Category Archives: Will of God

Uncle Arthur, Two Caroline’s and Me

I have enjoyed having several guest writers while I have been overseas. They have been a blessing to readers and followers of Hope in the Healing. I have a few more in the wings, you will love them just as much. I have asked today’s guest to write for us several times, twisted her arm and tried to bribe her but it never worked. Thankfully, she finally consented. Friends, she is gifted with words. This beautiful soul has been a friend to me for 40 years. She was my Sunday School teacher, my youth pastor for a short while, taught me to sew (well, she tried to teach me, I was a poor student), and became my sister-in-law 35 years ago. She is the real deal. Always the same, keeps her promises and keeps her mouth shut. I have always admired that quality. Be blessed as I introduce my friend, Dixie Jones.

For as long as I can remember, I have had a love for reading. As a child, my favorite book was Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories. It contained maybe 50 to 75 short stories, and each one had a moral truth that it tried to impart through the tale.

One in particular impressed me more than the others; it was about Two Caroline’s. This story was illustrated with a picture of two faces of the same little girl. The faces were three-quarter silhouettes which faced in opposite directions. One face was done in monochromatic color, and the little girl’s face was angry looking, with a frown on her brow.

The other face was done in full color, and the face of the girl was smiling and cheerful looking. I recall, when I was young, that I looked at those faces for quite some time before I comprehended that both faces were the same little girl.

The content of the story presented Caroline, who went to school, where she was the cheerful little girl who was loved by her teacher. Caroline was a pleasant student, and her teacher would brag to her parents about what a sweet young lady their daughter was and how proud they must be of her.

But at home, Caroline showed that other unpleasant face. She complained about cleaning her bedroom, and about helping her mother in general. It became so unbearable that Caroline’s mother decided that she must act to teach her a lesson.

One day at home, Caroline’s mother called to her to come to the parlor to help her. Caroline did not enjoy having her time interrupted, and she began to argue with her mother as she made her way to the parlor. She stomped her foot and complained loudly as she entered the parlor. She was behaving quite badly, and then her mother brought to her attention that they had a guest in the parlor that happened to have her back to Caroline.

Oh, how upset she was when the guest turned to face her and it was her teacher from school!

Caroline was quite embarrassed that her teacher had seen her as she was at home, and the teacher learned an ugly truth about her prized student that day.

Have any of us been guilty of acting like Caroline?

Do we gripe and complain in front of our family, and then go to church or some other public place and act like honey wouldn’t melt in our mouth?

I’m sure we have all been guilty of this at some time or other.

They don’t deserve that kind of treatment.

James 3: 10- 18 are precious verses which give us wise counsel in this area of our life. Beginning in verse 10- 11: “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”

Jesus is trying to show us that this is contrary to what should be happening in our lives and our spirit. Our spirit should show consistent conversation and behavior as we grow closer to Jesus Christ.

To conclude the story of Caroline, she learned a lesson she never forgot. She no longer acted one way at school for her favorite teacher, and another way at home for her mother. She became a sweeter Caroline, at home as well as at school.

Life certainly throws us a few curves as we travel our pathway. But instead of speaking bitter utterances, let’s just go to our knees in prayer to the One who loves us the most, and seek His help in our lives.

Dixie Jones is a school teacher, former principal, a busy pastor’s wife, mother, daughter and friend. She and her husband, Danny, pastor the greatest church in Orleans, Indiana, where they initiated their own church plant over 13 years ago. They have seen family members, friends and strangers come to know Jesus Christ because of their sacrifice.

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A Miracle Waiting in the Water!

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Have you heard of the Abana and Pharpar syndrome? Naaman had it. He originated it, all because he did not want to humble himself.

Naaman was a “captain of the host of the king of Syria” and the Bible says he was a great man, honorable and a mighty man of valor.

But he was a leper.

Naaman’s wife had a “little maid” who was taken captive out of Israel and she was sympathetic toward her master and his condition. She told Naaman’s wife that if he were with the prophet in Samaria he would be able to heal him of his leprosy.

She was confident of the power of God and confident in the man of God!

This was told to Naaman and he eventually makes his way to the house of Elisha the prophet. Elisha sends a messenger to Naaman and tells him to “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”

Sounds simple enough, right? Not for Naaman…

“Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” 2 Kings 5:11. This infuriated Naaman! He wanted pomp and fanfare to go along with his healing!

“Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.” 2 Kings 5:12.

Abana and Pharpar were rivers that were closer to home and much cleaner than the muddy, nasty Jordan River. But there is so much more here than just two rivers that were nicer to take a bath in.

Doctors are well aware of the Abana and Pharpar syndrome. They see patients with this “disease” quite regularly. They make an appointment, then come in and tell the doctor all about their ailment. He listens, makes a diagnosis and then prescribes his “cure” or course of treatment.

“But wait! This is not what we wanted! We have researched this disease on the internet (everyone knows if you read it on the internet it has to be true!), and we want this treatment, this medicine, this way to feeling better.”

Abana and Pharpar syndrome.

The patient knows better than the Healer.

The patient wants to become the doctor, he tells the Healer how he knows a better way…

But it doesn’t work that way in the field of medicine and it doesn’t work that way with God either.

Naaman’s servants were much wiser than their master. They got together and went to Naaman and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great , would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” 2 Kings 5:13 NKJV.

They definitely hit the nail on the head. If Elisha had come and stood before Naaman waving his magic wand and making a big show out of things before Naaman’s healing, he would have been thrilled! But he couldn’t do something as simple as washing in the river…there was no fanfare, no glory in the muddy Jordan!

His servants finally convinced him and he went down and obeyed, dipped himself seven times and “…his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean”. 2 Kings 5:14.

Obedience and humility were put into action and the miracle could then take place!

How many times have we been like Naaman with our own Abana and Pharpar syndrome? We have it all figured out for the Lord. “If you will do it this way, God, I will get what I want and everything will be just fine.”

We pray…but we pray with conditions.

We even tell God how it would work out best for us and instruct Him how to go about it.

Are we really allowing God to govern our lives?

Do we really want the will of God or do we want our will to come out of His mouth?

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If we will submit to our Lord in the beginning, humble ourselves before Him and let Him be in control of every facet of our lives, we can be sure of His blessing. We can be assured of His hand upon everything that we go to do…but we must be willing and obedient.

Humility and obedience. Those two things will negate the Abana and Pharpar syndrome! It takes the ME out of the picture and puts God in His rightful place.

Aren’t things so much easier when He is in control? He sees down the road!! He knows what is best! Naaman is proof…all he had to do was dip…seven times. Naaman thought it was foolish but God had bigger plans than just dirty bath water for Naaman.

He had a miracle waiting in the water.

What is the miracle or answer you are waiting for? Turn it over to God and let Him work it out for you!

The Promise

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Day 3 of the 31 Days of Christmas…we are preparing our hearts the entire month of December. Not to unwrap presents but to enjoy the Reason for the Season and celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ! This week we are discovering some of the people who are linked to the lineage and genealogy of the Savior and how we can compare and contrast their lives to our own. You can catch up Day One, super short, and Day Two first if you like, they will open in a different window. I will wait for you…“What was that promise again, Abraham? It’s been so long!”

“I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly…and you shall be a father of many nations.” Genesis 17:1,2 NKJV.

“Oh yes, but there is more!”

“Yes, Sarah, there is more…”

“As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” Genesis 17:15, 16. NKJV.

That was The Promise Sarah was waiting on…the one that concerned her the most. This Promise caused Sarah to laugh when it was prophesied over her, and then in shame she denied her laughter.

Abraham and Sarah waited for The Promise, their promise was physically impossible! They were beyond child-bearing age, they had never had a child of their own together. Here they were approaching the century mark and Almighty God tells them they are to have a child!

Not only would they have a child but the Lord tells Abraham he would be the father of a great nation, of many nations, his descendants would be innumerable.

We know they received their promise, the child. “And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.” Genesis 21:1-3 NKJV.

But what about the other part of The Promise? Did not the Lord vow to make him a “father of many nations”? “This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob… (skipping way down…) Matthan was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

There is Abraham, the father of Isaac, the father of Ishmael too. But, more importantly, the father of many nations, just as the Lord had promised!

Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.” Matthew 1:1-17 NLT.

You mean there is more?

“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ: that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:14.

That blessing of Abraham was surely to be the father of many nations and he brought forth The Promise, Jesus, through his bloodline! That is our blessing (the Gentiles)! What a hope! What a promise!

(Of course we know that it didn’t stop with the Baby in the manger, but that Promise of the Spirit now resides IN us, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is Jesus Christ alive inside of us, leading, guiding, comforting, protecting, and walking with us each and every day!)

As exciting as this is, many of these great patriarchs that we talk about may have never realized their place in history! They were just following the will of God.

The lineage of Jesus is full of people like Abraham, great and mighty leaders who made a difference in their world, impacted nations and changed the course of history. They are listed in the ancestry of Jesus, the Messiah!

In it you will also find amazing people like Rahab, (see Day 2’s post here) just an ordinary person who recognized the God of Israel to be like no god she had ever come in contact with before! Because of her curiosity, she risked her life to save herself and her family and she too, alongside great men like Abraham, is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ!

It’s not about what we do today, not about the glory we receive. It’s about walking with Him daily, walking in The Promise!

What is the promise that you are waiting for? How about if what you are doing today, walking with Him, following His leading, IS your promise? At least for now? I heard a long, long time ago that whatever place I found myself in, until God moved me or told me to do otherwise, that WAS His will, so walk in it! Work in it!

There is plenty to be done right where you are, so until He says otherwise; this is the will of God for your life!

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Is there something from God that you have waited years for an answer? Don’t give up! Remember Sarah! At 90 years old the Lord promised her a child, is there anything too hard for God?!

Are you wondering if your ministry is of any value? Will it make a difference in anyone’s life? Remember Abraham! Generation after generation, times thousands of generations, and here we are today still modeling our lives after this hero of the faith.

I would love to hear your thoughts today on The Promise. What do you see in Abraham and Sarah? Are you struggling with a promise of your own? I would love to pray with you! You can always contact me privately if you wish at the top of the blog under CONTACT ME or email me at ynannette@gmail.com. Join in the discussion today!

Remember the Reason for the Season…Remember Jesus.

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