Category: Faith & Spiritual Growth

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Shake off the Viper!

March 8, 2020 (Post #30)

(From Journal #2:  September 7, 2005)

In Acts 28, Paul made it to the island of Malta.  All on the ship were saved because of him.  He gathered brushwood and as he put it on the fire, a viper driven out by the heat fastened itself to his left hand!  The islanders thought he must have done something to deserve it, that it was a punishment.  The people expected him to swell up and die, but when he didn’t, they changed their minds and thought he was a god. Paul had so much faith (fire) that he didn’t panic or fear the viper.  But Paul shook off the snake and suffered no ill effects! The people then knew Paul was different and that something special was on his life.  He then, through the power of Jesus, healed everyone on the island!  Then Paul did much traveling to get to Rome.  The Lord sent some brothers who invited Paul, Luke and the others to stay with them.  The Bible said that at the sight of these men, Paul thanked God and was encouraged.  Even though Paul had been through so much and seen God’s faithfulness many times, he still needed encouragement and God provided it! 

I see a parallel:  It was raining and cold.  Life can be such.  But when we fight back and build a “fire” in our heart with the Word of God, and keep putting “brushwood” on it by studying/meditating/growing, the vipers in our life will come out of the fire and attack us.  As Christians, the more we grow, the bigger the threat we are and the more the viper (satan, the enemy) wants to attack.  You see, if we don’t apply any heat, the viper remains comfortable and unthreatened.  But when heat (the Word, faith) is applied, he will attack.  And people are watching.  They’ll make assumptions about why things come against us.  They’ll blame God or think we deserve it somehow.  People expect the worst when you say “cancer,” but because of Jesus, I choose to shake off that cancer viper, praise God!  And just like Paul, You’ve encouraged me so many times, especially since the lymphoma diagnosis.  I am healed; I know it.  But during this journey, You have sent people to encourage me with a Word of confirmation You’ve give to them.  You bless me so, Lord!  Thank You so much!

Acts 28:5:  But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

Acts 28:15:  And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to see us…  When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

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Don’t Miss the Rainbow!

February 23, 2020   (Post #28)

(From Journal #2:  August 16, 2005)

Yesterday Lord, You gave me such a beautiful sign and revelation. I’ve been having this strange pain in my right side which is concerning.  I got up and walked outside.  The sky had become very dark and ominous and the wind was blowing.  It was very threatening.  I stood in the breezeway and looked at those dark clouds as they hung very low and seemed to envelope my home and me.  They were symbolic of the heaviness I’d been feeling. And then, I saw it!

A rainbow was right in the middle of those black clouds!  It’s You, Lord.  You’re the rainbow, the promise, the covenant, the hope!

I had to be looking to see the rainbow.  Its pastel colors were so delicate they appeared to be overshadowed by the clouds.  However, once I saw it, the colors were bright to me and the clouds became secondary to the Light!  Oh Lord, thank You for reminding me and showing me that You are always there, never leaving, never forsaking.  No matter what comes against me, You are there – the Light, the rainbow, the promise, the peace, the everlasting, ever-present hope.

Genesis 9:13-16:   “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.  It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

Ezekiel 1:28:  Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

Psalm 105:8:  He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations…

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Protect Your Faith

February 15, 2020 (Post #27)

(From Journal #2:  August 15, 2005)

Back in May I began to visit another church.  Our regular church added an early service, so I go to one church at 8:00 with John the other at 10:00 by myself.  While I love our church, the pastor and the people, there’s really no teaching on faith or healing.  To be frank, the pastor couldn’t really pray for me in faith that God wants me healed.  There were too many “ifs” in the prayer.  It just sort of negates the value of our faith having any role in what we receive.  That’s not what I read in the Word? I do realize people of great faith don’t always survive, but Jesus clearly mentioned the role of faith in those He healed and those who did not receive healing.

Yesterday, the pastor’s wife at the new church caught me as I was leaving and I told her I can now come regularly.  I explained to her that spiritually the other church wasn’t helping me stand in faith for healing.  She told me she’d written down something the Lord had given her a few days before and now she realized it was meant for me.  She took a piece of paper out of her Bible and when she read it, it astounded me!  Then she said, “Girl, the Lord really loves you.”  Thank you, Jesus!  This is what You told her:

“This is an exercise of faith.  You have to protect your faith from doubt and unbelief.  Words and thoughts are the most powerful weapons for or against your faith.  It means having to separate yourself from doubt and unbelief UNTO thoughts and words of faith in what you read, watch and hear… including the people you associate with.  Be yoked with people of like faith and you’ll witness the manifestation of your desires.  Be yoked with unbelief and you risk the frustration of the postponement, or even unfulfilled desire.  Your faith is precious.  Don’t allow little foxes to steal it.  Everything was made by the God-kind of faith, and it’s a gift from your Father.  It’s a mystery to the world and a treasure for the believer.  Pray for all close-knit relationships and associations to be of faith and agreement, especially where your desires and needs are concerned.  Because “if any two (agree)…it shall be done.” 

Lord, thank You for this Word.  Unbelief is contagious.  I want to protect my faith.

Matthew 18:19: “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.”

John 11:40:  Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?”

Mark 10:52:  “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Mark 5:34:  And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

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Praise the Praise Report!

January 23, 2020  (Post #25)

(From Journal #2:   May 3, 2005)

Yesterday I had a follow-up CT scan and the report was great!  Thank You, Lord Jesus!  The lymph nodes are shrinking and there are no other suspicious areas; no more treatment ordered!  My next scan will be the first part of July.

Thank You, Lord, for Your Word and its healing power which is alive, active, and working in me.  I will continue my study of healing.  I feel great and know I am healed!

Hebrews 4:12:  For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 

Matthew 24:35:  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away.

Isaiah 32:17:  The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

Jeremiah 17:7:  But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.

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Victory Before the Battle!

December 31, 2019 (Post #22)

(From Journal #1:  March 22, 2005)

Yesterday I had treatment #3.  The doctor said I’d be scanned again 6 weeks after the 4th treatment.  I’m praying for no more treatments needed! 

I read the book of Joshua and I continue to see the Matthew 11:12  “forceful men lay hold of it” revelation portrayed in the Bible.  When You told Joshua to cross the Jordan River, the river only parted AFTER they stepped into the water.  Action was required before the miracle.

At every battle, You told Joshua, “Today I have given unto you….” BEFORE the battle began.  It was spoken as a “done deal” BUT they still had to fight the battle in faith!  Lord, this is HUGE!  If we believe we have VICTORY BEFORE THE BATTLE, then we fight from faith and not from fear!!!  This is a game-changer for every battle we face in life.

This helps me so much in this battle against non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  I HAVE the victory.  You are with me, but the battle must still be fought.  I just have to fight from faith and not from fear.  Jesus!

Joshua 3:15-16: “…and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away…”

Joshua 6:2-3:   And the Lord said to Joshua:  “See!  I haven given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.  You shall march around the city all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once.  This you shall do six days.”

Joshua 8:1:  Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai.  See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.”

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Action is Required

December 24, 2019 (Post #21)

(From Journal #1:  March 17, 2005)

I had my 2nd infusion a couple of days ago and it went well.  Thank You, Lord.  The biggest issue is lack of sleep.  It seems 3:00 a.m. is the “waking hour.”  As tired as I am, there’s something about the silence in the house in these early hours that helps me “hear” revelations from the Bible.  Matthew 11:12 is really speaking to me:

“From the days of John the Baptist until now:”  This time is Jesus’ life.  John (Elijah to pave the way for the Messiah) was 6 months older than Jesus.  Prophecy had stopped until John the Baptist and Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy!

“The Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing:”  Jesus is the Kingdom of Heaven and He was “forcefully advancing” and fulfilling the Father’s will.  He suffered much violence and persecution, but His unwavering commitment to His mission forcefully advanced the Kingdom of Heaven through every obstacle.

“And forceful men lay hold of it:”  I believe the Word is saying “forceful” men will go after and pursue the Kingdom of Heaven, regardless of any persecution or opposition.  We should not be passive in our position or desire to be a part of the advancement of the Kingdom.  Go after the Kingdom.  Pursue the Kingdom.  Stand against the opposition and keep advancing.  I think of the woman with the issue of blood who pushed through the crowd just to touch the hem of His garment.  She did not let anything keep her from Jesus!

I relate this to my healing and fight against cancer.  Jesus paid the price for it. I will fight and stand firm in faith.  My study of Matthew shows action is required on my part:  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7-8)

Faith is not just something we have, but something we do.  It’s both a noun and a verb!

Mark 5:25-28:  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

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Treatment, Trials, & Trust

December 15, 2019  (Post #20)

(From Journal #1:  March 8, 2005)

I had my first treatment today.  I had a scary allergic reaction early on but they got it under control and the rest of the infusion went well but slowly; it took about 6 hours!  I was so blessed to discover the treatments are once per week for 4 weeks, and not for months!  I’ll be done by the end of March.  

I am trusting and believing You that I will not need further treatments.  I am standing on Mark 16:18….and if they drink deadly poison, it will not harm them at all….  I am trusting this drug will only kill bad cells and leave the good cells alone!

I want to go back and continue to meditate on Matthew 11:12 and my study of Elijah and also Elisha.  I feel there is so much for me to learn.  Give me “ears to hear.”  I love You, Lord.  Thank you for being with me today and always.  Protect me from the evil one as Your Word promises.  I stand in faith that I am healed and no side effects of the treatment will come nigh me or harm me!

Psalm 91:9-11:  If you make the Most High your dwelling, even the LORD, who is my refuge, then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

Hebrews 13:5-6  …because God has said,“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  So we say with confidence,“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?”

Hebrews 4:14-16:  I hold firmly to the faith I profess and boldly approach the throne of grace with confidence so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help in my time of need.

Psalm 27:13-14:  I am still confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

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Don’t Forget to Remember

December 6, 2019  (Post #19)

(From Journal #1:  March 6, 2005)

I’ve been reading Matthew, and Matthew 11:12 jumped out at me:  “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”  I am struck by the phrase “forceful men lay hold of it.”  I want to meditate and study this, and pray for revelation about what You want to show me, Lord.

John the Baptist was referred to as Elijah in Matthew 17:11-13.  Malachi 4:5 prophesies “Elijah” will come before the day of the Lord.  This is John the Baptist.  After Malachi, there were no prophets for 400 years.  In order to understand Matthew 11:12, I felt moved to study Elijah in 1 Kings 17. 

Elijah meets a widow who thought she was totally defeated.  She was gathering sticks to make a fire in order to prepare a tiny “last meal” for her son and her, and then to “die.”  He told her not to be afraid, to go home and do as she said, but first make a small cake for him, and then make food for herself and her son.  Elijah told her she would not run out of flour or oil until the Lord sends rain.  She did what Elijah told her and her supplies did not run out for many days.  This is in essence an example of tithing.  If we obey the Lord and put Him first, He will use whatever resources we have, no matter how small it seems to us.  He will magnify and multiply for as long as is needed.

Later the woman’s son became sick and he died, and she blamed Elijah!  But she is the one who had spoken death into their lives.  Elijah took the boy and cried to the Lord three times and the Lord brought him back to life!  Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.”

Even though she had already seen and experienced a miracle from God, she did not really trust and believe.  When her son got sick, she did not remember His faithfulness in the past.  Trials come in our lives. We have to remember what the Lord has already done and have faith in Him to do it again. 


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The Angel’s Touch

November 12, 2019  (Post #16)

(From Journal #1:  February 18, 2005)

I got home from the hospital yesterday.  The doctor came by before I left and said he hoped to have the biopsy results by Friday (today) and he’ll call me when he does.

Thursday I woke at 12:30 a.m., and had such an awesome time with You, Lord.  I felt such peace.  I know in my heart I am healed.  My right shoulder has been hurting and I didn’t know if it is because of how they positioned me in surgery?  But as I write this, I sense this pain in my shoulder is where the angel touched me after surgery, to remind me that I did feel and hear him tell me the lymph node is benign.  I believe the shoulder pain will be gone when I hear the next report of the Lord.

I love you Jesus and Father God so much!  Your faithfulness never fails.  As I read Your Word, let fresh revelation sink into my spirit.

Daniel 10:18-19: Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God.  Peace!  Be encouraged!  Be strong!”

Psalm 91:11 :  For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

Psalm 34:7:  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,And He delivers them.

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The Whisper in My Ear

October 30, 2019  (Post #15)

(From Journal #1:  February 15, 2005)

It’s 10:30 p.m., and I’m finally in my hospital room.  Surgery was late and then the hospital was full so I waited for hours in recovery.  The blessing in that is the only room that became vacant was a suite on the top floor.  Thank You, Lord! 

The strangest thing happened and I wanted to journal about it before I go to sleep.  As I was coming out of anesthesia, someone leaned over my right shoulder and whispered to me, “The biopsy is benign.”  I just assumed it was the nice anesthesiologist who was positioned behind me during surgery.  I was so grateful to get a quick word and was just lying there and praising you in my mind.  

When John finally was able to come back and see me, he said the surgeon told him it would take a couple of days before they had the biopsy results?  I was confused and told him that couldn’t be right because someone had already told me the biopsy was benign?  Lord, I know someone told me it’s benign.  If not the anesthesiologist, perhaps an angel???  I am certain of it!  Thank You, Jesus!

I’m so tired and sleepy but I had to get all this written down.  I was up at 5:00 a.m. to spend time with You, Lord.  I read so many comforting scriptures on healing and  prayed them over my body.  And then to hear the whisper in my ear…praise!

Psalm 119:49-50:  Remember Your Word to Your servant, for you have given me hope.  My comfort in my suffering is this:  Your promise preserves my life.”

Psalm 119:116-117:  Sustain me according to Your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.  Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for Your decrees.

Psalm 119:175:  Let me live that I may praise You, and may Your laws sustain me.

Galatians 3:13:  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written,“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree…)

Isaiah 53:5:  But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.