I would love it if I could read the Word of God in its original language. Every detail, every name, every number, is written for our learning. And so much is lost in the translation. For example, these verses on healing in Acts are actually a lesson on living a praise-filled life.
The notes in The Passion translation point out that the name of the town where Peter is ministering, Lydda, means “strife.” And the healed man’s name, Aneneas, means “praise.” So, this man named “Praise” is living in a place called “Strife . . .
Read MoreThe day that our physical body ceases to breathe, and our spirit passes into eternity, is what we refer to as “death.” But in the above verses, Jesus refers to this as “entering life.” In other words, what we would call “death,” Jesus calls “life.” Think about that a moment!
Jesus has an eternal perspective. He knows that our true life begins . . .
Read MoreI’ve been sitting at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane Washington this last week wondering if each day will be my Dad’s last one. Every morning I would walk in intending to be a bubble of joy . . . to push back the darkness. But at the end of the week, I awoke one morning with a negative dream and my thought patterns spiraled downward. Yikes!
That day I was NOT a bubble of joy! My mind seemed unable to focus or . . .
Read MoreToday, I am identifying with Hannah and Ruth, two faithful women from the Old Testament.
Hannah pops out of obscurity long enough for us to see her tenacious faithfulness. Then she fades into the obscurity of history again. You can read her story in 1 Samuel chapters 1 and 2.
Hannah is faithful to God even when no one else in her family is. Her faithless husband loves her but doesn’t trust God to provide children so he marries another woman. The second wife . . .
Read MoreI noticed how similar these two verse sounded. In the first verse, Moses and the children of Israel had just left Egypt. The Egyptian army chased after them and overtook them camping by the Red Sea. The children of Israel were frightened and cried out to the Lord. It is at this point that Moses said, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord.” And God delivered them, from their enemy, through an impossible situation.
In Jesus’ day, Jairus was in a similar panic situation. His only daughter was dying. Jairus fell at the feet . . .
Read MoreI am contemplating how being hidden in Christ is a little like Jacob (grandson of Abraham) using the skin of goats to hide his identity. (Gen. 27)
Jacob’s twin brother, Esau, was born moments before him. Thus Esau obtained all the rights and . . .
Read MoreI am fascinated by this place of 12 springs and 70 palm trees called Elim (Exodus 15). Elim is mentioned almost in passing; it gets only a sentence or two in scripture. Yet as I researched the symbolism, it seemed very significant to me.
Symbolically, twelve is the number of “divine government,” and 70 is the number of “perfect spiritual order.” And springs represent “new beginnings” or “a well of salvation.” . . . .
Read MoreI gave my heart to Jesus yesterday.
Don’t get me wrong; I have been a Christian for many years. I invited Jesus into my heart as a small child. And I relinquish the throne of my heart to Jesus some years after that. The heart I gave Him yesterday was an actual physical heart . . . .
Read MoreThe number 40 symbolizes “testing” in Scripture. We know this because God “tested” the nation of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years to see whether or not they would follow Him. Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness echoes those 40 years. Like Israel, Jesus was tempted by hunger (Ex.16), tempted to put God to the test (Ex.17) and tempted . . .
Read MoreMy pastor concluded a series on the Blessings of Obedience from Deuteronomy 28 recently. The message was so good that I just HAD to share it!
I am simply going to share the summary list here of the Blessings that come from Obedience to the Lord our God. But I encourage you to listen to the full message. It was so encouraging!! . . . .
Read MoreHeavenly Father, I thank You for Your Living Word. When You speak, things happen. By Your Word the world was created. And when I declare Your Word, things happen. Romans 10:9 says that if I confess with my mouth … I will be saved. There is power in speaking what I believe.
So, Father, I come into agreement with Your Word. Your Word says that You forgave all my iniquities, healed all my diseases . . .
Read MoreBased on this scripture in Romans, I’ve encouraged people to “confess” their healing. Speak the spiritual truth so that it becomes a physical reality. Today, I have just noticed for the first time evidence of this in the ministry of Jesus!
The woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem . . .
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