Tag: Jesus is your healer

Rest in the Finished Work of Jesus

“But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Hebrews 10:12)

Hi Beloved! It has been too long! I hope this finds you safe and well! My last post was at the start of the pandemic, when things began to shut down and we saw changes we’d never seen before. Never did we imagine ourselves still in this position many months later. But God, He saw these changes well before they happened and has already ensured our health, peace, and prosperity. I believe now is a time of tremendous growth and I pray you are seeing God’s work in your life! If you are still waiting for your prayers to be answered, keep standing on His word. This is going to be a season of breakthroughs!

Though times may look dark, don’t worry and don’t fret! The battle is the Lord’s, so the victory is ours! When fear, worry, and doubt begin to creep into your mind, remember Jesus’ finished work on the cross. He died to give us a path to Heaven, physical health, and mental peace. Once Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to Heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the father. This act of “sitting down” means the work is finished. The High Priests of the Old Testament were always standing, always working. But in the New Testament, Jesus is our High Priest and he is resting because he has finished his work. He’s conquered the enemy and given us the victory! “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Beloved, this is true no matter the circumstance. You might think, “But you don’t know what I’m going through! I lost my job and I can’t pay my bills!” Or “I am having pain in my body and I am not getting any better!” The Lord knows exactly what you’re going through and wants to deliver you. The best thing you can do is to let Him! Rest in Him, so that He can provide for you according to His finished work.

If we want to be in control of the situation, God will let us. It’s like your two-year-old trying to tie their shoes. They say, “I want to do it!” You know they don’t know how, but they insist. So, you watch them strain and struggle. You want to help, but they won’t let you. You don’t want to rip the laces from their hands, so you wait. Eventually, they give up. “I can’t do it!” That’s where you come in. “Let me help you”, you say. You never wanted them to have to figure it out on their own, but they wanted to be in control. But, once they hand over the laces, you can help. It’s the same way with God. He will never rip the laces from our hands. He will let us try to solve our problems as long as we want, but he’ll always be ready to grab the laces when we’re ready to hand them over.

So, how do you rest in the finished work and give up control? It’s by having faith, by believing that God is on your side and that He will work all things for your good. Then, you turn every worried or anxious thought into a prayer. When you find yourself saying, “Oh no, now what am I going to do? What about this, what about that?” Instead say, “Lord, I know that you see my problem and I know I have victory in Christ Jesus. I don’t know how this will work out, but I know it will be for my good.” Then let it go and rest. “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

Beloved, remember that I am always here to pray with you or for you, so please reach out. Be well and God bless!

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

The Lord Is Our Constant

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Hi Beloved! I hope you and your family are well. What a crazy time it is! It’s quite nerve-racking for the recovering control freak (talking about myself here) because things are changing every day. Right when I think I have a good grasp on the situation, there are new developments. Now, schools are closed even longer, malls have stopped operating, restaurants are shutting down, and daily life keeps changing. This situation is unprecedented, so there is no blueprint for us to follow.

We can all become fearful in times of uncertainty. Whether it’s the fear of financial distress, the fear of inconvenience, or the fear of falling ill, it can be difficult for us to stay cool, calm, and collected. But, during these troubling times, we can look to the one who never fears, the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never gets nervous, worried, or flustered. He never waivers. Though we may face uncertainty in the world, we can be certain of His promises. We can pray for His peace and strength when we are fearful and weak. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Beloved, we can rest assured that He ALWAYS has a plan. Though we may be shocked and caught off-guard, He knows the past, present, and future. Satan develops these new diseases and strains of viruses to steal, kill, and destroy. But God is always 100 steps ahead. He saw this coming long ago and has been at work orchestrating a plan for your protection, healing, financial difficulty, and restoration. Satan is trying to catch up to God, not the other way around. 2 Chronicles 20:5 says, “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you…‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us’.”

Things have been difficult and there may be more changes ahead. This time of year, life is so full. We were planning vacations, graduations, weddings, baby showers, dance recitals, and it has all come to a screeching halt. Many parents have been scrambling to find childcare and/or keep up with online school assignments. Some have experienced sudden layoffs or a sharp decrease in business. Others have contracted the virus and some have become very ill. Things have changed so drastically in such a short time. It reminds us that nothing in this world is promised and things can change in the blink of an eye. But, our Lord is constant. He is the one we can count on, no matter the circumstances. We can have faith that He will always bring us through the valleys and set us on the mountain top. He is in control, will always deliver, and will never leave us. “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22)

What Satan brings for harm and destruction, God can turn around for our good! He will restore what has been lost, 10-fold! Remember that the cross has the final word, so let’s keep our eyes on the Lord and be at peace. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Beloved, will you join me in this prayer?

Dear Lord,

We thank you for the many blessings in our lives. We know you love us so much that you gave up your one and only son, so that we could be joint heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven and be blessed with health, wholeness, and prosperity. Lord, we also know that you see our sufferings and trials in this fallen world. But, you have overcome the world and we know you have a plan for our protection and restoration. We pray that this virus is quickly and completed eradicated and believe for complete healing in those that have contracted this illness. Lord, please be with the parents that have taken time from work or had to make difficult adjustments to care for their children while schools are closed. Give them your wisdom, grace, and peace. Speak your reassurance to those that have lost jobs or have businesses suffering in this time of change. We know that you have a plan to prosper us and not to harm us. For those that have had to change special celebrations, we pray that you comfort them and easily make a way for them to restore what has been postponed or canceled. Lord, we stand on your promises as a constant in our lives. We know that you are in complete control and have already given us the victory over Satan’s plans for chaos and destruction. You will turn this situation around for our good and prosper us more than we can imagine!

All these things we believe and receive in Jesus’ name,

Amen!

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

The Word of The Lord is Life!

Bible

 “My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Hi Beloved! I hope that you are having a blessed week! Things are getting a bit cooler in my neck of the woods, so it’s time to swap out the A/C for the heater and bring out the sweaters and boots! The crisp air also drives folks to the fireplace with a cup of coffee (or tea) and a good book. So, I thought I would write about the importance of reading “The Good Book”, as the bible is called. 🙂

Beloved, how much of the bible would you say you’ve read? It can definitely take time to read. It has 1,189 chapters and it is an amazing story! I think this is an area where most Christians greatly differ. Some have read the bible cover to cover (perhaps even twice, I know people who have done it!). Others have read only the New Testament or only the Old Testament. Others have followed along with their church study group, read a random chapter here and there, or gave up after selecting the King James version and getting a headache after reading a verse like, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) Pardon? Can you please repeat that one?

I fall somewhere in the middle. I haven’t read the entire bible. I have read the entire New Testament and am working on the Old Testament. Currently, I am reading 1 Samuel. Years ago, when I first started reading the bible, I started with Genesis 1:1. That works for some, but it didn’t work for me. I started to lose steam after a few chapters and stopped reading for a while. When I decided to get back to reading, I prayed about it first. I said, “Lord, I desperately want to read your word, but it can be so overwhelming! I don’t know where to start and sometimes it is hard for me to understand. Please give me wisdom and an open, hearing heart.”

When I prayed this prayer, I got the message to “see Jesus”. So, that is what I did. I went to the New Testament and I started reading all the chapters that had text in red. In most versions, the words of Jesus are in red. Reading about His grace and His miracles really motivated me. I started reading more and more and then I read the whole New Testament. I even started to truly understand and this kept me going!

Why is reading the bible so important? What are the benefits? Reading the word of God gives us hope, wisdom, strengthens our faith, improves our physical health and can be used as a weapon against the enemy.

Gives us hope: Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” The word has many beautiful promises from God for both this life and after. When we read the word, our hope is renewed as we remember how much he loves us, that he will never leave us or forsake us, and that he is always on our side.

Gives us wisdom: 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” The word of God teaches us and trains us in the way we should go. It gives us knowledge and wisdom to see and understand things differently than the world.

Strengthens our faith: Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” When we keep hearing the word of the Lord, we are encouraged by stories of David, Elijah, Elisha, and the Apostles. We remember that we can accomplish all things through Christ who strengthens us!

For our physical health: Matthew 4:3 says, “The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Food alone cannot sustain us. The word of God is nourishment to our bodies. It’s life and health to our spirits and our flesh.

As a weapon: Esphesians 6:17 says, “..and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” When we know the promises of God, we can stand firm against the enemy’s attacks. He is the Father of Lies, but with the word of the Lord in our arsenal, we have the power to speak life and completely shut him down.

Beloved, I encourage you to increase your bible reading for the rest of this year. Make a commitment, through the end of 2019, to read more. If you aren’t reading it at all, start by reading ten minutes per day. If you are already reading 30 minutes, increase to 45. If you are reading an hour, increase by 15 minutes. If we focus on the word, I believe we will see miraculous things happen in our lives. Our long-awaited prayers will be answered, we will see healing, and any mountains in our lives, will become mole hills.

I’m going to challenge myself as well. I have been falling behind lately. I have a reminder on my phone that says, “Read Your Bible” everyday at 9:00 pm. Usually, I snooze it because I am “busy” and promise to get to it later. Sometimes, later never comes. Then the next morning, I think, “Well, I just didn’t have enough time yesterday”. But then I remember the 45 minutes I spent on YouTube…..oops. The truth is that there is always time! We can wake up a little earlier, spend a little less time on social media, or go to bed just a little bit later. Spending extra time with the Lord in prayer or in His word, is never time wasted and something you will never regret. If you don’t have a bible, download a free app. If you don’t know where to start, pray for wisdom. If you can’t quite understand the language, switch to a more modern version. So, are you with me!? Let’s do this!

Beloved, I am always here to pray with you, for you, or even just to chat! Please feel free to reach out at any time. Remember, you are deeply loved, richly blessed, and highly favored.

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

The Power of Prayer

“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

Beloved, I hope you are having a blessed week! For some, it’s “back-to-school” time and things start to get busy with packing lunches, picking out school clothes, homework, and after-school activities. I’m starting a new routine and actually added “read bible and pray” to my calendar. There are only so many hours in a day and spending time with God can sometimes take a back seat. However, it’s so important to spend time with Him! Spending time with the Lord helps us stay focused, calm, and at peace. He lavishes us with an abundant supply of Grace, while our other tasks demand from us.

This post is about the importance of spending time with the Lord in prayer. Prayer – it seems so simple doesn’t it? It almost seems too easy. In our society, we’ve been taught that only big actions that make a splash are effective or worthwhile. We have been taught that we must do more, be more, give more. When a family member or friend is going through a hard time and there is no big gesture we can offer to solve their problems, we say, “Well, I guess there is nothing I can do for them, but pray.” Like, it’s a last resort. Like, really, pray? Is that what it has come to? We can’t do anything else?

But beloved, believe that prayer is effective! Prayer is our most powerful weapon against the enemy. When we pray, it creates a shield that is impenetrable to Satan’s attacks and makes us a magnet for God’s blessings. We can pray for those that are sick and they will be healed. We can pray for those with addictions and they will be delivered. We can pray for those going through a divorce and they will be comforted. We can pray for protection of our loved ones and they will be divinely protected. We can pray for wisdom, confidence, peace, faith, hope, and the Lord will deliver. In Mark 11:22-24 it says, “Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

In 1 John 5:14-15, it says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.” The Lord loves you and wants you to have the desires of your heart. He hears our prayers and wants to answer them all, exceedingly and abundantly above what we’ve asked. The best part about prayer is that you can pray anywhere, anytime! You don’t need to be on bended knee, wearing a prayer shawl, in a prayer closet. The Lord wants to hear from you wherever you are!

Just talking to the Lord counts as prayer. I mainly pray while driving in my car. I’m alone, it’s quiet, I’m reminded of the Lord’s goodness through the beautiful landscape. I don’t even have my eyes closed (which I’m sure the other drivers on the road appreciate). I tell Him all of my worries and my concerns. I thank Him for my blessings and thank Him for his love. I tell Him my desires and pray that they become a reality. There have also been times that I don’t even have the words and I’ve simply said, “Lord, I don’t even know what to pray for in this situation. I’m just so overwhelmed, angry, scared, confused….., so Lord, I just pray that your will be done.” In the above scripture, 1 John 5:14-15, it says if we ask anything according to His will, it will be done. We don’t always know how things will turn out, we don’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we do know that we are loved by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, we are joint heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven, and our Father’s will is to bless us and give us all perfect things. So, we know that if He works it out according to His will, that situation will turn out better than we could have imagined! It will be in our favor and for our good!

Beloved, I encourage you to pray without ceasing! If you or a loved one is facing a challenge today, pray! If you are stuck in a dead-end job or want a more fulfilling career, pray! If you want perfect protection for your family, pray! If you want to thank God for His blessings, pray! The Lord loves to hear from you. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and James 5:16 says, “…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” If you have a prayer request, please reach out. I will pray for you or with you. If you have a testimony, please share. I would love to hear all the wonderful things our Lord is doing in your lives! For in Him, all promises are Yes and Amen!

Jesus loves you,

Alexis

The Lord’s Protection: Psalm 91

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. ” (Psalm 91: 1-2)

Beloved, I hope you are having a blessed day! Happy June! For this post, I want to focus on Psalm 91. It speaks about the Lord’s promises for protection and safety. I love to pray this over my children at night and meditate on these verses when I am worried about a difficult situation. Let’s take a look at this chapter, verse by verse.

91:1 – “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” The Lord’s shadow is a cover and provides protection from danger. It hides you from your enemies and provides comfort. When you remain in His shadow, you know that the source is close by. He is walking alongside you. When the Israelites were traveling through the desert, it was extremely hot during the day. The Lord always appeared as a pillar of cloud to shade them from the uncomfortable heat. At night, the desert would become very cold. Then, the Lord would appear as a pillar of fire to keep them warm and comforted. God’s people are always cared for and protected.

91:2 – “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” In the ancient world, each city had a stronghold or a fortress. It was packed with food, supplies, and ammunition and was a place the residents could find safety during an attack. They were built to withstand armies and some were inaccurately considered impenetrable. Many fortresses fell and their kingdoms along with it. Only the Lord is our true stronghold and our fortress. One that can never be destroyed or fail to protect us, no matter what attack the devil has planned.

91:3 – “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” I want to highlight the first word, surely. Surely, something that is for sure, for certain. We can absolutely count on the Lord to deliver us from the grasp of anything that is trying to harm us, mentally or physically. He will undoubtedly be there for you, when you call upon him. He never wavers.

91:4 – “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” The Lord often uses a mother hen as an example of how he protects us. In Luke 13:34, he says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” This is the ultimate picture of protection. Chicks are safe from all danger when under their mother’s wings. I’ve even heard stories of barn fires, where healthy chicks were found unharmed, under their mother’s feathers. He wants us to draw near and look to him for help through our difficult times. Also, his truth shall be our shield and buckler. A buckler is a type of shield that is worn on the body, instead of held by hand. This part is saying that his truth can be used as a weapon against our enemies. When Satan comes to you with condemnation, either through self-doubt or the words of others, if you know the truth (that you are loved, forgiven, righteous, and an heir to the kingdom of Heaven) you can use that truth as a weapon against him.

91:5-6 – “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” In this fallen world, the devil works overtime to create dangers at every turn. He is always trying to bring destruction your way, but the Lord says, DO NOT BE AFRAID! You don’t have to worry. No matter what the circumstances are, the Lord is protecting you.

91:7 – “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” This is one of my favorite lines. Do not worry about the evils in the world around you. The devil is running rampant in these end times, but take heart! No matter what new disease, danger, or peril he has created, it will not come near you! Even if 10,000 fall right next to you, you are set apart. You are protected and will not be affected.

91:8-10 – “Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” The Lord tells us we will see the wicked get their punishment. He is on our side and will be sure evil-doers will reap what they sow. He also reminds us that no evil will prevail against us and no plague or curse shall come near our houses. The last plague that God sent to Egypt was the Angel of Death and it killed the first born child in each home. But, he told the Israelites to mark their door posts with the blood of a lamb that had been sacrificed. When the Angel saw the blood, it passed over the house because the price had already been paid. Jesus is our sacrificial lamb. As a believer in Christ, our door posts are forever marked by the blood that continually saves us.

91:11-12 – “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” The Lord’s angels are watching over us and he sends them out before us to clear a path. In our daily life, we can’t see everything ahead of us. We can’t anticipate all the possible, future dangers or mistakes we will make, but the Lord can and he does. If we are walking towards a stone and don’t see it, he’s given his angels the task of lifting us up, so that they carry us over the stone before we get hurt. The Lord designed us, so of course he knows that we are “only human”. We are not perfect, but we don’t have to be. He is perfect and goes before us to prepare the way and also watches our back as our rear guard. He wants to protect us from dashing our foot against a stone, so how much more will he protect us in times of peril.

91:13 – “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet.” The Lord’s people are given the power to conquer their foes, even the most difficult ones. The lion is often referred to in the bible as the most powerful animal. In Proverbs 30:29, it says, “There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: a lion, mighty among the beasts, and refusing to retreat before anything.” In Judges 14:18, it says, “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” The bible also calls the serpent, the most cunning animal. In Genesis 3:1, it says, “Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made.” The bible uses these animals to specifically illustrate that no matter how much bigger, more powerful, more clever or cunning your enemy is, you will march upon them victoriously. They will be defeated.

91:14 -16 – “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” The Lord provides us with seven (which is the number of perfection in the bible) powerful promises in these verses. Beloved, the Lord is speaking to you.

  1. I will deliver you.
  2. I will set you on high.
  3. I will answer you.
  4. I will be with you in trouble.
  5. I will honor you.
  6. I will satisfy you with long life.
  7. I will shew you my salvation.

The Lord promises that he will come through in all the ways mentioned in this chapter and more! He is all that you need, even when it seems like the odds are stacked against you. Trust in the Lord. He will never forsake you. Amen!

Jesus loves you,

Alexis