Believe Me and Live!

Devotion called, "Mold Me" by Kim Johnson

John 8:51 [Jesus said]
"I assure you, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!"

John 11:26 [Jesus said]
"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

1 Corinthians 15:36
"When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn't grow into a plant unless it dies first."

I have heard that many deaf struggled with this concept since we die anyway. I don't know if that's true but I know we deaf are visual people, and I have to say that I did struggle with this. I was stumped, because my loved ones believed in Lord Jesus, and they died anyway. But my Bible studies and pastor helped me lots over the years. I saw and learned that there are "two kinds" of death -- physical and spiritual death. Of course, our physical will die, and then we get a new body that will never die. Our spiritual never dies, so for us who believe what Jesus offers, we will never die. So this we have hope and we can rejoice.

John 11:40 ... Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you will see God's glory if you believe?"

So, let us keep on believing, so that we may see the glory of God. That's why "faith" is called because we can't see or feel, yet, we believe.

Kim Johnson
Edmonton, Canada

Bread Alone?

Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV
“... man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

From the chapter 8 of Deuteronomy, the Lord God gave an advice to the people to remember the Lord God. What did God do to remind them? God reminded them when He had led the people these forty years in the wilderness; He had allowed the people to become hungry. So God sent manna to feed the people and they learned to trust Him for their daily need. God also reminded them that manna alone was not enough to meet their spiritual need. They needed to keep His commandments and obey Him so blessings would follow them all the way.

Matthew 4:4 NKJV
Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” When Jesus said, “It is written,” Jesus referred to Deut. 8:3. Jesus was hungry and He reminded Satan that ‘bread alone' does not satisfy the person. It was when God spoke His Word that was our ‘bread’ for our soul. There are two kinds of hunger, body and soul.

The word, ‘hunger’ impress me from Deut. 8:3 “(God) … allowed you to hunger …” One warning that God said to the people: when God had given them everything they need, lands, foods, houses, clothes, and riches, they might forget Him. He said, “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth …” (Duet. 8:18).

Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. He (you) who comes to Me shall never hunger; and he (you) who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

Song: Only Jesus!
Only, Jesus, only Jesus,
Only He can satisfy;
Every burden becomes a blessing,
When I know my Lord is nigh.
(Inspiring Chorus)

So trust God today!

Dorothy

Morning and Evening!

I Chronicles 23:30 – [Levites] “... stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise (same thing) at evening ...”

Why did the Holy Spirit brought song to my heart, ‘To God Be the Glory’ yesterday [2/16] early morning at 2:49 a.m.? Maybe I was anxious about several things, praying this and that. And I felt like some of the prayer wasn’t being answered. Maybe prayer has brought some healings, but not all of it as we would have liked to.

So I searched the scriptures on “praising God” and came to First Chronicles 23 about the Levites’ duties concerning the Tabernacle. I Chronicles 23:30 – “... stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening ...” Did I miss something? Maybe! I have been restless during the evenings and now I realized what I was missing. To thank and praise God in the evening like the Levites did.

Then I saw this message pasted on the wall. Part of it quoted from the book, “Come Away, My Beloved” by Frances Robert. It was as if God was speaking to my heart and reminding me again. And maybe to you? “So praise Me continually, for Praise worketh Faith, and God inhabiteth (lives in the heart) the Praise of His People. If ever I seem to be far from thee, PRAISE! If ever darkness seemeth to press about thee, this know, --- thou has neglected to PRAISE ME. Love ME: pour out thy adoration and worship. Be sure of this: LOVE NEVER FAILETH. Loving Me never fails to bring Me to thy side. He (you who) seeth Me most clearly who (the one that) lovest Me most dearly.”

So let's praise God today!

Dorothy

Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61:1b,3b
"The Lord has anointed Me . . . to give them beauty for ashes, the oil for mourning."

The word, ashes means something that is left after the material is completely burned; the remains of something destroyed; ruins. The word, mourning means to feel or show grief or sorrow . The word, beauty means to give a person a chance to rise into higher place of honor. Oil is something to apply on skin to soothe the wounded area.

God, the Father has pour oil of anointing upon Jesus, the Son and anointing of Jesus is to minister to us. Jesus passed on the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon us as the Scripture said, ". . . they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover" (Mark 16:18c).

Our anointing ministry of prayer is to preach the gospel, to heal those who are bruised and oppressed, to encourage those who crushed in spirit, those who are brokenhearted, and whose lives are ruins. Our anointing prayer with Holy Spirit gives them beauty for ashes, and our prayer with Holy Spirit will pour oil upon those who mourn that they may be comforted.

May the anointing open our spiritual eyes and see the truth of God's good news, to proclaim the freedom and salvation from Satan's domain (rule), sin, fear, sickness and guilt. In Jesus' name, amen!

May the Lord anointed you today!

Dorothy

Gaius, the Beloved!

Theme: Why John wrote this letter?

3 John 2 Amplified
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers."

John wrote this letter to Gaius, whom John truly love. John's greeting about "prosper" (Greek, euodoo) literally means "to have a good journey." According to that meaning, John's main prayer was that as believers walk the road of salvation, they abide in God's will and His truth and enjoy His blessing (v.3-4).

John said of Gaius (v.5-6a), "Beloved, it is a fine and and faithful work that you are doing when you give any service to the [Christian] brethren, and [especially when they are] strangers. They have testified before the church of your love and friendship."

Gaius was faithful in hospitality and support traveling ministers or missionaries who spread the good news of Jesus Christ. So John was saying to Gaius how he wished that God would really bless him whatever he was doing. John wished Gaius a successful, blessed ministry and a good journey, a safe traveling mercy.

I am praying for you: "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers."

So trust God today!

Dorothy

Faint Not!

Galatians 6:9 KJV
"Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

When a farmer planted his seeds on the acres, does he see the sprouts grow overnight? Does he get harvest in one week? No! A farmer knows it takes months, not days, not weeks. He cultivate the soils to soften the soil for the water to go through easily. Soon the crops grow better. Also to prevent the weeds from choking the newly sprouts. Does the farmer get tired and quit? No, he doesn't. He waited for the harvest from his labors.

Do you ever get tired doing the work for Lord? Like helping others, teaching class, preaching God's Word, giving money to church and others in need? Do you ever become weary of doing things for the church and for others?

God's Word says, "We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers" (Galatians 9:10 NCV).

Chorus: We'll Work Till Jesus Comes.
We'll work till Jesus comes,
We'll work till Jesus comes,
We'll work till Jesus comes,
And we'll be gathered home.
(Elizabeth Mills, Sing His Praise)

Let us not be weary in doing the Lord's work!

Dorothy

Come Forth As Gold

Jan 4 2011 Bread Box
Job 23:10b ". . . I shall come forth as gold."

Time to pay bills! Irritation! Dust in the apartment! Annoying! It gets to my nose! Tony teased, "maybe your nose lost its' filters." Very funny! Boxes full of stuff! Need cleaning! Nuisance! Many things to do! Can't get it done! Ahhh!

Then God quoted to me what Job said, "When He tried me, I shall come forth as gold." The meaning of the word, "tried" in this case actually meant "to melt down" and get into a pure state (position).

All these irritations were to "melt me down" and to become gold? Awesome! So Job was right, "God knows the way that I take, and when He tested me, I will come out like gold" (Job 23:10 ncv). The word, tested means to examine the quality of our faith in God. God encouraged me that He will lead me in time to do one thing at a time. Faith in Him increase the quality of pure gold.

At the end of all testing, Job's trust and faith in God came out the best. So finally Satan's challenge to God that Job would cursed God, "lost." God smiled at Job and blessed Job double portions of what Satan had "stoled." Awesome?

So trust God today! We shall come forth as gold.

Dorothy