When Disability Becomes Your God

One of my favorite things to see is the look on a person face right after Jesus has healed them. It’s so beautiful and I fall in love with Jesus all over again.  Jesus is a great healer and nothing is too hard for Him. From a simple headache to an incurable disease; it’s all underneath His feet! So when people ask for prayer I’m ready to lay hands on them and watch my Jesus heal again.

But there are a lot of people that won’t ask for healing…they will ask for disability. Now I know I’m wadding deep into water here… but before you get all offensive hear me out.

Here is sample a conversation that I have had with a lot of people:

“Hi Ann! Is there anything I can pray about for you today?”
“Hi Janell! Oh yes! I need prayer! I really need my disability to come through. Please pray that God will give me disability.”
“Oh, ok. Lord I pray that your will would be done in Ann’s life.”

These types of conversations really bug me. Because I know that my God heals and he has been in that business for a very long time. He has never seen anything that worries Him or that can stump Him. So when people ask me to pray that they get put on disability (worse when they say they want God to put them on disability) my heart hurts for them. I would rather pray that they are totally whole in their bodies and never have to think about being disabled.

Over the past few years I have seen a lot of people make disability their God. They rely on disability to take care of them, to pay the bills and so on. Did you know that every month 14 million Americans get a disability check in the mail from the government. (Just to put it out there I think God can take care of you way better than our government can…just saying).  That is a crazy number! I get it, some people are hurt and really can’t work a job and have been deemed medically disable. But it’s when they would rather rely on their disability to care for them rather than God.

 I know these people. I’ve even had one person tell me that they didn’t want God to heal them. They would rather get the check. Wow…These are Bible believing Christians. That makes me so so sad. They really let their disability rule their life. They can’t live the life they were created for because they are severing their disability check (or the lack thereof and live off other people). They actually live in fear because if that check doesn’t come they are doomed. Their whole life is dependent on a check from the government….If we put our dependence in anything but God we will eventually be doomed and disappointed.

So when I someone asks for me to pray for disability, I pray God’s will.  I’m actually praying that Gods will would be done in their lives, that they would be whole in every part of their lives with nothing lacking (if you don’t know what that it is you need to look it up, especially all the people who use “if it’s Gods will” to pray for everything. Like “Lord if it’s your will heal this person”. Um of course it is! Sorry, yeah go look in your bible what the will of god is).

Here in America…the home of the free and the proud….we are all sick, in pain and depressed…the list is too embarrassing and depressing to go on.  I see nothing free or something to be proud of there.

I ask that you take an honest look at your life (remember God sees it all anyway) and see if you have made disability your provider, your caretaker, your god.

I so want people to be free. Really free! That is why I’m breaking the silence. I was afraid of telling people this. But I love you, and so if that means I lose friends over this, ok. My love for you won’t stop if you get upset with me or think that I have no place to talk because I’m not in your shoes. Love is and has always been more powerful than fear.

Maybe you aren’t on disability, but there is something controlling your live and has made itself king over you. You can be free. Invite King Jesus to sit on the place of Lordship. He will break down the walls and let freedom, displace fear and let the light of truth in.

So in closing, do you need healing in your body? Are there things in your life that keep you from really living life? I would so love to pray for you and see you set free. Comment below and I’ll pray with you (God loves working through the Internet!).

With love, as always,

Whatsoever Think.

Reference: www.apps.npr.org/unfit-for-work/

Are Passive Christians Doing a Disservice to the Homosexual Community?

Note: This is my belief. I am not pushing this on anyone. All I’m asking is for you to simply think about what I am saying. Hear me out. I am not a hater. Actually I am a lover and love speaks the truth, even when it is hard and unpopular. However if you do read this and totally disagree, then that is your right as it is mine to simply share my belief. 

Let’s say you are being chased by zombies. They are closing in fast but you aren’t afraid because you know that just ahead is a force field dome that you can take refuge in. You are close to safety when you see someone looking for a hiding place. You call out to them to join you. They agree and start running with you. Now the zombies have you both in their sites. Just a few more feet! You reach the dome and you run right through the force field into safety, your new friend bounces right off the dome though!  You try to pull them in. But it’s too late. You new friend is now infected…slowly they turn into a zombie.

Death chases each one of us down hoping to take us out. As Christians death has lost all power over us because of the blood of Jesus. So when the end of our lives comes and death is closing in we don’t have to worry. We just enter into our rest. For those who aren’t washed in the blood they will not be able to enter in. They will face death for eternity in hell. It’s pretty black and white.

So what does this have to do with homosexuals? I believe that passive Christians are doing a disservice to the homosexual community. How so? Well let’s look at scripture first.  The Bible is clear that the unrighteous (or those who do wrong) will not inherit the kingdom. 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 13, 18-20 says:

“9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 13But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

And Revelation 22:14-15 says: 

"Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs-the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murders, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie."

Like I said before, I believe that passive Christians are actually doing a disservice to the homosexual community. By saying things like “We love you, we accept you. “ “You don’t have to change because God says don’t judge” Christians are being just like the one headed for safety, inviting the lost in only to have them killed in front of the dome.

This revelation of falsely leading people to heaven only to have them die forever and ever really makes me sick. I love these people who have chosen this lifestyle. So much that I can’t deceive them by saying they don’t have to change. Then one day they don’t get to enter into the kingdom of heaven because I was afraid of telling the truth.

Now, I am not “hating” on the gay community. Take a look at those verses again.  Who else is mentioned? That list is pretty steep and covers a big group of people. But in our world if someone is a thief or has terribly abused someone then we say it’s wrong and they need Jesus.  If you are gay though? No problem! But homosexuals are in the same list as liars and thieves of those who will not enter into heaven.  Why are most Christians waving it off? Also how is it that we get to decide what is a sin and what is not? Especially since it’s right in the bible?  

Did you notice that Revelation said that they are living a lie?! They are deceived. That is the beauty, if you will, about deception. You don’t know you are deceived. You need someone to tell you the truth in love.

We are to welcome people into the family of God. And part of that is to tell them the truth in love. The life style that they are living isn’t right, they need to change the way they think (true repentance).  Once true repentance has taken place then they will be able to enter glory with you.  We have become afraid to tell people the truth, because it’s not “loving”. But how loving is it to lead people to an eternity of torture and never ending death? That isn’t love!

Some say that homosexuality was only not permitted in the Old Testament. So that means since Jesus got rid of the law then it’s ok! That is just silly. I just gave two New Testament references that say homosexuality is a sure way not to enter heaven. But the church is saying “Come one come all! Free ticket to heaven! You don’t have to change, you won’t be judged come join the party!”

There is also a belief that since Gods word is alive (it is living and powerful) he isn’t done speaking. Meaning he could evolve and change his mind. So my question is what about when the Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and forever? Does forever only mean a few centuries? Um, no sorry. He never changes.

What about gays who say they are Christians? The very word Christian means little Christ or like Christ. It was a word to describe those who followed Jesus… it wasn’t a nice word. Why were they being called that? Because they were resembling and being LIKE Jesus. Jesus was pure and holy and the perfect image of the Father.

Another belief is that those who are gay were born that way. To me this is the silliest of beliefs. If God says that homosexuality is wrong (he did) and if God created people (he did that too) why then would a loving God make them gay only to kill them off? They would be created with no chance of having a relationship with God and spending forever with him. That would be a total opposite of the gospel. Jesus died for all, so that all could be saved. Why would Jesus disobey his father by saving those who God created gay?

Some people like to quote John 3:16 and that is their answer. Just because Jesus died for the world doesn’t mean the whole world is saved. We have to accept the gift Jesus died for and then walk out the life he has called us too.

We have all sinned. ALL. Our sin just has a different name tag. Sin is sin however you look at it. So why do we sugar coat it?

“We aren’t to judge people though! That’s in the bible too! Only God judges! It’s not our place.”

God has already judged homosexuality as wrong (along with the greedy and drunkards). So it is our place to declare the truth in love. You have a responsibility to the world. They need the truth. But we are often too scared to offend anyone or feel uncomfortable or be an outcast.

If we don’t tell them and give them a chance to repent and change they will not go to heaven.

I don’t beat people with the truth. I do tell the truth though. If I don’t then it is like my zombie story. So I say the truth, at the risk of being called a “small minded hater of the gay community who has totally missed Christianity all together”.  I was called that after sharing my belief and in the same paragraph they said we are to love all people (side note: calling me a hater and then calling me names does nothing to prove your point). We are to love people. Never are we to look down on people because of sin. In fact if we aren’t loving people then we are against God.  We are to love one another yes…but were does it say we are to promote sin?

The truth is sometimes uncomfortable, unpopular, and underrated. But it’s the truth. So I will show love, which leads to truth itself…Jesus. He is the truth and what sets us free.

Don’t be a passive Christian. Don’t be afraid to tell the truth. Jesus was never afraid to say something. So be like Christ…

Whatsoever Think

The Lowliest of Places

This just happened a week ago! God is moving, I hope this encourages you to be revival wherever you are!

While on a treasure hunt my team went to the County Fair in our town, and we ran into a friend. She asked if we were enjoying the fair, we said yes and that we were on a treasure hunt . After a few minutes we parted ways. Our team continued to look for our treasure. After about 20 minutes this same friend came up to me kind of embarrassed “What is treasure hunting?”

I proceeded to tell her and after I was done I could see that she wanted to be a treasure. Because we are all God's treasure! I started looking at our maps and saw that her son’s name was on the list! Her son didn't need healing but she did in her knees. I then got a word of knowledge about back pain which she had as well.

We stared praying for her back and nothing happened. I then felt like her son was supposed to pray. He was really shy and barley whispered a prayer. Once he was done the mother's face was full of surprise and amazement! She felt something like oil going down her spine! She tested it out and all of the pain was gone!

I had her daughter pray for her knees, she prayed and the pain went down, but not all the way so we had her pray again. She felt the same oil in her knees! She tested it out by kneeling down in the gravel. She felt no pain!

My dad had been having pain in His foot and had so we had our friend pray for his foot. That was totally healed too!  Next one of our team members eyes felt funny. So we asked who had eye problems. The daughter couldn't see clearly far away. They prayed and her eyes were totally healed! Then the daughter prayed for the girl on our team that had eye problems and she was healed!

By this time we have gotten kinda excited and a lady who was sitting on the bleachers in the barn we were in turned around and said that she wanted prayer too! She climbed down and said she had sciatic pain. Our friend knew this lady so I had her pray, and her friend was healed instantly! Then a lady in our team said that she had the same problem. So we had the lady who was just healed pray for our team member and she was healed!  

Then we noticed the lady who had been on the bleachers had glasses on. We asked if we could pray about that too! We prayed two times and then she was healed! So she the glasses on her head like a head band! She was so excited! 

God wants to use you wherever you are! Step out across the "chicken" line and start living a supernatural life! And the greatest part is you don't have to wait until you are at church! This healing bomb went off in a barn full of pigs, goats and cows behind the bleachers next to a dumpster! God can work even in the lowliest places! 

Do you need healing or prayer? There is no distance in prayer! Nothing is impossible with God. Comment below or just receive healing in your body right now! 

Love...What An Novel Idea

This summer I pulled out one of my favorite books. I hadn't read it in 3 years, and was excited to read the heart gripping story again. As I read the story I was struck by the level of love one of it's characters lived in. Whenever something happened, she responded with love. Even when it came to facing someone who tried to have her killed she saw it as a opportunity to love once again.

I sat there convicted in my own heart as I remembered the John 13:34-35 MSG:

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. 

In the same way I loved you, you love one another. 

This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

Jesus said that our love for one another is how everyone will know we follow Him..... Everyone! How spectacular is that? The entire world will know. It's not our good works, the healing's or anything of that nature. It's love. There is so much in that word. There is so much depth. 

It's easy to love when nothing is going wrong. But when things come and hit you in the face, love, a lot of times becomes an after thought. 

I looked back at the book, what if a story was written about me? What would I see? Would I love unconditionally? Even unto death?  

This is something that I want to live everyday. Even when I all I want to do is not love! One thing is certain, we can't love people with that kind of love by ourselves. We can't even come close to producing that kind of love. It takes the love of God to love people with everything that we are. 


Photo credit: http://artsymumof5.tumblr.com

Never Ending Fire

Camping in the mountains was something Roxanne had always wanted to do and now her dream was coming true. Life had seemed to be going great, but little by little, it began to fall apart. She started distancing herself from her family, going off on her own. Now Roxanne was aimlessly walking through a thick wood. The sounds of the night began and an uneasy feeling crept over her. Hearing the sounds move closer made her heart race. Walking a little faster, but unsure of where to go, the sounds became more intense. It was close...too close. Running, Roxanne searched for a way out of the woods. Coming to a halt she noticed the sound had stopped, she listened. Nothing. Just the sound of her heavy breathing. Maybe it was gone. She turned, straining her eyes and then she saw it, a mountain lion. Fear gripped her heart. This was it. She was going to die.

Feeling panic rise in her, the lion lowered ready to strike. She heard a cracking sound. The lion heard it too. Their attention was drawn to the right. She stood only a few feet away from a clearing and past that was someone’s camp site! She had to make a move if she was going to live. Roxanne ran with everything she had. The lion jerked its head back, seeing her take off and followed. Screaming for help, Roxanne saw a man by a fire.

~~~

Caden grabbed a long log out of the fire and ran toward the girl. Where did she come from? The lion closed in, ready to take its prey. It clawed at the runner, teasing her, but hitting its mark. The girl cried out in pain, but kept running.  Caden was just a few feet from them. The lion clawed again, this time sending her to the ground. Yelling at the lion, Caden waved the fire in the big cat’s direction. The animal had been so focused it didn’t see the man and stopped sensing danger. Caden stepped in-between the girl and the mountain lion still waving the flame. The lion looked at the girl on the ground then back at the fire. Knowing loss, it retreated back into the dark wood.

~~~

Life can be a weird thing. We can feel on top of the world one day and then underneath it the next. I find this exceptionally frustrating whenever it happens in my spiritual life. Imagine you have just gotten back from camp, missions trip, or conference and you are on top of the world! You tell everyone around you that you are “on fire”. This “on fire” thing can last a few days or a few weeks but in the end it seems like we “lost our fire” or “the fire went out”. Then we wait for the next camp, mission trip, or conference to get back “on fire”. 

I have said this before…many times really. In our culture, it’s almost expected! This happened to me this last week. I had really been “on fire” for a good 3 weeks. It was awesome! But then life knocked and I answered. And then little by little my fire was going out. Or so I thought…

But what does the above story have to do with anything?

I was talking with God the other day “I was so on fire, seeing people get healed and everything! What happened?! It seems my fire has gone out! Did I need to put more “wood” on it?”

And you know what? He gave me the answer! We walk around taking credit for the fire when really, God is the fire. The bible says He is an all consuming fire. His eyes burn like fire. God said that He was the fire. Then he showed me some things through pictures, almost like a movie:

I’m sitting at a camp fire with Jesus, He was wearing jeans, there is a guitar leaning against the log bench and all the fixings for s’mores were on a table behind him. I looked around and saw we were in a beautiful clearing and I see the woods far off, looking dark and mysterious…

God is the fire, He never goes out. When we feel that feeling of “my fire feels like it’s going out” what has happened is that we have taken a step away from the fire. When you are camping, at night you want to be near the fire. It provides warmth, light and protection. But if we step away the warmth, light, and the protection, we feel less of what we did when we were standing right in front of it. But so many times we let things distracted us and we step away just a little bit. And if we wonder far enough, we will end up in the woods, alone where predators have the upper hand.

How silly of us to think that the fire of God could go out? He is unchanging, He isn't fickle like man. He is always burning! It is up to us to stay by the fire, stay close to God. In Him is everything we could ever need, want and desire. But we have to choose to stay in His warmth…His presence. Every day we have to choose. Roxanne (a Christian) was with her family (the body of Christ), but decided to wander in the woods (the world) which lead her to a dangerous place. But in the end when she called out to the man (Jesus) for help he was there to save her and bring her back to safety...near the fire (His presence). To maintain a powerful Christian life we have to stay in His presence. Cause if we don’t we will lose the warmth, not because it has gone out but because we walked away.

Photo credit: crossfitfire.com

                                                          

Unafraid and Unashamed

I like using Facebook, it's a great way to connect with people! You can share what's going on on your life, talk about God if you want to. But in many ways it has created a culture, a platform of performance.
If you were to ask yourself  "Why do I post stuff on Facebook?"
What would your answer be? It can be a hard question to answer!
You would think that since it's your Facebook then you can post anything you want right? In my case this wasn't so.
In my mind I thought there were certain things that I shouldn't post or say. Would my renewed confidence in the Lord scare people away? Don't get me wrong, I post stuff all the time about God. Sometimes they are really hard things. But when it came to posting about the supernatural that I have been living in, I would  get a little unsure. What will my non Christian friends think?
Last night this thought went through my head. We were praying for people and then we all noticed we had gold dust on our hands! I posted about it right away. Then after I sent it a little voice was saying "what are your friends going to think of you?".
And you know what I thought? No, they need to see it! If anything, my generation needs to know that Christians can and do walk in supernatural power. That Christians aren't boring! That there is life in God!

So this is also part of my mission. To be supernatural even on Facebook. I do not look to people for love and assurance. I look to God. And when I do, people's lives will be changed!

Have you ever felt this way? Do you get stuck pleasing people? Do you want to be set free? Comment below

Life Is More Fun Than You Think

I've been hanging around people from Bethel Church lately. And the more I do the more I realize that life is made to be a blast....All the time. Christians are to be the most joyful people.
I think we make life way to serious. We think to be powerful believers we have to be serious. What a lie!
In the movie Monsters Inc. the monsters goal was to collect energy from kids. To get it, they would scare kids. But in the end they discovered that if they got the kids to laugh instead, the energy would triple!
The same is for us! We have more power in joy! In it is strength that can not be matched. But be warned, if you take this on you will be tested! It's already happened to me this morning! Ha! So this is part of my mission. To live a life full of the Joy of the Lord!