Good afternoon everybody,
Thanks be to God!
You know, it is impossible to extend grace to someone who feels like they deserve it. For instance, your child asks for $10 so she can go eat with friends after church. At this point you can give her the money by simply being gracious, but if she says that you owe her because she helps you so much, you can’t be gracious anymore. If you give her the money, it is payment and not grace. Which makes very little difference in this case, but here is the point…
Our Father gives us every good thing we have and ever will have, by grace. Without His grace, we would (we have all sinned) get what we deserve. So when we come boldly before the Throne of Grace, we remember that it is only because of the precious blood of Jesus that we can come at all. We could do everything listed in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3*, but it is still by grace that we are saved, healed, delivered, protected, and blessed. Yes we come boldly and confidently, knowing that we are loved. We are made clean, righteous and spotless by Jesus’ gift of grace – His very life blood! We come full of thanks in our hearts, never calling attention to our measly little acts of righteousness but instead understanding that He gave us the grace, or ability, to do them in the first place!
Oh, yes, they are good. We will be rewarded for each. But we have access to the Father by grace only.
So back to my example, if we feel like we deserve something from the Lord, we have cut off the grace of God. I have heard people ask, ‘I don’t understand why X didn’t get healed. She was there every time the doors at church were open, she volunteered, visited and made meals for the sick, and prayed all the time.’ Well, what does x’s, or anybody’s, good acts have to do with them being healed? Nothing. God owes us nothing, whether we are Sister Theresa or some drug addict on the street.
God has done everything He is ever going to do about our healing, by grace. This is GOOD news, friends! What He did was more than enough for all of us for all time! By grace.
No wonder Paul so often declared grace and peace over his spiritual fledglings. They needed it! And so do we. Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift!!
I love you all!
*speak in tongues of men and angels, have all understanding and knowledge, have faith to move mountains, give all to the poor, give up body to be burned.
Healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Good Advice from Mary
Good evening everyone.
You know, as a young girl, Mary was really wise beyond her years. How many of us would risk our engagement (a woman’s only future), and our family reputation, just like that? But she said, ‘be it unto me according to thy word.’
Later at the wedding at Cana, she said to the servants, ‘whatever He says to you, do it. ‘ something tells me she taught her first boy to do that as well. No wonder God picked her.
Let’s learn from her like Jesus did. After all, He said, ‘I only say what I hear my Father say, I only do what I see my Father do.’
Whatever He says to us, and there is plenty in the bible, let’s do it. Amen!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
You know, as a young girl, Mary was really wise beyond her years. How many of us would risk our engagement (a woman’s only future), and our family reputation, just like that? But she said, ‘be it unto me according to thy word.’
Later at the wedding at Cana, she said to the servants, ‘whatever He says to you, do it. ‘ something tells me she taught her first boy to do that as well. No wonder God picked her.
Let’s learn from her like Jesus did. After all, He said, ‘I only say what I hear my Father say, I only do what I see my Father do.’
Whatever He says to us, and there is plenty in the bible, let’s do it. Amen!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Praise and Thanks
Good evening everyone,
I have family in town and it is michael’s first homecoming dance, so I will be brief.
Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens!
Praise him from the skies!
2 Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all the armies of heaven!
3 Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
4 Praise him, skies above!
Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!
5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
for he issued his command, and they came into being.
6 He set them in place forever and ever.
His decree will never be revoked.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you creatures of the ocean depths,
8 fire and hail, snow and clouds,[a]
wind and weather that obey him,
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all livestock,
small scurrying animals and birds,
11 kings of the earth and all people,
rulers and judges of the earth,
12 young men and young women,
old men and children.
13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord.
For his name is very great;
his glory towers over the earth and heaven!
14 He has made his people strong,
honoring his faithful ones—
the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
I have family in town and it is michael’s first homecoming dance, so I will be brief.
Psalm 148
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens!
Praise him from the skies!
2 Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all the armies of heaven!
3 Praise him, sun and moon!
Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
4 Praise him, skies above!
Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!
5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
for he issued his command, and they came into being.
6 He set them in place forever and ever.
His decree will never be revoked.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you creatures of the ocean depths,
8 fire and hail, snow and clouds,[a]
wind and weather that obey him,
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all livestock,
small scurrying animals and birds,
11 kings of the earth and all people,
rulers and judges of the earth,
12 young men and young women,
old men and children.
13 Let them all praise the name of the Lord.
For his name is very great;
his glory towers over the earth and heaven!
14 He has made his people strong,
honoring his faithful ones—
the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thanks and Faith
Good evening everyone,
1 corinthians 15:57 says thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that the word gives is present and continual. He keeps on giving us the victory!
Thanking God for what He has given us and done for us is the first step. As we remember what He has done, it encourages us that He can do it again . And He will! There is nothing too big or too small for the Lord. He will heal terminal cancer and help you find your lost keys!
Now that you have reminded yourself of all the miracles He has done, you are better prepared to make your request according to Mark 11:24.
24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
So after you ask and believe it is yours now, what is the most natural thing to do? Thank Him! In fact, thanks is the quickest and easiest way to stay in faith until you see it. Thank you Jesus for saving and healing Michael when he was born. He almost died and the reports said blind, deaf or mentally disabled. But at 14 he is a freshman with a’s and b’s, active in sports and music, and is only slightly nearsighted. Praise God forevermore! The doctors only know so much. They are valuable, but they should never have the last word.
So what do you do till you see your answer? Recount the wonderful things that the Lord has done, that you see, then thank Him for the things that He has done that you don’t see yet. Because you do have it. Look at 1 John 5:15 in the amplified version,
15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
Now isn’t that cool? Present possessions means we have it now!
Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, THANK YOU LORD!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
1 corinthians 15:57 says thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that the word gives is present and continual. He keeps on giving us the victory!
Thanking God for what He has given us and done for us is the first step. As we remember what He has done, it encourages us that He can do it again . And He will! There is nothing too big or too small for the Lord. He will heal terminal cancer and help you find your lost keys!
Now that you have reminded yourself of all the miracles He has done, you are better prepared to make your request according to Mark 11:24.
24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
So after you ask and believe it is yours now, what is the most natural thing to do? Thank Him! In fact, thanks is the quickest and easiest way to stay in faith until you see it. Thank you Jesus for saving and healing Michael when he was born. He almost died and the reports said blind, deaf or mentally disabled. But at 14 he is a freshman with a’s and b’s, active in sports and music, and is only slightly nearsighted. Praise God forevermore! The doctors only know so much. They are valuable, but they should never have the last word.
So what do you do till you see your answer? Recount the wonderful things that the Lord has done, that you see, then thank Him for the things that He has done that you don’t see yet. Because you do have it. Look at 1 John 5:15 in the amplified version,
15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
Now isn’t that cool? Present possessions means we have it now!
Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, THANK YOU LORD!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
True Humility
Good afternoon everybody,
Thanks be to God who ALWAYS causes us to triumph in Christ! 2 Cor. 2:14
Notice that the Lord links thanksgiving and victory. This is not the only place, there are lots of scriptures that put the two together. No coincidence.
Why does God put things down in writing? Does it become true when He writes it, or is He telling us because it was true already? Maybe some of both, but in this case I believe that He is relating an eternal principle that was in place before time began.
I have been learning about this for weeks and have so much to learn. And then doing it is another issue, and doing the word is the only way to get results from it. Amen?
It takes humility to thank God. If we are proud in any area, we will be floating along without being thankful in that area. Humility is not what religion says it is… Humility is not saying we are unworthy wretches doomed to a life of trying to be good enough to draw near to God. It is saying that what God says is true no matter what anything else, the world, our flesh, the devil, doctors of theology with theories, or other’s experiences, says to us. The bible says a lot about who we are in Christ. Humble people would not dare say anything against that word. They bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (Christ is the Word made flesh). True humility will not ‘bombard the gates of heaven’ in prayer, it will go boldly before the throne of grace, because that is what the word says to do. These are a few examples of many, but basically we need to ask ourselves, where is the scripture, for everything we believe.
Humility is evidenced by thanksgiving, and God gives grace to the humble.
I love y’all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Thanks be to God who ALWAYS causes us to triumph in Christ! 2 Cor. 2:14
Notice that the Lord links thanksgiving and victory. This is not the only place, there are lots of scriptures that put the two together. No coincidence.
Why does God put things down in writing? Does it become true when He writes it, or is He telling us because it was true already? Maybe some of both, but in this case I believe that He is relating an eternal principle that was in place before time began.
I have been learning about this for weeks and have so much to learn. And then doing it is another issue, and doing the word is the only way to get results from it. Amen?
It takes humility to thank God. If we are proud in any area, we will be floating along without being thankful in that area. Humility is not what religion says it is… Humility is not saying we are unworthy wretches doomed to a life of trying to be good enough to draw near to God. It is saying that what God says is true no matter what anything else, the world, our flesh, the devil, doctors of theology with theories, or other’s experiences, says to us. The bible says a lot about who we are in Christ. Humble people would not dare say anything against that word. They bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (Christ is the Word made flesh). True humility will not ‘bombard the gates of heaven’ in prayer, it will go boldly before the throne of grace, because that is what the word says to do. These are a few examples of many, but basically we need to ask ourselves, where is the scripture, for everything we believe.
Humility is evidenced by thanksgiving, and God gives grace to the humble.
I love y’all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
thanks
Good evening everybody,
O magnify the Lord with me! 1 Corinthians 15:57 says ‘thanks be to God who gives me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’.
When should we give thanks? At all times, psalms says. Where should we give thanks? In everything, Paul writes.
That just about covers it, doesn’t it?
Thank you, Jesus, for redemption through the blood. Thank you for writing our names in the book. Thanks so much!
I love y’all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
O magnify the Lord with me! 1 Corinthians 15:57 says ‘thanks be to God who gives me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’.
When should we give thanks? At all times, psalms says. Where should we give thanks? In everything, Paul writes.
That just about covers it, doesn’t it?
Thank you, Jesus, for redemption through the blood. Thank you for writing our names in the book. Thanks so much!
I love y’all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Monday, September 21, 2009
Light
The spectrum of light waves is wide ranging, from radio waves to cosmic waves. We are able to see a tiny sliver of that range, called visible light. But all the while, radio waves, microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, gamma and cosmic waves are traveling in all directions around us. Some right through us.
There is a theory out there that spiritual beings can’t be seen because they are existing (somehow) beyond the speed of light. They appear by slowing down. I don’t have a clue if it accurate or not, but fact is we can not see them most of the time. And yet, they are very real.
We see so little of what is really going on. The real action is outside our human vision, though occasionally God will allow a glimpse. That is why the bible says that the unseen things are eternal. They are real. Just because we can’t see them doesn’t make them less real. Just because you don’t see a car in your blind spot doesn’t mean it is not there.
Our money in the bank is real, but we can’t see it. God is real, His angels are real, his Spirit is real. They are not like elves, fairies, or ghosts. They are REAL, and they have substance. Angels have bodies as solid as ours, but they exist in the real world. We are here in this virtual world for a very short time. Very short! If we lived 125 years, it would only be three hours on God’s clock. This is by far the shortest thing we will ever do, but how we live here directly affects our future in eternity, for real. Thank God for His grace!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
There is a theory out there that spiritual beings can’t be seen because they are existing (somehow) beyond the speed of light. They appear by slowing down. I don’t have a clue if it accurate or not, but fact is we can not see them most of the time. And yet, they are very real.
We see so little of what is really going on. The real action is outside our human vision, though occasionally God will allow a glimpse. That is why the bible says that the unseen things are eternal. They are real. Just because we can’t see them doesn’t make them less real. Just because you don’t see a car in your blind spot doesn’t mean it is not there.
Our money in the bank is real, but we can’t see it. God is real, His angels are real, his Spirit is real. They are not like elves, fairies, or ghosts. They are REAL, and they have substance. Angels have bodies as solid as ours, but they exist in the real world. We are here in this virtual world for a very short time. Very short! If we lived 125 years, it would only be three hours on God’s clock. This is by far the shortest thing we will ever do, but how we live here directly affects our future in eternity, for real. Thank God for His grace!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Gospel
Good evening everyone,
John, at the very end of his account of the good news, writes a profound statement.
25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
Think about everything that could be written down, but wasn’t. thousands of healings, miracles, signs and wonders. Maybe other dead raised, who knows? But they didn’t make the book. Hmm… That means the stories and teachings that were written down were carefully picked by the Holy Spirit. Why? Because they are the ones that directly apply to us. They are the truths that we can base our lives on, they are the events that we can expect to see here and now. They are a record of the perfect unchanging will of God for all men for all time. We can believe them, as if they were our stories. They ARE our stories! We can bank on them. when Jesus answered a question, He answered it for you and me. When He healed the blind man, He showed that He wants all blind eyes to see. Etc. get this, (this really hit home with me) no one who came to Jesus to be healed left sick. There were no unlucky ones. Praise God! His unchanging will for all men, for all time, is healing. His will for you and me, today, is healing!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
John, at the very end of his account of the good news, writes a profound statement.
25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
Think about everything that could be written down, but wasn’t. thousands of healings, miracles, signs and wonders. Maybe other dead raised, who knows? But they didn’t make the book. Hmm… That means the stories and teachings that were written down were carefully picked by the Holy Spirit. Why? Because they are the ones that directly apply to us. They are the truths that we can base our lives on, they are the events that we can expect to see here and now. They are a record of the perfect unchanging will of God for all men for all time. We can believe them, as if they were our stories. They ARE our stories! We can bank on them. when Jesus answered a question, He answered it for you and me. When He healed the blind man, He showed that He wants all blind eyes to see. Etc. get this, (this really hit home with me) no one who came to Jesus to be healed left sick. There were no unlucky ones. Praise God! His unchanging will for all men, for all time, is healing. His will for you and me, today, is healing!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Friday, September 18, 2009
Why 'Son of Man'?
Good evening everyone,
Why did Jesus call himself son of man? It was important or else He would not have been so consistent with it.
The Lord gave man dominion over the earth in Genesis 1. He never took it back. Because the only beings with authority in the earth were men, Jesus had to be born a man, not God. He had to operate in the earth like we do or else satan would have a legal argument against Him. Since Adam, a man, handed the authority to the devil, a man had to get it back.
When the demons were screaming out that He was the Holy one of God, they were not trying to glorify Him, they were accusing Him of being on the earth without legal right. Of course, He did not need to argue. He told them to shut up and come out. He had to be like us in every way. Only a human could speak with authority on the earth. Only a human anointed with the Holy Spirit would have the power to carry out the authority that man has. Only a fully tempted, fully sinless, human could pay the price for our sins. He had to be the Son of Adam (greek). So He was son of man. He became man.
Now the bible says as He is, so are we in this world. We are now fully human with the authority of the son of man. We are anointed with the same power. We are as sinless and righteous as He is, because of His blood. We have everything He had, because He bought it for us. Now He wants us to be sons of man, carrying out His perfect will on the earth through the power of the Holy Spirit. How cool is that? Bringing in lost sons of men. So, let’s get out there and bring them in!!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Why did Jesus call himself son of man? It was important or else He would not have been so consistent with it.
The Lord gave man dominion over the earth in Genesis 1. He never took it back. Because the only beings with authority in the earth were men, Jesus had to be born a man, not God. He had to operate in the earth like we do or else satan would have a legal argument against Him. Since Adam, a man, handed the authority to the devil, a man had to get it back.
When the demons were screaming out that He was the Holy one of God, they were not trying to glorify Him, they were accusing Him of being on the earth without legal right. Of course, He did not need to argue. He told them to shut up and come out. He had to be like us in every way. Only a human could speak with authority on the earth. Only a human anointed with the Holy Spirit would have the power to carry out the authority that man has. Only a fully tempted, fully sinless, human could pay the price for our sins. He had to be the Son of Adam (greek). So He was son of man. He became man.
Now the bible says as He is, so are we in this world. We are now fully human with the authority of the son of man. We are anointed with the same power. We are as sinless and righteous as He is, because of His blood. We have everything He had, because He bought it for us. Now He wants us to be sons of man, carrying out His perfect will on the earth through the power of the Holy Spirit. How cool is that? Bringing in lost sons of men. So, let’s get out there and bring them in!!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Thursday, September 17, 2009
pruning
Good evening everybody,
Jesus was teaching his disciples on the way to the garden the night He was betrayed…
John 15
1I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
2Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.
3You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].
I read a small book many years ago about the Vine and the branches. While it was based on the first two of these verses, and was beautifully written, it said that Jesus prunes us by circumstances in our lives, allowing bad things so we will love Him more, or so we will develop in some character of God.
If we read verse 3, we see that it is not circumstances, but the Word, that cleanses and prunes us. Sure we have circumstances, because we live in a world full of sin and curse. John 10:10 clearly says who brings bad stuff and who ‘came… ‘ well, here. See for yourself. Jesus Himself said,
10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [b]overflows).
And in James 1 scripture says,
16Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.
17Every good gift and every perfect ([d]free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light
So we see that Jesus and the Father give us every thing that is good, and the thief, that pinhead devil, comes to steal, kill and destroy. Friends, that is not pruning, it’s the start of a FIGHT!!!
And bless God, the same Word that cleanses and prunes us also equips us for battle. And praise Jesus, WE WIN!! 2 Corinthians 2:14 –always triumph in Christ!! ALWAYS, HALLELUJAH!!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Jesus was teaching his disciples on the way to the garden the night He was betrayed…
John 15
1I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
2Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.
3You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].
I read a small book many years ago about the Vine and the branches. While it was based on the first two of these verses, and was beautifully written, it said that Jesus prunes us by circumstances in our lives, allowing bad things so we will love Him more, or so we will develop in some character of God.
If we read verse 3, we see that it is not circumstances, but the Word, that cleanses and prunes us. Sure we have circumstances, because we live in a world full of sin and curse. John 10:10 clearly says who brings bad stuff and who ‘came… ‘ well, here. See for yourself. Jesus Himself said,
10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [b]overflows).
And in James 1 scripture says,
16Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.
17Every good gift and every perfect ([d]free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light
So we see that Jesus and the Father give us every thing that is good, and the thief, that pinhead devil, comes to steal, kill and destroy. Friends, that is not pruning, it’s the start of a FIGHT!!!
And bless God, the same Word that cleanses and prunes us also equips us for battle. And praise Jesus, WE WIN!! 2 Corinthians 2:14 –always triumph in Christ!! ALWAYS, HALLELUJAH!!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Words of Life
Good afternoon everybody,
In John 6, Jesus is teaching on eating His flesh and drinking His blood, and His followers got more disturbed the further He went with it. But He did not back down; in fact, He just got more graphic. It resulted in this…
After this, many of His disciples drew back (returned to their old associations) and no longer accompanied Him. 67Jesus said to the Twelve, Will you also go away? [And do you too desire to leave Me?] 68Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life.
To any of us who have tasted the goodness of God, there is really no going back to the old life, is there? I mean, where would we go? Nothing else will satisfy our hearts but the blood and the body of Christ. The blood cleanses and protects, redeems and gives us access to the Father. The body heals us and brings us together in an unexplainable unity, far beyond mere family. It’s all Jesus, the Living Word. How do we wrap our minds around such things? Those followers could not, so they left. Thank God we have the Holy Spirit! We don’t have to fully understand, just believe. We believe with our hearts, not our minds, according to Romans 10. And the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, so we have a huge advantage over the original followers. We can see spiritual things much more clearly since we are born of the Spirit. Jesus has the words of eternal life; let’s get our ‘real food and drink’ from him today. His words are spirit and life. After all, where else would we go?
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
In John 6, Jesus is teaching on eating His flesh and drinking His blood, and His followers got more disturbed the further He went with it. But He did not back down; in fact, He just got more graphic. It resulted in this…
After this, many of His disciples drew back (returned to their old associations) and no longer accompanied Him. 67Jesus said to the Twelve, Will you also go away? [And do you too desire to leave Me?] 68Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life.
To any of us who have tasted the goodness of God, there is really no going back to the old life, is there? I mean, where would we go? Nothing else will satisfy our hearts but the blood and the body of Christ. The blood cleanses and protects, redeems and gives us access to the Father. The body heals us and brings us together in an unexplainable unity, far beyond mere family. It’s all Jesus, the Living Word. How do we wrap our minds around such things? Those followers could not, so they left. Thank God we have the Holy Spirit! We don’t have to fully understand, just believe. We believe with our hearts, not our minds, according to Romans 10. And the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, so we have a huge advantage over the original followers. We can see spiritual things much more clearly since we are born of the Spirit. Jesus has the words of eternal life; let’s get our ‘real food and drink’ from him today. His words are spirit and life. After all, where else would we go?
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
daily bread
Good evening everyone,
32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”
35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. “
Think about manna for a moment. When God provided manna He gave them specific instructions for gathering. They could only gather about two quarts per person daily except Friday. Friday was about a gallon each, for two days. They had to gather in the morning before it melted away. It would get worms if they saved it up. Except Saturday.
Our daily bread , the word of God, works best the same way. Gathered, read, in the morning and meditated on, eaten, all day long.
Bon appétit!
32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”
35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. “
Think about manna for a moment. When God provided manna He gave them specific instructions for gathering. They could only gather about two quarts per person daily except Friday. Friday was about a gallon each, for two days. They had to gather in the morning before it melted away. It would get worms if they saved it up. Except Saturday.
Our daily bread , the word of God, works best the same way. Gathered, read, in the morning and meditated on, eaten, all day long.
Bon appétit!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Your Periscope
Good evening everyone.
O magnify the Lord with me. Make your loving God Daddy the only thing in your periscope. What else is worth looking at anyway? I am talking to myself. Right at this moment, I am trying to type. But my head is not lined up right so I have to blink five or six times sometimes to get the letter, and now I have a choice. Do I let frustration steal my inner peace or my focus on the Lord? Sometimes it is not the big things that get us off, because they are obvious battles. It is the Lego you step on in the dark, the cheeseburger that comes with mustard when you specifically ordered mayonnaise, the train when you are already late. The little darts the devil throws at us are like mosquitos buzzing around our ears. Not very powerful. In fact, really nothing, but they could drive us crazy if we let them. how do we beat him in the little things? ‘thank you Jesus for _____. ‘ fill in the blank with something different every time. That is sure to swat him dead!
I have an illustration. About eleven years ago, we moved to Kansas. We were there less than a year, but we hated it. It got to the point where I would look in the mirror (almost daily!) and say ‘I hate my life’. Now, why would I do that??? I was healthy and strong, I had a loving husband, two pretty healthy kids, a big house, and did I mention I was healthy and strong? Why was I so down? Truth is, I was depressed before we moved and I thought the new place would fix it. It wasn’t Kansas, it was my periscope, my focus. I was unthankful, never looking at what was good. Everyone can find something to thank God for, no matter how dire their circumstances. And everyone, even the richest, healthiest person with the most loving and devoted family, can find something to complain about. The choice is ours.
How did I come out of it? Even after we moved back I was in a pit of self pity. The devil had me where he wanted me. By the grace of God, a friend kept badgering me to go to bible study. (don’t give up on your friends!) I finally went and was completely overwhelmed by love and truth! So much joy was in that room, I could only dream of being that happy. I watched them with their kids to see if it was real. It was. Change didn’t just fall on me, but the Lord drew near to me as I drew near to Him. Thanks be to God! I can honestly say that today I am far better off than eleven years ago. I still have two healthy kids and a loving, devoted husband. I am healed by the stripes of Jesus, and we will see it in the land of the living. And inside, I am in the peace, the rest of God. It’s a wonderful life! O magnify the Lord with me! See the truth in your periscope, and thank the Lord!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
O magnify the Lord with me. Make your loving God Daddy the only thing in your periscope. What else is worth looking at anyway? I am talking to myself. Right at this moment, I am trying to type. But my head is not lined up right so I have to blink five or six times sometimes to get the letter, and now I have a choice. Do I let frustration steal my inner peace or my focus on the Lord? Sometimes it is not the big things that get us off, because they are obvious battles. It is the Lego you step on in the dark, the cheeseburger that comes with mustard when you specifically ordered mayonnaise, the train when you are already late. The little darts the devil throws at us are like mosquitos buzzing around our ears. Not very powerful. In fact, really nothing, but they could drive us crazy if we let them. how do we beat him in the little things? ‘thank you Jesus for _____. ‘ fill in the blank with something different every time. That is sure to swat him dead!
I have an illustration. About eleven years ago, we moved to Kansas. We were there less than a year, but we hated it. It got to the point where I would look in the mirror (almost daily!) and say ‘I hate my life’. Now, why would I do that??? I was healthy and strong, I had a loving husband, two pretty healthy kids, a big house, and did I mention I was healthy and strong? Why was I so down? Truth is, I was depressed before we moved and I thought the new place would fix it. It wasn’t Kansas, it was my periscope, my focus. I was unthankful, never looking at what was good. Everyone can find something to thank God for, no matter how dire their circumstances. And everyone, even the richest, healthiest person with the most loving and devoted family, can find something to complain about. The choice is ours.
How did I come out of it? Even after we moved back I was in a pit of self pity. The devil had me where he wanted me. By the grace of God, a friend kept badgering me to go to bible study. (don’t give up on your friends!) I finally went and was completely overwhelmed by love and truth! So much joy was in that room, I could only dream of being that happy. I watched them with their kids to see if it was real. It was. Change didn’t just fall on me, but the Lord drew near to me as I drew near to Him. Thanks be to God! I can honestly say that today I am far better off than eleven years ago. I still have two healthy kids and a loving, devoted husband. I am healed by the stripes of Jesus, and we will see it in the land of the living. And inside, I am in the peace, the rest of God. It’s a wonderful life! O magnify the Lord with me! See the truth in your periscope, and thank the Lord!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Fear of the fight
Good afternoon everybody,
Look at the children of Israel as they approached the promised land the first time. They had been in the wilderness for about a year. They were supernaturally delivered, healed (see psalm 105,, there was not a feeble one among their tribes), and completely provided for. A warm pillar of fire at night,, a shady cloud to keep them cool during the day, water from rocks, manna, silver, gold, etc. Every need met! Even their clothes didn’t wear out.
But when the ten spies told them how small they were, they cried all night. Did they have to cry? No. Get what they said. Numbers 14 1 Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained.
Wishing you were dead, now that is sad. What would make them say that??? Here’s the thing… In Egypt, they were slaves but it was a known evil. Slavery, but no battle. Misery, but they knew the misery. After all, they had garlic, leeks and onions, they said. In the wilderness, they didn’t have to work except a short gathering period in the morning. They were completely dependant on the Lord for every detail of their lives. It was a pretty nice life, compared to slavery where they worked to the bone. But in that year, even though they would have unquestionably died without active, moment by moment divine intervention, they never learned to trust in God. Why? Well, one reason is they were unthankful. Romans 1 says your understanding gets darkened when you are unthankful. In other words, you get stupid. They were so used to complaining, they did it without thinking. So they were still in bondage, even though they were physically free. Slaves don’t make good warriors.
Wanting to die rather than fight, all because they complained themselves stupid. Mental bondage.
Have we been afraid to fight the devil? Why? Does complaining come out of our mouths by habit? Think about complaining for a second. Does it show that you are believing things will get better? Does it remind you of the things God has done for you? Does it speak life or build your confidence or faith in God? No, so it doesn’t please Him.
We are all guilty of complaining, but let’s replace those thoughts and words with the truth. If it were not for the Lord and His grace, we would have died in any of a thousand ways. Every day!! Truly, the proper thing to say when the conversation lulls is thank the Lord. Thanks be to God!
The children magnified the problem by complaining instead of magnifying the Lord by thanks, so they were too afraid to fight. You see, God doesn’t want our praise for His sake , it’s for our sake. So we will not forget how big and how GOOD He is. So we will not be afraid of the fight, knowing that our big, good Daddy loves us and is with us every moment. And He is for us so who can be against us? What do we have to worry about? Absolutely nothing!
You know what? That may be the heart of the fight right there. Who, or what, do we make bigger (magnify) in our lives? That’s who, or what, wins.
O magnify the Lord with me!! I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
http://nancysministry.blogspot.com
Look at the children of Israel as they approached the promised land the first time. They had been in the wilderness for about a year. They were supernaturally delivered, healed (see psalm 105,, there was not a feeble one among their tribes), and completely provided for. A warm pillar of fire at night,, a shady cloud to keep them cool during the day, water from rocks, manna, silver, gold, etc. Every need met! Even their clothes didn’t wear out.
But when the ten spies told them how small they were, they cried all night. Did they have to cry? No. Get what they said. Numbers 14 1 Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained.
Wishing you were dead, now that is sad. What would make them say that??? Here’s the thing… In Egypt, they were slaves but it was a known evil. Slavery, but no battle. Misery, but they knew the misery. After all, they had garlic, leeks and onions, they said. In the wilderness, they didn’t have to work except a short gathering period in the morning. They were completely dependant on the Lord for every detail of their lives. It was a pretty nice life, compared to slavery where they worked to the bone. But in that year, even though they would have unquestionably died without active, moment by moment divine intervention, they never learned to trust in God. Why? Well, one reason is they were unthankful. Romans 1 says your understanding gets darkened when you are unthankful. In other words, you get stupid. They were so used to complaining, they did it without thinking. So they were still in bondage, even though they were physically free. Slaves don’t make good warriors.
Wanting to die rather than fight, all because they complained themselves stupid. Mental bondage.
Have we been afraid to fight the devil? Why? Does complaining come out of our mouths by habit? Think about complaining for a second. Does it show that you are believing things will get better? Does it remind you of the things God has done for you? Does it speak life or build your confidence or faith in God? No, so it doesn’t please Him.
We are all guilty of complaining, but let’s replace those thoughts and words with the truth. If it were not for the Lord and His grace, we would have died in any of a thousand ways. Every day!! Truly, the proper thing to say when the conversation lulls is thank the Lord. Thanks be to God!
The children magnified the problem by complaining instead of magnifying the Lord by thanks, so they were too afraid to fight. You see, God doesn’t want our praise for His sake , it’s for our sake. So we will not forget how big and how GOOD He is. So we will not be afraid of the fight, knowing that our big, good Daddy loves us and is with us every moment. And He is for us so who can be against us? What do we have to worry about? Absolutely nothing!
You know what? That may be the heart of the fight right there. Who, or what, do we make bigger (magnify) in our lives? That’s who, or what, wins.
O magnify the Lord with me!! I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
http://nancysministry.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Change
Good afternoon everybody,
I remember where I was September 11, 2001. Keeping babies at our Mom’s day out program at church. I’ll bet we all remember.
I remember seeing so much fear, on tv and faces. At that time Satan was trying to disable the western world through fear. But God was working on hearts. And it didn’t take long for the supernatural peace of God to rule, at least in the body of Christ. Praise God!
I remember the next day, Kim and I went to a friend’s house planning a t-shirt for the Hettie weekend. This precious sister had considered keeping her kids home from school, and as we talked scriptures, she asked us how we stayed calm and joyful. We had decided to put ‘Christ in me, the hope of glory’ from Colossians 1 on our shirts... So we were able to start there and testify how the Holy Spirit had completely changed us on the inside. From darkness to light. I can’t speak for Kim, but for me, the change was from total despair to hope, from torment to peace. And I had been a ‘good’ Christian for many years! However, her response was fairly typical, she was not ready to change ‘that much’. She probably could not envision the depth of goodness, how much better life is when God is in control of the details of your life. You know, it didn’t happen overnight, maybe I made it seem too quick and scary. The Lord doesn’t do anything to us, with us or through us without our permission. It’s not scary. Just little changes.
When a baby dirties his diaper , he doesn’t expect you to change him into a four year old, he expects you to change him into a clean diaper. But little by little, as he eats what you feed him and as he relates to you, he does change into a four year old.
That is how the Holy Spirit works. He cleans us, feeds us and relates to us as much as we will let him. Our speed of growth depends on us, our seeking the Lord. If we only want a new diaper, so to speak, then that is what He will do. But all the while encouraging us to eat (read the word) and relate (fellowship with Him) so we can grow.
In hindsight, change seems to happen overnight. Think about your babies. But in reality the changes were gradual, but steady. With spurts. And all natural things are patterned after spiritual things, so we can grow in spurts, quickly , or slowly, or we can choose to not grow at all. Bottom line; it’s up to us. Remember, a kid is not scared of growing up, and we won’t be either.
I, for one, need to do more relating. I hear and read the word, but I feel like I should fellowship with Him more. I want to grow!
I love y’all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
I remember where I was September 11, 2001. Keeping babies at our Mom’s day out program at church. I’ll bet we all remember.
I remember seeing so much fear, on tv and faces. At that time Satan was trying to disable the western world through fear. But God was working on hearts. And it didn’t take long for the supernatural peace of God to rule, at least in the body of Christ. Praise God!
I remember the next day, Kim and I went to a friend’s house planning a t-shirt for the Hettie weekend. This precious sister had considered keeping her kids home from school, and as we talked scriptures, she asked us how we stayed calm and joyful. We had decided to put ‘Christ in me, the hope of glory’ from Colossians 1 on our shirts... So we were able to start there and testify how the Holy Spirit had completely changed us on the inside. From darkness to light. I can’t speak for Kim, but for me, the change was from total despair to hope, from torment to peace. And I had been a ‘good’ Christian for many years! However, her response was fairly typical, she was not ready to change ‘that much’. She probably could not envision the depth of goodness, how much better life is when God is in control of the details of your life. You know, it didn’t happen overnight, maybe I made it seem too quick and scary. The Lord doesn’t do anything to us, with us or through us without our permission. It’s not scary. Just little changes.
When a baby dirties his diaper , he doesn’t expect you to change him into a four year old, he expects you to change him into a clean diaper. But little by little, as he eats what you feed him and as he relates to you, he does change into a four year old.
That is how the Holy Spirit works. He cleans us, feeds us and relates to us as much as we will let him. Our speed of growth depends on us, our seeking the Lord. If we only want a new diaper, so to speak, then that is what He will do. But all the while encouraging us to eat (read the word) and relate (fellowship with Him) so we can grow.
In hindsight, change seems to happen overnight. Think about your babies. But in reality the changes were gradual, but steady. With spurts. And all natural things are patterned after spiritual things, so we can grow in spurts, quickly , or slowly, or we can choose to not grow at all. Bottom line; it’s up to us. Remember, a kid is not scared of growing up, and we won’t be either.
I, for one, need to do more relating. I hear and read the word, but I feel like I should fellowship with Him more. I want to grow!
I love y’all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Confirming the WORD with signs
Good evening everyone,
This is a passage from Acts 14, about Paul and Barnabus.
7And there they preached the gospel.
8And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
9The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
In Acts 14, a man lame from birth sat and listened to the word of God from the mouth of Paul. He got faith to be healed from that word. Paul saw that he had faith to be healed. God confirmed that word with this sign; this man jumped up! He didn’t know how to walk, but he walked! Praise God!
What gospel do we preach? Is it a gospel that gives people faith to be healed? If it is not, then it is not the gospel Paul preached. The message Paul preached was a message that Jesus will save you, heal you, deliver you and meet your needs.
The Lord confirmed the word with signs following. But if OUR word is not THE Word, no signs can follow. If our word says God can, but he may or may not, then all we have built up is wishful thinking. Not confident expectation. The man at Lystra got confident expectation (faith) to be healed because Paul preached what he wrote, that God would freely give us all things along with giving us Jesus.
Wow! Now that’s GOOD NEWS! Let’s preach the good news Paul preached. I love you all!
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
This is a passage from Acts 14, about Paul and Barnabus.
7And there they preached the gospel.
8And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
9The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
In Acts 14, a man lame from birth sat and listened to the word of God from the mouth of Paul. He got faith to be healed from that word. Paul saw that he had faith to be healed. God confirmed that word with this sign; this man jumped up! He didn’t know how to walk, but he walked! Praise God!
What gospel do we preach? Is it a gospel that gives people faith to be healed? If it is not, then it is not the gospel Paul preached. The message Paul preached was a message that Jesus will save you, heal you, deliver you and meet your needs.
The Lord confirmed the word with signs following. But if OUR word is not THE Word, no signs can follow. If our word says God can, but he may or may not, then all we have built up is wishful thinking. Not confident expectation. The man at Lystra got confident expectation (faith) to be healed because Paul preached what he wrote, that God would freely give us all things along with giving us Jesus.
Wow! Now that’s GOOD NEWS! Let’s preach the good news Paul preached. I love you all!
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
With HIS Stripes
Good afternoon everybody,
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5, KJV
5And he is pierced for our transgressions, Bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement of our peace [is] on him, And by his bruise there is healing to us. Isaiah 53:5, YLT
… With His stripes, we are healed. We are healed by His, with His stripes. His bruises, in the original Hebrew.
I have always believed the bible is true. I used to know much less of what it actually said. As I studied the depths of science in the bible, (not mastered by a long shot! Just studied) I began to see that the bible in its original language was very true, literally. When Solomon said that the wind travels the globe in circles, there were no weather satellites. But it was literally true. And every word in the bible is true today, just like when it was written in Hebrew or Greek. People didn’t necessarily understand it, but it was still true. Now I believe even beyond that. I believe the bible is Jesus Himself, in the flesh. John 1 tells me that, and it is literally true. And I believe the Word (He) is alive and powerful. Hebrews 4:12 tells me that. Do I understand it? Not by a long shot! But I believe it. It is the Truth, not a truth. Not one of the true philosophies. Not ‘ok for me’. THE ONE AND ONLY TRUTH!!! For all people, for all time and eternity.
I said all of that to look at Isaiah 53:5 in King James and Young’s Literal translation, the closest thing to Hebrew that I can read.
With His stripes we are healed. We are healed by Jesus’ crushed, bruised, welted flesh. How?? I don’t understand, but I believe it. It is literally true.
Jesus said to eat His flesh. His broken, bruised,, crushed flesh for our healing. Remember the bible is literally Jesus in the flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22 calls the word medicine, from the Hebrew. How does it work? Job says the ear tastes words like the mouth tastes food. So you get it in your eyes and ears until it gets in your spirit. Then it works from the inside out. How? Beats me, but I believe it. Somehow His bruises really heal us, literally. We don’t have to understand. It’s true whether we understand or not.
Jesus suffered a horrible beating specifically to heal us. Wow! He is my hero! Literally.
I love you all.
Healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5, KJV
5And he is pierced for our transgressions, Bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement of our peace [is] on him, And by his bruise there is healing to us. Isaiah 53:5, YLT
… With His stripes, we are healed. We are healed by His, with His stripes. His bruises, in the original Hebrew.
I have always believed the bible is true. I used to know much less of what it actually said. As I studied the depths of science in the bible, (not mastered by a long shot! Just studied) I began to see that the bible in its original language was very true, literally. When Solomon said that the wind travels the globe in circles, there were no weather satellites. But it was literally true. And every word in the bible is true today, just like when it was written in Hebrew or Greek. People didn’t necessarily understand it, but it was still true. Now I believe even beyond that. I believe the bible is Jesus Himself, in the flesh. John 1 tells me that, and it is literally true. And I believe the Word (He) is alive and powerful. Hebrews 4:12 tells me that. Do I understand it? Not by a long shot! But I believe it. It is the Truth, not a truth. Not one of the true philosophies. Not ‘ok for me’. THE ONE AND ONLY TRUTH!!! For all people, for all time and eternity.
I said all of that to look at Isaiah 53:5 in King James and Young’s Literal translation, the closest thing to Hebrew that I can read.
With His stripes we are healed. We are healed by Jesus’ crushed, bruised, welted flesh. How?? I don’t understand, but I believe it. It is literally true.
Jesus said to eat His flesh. His broken, bruised,, crushed flesh for our healing. Remember the bible is literally Jesus in the flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22 calls the word medicine, from the Hebrew. How does it work? Job says the ear tastes words like the mouth tastes food. So you get it in your eyes and ears until it gets in your spirit. Then it works from the inside out. How? Beats me, but I believe it. Somehow His bruises really heal us, literally. We don’t have to understand. It’s true whether we understand or not.
Jesus suffered a horrible beating specifically to heal us. Wow! He is my hero! Literally.
I love you all.
Healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
House of Prayer
Good afternoon everybody,
Matthew tells a story in chapter 21, of the Lord in a role of authority and dominion. Of course, another account says he made a whip! Which proves that it was not an emotional outburst, but Spirit led. Watch this.
12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
Now, here’s Jesus, whipping and throwing tables, and the blind and lame come up. He says ‘not now, I’m busy. Can’t you see it’s not God’s time? He is doing a purging’. No! He healed them.
Friends, Jesus was actually prophecying when He healed them. He had just said that the temple was not a den of thieves, but a house of prayer. He was saying that the Lord was going to be living in people, not buildings. He was saying it is NOT His will for our bodies to be a ‘den of thieves’, with sin, fear, sickness, etc. It IS His will that our bodies be clean, whole and strong. Houses of prayer, temples of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies, not spirits. 1 Corinthians 6.
We are houses of prayer, it is written!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Matthew tells a story in chapter 21, of the Lord in a role of authority and dominion. Of course, another account says he made a whip! Which proves that it was not an emotional outburst, but Spirit led. Watch this.
12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
Now, here’s Jesus, whipping and throwing tables, and the blind and lame come up. He says ‘not now, I’m busy. Can’t you see it’s not God’s time? He is doing a purging’. No! He healed them.
Friends, Jesus was actually prophecying when He healed them. He had just said that the temple was not a den of thieves, but a house of prayer. He was saying that the Lord was going to be living in people, not buildings. He was saying it is NOT His will for our bodies to be a ‘den of thieves’, with sin, fear, sickness, etc. It IS His will that our bodies be clean, whole and strong. Houses of prayer, temples of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies, not spirits. 1 Corinthians 6.
We are houses of prayer, it is written!
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Saturday, September 5, 2009
What can we do?
Good evening everybody,
John 6 says something relieving… The crowd was asking Jesus.
28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”
29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
Wow! Kind of takes the pressure off, doesn’t it? God loves us. Regardless of what we do, regardless of what we don’t do, He loves us.
You can’t do anything to make God love you any more than He already does. Think of it this way, what is infinity plus one? Infinity. God, our Father, loves us infinitely, without boundaries, limits or measures.
The height of His love is higher than the farthest star is away from the earth!
The depth of His love is deeper than the bottomless pit. The width is wider than the east is from the west. The length of the Father’s love is longer than the combined length of every measurable thing that exists! Selah (think about it for a minute)
Your heavenly Father loves you! He loves me! I know in my spirit that as we allow our hearts to dwell on, and in, his infinite love we will find it easier to believe and receive all the blessings He delights to give.
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
John 6 says something relieving… The crowd was asking Jesus.
28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”
29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
Wow! Kind of takes the pressure off, doesn’t it? God loves us. Regardless of what we do, regardless of what we don’t do, He loves us.
You can’t do anything to make God love you any more than He already does. Think of it this way, what is infinity plus one? Infinity. God, our Father, loves us infinitely, without boundaries, limits or measures.
The height of His love is higher than the farthest star is away from the earth!
The depth of His love is deeper than the bottomless pit. The width is wider than the east is from the west. The length of the Father’s love is longer than the combined length of every measurable thing that exists! Selah (think about it for a minute)
Your heavenly Father loves you! He loves me! I know in my spirit that as we allow our hearts to dwell on, and in, his infinite love we will find it easier to believe and receive all the blessings He delights to give.
I love you all,
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Friday, September 4, 2009
The Word
Good evening everyone,
The first few verses of John are some of my favorites.
1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Look at verses 3and 4. The Word created every single thing that was created. He (the Word) gave life to every thing.. If He created everything and gave life to everything, it would be a simple thing to do a repair job on a body. Yes, Jesus is the Word made flesh, but the Word is alive and active. And it is medicine to all your flesh (proverbs 4). Isaiah said God’s word never returns void. How does it return to Him? We speak it out. It’s so simple! Isn’t that great?! I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
The first few verses of John are some of my favorites.
1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
Look at verses 3and 4. The Word created every single thing that was created. He (the Word) gave life to every thing.. If He created everything and gave life to everything, it would be a simple thing to do a repair job on a body. Yes, Jesus is the Word made flesh, but the Word is alive and active. And it is medicine to all your flesh (proverbs 4). Isaiah said God’s word never returns void. How does it return to Him? We speak it out. It’s so simple! Isn’t that great?! I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Letting Things Slip
Good evening everyone,
I heard that a minister once was seeking the Lord about some things that were slow in coming. He was used to quicker results, and felt like maybe he was missing something, so he asked the Lord. The Lord showed him three things that he needed to work on. The Lord said this…
1. You are not praying in the Spirit (speaking in other tongues) enough.
2. You are not ‘calling things that be not as though they were’ enough.
3. You are not letting the peace of God rule in your heart.
I figure if a full time minister needs to look at these things, I could too.
It is not the hearer of the word that gets results, it is the doer of the word.
We can’t heal ourselves, we cannot deliver ourselves, but we have to agree with the word for it to work. The bible says in Amos how can two walk together unless they are agreed. So to walk with the Lord daily, we agree with His word. His word that we are already healed, already delivered, already cleansed and free. Say it with me, I am healed, I am delivered, I am cleansed and free. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Thanks be to God which always causes us to triumph in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14) now let the peace of God rule in your heart.
I love y’all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
I heard that a minister once was seeking the Lord about some things that were slow in coming. He was used to quicker results, and felt like maybe he was missing something, so he asked the Lord. The Lord showed him three things that he needed to work on. The Lord said this…
1. You are not praying in the Spirit (speaking in other tongues) enough.
2. You are not ‘calling things that be not as though they were’ enough.
3. You are not letting the peace of God rule in your heart.
I figure if a full time minister needs to look at these things, I could too.
It is not the hearer of the word that gets results, it is the doer of the word.
We can’t heal ourselves, we cannot deliver ourselves, but we have to agree with the word for it to work. The bible says in Amos how can two walk together unless they are agreed. So to walk with the Lord daily, we agree with His word. His word that we are already healed, already delivered, already cleansed and free. Say it with me, I am healed, I am delivered, I am cleansed and free. I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Thanks be to God which always causes us to triumph in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14) now let the peace of God rule in your heart.
I love y’all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Jesus Loves Us
Good afternoon everybody,
Just how much does Jesus love you? Let me count the ways.
He left His seat and position at the right hand of God the Father.
He emptied Himself of all His glory and power, becoming fully human.
Philippians 2 6Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [[b]possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not [c]think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped [d]or retained,
7But stripped Himself [of all privileges and [e]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
He became a completely dependant baby, submitting to the authority of two young sinners, Mary and Joseph.
He grew up tempted but not sinning. Completely correctible.
He often did without sleep and food out of compassion for the people.
He was pressured to the point of sweating blood, tempted to think of Himself. Yet He only thought of us. Only love for us!
He went to the cross to cleanse our sins. (becoming sin itself)
He went to the whipping post for our punishment, the curse of the law.
He went to hell so we would not have to.
He was raised from the dead, raising us with Him. (Ephesians 2 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
He gave us authority over demons and disease. (Matthew 16)
He put His spirit within us. 2 Corinthians 1:22
And He gave us gifts! 1 corinthians 12
Wow! What a wonderful savior! Jesus loves us! He really loves us!!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Just how much does Jesus love you? Let me count the ways.
He left His seat and position at the right hand of God the Father.
He emptied Himself of all His glory and power, becoming fully human.
Philippians 2 6Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [[b]possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not [c]think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped [d]or retained,
7But stripped Himself [of all privileges and [e]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
He became a completely dependant baby, submitting to the authority of two young sinners, Mary and Joseph.
He grew up tempted but not sinning. Completely correctible.
He often did without sleep and food out of compassion for the people.
He was pressured to the point of sweating blood, tempted to think of Himself. Yet He only thought of us. Only love for us!
He went to the cross to cleanse our sins. (becoming sin itself)
He went to the whipping post for our punishment, the curse of the law.
He went to hell so we would not have to.
He was raised from the dead, raising us with Him. (Ephesians 2 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
He gave us authority over demons and disease. (Matthew 16)
He put His spirit within us. 2 Corinthians 1:22
And He gave us gifts! 1 corinthians 12
Wow! What a wonderful savior! Jesus loves us! He really loves us!!
I love you all.
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
God Made You Clean
Good evening everybody.
Acts is full of great stories. This one from chapter 10 tells you about a vision Peter had while waiting for lunch once.
11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
The Lord was speaking of Gentiles originally, but He quickened that last line to me in a broader sense.
Brothers and sisters, WE have been made clean by the precious blood of Jesus! He has erased all our sin forever, nailing it to the cross. Corinthians says we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.
So, you are NOT just ‘an old sinner saved by grace’. You are saved by grace and you are righteous! What God has called clean is clean!! Thanks be to God for making and calling us clean!
I love y’all clean guys. J
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
Acts is full of great stories. This one from chapter 10 tells you about a vision Peter had while waiting for lunch once.
11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
The Lord was speaking of Gentiles originally, but He quickened that last line to me in a broader sense.
Brothers and sisters, WE have been made clean by the precious blood of Jesus! He has erased all our sin forever, nailing it to the cross. Corinthians says we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.
So, you are NOT just ‘an old sinner saved by grace’. You are saved by grace and you are righteous! What God has called clean is clean!! Thanks be to God for making and calling us clean!
I love y’all clean guys. J
healed by His stripes,
Nancy Bass
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