YOU WILL BE NOTICED

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him, and touched the fringe of His cloak; and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" Luke 8:47 And when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. Luke 8:43-45a

Twelve years of weakness and uncleanness. Under the law (Lev. 15:25) this woman was unclean and would ceremonially defile all who came in contact with her. Imagine the growing fear as she sought the best medical help during that time of sickness and isolation. She had depleted her financial resources to no avail and the same account in Mark says, "She was not helped at all, but rather grew worse." One last hope as she made her way desperately through the crowd to touch this one named Jesus. Many were being jostled against Him, but this was a trembling, desperate hand of faith. The unclean touched the Holy One and was instantly healed and made clean. Jesus noticed! We are never just another need in a crowd to Him. He called her out for a face to face encounter and gave her an opportunity in the presence of all to tell her story. She did and that is how we know the details of her ordeal. We have no idea how the crowd reacted. Were they aghast that she had dared to touch the Rabbi in her unclean state? We know the Lord’s reaction. No condemnation from Him. He called her daughter, commended her faith, and told her to go in peace. She had not escaped His notice and neither have we. Whatever it is, whatever needs to be cleansed and healed, reach out, cry out to the One who will notice. That same power is available today to heal and cleanse.

If you are reading this and you have never asked for God’s forgiveness and cleansing make this the day of salvation. If you will confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10

MY PRAYER: Lord, I thank you that you always notice my need and my trembling hand of faith. Help me to be willing to tell others of your faithfulness and all the ways you have healed me.

MY CONFESSION: Lord not even a sparrow falling to the ground escapes your notice. (Matthew 10:29) How much more do you see the plight of those made in Your image. I believe that I am cleansed and healed by Your presence. I stand on Your word.

Glory Revealed Tour: Glory Revealed

Make a Highway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wil9NYmp5N8

"Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." Isaiah 40:4-5

I have had the privilege of leading and participating in some great Bible studies in my life. Gripped by the Greatness of God by James MacDonald was life changing. He asked us to pray through Isaiah 40:3-5 and to ask the Lord:
1. What voids or areas of deficiency (valley) do I have that needs to be filled?
2. What problems or barriers (mountains and hills) need to be brought down or made low?

I took the questions to the Lord one at a time and in His grace He answered me. The first answer came through a powerful song and as I listened, I sensed the sound of the Savior’s voice. “Carol, you don’t really understand the power of what I have accomplished for you on the cross.” I am deeply hungry to grasp and embrace the enormity of what He has done for me. I don’t know that I can ever plumb the depths of it, but I am beginning to live in the pursuit and experience of it. I am not satisfied with head knowledge. I want to press on to know Him.

The mountain and the hills which are barriers in my life came to me while reading 1 Peter 5:5-6. “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” I was really arrested by the words “Clothe yourself in humility toward one another, because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God is looking to see how we act or react towards others to determine if our hearts are humble. It is one thing to humble ourselves before a perfect and loving God, but to humble ourselves toward other frail and imperfect human beings to me is more difficult. The word “clothed” in the Greek means to engirdle oneself (for labor), that is, figuratively (the apron being a badge of servitude) to wear (in token of mutual deference). Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3-10 that Jesus left us an example when He humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant. Take the time to read that beautiful passage. A servant's heart is our greatest protection against pride and arrogance. Jesus was gentle and loving with people but never weak.

What will it take in my life to see the glory (who He is and what He does) of the Lord revealed? I believe He has given me some personal answers. I challenge you to ask Him to show you any hindrances to the revelation of His glory.

MY PRAYER: Lord, I want there to be no hindrances to what you want to do in and through my life. Help me to feast on the truth of your Word. I want the word to become flesh in my life. I want to take it in and live it out. I want to see Your glory.

MY CONFESSION: Through the power of your Spirit and the truth of Your promises, I am removing obstacles and deficiencies that would block the revelation of Your glory. I stand on your word.

Come to Jesus

IN HIM WE LIVE

'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Acts 17:28

My six year old granddaughter just finished a week of church camp. She was given a CD of the music they would sing for the week and declared that the song Come to Jesus by Chris Rice as her very favorite. I listened to the words and it took me on a wonderful journey. No wonder it captivated her heart and spirit.

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head,
for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!
And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain,
then Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside,
then Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace,
and laugh on Glory's side,
and Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

MY PRAYER: Lord, you bid me to come to you and keep on coming. When I’m needy, when I’ve fallen, when I’m happy and victorious I want you to be the One I run to. May it be said of me, “In Christ she lived and moved and had her being.”

MY CONFESSION: I was saved from the penalty of sin by coming to Jesus. I am being saved from sin’s power by Jesus. I will be saved from sin’s presence when Jesus calls me to heaven and I fly to Him. I stand on Your Word!

Call to Jesus

Acts 17:28 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'


My six year old granddaughter just finished a week of church camp. She was given a CD of the music they would sing for the week and declared that the song Come to Jesus by Chris Rice as her very favorite. I listened to the words and it took me on a wonderful journey. No wonder it captivated her heart and spirit.

Weak and wounded sinner

Lost and left to die

O, raise your head, for love is passing by

Come to Jesus Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted

And carried far away

And precious blood has washed away the stain,

so Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus

Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby

Don't be afraid to crawl

And remember when you walk

Sometimes we fall...so

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus

Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely

And steep and filled with pain

So if your sky is dark and pours the rain,

then Cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus

Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over

And music fills the night

And when you can't contain your joy inside,

then Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus

Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat

Kiss the world goodbye

Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side,

and Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus

Fly to Jesus and live!

MY PRAYER: Lord, you bid me to come to you and keep on coming. When I’m needy, when I’ve fallen, when I’m happy and victorious I want you to be the One I run to. May it be said of me, “In Christ she lived and moved and had her being.”


MY CONFESSION: I was saved from the penalty of sin by calling on Jesus. I am being saved from sin’s power by calling on Jesus. I will be saved from sin’s presence when Jesus calls me to heaven. I stand on Your Word!

cece winans--alabaster box

Chris Tomlin - Unchanging

I CHANGE NOT!

"For I, the LORD, do not change. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. Malachi 3:6a

I don't think I am the only one who has had this experience. You have an acquaintance with whom you have some camaraderie. Time passes and circumstances keep your paths from crossing. The next time you see them they are cold and aloof and you have to win them over and re-establish a connection. This becomes a pattern and you realize that you never know which side of the person is going to show up. God is not like that. Scripture tells us that if we “draw near to God, He will draw near to us.” As the prodigal walked the road toward home the father ran to meet him. God doesn’t change. At this point in my journey with the Lord, I can look back and say, "Your love, your Word, your grace, your discipline in my life has changed me. I needed to change and to be transformed in my thinking and my ways. I have had the humbling experience of hearing my husband say, "You have really changed," and I knew that he meant it as a compliment.

There are people in my life who I love dearly who have changed and it isn't good. The person who was tender hearted is now calloused and hardened by disappointment. Or the heartbreaking change that time brings to an aging parent who is slipping away before our eyes. Life by its very nature brings change. A job ends, our pastor retires, friends move away, a new pastor comes, we have a young family moving into the neighborhood.

Aren't you glad that underneath it all, the Rock beneath our feet stays firm and unchanging? He is perfect in all His ways so why would He change? He is who He says He is and He can do what He says He can do. Thank Him for the glorious stability that He brings to our lives. Count on Him to be the unchanging Constant in your life.

MY PRAYER: Lord you are perfect and there is no need for You to change. Help me not to let anyone or anything diminish You in my heart. Help me to walk in faith that You are who you say You are and You can do what You say You can do. You walked with your disciples in daily life and I know that you are walking with me. You brought healing and deliverance to Your people and You still do. Without faith it is impossible to please You. In Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION: Lord, I choose to believe Your Word. You don’t change. I will not accept that You are limited by the time we live in. I will not limit you with unbelief. You are still Savior, Healer, and Deliverer. I stand on Your word!

Word Of God Speak - MercyMe