Garden of God Spice Company-BELIEF

A year or so ago, I was privileged to do a presentation on Declaring War on Sickness. Being as I have been diagnosed with a "mystery disease", I had thought that I was the wrong one to do this. But God always knows what He is doing; everything falls into place under His guidance within His plans. Of course, in order to give God's message accurately and with clarity, much study and research needs to take place. I had 3 months and no idea how to do it.

But God's timing is always perfect, too. He gave me the 'how-to' overnight and later that day 'on the spot'. I had my outline and my notes, but never looked at either one. But I did have my visual aids. I've kept them in a lovely china bowl on my dresser top ever since. The message has stayed with me; it's been working on me ever since.

When I was able to work, I worked in a pharmacy. So it seemed perfectly natural to use empty pill bottles as spice bottles. In this world we use pills, ointments and liquids to counteract even the most basic illness. In the supernatural, God uses internal and external aids to overcome these things also. We just need to apply them.

The first Spice in our rack is BELIEF, John 3:16. Before any other action can be taken, one needs to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. BELIEF must be applied internally, to the heart and the mind. Otherwise, everything else is just window dressing and will not have any definitive action on the need.

It takes more faith to believe in a god of your choosing or no god at all than it does to believe in the God of the Bible. It is the clay on the potter's wheel declaring itself to be its own creator, and not the Potter Himself. Sounds pretty silly, that way, doesn't it? And yet, millions believe it to be so. There is but one God. He is a holy God, a righteous God, a loving and just God. He forgives sin, and forgets it. He endures our questions, counters our doubt, answers the prayers of the sincere heart. God is Lord, God is Father, God is Savior. And He desires to save you and I from eternal damnation for our sins. How can God do this? Through His only begotten Son: Jesus Christ.

In All These Things

The painting shown here is a Spanish galleon. These ships were built to withstand great travelling distances, carrying not only the crew required to keep her afloat and moving, but also great treasures: heavy wooden chests filled with gold coins, precious metals and a king's ransom in jewels and gems. In the shipyard, this galleon may have been referred to as a three-master, because she has three sails on each sail mast, giving her the ability to take on and direct wind, which would carry her from port to port.

You and I are a ship designed by the Master Creator, built in the manner of this ship was. The Architect of our Souls sees our beauty and our weaknesses. And still, He loves us. But before we can reach the safety of our final port, we need to get through these waves we call 'life'.

Some waves are light and bounce across our hulls just enough to keep us buoyant. We laugh and rejoice at the sight of sunlight reflected off waves cresting. We are children, we have children. We grow, we learn; we cry and are cried for. We pray and are prayed for. We love and are loved in return.

Sometimes the babies we long to love die in the womb and we never get to know the joy of seeing them face to face. Or of holding them in our arms, feel their breath on our breasts, hearing their laughter in our ears. This is life.

Sometimes we get to watch our children grow into fine young men and women. Sometimes we don't. On their ship's journey, they have turned their backs to the storm clouds brewing on the horizon, and their ships falter. As parents, it is our job to keep them prayed for, that their ships not founder on the rocks, but steer towards the port of safety, the port of salvation. This is life.

Sometimes our young adults turn their back on their training, their upbringing in the Word, and strike out on their own, into treacherous waters. Waves that seem clear and fine on the surface, but which will actually threaten to overcome and drown the wayward soul. These, too, must be prayed over and for daily. This is life.

Sometimes we get to see our sons and daughters grow up and sometimes we don't. Some parents get to see their children have children of their own. Some of us don't. Some bury their child, while some children bury their parents. This, too, is life.

And the waves crash against the ship. She creaks, she groans. The waves crash across her bow. The storm threatens to bring her under. And still she rides it out. For on the horizon there is a light. It appears to be small from such a distance as we are, so tiny. The wind rips the sails from her masts; some shredded, some torn. But still the ship sails. Through the storm.

There is light behind the clouds, dark though they are. Not quite pitch black the sky above us. We can see each other. We can hear if we listen for the sound of our loves. We work together, bound with cords of love to each other and to our Designer. We see with hearts of hope. We stand precariously on the crested waves, as we ride the storms within life, just to come out on the other side. Not entirely the same as we went in, but perhaps, a little bit wiser, a little bit stronger, a little bit humbler than when we first set out on our journey.

We left our first port, mother's womb, kicking and screaming. There was a light ahead of us there, too. It was the light of a new world, a new day, a new beginning. We left our second port, our parents' home, in much the same way. Some of us at least. Wanting our independence, to do things our own way, to sail our ships. We should not have been surprised when our children left us the same way we left ours. But we were. Life.

In all these things we are more than conquerors. What things? Life.

More Than A Conqueror

Romans 8:37

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conqueror gives a detailed one dimensional description of the word 'conqueror'. On the surface, it is implied we are not victims, we are victors; we are not survivors, we are defeaters. But our God tells us we are MORE THAN conquerors. We have risen above and beyond victory and defeat THROUGH Him that loved us.

So, what does that mean to me? How can this be possible? Questions that need to be answered to know who I am and where I am in my relationship with Jesus Christ.

So, if a conqueror is a victor and a defeater, then one who is 'more than' is increased in size, in degree, in scope. My victory over this world, this mortal life is obtained in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is both a personal victory and a shared victory. For everyone who receives Christ as Savior becomes a partaker in conquering sin and death in their lives. The Body of Christ is not fat, it is strong; designed for endurance.

But my Bible also tells me here that it is THROUGH Him that loved us. How is that possible? Christ no longer walks this earth in the flesh. No man, or woman for that matter, has ever laid eyes on Him in nearly 2000 years. How do we obtain the power to overcome temptation and defeat the devil? The Holy Spirit of God is given to all who earnestly seek Him. To be baptized in the Holy Spirit is to receive power from God which will enable us, on a daily, moment by moment basis, to overcome the various temptations and sins which are put upon us. Everyday life is not meant to be lived without God.

The Holy Spirit takes up living quarters in our hearts and our minds. He begins immediately to pull weeds out of the empty lot we call 'ourselves'. He 'power-washes' our attitudes, our emotions, our secrets. The more the Holy Spirit does in us, allows Christ to work through us, making us more holy. Why do need to be holy, though? What's wrong with the way we are now? Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Wow. I know my heart is not pure. And I know that I would like to see God and live. God also tells us that without holiness no one can see Him. His desire is for us to be holy. Exodus 19:6 and 1 Peter 1:15-16 reminds us to "be holy, for God is holy."

Sin cannot be in the presence of God. Sin is disobedience to God's Word, it is rebellion as opposed to obedience. Sin is disgrace, unrighteousness, unholiness. When Christ was upon the cross, dying for our sins, the skies darkened and the light failed to shine for three hours in the mid-afternoon of the day (Matthew 27:45, 46) and Jesus cried out to God asking why God had forsaken Him. But He knew. It is because every sin ever committed by every person who ever lived, or would live, was laid upon Jesus. He died for us, in our stead, because we would never be able withstand the punishment for disobedience to God's Word by or in and of ourselves.

Now, when Christ left this world and returned to His home, He didn't leave us alone. He sent the Holy Spirit to help us, to aid us on our journeys, until we are ready to answer God's final call. His call to "Come Home". We are, indeed, more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For He loves us still. And we, who earnestly desire to see Him face to face, love Him in return.