Posted in Hiding His Word

God Will Restore – Jeremiah 30:17

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

2aa31045-09fd-4106-9b42-b7f5cdaea2f7

“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.” ~ Jeremiah‬ ‭30:17‬‬‬‬

Restore – to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish: to restore order; to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition; to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor; to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc ; to give back; make restitution of (anything taken away or lost) ; to reproduce or reconstruct in the original state.

Health – the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor.  Soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment

Heal – to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment; to free from evil; cleanse; purify.

Wound – an injury, usually involving division of tissue or rupture of the integument or mucous membrane, due to external violence or some mechanical agency rather than disease; an injury or hurt to feelings, sensibilities, reputation, etc.

“I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds.” This is what the Lord said to his chosen people, the nation he calls His own. These words are powerful. He said He would free them from disease and heal them of any inflicted injuries. God made this promise to an entire nation. And that the King of Glory, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, is concerned enough with this small nation to promise to restore health to them and heal them of their wounds means the world to me! Why? Because it means our Father in Heaven is also keeping an eye out for each one of us. He cares so much for us that He also promises to heal us.

We know from reading the Bible that these are not empty promises. God fulfills all His promises, every single Word. Over and over He proves His Word is true… and so we can be confident that His Word will come to pass.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. ~ Isaiah 55: 11

Something I read today regarding wounds:

Some wounds take bandages. Some wounds take stitches. Some wounds take surgery to replace new with the old. Just because you didn’t get to choose the way you wanted to heal doesn’t mean you take your bandage off and demand stitches.
Wounds aren’t meant to be reopened. A reopened wound causes more infections…
When you get healed, stay healed. Don’t create your own healing method. God knows how to tend to your wounds. Wounds cannot heal when that healing is sought in the world. It’s impossible. But with God any wound is available for healing.

Lord, I thank You for releasing supernatural strength to me, for restoring my health, delivering me from the bondage of fear, and for healing my wounds. You are so good to me! I love you and honor you, Jesus! Oh, merciful Father, I come before Your throne tonight to ask You to let your healing virtue flow to those that are on my prayer list. Holy Spirit, you know every single name and their affliction and suffering. You know every need. You died so that each one could walk in your healing tonight. Let healing flow through bodies, minds, and spirits tonight…on this earth as it is in heaven…for YOUR GLORY alone!!! I pray this in Jesus Name. Amen! Amen!!!

Posted in Hiding His Word

Healing and Granny’s Fig Jam: 2 Kings 20:1-7

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.” ~ 2 Kings‬ ‭20:1-7‬ 

2 Kings 20 is such an interesting passage!!!

In this passage of scripture, I see that the Lord healed in answer to prayer. And yet, figs were used by the direction of the prophet of God before there was a complete recovery. Sometimes God uses medicines. Sometimes healing is a process.

I see that God was true to His Word. Specifically, 2 Chronicles 7:14 – IF my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land. Hezekiah certainly did humble himself and pray. God did answer.

I see that God said He would heal and then defend and deliver the nation…for His own sake but also for the sake of His servant, David. Isn’t it amazing that God might do something for us for the sake of those around us, that are His servants? Have you ever thought that God might have healed you for the sake of your mother or for the sake of your pastor or for the sake of your spouse? Have you ever thought that God might just heal someone for your sake if you are obedient to Him and His will…as well as for His own sake and for His Glory?!?

Reading the rest of the chapter (and you should), I see that even though there was recovery, Hezekiah wanted a sign to prove it. Aren’t we like that? I like that Hezekiah was bold enough to ask! We have not because we ask not!!!! God did give the sign which was a miracle. The Bible doesn’t explain the miracle so we just have to leave it at that. Praise God for His miracles.

—

Here are a few things I believe about healing. Some relate to this scripture and some are my beliefs because of the finished work of the Cross and the healing work God has done in me!

  • I believe in divine healing and that God uses our prayers to bring His healing forth.
  • I believe that He heals because He is a merciful and compassionate God and also because healing is His perfect will.
  • I believe that healing was paid for in the atonement just as salvation was.
  • I believe that there are many things we don’t understand and won’t understand…but still healing is God’s perfect will.
  • I believe that God will direct and redirect our paths to pray for people because He wants to heal. Sometimes I listen…sometimes I cower. Forgive me Lord for the times I have ignored your call and let someone that is hurting walk away.
  • I believe we would see so many miracles if we made up our mind to listen and walk in boldness and obedience. Not just in church services though. I am talking about as we walk through our own, everyday world.
  • I believe…I just do!

It is very late, so maybe I will write some more later and then update. All thoughts are welcome. I truly love to hear what others have gleaned from scripture or what the Holy Ghost has revealed to them about scripture, prayer, and healing. God bless.

 

On a personal note: When I was a young teenager we lived beside my grandparents. My Granny and Grandpa Burgess had fig trees in their yard. Every year Granny made the best fig jam. I sure do miss my grandparents and her jam. When I read about figs in the Bible I think on those days and thank God for their influence in my life, but mostly for their presence. Their presence brought healing to me just as that lump of figs for Hezekiah. Thinking on Granny’s figs I know that no matter what I lost in my life, I was blessed beyond measure by those two loving me unconditionally and caring for me. Sometimes the greatest gift of healing anyone can give is just to be there!!!!

 

Posted in Journal

He Keeps Me Singing

Posted on by Melissa Lynne
ccac367a-83ec-4369-a867-87b29c3e47fe

Driving home from church last Sunday, God put a song in my heart. HE KEEPS ME SINGING. Often He gives me a song, but this was different because the Lord had put the same song there on the first day of this new year. And I was driving down that very same road. This time though as I drove down Redbud Road singing the chorus, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Sweetest Name I know. Fills my every longing; keeps me singing as I go,” the Lord said to me, “Do I fill Your every longing?” Now, that got my attention. I have some longings as everyone does, but I often look to other people to do for me what God alone can. He alone can fill my every longing.

Arriving home I looked up the history of this song because I knew there was something more the Lord wanted to share.

Luther B. Bridges (1484 -1948) began preaching at the age of seventeen and was ordained as a Methodist Minister. He then served as an evangelist in the American South and in mission work in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Russia. He pastored in Georgia and North Carolina before retiring in 1945 in Gainesville, Georgia.  As a teen, he met Sarah Vetch, and they reportedly fell in love at first sight. They were both younger than twenty years old when they married. They had three boys.  In 1910 Bridges accepted an invitation to minister at a conference in Kentucky, so he left his family in the care of his father-in-law and made the trip to Kentucky. There he had two wonderful weeks of ministry. He closed the last service with great joy and was excited to be called to the telephone. He couldn’t wait to tell his wife about all the blessings. But it wasn’t her voice on that long distance line. Instead, he listened in silence to the news that a fire had burned down the house of his father-in-law and his wife and all three of his sons had died in the blaze. He was bereaved for his wife and children and asked himself, “How could this happen while I was doing God’s will?”  But that distraught father leaned heavily on His Savior and expressed his faith in God and during a tearful moment, he penned the words of this hymn.

When you sing the words of this “upbeat” song, you would probably never sense the pain and sorrow.  But knowing the story behind it, you can see his sorrow with phrases he uses such as … Fear not … peace be still …discord … heart with pain … broken strings … His sheltering wing … and then, in verse 4, waters deep … trials … the path seems rough and steep.

Maybe you are like me, and you would use some of these words to express something you are going through.  If so, notice the author always answers with … Jesus, Jesus, Jesus …sweetest Name I know. Fills my every longing … keeps me singing as I go.

And look at the hope of the final verse – Soon He’s coming back to welcome me … I shall reign with Him on high.  That truth should enable us to live each day with expectation in our hearts and it should … keeps me singing as I go! Allow Him to fill your longings today!!! He is able and willing and only He can!!!

 

(1)   There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
In all of life’s ebb and flow.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
 
(2)   All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
Discord filled my heart with pain,
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
Stirred the slumbering chords again.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
 
(3)    Feasting on the riches of His grace,
Resting ‘neath His sheltering wing,
Always looking on His smiling face,
That is why I shout and sing.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
 
(4)     Though sometimes He leads through waters deep,
Trials fall across the way,
Though sometimes the path seems rough and steep,
See His footprints all the way.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
 
(5)    Soon He’s coming back to welcome me,
Far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,
I shall reign with Him on high.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
Posted in Journal

Be Still. Be Quiet. Wait.

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

green_traffic_light_shutterstock_124651897-1506456291-7712

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” ~ Matthew 4:4

At times in our walk with God, there are certain words or phrases that become “proceeding words.” Basically, that means if we are to move forward there is a Word from the mouth of God that we need so we can proceed. It brings to mind a traffic light at a busy intersection. You cannot continue until the light turns green. Last year I found that I was led by several proceeding Words. A few of these were “be still,” “be quiet,” and “wait.”

It seems odd to call these three Words “proceeding” after all they seem to reflect something that would be more like a red light than a green. However, through obedience and to be honest some disobedience to these phrases, I discovered there is no end to what God can do when I follow His directions. As I would still and quiet myself and release my rights to speak on a subject or to move in any direction at all based on circumstances surrounding me, I would find myself being carried through that River of Life I wrote about yesterday. In the times of disobedience, I would feel more like I was stuck in the mud on the banks of a river than flowing in the River. Valuable lessons. Sometimes the only way to proceed is to actually stop proceeding (in the natural).

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. ~ Psalms 46:10

Psalm 46:10 is a familiar scripture and an obvious one on being still. But when I study all of Psalm 46 my heart stirs. It was written in the context of war – a song of victory with its emphasis on the Presence of the Lord with His people and the difference it makes when we trust Him completely during difficult times.

In times of crisis, some tend to pull away and some get busy. But He says, “Be still and know that I am God.” That is not talking about being passive. It takes work to be still in the middle of trying times. Even harder work to remain quiet. But hardest of all is probably to wait on the Lord. It is easier to get up and take action or to say something to try to change something of our circumstances.

I recently read a revealing story concerning this:

A company of American soldiers in Vietnam was pinned down and surrounded by the enemy. During this fierce battle, it appeared that the company commander was taking a nap! All ended well as help finally arrived, and the company was rescued from certain defeat and death. However, the commander was brought before his superiors to determine if he was guilty of neglect of duty and be court marshaled. The commander explained that he was not sleeping at all, but getting still and focusing on three questions: 

        – What is going on around us?

        – What is not going on around us?

        – What can we do about question 1 and question 2?

Instead of barking orders and reacting to what was going on around them, that commander got still so he could get the wisdom to keep his company alive until help arrived. Indeed, he was a very wise man and his ‘being still’ and ‘being quiet’ and ‘waiting’ saved the lives of his soldiers.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. ~ Isaiah 40:31