Death Touched By Life

" Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? " John 11:25,26

I want to share with you a story that a friend of mine told me this morning about his daughter. His daughter is studying to be an RN and works at a local hospital. The young lady was given charge of an elderly woman who was expected to pass away at anytime. It was her job to take care of this elderly woman day to day. The elderly ladies vital signs had been slowly decreasing when she had a bowel movement.
This young lady, who is a christian, had gone in to clean the woman when she had the unction to say this to her. She told her that she knew she couldn't speak, but she felt that she needed to know that Jesus loved her and accepted her. She told her it didn't matter what she had done or didn't do and even though she couldn't speak that if she said in her mind that she believed in Jesus and received Him that He would accept her. The young lady said it seemed as though that after a few moments the elderly woman's countenance had changed to a peaceful state.
As the my friends daughter began to clean the woman and roll her on her side to do so, the elderly lady passed away. My friends daughter came home that evening saddened by the event of the woman passing as she was turning her. My friend explained to his daughter that she was seeing the event all wrong. He helped her see that the woman's death was not a result of her actions and that she had actually provided something the woman may not have had. Someone to love and care for her in her final moments and allow her to pass with dignity by cleaning her after she had gone.
The young lady had a chance during one of her student classes to relate the event to her teacher and classmates. None of them had a dry eye as she told the story. There the young lady gave her classmates and teacher a reminder of why they do what they do.

Last weekend my wife's grandmother had a stroke and it was thought she was not going to make it. My wife went to Mississippi to be with her grandmother and family. Her grandmother was brought home and put on hospice. My wife, having a hospitality gifting, wanted to stay for the week and take care of any needs her family may have and assist them with her grandmother. She got to spend time with family that we don't get to see often and can only spend a short time with when we visit. It meant a lot to my wife to be able to do this and by the time she had came home her grandmother's condition had improved a little. My wife said she wasn't for sure, but she thought that seeing all the family and everyone being around had done her grandmother some good.

We walk through this life with the knowledge that there is another life beyond our physical senses. There are those who have claimed to have "near death" experiences or visions and have seen glimpses of what is on the other side. Some good and some bad, but most of us for whatever reason have not. Yet, we don't realize how close we come that other side through other people. One young lady helped someone pass with peace and dignity. Another helped ease the possibility of a loved ones passing by bearing certain burdens.
We never know how many lives we are touching because we never see all the faces at once. Through each one of these people, the love of Jesus touched other people. The young lady touched an elderly woman's family and her fellow students who in turn will touch others with her story. My wife touched her family which allowed them to touch each other. Who will Jesus be able to touch through you?

In Christ,
Kevin

Tell The Recession Where To Go! Pt.2

Last time, I talked to you about tithing and the importance of tithing and how the tithe is Gods door to bless us. I want to talk you know about another aspect of telling the recession where to go. That aspect is your authority in Christ. 

Ephesians 6:12 says, 

          " For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. "

Notice that it says we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. Another way to describe wrestle is a struggle. When two people are wrestling, each person is struggling against the other to try and overcome them for the victory. Now, how often do you feel like you are struggling, whether it be physically or financially and feel as though you are overcome? Now, notice again the verse says, " against flesh and blood ". That means that our real enemy, the ones we wrestle/struggle with for the victory are not people. Yes, that co-worker that continuously ticks you off is not your real enemy. That family member that you don't seem to get along with is not your enemy. Those in the government or wall street or whoever that allowed the economy to get in to the shape its in are not your enemy. Satan and his demonic spirits that tempted, manipulated, and worked through those people are your enemy. Now, I will say this, I don't believe there is a demon behind every bush, but I do believe every bush has the potential of having a demon behind it. This is where discernment and wisdom come in. 

You may say, well brother your right I do feel like I do an awful lot of struggling, but I feel so powerless to win. Let me help. Let's take a look at another scripture.

Luke 10:19

       " Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. "

The word power in the beginning of the verse, in the original Greek, means authority. So, what Jesus was actually saying was that He has given us authority over the power of the enemy. 

Now remember who our enemy is. Not people but Satan and his demons. Jesus gave us authority over the power that Satan and his demons had to hurt us with. Now does that mean we won't get hurt at all? No, we live in a fallen world and deal with an ungodly, unrighteous world system and ungodly people who are led by it. The truth is that when circumstance and issues come at us, it is our response to those circumstances and issues that determines who takes the victory.  

Remember when I said we don't see the things Jesus did because we don't do what Jesus did? Jesus walked in authority and stood firm and confident in it. He cast out demons, he healed the sick, he multiplied a couple of fish and loaves of bread to feed over five thousand people, and then He gave us the power to do the same things. 

Well brother isn't that like trying to be Jesus. No, it's trying to be like Jesus. Christian, Christ-like. It means walking in the power and authority that God has given us through Jesus to take dominion over the circumstances and issues we face, such as the recession. When Jesus spoke to a fig tree and commanded it to die, it was whithered up the next day.  When Jesus cast Legion out of the man from Gadara, He told the demons where to go. Likewise we must do with our circumstances. Take your place of authority in Christ Jesus and tell the recession as far as your life is concerned where it can go. 

In Christ, 

Kevin