My Dance With Jesus

I am posting this writing written by Ann Downing a member of Calvary Life Family Worship Center, Cheshire, CT, with her permission.  This Sunday at our church service my husband who is the senior pastor, ministered a message titled “Leadership Dance”.  After the service Ann came to me to share how she had been raised in a very legalistic church and for her it wasn’t very fostering of a personal relationship with God.  She writes of an experience – the vision she got while sitting in a room with Christian friends, which was all very new to her. She explains; this vision not guided by her at all.  It wasn’t some fantasy she had. It was a special experience to her. She wanted to get it all down in writing so that she could share it, especially with her two sons.  I asked her if she would email it to me so I could read it. Well it is so amazing and inspiring; that I believe it should be shared with others.

MY DANCE WITH JESUS

We were sitting with friends one evening,

all of us closing our eyes.

Everyone was invited to look for Jesus,

to open our hearts and our minds.

This approach to Jesus was new to me;

my prayer life had never been so personal.

Suddenly, I found myself

in a clearing,

in a forest

with Jesus.

Just Jesus and me.

 

We began dancing and running around

in the clearing.

His eyes never left me

and their warmth reached and held me.

He wanted me there, with Him,

to dance

in the clearing.

 

I saw something blue, a beautiful bird

that flew across the clearing.

I was distracted and I chased it

into the forest,

leaving Jesus alone

in the clearing.

 

And then I remembered that Jesus was waiting

for me.

 

I ran back to the clearing, expecting His anger,

but found Him smiling at me.

He held out His hand

to draw me to Him.

Eagerly, I returned, back to His side,

smiling at Him, feeling relief at His grace

towards me and

my choice for distraction.

And then we danced some more

in the clearing.

It was wonderful to be there and alone with Jesus;

I had His full attention.

The sun was warm and the day,

perfection.

 

And then I saw a sweet little bunny

running across the clearing.

It looked so endearing

that I wanted to touch it

and I ran,

and left Jesus,

alone in the clearing.

 

Again, I remembered that Jesus was waiting

for me.

 

I worried, and ran, expecting a scolding.

Cautiously, I entered back into the clearing,

feeling guilty and anguished inside.

But His smile never faded

and His warm eyes never cooled,

and He beckoned to me

to come back to Him

to dance with Him

in our clearing.

 

I was struck by His grace,

it was so unexpected,

and His love,

it was so unmatched.

We laughed and we danced alone

in our clearing.

 

My heart felt so warm and I felt such love

from Him,

for me.

I was so happy for this unimagined dance

with Jesus,

in our clearing.

 

And as the notes on the guitar

brought me back to the room

where we were invited to look for Jesus,

I opened my eyes

to find a friend looking at me.

With warmth in her smile, she said softly, to me,

“You looked so beautiful, there,

with Jesus.”

 

I look back, now, when I remember

my dance with Jesus

and am warmly touched

by His love and His grace.

For, at times I forget that He forgives me

for my choices

and my distractions.

Thank you, dear Jesus, for dancing

with me

alone, that day

in our clearing.

 

~ Ann L. Downing

January 19, 2004

 

Soul Prosperity

God desires for His people to prosper and be in health.  In 3 John 2 it says; “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers”.

We see in this verse that our prosperity is in relation to our soul prosperity.

Man is a three part being, made up of a body, soul and spirit. When we are born again it is the spirit that gets regenerated.  That which died in Adam now becomes alive unto God again and the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within our spirit man.   The soul is made up of our mind, will, intellect, and emotions.  The Body is our senses, sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.

So if our success and prosperity are in relation to our soul prosperity.  Then it is important to understand that it is in our best interest to deal with the issues of our soul.

1. Your mind

It is our responsibility to renew our minds. By washing our minds with the Word of God. We must daily read and meditate on His Word. This will create a prosperous mind. Eph. 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

2. Your will

We must bring your will into agreement with God’s will. You must submit and willingly set aside your own plans and desires and embrace His with joy. Remember Jesus said, “Not My will, but Thine, be done.”

3. Your intellect

Keep learning, it’s important we be students of God’s word. God’s Word says in Hosea 4:6 that, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” Second Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (KJV) We are also told that all scripture is profitable.

We cannot ignore God’s Word and expect to walk in revelation knowledge.  The Holy Spirit illuminates God’s Word to those who read and meditate on it. In order for our intellect to prosper, we must meditate on God’s Word and submit to the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

4. Your emotions

God desires us to have control over our emotions. The fruits of spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 are love, joy, and peace, self-control. Walking in self-control is a choice, just like walking in love is a choice. We must yield to the Holy Spirit our emotions and choose to walk in the Spirit, then we will begin to gain the victory.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” The health of your body is subject to the condition of your heart and your attitude.

So the next time you pray for prosperity or health, examine the prosperity of your soul. There is definitely a connection.

Spiritual Tabernacle

1Pet. 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

The apostle is referring to the believer as a living stone being built as a spiritual tabernacle.  We as believers are what makes up the church, each stone being placed to form the building.  Living stones.   Each stone is built upon Jesus Christ the chief corner stone which He is referred to in verse 6.   In order for the stones to fit properly to construct a strong building, they sometimes have to be cut, smoothed out and then placed to the building so that it can be strong and weather the storms that come against it.

Whatever is going on in your life, trust in the builder, who is building your spiritual tabernacle,  you may feel like your being cut, or smoothed.  He is the master builder and cuts away those things that are not fitting for his house.  When He is done, the latter house will be greater than the former house.   Hag. 2:9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Pastor Carmela Muratori

Walking In Divine Health

Walking In Diving Health

 

3John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

God desires for His people to be in health and prosper in every area of live. Sadly, most neglect this one area and do not take care of the temple of God. 1Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? We read the word, quote healing scriptures, which is right and good. But to do this and continue to neglect our physical bodies is frankly ignorance. I was a Christian 10 years when I learned this principle. When my own health was not at it’s best and I would apply the word of faith, run to the altar for prayer and still no manifestation of healing. I began to seek the Lord who is the creator of all things and knows how he created humans to sustain life and He is so faithful to answer the cry of our hearts for truth. He guided me thru diet and nutrition and since then, I have applied the knowledge He gave me through books, and people He began to send into my life. Hos. 4:6 says: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee. Many times we cry out for God to answer, but we reject the vary answer He brings, because it is not something we want to do or hear. It doesn’t come in the way we think. I was hungry for truth and when He sent it. I did not reject it. I began to apply what I was learning and since have received the health and healing I was asking for. Almost all disease is caused by nutritional deficiencies and here are some nuggets I have learned that I want to share with you to help you get on the road to receive and walk in divine health.

Raw Foods is the best way to regain and build your health. Life begets life, death begets death. Living foods is what your body needs, which have all enzymes and nutrients in tacked. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

How do we get more nutrients out of our food?

#1 way is by juicing. Juicing takes out all of fiber and therefore there is no digestion process. This gets about 92% of nutrients to the cellular level.

Raw foods are made up of cells and the nutrients are contained within those cells. . When we eat a raw food the amount of nutrients we receive are based upon how well we chew that food. Many people do not chew their food well, therefore those nutrients don’t get utilized and pass right through our body and wasted.

Another way to receive the most nutrients from our food is blending. By blending our food we break through the cells of the food, therefore we activate the nutrients and receive the most nutritional benefit of raw foods. I quote Dr. George Malkmus “we receive 7 times more nutrients at cellular level”. This is also great for people who have dentures and can’t chew their food well.

Here is a quick recipe for blending foods: You can blend in blender. Best machine to invest in is a Vitamax. Be creative!

1 handful of spinach or Kale.

1 leaf cabbage

¼ c pineapple

1 tomato

1 celery stalk

1 carrot