Sunday Sabbath  January 3 2016  GOD’S DESIRE

The first week of January is a time our Pastor calls our church body together for a week of PRAYER AND FASTING.  Meetings are Monday through Friday evenings from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p .m..  Each night has a different focus on what is to be prayed.  Fasting is not necessarily giving up food but can also include fasting from television or computers and phones.  It may also include giving up other activities that a person believes the Lord is calling them to give up. 

Just think of the possibilities if each God fearing church in the United States all joined together for the same week of prayer and fasting, joining together to pray for our churches, country, and our leadership.  The scripture calls “THE CHURCH” to pray.  Prayer changes things.  Prayer is powerful.  If “THE CHURCH” no longer prays, then who will do it? 

In case you have not noticed, our country is ailing.  If it were diagnosed in medical terminology it might even fall into the “terminally ill” category.  Sin is rampant, the government is corrupt, our freedoms are being taken away, and most people just put on blinders or join in with the corruptness.  Perhaps we, as believers, should remember the verse in 2 Chronicles:

2 Chronicles 7:14 New King James Version (NKJV)

^“14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

“…and will forgive their sin and heal their land…” is the promise that God gives to us if we will humble ourselves and pray.

For those who read this blog I would ask that if you believe in the miracle of prayer, please unite with our congregation this week as we join together in prayer.  Distance is no deterrent, God has no barriers in hearing from everyone, everywhere, at all times.  I have many more readers from afar than I have in my own community.  One reason is because not too many in my own community know I even write a blog, and secondly, because most of the people who contact me through this blog are those I met on my trip across the country last year.  Whoever you are, wherever you are, if you are a believer, please add your prayers to ours.  Monday we are praying for Revival in the Church.  Tuesday our prayer is for Awakening the World.  Wednesday is prayer for Youth of All Ages.  Thursday is a time when we will pray for the Prophetic Word that God Has for the Vision of Our Church Body and Friday will be an evening of Celebration to the Lord.  Celebrate the Lord with us wherever you may live!

Three years ago I attended this same week’s event.  I was quite ill at the time.  I had been diagnosed with a serious long term illness, was extremely obese, could barely maintain my daily existence, was in so much pain, and had a terrible agonizing deep cough without a diagnosis.  That first week in January I attended each service.  One night I was so sick that I went into the church library so I could still hear the service but not disturb everyone with my hacking cough.  That was an amazing week for me.  I came to terms with many issues I was going through and turned to God and began to diligently seek the Lord as to what His will was for me as well as for the church body. 

The following week I was diagnosed with pneumonia, thus the cough.  The cough was so severe that I broke two ribs from coughing so hard.  I was put on antibiotic medication that seemed to help and then my heart began terrible irregular palpitations.  I had a history of this so I didn’t want to tell Dave because we were leaving shortly on a vacation to Florida.  So, I kept my mouth shut, did not go see my cardiologist for fear of having to cancel my trip, and boarded the plane. Well, you guessed it.  I only got worse.  I couldn’t do much on the trip but refused to see a doctor.  When I was previously in Florida, visiting our daughter, I had such a bad Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) episode that I was taken to the hospital by ambulance and spent most of my time in Florida hospitalized.  It was later discovered that the medicine subscribed for my pneumonia was actually causing deaths to those who were diagnosed with A-Fib.  That would be me!  But, as you can see, I didn’t die.

After the January services I knew that God was working deep in my life.  Finally, in March, two months after the Prayer and Fasting week at church, I finally surrendered myself completely to be obedient to what I believed God was asking of me.  I knew I needed to start following the orders of my General Practioner and the neurologist (whose care I was under) if I was going to have a chance to get my health back.  Those were difficult months for me.  It took me six months from my diagnosis in September to finally come to terms with the fact that it was probable that I had MS.  I think I just couldn’t accept the diagnosis.  I refused to look it in the face.  I refused to do what needed to be done for the recovery of my health.  In that first six months I only acknowledged the fact that I MIGHT have MS on two distinct nights that I remember well.  Those two night I stayed awake and cried.  Finally, in March I gave it to God.

I knew I would need to lose weight.  My balance was off and my entire body hurt.  Then, add into the mix the broken ribs, and I was really ready for a pity party.  Instead, I chose to lean on God, keep my spirits up and finally surrender to Him what I believed His Holy Spirit was prompting me to do.  I believed that God was giving me instructions to be obedient to three things.  The first, I was to exercise as prescribed by both doctors.  The second, I was to eat healthy and take half of my food off my plate before eating.  The third, to be obedient to God.  Sometimes I have a little trouble with obedience. 

So that evening I sat down at the table after surrendering to God and agreeing to follow His plan.  I served up dinner and I looked down at my plate, piled high with lots of good food, stood up, and took my plate back to the kitchen.  Dave asked me if I had forgotten something.  I told him yes I had.  I had forgotten to take half of my food off my plate before I ate.  Then I explained to him my “conversation” with God earlier in the day. He just sort of looked at me and nodded his head.  Then I told Dave I would be joining a gym the next day to get started on the physical therapy that the doctors prescribed.  He said okay!  So I did.  I think God let me forget to take half of my portions off my plate that first night so I would actually see how much food I consumed.  The first two weeks were a bit rough.  After those first two weeks my stomach shrunk and the half portions began to be too much.  I found myself cutting back more and more and then eating smaller meals more frequently. 

At first when I joined the gym I could only use a recumbent bicycle and do a few exercises on a bench.  I had to do my floor exercises on the bench because I could not get myself up off the floor.  I had periodical meetings with a trainer who worked with me and helped me with strength building and balance so I could eventually use more and more equipment.  It was very difficult and humbling to go to the gym every day and see so many slim, healthy, and vibrant people working out on all the equipment and I couldn’t even get up from the floor.  I chose to weigh on the 1^st and 15^th of each month.  I lost about 1 to 1½ pounds every two weeks.  Not a quick weight loss but it was steady.  Some weigh-ins I would drop perhaps two or three pounds. By June I had lost about 30 pounds.  My neurologist was astounded at my progress.  By September I had reduced another 20 or so pounds.  At that time I had another complete M.S. workup, including another MRI, and extensive neurological testing.  When I returned for the evaluation later, the neurologist was amazed at my progress.  My MRI was better than normal for my age, the neurological part of my exam was excellent, and my pain levels were almost non-existent.  I was discharged from her care but would need to return if any of my symptoms returned.  She did say that the symptoms could return, but as of that moment she would say I did not have any symptoms of MS.  She told me a lot more, and it was all good!  I am believing my symptoms will never return!

I really do believe that the beginning of my healing began that week in January when I attended the meetings at church for the week.  I was struggling, and when I look back now I can see how God was with me all the way.  It was only through Him that I was able to stand up, face my situation, do what He put in my heart for me to do, and to go forward with my life instead of giving up on myself.  And to this day, I don’t really know if even those closest to me knew how much I struggled with what I was going though.  There were only about three or four people that had been told about the MS diagnosis.  I always felt like I had to be strong.  And now I realize I was standing on my own confidence and not on God’s confidence.  Not only that, as a friend pointed out to me, I was not allowing the body of believers to pray with and for me.

I said all that I’ve said above because of a sermon I heard this morning.  The sermon hit a bull’s eye today.  It was presented by our Minister of Youth, Derrick Wright and is titled: “THIS ONE THING”.  You can listen to it by googling “City Church Madison Wisconsin”.  Go to Media and then the Sunday Sermon for today, January 3, 2016.  It is well worth listening to!  Believe me, I will be listening to it again.  It opened my eyes to some self-realization which I needed.  I understand a bit better all that I was going through three years ago.  Yes, three years is a long time ago and you may wonder why it is relevant for today.  The sermon made it relevant for today.  I have a better understanding of the difference between “self-confidence” and “God-confidence.  The second reason is realizing the difference between doing things for your own glory, rather than for God’s glory.  And the third reason is understanding the difference that GOD DOESN’T NEED ME, but, HE DESIRES ME.  The sermon was filled with so much more.  Since this blog is way longer than I intended it to be I will stop here and let you listen to the sermon for yourself.  Just try to take the time to do so if you have a chance. I use my gym time to listen to sermons!

The contents of this blog was not premeditated, nor even planned, when I sat down to write.  It just felt like it was the right time to share it.  When we have miracles happen in our lives I do believe we are to give the glory to God and share our testimony with others.  It has taken me a long time to share mine publicly.  Whether I was misdiagnosed with MS, and perhaps never had it at all, I will never know.  I choose to believe that God healed me of whatever I had.  He gave my life back to me.  My feet are no longer crippled like they were previously.  My knees no longer have the pain they once felt.  I can walk long distances.  I can climb rocks and hike on back trails and even on mountains that have no trails.  I can work out on many different kinds of exercise equipment, and do so several times each week.  I am able to play with my grandchildren on the floor and can pop up right from the floor ALL BY MYSELF!  I no longer have chronic excruciating headaches.  I can cook for long hours without taking a break, and I sleep like a champ (hopefully without snoring).  And at my age I had the courage to take off on a trip for four months, solo, with God as my companion.  And oh, let me tell you, even with all the naysayers, it was one of the most spectacular events of my lifetime!  Just me and God!  And it was amazing!

So…I think I am going to go to each of the meetings this week and seek God’s face.  I look forward to joining with our church body to seek God’s face and to know what He has for our church body.  I will also open my heart to new possibilities that He has planned for my walk with Him.  He doesn’t NEED ME, but I CERTAINLY DO NEED HIM!  

Philippians 1:6 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

The following poem is inspired by Derrick Wright’s sermon today.  I incorporated the words of Derrick’s daily prayer in the poem’s message.  I hope it will bless you as much as his sermon blessed me.  Thank you Derrick for sharing your heart!

GOD’S DESIRE

By Kathleen Martens

January 3, 2016

Sometimes I walk a lonely road

And heavy burdens I bear.

Though I may not realize it,

Right beside me God is there.

Sometimes I choose not to listen

To the tender word God speaks.

I’d rather do things my way,

Than consider God’s way to seek.

I work and labor and toil

In the work that God needs done,

Before I finally realize

 I’m not really the needed one.

For God is the almighty King,

Source of all power and might.

There is nothing I can do,

That He can’t do outright.

Then I realize He does not NEED

From one so weak and tired.

And though He doesn’t NEED me,

I am the one that He DESIRES.

Finally my eyes are opened

And for Wisdom I do pray.

And favor with God I ask

In my prayers every day.

And I ask God for favor

From my fellow man.

And That God’s presence and power

Allows me to do all I can.

And I thank God for His power

As revelation is released

Of who God is in my life,

That His love is increased.

That I will help others,

In so many different ways,

With the strength that comes

From my Savior each day.

And I always ask my Lord

That He teach me something new.

For God is my instructor

And what He says is true!

Long Blog but I hope you made it to the end.

Good night and God bless you!