Category: General Christian Living

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (and every believer who follows Christ’s example), because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:18

Feeling like a downcast?

And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Nothing but “The Truth” can make you free. If you don’t know The Truth, if you’re not intimate with God’s Word, if you’re deceiving yourself thinking you don’t have to do The Truth, you will not be free. God makes it really simple – and all-powerful.

Got up this morning and had coffee time with Annie. While talking, I began to feel wimpy and cornered in my spirit. I began to feel like a failure and like my life must be cursed. Yeah, enemy thoughts can escalate that quickly and send you into a downward spiral. And to think I used to live in those thought patterns all the time. Wow. No wonder I lived such a defeated and bleak existence.

Anyway, I recognized what was happening to me spiritually and began fighting the enemy’s thoughts. I began taking his thoughts captive by being obedient to God, to His Word, to The Truth. Again, I told the enemy to get out of my thoughts and to get out of our home. I began praying in the Spirit and praising God. The air cleared and I felt God’s Spirit rising up in me.

Folks, if you’re tempted to have the awful, persistent, nagging thoughts such as “Why am I even here?,” tell the devil to go to hell and begin taking back your mind in the mighty Name of Jesus. Don’t tolerate any of Satan’s nonsense that tries to steal, kill and destroy you. We’re here to worship and praise God, to renew our minds to His mighty Word, and to not be conformed to this lost world. We’re here to be set free and to proclaim the promises of God, to help set captives free from enemy lies, etc.

Why am I here and why was I born? To worship God, to learn to live free in Jesus and to tell others they can do the same. It’s that simple – and powerful.

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2 Corinthians 1:4

Hallelujah! Praise His mighty Name!

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Wow, times of refreshment are so wonderful. God knows what He’s talking about when He tells us to be tenderhearted towards each other. God loves for us to build rather than burn bridges.

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Acts 3:19

A friend of mine back in the 70s told me his father, who the head of cardiology at a large hospital in Los Angeles, said riding a bike was the best cardio exercise anyone could do.

I love to ride my bike. Some time ago, I was knocked off my bike by being side-swiped by a truck – I really got banged up. Then, I had a little girl turn right in front of me while riding her scooter and I sailed right over my handle bars landing on cement. A while after those two events, I was riding my bike through a nearby neighborhood when a dog chased me down – dogs are supposed to be on a leash. I turned towards the dog’s owner who was about 40 yards from me and yelled at him to call his dog and that he should have had his dog on a leash. I was pretty mad at the guy.

I stopped riding my bike for a couple of years feeling it was unsafe, and because of the knee cap pain I experienced after each ride. As a result, I walked for exercise for a few years.

After being cleared by my doctor after having my knees x-rayed, I’ve started riding my bike again. And, I see the man walking his dog in that same neighborhood. ☺

Lately, the Lord’s begun working on my heart regarding yelling at the man with the unleashed dog. I often see the man while walking and riding my bike and noticed that he always has his dog leashed. I didn’t know if he remembered me or not.

The other day, Jesus impressed on my heart to seek out the man and tell him I was sorry for getting so angry about the unleashed dog incident that happened years ago – yes, even though it was not my fault and that I felt totally justified at my actions back then. I found the man backing his car out of his driveway and stopped him. He rolled down his window and I apologized. He said he was sorry for not having his dog leashed that day and that he’s been diligent to leash his dog ever since. After talking and laughing about the situation with him, he told me I really made his day. Now, he honks and waves at me whenever he sees me out riding.

God is so good. I feel a new freedom since finding that man and telling him I was sorry about my anger towards him. He’s a really nice guy and I feel like I have a new friend.

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:32

We can think we’re right, hold onto anger, and begin to let hard-heartedness take root in our souls. Anger can eat at our souls, stump our growth in the Lord, and keep us bound without even realizing it sometimes. Even if you’ve been wronged, being tenderhearted, forgiving and saying you’re sorry is so wonderful. It allows God to bring us times of refreshment.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Even when we don’t feel it operating in our lives for whatever reason, His Word is still working to fulfill His promises to those who love Him. It’s cool how the more weak I am, the more I focus and depend on Him and His mighty Word.

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

It’s so easy to let the enemy into our thoughts. I had a dream I had another migraine last night and woke up with pain and a lot of fatigue. I was really tempted to give into my weak, depressed flesh. But God…

Be strong and of a good courage…Only be thou strong and very courageous (this is all He asks of me – to stay with His Word)…Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: For the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest…Only be strong and of a good courage.
From Joshua 1

Hallelujah! We have The Word to encourage us onward for the Kingdom. God is with us in all of life. His faithfulness can be depended on in all circumstances. He is strong in us even when our own strength is lacking.

Happy Monday, everyone. Let’s go with God and see all of the wonderful things He has in store for us. How exciting is that?!

We love you all. ☺☺♥♥

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

As we read in Scripture, joy is a state of being, and it differs from happiness, which may come and go. Happiness is usually measured by our circumstances, whereas joy is measured by what we have been given. As Christians, we have been given something that cannot be taken away. We have joy because of the grace of Jesus Christ that lives in us. We can hold onto joy, we can feel joyful, and we can rejoice with praise no matter what our circumstances may be because no matter what is going on in our lives God is always near working everything together for the good of those who love Him.
^{Taken from Crosswalk.com – Edits mine}

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower (because we know He is with us working all things together for our good): the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Keep looking unto Jesus Who is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

To say that God gave me the right wife is such a huge understatement that gets huger all the time. ☺

The other night, Annie was reading in bed while I dozed off. She wanted so much to wake me up and tell me the exciting things God was sharing with her as she was reading. The next morning, she told me all about how God had been telling her that my PTSD – and everything else we’ve faced together – is so good for us because it’s made us seek and cling to God in a way we would not have done unless God had allowed these things in our lives.

Annie tells me all the time that she loves me and that she’s so thankful God let her be my wife – And I tell her the same and how fortunate I am to be her husband. Her love for me and the desire God put in her life to be my wife just amazes me. While our lives have seemed very difficult, we both know God has been in all of it and that He’s used it for good in ways we could never have imagined.

When I think of all the ways God has taught us (mostly me because I needed more teaching and changing than Annie did) to love each other more and more, it just overwhelmes me.

Thank You, God, for my beautiful Annie. Thank You that she needed and wanted You as much as I did. I’m forever grateful for her love and for the way You’ve blessed my life with her precious life.

When love is discovered, tried and blessed by God, the result is a new Love that He keeps creating and blessing with His joyful liberty, adventure and wonder.

What a God He is.

To God and Annie –

You Are So Beautiful
By Bruce Carleton Fisher, Billy Preston and Joe Cocker

You are so beautiful to me
Can’t you see
You’re everything I hoped for
You’re everything I need
You are so beautiful to me

You are so wonderful To me
You are so wonderful To me
Can’t you see
You’re everything I hoped for
You’re everything I need
You are so wonderful
To me

Such joy and happiness you bring
Such joy and happiness you bring
Like a dream
A guiding light that shines in the night
Heavens gift to me

You are so beautiful to me

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

strengthening and establishing the hearts of the disciples; encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, saying, “It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Acts 14:22

I can honestly tell you that Annie and I would not be entering the Kingdom of God if it had not been for all of the tribulations and hardships God has allowed in our lives. We could not possibly be learning to trust in the Lord with all our hearts, that He is working all things together for our good, to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, to cast all our “care” on Him, and to praise and thank Him in all things if it had not been for the trials and hardships He has been using to remove our weak, circumstance-reliant flesh from us.

The Kingdom of God is so wonderful and He keeps revealing more and more of it to us. Before we learned that God can be trusted in everything, we were miserable and constantly tossed to and fro in our spirits. The tribulations and hardships are teaching us that God is always faithful and that fact is everything in life – God is building our lives on Christ, the firm foundation that is immovable, the Rock. That we can rely on Him in it all is the greatest blessing we could have ever imagined. We can see the Kingdom like never before and it’s a wonderful, care-free, peaceful, restful, loving, joyful, ever-expanding place.

I hope you’ll listen to Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s 3 minute message excerpt below.

The Promises of God They Never Preach [From Completing Your Mission (Message 2268)]

Do you have tribulations and hardships? Rejoice! You’re entering the Kingdom where you learn to live ABOVE and free from circumstances and where He takes all of your “care” from you. Hallelujah!

These things I (Jesus) have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

What a blessing it is to be in Jesus instead of being in myself. He is so fantastic and His glory that He shares with us keeps coming and expanding into all of who we are. What joy is ours as we choose each day to exchange us for Him.

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name (even ABOVE the “end times”).

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Boy, oh boy, there is so much to written and shared about the following. As I’m sitting here writing this, the Holy Spirit keeps telling me more and more. I wish I could be right there with each of you to share more of it with you, and to have you share with me, all God is doing in your own life in the following type of experience in the Lord.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

I had back to back migraine attacks yesterday. My head feels like it’s in a vice and my brain is pretty beat up. But I have God’s joy and peace that pass my understanding. I’m not left to or stuck in my understanding because God is showing me I can rely on Him and that let’s me live surpassing my own ways and understanding. Does that make sense? ☺

God’s ways are so beyond my limiting, constrictive ways, so far beyond my weak flesh.

Pride keeps me doing my ways and prevents me from doing God’s ways – His ways set me free so I’m choosing every day to say no to my pride and to adopt God’s ways more and more so I can be free indeed. There’s nothing like the liberty I’m finding in Christ! Indeed, it’s True Life!

The Holy Spirit’s joy comes on me as I do and see His ways actually work in my life; as I see them work in this life; as I witness them working here on earth. It’s amazing.

I’ve been having really bad knee cap pain again – off and on for about 18 years. Last week, my doctor told me he thinks I have arthritis in my knees. I had my knees x-rayed on Monday and the x-rays showed there is nothing wrong with my knees. What a blessing.

To celebrate the fact that there is no structural damage in my knees, I was riding my bike around our neighborhood yesterday and thinking about the end times we’re in when the absolutely precious Holy Spirit said, “I want you to have My joy in the days ahead. I can give you My joy no matter what comes up in your life before you come to Heaven.”

Wow, I got a big grin in my spirit and just had to smile as I felt His power supersede my own thoughts. God is so wonderful and He just keeps introducing me to more and more of Himself, Who He is and what He’s capable of.

Folks, I can’t live in God’s joy on my own. His joy comes from Him. It’s supernatural. It comes from the Heavenly realm. In fact, I’ve come to realize that apart from Him, I can’t do anything on my own that brings me His joy. That’s just the point. I keep asking God to help me and He does. And when He does, His supernatural joy fills me all over again. This keeps going on and on. It’s crazy good.

Right now, it’s like I’m living in a Holy Spirit bubble and observing all of the end times events that are happening around me. In God, I can live free from the impact of it all because Jesus has overcome the world. Hallelujah!

He’s telling me I don’t need to have any fear about the days we’re living in. He says I simply need to follow His leading every step of the way.

I’m telling you (many of you are probably already doing this), call on Jesus all day long and let Him give you the supernatural power, understanding, peace, love, rest and joy that can only come from Him. He’s just waiting for us to take on His power that lets us live ABOVE this earthly realm. He loves to release it to us.

For the joy that was set before Him…

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

Look to Jesus and experience His joy in your life. You can’t come up with it on your own so why try to do so. Please call on Jesus and get His joy that lets you live outside this earthly realm – with His perspective – in every area of your life, thoughts and being.

We love you all…☺☺♥♥

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

On Tuesday, 3-30-21, I was listening to a pastor talk about what Jesus endured on the cross. The pastor was saying that not only did Jesus take on all of the sins of mankind for all time, but that Jesus took on all of the punishment all of those sins would be punished for in hell. Wow. I was telling Annie about it when I got choked up.

The other day I was thinking about Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

“For the joy that was set before him” really spoke to me. All I could think about was that I just want to have Jesus’ joy and to never focus on my problems. This is the type of good work Jesus is doing in me and it’s so wonderful.

That’s when it hit me – Jesus is my joy. And what immense joy He’s given me. I began telling Annie that Jesus is teaching me how to give Him all my care, He has made it possible for me to be careful for nothing and tells me I can really trust in Him with all my heart at all times. And Jesus has given me the biggest gift I could ever have in this life…Romans 8:28. I was so sick, confused, lost, oppressed and hurting before Jesus began to do His mighty work in me by getting me into His awesome Word that sets us free indeed. I could never thank Him enough for never leaving me nor forsaking me.

To be getting healed of all the poison Satan’s lies had brought into my life is just a miracle. I know how lost I was, and I know Jesus’ power to set me free. That brings tears of His pure joy to my eyes.

Thank You, Jesus, for all you’ve done for me.

Being confident of this very thing, that he (Jesus) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 1:6

It’s amazing how much my confidence in Christ is growing as He performs His good work in my life.

Thinking about Jesus just overwhelms me. I love Him so much.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

The words of the blessing are meant to remind us of God’s care of our lives. He watches over the lives of His children and brings them to His place of rest. Seek Him with all your heart and let Him give you His peace, rest and joy.

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Thank You, Jesus, for Your Word…

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Remember, we don’t wrestle with flesh and blood, but with powers of darkness…

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.
Deuteronomy 20:4

Have radical faith. Believe God and live in victory!

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:
Isaiah 26:3-4

Before going to bed last night, I was turning down the bed and some other things when it hit me that I was kind of in a funk. I wasn’t really down, but I wasn’t really walking in the Spirit either – My mind wasn’t stayed on God. I stopped right there and began thinking God thoughts and how wonderful He is and how He created the universe, brought Annie into my life and everything I should be thankful for. What a difference listening to the Spirit can make in our thought life.

For we walk (live) by faith, not by sight…2 Corinthians 5:7

I woke up just after 3:30am this morning with a lot of fear. I mean it was really intense. Sugar can sometimes give me anxiety so I thought about what I ate last night. Couldn’t really think of anything that could be bringing on this much fear and that’s when it dawned on me again that there was a spirit of fear trying to intimidate me. I began praising God and telling Him how wonderful He is, etc. Boy, the spirit of fear began leaving the room and I told Annie what had just happened. It was like the Lord was telling me we need to have radical faith today. We need to have faith that chases down fear and exterminates it. We need bold faith in order to defeat the enemy’s schemes in our lives and in the lives of others. Hallelujah!

Feeling dull and just not on top of things?

Happy Monday, everyone.

Remember, when the enemy comes in like a flood (with lying fear), the Lord will raise up a standard against him – faith.

Keep your mind on Christ and let Him show you how wonderful He is each moment of the day. What a Savior we have.

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Ephesians 5:20

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
And I put the Name of the God of the children of Israel on you and bless you in Jesus’ Name, the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

20 Now unto him (Christ) that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Ephesians 3:20

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark

17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Habakuk 3:17-19

“It makes no sense at all to praise and thank God for the mess I’m in. I don’t know anyone else doing it. I just don’t feel like doing it right now. I think it’s a waste of time. Besides, I’m kind of mad at God right now.”

Sound familiar? It does to me.

Back in the 80s, in our new Oregon home, Ann lay on the couch with our oldest daughter, Faith, in her arms. Ann was crying out to God. She really thought we’d end up divorced or that I was going to kill myself leaving her one choice – to move back to Southern California and in with her mother and dad. We had a good marriage and really loved each other, but I felt like such a burden to Ann that I thought I needed to leave her so she could marry someone who could give her the kind of life I didn’t seem to be able to provide her. I felt so cursed and beyond help with no constructive way out of where my life was heading.

Then, Ann began doing something she’d heard on the Merlin Carothers audio cassette tape she’d played until it had worn out. She began to praise and thank God for exactly how things were at that moment. Literally, within days, God began to give us some answers to our dire situation.

It took me way too many years to figure out that praising and thanking God in all things was such a huge weapon and blessing – Anger, stubbornness and pride probably kept me from doing it – great ingredients for developing a hard heart. That’s why I tell others not to wait to use praising and thanking God at all times. There is no reason to be a miserable, defeated Christian when our obedience to praise and thank God in all things (even when we do it in our minds and not out loud) can deliver us in ways we can enjoy all throughout our lives.

Don’t wait to praise and thank Him in all things. There is supernatural strength when we say, “I will praise you, Lord.”

for the joy of the Lord IS your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10d

When we praise and thank God, Heaven immediately realizes that we’re exercising our faith in God and His faithfulness to us. Praising and thanking Him in all things is like we’re putting in an urgent phone call to the “Lord of Heaven’s Armies” office and our call immediately goes through to the Lord’s attention. It’s up to God how He chooses to inhabit our praise and faith call. He does what is needed to rescue us asap. I can tell you from personal experience that it’s like He immediately dispatches ministering angels to my location to fortify my faith and to encourage me to stand – even when I’m tired, in bed, or weary from any battle I’m in. The Lord gives me the words and thoughts I need to keep believing Him, to keep believing that He loves me, to keep believing that He’s working in the situation, that He’ll never leave me and that it’s His plan to give me a victory in the situation.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5

God knows we’re in a faith fight here on earth and He’ll do everything to help those who will call on Him when battles come their way.

Praise and thank Him in all things. It’s His commandment and for good reason. He – all that He is – inhabits the praises of His children. When God shows up, the enemies (lies, fear, doubt, and unbelief) flee in all directions.

1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
Psalm 145:1-6

Thanking and praising God in all things,

Mark