Mark 11:22-25; II Timothy 1:7 - "Shoulders"

Last night in Bible study Jim reminded us of Mark 11:22-25. It reads:

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly[f] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” 

Jim reminded us we have supernatural powers that we don't exercise. When we went to bed last night, Doc was feeling physically miserable. I started praying for the Lord to heal his entire body from head to toe. I prayed for his coughing to stop but more importantly for any evidence of pneumonia left in his body to be eradicated from his body. I remember thinking, "Where did that word come from?" This morning I looked it up in the dictionary and it means: to do away with as completely as if by pulling up by the roots. Yep, that's what I want done with all of the junk in my husband's body. I continued praying for a healing in anything that was not to be. I prayed for the diabetes to be eradicated from him. I prayed for the kidney stones to be eradicated from him. I prayed for a peace to come down over is physical body in such a way that he would be able to sleep. Within minutes the coughing stopped and I heard a peaceful sleeping sound from him. I started praising the Lord for His healing touch. I prayed. I believed. I received. 

A couple other things I was reminded last night about in Bible study were these:

• Man may take everything away from us but he can't take the Lord.
• God gives us strength and faith to get through the valleys and the mountains we go through in this life.
• What is behind me or ahead of me is not near as important as what is within me.

I was fretting over how in the world we were going to get through everything next week in Mount Vernon. A friend reminded me not to borrow problems from tomorrow. I saw this picture that was so appropriate...

I am standing on II Timothy 1:7. God did not give me a spirit that makes me afraid but He gives me a spirit of power, love and self-control. He showed me last night that I am empowered. He shows me every day that I am capable of sharing His love with others. He has been showing me each and every day in this valley that I am self-controlled as my flesh wants to give up yet my spirit says "no!" I know people are praying for us and I know their prayers will be answered. 

I do not think it is a coincidence the Lord has me singing "Shoulders" for the second day in a row. He wants me to sing it, believe it and live it...

My help comes from You
You're right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on Your shoulders 
Your shoulders
My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don't have to see to believe that You're lifting me up on Your shoulders 
Your shoulders

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for empowering me in such a way that You were glorified! Thank You for loving me enough to remind me of the way You are my Help through everything that comes my way. Lord, fill me to overflowing so people will see Your strength in me. I pray for people to have the desire to have You from what they see in my life. Lord, bless others as You bless me. Thank You for being My Help. Amen.