Reflections on 46 years....

Now that I've got to live 46 years upon this earth I think what God has spoke into my heart, my life, my whole being is simply and profoundly this:

Live healed. 

Jehovah Rapha, the Lord Who Heals

There are many Scripture verses about being healed but the most significant is this:
By HIS stripes/scourging/suffering, I am healed.- Isaiah 53:5

I choose to live from Him, Jesus- the Lord Who Heals. 

Healed spiritually.
Healed soulically- mind, will and emotions.
Healed physically. 

Thank You, Jesus.

4.6 miles on a sun-filled 46th Birthday!

Irecycle Half Marathon

An hour ago I as wondering if I was going to finish the half marathon. 

I had just tripped on the side walk- skins both my knees and my hands. Two power stopped to check on me. My calves were also cramping. A police officer (who was near directing traffic) asked if I needed EMS 

I said, "No, I'm finising even if I have to walk."

I didn't. I ran most of the last two miles but it was rough. 

It was rough from about mile 9.

I prayed a lot. And when I fell I was praying for Gregg Gibbons. : )

Time 1:56:05

One day before His death....

Now as they were eating Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the [new and better] covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many [as a substitutionary atonement] for the forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

- Matthew 26:26-30

Upon Jesus' death there existed a life that had dwelt in a human body and had overcome by simple faith in God all obstacles man could ever encounter. That life was released in His blood, for the blood possesses life.
During Communion we celebrate a twofold reality. In the bread- His body- we recognize the crucifixion and removal of our old man, the Adam life, the old nature; and in the wine we observe the receiving a new life, His life, one that has overcome all that man will ever encounter.

You are being asked to trust in a life now living in you that HAS overcome all that you will encounter. There is no struggle that you have that the blood does not address.
Remember that it was Jesus- having lived in every aspect as we do- Who said, "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
- Michael Wells, Heavenly Discipleship

Lay aside!!!!!!!!!

Lay aside! Lay aside!

Ever wonder why you JUST CAN'T LET GO of something? Maybe your mind is in constant motion...thinking...thinking...thinking...trying to figure it, find a way, make it work, make it stop, make it go...for something to do and be exactly the way you want it to do and be?

What IS it you can't lay aside? Most of the time, for me personally- it's me. I can't lay ME aside. My, my, my. My wants. My dreams. My confusion. My expectations. My demands. My rights. My fears. My anxiety. My hopes. My....

Me...I can't lay ME aside. I put ME first.

What is your "MY" that you can't lay aside?

What happens when you and I, can't lay something aside? What's the result of putting our self first in all things...in our mind, in our will and in our emotions?

We lose heart, grow weary, give up, become tired, weakened.

How did we get this way? How did we get so weary and lose heart? We didn't lay aside whatever it is that encumbers, hinders, weights us down and/or sin that so easily entangles us AND...

Fix/keep our eyes (our whole being) on Jesus. See, He is the point here. We can't fix our own self. We can't even lay anything aside on our own.

For me, it's through the intimate communion, fellowship and oneness that I have with Jesus- the Author, Founder, Pioneer, Champion, Perfecter, Finisher, Completer- the very Source of Faith. The One who sat down when His work was completed. His work for me, in me, to me and through me. It is Finished.

I choose to believe and live from this Truth.

Hebrews 12:1-3

1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I adore Spring. I love having my windows and doors open. I love the breeze blowing winter out the door. I love the birds busy and singing. I love the flowers and trees blooming. I love the warm sunshine and clear blue skies. I love the ground warming up under my bare feet. I love the green grass. I love daffodils and dandelions. I adore Spring.

Did you know Jesus was crucified in the Spring? Yes, Jerusalem only experiences Spring for a few weeks in March and April- and of course Jesus was crucified, buried and rose again during the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread- two of the seven feasts (holidays) the Jewish people were told to commemorate by God. (The Jewish people celebrate Passover as a commemoration of their liberation by God from slavery in Egypt and their freedom as a nation under the leadership of Moses. It commemorates the story of the Exodus as described in the Hebrew Bible especially in the Book of Exodus, in which the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.)

Spring is symbolism of new life. A dormant earth gives way to life. In the animal world, babies are born.

Life!

Over and over and over Jesus tells us that He is Life. Jesus was put to death and paid the penalty for sin- death! But God raised Him from the dead- and for those who believe in Him has also been raised from death. Our winter is over and we experience eternal Spring- eternal life. We are not who we were and we certainly don't walk the walk anymore as we were. We are new creations- holy and blameless. He gave us life...His life...so that we can walk in the newness of life, His life. So that we can LIVE- live like never before- free and unchained.

John 4:13-14

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Colossians 2:13 When you were dead...He made you alive together with Him!

30/16

Happy 30th Green M&M Day, Nick Ellison!

30 years...gosh it's hard to believe...March 8, 1986

30 years ago today I shared a green m&m with a super cute boy at Pulaski Co. High School gym- watching Casey County Rebel boys play in the District Tournament. 

Who knew when you handed me that broken piece, the other half- of one green m&m- that we would spend at least the next 30 March 8th's together?

Our life together has been like that broken piece of candy- two broken people joining into one- two halves of one whole. You are the very best part of me, Nick Ellison. I so enjoy our life together!

Ecclesiastes 9:9
Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

AND

16 years ago today- Jesus became my Way, my Truth and my Life and I became a child of God. 

John 14:5-7
Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

Division of the soul and spirit

Abiding Life Ministries International

Many are in the process of having soul and spirit divided. Life is to be found within the spirit, yet many interpret quality of life in the spirit by what is happening in the soul. 

The day Christ entered the believer’s life, He brought along a treasure chest full of all that is needed for successful living. The chest holds acceptance, love, assurance, security, commitment, and daily help. This chest, however, lies in the spirit, though the immature believer continues to look outside of the spirit for fulfillment. He turns to the soul for completion through the intellect (if only he can understand how he acts), through a strong will (if he can only change what he hates and acquire righteousness), or through changing emotions (if only he could feel loved, accepted, and valued). He looks to the body for satisfaction in attractiveness. Fulfillment is believed to come through the accolades of others: children, mates, friends, family, parents, and co-workers. Titles and vocations promise to fill the emptiness.
 
 If you were God, what would you do to divide soul and spirit to force the believer to look deeper and discover all the riches of Christ that dwell within the spirit? That would be important, for if the believer could discover that true life is within, then nothing outside him would be able to destroy him. It does not mean that the believer would live the life of the unaffected (as a Hindu), but it does mean that the believer would be able to sing hymns in prison. First, would you not make all knowledge fail and emotions sink and lose their attractiveness? Second, would you not allow the will of man to fail him as it loses control in some area of life? Finally, if you were God, would you not cause both the world and all those in whom the believer trusts to fail to meet his deepest needs?
This is the dark wedge, the sword that God drives between soul and spirit. “The word of God is living and active, and sharper than a two-edged sword, able to divide soul and...

John 15

Steve Eden

"I am your Vine. You are My branches. Therefore fruit does not come FROM you, fruit comes THROUGH you. I do not ask for anything but your heart to simply be willing to receive from Me on a daily basis. If you will but receive, you will know My supply, and because I supply, you will never be short on love. Never be short on joy. Never be short on peace, regardless of the situations we face. For I am your Life. I am your Source. I am your ever present Supply. I am your Vine. Simply abide in Me."