- Details
- Written by: Don Goulding
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. (Hebrews 13:15)
“Please, will you pray for my friend?”
A woman stopped in my path as thousands of people dispersed after an evangelistic festival in Red Hills, India.
“She’s been lame since childhood polio.” She pointed to a twenty-year-old girl with her legs braced rigid and wearing a lime-green sari.
I’d seen God heal in three ways, immediately, through medicine, and in heaven. I wondered how he would minister to this girl. It turned out that she would minister to me.
As we spoke, the polio survivor smiled all through our conversation—not a Cheshire cat grin, but a mild turn of her closed lips.
Her friends gathered for prayer, and I asked the Holy Spirit how to proceed. Once again, he showed me the smile. Her peaceful countenance told me bitterness hadn't tainted her soul, in spite of personal tragedy. It was the truest form of life worship.
This girl was special, and Father was doing something greater than fixing her legs. She didn’t need me and my prayers, she only needed a little encouragement.
“Through your disability,” I said, “you’ve been chosen to present a sacrifice of praise that will honor God through eternity. Keep that smile. Keep praising God, and you will be rewarded far above me for eternity.”
When I see the smiling girl in paradise, I plan to tell her that I wanted to give her physical healing. Instead, she gave me an example of heroic joy. Her gift to me was far more valuable than what I wanted to give to her.
Prayer: Saving God, may I offer you the sacrifice of thanks in everything.
- Details
- Written by: Don Goulding
Then the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!” So he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Look, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and on the full force of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. (Luke 10:17-19)
My soul slipped through space, a clean, sleek rocket ship. Evil was not in sight, and I reveled in my God’s universe of light.
Blam! Children at school left me until last when choosing teams, and a meteorite of rejection slammed into my nosecone. The shock reverberated through space, attracting a demon of insecurity. It dug into the wound on my soul, and staked a claim of torment.
In my teenage years, my ship staggered forward.
Crash! Another meteorite tore a gouge down the side. This was a rock of ferrous sexual temptation. A demon of lust clawed his way into the scar.
Next, a chunk of anger bashed the hull, then jealousy, and fear. The blows drew evil spirits like flies to wounds. Their strongholds in my soul were built around the lies that marred my heart. But help was on the way.
A roar from the Lion of Judah shook the heavenly realms. His anger raged at the imps clinging to a child for whom he died. He breathed into my heart. “I knight you to battle against the evil powers that plunder souls.”
I was ordained into spiritual warfare. With weapons of truth and the authority of Jesus, I push out dents from the inside. Crumpled souls are restored to newborn innocence. The truth that Jesus was my friend on the playground pushes out the lie of abandonment. Demons lose their holding place and fall into the blackness of space.
We are not defenseless in this adventure. In Christ, we have the weapons necessary to undo the dents in our rocket ship, and those of our fellow travelers.
Prayer: Lion of Judah, make me a warrior of truth.
- Details
- Written by: Don Goulding
Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. (Psalms 85:10) (NIV)
Two gray haired fathers lowered into chairs in the study.
“Faithfulness,” Father Love began, “you and I have been friends these many years, yes?”
The other nodded.
“Then I’ll not dally. It’s time to unite our families.”
“I agree, Father Love. A marriage would seal the alliance between you and me.” He leaned forward. “Are we not already of the same heart? Where love goes, faithfulness is always there.”
“And likewise, your house has been good for ours, because love increases when faithfulness is near,” Father Love said.
“Then we are agreed, your son, Righteousness, shall marry my daughter, Peace?”
The two fathers rose and united with a hearty shake of hands.
Meanwhile, beyond the study doors, Righteousness and Peace strolled in the garden.
“I think we’re natural for each other.” The handsome man smiled. “Because when the righteousness of God is received, the heart is at peace.”
Peace looked into her beloved’s eyes. “And we will have beautiful children. We’ll call them Joy, and Patience.”
Peace must have noticed how Righteousness watched her lips as she spoke. She blushed, but rose up on her toes. It was all the encouragement he needed. At the moment their fathers shook hands in the nearby room, Righteousness leaned down, and kissed Peace.
Prayer: Father, unite love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace in my heart.