up the character of the two groups: the Ammonites and the Moabites. To further the selfishness of the people, see how Abraham realized that peace could not continue with him being with his nephew. Abraham showed him both sides of the land giving Lot the option to choose which ever side he would like to reside. The Word tells us even after all that Abraham did for him and his family, Lot chose the better of the two for himself (Genesis 13:1-14 AMP). This is the root of the feud happening in the Middle East to this day.

Now that you have a basis of what Ruth's normal is, let's also see why she would rather be with Naomi to a place she has never been as opposed to going back with Orpah. Remember, Naomi's family came out there because of the famine in Bethlehem, Judah. Ruth still made up in her mind that's where she wished to be as well. Here is where, the ladies of the church begin all of the accolades for Ruth and being loyal to the only mother figure that Ruth has. Let's get real! Ruth is trying to get the same sort of husband she had and knows if she sticks with Naomi, there are to be more of them. Ruth can't get in there any other way but with Naomi. Its not pretty, but we have already established the type of personality Ruth has been around her whole life. She will show her true self further in the passage.

When Ruth was introduced to Boaz, you wouldn't think that Naomi was at the ready plotting to get her daughter in law married off. The scriptures allows us to read how Naomi was thinking but unless you see closely, you won't notice Ruth showing her Moabite ways. When Naomi told her to stay close to the maidens, you see that Boaz told her to do the same thing. However when she came home to her mother-in-law, she said Boaz told her to stay close to the men. Its almost as if Naomi paused for a moment. She knew her family would never have said such a thing. Why not prove Ruth wrong or better yet, kick her out of the tribe altogether so not to spread those ways among her people? Instead, Naomi says nothing. She corrects her and moves to the next stage of her plan. She cleans Ruth up and tells her where she should go in pursuant of Boaz. Ruth finds Boaz in the silo either passed out or just asleep. Most women would leave but Ruth lays at Boaz's feet. When he wakes up, he knows what would happen if any of the villagers sees her leaving this man's property at that hour. They would assume she is promiscuous and have her stoned to death. But Boaz had to think quickly and have her not to leave empty handed as if she came to borrow a cup of sugar. When she came back to Naomi, she saw that Boaz protected Ruth's honor. Later, we see how Boaz finagles his way in being able to marry Ruth even though he is not the next in line to do so. If you don't believe me, look it up!

The lesson here should be to let young women know if you start scheming to get your own way, that's seed sown for you to keep doing it. Its so much unnecessary work when trusting in God is so much simpler and better. All Naomi needed to do was pray and teach her daughter in law to do the same. I wonder about a ministry who would teach otherwise based on the book of Ruth.

Women's Day is a day where we not only allow honor where honor is due, we also teach about examples in

the scriptures for our young ladies to see what to do and not to do. How did these women fare and where was the root of it all? Esther did well because of the prayers of her Uncle. The Proverbs 31 woman is an extraordinary example of a woman who has her family's best interest to heart, knowing who she is in Christ and making Him first in all things. Ruth is not a woman of nobility. She had a dog-e-dog mentality and if it weren't for Naomi, she would have been killed within the week of their return. It was Naomi who had ears to hear and redirect Ruth's attempts at getting her man any way she can.

Is it different from what you have been taught? More then likely; nevertheless, study the verses for yourself so you can know the truth and it can give you the liberty that is available for us all. Amen?

Spiritually Spookey

When we come into the knowledge of the truth, it is very easy to get so wrapped up into the faith with a higher being that we cannot see, that some tend to go too far and into the dark side. Initially it doesn't seem so wrong, but all deceit starts off that way. Its the reason there is the phrase little white lies. That's like being a little pregnant. Even after the last tri-mester, is it still a little or are you then full fledged? Be as it may, those little trips to the dark side could be the very reason you can't quite figure when you allowed the enemy place (Ephesians 4:27 KJV) to steal, kill and destroy your stuff (John 10:10 NIV). Let's find it, shall we?

You see, it started with asking God to give us a sign for this and that. We do those things because we aren't use to walking by faith. But then when you put away with childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV) (and know that is a process as well), that sign thing is a thing of the past and should have died with the old stuff so again creating the new things that are much more applicable and profitable for your new life. Signs are suppose to be manifestations assuring you that God heard your prayers and He is at work completing what you asked. The truth of the matter is when Jesus said, "it is done" that meant a plethera of things including anything that you can ask or think. We just have to believe that's what it meant in order for it to be done. Its faith at work, not God at work. He did all He is going to do. Now we have to believe to receive it. That's faith (Hebrews 11:1 KJV).

Where the imp thought he could needle in is when God hears His children say the oddest things that have absolutely nothing to do with faith. You know:
Say you have been believing God for a new car. You are expecting this humongeous miracle and the very car you were hoping for (except for the color) drives past. What do you say? Is it something like, "there goes my car. That's God telling me that it is on its way." Well, the truth is, that's not your car and that's never been the way He tells anybody anything. Show me that in the Word. I will make a retraction! What that is, is superstition and it isn't the way; contrary to what Stevie Wonder sung.

Or how about when your right hand itches? Do you really think money is coming your way? And then left hand itches. Do you really think that means you are going to spend it all?

How about wearing something red to keep the ju-ju from you. I have no idea what ju-ju is but if you think about it long enough, guess what? Ju-ju, what ever it is, is coming for you with or without your red clothing item.

I spoke to a woman that said you aren't suppose to point at yourself when talking about someone else's ailment. I asked why and she said it could come on you. She then did something with her hand and started spitting on the table a few times. Whatever I did while having the conversation and gesturing with my hand could not come near to the filth she just did on the table. Spitting doesn't have any harm in ooooooh-oooooh world. But in my house if you spit on my table because of some weird ju-ju.... OMG, He is going to have to help you!

Oh there are scores more of crap that people have said from way, way back and they think once becoming a Christian, these are the things that are also spiritual that God would not call for us to get rid of. If you think that, you would be wrong. Of course you need to rid yourself from superstition. It is fear saying that faith doesn't work. If you aren't using the Word, then you aren't using faith. If you aren't using faith, then you are not pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). If you keep this up anyway even after you have been warned over and over will He say, "I know you not?"