Jesus, Our Sacrificial Lamb

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A Praying Father

They seem not to care.
They appear to be sleeping when you are  there.

But a quiet place they do find,
To lift you up to God divine.

They pray for your maturity and grace.
They seek God in your face.

Even though they make mistakes and growl. They pray God keep you, Satan is on the prowl.

Written by Lisa C Clewis
December 9, 2015

Simeon and Anna Gave Thanks

At the day of his circumcision, along the same time that Simeon held Jesus in his arms and prophesied to Mary, a woman named Anna gave thanks to the Lord.

Anna was a prophetess and the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser. Anna was of great age and a widow which left not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. As Simeon gave his blessings, Anna came in that instant and gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

When Mary and Joseph had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Nazareth in Galilee. The child grew and waxed strong in spirit. He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

The Ways We Are Healed

I have been healed so many times and in different ways, praise be to God.  At one time in my life I had mitro valve prolapse, enlarged heart and chest pain. My heart would start beating rapidly for no apparent reason then I would get extremely sleepy, go to sleep and sleep very deeply. When I would awaken my heart rate would be normal and I would be weak but I would feel better. I realized that my medical condition was brought on by stress and worry. I couldn't sleep at night because I was worrying about something or I just couldn't rest until I figured out how to fix something that I was working on. I drank sodas and smoked instead of relaxing with a nutritious meal. I would pray and ask God to take care of things but before I said amen my thoughts would drift back to negative and poisonous thoughts.

I began having muscle spasms that reached from the bottom of my ribs to the center of my chest. I could barely breath. I finally took responsibility for my health. I did research to find healthy ways to deal with stress because I couldn't eliminate all of it from my life. I learned how with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I learned to control my thoughts by training myself to be still. I used breathing exercises to relax my brain and body. I used meditation to practice being present in the moment instead of being afraid and worrying about tomorrow. If God had healed me rather than teaching me to control my mind and my thoughts, I might still be sick, worried and anxious.

In the Holy Bible we learn to trust God, to give him all our fears and worries, to trust him to take care of our every need and know that he is our sufficiency in all things. But when we fail to control our mind, thoughts and mouths and allow our fear to consume us we are incapable of letting go and letting God. Stress causes numerous health conditions and diseases. To activate your faith in God and allow him to heal you and take care of your problems, learn to rest in him knowing that he is able, capable and willing to give you the desires of your heart. Give your worries and cares to him, serve him with a grateful heart and watch how he causes everything to fall into place. 

A few years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Medication wasn't much help and caused side effects. Praise God there was an alternative. A study group had been done which showed that fibromyalgia could be treated by eliminating gluten, msg and artificial sweeteners from the diet; adding certain supplements to the diet, and using a yoga exercise routine. My mind was willing to try anything but my heart went kicking and screaming. I felt miserable and couldn't do things like I was used to and I didn't want too lose my comfort foods.

I ended up so broken by fibromyalgia that I had to start building myself back up with five minute intervals of rest. I had to alternate five minutes of rest with one minute of activity and gradually increase my active time by one minute. Praise God, my body healed and I can stay active all day now. With God's help I not only overcame, I learned which foods to eliminate from my diet and which natural supplements were right for me. By God's grace I beat fibromyalgia. Since then, I have struggled with keeping the diet that I need and have had some bad days but Praise God, I'm back on track and gradually eliminating the gluten, artificial sweeteners and msg from my diet again. In a world where fast food is cheaper and excites the taste buds, it has been a struggle but I am finding some healthy and tasty alternatives on fast food menus and at some of the local grocery stores. What we have to understand first when changing our diet is why we crave salty or sweet foods and what foods we need to eat to help our body heal and become stronger.

Some people can tolerate gluten, msg and artificial sweeteners, but others can't. Our diets are filled with man made, processed foods that are full of sugar and chemicals. I have found that almost anything bleached is unhealthy for us. The wrong foods can cause anything from bloating to paralysis. There are numerous testimonies of people who have had miraculous recoveries after eliminating certain things from their diets. The results have been amazing, not immediate but amazing just the same. We have an awesome God and he has given us bodies that can heal. I'm not saying that we all have to change our diets or habits to be healed, but everyone should realize that healthy changes can pave the path for healthier and stronger bodies.

Sometimes we have no control over our health and nothing that we do will help our body heal. Years before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia I suffered from a different kind of pain. I had three herniated disk, spinal cord impingement, spinal canal stenosis, irritated nerves and pinched nerves. For so long no one found the cause of the pain. And then the back of my neck swelled and my doctor ordered a mri of my cervical spine which showed three herniated disk, spinal cord impingement, spinal canal stenosis, pinched nerves and damaged nerves. The pinched and damaged nerves were the reason why doctors had not found the problem sooner; the pain was radiating down my back instead of in my neck.

When I took my mri to a neurosurgeon he didn't believe that the mri was mine. He said there wasn't enough wrong with me for the mri to be mine. He said that I should be having problems picking up things, holding things in my hands, my legs falling out from under me, controlling my bladder, be in a great deal of pain, and other things. I had experienced some things but immediately turned them over to God but the pain was almost unbearable. What he didn't know was that my faith was in God and I was kept by God. God was taking care of me just like he always has. The surgeon ordered a test that would show up more than the mri did. I had spinal cord impingement in not one, but two areas. And the second more severe than the first because it was by a bony spur and I was high risk. The surgeon showed the test results to me and said that if I was to fall down or someone bump into me I would be paralyzed from the neck down. What he didn't know was that as soon as I found out that I needed surgery I was enveloped in a peace that is beyond all understanding. I wasn't afraid but I wore the collar that the hospital gave me to wear until I had surgery. Once the surgeon began surgery he found even more than he expected and by the grace of God, did what he could to correct it and took a great deal of bone out of my cervical spine to make a curve in my neck. Praise God, the surgery was successful. We have an amazing God.

I think that an injury that I got when I was rear ended about twenty years prior and other things that have happened are responsible for the damage to my cervical spine. That and I lied about being okay so I could get a doctors release and go back to work. When I was in too much pain to sit at a desk I should have done something about it but, I was young and independent and didn't realize that I should take care of myself and wait on the Lord to take care of our needs. In spite of my impatience God watched over me and took care of me.

God has brought me through so much. God has taught me so much. I don't know where I would be or what I would do without him. He has been the glue that has held me together. Not only has he healed me by teaching me how to control my thoughts, deal with stress in healthy ways, eat the right foods for me, live in the present, wait on him to provide for me when I can't; he has miraculously healed me on different occasions.

Believing in God and his son, Jesus Christ, and their love for me and their power is one of my earliest childhood memories. And I know that when we come before God with a request we should honor him with praise. About 30 years ago I had an ear infection so bad that it was affecting my balance and hearing. A couple of my co-workers realized that I was sick and told the office manager who lectured me on going to work sick then asked me if I would let one of our doctors examine me. I agreed to the examination. The doctor found that I had an extremely bad ear infection and asked me if I would immediately go to Wilmington to see an ear specialist. I agreed to see the ear specialist. Then he asked the office manager to drive me, and she, my mom and I left Whiteville to go to the ear specialist in Wilmington. On the way their we agreed that it is God's will for us to be healed and prayed for my complete healing in the powerful name of Jesus. Then we praised God and sang praises the rest of the way there. When we got there they asked me how I felt. I felt good. The ear specialist examined me as soon as I got in his office. Praise God, not only did he not see any infection, but he couldn't even tell that I had ever had an ear infection. Praise God, to his glory and our joy he completely healed me.

There have been so many times in my life when I have seen and experienced God's miraculous power. At times it was as easy as asking mom for a second helping of veggies, but at other times I thought it would never come. What I had to learn was that I had to respect my body by treating it well. I had to control my mind and thoughts so that I could hear and feel the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit. And knowing that God would take care of me, I should trust him and rely on him to meet my needs instead of trying to do it on my own. I have also learned that committing sin separates me from God because I feel too dirty and undeserving to go to him with my needs but he was faithful and true even then to watch over me and take care of me.

Whatever your need is today, go to God with it. Trust God to be your sufficiency in all things. Know that God wants for you to live a more than abundant life. Most of all, learn to rest in God.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:5-8

His Name Was Called a Jesus

When the baby was eight days old he was circumcised and his name was called Jesus just as the angel had said before he was conceived in the womb. After Mary's purification according to the law of Moses, they took the baby to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. (It is written in the law of the Lord that every male child who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.) And to offer sacrifice according to the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There was a man named Simeon in Jerusalem who was a just and devout and the Holy Ghost upon him. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel. It was revealed to him that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ.

When Jesus was being presented to the Lord, Simeon was led by the Spirit into the temple where he saw the child. He took Jesus into His arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people Israel; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."

Joseph and Mary marveled at the things that he said. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many people in Israel."

Luke 2:21-35

Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward Men

"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men," proclaimed the angels praising God. After the angels left from spreading the good news, 'a savior is born,' to the shepherd's; the Shepherd's quickly went to Bethlehem.

The shepherd's found them in a manger just as the angel had said. They found Mary, Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. And when the shepherd's had seen them, they told others about the child. All the people they told wondered at the things the shepherd's told them about. But Mary pondered them in her heart. Afterwards, the shepherd's returned to their flocks glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen.

Luke 2:14-20

There Is Power In The Name

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. Phil 2:9,10

1. God has blessed us with all spiritual gifts in heavenly places in Christ. Eph 1:3
2. God predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. Eph 1:5
3. God made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption in His blood. Eph 1:6
4. God made us to know the mystery of His will. Eph 1:9
5. God has given us an inheritance. Eph 1:11
6. When we trusted in Christ and believed the gospel of salvation we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise which is the pledge of our inheritance until the day of redemption. Eph 1:13

Paul prayed for the saints which were at Ephesus and for the faithful in Christ and we can pray for ourselves also that God give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; for our eyes of understanding to be enlightened that we may know what is the hope of his calling; that we may know the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe. Ephe 1:17-19

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has already prepared that we should walk in them. In Christ we have boldness and access with confidence. In Christ we are equipped to do what God has called us to do.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Eph 4:11,12

God has called each one of us. He has given each one of us a gift to build up the body of Christ. And he has given us power to face any obstacle or enemy. Let’s take a closer look at Eph 6:10-18

10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11. Put on the whole armour [armour here is the Greek word panoplia which means God supplies the spiritual helps needed for overcoming the temptations of the devil] that ye may stand against the wiles of the devil.
12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities [principalities here is the Greek word arche which means the beginning of all things], against powers [powers here is the Greek word exousia which means power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases], against the rulers [rulers here is the Greek word kosmokrator which means the devil and demons] of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand [withstand here is the Greek word anthistemi which means to set oneself against] in the evil [evil here is the Greek word poneros which means full of labours, annoyances, hardships] day [day here is the Greek word hemera which means of the natural day or the time between sunrise and sunset], and having done [having done here is the Greek work katergazoai which means to perform, accomplish, achieve] all to stand.
14. Stand therefore, having your loins girt [girt here is the Greek word perizonnymi which means metaphorically to equip one’s self with knowledge of the truth] about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness [righteousness here is the Greek word dikaiosyne which means the state of him who is as he ought to be, the condition acceptable to God];
15. And your feet shod[shod here is the Greek word hypodeo which means to bind under one’s self] with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16. Above all, taking the shield of faith [faith here is the Greek work pestis which means belief with the predominate idea of trust or confidence whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same], wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery (indignant) darts of the wicked.
17. And take the helmet [helmet here is the Greek word perikephalaia which means metaphorically the protection of the soul which consists in the hope of salvation] of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Let us pray Paul’s prayer for us, Eph 3:14-21 which is what some call the Christian prayer.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.