Jesus

A Brother Like Jesus

Volleyball spikeCredit: Getty Images

Jeanne here!  In my prayer time this morning Jesus was telling me (and all of us), “Rise up, rise up and rule! Take the seat that has been purchased and prepared for you.” The things he was saying were quite remarkable, and I will talk about them in another post.

But as I was writing down his words, he gave me a picture, a memory of something that illustrates who he is and what he needs us to do.  It’s not what you think!

A little context might help you understand.  I am the second-youngest of 12 siblings, spread in age over more than 20 years.  Throughout my childhood I had siblings who were adults and teenagers.  On Sundays in the summer, a handful of my siblings’ friends would join us and we would play volleyball on the front lawn.  We had a volleyball net that would be set up for the games, and we used a garden hose to mark the boundaries of the “court.”

I don’t know how anyone else decided which team to play on, but I’d always want to be on my oldest brother’s team, because we would be sure to win.  He wasn’t a flashy player or a ball hog; he certainly didn’t win every point.  But somehow he always managed to be in the right place at the right time.  If the ball was on our side and about to drop to the ground, my brother would sacrifice his body for the ball (as the saying goes) and dive across the court to put his fist between the ball and the earth, giving us another chance to get it over the net.

I have vivid memories of myself as a little kid, small and uncoordinated, but wanting to play and wanting to win.  There were bigger people all around me, but my brother seemed always to be nearby.  If the ball came to me, he’d let me hit it, and then he would swoop in and take whatever feeble effort I managed and turn it into a real hit.  He clearly wanted to win, but he never scolded or excluded those of us who weren’t athletic.

What Jesus showed me this morning is that he is just like my volleyball-playing brother.  He is always nearby.  He doesn’t take over and do it all for us, but he takes whatever we are able to do and turns it into victory.  Our most important play is to choose to be on his side in every game we play. 

At that time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, and said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].  Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.     (Matthew 18:1-4, Amplified)

This is so counter to our culture, where we each want to be independent and in charge. But we can’t win the game, or the battle against the enemy, in our own strength.  Jesus wants us to be trusting, lowly, loving, and forgiving, and he will make us great in his kingdom!


Is Your Heart Healed -Part II

image from www.spirituallyunequalmarriage.comLast week we began a series on healing of a broken heart. And for most of you who are readers here at Thrive Ministries with Lynn Donovan have submitted yourself to the hard work of prayer and study to find healing.

I’m so proud of you. Healing takes effort, time and persistence. For more on the spiritual principle of persistence, I’m writing about that at SpirituallyUnequalMarriage.com. Click here for the first in that series.

However, how do you know if the healing efforts have been enough? Let’s look at our lives and consider seven aspects of our behavior that indicated we might have some more work to do.

  1. Anger: Is there a slow burning resident of anger under the surface? If you are set off by triggering events and people, and rage manifests, there is some more spiritual work to be accomplished. And there can be a demonic oppressor that is contributing to your torment.
  2. Are you overly insecure? Shame, blame and guilt seem to be your constant companions and you never feel good enough or worthy of love or acceptance? You feel the constant need for affirmation and encouragement. You are uncertain of your decisions.
  3. Pride: This is the other side of insecurity. You may have thoughts such as: Because of my pain I’m going to show the world I’m better. I’ll take care of me. No one will hurt me again.
  4. Are you overly independent? Do you refuse to accept help? This often manifest in inner statements such as: Because of my wounding, I can’t trust anyone. I don’t need anybody. I don’t trust God. Side note: Ahem, yep, this was me. Praise God He was so patient to help me unwind all this pain and wounding. Hallelujah!
  5. Overly Sensitive: This is where we are offended easily. No one can say anything to me because I’m sensitive. Our culture today is in a constant state of offense. I’ll share this with you. A few years ago, the Lord said to me, “Lynn, the second you are in offense. You are in sin.” Ouch!
  6. Excessively shy: This will manifest in avoidance. Because of the emotional bruises and feeling beat up, you won’t risk relationships.
  7. Excessive need to control: Controlling of relationships, time, emotions and others. This is born from living and/or a childhood where there was no control. This is where we manipulate our circumstances to our optimal best because we cannot face uncertainty. I’ll admit, this one I still battle with. Lord help me!

My friend, if you just read through all of this, then you are a prime candidate for healing. And God is filled with love, mercy and forgiveness. And if you are breathing, there is always hope for healing and a better tomorrow.

Take the time to do the hard work of healing. I promise, as a child of God, who has done so much work in prayer and practice myself, it’s worth it. The peace, the truth and the reality of our loving God and Kingdom family is worth all your efforts.

To schedule a Healing Prayer session with me, Lynn Donovan, visit: HEALING PRAYER

Have a blessed day. Lynn


Is Your Broken Heart Healed

Jesus Heals the BrokenheartedOn Sunday my pastor took on a very difficult topic that is rarely addressed to a congregation on a Sunday morning. Pastor Hector provided specifics and talked about the reality of why people are broken, how they find healing and how the determine if they need more healing.

It was so good.

I thought I would share some of my notes with all of you.

First the most important truth every person needs to know is this: Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted. 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19

So let's first discuss what is broken? Well the Hebrew word broken is Shabar. It means to shatter. Like a glass dropped upon a tile floor. A heart can be shattered in so many ways. But what is crucial is knowing what happens is that we actually have a breaking of our soul. The soul realm of an individual is their emotions, their will, their mind and this is the realm that the demonic can occupy. 

This is why I preach so much about taking thoughts captive. It's our thought-life that the demonic works to influence. It's int he soul that the enemy preaches lies that corrupt our identity and God's identity. The lies keep us in bondage and in broken pain. 

The demonic gains legal rights and will continually reenforce the core lies and erroneous belief systems we hold. The keeps us in pain and unhealed. These wounds can then carry forward to the next generation. Eventually becoming generational curses.

BUT, Jesu came to see the captives free. He came to heal the Shabar and to set us from the pain of our past. However, we also have a significant part to play in this process. And in future posts we will talk about some of the steps of healing.

Today, let's look at three signs we are moving toward healing. 

  1. Awareness
  2. Prayer
  3. Wise counsel

If you have become aware of brokenness, issues and have prayed and asked for healing, that's the first steps of healing. And for some, this is all a person may require. But if you are like 99% of the human race, you need more. And we will discuss this in future posts.

Next week we will look at seven signs you need more healing. 

So, where do you see yourself in your healing journey? How can I pray for you? See you in the comments. 

You are deeply loved, Lynn Donovan

*Pastor Hector Gutierrez


Want to Know What Jesus is Doing? Read This!

Jesusrevolution-1024x909Hi Friends,

Yesterday, I purchased two tickets to the movie, Jesus Revolution. Mike rarely will accompany me to church, so I was surprised that he went with me. Perhaps his miserly ways were tweaked because I'd already spent the money on two tickets?? 

We were early and after 30 minutes of commercials, the theater was mostly full. Say what? Do these people know this is a movie about Christians?

The timing of this movie that highlights the Jesus People movement in the 60's with the self-described hippies, is uncanny. Truly, it was a recap of a revival with disenfranchised people. And how us normies, those of us who are regular attenders or lifers, created a church that loves and follows Jesus. 

I'm blown away that we are positioned, right on the edge of an unprecedented NEW REVIVAL. The Asbury movement has spread to other campuses, as far as other countries. 

I believe we are going to push out all the divides and cling together with those whom we may not normally hang with to welcome the Holy Spirit into our world and that we would experience Holy Spirit and Jesus in a unifying and healing manner.

For me, I don't want to be left out. I want more. I want the miracles. I want the unexplainable. I want people you wouldn't expect to go to Christian movies, attend church and find that.....

JESUS SAVES!

Let's pray this movement forward. Jesus is moving. Be the new wine in new wine skins.

Blessings and hugs, Lynn

Jesus, we bow and humble ourselves. Your will be done. We live to love you. We live to bring you and the Kingdom of our Father great glory!!!  In Your Mighty name, Jesus. AMEN