"JESUS LOVES ME"

By: Donna Selma Lind

My husband and I went for our weekly visit to the Nursing Home to see  Daddy . We arrived just in time for the Morning Devotions and Sing-a-Long. There was about a dozen or so residents gathered together in the sitting room. All eyes were on the Activities Director as she read the daily Bible verse, told a few stories and sang a couple of old songs.

I felt a bit discouraged as Daddy just sat motionless in his wheelchair.  

The Parkinson's disease has robbed him of  his voice and ability to communicate. Most of the time now he is unable to speak.  Every once in a while he tries to whisper something and I will lean in and put my ear next to His lips in order to hear him.

Today he sat quietly listening to the Director sing . There was only a couple of the folks joining in while the rest of the group sat still, frozen and unresponsive. 

I gazed around the room surveying  each person who was there wondering what their lives were like before they came to live out their last days here in this home. I know that one lady was a School Teacher, there is a friendly gentleman who was a Salesman, Daddy was an Iron worker and his roommate was a Pastor.

Each one had God given gifts,talents and a purpose for their lives. They have families, spouses, children and grandchildren. Some are war heroes and some are everyday heroes. All from different backgrounds and walks of life yet somehow now they have become a family to each other in this final season of their lives. 

The Leader continued her schedule of songs and most of the people remained still and detatched. She turned the page of the songbook and sang out six words that changed the atmosphere. 

"JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW."  

Suddenly, as if someone flipped a switch, the residents sat up in their chairs and came to life! They all chimed in "FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO." 

"YES , JESUS LOVES ME, YES, JESUS LOVES ME."

 I felt like I was watching a scene from the movie "COCOON"and they had all just been  bathed in the "Fountain of Youth." 

"But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of  water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14

  Every person there was alive and vibrantly restored as they sang the words "JESUS LOVES ME." 

Somewhere buried in the depths of their hearts and souls they had tucked away this song, these words and the promises of God. 

"Thy word I have hid in my heart."Psalm 119:11

Instantaneously they were transported back to their childhood and the happy memories they each recalled. Remembering not only the lyrics and melody but the sweet and blessed assurance of  their Savior. 

Now everyone in the room had a smile on their face. They were singing and clapping and dancing !  Just knowing that Jesus Loves them ignited within their hearts the reason for their hope!

Looking over at my Daddy, I reached out to hold his crippled hand, and for those few sacred moments in time his posture seemed to straighten up , he smiled and with tears in his eyes he whispered the words:

 "JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW . FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.  

LITTLE ONES TO HIM BELONG, THEY ARE WEAK BUT HE IS STRONG. YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES,  JESUS LOVES ME. THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO."

When Jesus is invited into a room  He brings Love! He brings Joy! He brings life!

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17

HALLELUJAH! 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

DONNA SELMA LIND

"HELLO GOD IS THAT YOU?"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"Hello God is that you? How do I know for sure it is you calling and this is not a prank call?
It sounds like you, but I am not totally sure it is you. Can you speak a little clearer and louder so I can hear your voice better?"

Does this conversation sound familiar? Do you have a hard time knowing when God is speaking to you? 
I'll be honest, sometimes I have trouble discerning the voice of God.

It was pretty obvious for Moses, God spoke to him in a burning bush. The Lord came to Isaiah in dreams. Daniel had visions. Elijah was in a cave when God spoke to him in a still small voice.

God still speaks to His children. He loves us and desires to communicate with us. Our Heavenly Father longs for us to sit in His presence and get to know Him. This is key to discerning when and what He is speaking to us. 

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

So how do we know when it's God talking? How do we know it's His voice?

I believe we hear from three voices:  God. The Enemy, and our Own Flesh. 

How can we tell the difference?

The voice of God brings Peace.  
"For God  is not a God of disorder but of peace." 1 Corinthians 14:33

The voice of God brings Truth.
"When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth." John 16:13

The voice of God brings Love. 
"Whoever does not love , does not know God , because God is love. " 1 John 4:8

The voice of God brings Life.
"It is the spirit of God who brings life.The flesh profits nothing." John 6:63


The voice of the Enemy brings Confusion.
" For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."  James 3:16

The voice of the Enemy brings Lies.
"The devil is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44

The voice of the Enemy brings Fear. 
"God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and love and a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

The voice of the Enemy brings Death.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." John 10:10



The voice of our Own Flesh brings Sin.
"Now the deeds of our flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. " Galatians 5:19-21

What are some things we can do to make sure we are hearing God's voice and not the Enemy or our Own voice?

Let's go back to our earlier telephone conversation.

Look at your phone. You have three features I want you to remember.

PAUSE~  CALLER I.D. ~ VOICE MAIL 

When you want to make sure that  it is God  calling:

# PAUSE - Put the call on Pause. Stop. Pray. Fast. Seek the Lord for His will in His word.

# CALLER I.D. - Check the Caller I.D. to see who is calling. Does the voice and the message line up with the identity (ID) and character of Christ? Does it bring peace, joy, love and the fruits of the spirit? Does it bring life and Glory to God? 

# VOICE MAIL - Listen to the Voice Mail. Does the voice bear witness to your spirit? Is the voice confirmation of what God has been showing you? Is it a pushy, bullying voice that causes guilt, fear and condemnation? Or is it a still small voice that encourages, edify's and brings you peace?

"My sheep know my voice." John 10:27


When you get right down to it, the more time we spend getting to know God, the easier it will be to recognize His voice when He is calling. The more conversations we have together the easier it will be to know what He sounds like, His character, identity, desires and plans for our lives. 
The more "Face Time" we have with God  the closer we'll become and the easier it will be to hang up on the Devil when he calls! 

"HELLO GOD IS THAT YOU? IT IS SO GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!"

HALLELUJAH! 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

DONNA SELMA LIND

"VICTORY VALLEY"

VICTORY  VALLEY  

by: Donna Selma Lind

Have you ever been in the valley? I have. Being in the valley is part of all of our lives. How we maneuver our way through and out of the valley really depends on our faith in God. 

Sometimes we end up in the valley because of our own choices in life. Sometimes we end up in the valley because of other peoples choices. And sometimes life just happens and we find ourselves in the valley. No matter how we got in the valley God is with us!

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."Psalm 23:4

It has been a difficult few years for me as I have had to witness the decline of my parents health. Seeing people you love suffer and fade before your eyes is never easy. Death is a part of life that happens for all of us. Grief is a process that we must walk out and part of that walk involves a time in the valley. 

The dictionary describes a valley as an elongated depression between uplands hills and mountains, a low point or interval in any process, any place, period or situation that is filled with fear, gloom foreboding or the like. 

The good news is that it's only temporary. 

"To everything there is a season...a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:4

I was reading about the Mojave Desert and Death Valley. I found it fascinating all the parallels between these physical destinations and our spiritual and emotional destinations. 
 First the word "Depression"that describes the low points in between  the mountains and the valleys. Are you at a low point? 

Secondly in "The Mojave Desert"the  mountain boundaries are outlined by two of the largest fault lines in California, the San Andreas and the Garlock faults.

What happens when we are surrounded by fault lines? We experience tremors and earthquakes  right?
Isn't that exactly what happens to us right before we end up in the valley? Something in our life  shakes us off  our foundation and an earthquake of some kind rocks our world!

Death, Divorce, Job loss, Sickness, Drugs, Alcohol, Abuse, Depression,Anxiety, Stress etc.

What is the earthquake that has rocked your world lately and tossed you into the valley? 

One thing I have found about the valley it is sparsely populated. Yep, you know what I'm talking about. Not many people want to hang around with us when we are in the desert or the valley. People seem to scatter when we are at our lowest. We feel alone.
True valley walker friends are the ones that come alongside us, encourage us and help us find our way back out of the dry and parched  valley. Although the path is rough and rocky as long as we focus on the Lord we will make it out!
 Did you hear me? Repeat after me : I AM GOING TO MAKE IT! 


Do you know what the name "Mojave" means?
 "Beside the water."
Isn't that awesome? Though you are in the middle of the Desert and Death Valley you are "Beside the water." 

 "He leads me beside still waters." Psalm 23
Refreshment for our soul is right there beside us in the midst of the desert and our lowest valley! Our Victory is within reach!

  In the Mojave Desert where temperatures can soar to over 130 degrees there is a tree that thrives, it's name is "The Joshua Tree."  The Joshua Tree  grows in only one place in the whole world, in the Mojave Desert. It's roots are deep resulting in a long life span. No matter what storm tries to knock it down it hangs in there. This elegant tree stands strong with it's branches reaching upward to the heavens as if to praise it's Creator! 

We can follow the example of the Joshua Tree.
 When we've been wandering around  in the desert and the fault lines around us start to tremble and the earth is quaking under our feet and we land in the valley, we too can dig our roots down deep , hold on and lift our arms up to heaven to praise the one who created us! 
He is the only one who can save us, the only one who knows what we are going through.
 His name is Jesus!

By the way did you know that the meaning of the name Joshua is "The Lord is Salvation"?
That's right! No coincidence with God!  The Lord saves!

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor me." Psalm 50:15 

"As for me, I shall call upon God, And the Lord will save me." Psalm 55:16

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."Psalm 34:18



GOOD NEWS: 
If you are dry and parched and feel like you are lost in a valley of darkness call out to the one who created you and He will save you ! He loves you and will make you a stream in a desert or a tree in the wilderness and He will turn your Death Valley into a Victory Valley! Amen.

HALLELUJAH!     PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

~Donna Selma Lind~