Tag Archives: Healing

The Love You Show

2 Aug

Corporate Prayer

“For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which ye show toward all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;” Ephesians 1:15-16 (ASV)

At some time in their lives most children feel unwanted and that they don’t belong in their family.  I don’t remember ever feeling like I belonged.  There weren’t hugs or kisses on the cheek or “I’m proud of you” comments.  I can often remember thinking that we kids were a chore to be dealt with, nothing more.  After my father’s death my mom remarried, and I had hoped it would change.  There were happier times in the family, when we spent time playing games and sharing stories – but I can only remember one time in my whole childhood that I received a hug and a kiss on the cheek from my mother.

When I gave my life to follow Jesus, He brought me something that I never expected – a new family.  I received hugs and encouragement and a feeling of belonging every time I stepped inside a church door.  It wasn’t an immediate transformation, but after a while I found that I was able to open up and share that same unconditional, “sister/mother” love with others.  A love without strings or expectations.  A love that came from being a member in the body of Christ.

Interestingly, it didn’t matter which church I entered, the acceptance was the same.  There was a strong feeling of family, an understanding that we all have our pains and wounds that we are working through, and a commitment of working together to try to help each other get to the place where we could heal and grow in the call that God had placed upon our lives.  There was a desired commitment to pray for others, known and unknown, to usher the healing balm from the Father’s hand into the lives others.  A delicious gift, freely given and humbly received, on a daily basis.  Through those times of prayer, mountains moved, faith grew, bodies were healed, love was shared, true compassion for others was felt, salvation went forward and people were set free – far more than anyone else – I was set free.

In Paul’s words in the scripture above, he recognizes the special circumstances and compassions that God put into the hearts of the believers (saints) that drew them toward each other in a common goal of sharing the message of the gospel and encouraging each other in love and prayer.  Through their faith they were able to bond together for a common goal of sharing a very unpopular and dangerous message and yet remained compassionate toward other’s frailties; holding each other tightly in prayer.  For the gift of that bond, that relationship, that family of Christ, Paul found strength and honored them all in thanksgiving and prayer.

I see what Paul is speaking of in this text every day.  I see it in today’s church – in the services, the Bible studies, the youth groups, men’s groups, and women’s groups.  There is a drawing together of the body of Christ that cannot be explained by any other term than “family.”  A family of imperfect, but striving and compassionate people, willing to take the time to encourage and pray for their “brothers” and “sisters”, to help them reach a newer and stronger level of faith.

Is it faith that brings us compassion, or is it compassion, birthed inside by a loving God, that gives us the foundation that faith stands firmly upon?  Is it faith that gives us confidence in prayer, or prayer that builds our strength in faith?  Is it the love of the saints that makes us want to pray and encourage others, lifting them up before the throne-room of God, or is it the time spent in the throne-room with God, in diligent and dedicated prayer, that brings us a love for people we may never meet; that breaks our heart for a people that we can only see in the Spirit, and gives us confidence for a true physical, emotional and spiritual healing for those who stand among us?  I don’t know, but I stand before my God with a heart filled with gratefulness for the gift of prayer and a heart filled with compassion for all mankind.

** A Journey Though Ephesians – Chapter 1, Part 9

Written by Linda J. Humes

9-14-14

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Troubled Water

23 Sep

(4) For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. (7) The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.   John 5:4&7

I can feel it -

 the shaking,

 the stirring,

 inside.


The angels 

 have troubled the water,

 deep within me.


Who will help me,

 draw close to the pool,

 where pure love,

 can heal?


Where the Glory of God,

 lights the dark recesses

 of doubt.


If I move quickly,

 toward the call of God,

 the desperate corners,

 I find to hide in,

 will be purged and cleansed,

 and my Spirit,

 will be set free,

 to soar above the circumstances,

 my soul calls hopeless.


Who will take the chance,

 of entering into my world,

 and carry me down,

 to the healing pool,

 where Spirit and soul,

 come together?


Who will lay their life open,

 to care - to hurt - to lift?


Could it be you?

 

Written 1-20-99

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CRIMSON BLOOD

8 Sep

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.       Hebrews 13:20-21

 

So curious a creature are we,

 ingenious in the ways of war,

 yet perplexed by wounds,

 ever so greater,

 than any weapon,

 could ever conceive.



Wounds so deep,

 into the hearts,

 of our smallest children,

 that no medicine made,

 today or tomorrow,

 could ever lift the pain,

 piercing through.



Fatal wounds inflicted,

 by those they love most,

 in acts of anger,

 in acts of arrogance,

 in tearing away,

 from the gift they call love.



When the hope dies,

 along with worthiness,

 the wounded child,

 remains small,

 though the body may grow,

 to adulthood,

 to accountability.



Where, then, do they turn,

 when they scream out for love,

 from a deadened heart,

 pushed so deeply,

 into a box,

 of protective devices,

 flushed by deadening tasks?



Who, then, can see,

 into the callused eyes,

 shielding the soul,

 from any possibility,

 of additional wounds.



Only the Son of Light,

 can burn so bright,

 as to see into the depths,

 of a lightless life.



Only the Son of Life,

 can loosen the sword,

 of tainted love,

 and killing words,

 to free the fatal wound,

 in the deadened heart,

 of a little child,

 now the shape of a man.



It is only the Son,

 who called us from birth,

 set angels at our side,

 and prayed with our prayers,

 until the day,

 we were ready to heal.



It is only the Son,

 who’s dark crimson blood,

 entered into the wound,

 lubricating the weapon,

 only He could remove,

 cauterizing the opened cavity,

 filling it with the endless gift,

 of God’s perfect love.

 

 

Written 11-15-1998

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War Room – The Posture of Prayer

6 Oct

Linda's Bible 9-10-15

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”   Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

After the release of the Affirm Film, War Room, many people showed where they had created War Rooms in their closets or offices.  That’s wonderful, but many of us don’t have a house big enough for those sorts of areas.  My “War Room” or what I call “War Area” is actually at the kitchen table.  I also have a chalkboard in my bedroom where I have the names of people listed who have requested prayer.  Your War Room could be in your bathroom, bedroom, garage, a park bench, a back yard, in your car, on the bus, on a train, in a plane, it is anyplace that you can get a moment alone with God.  The important thing is that you are taking the names of others to God for their needs.

It doesn’t matter if you are on your knees, on your face, on your feet or sitting in a chair – it isn’t about the position of the body that makes the prayers powerful, it is the humble and contrite heart that makes the difference.

It doesn’t matter if you have an hour to pray, 30 minutes to pray, or 5 minutes to pray.  It doesn’t matter if your language is elegant, simple or completely silent for lack of knowing what to say.  Some folks just cry before God and He knows what is in the heart and what the prayer is all about.

Prayer isn’t saying things in a special or specific way.  Prayer is just talking to God, just having a conversation and listening for Him to answer back.  People talk about praying at all times.  I am one of those people.  Prayer doesn’t need a special place or posture, it is being thankful at all times, talking to God at all times, and being aware of your surroundings and the needs that are there.  It’s praying for a car broken down on the side of the road, an ambulance going in the opposite direction, a sad person walking along the road, a happy child dancing in a yard.  Prayer is just speaking a word of help, or healing, or peace, or thankfulness.

And the most important point to this is – Prayer Works.  The only prayers that are not answered are the prayers that are never spoken. Take a moment, look around, say a prayer.  It feels amazing!

————-

Do you need prayer?  Send an email to shiloh.spiritual@aol.com and I will add you to my prayer board.  Have a Blessed Day!  Mama Linda

 

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DRY BONES

10 Sep

Dry Bones

Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto

them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.  Ezekiel 37:4 KJV

———

Could I have bore the pain you carried.

Would you have tread where I once walked.

—-

Had we been given each other trials,

Would I or you have chosen different paths,

Or could I have carried the burden for which I have judged you?

—-

The ravens of gossip and deceit,

Help me to strip the smallest,

Most hidden and covered areas of your being.

—-

With a critical tongue and thoughtless sighs,

I chew away your life, bite by bite.

Stripping away the beauty that was you,

Leaving dry parched bones,

Cast into the wasteland.

—-

What have I done?

Can these bones live again?

Can what was stolen ever be returned?

Will you be able to hear Jesus call,

With the cleansing blood of truth,

That can breathe life back into these bones.

—-

Will you let another hear that can love

          and nurture your brokenness back to health,

Or have the words of my mouth caused walls of stone,

So tall and deep, that none may penetrate.

—-

Could I have carried the burdens for which I have judged you?

Could I have carried the burden of the pain which I have caused you?

If I had only taken the time to see life through your walk,

If . . .

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