"Emily--and my second PUBLISHED BOOK!"

“The face of an arrow” is the name of my newly published second book. Today, I received my first copy of the book from the publisher. Because of its finalization and yet grueling process my husband and I decided we needed to celebrate the accomplishment of this ‘second’ feat! (I wrote it in 2008—took two years to finalize it—five months to publish)

So, Charlie and I vacillated between restaurants in support of which venue we would commemorate this accomplishment. And with his insistent zeal for what I had done, he chose the ‘Gas Lamp’. The Gas Lamp is a very nice restaurant. It is also a little pricey ‘new’ place and a very calm atmosphere on a Thursday night. It has a romantic ambiance for a couple who desires to come face to face in conversation about the evident and even the “vague.” Allow me to explain.

Our service waitress was Emily. Vibrant, full of life and personality with auburn red hair, which she chooses to have by application, and it compliments her naturally beautiful personality. What a delight she is to host a table.

My husband right away tells her we are here to celebrate my wife’s second book. She congratulates me, and then proceeds with the demands of her position. The second time she came back to the table with our drinks and then our appetizers, she ask; “So, what is your book about?” I proceed to tell her this; “I am a Christian author and this book is a product of the studies I began with women who came into my home for Bible study on Monday nights, for two years. They enjoyed and appreciated these studies so much, that one girl encouraged me deeply, to make it into a book, so I did.”

Emily said; “That’s so great, I really would love to study Theology and go to school to further my desire in this type of field. Then she says; “but with work and juggling my schedule, baby sitting in the mornings and working here in the evenings, I do not know how I will do it.”  I said; “The Lord will make it happen, you just need to keep your interest and not despise where you are, because you are a gift. The greatest virtue is to serve. You are learning right where you are, and you do it graciously.” She was filled with gratitude about my expressions, but I was actually finding myself fervently encouraging her to really hear my words. It was as if the timing on this was urgent in the grandeur scheme of things.

“My family is Presbyterian” she said.

I told her, though I am non-denominational and full gospel, I have scribed a couple of quotes in my book by a man named; “Dr. Timothy Keller from New York, also a Presbyterian.” I said; “Maybe you should just begin to listen to his ‘free’ downloads and be encouraged by his teaching until you can go to school.” “I will do that she said.”

I could see that she made note of it in her mind as I proceeded to share with her that my Uncle  was a Presbyterian priest. I loved him dearly. (he was actually a cousin, but we called him "uncle") I highly respected his gift of theology, though my Daddy was a non-denominational preacher, and the first in Grove, Oklahoma in the ‘70’s, I will never forget as a young girl my Uncles Delmar’s visits and his congenial spirit of the Word of God.

Every time Emily would come back to the table, I found myself expressing her gifts. My husband, was assessing her, since he did that as a business for 26 years, was also encouraging her right along with me. We could see that this girl can do anything she sets her heart and mind to do, as long as she relies totally on the Lord Jesus Christ. She agreed with that statement and she thanks us for seeing this in her.  It was easy to see.

It was a fascinating evening of celebration with Emily.  

I found that “The face of an arrow” and it’s celebration of commemoration was not at all about my private publicity or ‘fame’ or even my feat of accomplishment, but it was actually about doing what it was written and published to do. Pierce. Pierce the hearts of women like Emily who are searching for who they are in this big bowl of life we call accomplishment, yet we really only accomplish nothing unless we are REACHING to help others get to their TARGET.

Arrows need a target. Isaiah 49: 2 is the full illustration of my books description. I felt Isaiah’s words speak to me all over again while I was sharing with Emily.

We shared laughter with Emily, my husband and I, and we even shared tears, toward the end of the dinner when ‘we’ both began to applaud her attributes which were wholly God given. She, like others who do not see their gifts are truly presents to the world and have so much to offer.

Emily Gwinner was not on my scope when I left my house to celebrate “my” triumph. Ha! In fact, it was not about me AT ALL! I should have never written the first word on the blank pages two years ago, if I thought for a second it would ever be about me. It’s about Jesus. And His name was mentioned several times throughout the course of the evening.

It was also about the “Emily’s” of this world in which I hope to touch and to reach by its expressions of hope in finding who you really are in this world.

I grabbed her hand, before we parted ways and I said; “I pray that while you are here, you will continue to have a servant’s heart and I pray that God will bless you and allow you to fulfill the dream of seeing Him for who HE is in your life. I also asked for provision to be made for you to accomplish what you desire to do.” My husband and I believe it is MUCH. What a vibrant, smart and compassionate 22 year old lady.

I found Gods “Face of an arrow” in the midst of a “Gas Lamp” restaurant. I am certain she will be propelled right where He wants her to go.

Wow, what a celebration! Thanks Emily!

I will be bringing you my newly published book—as soon as I receive my first order in my hands.

Hollymillerministries.com

hollyhammiller@sbcglobal.net

"No Bible--No food"

I try to set and start my day with reading the Word of God first before anything else. I failed this morning. My new motto for 2011 is “No Bible, NO food.” I did my usual mix of greens (I consider that vitamins-not food) as well as my regular vitamin regime, before and after my walk.
I did not leave the kitchen and go to my office to read my incredibly marked up—post it note invaded—beat up green Bible, given to me by my mother after my dad’s death. It has become my source of all readings. love it!

I stood in the kitchen knowing full well that my appetite for filling my belly was overruling my appetite for reading the Word. I relented to the belly.

I made it to my office and opened my Bible to Matthew. Jesus said in Matthew 9:37 “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Vs.39 so pray to the Lord who is in charge of the Harvest; ask him to send out more workers for the fields.”
I thought to myself, “what a paradox” to find this scripture in the midst my failure to read, but instead I forgive myself and moved forward. “No Bible—No food” will be there again tomorrow, it’s just a theory I say, but I am not righteous alone to do anything great!

I was awake and praying at 3:30 this morning for rain for the Kansas Harvesters. (I know a family that I regularly pray for during the wheat growth and the wheat harvest. I have seen the fields rich, but this year, word is, 'it is dry!') This ‘words’ Jesus spoke in Matthew was Gods way of showing me that even in the midst of ‘failure’ He is still the God of the Harvest no matter the drought or of “famine” for the belly which I decided to feed. God is still the God of the Harvest. He will rain if He chooses and He will cause drought if He chooses. He is the God of the harvest. 
I text my friends who have the fields of wheat and asked if it rained in Hesston last night; thinking my prayers worked! His text back was; “NO RAIN”.
See, we can’t move God by our traditions or our theory’s or our standards. We move God by what we keep our faith in; THE WORD OF GOD. We move God by trusting that we know Him no matter the ‘drought, the famine, the hunger or the abundance’ we must simply just trust God. We can't move God, God moves in us.

Though I never thirst, or rarely go hungry, I find myself desiring the Word first. Do I always read it every single day, no. But my heart is set as my day is set to desire to feed my Spiritual man before my physical man. Will I accomplish this feat? I will get up tomorrow and try all over again with the same theory and motto; “No Bible--no food.”

When you Know the Bible—you will know the FOOD, the sustenance of its result is greater than any bowl of oat mill.

“Have a wonderfully blessed and prosperous day!”

"Five questions--Five answers--one Gospel"

The Best News is the Gospel News.

Written on May 16, 2011--posted for you today.

The Unanswered Questions: These questions below, which come from others, stream into my life on many occasions. I decided to lay out a few written words to encourage you through your week, and through unanswered questions in life. I write from my desk. 

Questions: (answers below)

1. How do I know that what I possess in the Holy Spirit is ‘real’ POWER?
2. What does it mean when you hear; “the last days?”
3. Why do you say I can prophecy?
4. Will God allow me to feel anything like Peter when speaking to the crowd in the book of Acts?
5. Do you want to feel and know and see the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit?

Take notice of this verse, which I have given you time and time again, only this time God revealed to me greater while on my two mile walk this morning. I was praying and singing, as usual, and began to pray even greater in the power of  Holy Spirit, through the gift of the Spiritual tongue, and I felt the Lord say to me; “To be TRANSFORMED is to NOT CONFORM.”

Can I explain? Please indulge yourselves with me for a short time of revelation.

I was reading Acts 2 verse 4 and it says that ‘everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in an unknown tongue, as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance.’

Some may argue that this was a tongue of "other" languages, but I truly know and believe it was an awesome presence of the Holy Spirit which caused them to speak without human logic because it was such a privilege to be in the 'upper' room and to be EXPECTANT to hear from HIM! Do you want to hear from Him? Then ask God to fill you in the Holy Spirit's power and then just begin to receive. (muscles exercised, are muscles that gain a greater strength--exercise your ability!) Open your mouth and ask. That is what the crowd did when they were anxiously waiting to hear from the Jesus. (people want answers without participation) This is why they went to the upper room in the first place, which was to hear from Jesus. Jesus remains to this day, speaking to you through the Holy Spirit. You receive by accepting that He is still here! He gives you His power. Read John 14:12 for yourselves. “You will do greater works!” Greater works? Yes, Jesus said it.

Answers to the first question: (read again the question above)

1. When I personally begin to allow the Holy Spirit to ‘consume’ me, first being present, just like the crowd was present, (which means to have conscience effort to be in attendance) I begin to understand the power of participation in the things of God. Just seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection, BELIEVERS met to seek HIM. Because they came together, ‘believing’, the Holy Spirit came in! All you have to do is believe that He is near, and He comes in. Do you have to go to, or be in a crowd for Him to show you his presence, NO? All you need to do is RECEIVE—believe, open your mouth and begin to declare who He is and the fuel of that knowledge will begin to rise up on the inside of you and you will then be in accord (agreement) with what He is doing in your midst. Lay down logic and put away conformity of this world, and you will experience real power from Heaven!
2. Jesus lived a short time on this earth, yet His life, His ministry, His fulfillment of Gods plan has surpassed the 33 short years he spent walking this planet earth. So then, the publicity and PURPOSE of His coming the first time was to solidify HIS MIRACULOUS RETURN. (The last days are any day spent after Jesus died and rose again. He is coming again, just like He came the first time. ARE you ready to receive all that He has for you?) He rose again after three days, but the miracle is He is still here by the essence of the HOLY SPIRIT’s power, in YOU. The Gospel being spread for 2000 years and then some are the object of God’s affection, but the reality is, Gods affection is ON US, through the work of Jesus Christ and HIS powerful Holy Spirit that you now possess! Do you? Are you conformed to the World or TRANSFORMED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT? Acts 1:8 clearly says that we receive if we believe. Receive His power. How? By believing you possess it, through Jesus' righteous act of living, dying, believing He rose again and left for you this gift of the Holy Spirit.
3. It is not ONLY because Joel the Prophet said we would prophecy in the ‘last days’ it is because Jesus the Messiah said many years after Joel spoke it as well as Joel's prophecy, Jesus confirmed it. Prophecy is not only a foretelling of the future, though very relevant, it is also a place of insight toward the affections of our God. Jesus said; “If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and DRINK! For the Scriptures DECLARE (announce the insight) that rivers of living water will flow out from within.” (When he said; ‘Living water’ He was speaking about the Holy Spirit, who is given to all believers.) When you speak, does is TRANSFORM, OR CAUSE YOU TO REMAIN CONFORMED TO AN OLD WAY OF THINKING? Receive the Holy Spirit.
4. Peter stepped out to speak to the ‘crowd’—the crowd were believers and non-believers as well. But I would estimate that the majority of the crowd was there to hear how they could further believe that Jesus’ resurrection was more than enough for them to continue on in the ‘last days’……just like them, we must be anticipating MORE of his presence. I believe, I have received, and I walk in the Spirit and I talk through the Spirit and I pray in the Spirit and I rejoice because the Spirit of the Living God has and is doing a greater work because OF JESUS CHRIST! This is why He came and this is why Peter stepped out to SHOUT (according to Acts 2:14) to the crowd and say; “LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY!” “THE PROPHET JOEL SPOKE IT CENTURIES AGO”…….Then there they all are (Peter and the other eager believers) in the midst of Joel's prophecy which had come to pass. Those present then and I/we, you and me, now possess that same power! THE BOOK OF ACTS IS AN ACTION BOOK. It is the book that propels the gospels into action! It is the book which describes how powerful the gift of the Spirit is, when 'exercised' to do what Jesus came to do. He came to bring us salvation through His life, and He also came to give us power to walk it out! Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, (the gospels) tell of His wonders and the book of….ACTS teaches us that what we have in Jesus is REAL!! Take action~! Take notice to the written word~!
5. Then lay down your inhibitions and receive just like they did in the book of Acts. People all over the World are receiving Power from the Holy Spirit--it was not for a certain group, it is for any group or person who determines to live like the Word of God says we can live. When we lay down our CONFORMITY—our traditional values—our orthodoxy—our compliance and our DOUBT, we will then be TRANSFORMED into a greater possession of POWER. You can change your thinking about who you are in Christ, by seeing your life IDENTIFIED by what Jesus said in John 14. “YOU WILL DO GREATER WORKS!”

AMEN AND AMEN AND AMEN HALLELUJAH!! He is coming again. Allow Him to come now within your life which you now possess on this earth, prior to your kingdom/heavenly body! Get your earthly body READY FOR HIS RETURN, by receiving all that He has for your right here and right now! Jesus shows us the way.

I want to close with this great story from one of my Spiritual daughters I adopted long ago, when she came into my home for Bible Study:

Last week in an email I wrote to my Tribal Bible Study group, I mentioned that Kristin was sitting on a ‘bear stand’ alone in Canada waiting to shoot a bear with a ‘bow and arrow’. I mentioned to you, to take notice of what she was doing and you would see much. So, I took my own advice and began to take notice, particularly after her story grew.

Alone, sitting on a Bear stand, waiting for a dangerous bear to come within the range of your shot, takes faith!

May 13, at 8:51 am. I received a text, and though Bryan her husband was with her this particular time, she accomplished what she set out to do. The text read; “Killed my bear last night. Heart shot at 20 yards. He went 30 yards and died.”

I thought to myself, just like I wrote last week, “she’s got something I don’t.”

Well, we are all facing some big bear in our lives. We sit and wait for the powerful possession we know, or hope we have to finally come into action at the GOD GIVEN moment and then we aim and pull the arrow (Kristin’s bow is about 70 to 80 lbs, I presume?) though difficult and scary and possibly a little doubtful at the very moment, the target of that feat is conquered!

How many times do we find ourselves in a ‘prepared’ situation or an ‘unprepared’ circumstance and determine to ‘SHOOT THE ARROW’ by faith?

Kristin’s feat is much like I have illustrated in my book—Isaiah the prophet said; “YOU have made my words of judgment as sharp as an arrow, He has hidden me in the shadow of His hand. I AM LIKE A SHARP ARROW IN HIS QUIVER!”

When you pull your weapon of faith out of the quiver, it is then, and only then that it will do and accomplish its purpose—if you trust in what you believe you can do, by faith and confidence in the Holy Spirits power!

Though Kristin enjoys the feat of conquering the sport of ‘bear hunting’, I believe the message will ring louder in the accomplishment with the years to come. The message is; “Prepare-- Wait—SIT STILL—stand guard—go prepared—rely on your training—trust that God is with you—and take aim and TRUST!”

Preparation is the key to adventure! Preparing our hearts toward the things of God is an adventure, which is why we study the Bible—and the message RINGS LOUDER in the hunt to know him more and more! Once you begin to know him, you can’t help to want MORE! Receive the More!

“Have a wonderfully blessed and Prosperous day!” Holly

"Ada"--The Booklet

While in my office and digging through my file cabinet, I found a little booklet in a folder labeled "Ideas".
Within the folder was an assortment of clippings and articles and even a letter from my grandmother. But as I kept snooping through my collection of "Ideas" I stumbled upon a small booklet that stopped me in my search. It read; "What is a Christian?" (sub title--"A follower of Christ") by Ada M. Wishon. 
I knew this special lady when I was just a young girl, way back in the 70's. She had every right and every noble quality in her character to be the author of this little booklet, not that she needed my approval. She has been deceased many years now. I remember my mother loved her dearly. I can see her and her husband's image in my mind like it was yesterday. I called him Brother Wishon. I called her Ms. Wishon. They lived right in the heart of town in a sage green colored cinder block house in Grove, Oklahoma where I grew up. Even this little booklet I found is sage green. She must have liked the color. I flipped open the front cover and these are the words that caught my attention, which were on the flip side of the cover. It was titled "The Temple of God", She writes: 

God did not build His Temple 

Of mortor, stone nor clay,

He built it in the soul of Man

where it can not decay.

His Temple must be always clean

The cob webs swept aside,

With Satan's ever constant snares

Our Christ can not abide.

The way to keep His Temple clean

We must spend time in prayer,

Repent, believe, trust and obey

for we are in His care.

In us He lives and moves and breathes

He is our living bread,

He feeds us daily with His love

He can not feed the dead

The dead, in darkness and in Sin

Always in deep despair,

Need only to look up to Him

for he is always there.

He lives to come into our lives

To cleanse our hearts from Sin,

To live eternally in us

'Tis then our LIfe begins

A life of Love and Joy and Peace

To never be alone;

To always have that home in Him

When He calls for His own.

The small booklet was only 8 pages long, with hardly a type err. She clearly explains the defining truths of what the Bible says to do if you want to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

What impressed me about this small booklet, also spoke to me greater than the words themselves. It reminded me of how valuable our thoughts can be when shared with others to hold and read.

My daddy told me years ago to write down heart felt words especially to people you love, as it would be words of promise for them to retreive when they seem to have a doubt of how you feel. He told me this while going through my first divorce. Funny, some of the words I kept through the years from my dad were sharp and harsh, yet always full of so much love.

Ada--Ms. Wishon nudged my heart within her written words. She would have loved knowing I found her little booklet today that was printed in Pittsburgh, Kansas and who knows how many years ago. There was no year to date. 

I would have loved sharing with her my written words and shared with her my 2 books. But she is gone and I will just have to blog on her behalf. As a matter a fact, I just found out TODAY that my second book is now in the printing process as I write this, and after a grueling process of submission I can call myself an Author. Amazing now that I think about Ada's encouragement to me, today! My 'book' has 228 pages and yet Ada's 8 page booklet of words speak as loud as the 'ba-zillion' words! My nephew Kyle told me one time to just write, it transcends the heart. He was right.

The truth is, I hope many years from now that the person who purchases or I give one of my books to will tuck it away like I did Ada's. I would hope that in the moment when it's most important, they will find it, take it out and flip open the pages. My prayer is that when they begin to read it, they feel the "Promise" in which it was written.

Ada's closing words of her booklet were this; "So shall we ever be with our Savior and Lord."

She concluded her booklet with a passionate promise and a profound text. She is right. Are you a follower of Christ? Well, I hope you find that lost Bible or that certain book, maybe one of mine..........or Ada's.

                         

Sea Turtles

I just got back from a seven day Caribbean cruise with my husband. The most fascinating part of being away for me is the search for what I get to bring back.
I usually always try to focus in on finding the ‘one thing’ that will make me smile over and over again after I am long away from the blue waters of the Caribbean. Though many people do not collect ‘things’ I have always been a collector of amusing and eccentric toggles that make me smile. I love to smile at the joy of someone’s creation. One mans creation is a thousand smiles, later.
This time, my heart leaped when I saw my first stuffed big eyed sea turtle. I of course thought of my six year old niece and my mother who I get my ridiculous joy of ‘things’ from. This little guy took my mind back to the experience I had when watching real live sea turtles hatch and run for the waters of the shore while vacationing in Cancun Mexico almost nine years ago. I never forgot the cherished courage those babies had to run as fast as they could to the waters edge, only to be engulfed by the very nature of their existence. It was incredible and it was the most fascinating experience I can vividly remember with nature. God is so amazing. They knew exactly where to go.

Side note: God created us with a purpose. I was thinking while driving down the street today how our world is such a rat race. We think our business and our efforts are the most important thing in the world, and yes those things are valuable, but God purposed for us to do great and wonderful things for Him as well as doing great and wonderful things for ourselves. While I was on this cruise I thought a couple of times how meaningless it was to pamper myself with such wonderful retreats of life when so many are suffering in other places. In fact, I was certain that there was someone suffering right on the ship I was on. I found that I was right. On the last day of the cruise I decided to (indulge further) get a massage because of the pain I was experiencing in my left shoulder which was not getting better but worse, since the trip began.
I was assigned to a massage therapist who was from somewhere in Europe. (I picked up on her accent) She was about mid 40’s and very sweet and accommodating. I asked her how long she had been doing massages and she said 23 years. I said; ‘That is how long I did hair when I was in the profession.” She said, “Our service is not as respected by other job descriptions, do you think?” I said; “Serving is the highest honor one could ever do, but few see it as noble.” She just looked at me with a puzzled look. She was suffering. She wanted out and expressed that one day she too would be free from ‘service’.

We do not ask to come into this world. We were created to come into this world. Was it to do the mundane, maybe? Or, look at it this way; we were created to come into this world so that we can fill the rush of the excitement that God has placed us into and then figure out the patterns of this life. It’s a fact that we will suffer the effects of the very experiences of life and hope like the sea turtles we make it to the tide before a seagull takes us for lunch or a seal or big fish eats us for dinner. Regardless, we were created for a purpose. Our purpose is to set our sights on the greater picture and grow bigger with the changing of the tides and the times. Have you ever seen a hundred year old sea turtle? I have. Who in there right mind would ever attempt to eat such a beast? How did he get so big? He dodged the big guys, relied on his intuitions and learned to lean on those that had greater knowledge and strength. He rules the ocean floor.

Our God is fascinated with us. He created us. He knows that if we do what it is we are created to do, which is to acknowledge Him as our Lord and lean on him in every and any situation, then we will swim the oceans of life until He decides we are finished. Truly, we were created to go with the ‘flow’…….but we usually fight the tide.

I went on a Caribbean cruise, and on it I saw the massive waters that house a zillion living things. The earth is big; the lands are covered with God creations. I cannot meet all the people or the living creatures but I know for sure that the sea turtles are something that have spoken to me in my lifetime and I believe that God is smiling at HIS toggle which he found sheer delight in creating.
Though I came home with six stuffed turtles to share with my loved ones, my delight is mostly in the joy of their faces when they gaze upon the big eyes of such a cute little creature. Creation makes me smile.
My six year old niece’s face was precious, when I pulled the baby sea turtle out of the bag. Then I told her the story of the turtles. Our hearts leaped.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:20 says and “God said let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures.”

He collects toggles. He has an ocean full of them. God and I,……..we smile!

'Tangible Tuesday'

Tangible: capable of being understood and evaluated, and therefore regarded as real.

Every Monday night I share my home with at least 10 women who choose to come to my house for Bible study. The moment is surreal. After two years and seven months now of opening my home, one might think that I am quite familiar with the lessons, I have studied throughout the entire day, with an assuming ease. The fact is; it is still very difficult. But there is something about the “tangible.”

I was raised with the Word of God (the Holy Bible) spoken over my life. I recall my daddy becoming more and more involved with a non-denominational prayer group who actually led him further into the desire of knowing Jesus more tangibly. I was twelve years old. He had a relationship with Jesus, and he began talking to him as if he was sitting in the seat next to him in the car. I remember one time my dad began to say out loud, while I was in his car, “I love you Jesus” and “you are so good to me.” He went on to say; “I praise you and I adore you.” He attempted at times to make his words a song, though he could not carry a very good tune. My favorite words I heard him say were; “I am so glad that you love me, and you supply all my needs.” He believed everything he said. He knew his friend Jesus heard him. You could almost sense he spoke right back.
It was common for me to hear daddy talk to Jesus. It was as if Jesus was a ‘tangible’ member of our family, and he didn’t just come around at dinner time, he was with my dad every where he went. He never tired of his friend Jesus. He was always aware of his presence.

I picked up on it.

I liked the relationship my dad had with Jesus so much that I wanted to see and hear him, just like he did. I began to talk to my friend Jesus too. He began to speak back. I heard HIM through His “Word” and sometimes I heard him within the years of listening to my dad teach. Training is an exercise of the Spirit-Soul and body. I feel fit, in Spirit and the soul arena of my life. I have had to use the strength I obtained from knowing him, many times. Though I fail also, I know exactly where to place my attention when I get up.

Last night, before my Bible study was about to unfold, I started to speak. All eyes were on my face and all ears were tuned to whatever in the world I was about to say. I felt my friend Jesus. It was as if just He and I were in the room for a moment and they waited a few minutes before I could articulate what it was I would say and do.
Suddenly all of my studying I did began to avalanche into my heart.
All the words I read and all the little secrets He had shown me throughout the day began to invade my space. I did not want to begin to gather my thought; I wanted to just talk to my ‘friend’ Jesus. However when people are waiting on you to open your mouth to share in this Bible we love so much, you have to pull it together and make it all line up and regain the focus to deliver the message. Though it seemed like this could have be ‘routine’ I recognized the tangible. But I moved forward in the preparation I did, but I heard his voice all throughout the hour an a half.

The Word of God is transforming. The Power that it has to move you from the inside out is like none other. When you are transformed, you are changed from within and it shows outwardly. When you are changed you are ignited for a greater purpose than when you were just common without this power. Only a relationship with Jesus can give you an authentic tangible experience that supersedes the common. This is why ‘most’ charismatic Christians are ridiculed. I never really cared. I am charismatic in my love for him. I was used to being ‘strange’……my dad never seemed to mind.

If you would begin to walk and talk and speak to this friend you might have met many years ago, or maybe you have never met him at all, you could begin to feel the change. This is the tangible. To be evaluated and then actually understood is the meaning of tangible. Are we really understood? Maybe not or maybe so, but is Jesus really understood? He is alive and few still remain to know. Allow me to introduce you to him.

I may not always make a whole lot of sense with my ability or lack of, to instruct or to guide others in this fascinating Word, but when I begin to feel those Words flood my heart, I can’t help but share it. Simply put, He is my friend.

See, I was raised full gospel and full gospel people like feeling the tangible. We are certainly laughed at and even doubted as if they are suspicious of this relationship being real, but the fact is, when you have a relationship with someone, it is real. When your relationship begins to grow, you then want others to meet your ‘friend.’
I have a tangible friend, not just on Tuesday’s after Monday nights Bible study group is long gone, but I have a friend that waits on me till I re-introduce His relevant Works all over again next Monday night.

"The Eyes of believing"

I woke up this morning to more beautiful-incredible-pure snow. I could write so much about the greatness of its purity and its power of how it covers something flawed and makes it appear innocent. But this is not what this thought/blog/story is about. It is more about the fact that I am home "again" and my husband and my dog are tucked in the bed, and I feel as if times like these are to be cherished and we should find what is waiting in the edges of this moment we are about to experience. I felt I should see more than just another snow day, so here I am writing about what just happened. I rarely, ever turn on my television during the day, but I was hoping to catch something on TBN which would inspire my heart, while I folded the clothes left in the dryer from last night.
I found this: I saw a precious little Muslim lady and her husband attending a Benny Hinn crusade. (I’m not a big fan of Benny’s but I believe any body that is radical about Jesus is doing more than most.  To touch a heart of anyone who needs to tap in with God, it’s possibly ordained by Him—so, I watched.) Benny called them up to the front and on the stage. They stood before him and at least 15 thousand other people, and the couple seemed reluctant, but expectant. Benny asked them why they were here, and then he told the audience that they are Muslim. Her head covering and her approach and her conservative nature were a dead give away that they were Muslim, but Benny shared it anyway. In her eyes was sadness due to pain. She had a shy reluctance, but a willingness to receive. Her husband stood next to her in a very vague belief. He too had the same reluctance, but wonderment if this was really going to have a positive outcome. Benny told the audience that the man said he brought his wife, because he heard that his wife could be healed from pain she had suffered in her back, neck and spine from an accident. There they stood—waiting. I too was anticipating.
This is what touched my heart. Benny never asked if they knew Jesus, he just simply began to place is hand softly on her head and on the back of her neck and prayed that Jesus would do the healing in this woman’s body. This image I was looking at, of Benny simply praying for a sick woman, could only take me to the most recent revelation I read in the Bible. It was as if the pages illuminated off the page. John chapter 9, when the blind man stood before Jesus and his disciples asked him if the man was blind because of his sins of his parents. Jesus said; “it’s not because of the sins of his parents, he was born blind, it is so the POWER of God could be seen in him.” Jesus knew he would heal the blind man. What He really wanted was to have the DOUBTERS see that He is the Messiah.
This picture I was looking at, hit me as this Muslim woman was standing before a man with Faith, and hearing that Jesus will heal because He wants the greater work to be found in more than just the miracle itself. He wanted them to see that BELIEVING that Jesus Christ is the healer and not Benny, and then they will have more than just a cure for the physical, but an eternal hope as well. What was so frank for me was that Benny did not say, First you need to be saved, before Jesus can heal you. He just simply said; “Jesus will heal you.” After he prayed for the woman and she fell slain by the Spirit of God “Jesus has healed you” he said. Then the ushers who caught her, helped her up and Benny prays again, and she falls back again, all the way to the ground, straight out. The ushers help her up, and Benny prays again and she again falls by the precious power of the Holy Spirit. (every time she was getting up from the ground, with no pain) It was evident that this was something neither of these two Muslims had ever expected. But you could tell that there faith was changing. But much like the blind man in John 9, we never know when God will allow His power to touch a life, in order to change theirs forever. But this is what I do know; God will do what He does so that the perfect work of Jesus Christ will be glorified.
The Muslim woman and her husband stood as Benny explained that He was not the healer, Jesus Christ was the healer. Then he said; “Jesus is alive” and He is not dead. Then he asked them to pray to Jesus and not Mohammad or Islam. They prayed. Another delightful part of this story is after he saw his wife fully healed and bending over touching her toes and bending her neck from side to side, he then believed that Jesus healed. I think I even saw a hint of a smile, which was not evident prior. The man said; “you know I have had headache off and on for many days.” Then said; “I did not want to ask for myself, but for my wife.” Benny laid hands on the man and he too was healed. He did not fall slain, he just stood and received.
The greatest part of this story is that the two Muslims were introduced to the healer, the deliverer, and the redeemer Jesus Christ. That is the portion that caused me to wish I was more radical!
The blind man in John chapter 9 was healed, but the greatest portion of that story is that Neighbors and disciples and Religious leaders called Pharisee’s, and even the blind mans parents SAW what Jesus had done. They believed, not just in the SIGHT, but in the one who gave him the sight. Jesus, the Messiah, the living one is the Healer. (Read it for yourself—John chapter 9)
But much like the Muslim woman and her husband, they had to untie themselves from tradition and from doubt, to even show up at a JESUS meeting.  Jesus may not be walking around in sandals and with his finger writing in the dirt or causing water to turn into wine, but He is however still using Man to show His divine power. We trust who He is and then use what He gives us to triumphantly “see” people to Jesus. Radical, maybe, but I would love the chance.
When I saw the story in John chapter 9 almost for the first time of the many other times I read it, all I could really see was the whole intention of Jesus healing the blind man is so that His identity would be established throughout the scripture, and throughout the earth. I see the Messiah and His name is Jesus. Never in history had anyone ever been healed of sight. Jesus makes us see, in more than one way. His plan is that we SEE HIM.
The Muslim woman walked away—healed, but eternally saved. And her journey begins. HALLELUJAH! Jesus is alive, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mohammad is dead. Jesus—he lives in you and me. Receive HIM.