Corona Devo 3183
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ~Hebrews 11:6
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Out of town for a weekend of soccer, we went to church on Sunday morning in a new city and state. I could tell you about the worship, which was so filled with human undecoration and lack-of-pride...and so filled/full/bursting with giving-God-glory (on the stage and in the hearts of those in the pews), that I am sure that we had a foretaste of Heaven as everyone praised and honored the Lord through song and in authenticity. We experienced the Holy Spirit filling that house of God!
I could tell you about the preacher, who taught such a relatable and engaging sermon, filled with Scripture and relevant applications, that I felt like the Lord was speaking directly to me through the message, and a friend of mine visiting the church with us said the same thing. We experienced the Lord leading and teaching in that house of God.
But what I want to tell you about is when we left the church and walked outside, where their "visitors" tent was. Before we got there, a man and woman were already warmly beckoning us over, and we were delighted to each receive a free church t-shirt accompanied by information regarding their church services and beliefs (which my husband had researched before we attended, and they aligned with our understanding of God and the Bible). After the niceties of discussing where we were visiting from, the woman asked if they could pray for us, and if we had any specific prayer requests. And this time--I did.
A few days ago, our son hurt his tailbone while playing. He has a pretty high pain-tolerance, and doesn't complain about much, but he has mentioned to me a number of times in the past few days that his tailbone was "annoying", which is a term he uses for pain. The eight hour drive here probably didn't help it, and nor did the two hours of soccer shots that he took "for fun" at a field last night.
I asked these two church people in the "visitors" tent welcome area for prayers for his tailbone.
Immediately the man from the church said that he would like to start our time of prayer by praying for the tailbone specifically-- if that would be alright with us. And of course it was.
He moved closer to our son, and asked him if it was okay if he touched him. He then laid his hand on our son's lower back. Before beginning, this stranger, yet brother-in-Christ, looked our son in the eyes and asked genuinely, "Do you believe?"
Our son does believe: in God, and in the power of God, and so, he said, "Yes".
At this response, the man began praying.
I wish I could remember exactly what he said, but it was like music in my mind and peace in my heart, all at once. As he spoke, he mentioned healing now, and claimed it in that moment, and his words flowed like water from a spiritual spigot.
Our son said that the man's hands were very warm, almost hot to the touch and they felt great on his tailbone and that (although he had been in pain), there was no pain during the time of his praying.
And since that prayer the tailbone is better. No aching, no sharp-shooting pain, better.
Did we believe that it could happen, and then it did?
Others have experienced this power of God. Have faith in our Lord today,...
As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
(28) When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
(29) Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; (30) and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” (31) But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region. ~Matthew 9:27-31
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Have faith in our Lord today, and have faith also in the gifts that He gives His people.
The gifts that God gives people (you and me included!) are powerful and even unexplainable, but Friends: they are real, and the gift of healing is a gift that God gives to some of His people.
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed...
(4) There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. (5) There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. (6) There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
(7) Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (8) To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, (10) to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (11) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. ~I Corinthian 12:1, 4-11
I am not saying that we can explain gifts of healing (or any of the other spiritual gifts given by God) but I am saying that we can believe and experience, and be a part of them. All glory to God, and we are praising Him today for a healed tailbone, and for a man who prayed with us for God's healing.
- Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ~Hebrews 11:1
- But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ~Hebrews 11:6
sarah
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