"His Healing Touch"

DAY #36 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "'I will give peace, real peace, to those far and near, and I will heal them,' says the Lord." Isaiah 57:19 NCV

God is a restorer, a healer, a deliverer, a provider, a peace-giver, and whatever we need Him to be. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipotent and no other worldly god can compare. Others may believe that they can, but in the end HE is the 'I AM'. This verse is for everyone, yet He helps us and does what He says when we choose to do right. If we willfully choose to do what He has told us not to do, and continue in our evil ways - then of course we need to repent and turn from our wickedness before He can truly bless us. But He is there to love, forgive and change our hearts - He is just a step away. When you feel far away from God - it's not Him who moved, it's you. Just one step sends you back into His loving presence. This chapter 57 of Isaiah, verses 1-13a, God is speaking of Israel's idolatry, and is resenting what they have chosen to do. He still loves his people, but not what they are doing. He tells them that they have put other gods before Him, the one true God. If they believe in those gods to help them, then go ahead and cry out to them. In Isaiah 57:13a He says, "When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, a breath will take them." Our idols, or things we place above God in our lives cannot do anything for us in reality. For the moment they seem to please us, and give us a sense of joy. But they cannot restore, heal, deliver, bring true peace or true joy. They can be ground back to dust, and blown away in a simple breath. God will remain forever! God is a jealous God, ("Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Exodus 34:14) but not in the sense of the word that we use so frivolousy today. God has created us to worship Him, and to fulfill the plans that He has made -- so when we are choosing something else over Him, He is angered, yet He is saddened to the extent of a broken-heart for His children, to see them choosing the path of evil. HE DESIRES YOU TO LIVE A FULFILLED LIFE! He did all He did for YOU! Right now to us, our 'godly' choices may seem pleasant and fulfilling, yet they lead down the path of unrighteousness to eternal death. GOD WANTS TO EXPERIENCE LIFE WITH YOU FOREVER! When we choose to live our lives in a righteous, holy way, we can still receive the pleasure we desire plus sooooo much more! God wants us to go down the path of righteousness that leads to eternal rest, peace, joy, health, provision, love and sooooo much more. He wants you to live to your MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS... The M.E. that He has called you to be.

We've all been a backslider at one time or another, with a simple choice or a more complex choice. Sin is still sin, no matter how small. BUT, if we choose to trust in Him, and even try to live righteously and holy He will indeed bless us. Continuing verse 13, God says, 'But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain.' (Isaiah 57:13b) God sees us, and He knows us -- more deeper than some of us realize I think. Sometimes we think we can hide our sin from others, and even from God. Yet God is everywhere (omnipresent), and knows everything (omniscient) and He is all-powerful (omnipotent) that He knows everything about everyone and watches all that we think, do and say. He knows if you are 'trying'... He knows your hearts motives. He will lead us back into His peace and comfort if we choose to repent and return to Him. That leads us into our verse for today, (NKJV translation) "'Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,' Says the LORD, 'And I will heal him'.” To those who choose Him and His peace, He will grant it. He will heal YOU today! I claim the healing of the Lord to be upon you and your household and family 'far and near' today IF you have chosen to put aside your wicked desires, and to choose life with Him. But before we can start claiming the healing, we need to restore our hearts, as we all have sinned. (Romans 3:23) -- pray along with me, if you are choosing LIFE, 'Father I ask you to forgive me FROM ALL the sins that I have committed against your Will and your Ways in my life (from birth to this point called 'today') (and help us to FORGIVE OTHERS) in thought, word and deed - intentionally and unintentionally so that we may enter Your throne-room boldly and we may receive our blessings that you have promised to us. We receive your healing touch today in the Name of Jesus.'

**If you have never prayed the 'salvation prayer' before or experienced the peace that is spoken of above, then here's your chance today. The only thing you are giving up is things that aren't going to last long anyway -- which if you don't give up, will only make your own life not last as long as it could (which is eternally). --- You've already made the first step known - admit to God that you are a sinner, because after all - all of us are sinners. (Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") After that you need to believe that God is God, and that Jesus is His Son. He sent His Son to die for us, so that we as sinners didn't need to be condemned to death. (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, bu the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.") Then do as we did above, and Confess your sins to Him and ask for forgiveness -- and then confess aloud that JESUS IS LORD. (Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.") We need to daily ask for forgiveness, because we are human and we will always mess up in some way or another. God is willing and able to forgive us, and welcome YOU into His family. I don't like to write out a prayer to say word for word, as this important step is something that you need to tell God in your own words. Just tell Him what's in your heart - you're a sinner, you want to believe in Him but it may be hard, you want Him to forgive you of what you've done, and you want to choose life with Him through His Son Jesus. It's as simple as that. **

Stop being content in your unbelief -- Don't end up like Eddie! (I found it on the internet somewhere and WOW... eye-opener!)

So don't just read about it, RECEIVE HIS HEALING TOUCH today. He desires to heal you (& your family) in EVERY area of your life. (Physically, Spiritually, Socially, Emotionally, Mentally & Financially). In the words of Anne Graham Lotz, "Jesus Christ is the One by Whom, for Whom, through Whom everything was made. Therefore, he knows what's wrong in your life, and He knows how to fix it." -- JUST ASK HIM TO DO IT!

Walk out in your healing today, don't look to the circumstances or the symptoms and feel discouraged, know that God is doing a GREAT work in YOU inside and out!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!