EVERYONE HAS A STORM STORY

Every one has a storm story. Jesus had been ministering to crowds of thousands all day. He was weary. He told the disciples to get the boat ready .. He was going up the mountain and spend some time with the Father and then they would go to the other side. He got on the boat went below and took a nap. A bad storm came up and the disciples thought they were going to die.. They came and woke him up asking him if he did not care they were going to die. They had just watched him feed 5 thousand people with a small sack lunch and speak words of life and yet could not speak words of faith. Jesus calmed the sea and they made it to the other side. There is another side when you pass through the storm friends and what waited on the other side was a man in desperate need of help. There is someone waiting on the other side of your storm my friends who is desperate for help. This man was the madman of the tombs. He was tormented day and night with a legion of demons who lived in his body. He was a savage man who caused much damage to the people of the village as well as himself. He was strong enough to break chains and could not be contained. Jesus told the devil to go and the devil argued with him how he had no right to make them go. Jesus did not argue back he only waited and told them to go again. You see they did not want to leave the man's body. A demon only has expression if he inhabits a human or animal body. They left and went into the pigs. The pigs had enough sense that they killed themselves rather than live with them. The next time you see the man he is dressed sitting talking with his right mind to Jesus. You would think the people in the village would be happy the man was sane no longer tormented and now a useful member of society would you not? But no.... Those pigs were their paycheck and they wanted him out of Dodge. I am running around bushes... My point is the disciples had a physical storm, the madman had a spiritual storm and they all came out winners on the other side. When you are going through a storm that looks as if it will take you out remember on the other side is someone only you can minister to and they need the deliverance only you can bring...soooooo enjoy your storm story, God bless Linda

DEVILOLOGY 101

The disciples wanted Jesus to teach them about the devil.
He said all right, gather round. They did not have to go to seminary 6 years...they did not have to wait 6 months, 6 days or 6 minutes. Jesus gave them the whole course, everything you have to know about the devil. In todays world we would call it devilology 101. He said it in 5 words.. The devil is a liar... And closed the book. What is a lie? It is something that does not exist. He can only exist if we believe the lie and give him place. Jesus says don't give the devil place. He is a defeated foe. Darkness does not exist... It is simply the absence of light. Don't give the devil credit for anything....just praise God instead... No matter what it looks like.God can turn your mistakes into miracles...... EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEVIL....he is a liar...God bless, Linda

SEEING WHAT IT IS INSTEAD OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

Jesus had an amazing anointing to see what it is instead of what it looked like. If I were to ask you, what was the first miracle of Jesus. You would say the turning water into wine at the wedding feast......but if I were to ask you what the second miracle of Jesus was......could you answer without looking it up? The second miracle is found in John 4... A nobleman came to Jesus after the wedding feast( he may have been a guest there, the Bible doesn't say). He wanted Jesus to come home with him and heal his son who was near death. Now I am sure he loved his son and wanted him healed but Jesus cut to the chase and said this to the man......except ye see signs and wonders, you will not believe.....isn't that a strange thing to say, but Jesus knew the man's heart was not right. He did not come with the right motive. The man implored him again to heal his son and Jesus said ...go thy way thy son liveth. He met his servants on the way and they told him his son lived. He asked when this came to pass and it was the same hour that Jesus spoke your son liveth and then he and his whole house believed. Jesus was right the man believed because of the signs and wonders....this was the second miracle that Jesus did when he came out of Judea into Galilee. Isn't that something... The first miracle was celebration of a new life and destiny for a couple who came together to share the rest of their lives.... And the second miracle was full of unbelief.......the next miracle John mentions is the fellow who layed by a pool for 38 years whining he had no one to help him in the water. I never cared for this guy much...Jesus healed him and the religious crowd got upset and wanted to know who did this. The guy did not know so he went back and found out then went and told on Jesus. How ungrateful can you get....just a few things to think about... God bless Linda

MAY HAVE FOUND A SCRIPTURE ANSWER

A few days ago I asked you Bible scholars out there to help me with a question and got no replies. The question was about the marriage supper of the lamb found in Rev. 19. If the lamb is the bridegroom and the bride is the church who are the guests? I may have found the answer in John 3. Who are the guests invited to the wedding? Friends and family. As the old saying goes you choose your friends but are stuck with your family. John the Baptist is having a conversation with his disciples. They are complaining about Jesus disciples baptizing........John gives them a rather strange answer... He says he that hath the bride is the bridegroom:BUT THE FREIND OF THE BRIDEGROOM,which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice: this my joy is therefore is fulfilled. I BELIEVE THIS VERSE GIVES US A CLUE TO THE WEDDING GUESTS. I BELIEVE THEY MUST BE THE FREINDS OF THE BRIDEGROOM...like John the Baptist, Abraham , Issac, Elijah , Moses and David, all those who went before the power of the resurrection brought salvation to the church, the bride. At least I have peace with that answer. God bless, Linda

WHAT IS THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS

What is the testimony of Jesus? If someone asked you that question, would you have a scriptural answer? Is there a scriptural answer? As a matter of fact there is. It is found in Rev. 19:10..................the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy..... Not the answer I expected....how about you. Interesting. God bless, Linda

ATONEMENT...WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

We recently celebrated God's new year called Rosh Hashanah...The festival of trumpets occurred on the week end and Friday we celebrate Yom Kippur the day of Attonement....important things both dark and light happen during this season. God created man on the day of Attonement...Joseph was brought before the king on that day. Elisha received the double portion then. The dark of the month occurs during this season. World wide things happen ..earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, 911, wars escalate. Tonight on Christian news they were irate because the Muslims want to build a mask on ground zero to erect a memorial of the suicide pilots who brought the twin towers down and killed thousands of innocent people and the president seems to be supporting their right to do this.
Have you noticed how God has 7 bad years followed by 7 good years. We have just come out of the 7 bad years and are about to enter the 7 good years. God has three holy days where He says if you want blessed if you want your children and your flocks blessed, if you want to win wars , come to the mountain on these three holy days and I will bless you.
As there were 7 blessings for celebrating the passover so is there 7 blessings on the day of Atonement. They are found in Joel 2.....

1. Double portion
2. Financial blessing
3. Restoration
4. Special miracles
5. Divine presence
6. Family blessings
7. Deliverance

God says I will bring the former and the latter rain of blessings in this season. They start at Passover and gradually build to double blessing on the Day of Atonement. Be a wise man and celebrate God's Holy Days instituted forever. We will be keeping these same days in heaven ....go ahead open the book and check it out. God bless, Linda

FOR YOUR FORMER SHAME

THERE IS A SCRIPTURE WITH A WONDERFUL PROMISE. Something we rarely hear preached. God will give us double blessings for our former shame. It is found in Is. 61:7 . That is an exciting promise especially to those who have been in bondage for years because of physical, mental, spiritual or sexual abuse that has made them feel unworthy.......God says because of your former shame I will give you a double blessing. This is God's time of year to hand out double blessings. Yom Kipper is Friday at sunset.....that is when Elisha got his double blessing and many others...believe the promise and receive the blessing.

ONLY BELIEVE

DID YOU KNOW IN MATTHEW, MARK, AND LUKE ONLY USED THE WORD BELIEVE 9or 10 times? But in the book of John used it 99 times in his book. He simply believed. He was the disciple who lived the longest...in was boiled in oil a couple times and survived it. He wrote revelation the only book in the Bible that does not contain the word now because all was future time. Don't you believe that was why John was so arrogant in his love for Jesus because he believed the most. Only believe!

GONE FISHING

I was blessed when my brother and sis-in-law stopped by to see me this week. We spent 3 and a half hours praising, praying and sharing Jesus. It was wonderful. They had been on a retreat for the week-end. A time to listen closely to God. My brother related an experience he had when he went fishing at a pond. He said, God is not into catching and releasing. That word touched my spirit. He shared the scripture where the fisherman had fished all night and came home empty. Jesus was waiting on the shore cooking fish for their breakfast. I got to thinking when fishing is your business and you can't even catch your own breakfast it is indeed a sad day. Jesus told them to cast their nets and they were overfilled. They needed help pulling them in so the nets would not break. My brother then said another thing I had not thought about. Not all the fish were good fish. They sorted the bad fish from the good and the bad were not returned to the water. They were thrown on the burn pile. God is not into the catch and release system. So many times church folks get caught up in numbers......church attendance, how many got saved....how many baptized....so that once they are saved and added to the church roll they are not discipled. God is not into the catch and release system and he has taught us to be fishers of men. I'm off......GONE FISHING

THE DEVIL DOESN'T MESS WITH BAG LADIES

BELOVED I HOPE YOU KNOW HOW VALUABLE YOU ARE IN THE KINGDOM....this is the generation that is living in the greatest time of the church in history. This is the folks God is going to use to set the world on it's ear. You have a purpose to full fill, a glory to manifest, a plan only you can do. God wants to work through you. Just remember the devil doesn't mess with bag ladies, he's after bigger fish, he's after you...so rejoice and be glad, you have him worried. God bless, Linda

PASSION IS THE STRENGTH OF PURSUIT

BELOVED, PASSION IS THE STRENGTH OF PURSUIT! Revelation is a process. God gives it line upon line precept upon precept a little at a time. Then by faith we have to pursue the vision. That's why we walk by faith. If we took the faith out of it and God showed us the walk all at once we would be walking by agreement. Walking by faith pleases God. Pursue with passion, my friends, it is your strength, God bless, Linda

JUST A PINECONE???

A PREACHER STOOD AT A PULPIT WITH HIS OPEN PALM HOLDING A PINECONE TOWARD THE CONGREGATION. He asked them what they saw? They responded , a pine cone.
He said, when you look you see just a pinecone but when God looks he sees unlimited possibilities. He sees acres of forest in the valleys and on the mountain side. The possibilities go on for generation. What do you see when you picture yourself in the palm of God's hand? A small person compared to the universe. But think what God sees when he looks at you ......unlimited possibilities.

Unlimited possibilities,
That's what God sees when He looks at me,
A preacher, a teacher, a songwriter too.
What does God see when He looks at you?

INTO THE FLAMES

I loved this devotion so I thought I would share it....the townspeople were in total despair. A fire which started in a diner was threatening to burn down the bussiness district. They seemed helpless to o anything about it. Suddenly a truck full of farm workers came speeding down the hill toward the fire. The crowd moved back as the truck drove straight into the flames. The farm workers jumped out and started beating the flames with their coats, miraculously bringing it under control. The city fathers were so grateful they gave each man a thousand dollar reward. A newsman interviewed the driver asking what he was going to do with his money? You can be the first thing I am going to do is fix the brakes on my truck!

ARE YOU AS SMART AS A GREEN BEAN?

Our community has a pre-Easter week of meetings in a different church every night. Also a preacher from a different denomination preaches every night. That is the one time of year all denominations and differences in theology are put aside and we are all united as the body of Christ. Iheard a sermon I will never forget. The pastor said, shouldn't we all be as smart as a green bean. When they push their heads out of the ground they are bowed as if in prayer and then as the sun hits them they open their two leaves to the sky as if in adoration and praise. Yes. Lord, I hope I can be as smart as a green bean. Hallelujah

A RAM WILL TAKE YOU OUT BROTHER

WHEN ABRAHAM TOOK ISSAC TO THE MOUNTAIN TO SACRIFICE HIM HE WAS 127 YEARS OLD. God stopped his hand and told him there was a ram in the brambles, to sacrifice him. Now a mad ram will take you out brother, especially if you are 127 years old. But God tangled the ram in the thicket and took the fight out of the blessing. Many times when the enemy comes against us we feel as weak and weary as a 127 year old man who has just climbed a mountain with our last strength. But God has already defeated the enemy and wrestled him to the ground and if we stand in faith and command him to go, he has no choice but to obey. That leaves the way open to receive the blessing. No ram can take you out beloved cause Jesus has your back...........the only place the Armour of God does not protect is the back....isn't that interesting.

MYSTERY OR PUZZLE

Hello be loved of the most high God. I need the help of all you Bible scholars out there today.... In Rev. 19:6-9...it tells of the marriage of the lamb...if the lamb is the groom, Jesus Christ and the bride is the saints of God,the church who are the wedding guests called blessed??????? I do not know. I know who they are not...Satan and his angels for they have already been cast in the fire.....soooooooo...if the groom, Jesus, and the bride, the church and the wicked are accounted for ...who are the wedding guests? Who is left?????? I can give you opinons of saints....... A Rabbonic, Messanic Jew says he believes the guests are the great multitude who came to faith after the rapture of the church during the waning days of Daniel's 70th week. They will enter the millennial kingdom, still in mortal bodies. This suggests that the wedding supper probably takes place on earth, in the presence of the post-rapture saints made pure through the blood of the lamb. Another source suggests it is Abraham, Elijah, David and the pre-Christ saints. Another thinks it may be angels. Anybody out there got any scripture??????? God bless, Linda

ALLELUJAH!

Did you know the word allelujah or hallelujah as we know it only appears in the New Testament 4 times...in only one book in one chapter? Rev. 19:1-6 hallelujah is a compound of 2 words...halle..lujah. In the Old Testament it is translated "Praise ye the Lord," 24 times. More literally it should be translated, "Praise ye yah." Yah is a shortened form of Yahweh which is the correct and proper name of God. Just some fun facts.....love ya, Linda

NO SHOES.... NO SERVICE.....SHOES... SERVICE

NO SHOES...NO SERVICE....how many times have you seen that sign on a place of business? USUALLY WHERE THEY SERVE FOOD. Isn't it odd what offends man pleases God. Footwear was never part of the priestly uniform. In fact the priests had to minister barefoot after washing their feet in rain or spring water...then they could enter the Holy Place.... Man says.... NO SHOES...NO SERVICE...GOD SAYS...... SHOES....NO SERVICE...Moses take off your shoes for this is Holy ground.....I have visited many denominations during my years and the only place I have found that wasn't offended when you took off your shoes to worship God was the full gospel people. My daughter-in-law is an evangelist anointed with the spirit of joy. When she walks into a room the sun comes out. Her joy is so infectious no one can resist her. The first evangelist meeting she had she came in with her long hair flowing down her back and was barefoot. When she stands behind the pulpit and starts preaching she doesn't stand there long but comes down in front of the congregation starts waving that Bible and pacing...so full of energy she can't contain it. She ministered in the gifts of healing prophesy and word of knowledge....when alter call came over half the congregation came forward humbled with tears running down their cheeks and moved by the power of God delivered by this woman. As the people left with joy and deliverance on their faces, I heard some of the church women complaining that they were offended because she did not wear shoes while she preached. Now help me understand saints.....these saints had just been saved, healed and delivered from bondages that had held them captive for years and they were offended it was done without shoes?????????? God says take off your shoes when you minister for this is Holy Ground......next time you are in a service and the Holy Spirit falls and your toes long to be free of your shoes could be the Holy Ghost saying take off your shoes beloved this is Holy ground. The last church meeting Jesus attended was the last supper where they served food to the church crowd and the first thing He did was take off their shoes and wash their feet....friends that was Holy ground....and events that followed that meeting has turned the world upside down for 2 thousand years..think about it....Jesus is our high priest and He doesn't wear shoes as He stands before God in our behalf...it is not and has never been part of the priestly uniform.......God bless, Linda

ALL THE BOOKS IN THE WORLD COULD NOT CONTAIN THEM.....

Sometimes our vision is so small we tend to keep God in a box. This week a verse keeps going through my mind. I have read it a thousand times but this time it changed my vision of who Christ was when he walked the earth as a man. John only knew Him for 3 years and yet he said in John 21:25.... And these are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Can you imagine doing so many good works that if they were recorded would fill all the books of the world and some left over? It sure broadens your vision. We have such a small portion of His deeds recorded in the gospels, we can read them in a day. I am an avid reader. I read at least a book a day and often grieve to think I don't have enough time left to read all the books I would like to. Look at all the Christian books that have been written about Him in the last 2 centuries based on only the gospels. It is awe inspiring is it not.......ALL THE BOOKS IN THE WORLD COULD NOT CONTAIN THEM.......THE GOOD WORKS OF JESUS....GOD BLESS LINDA

SEDUCTIVE BEAUTY AT 90

We all know the story of Abraham and Sarah ........that Abraham was the richest man in the land....and from the hall of faith chapter in Hebrews 11, he was exalted for his great faith. But do you remember how Abraham acquired all his wealth? He met a King who desired his wife and Abraham was afraid the King would kill him to get his wife so he introduced her as his sister. A man of faith let fear over ride him. The King desired her for a wife to be added to his harem. Sarah was 90years old at the time. Can you imagine being so beautiful at age 90 that a King who could have any in the kingdom desired you. It is beyond my imagination,but Sarah lived in the blessings of Abraham and the favor of God. I have known a lot of 90 year old women and it just doesn't happen in my world. The king suffered much as God warned him Sarah was Abraham's wife and not to touch her ........ And he returned her and gave Abraham much wealth to take her and leave and then it happened again. Not only was Sarah desired by one king but by two at 90 years old. I suppose Sarah was a type of the virgin Mary, a shadow of things to come, as Mary's womb would hold the blessings of the nations. Though Mary was young and a virgin, Sarah was old and barren but her womb would also hold the blessings of the nations. For in Issac all nations were blessed. Food for thought saints, love ya, Linda