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Saturday 2 March 2013

I will love Thee O Lord my strength

I was spending some time with an elderly lady down the road from me and we were discussing photography.  We both like taking pictures of birds and skies.  She told me that a problem she had was in taking pictures towards the sun and that whenever she did so it just reflected her own image back on the screen.  I told her that if she turned the lens downward towards the ground first, half depressed the shutter button, lifted the lens and faced it towards the sun and then fully depressed the shutter then the picture would come out fine and there would be no glare.  When I went home our conversation came back into my mind and I could see a simile in it.  It reminded me of the fact that just as the glare of the sun would be blinding if I tried to look directly at it so too I cannot look directly at God.  Jesus is my mediator and if I come humbly bowing before Him then I can see God in Him.  The way I communicate with God is not direct, it is through the Holy Spirit, and I must be humble and allow my own carnal mind to be renewed in Jesus in order to get the perfect picture.


Over the past few weeks the Lord has been speaking to me about a specific issue.  Sometimes it is only after a certain length of  time that I understand the whole of what He is trying to say to me, yet things link together and eventually I understand what He is saying.  It started with finding a thorn just under my fingernail.  I tried to get it out but could only trim my nail down and hope that it would grow out.  It improved over a few days.  Then a lady in church was sharing her weakness in an area in her life and reading out the first verse of Psalm 18, 'I love thee O Lord my strength', my favourite verse in the Bible.  I have put together in the past lots of pictures and verses or poems and I thought about a picture I had taken of a rose I have in my garden called 'fragrant cloud' on which I had placed that verse.  I thought 'I will take one in for her next week'.  When I got home I printed two of these  picture verses out and put them in small brass frames.   I took one in for her the following week and put the other one on my bedside cabinet. 

A few days after this I had some bad pain associated with something the Lord had spoken to me about for quite some years.  A scripture that I had been given by the Lord regarding this came into my mind.  It was the words spoken to the apostle Paul when he was given 'a thorn in the flesh', a messenger of Satan, to torment him.   'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness', (2 Corinthians ch.12 v.9) and I started to sing these words.  The pain went immediately.  Later that week I was talking to a friend on the phone, telling her what had happened and as I looked down onto the sofa I noticed a large rose thorn.   Where it had come from I do not know but things were starting to link together.  Then, when I went to the church I attend on the Sunday, the first song we sang had the line 'His grace is sufficient' in it.


The beginning of this testimony:-
One evening,about twenty two years ago  I had eaten a fish meal and believe that a small bone from the fish lodged in my throat.  We had to cancel going out with friends that evening as the discomfort grew worse.  Over the next few days things deteriorated even more.  It felt as if an abscess had developed low down at the back of my throat, and the pain was almost unbearable.  At the time I had for some years been seeking the Lord about sickness and  healing, and had felt that He had been teaching me to trust in His divine power to heal, which I had already experienced, but also to trust in what He was telling me to do no matter what.  I felt it had something to do with spiritual warfare.  

When I sought the Lord over this particular situation, He spoke to me through several scriptures that I kept opening to.  He kept showing me Isaiah 31 v.1 'Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD', verse 3 says 'the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit'.  I know that 'Egypt' stands for the world in the Bible and felt as though the Lord was instructing me here not to rely on man and his physical ability, but to rely on God and His spiritual capability.  

I could not forget that I had previously asked Him to teach me about sickness and healing, and why sometimes I had experienced healings and sometimes not.  He also spoke to me through 2 Chronicles ch.16 v.12, where Asa was diseased in his feet yet did not seek help  from the Lord but from the physicians.  Once again I felt that in this instance the Lord was telling me to rely on Him and not on man.  Shortly after this, my throat began to ease a little but a lump started to develop under my left arm.  Still the Lord spoke to me through the same scriptures when I sought Him and also through a poem which I had written.  In it I felt that I was being encouraged to listen to the words that the Lord was speaking to me, to take every thought into captivity and to recognize where the doubts were coming from.  I called it


Who Said?

Who said that I'll not heal you       
who told you child this lie
Who said that you will get much worse 
and points his finger to the curse?
My child .... It was not I
Who speaks new precious words of life 
to all who live in fear and strife
And says ' By faith shall live the just'      
if in their Lord they'll put their trust
For through God's word has been revealed 
that by my stripes you shall be healed
Who says your needs I'll satisfy
My precious child - was it not I ?

Beware the serpent oh so sly 
to steal your blessing he will try
My child it still remains your choice 
the devil's hiss or the Master's voice
For even in this latter day 
Satan keeps asking 'Did God say?'
Still questioning God's Holy Word 
hoping you'll doubt what you have heard
Don't listen child each time he tries 
to win you with his evil lies
Tell him this time it's not the same 
this time you wear your Saviour's name
The name of Jesus Christ - God's Son                  
by whom redemption has been won
And from the curse you've been reprieved 
if in my word you have believed
So stand within God's promise child 
by the devil's lies be not beguiled
And when he questions as you're led 
you say to him
'Yes God has said'


The Lord highlighted a scripture to me when I wrote the poem, it was from Revelation ch. 12 v.11.  At that time the only part that spoke to me was 'and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb', but since I have started to write this testimony down, the other half of the scripture '... And by the word of their testimony' has been highlighted to me, and I believe the importance of testifying to one another about what the Lord is doing in our lives is being pointed out.  He also spoke to me through Psalm 116, a prayer of thanksgiving for recovery from illness.  One verse in particular stood out to me, it was 'I kept my faith, even when I said 'I am greatly afflicted'.  

Over the next few years a lump appeared under my right arm, another appeared under my left foot, and several glands swelled up.  My throat sometimes felt better, other times it hurt a lot, and it felt like a lump was growing in it.  Yet still, when I doubted and sought the Lord, He highlighted the same scriptures to me, and many others.  The more symptoms that appeared in my body, the more thoughts of what these symptoms could mean according to the knowledge of man and the medical profession came into my mind, bringing with it fear.  A few years ago, during one of these fearful times of concentrating on the symptoms, the Lord spoke to me through another poem that I entitled.


'The Journal'

I looked into the medical journal 
to see if my sickness was there
Scanned pages from start to finish  
my symptoms and pain to compare
I found there all sorts of malignants 
from tumours to non - healing sores
Bone fractures, coughs, colds and contagious 
diseases were there in their scores
I didn't feel better for reading 
I have to admit I felt worse
For the words written there spoke no blessing 
only page after page of a curse
So I looked in another great journal 
this too spoke of symptoms and pain
The symptoms were those of rebellion and sin 
but the pain there was all for man's gain
Yes the symptoms were mine and the rest of mankind
They were sorrow and torment and loss
But the pain was my Lord's to redeem many souls
As He hung in our place on that cross
So I'll close the big book that speaks only of strife
Inflicted by Satan - the liar
And I'll open the book that brings blessing and life
The one written of Jesus - Messiah


And so I have continued, believing one hundred percent that the Lord has been encouraging me all this time to trust in Him for my healing.  I know that He can heal, and is capable of doing that which is not possible for man to do.  I know that He still heals today, because I have been healed solely by His divine power several times, but I have also been learning over the past twenty five years to keep my faith in great affliction, and several of these lumps have disappeared and one occasion that this happened was used to encourage another person.

A few years ago a swelling that came up on my arm and an incident in another person's life caused more fears to creep into my mind, this time greater fears which were pointing to the symptoms being life threatening.  Again I sought the Lord and again He gave me scripture to combat the carnal thoughts that were trying to rob me of God's promise to me.  Yet again He told me that His grace was sufficient for me and that His power is made perfect in weakness.  This scripture was a great comfort to me because it had already been used in my life preceding a healing.  

The Lord also spoke to me through another poem which demonstrated to me the spiritual warfare that was going on in my mind and just who was the most powerful of the two opponents.  Through the scripture and the poem, I was being shown the enemy's tactics in causing fear in my mind, and being encouraged yet again to trust absolutely in the Lord's power and ability to defeat him.  This poem I called

An Enemy Stood At My Door


An enemy stood at my door - I recognized this foe

His tap was soft at first and he was calling out my name
He'd tried to rob mankind of truth a long, long time ago
And now he'd come to me to do the same
His knock grew louder with each strike - his voice began to rise
My heart was wildly beating and my mind was filled with fear
With curses pouring from his mouth he rent the air with lies
I froze at what I could not fail to hear
Within the door I looked around and sought a place to hide
A sanctuary of safety from the taunting and the jeers
The enemy like thunder now began to rage outside
With trembling hands I tried to block my ears
Then suddenly within the room a warrior appeared
His form was bathed in light and He was brandishing a sword
The power and the fury from the enemy I feared
Diminished as I recognized my Lord
'Don't be afraid child' Jesus said 'at all that you have heard
This foe will turn to ashes and his power fall as dust
Take refuge in my presence as I speak God's Holy word
Your peace will then return because you trust
The words that I shall speak to you are Spirit and are life
They bring into existence that which does not yet appear
And have a power of their own to banish all the strife
That's coming from this enemy you fear'
I looked into my Saviour's eyes and knew His words were true
That God had sent Him to my aid, this enemy to fight
He said 'My child just stay within the light surrounding you
Your foe dwells in the darkness of the night
And he will come to carnal mind to try to steal the seed
That I have planted in you as you seek me every day
Hold fast to all I've told you - to his threatening pay no heed
When dawn arrives the darkness must give way
For search within God's written word and you will surely see
That for this very purpose was made manifest God's Son
And how to me the Father granted all authority
To halt the workings of the evil one'
I listened to my Saviour and I spoke out what I heard
To counteract the curses of the foe outside the door
And marvelled when I realized the power of God's word
Commanded him to bother me no more
Then slowly, but with boldness now, I walked across the floor
And lifted latch with Jesus' words embedded in my mind
God's grace for me sufficient - When I opened up the door
No messenger of Satan could I find


After writing the poem, I wondered about the line 'this foe will turn to ashes and his power fall as dust', and thought 'Where did that come from?'.  A few days later I was reading the book of Job and came across verse twelve of chapter thirteen which reads 'Your maxims are proverbs of ashes, your defences are defences of clay'  Job's friends were being told by Job that what they had spoken was of the earth, a fleshly wisdom.  Elihu later states that it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand, and offers revealed knowledge rather than the voice of human experience and tradition.  I realized that I was in danger of allowing man's wisdom and knowledge to overrule the much higher wisdom and knowledge of the creator Himself.  The enemy only had a power over me whilst I was believing in the worldly wisdom and knowledge that was filling my mind above God's word..  His ultimate weapon was fear.


And now the Lord is speaking to  me again regarding this.


Early this week I was attending the funeral of a neighbour and the minister of the church where the funeral service was taking place was speaking about the neighbour's life. One of the things that he said was that the man had loved painting, and that two of the things he had shown the minister were a completely blue canvas with a yellow dot in the centre which he had called 'the power of one', and a completely blank canvas that he simply called 'a blank canvas'.  This brought into my mind how, if I put my trust in the One who has the power to do all things, I have to allow Him to work on the blank canvas of this 'new creation',  and I  must endeavour to keep 'the old man'  out of it as much as I can by trying not to reason with the carnal mind when I know, or believe I know, when the Lord has given me a word.  That way His power can be made perfect in my weakness.  I am not saying that it has always been easy but the more I try to act on His instruction to me the more I seem to hear His voice.

I have had many things happen over the past few days which I believe are signs that are confirming what the Lord has been saying to me. 

Twice this week I have read the same verse of scripture on two separate blogs. 'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future   Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you' (Jeremiah ch. 29 vs. 11,12) and I keep having the number 18 brought to my attention, reminding me of Psalm 18.
  
I opened my Bible to read one morning and started to read about Thomas, where Jesus said 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' (John ch. 29 v. 29).  Thomas had not been in the room previously when Jesus had breathed on the disciples and I think this fact emphasises the difference between human attempt at believing and Holy Spirit faith.

I saw a 'medical emergency' reality  program on the television in which a child, whose name was 'Destiny' had a fish bone removed from his throat. 

I also had someone ring on my house phone and ask 'Is that Thomas?'  I said 'No this is not Thomas' 

I am absolutely convinced that the Lord is telling me that His plans in this issue  are for my welfare, that He is my strength, that my destiny is physical healing here, and that if I believe without seeing then I will be blessed.


50 comments:

Unknown said...

It is good to hear something out of you again. I have been afraid that something had happened that was preventing you from writing anymore.

Speaking of hearing something from someone, when you are ready to truly accept that Christ Jesus and His Holy Spirit are also God, and that there is no difference between them and the Lord God Almighty, who is our Heavenly Father, nothing will be the same to you again. For you have the One who created all that exists (apart from Himself, of course) for His good pleasure wanting to have a very close and personal relationship with you, which included direct communication between you and Him--not just the discernment of signs.

Brenda said...

Hi Jerry,
no nothing has happened to me, at least nothing bad. I have been putting a little booklet together called '....I had heard of You. But now I see You', and I can really only write a post when I am inspired to do it. Yes, I know who Jesus is, just as the Bible tells me. He is the express image of God, the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, with whom nothing is impossible. God is Spirit. Those who are born again in Jesus are born again of the Spirit and become one in Him. Nothing has ever been the same as it was since I have been born again, and it is so true that He sometimes accompanies His word with signs.

Brenda said...

Sorry Jerry,
the booklet is called '.....but now my eyes see You'

Unknown said...

Yes, but is Christ Jesus actually "God"--not just the express image of Him? I ask the same question about His Holy Spirit.

Brenda said...

At this moment in time to me He is the Holy Spirit who is teaching me.

Unknown said...

That was a very wise answer, my dear Brenda. Well, at least in the eyes of this world. For it neither confirmed, nor denied.

Paul G said...

Not many can say that Jesus Christ is the Lord God the Almighty.
In the back of their mind they always think that there is another, a bigger God somewhere else.
Paul

Laurie Collett said...

Amazing poems and post, Brenda! God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all equally God -- the triune God or Trinity. All are distinct yet all work together in concert. The Spirit helps believers to understand the Son, and the Son is the only Way to the Father. Thanks for the amazing writing & God bless!

child of God said...

Hi Brenda,
Thank you for sharing this post from the past.
Fear is a mighty weapon of Satan but prayer is an even mightier of a weapon and when we are fearful we need only pray and Father hears.

Beautiful poems and again, I love how you discern God's voice.

Blessings,
<><

Brenda said...

Jerry,
when Jesus was on this Earth in the likeness of man, yet without sin,He was the express image of God. In His prayer in John ch.17, He says to the Father, 'I do not pray for these oly but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us. Another time he said 'But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you'. That is what He has done and that is what the Holy Spirit is doing in my life. God is the Spirit that is in each time zone, yesterday, today and forever. 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God'. God has made Jesus Lord. The Holy Spirit that dwells within me is what makes me a new creation by re-minding me.(renewing my mind in Christ Jesus). We must not try to understand the things of God with the carnal mind. God's ways are not our ways.

Brenda said...

Paul,
I think that I have to answer you with the same words that I have used to answer Jerry. I cannot argue with scripture. God's wisdom makes mans' wisdom foolishness.

Brenda said...

Hi Laurie,
thank you for your kind words. Yes, what God is cannot be fathomed out with the carnal mind. He is life to us, and grants us to eat of the 'tree of life', We bore the image of the man of dust, we bear the image of the man of Heaven in Christ, the 'life giving Spirit'. Praise His lovely name. God bless you too

Brenda said...

Hi child of God,
Yes, the testimony in my post was written in the past but the rest of the post is what is happening in my life at this moment in time. It is an ongoing testimony in which the Lord is teaching me spiritual warfare. We can do nothing without the Lord and I know that He has and still is my weapon of warfare in this situation. Whatever we go through in the Lord, I believe our testimonies are to be shared, just like the talents were meant to be used, we never know who might be going through the same situation and may be encouraged through what we are going through. ' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.'
God bless you

Unknown said...

My dear Brenda,
One of the first things our Heavenly Father got me to understand after He started making Himself real to me was that we should not think of Him and His only begotten Son and His Holy Spirit in separate terms, and this should be quite a revelation unto you. For instead of thinking of that you have no direct communication with Him, the absolute truth of the matter truly is that it is the Lord God Almighty who is seeking to have a very close and personal relationship with you, which is the way He wants it to be with us all (depending upon what He wants to accomplish in and through each individual).

When that little mountain is moved out of the way, you will be amazed at the amount of knowledge and information that will start flowing. That is, unless you are unwilling to receive it. For there is much about what our Heavenly Father actually says is absolutely true that is quite contrary to what has been readily accepted as being the truth by far too many for far too long.

Please, do not think that I am trying to say that you are not receiving much of anything from Him already. For you clearly are, but instead of just having to glean knowledge and understanding from signs and Scripture references, you will start truly hearing His voice actually speaking to you in plain and simple terms and being able to hold actual conversations with Him--just like the kind of talks that I would think that you would have with your husband about all sorts of things.

Paul G said...

Yes Brenda, mans wisdom is foolish, but we have the mind of Christ and I speak the wisdom of God and not of man.
If it were not so, i'd rather be silent.

Brenda said...

Hi Jerry,
yes I agree that it is wonderful that God speaks to us and I am hearing His voice, to the degree that I have reached up to now. Because they are personal relationships, no one can know how the Lord speaks to another person. Just as there were the seventy two, the twelve and the three in the gospels, each 'disciple' or believer can come into a certain category. The main thing is that we keep our eyes upon Him. I welcome your prayers for me as I do all prayers for me, and I too shall pray for you.
God bless

Brenda said...

Hi Paul,
please don't think that I was talking of what you are saying as the foolish wisdom of man, I was not. I have had many good discussions with you on your blog. I believe your first comment to me on this post was regarding the comment from Jerry,not regarding what I had actually put in my post, and what I was saying to you in answer was that if I do not take my beliefs from what scripture is actually saying then I am relying on my reasoning, which is foolishness to God. If you look at the last two posts of Jerry's blog I think I have enhanced a little on what I am implying here. We are all learners from God and it is good to share, but where as I may have experienced one thing with the Lord that others may not have , someone else may have experienced a totally different experience that I have not. There are many experiences that we can have, all listed at some time there in the scriptures. God bless you

Unknown said...

Beautiful post Brenda, inspiring as always. Just love the poems. His power is made perfect in your weakness; He will perfect all that concerns you. Do remain blessed.

Brenda said...

Hi Ynytime - Ivy King,
thank you for your lovely words. I believe that the Lord has just confirmed my healing through your words and something else He spoke to me this morning. God bless you

Brenda said...

Hi child of God,
I awoke early this morning and words from your reply to my post earlier came into my mind, and then they were a reveation to me as if the Lord was speaking. Then Unytime - Ivy left a comment and I believe I know what the Lord is saying to me. Your words were 'post from the past', and it is as if the Lord is saying that the sickness is in 'the past'

Eya Ayambem said...

Hi Brenda, This post has so encouraged me to believe God that every Idiopathic Guttate Hypomelanosis (IGH) on my skin will clear off In Jesus Name.

Your healing is sure. will surely be manifested physically IJN.

child of God said...

Hi Brenda,
Praising God for this revelation!! What is in the past is past, today is a new day!
Matthew 6:34
"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Blessings sister,
<><

Brenda said...

Hi Eya,
Yes, God's words, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, are the food that feeds our spirit and prove themselves true. He is the One 'who heals us from all our diseases'. 'By His stripes are we ha#ealed'. All the promises of God are 'yes' in Jesus. Amen - so be it in our lives. God bless you.

Brenda said...

Hi child of God,
Amen to all you have said. God's words are so powerful. God bless you

T-Childs said...

Wonderful post Brenda, well worth reading. I've been unwell and still am. Just a cold/virus and an awful hacking cough. Oh well!!

Ken said...

Hi Brenda,
Oh how often have I sought the wisdom of man. When sick, trust in the physician...Oh how wise it is to come to the Lord first. Also loved the verse you referenced, "I kept my faith, even when I said 'I am greatly afflicted." and "my grace is sufficient for you, I am made perfect in your weakness." It is important to never lose faith in the Lord, even if He chooses not to heal us. He knows what He is doing.
May God bless,
Ken

Brenda said...

Hi Tim,
thankyou for your kind comments. I hope your 'invader' leaves you soon. God bless you with good health.

Brenda said...

Hi Ken,
I believe that the Lord has been teaching me here spiritual warfare. If I had not had all this scripture during this trial then I don't know where my fear would have taken me. I don't believe I can do certain things unless guided by the Holy Spirit, otherwise I may be in the position of tempting God. I believe absolutely that all the scripture and the poems in this part of my life have come from the Lord and I know that one of the things I have been shown here is that His perfect love casts out fear. God bless you.

S. Knowles said...

Brenda the enemy has been really trying over the past week or so, to cause me to rebel from what I know is right, when you said this, "I must endeavor to keep 'the old man' out of it as much as I can by trying not to reason with the carnal mind when I know, or believe I know, when the Lord has given me a word" I just knew this post is for me after reading that, perhaps many others as well, because the enemy tries to tempt us all at one time or the other, but i really feel like the time I read this was perfect.

I saw when you posted this several day's ago but I was unable to read it right away, I placed it in my mind I will get to her post a little later, and now after reading this i think it was necessary that I read this the time I did, because I can relate to much of this. The enemy tried to frighten me as well. I found a lump in my breast last year around the end of the year and immediately I started to panic, the enemy tried to make me very frightened. I started to think about dying so much I didn't really give much thought to the fact that I was still very much alive and Jesus reigns. I told the Lord that I trust Him with my body, let His will be done.

Recently I have been struggling with old thing's that I put off years ago, but I am better now, after praying, I feel much better and those lies the enemy was trying to tell me have failed. Great post. I pray God continues to use you to do His will and share your testimony.

R's Rue said...

I look forward to reading your posts!
www.rsrue.blogspot.com

Brenda said...

Hello Regine,
nice to meet you.

Brenda said...

Sateigdra,
I didn't even know you had left a comment on this post until I just went into my 'stats' and 'comments', and your comment had come up in the 'spam' box. I believe even this could be the enemy at work. Usually the only things that come up in my spam comments box are a load of rubbish that can't be understood or sometimes if people leave comments under the name of 'anonymous' for some reason. I immediately highlighted your comment and clicked on 'not spam' and then your comment came up in the right place. I would like to encourage you and to tell you also that I had a lump removed miraculously through prayer years ago, this is one of the reasons why I asked the Lord to teach me about sickness and healing. Perhaps I will relate that healing on a post one day. What I would really like to say to you is that if you keep your eyes on Jesus, and what He is saying to you personally as you seek Him ( and I know you do seek Him ) then what He is telling you will cast out all fear. He is able to do what is not possible for man to do. If satan realizes that your mind is being renewed in Jesus then he will use your carnal mind to cause fear and doubt. There is so much that I would want to encourage you with, but it would take pages, so I will say 'Trust in the Lord with all your hear, do not lean on your own understanding.' Take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ. If your thoughts go against the plumb line of what Jesus is saying to you then it could well be the enemy. God loves us and has our welfare in mind. Fear does not come from Him, only the kind of fear that means respect and reverence. There is a lovely song we sing in church with the words 'He is stronger' in it and this is to be remembered about the Lord when we are in a spiritual battle. God bless you with victory. Praise His lovely name.

STUFF (GOD'S WORD IS THE REAL STUFF) said...

YOUR POEMS ARE WORDS OF HOPE FOR SO MANY!

I AM REMEMBERING YOU IN PRAYER BY BINDING THE SPIRIT OF INFIRMITY AND LOOSING: COMFORT, THE GARMENT OF PRAISE, AND THE OIL OF JOY-- ON YOUR BEHALF AND ON THE BEHALF OF ALL YOUR BLOG FOLLOWERS!

Brenda said...

Thank you for your prayers for me and others and God bless you.

Jephyr said...

Hi Brenda, I've finally made my way over to your blog and wow...what a beautiful post.


God has brought to my mind and spirit the same lessons about turning back to Egypt, physicians and worldly wisdom or relying on Him. When it comes to my own health I often think about Asa...and how many of us run to Doctors first. And that verse from Psalm 116 is so beautiful.


Your post and poetry really spoke to me today and built up my faith...Thank you for sharing!


May God continue to Bless you and your health as you follow Him!

Brenda said...

Hi Jephyr,
nice to see you. Thankyou for your encouraging comment. I know there is no condemnation in Christ, wherever we are on our journey with Him 'to those who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.' I also know that He understands we are flesh and knows our weaknesses. It is about strengthening us in our weaknesses and what He wants us to do at a particular time. There are times when He might allow or even arrange for us to go down to 'Egypt' for a specific purpose, like He did with Joseph. The main thing is that we hear His voice and trust in Him. God bless you in your walk with Him and your wonderful artwork.

S. Knowles said...

Thank you so much, Brenda your words are very encouraging. I have indeed been going through spiritual battles. One minute it feels like the enemy, is trying to smother me, by really pulling me towards the thoughts of sin my carnal mind. But it always comes to mind the scripture that say's, in our weakness God's strength is made perfect. And when you mentioned the words in that song I know it is the Lord Himself wanting me to know that His strength and grace is sufficient. Whenever I think of something that is not very pure, the enemy tries to keep me from going God for forgiveness. The enemy makes me feel like I'm too dirty to go before God. But I know that God is loving and merciful and no matter what I think or do, I am able to go before My Heavenly Father, and ask Him for forgiveness and I know I will receive it. The devil is really trying. But I know that by Jesus strengthening me I can and will overcome evil with good every time, every single time. To God be the glory!! God bless you sister, may God's peace go with you and all the saints.

Brenda said...

Lovely to hear from you Sateigdra, everything you say is right about the battle. The lovely thing is that the Lord has already won it for us, all we have to do is trust Him to bring us through each trial. You say in your comment 'But I know that by Jesus strengthening me I can and will overcome evil with good every time, every single time.' it brings to mind once again that the word 'evil' in reverse is 'live', and that is exactly what Jesus does. He turns our 'evil'(our carnal mind questioning of God's Word to us) around and causes us to 'live' in Him when we allow that Word to overrule the temptations of Satan to go against it. When I came into my room to use my computer a little lamp I have caught my eye and I picked it up to read what is on it once more. It says on the base of it 'Believe, all things are possible'.( An older posts tells the story of how I got this lamp). Then I turned on my computer and saw your comment and I felt to share this.
God bless you Sateigdra, we press on to receive the prize.

Unknown said...

"Lighthouse Vision" has been included in the A Sunday Drive for this week. Be assured that I hope this helps to point even more new visitors in your direction.

http://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-sunday-drive_10.html

Brenda said...

Hi Jerry,
thank you for your kindness. God bless.

Laurie Collett said...

Praise God for the indwelling Holy Spirit! Without Him, we can do nothing, but with Him all things are possible.
You and your writing are a blessing, dear one.
Laurie

Brenda said...

Hi Laurie,
lovely to hear from you again, Amen to your praise for our lovely Lord. Thank you for your kindness and your sharing your love for Him in your blog. God bless you.

Kelen Strong said...

With love to you!

PSALM 23

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD,
That's Relationship!

I shall not want,
This supply is!

MAKE ME WALK IN GREEN PASTURES,
This is rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters,
This is refreshing!

He restores my soul,
This is healing!

GUIDE ME FOR THE PATHS OF JUSTICE,
That's Guidance!

FOR THE LOVE OF YOUR NAME,
This is on purpose!

THOUGH I WALK THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
That's Testing!

I will fear no evil,
That's Protection!

Thou art with me,
That is fidelity!

YOUR STICK AND YOUR staff they comfort me,
This is discipline!

Prepare a table before ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES,
This is hope!

UNGE MY HEAD WITH OIL
That's Consecration!

And my cup runneth over,
That's Abundance!

SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY A follow me EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE,
This is a blessing!

AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
That's Security!

FOR LONG DAYS,
This is eternity!

May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Lucy.
http://frutodoespirito9.blogspot.com/

I invite you to follow will be an honor

Also visit the blog brother Araújo:
http://discipulodecristo7.blogspot.com/

Brenda said...

Hi Lucy,
beautifully put, and welcome to my blog. I shall come over and visit your blog.
God bless.

BRAVE AFRICAN said...

Great piece as always... Blessings and much more, to you and all yours. SHALOM

Brenda said...

Thank you Brave African, and the same blessings to you. Lovely to hear from you again. I love the word 'shalom', I was just looking at it on my shelf, I have it carved in wood.

Laurie Collett said...

Dear Brenda,
Praise God that His grace is sufficient and that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He is the Great Physician, and He will heal or give us grace to His glory.
Blessings to you,
Laurie

Brenda said...

Hi Laurie,
yes you are so right. God's grace is sufficient whatever the situation, He is able to teach us fully that fear is our greatest enemy. I believe absolutely that whatever He tells us to do through His communication with us as individuals that it is all for our good and to teach us that He is the all powerful God who takes away all fear and to whom everything is in subjection. It is all about trusting in His love for us and recognizing who He is. God bless you for the way you encourage others in your work for the Lord.

Maleeka said...

God bless you and continue to heal you!

Brenda said...

Hi Maleeka,
thank you for your kind comment and prayer. Soon after writing this post I asked the Lord to speak to me concerning what He had shown me about healing me and I opened my Bible straight to Psalm 103. I closed my Bible and asked again that if He was speaking of the healing promise (which is 'yes' in Jesus) to let me open to it again (like a fleece I suppose). I opened my Bible straight to the page again.