Category: Watchman on Alert BLOG

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Manifesting the Miraculous

Never give up. Never give in. Believe. Ask of the Lord, the Healer.

As we trust in Him unconditionally, He will manifest His healing and deliverance.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

And

“For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:19-20)

We do not know how the LORD will respond to our prayers but He will always respond to our prayers. Deliverance will come. Trust it is the best deliverance, be it life or death, because it is the LORD’s deliverance.

The miraculous is not impossible and not incredible. It is spiritual. The Spirit is without limit. Let us not put limits upon the Holy Spirit, but may we surrender our will, our body, our mind to the Holy Spirit and entrust Him to work through us. Then the miraculous may be manifested.

Hallelujah!

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Reflections and Poetry

ICU: the second phase of Covid p2

The Life is in the Blood:

Tuesday 19th February

The phone rang. It was Dr J. He told me Alan was now on a ventilator. 

I didn’t pass out… but I wanted to.

“We didn’t ring you beforehand because there wasn’t time”, he said. “He needed to be ventilated without delay. Normally we ring the next of kin before we do this.” At the time I thought the doctor was suggesting they usually ask our permission. I would learn however, that I actually had very little say about Alan’s treatment as we moved forward over the next days and weeks. We all agreed we wanted him to get well; to some degree, we disagreed how to ensure that recovery.

“How was Alan before he went under? Was he accepting?” I asked.

“Yes, he was very calm.” Well, that’s something positive, I thought.

In a sea of despair, I hung up the phone. I did not cry. There was no space for such luxury. 

Despair

After weeks of concern and prayer, having given family members regular updates, I knew the goal posts now needed to be moved considerably; as best I could, I would have to change my behaviour to fit Alan’s desperate circumstances. I messaged the family, explaining Alan’s changed condition. A day later I said they’d perhaps not hear much from me for a while because I needed to give total attention to Alan. Not one ever complained or made things awkward for me. In fact, over the next weeks, I felt loved very dearly… not so much by what they said or did, but because they allowed me to focus where I needed to most. Proceeding forward, rather than balance between updates of physical health to family with coordinating fellow believers to pray, instead I focused upon Alan and how the LORD would lead us to pray for his full recovery.

It never occurred to me that he would not recover to full health. Yes, I recognised the threat upon his life. I had been battling unseen forces, drawing more and more upon other believers who would pray; I was fully aware of the threat. But the LORD had said, “Alan will recover” on the 29th or 30th of December. So he would!

Wolves

Some time during Alan’s treatment, after the heart attack and before ICU, I saw in the Spirit there were dark forces trying to destroy him. These forces I call wolves. It was as though they were panting, salivating, pacing, lingering around his bed. I didn’t have totally sleepless nights, but there were nights where I stood or knelt or paced in prayer. 

I am so grateful to every other person who prayed, and to two people in particular, who are far more advanced in spiritual warfare than I, who stood with us, prayed with me and taught me so much. These are patient family members in the LORD, who never yielded in their support, patience and dedication to the fight. The outcome was not realised in the way we’d hoped and believed, but nevertheless, the battles were earnest and full of little victories.

Scrutinising the threat

While Alan was on the ventilator in ICU, I reflected back on times when he’d been in the Ward beforehand; the wolves were still there. I prayed earnestly he’d never be sent back to that particular ward, and I kept a watchful eye on it in the Spirit, praying that those wolves would leave rather than decimate the lives of others there.

Passage of time

Alan would be in ICU on a ventilator for 25 days. Each day the LORD led me to Him. And each day I focused on Alan. My son, my step daughter and I stood on GOD’s promise. We knew Alan’s strength of faith and strength of will to survive. Though doctors tried to warn me that Alan might not make it through, on those occasions I simply said, “Alan will recover” and you know what? He did… it just didn’t last.

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Growth v Joy: the Christian walk. Must we choose?

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Paul wrote this while he was in prison.

Joy

We who love Jesus and walk with him are called to rejoice in all circumstances. We wear an attitude of peace, knowing that, although weeping may come at night, joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

Growth

We grow in adversity; even the secular world recognises this. It is through adversity that we become the best athletes, scientists, philanthropists. Adversity builds us stronger and better as individuals and societies.

Trust

As believers, we trust in our LORD GOD Yehovah. Our walk is in the direction of Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith, who for our sake, took the cross, died and was resurrected for our eternal salvation (Hebrews 12:2). He suffered adversity, and so must we. But we don’t have to look for it. And we are allowed to enjoy life too.

Sometimes you and I just want to laugh, have fun, be happy. That is part of our make-up as human beings. 

We do not have to choose

Our Father wants us to grow. But He loves us, and like any parent, He wants us to enjoy this life. We do not have to choose between walking with Him and enjoying life. And we do not have to do mental and spiritual gymnastics either, ‘to accept our painful lot and put a smile on our face in spite of our suffering’. No!

Rather, as we trust GOD — and this is the key — as we trust GOD He will bring joy as well as sorrow, laughter as well as tears, peace as well as warfare. He will supply all our needs for this life and the preparation for the next. When we trust in His sovereignty and accept both the joy and the trials, we maintain that peace which passes all understanding and we can “rejoice in all circumstances”.

Spiritual battle is not always all that spiritual

The flesh can be just as involved in spiritual battle as it can be in the expression of self-will. We can be very self-determined and call it spiritual warfare, trying to get our way, claiming it is GOD’s way in the process. But truly taking on a mantle of warfare means having no agenda. We do not seek a particular outcome but GOD’s outcome for every situation. In every situation, when we are truly surrendered to the Father, we experience peace and joy, knowing we are in His will. The battle comes to us, when there is one, just as much as the joy comes when adversity flees.

The sweet spot of GOD’s will

We don’t have to manufacture joy. We don’t have to look for adversity. We simply follow Jesus and that which will prepare us for each chapter, in this life and the next, will come to pass.

I pray this for all of us, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

ICU: the second phase of Covid p1

Wikipedia

The Life is in the Blood:

The lady consultant

Monday morning 18th of January, the same consultant who had rung at 10:30 pm the night before rang to say Alan was much better and did we want to come to see him? He was now in ICU on C-pap, which meant his breathing had declined further, but we would be able to see him and pray with him. 

Thankfully Jordan was at home for school because of the lockdown. We were happy to be invited to see Alan after all the time he’d been in hospital (nearly 3 weeks) and hastily got ourselves together and went to visit. There was no time to contact Izzie but we’d share with Alan’s daughter later about finally having the opportunity to visit her father in hospital.

It took nearly half an hour to find parking in the hospital car park!

The first visit

When I met the consultant Dr I, she looked stressed, but she said Alan, after his collapse of the night before, was much much better. She smiled. She must have worked all night.

I think it is fair to say that these doctors are invested in the restoration of their patients. Yes, doctors are limited in what they can achieve with medicine, but they do what they can with all the passion and desire for success imaginable. What I saw in Dr I’s face was concern, relief and hope for us.

Alan looked weary but nodded and spoke to us as best he could, through the heavy mask. 

Looking back now, I wonder how I didn’t know the decline would continue. I think he knew… expected he might have to be put on the ventilator, but no one, not Alan nor any medical staff said anything to me. I did whisper to him at one point that, “You don’t have to accept the ventilator if they ask you.” He nodded to acknowledge he’d heard me.

We were with him for a glorious 45 minutes. The time flew by and we chatted about Elvis music, school and other trivial things. The nurse shared about her family and how she spent 2 days per week in ICU. Alan gave one instruction to Jordan, “Stand up straight.” It would be the last instruction Alan would ever give to our son; I didn’t know that at the time so how is it I remember it so clearly?

As we parted with love and prayers, I wondered if the staff thought Alan might have to be put on a ventilator, and that was why they invited us to come… a sort of “just in case” we’d never see him again. Yes, the thought crossed my mind, and yet I was confident we would return to normal one day.

Categories
Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Making the Most with the Time God gives us

Making the most with the time GOD has given to us

Time in 1920’s

I recently watched the film, “Wings of Eagles” starring Joseph Fiennes as Eric Liddle, the Olympic gold medal runner for Great Britain who refused to run on a Sunday, gave up his 100 metre race as a result, ran a 400 metre race instead and won! 1924 was a time when athletes in the Olympics were true amateurs with day jobs, where running, jumping or playing was a hobby or passion which came beside work. Eric Liddle became a Christian missionary after running in the Olympics, and died in February of 1945, in China, during the Japanese Occupation.

Time in 2020’s

In 2021 what are we doing with the time our Father has given us? Are we making the most with the time we have? We must make the most of it, while we have it, and run the race set before us with zeal, hope, determination.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Grief, loss, death and the future

When others go before us to be with Jesus and the Father, when we are left behind, we must make the most of our lives and demonstrate they did not die in vain. We were not left, but remain — and not in vain. Hope is not in death but in the life which has moved to heaven (Matthew 22:32), and in the life on earth remaining. We must strive to become ALL God has created us for and all God has called us to be. 

For example, we see in 1 Corinthians 7 much discussion over singleness and marriage. “But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. (verses 32-33). Though it is tragic to loose one’s spouse, once again single, we have freedom, less distraction, to serve the LORD.

The death of a loved one only makes sense if we make more of our lives than when they were with us.Mourning has its place. Love never dies. But for the Believer, we must press on (Philippians 3:13), and allow Jesus to be the author and finisher of our lives. Let us not think How will we manage without our partner, friend, family member? but What are we here to do which could not be done while the other was with us? That makes sense out of the death of our loved one. Not only have they gone on to better fruitfulness, but we may also continue to bear fruit. This puts the power and sovereign will of GOD in the picture. It enables us to see purpose in all that has preceded and to focus on all which lies ahead.

Why I write to you

I do not write to you for myself. It is not catharsis or a working out of an issue. It is my training for you, using all that I know, all that I have at my disposal, to train up others who may have less experience, a different calling, or simply feel a need to supplement their study of the Word with other readings.

I am not equal to the Word of GOD. No writing is significant beyond the Word of GOD. But He made some to be Apostles, some prophet, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). He made me to be a writer, so readers could benefit from my experience if they so choose.

Direction

Run your race. Trust in the LORD. Run for that is what GOD has given you. Trust in all circumstances, and rejoice, for He has given us life and breath to use for His glory. Choose life and choose to live it to the full, not in adventure, experimentation, or self-fulfilment for these are vanity (see Ecclesiastes!), but in discovering and fulfilling your GOD-given purpose while you are here. We do not know how much time we have. Let us each make the most of it, making sense of our lives: every encounter and relationship, each moment. All this is to the glory of Yehovah, God our Father and Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, through the power of His Holy Spirit in us.

That is my prayer for us all who remain.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“In Him we live and move and have our being.”

Acts 17:28a

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Politics and Society today

So, What about this Covid thing?

Wikipedia

Bottom Line: Lean on the LORD and muddle through

So what about Covid? Is it real? Is it dangerous? Is it a manifestation of a conspiracy sweeping the world?

That Covid exists is an absolute certainty as far as I’m concerned.

But whether the vaccines are safe or are definitely unsafe, depends on which vaccine, to whom, perhaps, and whether it is dose number 1 or dose number 2. Whether breathing into masks is destroying the minds (or respiratory systems) of innocent children is an opinion.

Is the Covid test safe or detrimental? Can it damage our brains, as one You Tube video purports? Time may tell us something. 

Are the governments in the world trying to cause us harm, curtail our freedoms, drive us batty? Hard to say in the general. I choose to believe my government is doing its level best to help its society. Though it may fail, it won’t be for lack of trying.

Whose opinion do we acknowledge?

Opinions are flying about everywhere. Some people are on line sharing their conspiracy theories. Some sites claim to be government sites or national health sites, sharing secrets that are supposed to be kept secret but are somehow being leaked to the public by brave souls risking their jobs to share with us the depravity of those who are meant to be helping us.

I don’t buy any of it. I don’t trust all the advertising that is pro government;  nor do I believe the sites and voices warning us gloomily of our impending doom.

We have a choice what to believe

I choose to believe humanity in the west is sliding into an abyss caused principally through denying GOD. Jesus lifted up societies as they lifted up the reality of him. As those same societies have denied him, so he is denying them. A cursory look at Romans chapter 1 outlines is quite plainly.

There is no fear, and no reason to fear, for those who are in Christ. But nor do we have the power to protect society from inevitable ruin — which I do believe is inevitable. The word warns us of it. And the longer we wait for Jesus, the worse it is getting. I pray for loved ones to be saved, but even more, I want Jesus to return, because the depravity, corruption, pure evil that is being elevated is only growing worse. 

What are we here for? 

As we give glory to GOD, Satan is hurled back, as are the powers of his darkness. The battle is between the two of them: Yehovah GOD and Satan; the earth is the battle ground, we are the army, and Satan…. is a slow learner. We on earth are here to stand battle, proclaiming the beauty, glory, and wonder of GOD. As we do this, the enemy is defeated. 

So when it comes to the strategies of the “One World Government’” promoters of this world: the godless, the power-hungry, the oligarchs, the depraved, we do not need to fight them. It is a mere diversion, a strategy of Satan to confound the wise. Instead, we celebrate what has already been accomplished: the saving grace of GOD, Creator of the universe, to all humanity through Jesus, and personal salvation to those who believe and trust him as their saviour and messiah. 

So, in a nutshell, in my opinion, we simply lean on Him and muddle through our daily lives, not fearful or bitter or angry, but joyful, radiant and full of His peace. 

In all things we are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:31) May we, in all things, think, act and believe like we are.

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Reflections and Poetry Watchman on Alert BLOG

Heart Attack: the first phase of Covid – p 3

The Life is in the Blood aka When the Music Fades

The First Phase of Covid – 19: part 3

News of the Angiogram

Looking back, I think Alan thought it might be the end of his life when he went to have the minor op called an angiogram, which was to look at his heart by inserting a camera. The doctors couldn’t figure out for a week why he wasn’t recovering from the Covid. Oxygen levels were fairly stable but he was exhausted. What was the cause?

Eventually, they decided to have another look at his heart.

Covid and heart attack – similar symptoms

Covid pneumonia produces chest pain and fatigue. So does heart attack. They’d done an EEG early in his hospitalisation which revealed a healthy heart. But after a week they decided to look again…

When Alan (and the consultant) told me he was to have an angiogram, Alan said, “Walk on water, Darling.” I thought he was referring to our talks months before about wanting to live in the Spirit 24/7 and of our frustration that it wasn’t forthcoming. I thought he was encouraging faithfulness. In fact, I think he was also warning me…I think he was telling me he thought he might to die — certainly he could die — and I needed to trust the LORD.

Result of the angiogram

Well, the angiogram revealed he’d been in heart attack condition for a week. They put two stents in an artery. After it all, Alan seemed to recover; the cardiologist told me he’d be released in two days as regards the cardiology issue, but perhaps a bit longer if the respiratory recovery was slower.

He was never released of course, and the weakened heart played a big role in that. 

Blinded by disease

Why did it take such a long time to look at Alan’s heart? Why, if he’d experienced a heart attack on the 1st of January, did it take until the 8th to have a closer look? Because Covid and heart attack “look” so similar. The disease is so new, and someone healthy like Alan simply didn’t flag up the heart issue beyond a cursory look after admission. I think the doctors felt badly for not spotting it, but who can blame them? They do the best they can with human eyes and science’s limited information.

Don’t look at the Storm

Of course Jordan and I were relieved. It was horrible Alan had experienced a heart attack, but he’d be home soon, they’d found the problem and he was recovering. Praise the LORD! Lots of people have heart attacks and recover. They change their lifestyle to cope, and that is generally a good thing. And of course we had the faith to believe anything is possible.


Alan’s independence and determination to come home

But although Alan got up every morning after the 8th and washed on his own, he was exhausted afterward. He was eating but sporadically. And he was so tired. 

Then came silence from him for three days and nights, and that really make me uncomfortable. Around this time I practiced prayer life more deeply. I looked at Jesus, no matter how distant and silent and remote I felt from Alan. Quietly, I drew in more and more others to pray.

There was optimism. I began to write an outline for a book we’d write together (though I didn’t have the opportunity to share this with Alan at the time). Prayer continued and I began to spread the net wider as Alan seemed “stuck” in his healing. I received tremendous encouragement from others who were drawn in to pray.

On Friday the 15th of January, Alan rang and we chatted a bit. Oh, I was deliriously delighted! He said he’d felt that he’d been in the belly of a whale, but knew the nurses were talking to me, so he didn’t worry that we weren’t communicating. He also said the LORD had told him He would take him “through the valley of the shadow of death”. Well, certainly he had been deathly ill. But he was getting better, at last…..

That night, two others, very much warriors in prayer, joined with me together over the phone to pray for Alan. It was a powerful time. We prayed in detail for healing, we praised GOD for the breakthrough. We hoped Alan would be home by the next Sabbath. Later, one of these two and another person who was praying in Hong Kong, sent songs about breath and breathing to forward to Alan; I did so. Over that night, the LORD also had me literally breathing for Alan — “the two become one flesh” took on whole new meaning for me that night!

Sunday 17th I was awoken in the night to pray. The LORD also led me to cast the net wider for prayer and an entire TV network was invited in. 

I noticed that Alan hadn’t been looking at his What’sApp. He didn’t feel strong enough to listen to the music he’d been sent, which was a concern for me. But I — and many others — prayed on, trusting the LORD for His healing of Alan.

I got a call that night, 17th of January at 10:30pm, from a consultant. Alan had collapsed and was in a bad way and would probably be taken to ICU.

Storm

The storm was crashing, but I deliberately and determinedly looked to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. 

I don’t remember what I said to our sixteen year old son after the hospital had rung that night, perhaps nothing at all; he was aware each time the hospital rang and never asked the report. We only talked about the matter of his dad being in hospital a little: sincerely and honestly, but rarely.

We went to bed soon after, and I even managed to sleep that night, which must have been a supernatural gift. 

I believed breakthrough was imminent.

* Photo courtesy of Revelation TV

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Reflections and Poetry

Clarity, Vision, Direction: a reflection

Clarity, Vision, Direction

I do not have clarity, vision, direction for the future, not just yet. As a single person again after nearly thirty years, I really don’t know what is next for me to do. I no longer have covering as I had with my husband; I am now the covering for others. Yes, I have pastoral covering, and GOD’s covering, but that is different from the intimate and immediate covering of a spouse to his wife.

Over the last three years my husband Alan and I sought to build a joint ministry. One partner is gone now, so what is to become of that ministry which we believed GOD had a hand in I do not know. I do know that I don’t want to do anything the LORD is not in, and so ministry, though wide open, has a narrow door. 

I am an author and as such, felt the writing I did to encourage others to pray for Alan when he was sick was a culmination of all my writing effort and experience gained over the last twenty years. Do I continue? Yes, for now, unless the LORD guides me otherwise.

I am a mother and a step mother; I “look after” those put in my care just as Alan would have done, for into their future these others may look, but I see and pray and stand for them. I take nothing for granted except that GOD is love and I reflect GOD to those in my care.

Life today

Life is light and love and freedom in Christ. Life is hope and joy and truth to share with others. Life has changed entirely, in an instant. The moment Alan passed away I became a new person, and I am slowly becoming acquainted with “her”. I pray I will maintain the wisdom and integrity of my husband, and discover the purpose and role and even the identity of myself as a single person who loves the LORD, loves her family, loves the spiritual family within the church of our LORD, and loves herself. 

Purpose

And as for purpose? Ultimately, it is to reflect the glory of GOD. In the more immediate, I simply do not know… but “he who waits upon the LORD shall renew his strength…” (Isaiah 40:31) and so I wait. I also hope, reflect on His word, remember Alan and his principles, and take delight in the sunshine, the fresh air, the thoughts, impressions and memories of my earlier life as a married woman. Most of all, I seek the presence of the LORD and all that brings to uplift us me; that for me and any follower if Jesus, is what quenches, fills and moves us forward. 

Hallelujah, the LORD reigns, in and through us, moving us forward and lifting us upward into the call and purpose and identity of Jesus. Amen.

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Reflections and Poetry

Heart Attack: limited communication, limited effectiveness – the first phase of Covid – p2

When communication between a couple is daily, no matter the distance, and that is abruptly interrupted, it’s hard. At least I found it hard. 

The first day Alan was in hospital, he found it hard to speak, so we texted. I took his lead so as not to trouble him or tax his strength. When I mentioned pneumonia to Alan he was surprised. They’d told him he had Covid but no one had mentioned pneumonia. He found it a bit agitating, I think, to hear from me that he had pneumonia. 

In hospital the first few days, communication was sporadic. I found the silence heart-breaking but I put my trust in GOD’s sovereignty and remembered continually His word to me that “Alan will recover” and that carried me through the scary days, as I experienced a sense of powerlessness and a feeling like being in a washing machine — constantly turned and twisted, having very little air or peace.

Each day I’d speak to a nurse who would give me Alan’s oxygen level (which I only understood relative to ‘normal’ or the level told me the day before) and his blood pressure.

“What is he receiving the oxygen through?” I’d ask, wary whether it be a C-Pap or a light mask. 

“A light tube” one nurse would say. One night, overnight, they lay him on his stomach and he didn’t need oxygen support at all. That’s a good sign, I thought.

When someone is in hospital, moving back and forth from a high intensity ward to a short term unit and back again, it’s impossible not to read into every change something significant, even though it’s all guess work from a family member’s point of view. With no personal visitation allowed due to the Covid pandemic, and very sparse comment from Alan, every word a stranger said was filtered through my analytical brain and taken to GOD with prayer, hope and a seeking as to what to do next. 

I had told my son in person, then my step daughter by phone, and lastly Alan’s siblings by group text, that first day, after Alan was admitted into hospital with Covid. No one panicked, probably in part because I didn’t panic, because the LORD gave me wisdom, assurance and faith to hold on, trust Him and remain calm. 

Looking back, in spite of huge effort on the part of the hospital to be vigilant towards Alan’s recovery right from Day 1, I think the lack of communication contributed to the increase of illness and ultimately, to the end of Alan’s life. Had I known some things sooner, I could have prayed more effectively. Had doctors learned from me sooner about Alan’s disposition and personality, they may have read rather than misread some signs and perhaps medicated less vigorously. But do I suggest lack of communication caused his death? Not directly, no, I don’t think so. Rather, communication and visitation would have given Alan better quality of life while in hospital, and I may have had more influence upon doctors perhaps, and sooner. It is my view that a patient’s family should have more voice in their treatment because they know the patient best and can focus on this one patient when doctors are devoted to many all at once. A family member can detect things perhaps better than doctors when they are with the patient in person. But in the final analysis, the circumstances were as they were, and GOD orchestrated a fine symphony which brought to the attention of all parties involved, His power and presence in the life of Alan and me. He brought the entire team of medics to the point of focus on Alan’s definite recovery just days or even hours before the LORD released him back to Himself. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

I began to share with close praying friends the situation with Alan: Covid pneumonia, in hospital, needing just a little air support. I told the pastor, who shared with the church. I didn’t share on line — it was a private matter and Alan is known in the Christian community; I sought prayer but not panic or rumour or distracting phone calls. I believe GOD led me each step, as to with whom to share the news and to whom I would request prayer support. Each person I told was vigilant, I believe, and keen to pray for Alan’s recovery.

And so began a purpose-driven strategy to pray Alan back to full health and home.

*Photo courtesy of Revelation TV

Categories
Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Faith is a Delicate Thing: both a choice and a gift

“Praise the LORD, O my soul!

While I live I will praise the LORD;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” (Psalm 146:1)

Faith is delicate: both a choice and a gift

As I embrace this psalm I am aware of how my attitude is instrumental to my faith. Yes, faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) but my attitude is my own. By the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2) we can have the mind of Christ, but this depends upon the choice we make daily, whether to embrace the LORD or to embrace the world. 

Gratitude is a way forward

When we face all circumstances, we can rejoice. But how? One recent Shabbat morning, I began to list all the good things in my life. Though life is fleeting and both joys and sorrows come in like measure, we can choose which events, conditions, or circumstances we dwell on. Choose life! Choose Jesus. Choose abundant life because he came to give us life and that more abundantly. (John 10:10)

More Faith

When our hearts are downcast, when situations are full of strife rather than life, what do we do? We are human beings, made of flesh with blood coursing through our veins. What if we feel overwhelmed by our external circumstances or our internal frustrations? Then we ask the LORD for more faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith is the evidence of what is unseen, intangible. (Hebrews 11:1) Faith carries us when what we experience is bleak. Faith enables us to endure. Faith is not what we drum up by our will, but rather it is a gift from GOD. GOD is a giver of good gifts; when we ask, He is able to deliver.

Trust Faith

When we feel at the end of our tether, we look to faith which endures. Our feelings are fleeting. They are robust and passionate and all-encompassing at times, but they are only based on our thoughts and attitudes. Faith endures beyond ourselves. Trust faith, that which we know in our hearts and have built through life experience, that which is in the word of GOD which never fails us.

Emotions are temporary, but faith endures.

Trust faith. Choose faith. Ask for more. And allow endurance in our faith to carry us through any challenge, surprise or obstacle. 

When the Hebrews were in the most desperate situation, trapped between the Red Sea and the advancing Egyptians, all looked bleak. But Moses took faith and proved the salvation of the LORD. We each face our Red Seas and our Egyptians from time to time, but we have our LORD, who is mightier than any sea of affliction or man of war. Trust faith: “stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD”. (Exodus 14:13) Be still, wait upon the LORD, allowing Him to renew your strength and deliver you from all fear, affliction, entrapment or snare of the enemy. 


Hallelujah, Jesus conquered and through him we also are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) Trust GOD, ask for faith, and he will deliver.