Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Songs Of My Heart - ROADBLOCKS TO VICTORY



The song says:

I WANT TO BE A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, I want to be one of His disciples.
I want to walk in the newness of life, so let me be a follower of Christ.
What do I have to do?
What do I have to say?
How do I have to walk each and every day?
Tell me what does it cost, just to carry the cross?
So let me be a follower of Christ.


I'm thinking all of us have "Roadblocks/Stealers" in our lives that attempt to trake us away from being a "Follower of Christ;" stealers that we consent to which sway us from following the road Christ is leading us down today. For me it is "games". I love computor games. I can come in and be mindless for a few minutes, relax, and not think. Sometimes as I'm playing a game I get a really good idea for something to write about, but more often I fall into the quicksand of wasted time, that lasts much longer than I first anticipated. Then I find myself playing catch-up on the assignment the Lord has blessed me to have. I finish it - always. But my best was not given to the Lord.

In this song I find not only self examination, but a statement of my purpose to walk in the newness of life that Christ daily sets before me. Proverbs 1:8 says to listen to what your father and mother teach you. What you learn will crown your with grace and clothe you in honor. I was taught, do the work first - then play. Set your priorities. We have often heard the saying, "Actions speak louder than words," the enticement for me of technology (games)can be as compelling as people who have no purpose but to draw me from my purpose, and destroy what the Lord is growing inside. And I have played a willing part.

For me and for all of us who want to be and are 'Followers of Christ,' these roadblocks must be identified and dealt with - EARLY. When the games I play take 1st place - God's place, they become sin.

The beginning of wisdom is God. With wisdom get understanding of who you are, where is God in your life today, what/who are the roadblocks in your life, and where is your strength?

Thank you Lord for the Your wisdom, and giving me understanding of my weaknesses, and strength in Christ. Thank you for Your amazing love that leads me back on the road to victory. Let not my eyes sway from You today, let me not pass up the opportunity to speak in kindness, to love others as You have loved me today.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Songs Of My Heart - LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE



MY TESTIMONY: An old song that expresses daily the love and power of the Lord.

Many of you have prayed for and with me over the weekend about my back. The testimony of the healing was so long I couldn't put it on the Facebook page, so I'm back to the blog. Not only in my life, but as the Lord works in, works out, heals and touches we must tell it.

About five years ago I fell over one of the cement parking thing-a-ma-jigs downtown and a lower disc in my back was moved out of place. I was preparing to have surgery on my shoulder and didn't want surgery on my back, so I went into physical therepy for it. Well it only bothers me about once a year and sometimes not that, but when it does, it's pure pain, and I'm laid up for about a week. This weekend it happened again. I didn't go to church Sunday, stayed home and nursed it real good (ice, pills, etc).

There was a minister coming to Pastor Anthony Westbrook's, House of Wisdom Non- Denominational Church, and I was planning on going. The minister is Kevin Ford, and he was going to speak on healing. Just where I should'a been right? I stayed home. Well, I got through Sunday, and went to work Monday, gingerly working and moving so as not to be in too much pain. Monday night I did go to the service. I tell others that there is healing in our praise, but I wasn't practicing what I preach. I was on the praise team, singing, moving a little bit, but to be truthful I wasn't giving Jesus my all, my mind was on my back.

I had met Pastor Kevin and his wife once before like introduction, hello, welcome to Bellingham. So I really didn't know much about him, and until I saw him again Monday, his name didn't phase me. After we sang and he got up to give his message, he talked about how the Lord healed him from various addictions, brought him out of homelessness (living in a box, delivered him from a lot of "ism's = I, Self and Me" to using him in His service, restoring his life, and giving him another family, while restoring past relationships with his previous family - The Lord Heals.

Kevin asked if anyone was having back pain, I was one of several who raised our hands. He came over to me and asked permission to take my hands, then he knelt down in front of me. He asked if I had one leg longer than the other, I told him, "Not that I was aware of." He took my shoes off (I was glad I had done my toenails), and then as we looked at my legs I saw that one was longer than the other. He assured me he was not going to yank or twist, but that the Lord would heal. He asked the congregation to come and see, they did. He just gently held both my legs over him arm.

As he held my legs, Pastor Kevin talked of healing, he talked of the love that Christ has for us, he talked about the Word, and the power in speaking the Word of God - he didn't pray, preach or beg for God to heal. At times he would say something funny, making us all laugh a little. As he held my legs, to our amazement - the shorter one became longer until it was even with the other. NEVER IN MY LIFE, had I EVER seen anything like that or experienced this. He asked me to stand, and then asked me about my pain level. I told him it was about a 7 when I came in, and that right now it was about a 3. He asked me to bend over and touch my toes. I used to do Modern Dance, so I was used to being able to put the palm of my hand on the floor with my legs straight. Now at 63 years old, it has been many a year since I could even come close to doing this, but I did. Not once or twice, but about 20-30 times, all the way up and all the way down. LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAD DONE - HE HEALED MY BODY.

Not only did he heal my back, but my shoulders were without pain, and my knees were bending like they had not in years. HE HEALED MY BODY, HE TOUCHED MY MIND, HE SAVED ME IT WAS JUST IN TIME - I'M GONNA' PRAISE HIS NAME, HE'S EVERMORE THE SAME, I'M GONNA PRAISE HIM, LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE.

When the praise team (including me) returned to sing, I was able to dance, dance, dance. Those who know me know I don't do a lot of bouncing around, but Jesus touched my body and gave me a dance. Today is Wednesday and I am without back pain, even the morning pains I usually wake up with. I spent a lot of years ignoring the Lord and doing my own thing with the energy He gave me. I know He is giving it back, and I will expend much energy in serving, praising, worshipping Him. My Father God loves us so very much, and He makes His presence known in our lives everyday. LOOK AROUND AT WHAT THE LORD IS DOING!