DEEP DIVE

I used to scuba dive in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. I remember the feeling of excitement as the boat, filled with other enthusiastic divers, made its way miles away from the dock. Once we arrived at our destination we donned our gear, checked our air regulators and sat on the side of the boat waiting our turn to fall over backward into the cool ocean water. 

It usually took me a few minutes to realign my focus while I watched schools of barracuda and yellow jacks hang around the new arrivals watching and listening to us bubble and hiss from our air tanks. Two by two, we paired off with our dive buddies, and began our decent into the unknown.

As we went deeper we needed to be acutely aware of our surroundings. The coral reefs were beautiful but the water beyond was murky, hiding predators, and our vision was blurred. Our focus also needed to be on our air regulators that let us know how much air we were using while periodically we had to check our compass so we didn't get lost or go to far from the boat. Things tend to get confusing when your swimming at deep depths. Diving is a great adventure and lots of fun but safety is paramount. If we don't follow the rules for safe diving our lives could be in danger.

Actually, we can learn a lot from scuba diving when it comes to our spiritual lives above the surface. As we navigate life, we need to check our equipment...our minds and hearts...and stay sharp. Life can be going well, but beyond what we can see an enemy is prowling, hoping to catch us off guard. The Bible clearly warns us of danger and how to navigate the issues we face everyday. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1Peter 5:8 )  Spiritual warfare is nothing new, its been affecting believers from the beginning of time. Our best defense is to be alert to our surroundings. Make sure you are not drifting away from God's protection and into sin that has the power to devour your soul.  When God tells us to be sober minded he means to live our lives deliberately, making sure we are staying within the perimeters set by his teachings. Don't neglect prayer when your life is going well. Be prayed up and ready. God's words, in the Bible, are our compass to keep us from getting lost and falling for the worlds errors. We live in a beautiful world but beyond what our physical eyes can see is a dangerous enemy who glorifies sin and mocks faith. 

My advice to fellow believers...Check your surroundings. Stay focused. Be sober minded. Pray. Read the Bible and be vigilant to do what it says. Why? Your life depends on it.

PERSCRIPTION FOR HEALING

 Last summer began like most other years. I was healthy, happy and absolutely sure I had all the pieces to my health puzzle together. My blood work was up to date. I was exercising regularly and feeling good, having no issues to write home about...until...my left leg swelled to twice its normal size. No pain. No warning. Just swollen.  I knew immediately it was a blood clot. After rushing to the ER and having an ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis, I was informed that I was fortunate this clot did not travel to my heart lungs or brain and cause a major stroke or in many cases death. The doctor handed me a prescription for a tiny pill to thin my blood and keep the clot stationary. Seriously!! This little pill against a clog that could break loose and cause catastrophic damage or even death !!! Crazy thing was, I took the pills without question, expecting them to work their magic on this silent killer.  

In spite of what the doctor said I didn't think luck had anything to do with the outcome of this blood clot. As a Christian I knew it was God's hand upon my life that had kept me alive. Having a near death experience got me thinking about what the Bible says about our health and healing.

PROVERBS 4:20-21  "Attend to God's word, incline your ear to them, don't let them depart from before your eyes, and keep them in the midst of your heart. FOR THEY ARE LIFE TO THOSE WHO FIND THEM, AND HEALTH TO ALL THEIR FLESH."  In other words, read the word, particularly healing scriptures. Think about them. Meditate on them. Commit them to memory. Eventually, His word will work it's way deep into your spirit and you will not be shaken by the fear of illness. 

• First off, God's word is a healing agent. It has power and is active to produce whatever it promises. Like natural medicine, the word of God when applied to the situation is the catalyst to healing of our bodies. His word and a pharmacists pill both have the capacity to produce healing when taken according to the prescription.
  
• Second. Medicine is no respecter of persons.  It works for anyone who takes it. God is willing to heal anyone who asks and applies the "medicine" of his word to their spirit. 
• Third.  Most importantly, medicine must be taken according to the directions to be effective. We can't take our meds once a day when the prescriptions clearly says take the medicine with three meals. So it is with God's medicine. Become a daily reader of healing scriptures and watch your mind and body respond with positive energy and health.
• Fourth. It takes time for medicine to work. Most people give natural medicine time, patience, and money as they wait for physical improvement. They go back to the pharmacy for refills as prescribed, being diligent to do as the doctor instructs. God is our great physician who created us and knows us inside and out. Keep reading, and digesting God's word and believe it will work the healing God intends.

 Listed are some healing scripture to get you started.

PSALM 107:20       ISAIAH 4:12    HEBREWS 4:12   EXODUS 23:25   DEUTERONOMY 7:15

PSALM 30:2    MARK 11:24    PSALM 42:11     PSALM 91    PSALM 103:2-3  

There are many more verses  in the Bible concerning physical healing. Look them up on Google and check out John Hagee healing scriptures and Joyce Meyers healing scripture print outs.

UNDER THE SURFACE

Its summer and swimming in the murky ocean water is a past time most of us enjoy. I like to hit the freezing water and ride the waves just like I did as a kid. It's all fun and games until I begin to hear those few musical notes, playing over and over in my mind, from the 1970's movie JAWS. All of a sudden panic strikes and I find myself struggling to sprint out of the water as fast as possible, imagining I'm being followed by a great white. Crazy how our thoughts affect our emotions even when we know our terror is ill-founded.

Fear sells movies but when it comes to our lives, fear has the power to cripple our faith. In the Bible, God tells us to "Fear Not" 365 times; a daily reminder. Whether its fear of failure, rejection, the unknown, or of not measuring up to expectations, this emotion can render us helpless when we fall for its intimidation tactics. Fear is used by the enemy (Satan) to trick us into doubting God's good plan for our lives. "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of POWER, LOVE and  a SOUND MIND." (2Timothy 1:7)

The feeling of fear is universal, an inescapable emotion built into our DNA to keep us alert when we perceive danger. However, God has already equipped us with his strength, love, and mental clarity to face whatever situation has us terrified. No doubt, fear is a formidable foe and runs the gamete from stomach flutters to full blown panic attacks. So...how do we counter balance the inevitable dread of bad news.   

FAITH always trumps fear.  "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6)  We need to believe God cares about us and He is in control, no matter how bad our situation looks. I'm not suggesting blind optimism, wishful thinking or a naive denial of our misfortunes. I'm saying, we have to anchor our belief to God's promises, not our circumstance. Faith is our choice to rely on God's faithfulness even before we get the good report we are hoping for. 

We all face difficulties during our lifetime and fear will always be lurking under the surface of our thoughts but anxiety, dread and terror can't drag us under and drown us in despair when we believe God is in control and bigger than our worst nightmares. "For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

IS THIS REAL? PROVE IT

 The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of our Christian faith but for some of us, it's a sticking point where doubt clouds our vision. The Bible tells a story about doubting Thomas, one of Jesus closest followers before his death and crucifixion. This guy was part of the inner circle. He spent intimate time with Jesus and his chosen twelve. He saw Jesus heal the sick, walk on water, cure diseases and raise a man from the dead, yet he wasn't on board 100%. The night Jesus died Thomas ran away and hid. He ended up not being around when the Resurrected Savior appeared to the disciples. When they told Thomas about this supernatural event he scoffed at them like they were delusional. 

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side I will not believe." (John 20:25 ) 

A week passed until the disciples were in the house again, and this time Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked , Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  Then he said to Thomas , "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side  Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God." Jesus didn't condemn him, or shame him. Instead he challenged Thomas to stop doubting and believe.

Have you ever been there, where part of you believes but the other part is screaming Prove It.  I have.

 Like Thomas, I was supposed to know Jesus. I was raised Catholic. I went to church. I knew the Bible. I professed to believe...just not 100%.  One day, many years ago, I came to a tipping point in my life. I was broke, raising two children and my marriage was a disaster. My relationship with my husband hit rock bottom and we were headed for divorce. In desperation I cried out to Jesus. I literally prayed "God, if you are real,,,do something with this mess of my life." I ended the prayer and walked away disillusioned, confused, my heart full of doubt, and a mind overflowing with questions. The crazy thing was, Jesus showed up. Shortly after praying that prayer, even though I did not believe God heard me or cared, I started to read the Bible. Little by little my mindset and attitude changed. First, toward the reality of a God who sent his son to die for my sins, and secondly toward my relationship with my husband. He saw the change in me and began his own reading program drawing him closer to Jesus. Needless to say, its been 56 years and we are still together, navigating the ups and downs of marriage with the Resurrected Jesus. In effect, I did what Thomas was told to do...stop doubting and start believing.  When Jesus was finished proving himself to Thomas he said,"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

THREE TIPS TO JUMP START YOUR DAY

How many of my fellow readers wake up most mornings stressed out after another restless night of anxiety? You roll out of bed, grab a quick cup of coffee and mindlessly check the internet (again), looking to find a solution for your multitude of problems. Then, in a fog like trance, you come back to reality realizing you are late for work and  have just enough time to throw on some clothes before rushing out the door to begin another hectic day. On and on we go, day after day, running on the same burned-out emotions, getting nowhere.

 Stop! 

I have good news and a few tips to change your emotional chaos into supernatural strength.

First.  Change the way you do mornings. Just coffee, and your Bible. Jesus invites us to sit and have coffee with him. He says, "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal together as friends." (Revelation 3: 20 NLT)  Spending mornings with Jesus is an invitation, not an obligation.The Creator of the Universe is asking you to take a few minutes from your hectic life to center yourself on him. In exchange for your chaos, He offers you peace. If you need less drama in your life, and who doesn't, talk to Jesus.

Second.  God doesn't just want a surface "hi and goodbye", and you're out the church door Sunday mornings. He wants a relationship where you get comfortable, everyday, speaking to him and confiding in him like you would a trusted friend. As I found out when I started having coffee with Jesus, he actually wants to help us with difficult decisions. "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives it generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to you."( James 1:5)  Maybe you feel lost and need guidance or direction for your life. Jesus promises to help you navigate the choppy waters of everyday living in the 21 st century. "I will guide you along the best pathways for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8)

Third.  Spending time to center you thoughts in the word of God will help you anchor yourself in God's truth and the things that really matter. We become less stressed when we connect with God so we can refill our mugs and recharge our focus.  If you are tired of being strung out...have coffee with Jesus. He is the answer you need. I could go on and on. There are literally 7,487 promises in the Bible written for you. That equals one promise a day for the next 20 years of your life. If you open the door of your heart to Jesus and believe he wants you to have an abundant, blessed life, He will provide all you need.