But sanctify The Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear...
Sanctify:
consecrate; purify or make pure; be holy; physically pure, morally
blameless; innocent; modest, chaste.
When studying the
Bible, one word's definition will usually lead you to yet another
word's definition, giving you a whole and complete vision of the
original word. As in this case, where 'sanctify' means 'to
consecrate, to purify, to be holy' such terms also have their
meanings. Purify means to 'make pure'. Consecrate means to 'make
holy'.
While the sins of
our past have had consequences in our present regarding our bodies,
such as various diseases and ongoing ailments, we can understand here
that when God heals us according to His will, He heals us perfectly.
I have had asthma since I was 14. Pneumonia put me in the hospital
twice in a breathing tent. This lung disease leaves scarring on the
lungs. I don't have any.
Three months ago I
was informed I had the beginnings of emphysema. The person who told
me that was wrong. The doctor who looked at the x-rays had said
'maybe she might have emphysema'. The nurse took that to mean I did
have it and called me to tell me so; telling me nothing else. But
that doctor and the subsequent lung specialist I had to see because
of the misinformation I received both informed me that there not only
was no emphysema, there was no scarring of any kind on my lungs.
Perfectly healthy. Oxygen levels normal. God is healing me 100%. I am
not being healed to my original health; I am healed to God's design
of perfect health.
My heart is
healthy. Tests have concluded that I have very healthy heart and
that my circulation is fine. It appears that though I am a tad
overweight, I am losing weight. And that, too, I can thank God for.
Because I asked Him to help me lose weight, He is. I lost 40 pounds
between August and December of last year. I couldn't have done that
by myself. I prayed it off. And I remained faithful in my heart and
in my service to my God. But I had to go through all that in order
that my faith in the power of God would not only be strengthened for
myself, but that the testimony of my endurance might encourage
others. God is my healer.
Knowing what type
of things I was into in my past before I came to Jesus and accepted
Him into my life, I should tell you that it is only by God's grace
that I am here at all. I believe I have a healthy heart because I
have submitted my heart to God's will and way and Word fully. Do not
be ashamed of what God is doing in your life; nor how He is changing
your way of life. If all of God's people would testify of what God is
doing in their lives and how He heals the mind and the body, then the
doctors would not assume that we are crazy. They would know that God
takes care of His own. Perhaps our witness on behalf of what our God
is doing in us and through us would draw medical personnel to Him
instead of away from Him.
I believe I have a
healthy set of lungs because I surrendered my voice to God. And I
told Him that my voice would be His, that I would sing only under the
anointing or not at all. And I do. But my voice relies on my lungs,
my heart, my oxygen levels, my energy levels and my throat. So now
that I know three of these are perfect, I will wait on
God's timing for my energy level to increase and my sore throat to
go away permanently. For the osteoporosis in my bones to be restored.
For my central nervous system to be more than restored: brought to
100% healed, also.
However, my sore
throat could be related to the acid reflux in my stomach. I just have
to watch what I eat and not eat those things which could be harmful
to me in that way. I am currently not on any medication for it though
I have been in the past. Never diagnose yourself even if you are a
doctor. But don't put your trust in your doctors only; put yourself
in God's hands. Thank Him everyday and praise Him for every thing.
Praise God through every situation, trial and test. For He has said
He would never leave us who believe; He is always near.
I cannot tell you
why some get healed instantly. Nor can I say why some never get
healed in their lifetimes. It is not a lack of faith on the
believer's part that prevents a healing of any kind. All believers
are given a measure of faith when they are come into God's grace.
God's Word says if we had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move
mountains. So, don't think yourself any better than Jesus' early
disciples when it comes to the amount of faith anyone has for
anything to be accomplished. It is God's decision when and how a
person is healed. And we need to be wise in God's Word, His Ways and
His Will. It is not God's will that death came into the world. Death
is here because sin is here. So God needed to make a way to get us
back into a restored relationship with Him; and the Way is Jesus.
I am not talking
here about a trade-off. You cannot trade with God or make deals with
God only on your understanding of your facts and small knowledge. God
is the God of Every Thing. Even I am still learning. Every day I
learn something new about my God. And it causes me to love Him even
more. God wants you, all of you, every part of you. He wants you to
know Him in this way also. But without you making the decision to
know Him personally, this will not happen. You must make a decision
for Christ to be in your life first.
I have spoken many
times on this and I will not stop speaking the gospel until it is my
turn to go home to be with God and God's family for ever. This is my
mission: to reach the lost, to preach the gospel of salvation to all,
to worship God and lead you to Him. Your part in all of this depends
on which side of Christianity you are. Christians will pray for each
other, so I covet your prayers for me as much as you covet mine for
you. If you have not accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior
by repenting of all your sins and wicked ways, then you are not a
Christian.
1 Peter 3:12 “For
the eyes of The Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open
unto their prayers: but the face of The Lord is against them that do
evil.” God hears the prayers of the righteous, those who have been
born again into the kingdom of God through repentant hearts. He
watches over His people and answers their prayers. Prayer for each
other is not optional; it is mandatory. Prayer with God is also not
optional; it, too, is mandatory. There is no other way to have God
hear your prayers and watch over your life except by accepting and
believing in Jesus Christ.
God has a zero
tolerance policy for sin. No matter what we paint the sin to be to
justify it in this world or any other, sin is sin. A pretty face
without a pretty heart is just a whore. And when people chase after
and indulge in things that are not acceptable by God, then God says
they have gone whoring after other gods, worshiping idols and getting
caught up in rituals and feasts which have nothing to do with Him.
God wants His people to be holy. “For without holiness no one can
see The Lord.”Hebrews 12:14 “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” 1
Peter 1:16 and Leviticus 20:7.
“Give unto The
Lord the glory due unto His Name; worship God in the beauty of
holiness.” Psalm 29:2. - “Give unto The Lord the glory (honor)
due His Name: bring an offering, and come into His courts. O worship
The Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear Him, all the earth.” Psalm
96:8,9. God wants His people to be holy, so He sanctifies them. He
makes us clean, He purifies us as silver and gold are purified:
through the fires. We cannot be holy without first being made right
with God according to God's Word.
We sing a song in
church:
Lord, prepare me
to be a sanctuary,
Pure and holy,
tried and true;
With thanksgiving
I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You.
God prepares us to
be His sanctuary. He prepares our hearts to receive Him. But seldom
is there enough room for the glory of God to enter into. So, we ask
Him to search our hearts and remove any thing that does not belong
there, so as to make more room for our God. The temple of the Old
Testament in Moses' time was filled with the glory of God. But there
was so much of God to fill the temple, that there was no room for any
people to be in there with Him. As such, we are to be so filled with
the glory of God, our hearts being His sanctuary now, that there is
no room for us.
Lord, fill me with
Your glory. Make my heart Yours. Remove any unrighteousness from
within me and fill me more of Yourself. In Jesus' Name, The Name by
which all must be saved, this I ask. Amen.
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