Wednesday, September 28, 2005

our Great Physician

Writing to ask for prayers of healing. I've mentioned before the Egyptian family currently living in Dallas. I've been ministering to them since February and have found precious friendship in them. I love the little boys - Ahmed and Mohammed. I'd love to show you a picture of us, but out of respect for the family, I will not post it on my blog. They are all over the net, though, so if you'd like to picture the little face you are praying for, you can see their pictures at http://www.medicalcityhospital.com/custompage.asp?pagename=egyptian_twins_images . I've just looked through all of them, with tears in my eyes to see how they've grown and I just KNOW that God has a special purpose for these little boys whom He has chosen to save and breathe life into.

So what is the healing that is needed? Well, Mohammed has been walking now for months and gets along just great on his own. However, Ahmed does not yet walk. He only crawls. He crawls well and walks with assistance. When I was talking with Sabah, their mother, earlier this week, I asked her about Ahmed and his progress in walking. She said, "Kim, Salilo l ino yemshy," which means, "Kim, pray for him that he walks." God touched my heart with her words. She sees something powerful in my prayers. The time and love I have given to them has been reflecting our God. Praise Him! Glory to Him. I decided that day to pray that God, our Healer and Great Physician, would touch Ahmed's legs, give them strength to walk, and all the other things that accompany his body's understanding of walking would also be touched by our Healer IN THE NEXT 3-4 WEEKS. Please pray this with me. Pray for healing from Jesus. Pray in confidence that God will hear our prayers and answer them.

When Peter and Paul prayed over the sick and needy in Acts, he always prayed with power. He was annointed. We see in Acts 3:1-10 the healing of a lame man. He had been lame from birth and everyday was carried to the gate Beautiful so that he could beg. He asked Peter for help that day. Peter called the man to look at him and John and said, I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have, I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!" And we see immediately that Peter took the man by the hand, raised him up, and AT ONCE his feet and ankles became strong. He not only walked, he jumped, he leaped, and he praised God!!!

May God make Ahmed's legs strong, that he will jump, and leap, and praise God.

To God be the glory great things He has done!!!

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Sovereignty and Love

Psalm 115:3
But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.

Is this verse a bit scary or unsettling? In some ways, it is to me. Why does it scare you and me? Beth Moore suggests that maybe this passage is unsettling is because we don't fully understand His love.

Psalm 21:7
For the king trusts in the Lord,
And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.

Moore also suggests that God's sovereignty can terrify us only to the extent that we are uncertain of His love. Only to the extent that we abide in His love can we be comforted by His sovereignty.

There are areas of my life that I haven't fully trusted God with...areas in which I have dreams unfilled. His sovereignty is scary to me in that area because I don't understand why he hasn't fulfilled my hopes and dreams in that specific area. However, I have to ask myself, "Do I really trust in His love for me? Do I really trust that He is in control and cares about the details of my life? Do I really trust that He has a plan for my future?" If I did, I wouldn't be unsettled by these unfufilled dreams, rather I would be joyful in all circumstances.

How about you? Is Psalm 115:3 scary or unsettling for you? Do you KNOW the full extent of His love?

Thursday, September 22, 2005

separated for sanctification

I just began Beth Moore's study on the Patriarchs. In the first 4 days of the study, I am learning so very much. A theme has been the concept of separtation for sanctification. Abram, when asked to separate himself from his family and go to an unknown land, began a process of sanctification, for God had promised him that he would be the father of many nations and that all nations, thru him would be blessed. Does God use one who has not been sanctified to bless all nations of the world? I doubt it!

This concept along with some thoughts from the well-known passage of Isaiah 6, a look at the life of Christ, and some words of wisdom from a good friend of mine have led me to this search for separation and sanctification in my own life. After all, before Isaiah cried out, "Here am I Lord, send me," his lips were burned with coal so that he would be purified. He was separated from his sin by the tongs of fire which purified his lips. Before Jesus began His ministry He was separated from all of those around Him as He spent time in the desert. (I'm not suggesting that Christ needed to be sanctified...He is God Almighty...but He too spent time in separation before He began His ministry.

Just a little something He is teaching me...before I can be most effective in ministry to those around me, He wants to separate me, to purify me, to sanctify me that my life would be different. From that difference, others would be drawn to Christ.

This is what He's been teaching me and the areas in which I'm praying right now. May He gorw you and change you to better reflect His glory in your daily lives. Though we are often times a bad representation of Him, I thank Him so much that He desires to refine us - it may hurt, it may burn like the tongs of fire, but He is our Potter, we are the clay. May we be moldable...may we be separated for His Glory!