Miracle Story | A Horrifying Ordeal - Episode 16

Miracle Story | The Very Best Miracle - Episode 17

Miracle Story Episode 17 The Very Best Miracle My father was born in 1922, way out in the country. He had one living brother and sister. He had been a twin, but the other one had either died right after or during birth. Twins? An interesting side note here that has nothing to do with this story is that my father weighed eleven pounds at birth. I can’t imagine carrying two babies around that size and then delivering them way off in a little country house. Probably much of the reason the other twin did not live. May Grandmother was Very Religious My grandmother was a member of the Church of Christ. The church where they attended was miles from their home, but every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and on Wednesdays, my grandmother walked with my father and his siblings several miles each way to attend. And yes, this was in the Oklahoma heat and in the snow as well. After several years of this, my father had had enough and rebelled against church and therefore God. My grandparents divorced when my father was a teenager and he moved to Arizona to live with his dad. Through the years as I was growing up, my dad did not want to talk about God or religion. All those years of religious activity had soured him so completely on what he thought was required to be a Christian that he wanted no part of it. I Prayed and Then Prayed Some More But, I prayed for my dad. For years, I prayed for my dad. I prayed in the natural and in the Spirit. I often just said a simple prayer throughout the day. I would simply say to God, “Please don’t let my daddy die before he is right with you.” I prayed it over and repeatedly. So, when God allowed my intercession to spare my father’s life, I knew it was time for more than just prayer. I needed to act. When My Father Came Home Fast forward this story to when my father was home. He often sat at the end of their dining room table where he had a cup of coffee at the ready. He would watch TV from there. One day I was at my parents home and found a large cardboard box of cards that friends and family had sent him while in the hospital. It held dozens upon dozens of cards. I sat the box on the opposite end of the dining room table from where my dad was sitting. I looked through them and read the sentiments from friends. I came upon a letter in an envelope that at first didn’t look familiar, until I pulled the letter out from the envelope and began to read. When I Realized My Father Was Watching I didn’t realize my father was watching me until I opened the letter and started to read it. Honestly, I was a little embarrassed. As I read the first line, I heard a tapping on the table and looked over to see my father tapping the table to get my attention. When I looked over, he mouthed to me in his raspy voice, “Sissy, it’s okay.” I smiled, and he nodded. I Still Get Emotional To this day, it makes me so incredibly emotional. I firmly believe God allowed my prayers to spare his life so that he could make things right with him. What if I hadn’t known what I did? What if I’d not prayed those difficult intercessory prayers? It is wonderful when a physical life is spared, but is there a purpose beyond? In this case, it is a definite yes. Saving his physical body brought him to a place to receive spiritual salvation. God answered the prayers I had prayed all those years where I asked God to not let my daddy die before being born again. But, I had a part to play as well and I am so thankful that I did. I Am Thankful I’m so thankful I knew how to intercede in deep intercessory prayer. I am so glad I knew how to fight spiritual warfare on that level. And I am so glad I wrote the letter. What had I said in that letter? I told him that a relationship with God was just that and not how many times a week you went to church. I told him how much God loved us and just wants us to be close to him. There was much more I wrote because the letter was about three pages long. But the other words don’t come to mind now. It Is An Every Changing Journey Our lives and our faith is a journey. Many events and experiences are stepping stones to the next one. Being in a close relationship with God makes that journey substantial and beneficial for now and for all eternity.

What Could You Do If You Really Believed?

What Could You Do If You Really Believed? Monday Meditations – Episode 4 Originally written August 8, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/29/monday-meditations-acts-18/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Today’s Meditation Verse: Acts 1:8 8But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. I became born again when I was 13 years old.  I had known, walked with and loved the Lord for many years prior, but realized at 13 that I needed to be born again.  I attended a denominational church at that time that focused on salvation and very little else. I had such a heart for the Lord and yet I still felt like there was something more, something else I was missing. Then on Thanksgiving night in 1977 a co-worker who had become a friend whom had also began to mentor me spiritually led me to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  On that night I received, from true hunger the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.  My life was never the same again. A fire was birthed in me, an undeniable passion for Christ that was insatiable and continues to this very day. Many years ago while reading in the Amplified Bible I noticed the paragraphs in verse 8.  The word that stood out to me was the word ‘efficiency’.  For many years I had been amazed at just how much more I was able to accomplish than any of my other co-workers.  I did my work, quicker, better and with much more professionalism than anyone else.   It was so noticeable that I was asked by my manager to speak to the entire department at the national meeting on why I was so successful.  I knew, and told him, that my success was only because of the Lord working in and through me.  But I still had to speak at the national meeting about the steps I took to do my work. The number one comment I received from everyone was that what I did, was just too much work!  But what they didn’t realize was that I was able to accomplish much more in much less time than they did because of the efficiency of the Holy Spirit in my life. When I read this scripture and saw the word efficiency I finally had biblical proof that my ability to work efficiently had been totally and completely due to the power that I had received from the Holy Spirit.   When you say you do not have enough time to do this or that, or to even spend time with the Lord, you are wrong!  Spend time with Him ask for the Holy Spirit power and you will receive the power that gives efficiency.  Your work will become so efficient that it will get done better in a fraction of the time. Rest in the Spirit.  Don’t work harder, work smarter with the power of the Holy Spirit! Wednesday Word Study – Episode 4 Originally written August 31, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/31/2200/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Power Original Word: δύναμις, εως, ἡ  Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine  Transliteration: dunamis  Phonetic Spelling: (doo'-nam-is)  Short Definition: might, power, marvelous works  Definition: (a) physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy, meaning (b) plur: powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works. 1411 dýnamis (from 1410 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1410.htm] /dýnamai, "able, having ability") – properly, "ability to perform" (L-N); for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities. "Power through God's ability" (1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] /dýnamis) is needed in every scene of life to really grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven (glorification). 1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] (dýnamis) is a very important term, used 120 times in the NT. As a people we are drawn to power or the display of power.  From early childhood we are enamored with super heroes and the great and mighty deeds they did.  We all secretly wished we could do those things too! We were also taught that those things were fiction.  There isn’t such a thing as a super hero.  People can’t fly.  People can’t stop bullets with their bare hands, people can’t walk through walls.  So we abandoned the thought of being a super hero. But this word dunamis is just exactly that – supernatural power.  The Holy Spirit came to bring us His power; God’s power and ability into our lives.  We’ve not lived it because we have not believed it.  Believe today that you were meant to receive, posses and use dunamis in your life. DUNAMIS:   physical power – force – might – ability – efficacy – energy – powerful deeds – deeds showing physical power – marvelous works. Maybe we really were meant to be super heroes. Friday Finale – Episode 4 Originally written September 2, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/09/02/but-do-you-believe/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/12/led-or-driven/] But do you believe? Mark 11:23 23) “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 2 Corinthians 12:2 2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3) And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4) was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. I Samual 17:49 49 [http://bible.cc/1_samuel/17-49.htm]) And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. Joshua 14:6 6 [http://bible.cc/judges/14-6.htm]) The LORD's Spirit came over him. With his bare hands, he tore the lion apart as if it were a young goat. Acts 8:39-40 39 [http://bible.cc/acts/8-39.htm]) When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official ...

Friday Finale | But Do You Really Believe? – Episode 4

Friday Finale – Episode 4 Originally written September 2, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/09/02/but-do-you-believe/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/12/led-or-driven/] But do you believe? Mark 11:23 23) “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 2 Corinthians 12:2 2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3) And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4) was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. I Samual 17:49 49 [http://bible.cc/1_samuel/17-49.htm]) And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. Joshua 14:6 6 [http://bible.cc/judges/14-6.htm]) The LORD's Spirit came over him. With his bare hands, he tore the lion apart as if it were a young goat. Acts 8:39-40 39 [http://bible.cc/acts/8-39.htm]) When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official joyfully continued on his way and didn't see Philip again. 40 [http://bible.cc/acts/8-40.htm]) Philip found himself in the city of Azotus These men, and many more, experienced dunamis.  The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.  On the Wednesday Word Study this week I wrote about the word dunamis and that the very word describes supernatural power we are meant to receive from the Holy Spirit.  Supernatural powers that remind us of the cartoon super heroes of our youth.  Supernatural strength,  powerful precision, being transported from one place to another, going up into the heavens and seeing supernatural visions, and the ability to move entire mountains with just our faith alone. I do believe that we were meant to be God’s super heroes!  We were placed in this world to do all that is necessary to rescue others, bring them to Christ and disciple them.  In this world of evil and persecution we have not lived up to this calling. Do you believe today that you are called to experience the dunamis of the Holy Spirit?  Do you believe today that the people of this world need us to experience the dunamis of the Holy Spirit to be God’s superhero in their life? If you have been concentrating on growing your faith in the areas of daily provision and health, you are spending time believing for something that God has already promised.   Luke 12:22-32 22) Then Jesus said to his disciples, "So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat or wear. 23) Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. 24) Consider the crows. They don't plant or harvest. They don't even have a storeroom or a barn. Yet, God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds. 25) "Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying? 26) If you can't do a small thing like that, why worry about other things? 27) Consider how the flowers grow. They never work or spin yarn for clothes. But I say that not even Solomon in all his majesty was dressed like one of these flowers. 28) That's the way God clothes the grass in the field. Today it's alive, and tomorrow it's thrown into an incinerator. So how much more will he clothe you people who have so little faith? 29) "Don't concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. 30) Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. 31) Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you. 32) Don't be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. We need to focus our faith on the distressed on this earth and grow our faith to believe that God will infuse us with Holy Spirit dunamis as needed on a daily basis to be His superheroes in this world.  Seek first the kingdom of God, that is a supernatural kingdom, and all the other provisions will be provided. My prayer today is not that I’ll have enough money, food or health, but that I will be infused with dunamis in order to help others, be God’s superhero whenever and wherever He needs me.  I believe that we are needed today as much as, if not more than ever before.  But are you willing? Do you believe?   This study is a culmination of this week’s Monday Meditation and the Wednesday Word Study. By drilling down on specific scriptures and then specific words, we can begin to gain a better understanding of the Word of God and therefore apply it to our lives more accurately. The Friday Finally episodes take both the Monday Meditation and Wednesday Word Study and pull them together for an overall teaching to equip and train us for a more Godly and beneficial life.   Shop all versions of my novels here: Shop Here [https://nancyjacksonauthor.com/collections/novels] My Media Website: NancyJacksonPodcast.com [https://nancyjacksonpodcast.com/] Check out my website: NancyJacksonAuthor.com [https://www.nancyjacksonauthor.com/] Follow me here: Substack: https://nancyjackson.substack.com/ [https://nancyjackson.substack.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor [https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor] Twitter: https://twitter.com/NAJackson [https://twitter.com/NAJackson] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/najackson/ [https://www.instagram.com/najackson/] Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson [https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NancyJackson [https://www.youtube.com/@NancyJacksonAuthor] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en]

Wednesday Word Study | Power – Episode 4

Wednesday Word Study – Episode 4 Originally written August 31, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/31/2200/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Power Original Word: δύναμις, εως, ἡ  Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine  Transliteration: dunamis  Phonetic Spelling: (doo'-nam-is)  Short Definition: might, power, marvelous works  Definition: (a) physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy, meaning (b) plur: powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works. 1411 dýnamis (from 1410 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1410.htm] /dýnamai, "able, having ability") – properly, "ability to perform" (L-N); for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities. "Power through God's ability" (1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] /dýnamis) is needed in every scene of life to really grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven (glorification). 1411 [http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/1411.htm] (dýnamis) is a very important term, used 120 times in the NT. As a people we are drawn to power or the display of power.  From early childhood we are enamored with super heroes and the great and mighty deeds they did.  We all secretly wished we could do those things too! We were also taught that those things were fiction.  There isn’t such a thing as a super hero.  People can’t fly.  People can’t stop bullets with their bare hands, people can’t walk through walls.  So we abandoned the thought of being a super hero. But this word dunamis is just exactly that – supernatural power.  The Holy Spirit came to bring us His power; God’s power and ability into our lives.  We’ve not lived it because we have not believed it.  Believe today that you were meant to receive, posses and use dunamis in your life. DUNAMIS:   physical power – force – might – ability – efficacy – energy – powerful deeds – deeds showing physical power – marvelous works. Maybe we really were meant to be super heroes.   Each Wednesday I will be posting a Wednesday Word Study to further elaborate on a significant word from the previous Monday’s Meditation episode. On Mondays I focus on one verse to meditate on for the week. On the Wednesday after I drill down to look at one specific word to gain further information and knowledge. Then on the following Friday I will post a teaching pulling it all together. Each week will provide a thorough study into a verse, a word, and then the overall concept.   Shop all versions of my novels here: Shop Here [https://nancyjacksonauthor.com/collections/novels] My Media Website: NancyJacksonPodcast.com [https://nancyjacksonpodcast.com/] Check out my website: NancyJacksonAuthor.com [https://www.nancyjacksonauthor.com/] Follow me here: Substack: https://nancyjackson.substack.com/ [https://nancyjackson.substack.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor [https://www.facebook.com/NancyJacksonAuthor] Twitter: https://twitter.com/NAJackson [https://twitter.com/NAJackson] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/najackson/ [https://www.instagram.com/najackson/] Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson [https://www.pinterest.com/nancyannjackson] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/NancyJackson [https://www.youtube.com/@NancyJacksonAuthor] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@nancyajackson?lang=en]

How to Avoid Falling Into Destruction in Your Life

How to Avoid Falling Into Destruction in Your Life Monday Meditations – Episode 3 Originally written August 22, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/22/1962/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Today’s Meditation Verse: Proverbs 16:18  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. I love reading the Lexicon version of a scripture.  To me it reveals so much. For instance there is little variation in this scripture from translation to translation.  It pretty much says it like it is and in any language or culture it is pretty much the same. But just now as I was reading this verse in the Lexcon [http://biblelexicon.org/proverbs/16-18.htm] (the original Greek translation) I saw something that I had to meditate on for a bit.  Then I saw how obvious the original word was to our own modern terminology. That word is before.  In the Lexicon that word means faces.  We use that word often now.  She is facing an uphill battle. He is facing termination at work. They are facing the playoffs. We know this word so well. Let’s look at this week’s scripture again using the original word, facing. Pride causes you to face destruction, and a haughty spirit will cause you to face a fall. We know when we face something that it is coming, for sure.  Something that we face is something we know we will have to deal with. So this week when you meditate on this scripture know that the pride in your life will cause you to face with certainty, destruction and that a haughty spirit will cause you to face a fall. Wednesday Word Study – Episode 3 Originally written August 24, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/24/wednesday-word-study-pride/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/08/monday-meditations-2-timothy-316/] Pride  Proverbs 16:18 [http://bible.cc/proverbs/16-18.htm]Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. This is the Strong’s Greek Concordance Number 1347a [http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/1347b.htm] Transliteration: ga’own  Phonetic Spelling: (gaw’-ohn) Definition: arrogancy When I was studying this word I noticed that there were several Greek variations of this word.  I’ve selected the one used here in this verse. I was not surprised by the definition.  It is a word we all know well, and use often. But one thing I did learn when reading all the different words in the definition is the word – exaltation.  I had to stop on that one and think about it. Isn’t exaltation something that should be reserved for God?  You bet it is!  That is exactly why when we are prideful we are exalting ourselves and God will not, cannot stand for that.  Pride – self exaltation is what got Satan ejected immediately from heaven.  Go directly to earth, do not pass go, do not collect $200!!! I’ve added a bit of humor to this critically serious topic, but we do tend to snicker when we think about how quickly, with no debate, Satan was ejected from Heaven.  But we must see that this scripture is warning us that should pride, in any form, enter our behavior or attitude, we are certain to face destruction as well. If that thought makes you shudder the way it did me, then evaluate your life and your attitudes towards others today to see if even the slightest morsel of pride has crept in.  If it has, immediately eradicate it before you too are facing certain destruction. Friday Finale – Episode 3 Originally written August 26, 2011  posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/26/the-destruction-of-pride/ [https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/12/led-or-driven/] This week the Monday Meditation and Wednesday Word Study focused on the word pride.  I myself have been meditating on what I would write for this blog for some time.  There are so many things I could talk about in regards to pride and all would be good, but space is limited and I sincerely want to write about what I believe is on the heart of God for the moment. As I was re-reading through various scriptures pertaining to the subject, this one stood out to me and in a moment brought into focus what I was to write about today. Romans 12:3 3) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Pride is arrogance and when we are prideful we are puffed up and exalt ourselves over others and God.  Upon hearing the word we all immediately have thoughts of pride where someone is bragging about something they have done, have consistently arrogant behavior and in general, someone who looks down at others with disdain. We all have someone, maybe more than one person, come to mind when we hear the word.  Prideful people are people we do not like to be around.  We would all generally agree that pride is NOT a Godly attribute and one that those following after Christ should guard against fervently. But… I’ve seen more arrogance and pride in the so called body of Christ than in most other places.  And it not only shames me, but sincerely grieves me. When we become born again and become a true child of God inheriting not only His love but all that the inheritance provides emotionally, physically and materially, we develop a new found sense of status.  We ALL know, or should know that it is not from our works or from what we have done, but simply from the merciful and graciously loving heart of Father God. Yet just like a child born into a wealthy family, bloated with status and influence, they are born with a sense of position that was not obtained from anything they themselves had done.  But it does not stop the arrogance and sense of pride. Now let me write a brief disclaimer here.  I know that not all wealthy people are prideful and arrogant.  There are many who are humbled by the very knowledge of their good fortune. But my point is to paint a picture here.  There is something about becoming a new Christian that makes all the dark clouds roll away and we feel as though we can suddenly see clearly.  There is hope and joy and for a moment it all seems so very simple, life that is. I can look back as a baby Christian and see all the damage I unknowingly did.  I had all the answers.  It was simple, you just did not sin, you just tithed, you just did what you knew was right to do.  It was just that simple.  And I was arrogant about it.  It all just seemed so easy to me ...