His Healing Word

Serious Changes In This Country

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Wed, 29 May 2013 03:57:00 +0000

I have a question for you. Has anyone noticed some serious changes in this country? Do you wonder if there’s anything that can be done to turn us around before we go over the moral cliff?

The Associate Pastor at my church in Tampa (Great Hope Christian Fellowship) has written an intriguing fiction that during the course of the story asks and answers some of these questions. But it is not the information in the book that is as important as the personal transformation you will experience through the truths presented and the interactions and adventures of the main characters. Here are some of the comments made on the Amazon site.

Zelnbo said: "A very enjoyable, informative book. Love the way Linda got the message across...no preaching yet the message came through loud and clear! Should be in the hands of 'everyone'! The last few chapters were so shocking, surprising and encouraging! Didn't know I would be needing tissues for my tears. Started re-reading when I finished. Great work, Linda! Glad "The Chaplain" is still alive!!"
Judy said: "This is such a moving and uplifting book. It gives hope for our young people today. It offers so much for young people as well as ideas for pastors and youth leaders to use as a basis for bringing the youth back in line with the values intended by our founding fathers and enjoyed by previous generations growing up in this great country."
Margaret said: "I have already spread the word and will continue for it is truly an overflow of God, speaking through you, you are so blessed to be used of God in such a mighty way and I am only about half way through. I pray that God will pour out blessings on you and the book will reach millions."

DMR-5, The Next Generation is now available at Xulon Press, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble in paperback, Nook or Kindle format. View the awesome trailer below. God bless. Go on now…go get this awesome book. You won’t be able to put it down once you start!

Enter by the Narrow Gate (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 05:38:00 +0000

We live in a secular culture, a "wide-gate" culture. Without the redemption in Jesus, the world is on a path of destruction and chaos.

Remember, knowing what you stand for limits what you fall for.

Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate: For the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it." (Matthew 7:13,14)

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Arise and Stand On Your Feet (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:09:00 +0000

Before Paul was converted, he had an amazing experience on his way to Damascus to persecute faithful and devoted followers of Christ.

At midday, while the sun was at its brightest, suddenly a light from heaven brighter than the sun could ever shine was shining all around him and those who were with him. Everyone fell to the ground; and Paul heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." (...useless to go against God's will–New Living Translation) Paul said, "Who are you, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But arise, and stand on your feet, for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness..."

Today, we also as believers, having the light of the gospel of Christ appear to us, are to "arise and stand on our feet" for such a time as this. We are to be unashamed, giving witness and testimony as able ministers of a new covenant sealed with the blood of Jesus.

Isaiah declares, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." (See Acts 26:12-16, Isaiah 60:1, NIV)

NOW GO LIVE IT!

The Day We Lost The Heavens (by Ted Marshall)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 01:35:00 +0000

[Today's post is made by my husband, Ted Marshall. Those who know him know that he loves anything that has to do with our space program, astronauts or anything that flies. The landing of our last space shuttle today prompted Ted to write from his heart how he feels about the ending of our space exploration, and I'd like to share it with you. The photo was taken this morning by our friend who works at Kennedy Space Center, and is used with his permission.]

As a boy, my heroes were the astronauts, rocket scientists and technicians who worked at the space centers at Cape Canaveral (now Kennedy Space Center) and Houston …

I lived in Melbourne, Florida, and my dad worked at Patrick AFB supporting the space program. This was during the time of our first American astronauts of the Mercury program, followed by the Gemini and then the Apollo Moon Shot. This was such an inspiring time in our nation. The leadership and vision of our President John F. Kennedy was to set a goal to take the American dream and “can-do” spirit to the moon. The nation was exploring and rekindling the pioneer heritage of our forefathers. Even after John Kennedy was assassinated, we pulled together to reach the stars. I was a witness to American greatness.

In 1965, my dad showed me a NASA program proposal of the plan that was to follow the Apollo moon program. NASA was thinking and planning way ahead! (Project Nova was to put men on Mars.) The goal was to be accomplished by 1980. What an incredible plan and long-range vision for the future.

What happened? This is 2011 and the end of the American ability to put our astronauts in space. Today, the space shuttle came back from the heavens for the last time. You see, when we stop looking up and just look down, we lose the ability to dream; we lose the spirit to reach out; we lose the direction and guidance of faith.

The first time the Apollo astronauts looked back at the earth from orbiting the moon, they radioed back to earth reading from the book of Genesis in the Bible. On the first launch of an American into earth orbit (John Glenn), Astronaut Scott Carpenter radioed to him on lift-off “God’s speed, John Glenn”. The time that we knew the extent of the danger that Apollo 13 was in and that it might not make it home from its moon mission, the nation and world collectively prayed for intervention. The nation prayed for the souls of the crews on the Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia.

America needs to start looking up. We need to reach for guidance from the heavens and put new leadership in place that has real vision and faith and those who will lead from the front with the can-do spirit. Without setting and working on the difficult goals, we settle for mediocrity – we are doomed to achieve the mundane.

Today, I pray “Lord lift our nation’s eyes to You and give us the direction we must go. Help us to work together to come closer to You. Help our country focus on a clear vision of the future. Lord, let us once again reach for the stars so we may find a piece of heaven.”

Almost - Victorious or Defeated? (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Almost is a powerful adverb meaning slightly short of; not quite, or nearly. How many times have you almost had an accident, and how many times have you had an accident and almost escaped the experience?

Almost made the difference in having an accident or not. Likewise, multitudes (a very great number) will miss out on entering the kingdom of God because they almost gave their heart to Jesus but just didn't get around to it. They were too busy with so much to do and no time to do it.

In 2 Corinthians 6:2, we read, "At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you; behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation." "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." (Hebrews 4:7)

God has given us this moment, this acceptable time, to trust Him completely. Remember, to procrastinate will leave you an "almost-er", and you will be left behind and left out.

NOW GO LIVE IT!

God's Love Begins At Home (by Margaret C. Duran)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:50:00 +0000

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12-14)

The Apostles Paul and Timothy were speaking to the brothers in Christ in Colosse. But, as I was reading that chapter, my thoughts were centered around the family. What a different world it would be if we would practice these virtues within our own homes. As our lives were changed by this love from our family members, it would overflow to how we treated others whom we came in contact with outside our homes, creating a viral affect throughout the world. Imagine that!

You know, that is the example Jesus left with us. But few practice this congeniality - just plain common courtesy. You may say, "Well, I want to relax and be myself at home." But home is where it all starts. Unless we show true love to our family, they may never feel the wonderful joy of the virtues of compassion, kindness, gentleness and patience. These are the ingredients of real love ... real Christian love. The very best place to show it is with our family, then it will go out into the world as a light in the darkness.

Is your lamp under a bushel basket? Let the goodness of God shine through you as you go about your daily life. It will be seen and felt by others.

To God be all glory!

Against The Crowd (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 04:55:00 +0000

This week we continue to reflect on Numbers 13 and 14.

Joshua and Caleb had just returned from Canaan and couldn't believe what they were hearing from the other ten fearful, doubting, and disobedient spies.

These men incited the crowd and blindsided them to believe that the giants and fortified cities were too great for God to conquer.

Even though they had evidence of the bounty of the land and God's promise to succeed, the people chose to believe a lie and basically said, "This conquest God has planned ain't gonna happen."

Thank God for Joshua and Caleb who stood against the unbelieving crowd and confidently declared that God was able to perform what he had promised.

Today, we also who believe can stand against the crowd of doubters and declare that God is able! Someone has said, "Any dead fish can float downstream - it takes a live one to swim upstream."

NOW GO LIVE IT!

New Church Website (by Carolyn Marshall)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:09:00 +0000

On March 13 of this year, I added two new contributors to His Healing Word blog, Pastor Mark Parsons and Associate Pastor Linda Pugsley. Today, it is with great excitement that we announce the publishing of our new website for Great Hope Christian Fellowship Church! We hope that the Sermons, Articles, Spiritual Snacks and “Holy Purple Cow!” will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord and enter into an abundant life in Him. Dive in, take a peek, and check it out at http://www.myghcf.com/.

Pastor Mark and Associate Pastor Linda will continue to contribute here on His Healing Word, too. We are looking forward to this new journey the Lord has set our feet upon. What a blessing it is to share His truths by stepping beyond the boundaries of our local church and community and into the world through this wonderful "over-the-fence" ministry.

How Do We Maintain A Walk With God? (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sun, 29 May 2011 03:09:00 +0000

Last week, we shared on what it means to walk with God. This week, the emphasis is on how to maintain a walk of faith with God.

1. Search the Scriptures. Jesus said the scriptures testify of Him. (John 5:39) The Holy Spirit will give us revelation, but we must search for this heavenly treasure.

2. Pray to Him. We are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), and we must be devoted to prayer (Romans 12:12). If there is no prayer, there is no communion. If no communion, then there is no walk.

3. Meditate and Reflect. David said, "How blessed is the man who meditates in God's laws day and night." (Psalm 1:1,2)

4. Remain Faithful To God Alone. God said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)

5. Receive Constructive Criticism. "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives." (Hebrews 12:5,6) Remember, He's the potter, we're the clay.

Determine to practice these principles and maintain a steadfast walk with God through Christ Jesus.

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Walking With God - What Does This Mean For Us? (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Thu, 26 May 2011 06:47:00 +0000

Wonderful and lasting results take place when we engage in a faithful, sincere and steadfast walk with God through Jesus Christ.

1. There is no more enmity (hostility, hatred, antagonism) between God and man because it was put to death on the cross. (Eph. 2:11-22)

2. We are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. What Adam lost (life with God) has been restored through Jesus. We have been brought back into fellowship with God and received the atonement. (Rom. 5:1-11)

3. We now have an intimate and meaningful fellowship with Him. Christ has been confirmed (established) in our hearts, and we are not lacking in any gift; we are blameless. (1 Cor. 1:4-9)

4. Progress and growth in our Christian lives. Peter exclaimed, "Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that you may grow in respect to salvation." (1 Peter 2:2; Eph. 4:11-16)

This is not a walk of carnality or religion, but a relationship with the Living God! Therefore, be determined to set your feet on a course of obedience and walk with Him into everlasting life.

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Walking With God (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sun, 15 May 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Oh, to walk with God and to be pleasing to Him—to love, worship, adore, and obey Him each and every day of our lives!

We read in Genesis 5:24 that “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Again in Hebrews 11:5, “By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up, for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.”

We also learn from Hebrews 11:6 that “without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Therefore, the message is clear for Enoch’s generation and for our generation today that all mankind cannot please God without faith in the Living God through Jesus Christ His Son.

Satan was active in that time and sought to destroy Enoch’s walk of faith in God. His evil is present today as well, and he seeks the fall of all true believers in Jesus Christ. Walk in the Spirit; walk in faith; walk in the light; walk in love and in truth; and walk with God through Jesus—and you will be victorious over all evil!

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Mothers of Faith, Children of God (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Mon, 09 May 2011 00:53:00 +0000

There is a tremendous responsibility for a mother to raise up a child in the love and admonition of the Living God. (Proverbs 22:6)

I thank God for the example we have in Jochebed, the mother of Moses. We read about her, her husband Amram, and Moses in Exodus 2:1-10. However, in Hebrews 11:23, we discover the reason for her actions -- she moved in faith! "By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict." (NIV)

Although we know little about Jochebed, we can learn much about her faith in God to surrender her child into His hands. She placed Moses in a well-prepared and sealed papyrus basket into the dangerous and crocodile-filled Nile River (symbolic of our present world).

Acting on faith, this mother was moved to release her son unto God's care. She did not know he would be the very man God would use to deliver Israel after 400 years of bondage and enslavement. What a mother of faith, what a child of God!

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Temptation (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sun, 01 May 2011 03:54:00 +0000

Temptation is an enticement to evil ... period! It is too easy to just cruise through life on auto-pilot and thusly end up being slammed over and over again with temptation and succumbing to it. We need a plan to break that cycle!

God has a plan. He allows various trials to come our way, and in these trials are many temptations. He uses these temptations to reveal our weaknesses to us, but He always makes a way of escape and shows us how to defeat the wily ways of evil.

FIGHT the devil; FOLLOW Jesus; FLEE from sin; FEED the soul. With prayer, consistent Bible study and fellowship with strong Christians, we can go forth and with great power can say, "Get thee behind me Satan". (James 4:7-8; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Corinthians 10:14; 2 Timothy 2:22; Romans 13:14)

NOW GO LIVE IT!

God Is My Pilot (by Carolyn Marshall)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:20:00 +0000

Sometimes, our lives are so full of ourselves that there is no room for God. It seems as if we are on auto-pilot for self-destruction. There is too much work to do, too many places to go, too many people to see and help, and so little time to do it all. We put a self-imposed label on ourselves as superman or superwoman and head off to conquer our world. In doing that, we get in God's way of what He is trying to do in and through us.

We stifle God's purpose for our life by asking Him to be our "co-pilot". You've all probably seen the bumper stickers and other things out there with the saying "God is my co-pilot". That is where we get into trouble. I don't want God to be my co-pilot. I want Him to be in total control of my life. That is the only way I can serve Him fully, and it is the only way He can manifest His love in my life to its full capacity.

I was sorting through some things in my office today, and I came across a little card my mother sent me a long time ago. All it had on it was The Prayer Of The Chalice, but it is so powerful. Although you have probably read it many times before, please take the time to read through it again now. Copy the prayer and put it somewhere you can see it daily. We need to always be focused on our Lord and let Him be in control. He has so much love to give us, so many blessings to lavish on us, and so many ways for us to share Him with others. We just have to let Him.

The Prayer Of The Chalice

(Francis Nuttall)

Father, to Thee I raise my whole being - a vessel emptied

of self. Accept, Lord, this my emptiness, and so fill me

with Thyself - Thy Light, Thy Love, Thy Life - that

these Thy precious gifts may radiate through me

and overflow the chalice of my heart into the hearts

of all with whom I come in contact this day revealing

unto them the beauty of Thy Joy and Wholeness and

the serenity of Thy Peace which nothing can destroy.

Jesus the Resurrected Savior, Priest, and King (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 01:32:00 +0000

The world has always had numerous self-proclaimed saviors, false priests with personal agendas, and kings who love the adoration and praise of men rather than God.

However, only Jesus, God’s beloved Son, has been sent to man as the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of men from death, hell, and the grave. He alone is Savior because "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

Perfect and pure, Jesus entered into the Holy of Holies in heaven as God’s High Priest and sprinkled His shed blood on the mercy seat that all who call upon His name may be cleansed and forgiven for all manner of sin.

He has sovereign authority and rule as King. In Revelation 17:14, we read, "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."

Make it your ambition to watch and be ready for the soon return of Jesus, the resurrected Savior, Priest and King!

NOW GO LIVE IT!

How Much Do You Love Jesus? (by Carolyn Marshall)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:18:00 +0000

The way we live our lives is changing more and more each day. Work is harder and longer. Family and fellowship time seems to get shorter and shorter. And, for many, personal worship time to build a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior seems to get put to the bottom of the list of important things we need to do.

So many of us are living such fast-paced lives, it's hard to even catch our breath. We need to work to provide for our families and we need to unwind from all the chaos of "life". But where do we stand when it comes to spending time with our Best Friend, Jesus? Do we begin our day, or end it, with even a few minutes of quiet time with Him in prayer and the scriptures? Or are we too rushed in the mornings to get started and too tired in the evening to even think about it? When we do have extra time, are we sitting in front of the television, computer, or doing other activities to "relax"? Where do we put our first priority?

We do need to work to support our families, and we do need to unwind and be with our families and friends. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a nice house, car, and all the "toys" that are fruits of our physical labor. But do we love and value these things more than our Lord?

Today I was faced, once again, with answering this question on a personal level when I listened to the song Lovest Thou Me written by Bill Gaither in the 1950s and sung by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound. The words are below the video. Think about them. Can we say them and really mean it in our heart and soul? Absolutely, we can! But we have to have a relationship with Him that comes from total surrender. It really is simple. If we love Him more than all the things of the world, our lives will show it, and He will know it.

Modern times have brought us many blessings
People live in wealth and luxury
But the Master asks this question
Lovest thou me, lovest thou me, more than these?
I love Thee more than this old world could offer
All sinful follies I deny for Thee
My love, my life, my all, I pledge Thee.
I love thee Lord, I love thee Lord, more than these.
More than these.

(Chorus)
Lovest thou me, more than these my child?
What will your answer be?
Oh precious Lord, I love Thee more than all of these
More than fame
More than wealth
More than the world
More than fame
More than wealth
More than the world.

Every Knee And Every Tongue (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:03:00 +0000

Multitudes of people throughout history have acknowledged Jesus Christ to be the Son of the Living God! Sadly multitudes have not submitted or humbled themselves in confessing Him as Lord and savior of their lives.

Paul writes to the Philippians in Chapter 2:8-11 and exclaims, “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

James tells us (2:19), “you believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder (tremble [KJV]).” Why will all, including Satan and demons, bend their knees and confess with their mouth Jesus as Lord?

Because God Himself has appointed and declared Jesus, His Son, to be the only Savior, the only High Priest and the only King to Rule and reign Forever?

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Little By Little He's Changing Me (by Carolyn Marshall)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:28:00 +0000

Have you ever really stopped to think about how God has changed your life? Do you ever reflect back on the "little-by-little" changes He has made in you and how you and others have been blessed by those changes?

The best blessing of all for me was when I realized that God sacrificed His only Son for me and that I could receive salvation through His amazing Grace. I became a Christian when I was a young child, but my life was by no means lived as a Christian should live it. I was determined to live my way. Isn't that the way most of us usually do? But, through it all, God still blessed me with all the necessities of life. He kept me safe through all my wrong choices, and He kept whispering to me "come home." But I had the "mute" button on or down to the lowest level, and I wasn't listening. I know I did things that had to break His heart and cause Him to be very disappointed in me. Still, He didn't stop blessing me with all the things I needed.

A lot of years passed as I continued to live a backslidden life. Then, about 21 years ago, God blessed me by bringing my husband,Ted, into my life. I had been through two marriages already. I had gotten to my lowest low. I wanted to stop living the life I was living; and I wanted a husband with whom I could build a loving relationship that would last a lifetime. But, most of all, I wanted a marriage that would bless and honor God. My prayers were from a tearful heart and God heard me.

Ted didn't know Christ as his personal Savior when we first met. God allowed some very "challenging" situations to happen in our lives, because we were still trying to do it our way. Yet, through it all, He continued to bless us with safety and the necessities of life. But He was still whispering to me "come home." In 2004, we started going to a local church in Fort Myers, Florida, where Ted heard God’s call and let Him into his heart. That day was the beginning of a new life for Ted and me both. But we began by crawling. The seed God had put in our hearts to know and love Him was growing, but we were in need of serious pruning. Almost six years ago, we found a new church home at Great Hope Christian Fellowship in Tampa, Florida. God really began blessing us with our new family, and the blessings weren't just wonderful "tangible" things. They were, and still are, spiritual awareness and growth.

When I think about it, my spiritual growth reminds me of watching a movie. When you first watch a good movie, you can’t stop talking about it. If it is really good, you want to watch it over and over. The first time you saw it, you thought you saw and understood everything that went on. But the second time you watched it, you saw things you missed the first time. You saw the "big" picture the first time around, but you missed a lot of the little details that really pulled the story together. The third time, you picked up on still another little detail you missed the first two times

When I first accepted Christ, I saw the picture as a whole. In my life, God has blessed me through trials, tribulations and, yes, good stuff, too. With each new step I take, He is drawing me ever closer to Him, and He is opening my eyes to a clearer picture of what the story is really about. I’m still a long way from understanding everything … and never will until the day we all get to be with Him. God’s gift of salvation is, without question, the greatest gift He has given me. He continues to bless me every day by loving me just the way I am, with all my faults, and by leading me, by whatever measure it takes, down the path that takes me straight to Him.

God blesses me in so many ways that I couldn't begin to count them … my husband, family, friends, home, food, clothing, creativity … on and on. I will never get it totally right. But, I will never stop trying the best I know how to live the life He has called me to live. Yes, little by little, He IS changing me. And He can change you, too, if you will let Him.

Are You Committed All Day, Every Day? (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:41:00 +0000

David was far from perfect, as all men are; however, he declared that he waited upon God all day long. (See Psalm 25:5)

Who among us can truly say that God has your undivided attention at all times? We all know that it certainly is a struggle to stay focused and on a mission to glorify Jesus throughout any given day.

David also declared that: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1) David chose to practice daily what he knew to be true in his heart. Though he was not always successful, he knew his God would never leave nor forsake him.

Today, when we put God first and spend our day bound to Him, the storm (or storms) will not dampen our hope, for Jesus is in the ship with us.

Finally, consider these words from Hosea: “Therefore, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually.” Are you committed to Jesus all day, every day?

NOW GO LIVE IT!

You are saved but have you risen from the dead? (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 02:52:00 +0000

At the end of this month, all over the globe, the Christian world will be celebrating many Easter traditions. A great deal of the remembrance will be on His horrific suffering and death, but the greatest remembrance is that He rose from the dead! And that is His message to us today ... don't concentrate just on the sufferings and sacrifices it requires to live this life in Christ; concentrate on rising from the deathbed of your sins and into a new life in him.

In Jesus' suffering and death AND in His resurrection to a new life, God painted the exact word picture He wanted to portray. We must die to the flesh, but we must ALSO rise from the dead. That is the exciting part of this journey!

NOW GO LIVE IT!

99.9% Pure Is Not Pure (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 02:33:00 +0000

Something can look like pure gold but not until it goes into the fire do you really know if it is truly pure. If it is pure gold, no junk (dross) comes out. And so it is with us. As we encounter various fiery trials, either our fleshy Adam nature comes out or the pure nature of God arises. We get to choose, folks, so no excuses ... we let either the purity of God rule or the dross of the flesh. There is no such thing as "almost" pure. Even if something is 99.9% pure, that 0.1% makes it impure. Of what are you made? If any part of the flesh is there, you are not pure.

The Temple, the altar, the candlesticks ... the instruments of worship in the Old Testament were overlaid with pure gold ... it was a command ... it had to be pure. That was the glorious "word picture" of what was to come in Jesus. Jesus was never polluted but, in Christ, we are made acceptable to God ... 100% pure.

Let us strive to put away any defilement of sin (physical and mental, as well as spiritual) ... even if it is as small as 0.1%! When we walk in the Spirit, we CANNOT SIN ... ah, PURE GOLD!

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Thank God for the "But Nots" (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Hardships, trials, persecutions and more will definitely take place in the lives of all true believers in Jesus Christ. Do not be surprised.

Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." John 15:20. He also declared that, "In the world you shall have tribulation but take courage, I have overcome the world." John 16:33.

In Paul's letter to the Corinthian believers, he also speaks of difficult times and accosting - but not without hope. "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:8-10.

The next time (which could be any moment) you feel overwhelmed with no way out, think about those "but nots" and allow Jesus to deliver you. Allow Him to be a very present help in time of your need. After all, nothing is too difficult for Him, for He will always make a way of escape.

NOW GO LIVE IT!

Are You Tsunami Proof? (by Pastor Mark Parsons)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:56:00 +0000

The recent 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan were an ominous reminder of the power and force of nature. Similarly, there are spiritual tsunamis that can and do take place in our lives today. The key to surviving these storms is preparation through faith in Jesus Christ.

In Luke 6:46-49, Jesus spoke of the parable of the two foundations. He said, "Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them, I will show you whom he is like." Jesus goes on to explain that one man dug a foundation deep to the rock, and when the flood came and burst against his house, the storm did not destroy it because it had been well built.

There was another man who also heard His words but did not act on them. This man was like a man who built a house on ground without any foundation, and this man's house collapsed with great ruin when the storm burst against it.

The only way to tsunami-proof your life today is to ACT on God's Word and build your life on the solid rock of Jesus Christ who will never be destroyed.

NOW GO LIVE IT!

New Additions To His Healing Word (by Carolyn Marshall)

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:22:00 +0000

In 2005, my husband, Ted, and I had just moved back to Tampa, Florida, and we were looking for a new church home. We visited several, but they just didn't feel right for us. As some of you know, my husband is involved with a Vietnam Veterans group called The Last Patrol. At one of their performances, we met a woman who had been a nurse in Vietnam, Lt. Linda Pugsley (now Lt. Col. Pugsley). She invited us to visit her church, Great Hope Christian Fellowship, where she was Associate Pastor, if we were ever in Tampa. We did visit, and I can remember the first visit as if it just happened yesterday.

When Ted and I walked in the door that first Wednesday night, we were greeted with not only the friendliest people you could ever meet, but we were greeted with The Holy Spirit. We knew instantly that we had found our "home". It's a very small Christian fellowship, but it is huge in the love of God. Over the years, we have been continually fed rich food from heaven, and the nourishment has encouraged our growth and our walk with the Lord.

Each Sunday, we are given "Take It Home!" handouts that summarize the message for that day from Pastor Mark Parsons; Associate Pastor, Dr. Linda Pugsley; and our pastor's wife, Dr. Shirley Parsons. With permission from my church Board of Directors, His Healing Word blog now has a new addition to offer its readers called "Now Go Live It!" I will be posting these bits of Christian inspiration for your daily living. Please let us know how these messages bless or encourage you and forward them to others.

Check out the "About" section to read more about the contributors for "Now Go Live It!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (His Healing Word) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:09:00 +0000

On this Valentine's Day, I wanted to share with you a different kind of love and the richest anyone could ever know. Happy Valentine's Day - with God's love!