Can You Rebound?

I love that the Lord can take something so simple, and minister some wonderful things to one's heart!

I was a basketball player while in high school. At that time we played 6 on 6; the year I graduated was the last of 6 on 6 basketball in the state of Oklahoma. Over the years God has taken that, some thing I did in the natural, and has ministered to me things of the Spirit. One of those things has been regarding these scriptures.

Colossians 3:12-15
 12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14: And above all these things put on charity ( love ), which is the bond of perfectness.

15: And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Philippians 2:1-3
1: If there be therefore any consolation ( comfort, exhortation, encouragement ) in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

2: Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3: Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4: Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

1 Corinthians 12: 12-27

12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

 

13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 

14: For the body is not one member, but many.

 

15: If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 

16: And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 

17: If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

 

18: But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

 

19: And if they were all one member, where were the body?

 

20: But now are they many members, yet but one body.

 

21: And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

 

22: Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

 

23: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

 

24: or our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

 

25: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

 

26: And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

 

27: Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

While playing ball in high school, I was a forward. I was one of the three starting girls responsible for scoring the points. The forwards were always going to be recognized for how many points they scored. If you were making a game plan against another team, you always wondered about what forwards you had to look out for.  If you won, that forward's name was going to be in the paper for making that final shot, or for racking up the most points. The forwards seemed to be front and center. The defense, the guards, didn't always seem to have that kind of "light" shown on their behalf.

When I got suited out for a game, or if I was shooting around before ball practice, there was a always a girl who would come and rebound for me, she in fact was my best friend, and a guard. Someone might begin rebounding, but when she got out there, got available, she'd be there to rebound for me. I usually had some sort of routine I worked through; working around the goal from right to left, back left to right, move out some to again do the same pattern. I'd make my way to the 3 point line, and do the same; adding in some numerous free throws, or random perimeter jump shots. But she was always there, always there to help me, there to rebound. Maybe it might have seemed boring. Maybe it might have seemed monotonous, I don't know, I don't recall ever hearing her complain, she just did it, and did it with diligence. When my points went up in the paper, she wasn't recognized as "my rebounder" no one knew the effort she put in to help me, no one knew the help she, or others, put in for what I was doing. But you know what? I had need of her. She was a help to me for what I was doing, and us as a team, were trying to achieve. We as forwards, had need of all those guards, and we as the starting 6, had need of all those who sat on the bench; they encouraged us or relieved us when necessary. We were one team, and we were to be of one heart.

The year we were with one heart!

The Lord has ministered to me many times about this particular ball team, and the other day was just another example. I was encouraged by what he was showing me, and ministering to me about those who rebounded.

Just as the scriptures said, the eye can't say to the hand, I have no need of thee. Every member has its function, and all members are required for the body to function. All members are to have the same care one for another, to be likeminded to be of one mind, working together as one body, and with the goal to see the power of God!

Luke 17:10
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

God Bless You,
Misty
 

 

 



 

The Faithfulness of God

Lydia Prince was a friend of Doyle Davidson, the president here at Water of Life Ministries. Doyle has shared with many of us on occasion about Lydia, her faith, and has at times encouraged us to read her book, “Appointment in Jerusalem”. I did that a few years back; and it blessed me, encouraged me, and most certainly ministered to me. I remember one particular time when I was teaching. I had stood up in a situation believing it was right, and in doing so, I found myself in a serious spot. I was reminded of something Lydia had told God once; and  said to God as well this particular day.

 “It’s my job to pray, and your job to work it out!”  I watched an incredible situation turn around in my favor.

Lydia was a school teacher. She was successful, at the top of her game you might say in her profession. She didn’t feel she lacked anything. One day she sat down considering, “Is this all?” “Is this all there is to life?” “Could there be more?” She began to seek what more there might be, and then Jesus showed up.

I love this testimony she shares here. A testimony of how she learned to trust the Lord for everything, and a testimony that even when others’ unbelief tries to discourage faith, you don't have to let it, and she didn’t!

God Bless You,
Misty
 

“The Faithfulness of God”

( Note: Written from her account as given by Lydia. Note some areas {....} not transcribed due to uncertainty of word(s). )


After God had intervened in Lydia’s life, she was now living in Jerusalem at a most dangerous time.

"Now we could hardly get food at that time. We could hardly get out, but we had no bread; so there was nothing to do, but try to get out. And I’ll tell you a little about how God was faithful.

 

I said to the children, will you now be careful not to open the door for anyone, and be praying for me. It was a warm, it was a summer day, it was very hot. I was {….} then as now, it wasn’t easy.

 

I went down these dusty roads, came down to the Damascus gate. And there all the shops are outside with the wall, and there they’re selling everything, such to say. I went to a place where they were selling flour. And as I came in there, the first thing the man said to me was, “ You are a Jewess.” I said, “I’m not.” I didn’t dare say anything more, I thought I better be quiet. I stood there praying; and I thought what would happen. At that time a woman {…..} God sent my woman, who always use to come to the home and help me washing. When she saw me she got so excited. “You are very welcome here, and how are you?” “How are your children?” I thought, “Let her speak cause then he can hear, the man, that I’m not a Jewess.” If I had been a Jewess, as he said, “If you are a Jewess”, we’ll kill you. But I stood there and let her talk. And when he heard that I answered her in Arabic, he understood that I wasn’t a Jewess. He said, “Well you can have, you can have the flour.” I bought a sack of flour and paid her the price, I said thank you, will you bring it to the home? “Bring it to your home? Never” he said. “If we go down where you live, the Jews will kill you, kill us, and if you bring a Jew up here, we will kill him.” I said, “Well, will you give me my money back then?” “Oh no, there is the flour, that’s yours, the money is mine.”

 

 

 

 

So I stood there praying to God, and then a young {….} boy came. He said, “I am not afraid, I’ll go with you, I’ll be working for the Jews, I know them a little." And then we got the flour on the donkey, and off we went; the man and I running after the donkey. Sometimes it would stop and sometimes it would run. That was really a sight, I would like to of seen myself really.

Then at once the donkey stopped. It wouldn’t move. And the man he started to beat that poor donkey. And I started to tell him how wicked it was. I said, “Don’t do it, it’s just a shame.” And while we had the argument, the donkey ran off. And now I’ll tell you something, you may not believe it, but all the same it’s true. The donkey went exactly to my home. And when I came there, there were two roads; one that would lead to the synagogue, and the house where I lived; you have heard I’m sure about {….} I just lived there. That was the border between the Jews and {…..} Then there was another road I never went down {….} and there the donkey had gone I suppose, I don’t know, but at least when I came home the donkey was just outside my door.

 

 Now people say, “That couldn’t be true”; I say nevertheless, it is true. So they say, “Don’t you know that when a donkey has been in one place, one time, it will always go there again.” I say, “I believe that; but then again, wasn’t that marvelous that God knew to choose the right donkey for me.”

And that is how I have seen God’s hand time and time again."

How Did Jesus Conduct Himself?

One of the things that has ministered to me greatly is how Jesus conducted himself.

I John 2:6
He that saith he abideth in him ( Jesus ) ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Did you know Jesus is our example. If we are born again, having the Spirit of Jesus joined to our spirit (I Corinthians 6:17 ) then we too can, and are expected to walk as he did.

I can remember growing up, and over the years even as an adult hearing people say, "Oh no one is perfect." It wasn't until I started hearing, reading, and seeing, that yes, we don't start out that way, but.... when we have the Spirit of Jesus in us, we have the opportunity to become PERFECT! Look what the Word of God say regarding that.

Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

I Peter 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

What a glorious thing! If we have the Spirit of Jesus in us, and we are taking up our cross daily following him, being led by the Spirit of God, believing and walking in the gospel (death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus-I Corinthians 15: 3-4 ) which I have shared with you many times; we can, and will, be brought to walk as Jesus did, being perfected along the way. If it weren't possible, if it weren't true, God wouldn't of had it in his word.

I remember a time when I had a person after me you might say. It seemed as if everything I did would upset them. I wasn't trying to, but it just seemed to happen that way. Some might call it picking, and I felt picked at, picked on. One day I finally had enough for that particular day and started to mention it to my husband. Immediately out of his mouth came, "You have not resisted unto blood." You can find that in Hebrews 12: 3 - 4.

I set there considering all the wrongs I felt that had been done to me, then I considered Jesus. When they spit on him, mocked him saying, "If you be the son of God come down from there!!" Plucked his beard out, falsely accused him. Yet he knew what the truth was, he knew he had to obey God in all things in front on him; and if that meant speak, he spoke; if that meant hold his peace, he held it. He remained steadfast to obey the spirit of God through it all. It couldn't matter what was happening to him, what they were accusing him of, he had a job to do. What if he had acted like we can or do when offense comes, it does make one consider selfish ways.

Well that day, that ministered to me. I said, "Well if Jesus was able to keep his mouth shut, and he is my example, then I will do as Jesus did." And I endeavored to do that.

I've shared many times things out of the ministry, and today I would like to do that again. It is something I have found encouraging as well, as I have been reminded of the things I have just shared with you. It is a chapter from the book, "Jesus on the Cross." It is from the writings and teachings of Doyle Davidson, the minister and president here at Water of Life Ministries. I hope you find it just as comforting and encouraging as I have.

God Bless,
Misty

Jesus Was Betrayed ( Chapter 2 )

Let us continue to look at the way Jesus conducted Himself on the earth and on the cross. Jesus' behavior on the earth and on the cross is important, because you and I have His Spirit. We have His Spirit in us--remember, "he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." If we have that Spirit within us, then we can certainly obey God as Jesus did.

Turn to Luke 22: 47 - 53, and you will see the strength of Jesus' Spirit:

 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him (v.47).

 

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss (v. 48)?

 

When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword ( v. 49)?

 

And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear (v.50).

 

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. (v.51).

 

Could you heal the ear of a person who had come to arrest you?

 

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves (v.52)?

 

When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. (v. 53).

 

Jesus was betrayed by Judas--one of His closest associates, one of the twelve disciples. Jesus chose Judas in obedience to the Father. Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. How would you feel if someone whom you had anointed to cast our devils, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and heal the sick kissed you as a sign that you were the one to be taken?

 

Jesus did not become offended when Judas betrayed Him. You have that same Spirit in you. At some time, you will be betrayed. You might as well be ready for it. If you walk in the Spirit of Christ, however, and if you walk in love and obey Jesus, the betrayal will not harm you, because He has already been betrayed, and it did not harm Him.

 

The only way the devil can harm you is through your soul. He cannot harm your spirit. The Spirit of Christ that is in you has been tried and tested in every way. If you will walk in that Spirit, and pray in tongues, read the Word aloud, fast, and obey God, your spirit will not be harmed. And know this, to walk in the Spirit, you will have to walk by faith.

 

  Doyle Davidson



Click on Book to read more...

Other Books By Doyle Davidson:
He Rose Again ( Book 1 )
The Gospel is Always a Blessing ( Book 2 )
Jesus Did the Father's Will ( Book 3 )
God's Plan For Reconciliation ( Book 4 )
Jesus on the Cross ( Book 5 )
What is the Gospel 

 

♫ I Have Returned ♫

Recently I posted a testimony about my Great Grandmother Sibyl.  You can find that testimony here:"What Will I Do?" I would like to share an addition to that post with this song. It reminds me of being at the very young age of 3 or 4; and her story she had shared with me of how I spoke of Jesus.

Over time I'd gotten off doing my own thing, and in doing so over the course of years, I had gotten away from the Lord Jesus and the Father. But God intervened in my life, and I have returned.

Sibyl said to me once when she wasn't too happy with me, "I'll have you know I prayed for you all these years." I said, "I know ya did Mim, they just didn't turn out like you thought they should."

But her prayers, were answered, and I was brought back to walk with the Lord.

I came to find over time that she had prayed for many of us, including my dad; and I too expect that prayer to be answered.

God Bless,
Misty

                                                                   

                                                           

What Will I Do?

1980/1981

 When I was a young girl I spent many, many days down the road with my Great Grandmother Sibyl. When I got off the bus each day from school, that’s where I went. We would set and work on school work, she’d fixed my snack, and then we would watch a daily routine of comedy shows, followed by Jeopardy. She was my friend.

She attended my school functions, basketball games; and I always kept her informed about my life. When I was old enough to drive, attend college, and so on, I still made frequent stops to see her and visit.

May 2000

When I was married I moved a little over an hour away. One evening after being married maybe about five years or so,  I made a comment to my husband. I said, “I don’t know what I’ll do if I ever lose my Mimmie.” He simply said, “You’ll be fine.” I crawled on into bed and the thought of it hurt my heart.

                                                                                                           
In 2007 God began to intervene in my life more and more. That summer God gave me a prayer. I prayed it frequently while walking in a park in 2007. My prayer, “I thank you for the sanctification of my spirit unto God.” Sanctification is being separated unto God. I had no idea what was being brought forth in my life, but in late October of 07, that is what had begun!  

In the book of Job, the scriptures speak how God let down the hedge around Job. Job was tried, and tempted to not believe God. God allowed things to be taken away, but told the devil, “You can’t have his life.” Well, God allowed some of my hedge to be taken down, and the devil began to stir up some things in my life. Would I keep believing God no matter what came? 

 

One day someone very close to me said, “I think you are taking God too seriously.” A separation was at the forefront with those I had known my whole life, and I soon became cut off from many.

Did I blame God? No. I hurt, I was alienated, but knowing God had put that prayer in my heart, I found some comfort. One day the Lord said to me, “Misty, it had to be this way.” I grabbed onto those words, believed them, and never let them go. What a comfort! God and the Lord Jesus had done enough in my life to that point, I knew I could trust what they were saying.

Dec. 2000

That separation was needed for me to walk on with the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. You know nothing can be in front of them! Nothing! Not a man, or a woman, not a friend, not a child, no object…. nothing. They are idols, and I had idols in my heart. I had things, I had people, I frankly loved more than God.

I could not, and would not, have sought after God like I did, had he not intervened in my life like that. I would of needed no reason to. I had all the love, all the material things, friends, successful, I wasn't lacking anything, but where would I have ended up?  

In late 2008, my husband and I moved to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, believing it was God, endeavoring to make decisions in our lives only after seeking direction from the Lord. You know it was sometimes comforting to read in the scriptures how Jesus seemed to upset everyone because he did the will of God, and not what everyone else thought he should be doing. At one point when his mother questions him about the wine while at the wedding, he responds with, “Woman, what have I to do with you?” I wonder if anyone thought he was so disrespectful, or so rude, or maybe what had gotten in to him?

This decision, again, only seemed to upset those I loved, and it upset my great grandmother. She was upset that I didn’t come down as much, she was upset that I didn’t seem to be involved in all the family get togethers, she was upset thinking I was off not following God, that I had missed it. Everyone had thought I had lost my ever loving mind! That’s not a fun place to walk when you are endeavoring to obey God, and those who have been your biggest supporters all your life, now suddenly have no support of what you believe to be right.

You know there was a time in the fall of 2003; my grandpa Bill said to me, “There will come a time when you and Anthony will have to do what you believe is right no matter what anyone else thinks.” I thought that was a random and strange comment, but today I believe that was God speaking out of my grandpa’s mouth. Those words comforted me during some tough times.  

My husband and I went on to move, and as I have shared before, we entered into some difficult days while in Broken Arrow. Days that I believe God brought us to, to deal with us individually, to deal with our hearts, to show us our hearts. Places where no man or woman could help us, places to where we knew we had to depend on God to survive. You know what…. those days built a confidence in God!! Those days had to be done! I couldn’t live the way I had been living and of received the confidence in God like I did without going through those days starting with me being separated; my confidence would have remained in man.

I hadn’t spoken to many during those years due to what I was walking through. I only seemed to upset others when I attempted to speak or see people, and again, one of those were my great grandmother. One day in March 2011, I was standing in my classroom, I turned to put some papers on my desk, and I heard the Lord tell me to go see her. I said, “Lord, I don’t want to. I’ll just go in the summer.” He said, “There won’t be time in the summer.”

The woman was 100 years old. Her mind sharp! She was strong in spirit. Not sick! And she could still put up a good fight, and I wasn’t looking for one! She had spent her whole life involved with reading the word of God and so on, but I still didn’t know if the woman was born again…. had she ever received Jesus? I have had people tell me that they went so many years to church and rarely ever missed, and because of that, they believed that was worth something, that that would get them into heaven. Jesus says you must be born again. 

Sibyl Younger Years

 

John 3: 3 .... Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  How can we do that? How can we be born again, born from above?
Romans 10: 9 - 10  says that we must believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess him Lord; and we shall be saved. 

 We must call on the name Jesus. It does not say if we attend so many church services we are good to go. So… was my great grandmother born again? Was this part of why the Lord had told me to go? 

I found myself in a dilemma! God had told me to go see her. Now, here is the first time I have seen her in awhile and I’m going to have to ask such a question. But God is gracious and merciful! And he had sent me to see her. I just had to believe God no matter what she might think, or no matter what my own head was trying to think.

We chatted about my childhood, and about hers. She shared stories of her life. She sang the songs she expected to be played one day when it was her time to go. It was the most wonderful time, and now I was going to have to get the guts to ask. I said, “Mimmie, are you born again?” Her response, “Well I’ll have you know I hammered nails in that church upteen years ago…, is that what you mean?” “No Mimmie.” “ Are you asking…..”, “No, Mimmie.” “Well, are you asking ….” “ No Mimmie.” I was getting no where, and we kept having these exchanges. I finally said in my heart, “Lord, I can’t do this, I won’t fight with her, you’ll have to do something. ” No sooner than I said that in my heart, she pointed her finger directly at me and said, “Are you asking me if I have received the Lord Jesus as my Lord and Saviour?” I said, “Yes Mimmie! That is exactly what I’m asking you!” “Yes, honey, I have”. I thanked God!! We had spent the best day together.

I left that day, took in every detail of her, believing that would be the last time I saw her. Within 3 to 4  weeks, she fell and went to be with Jesus!

So, what will I do if anything ever happens to my Mimmie? I’ll go on! I’ll keep believing! I rejoiced that she was forever to be with Jesus; and I will continue to thank God for all he did leading up to that point, to bring my life to the place where my confidence was in him, and his Son Jesus, and I wasn't that same person who crawled into bed that night thinking... "I don't know what I'll do.."

Do you know if God had not intervened in my life like he did, I could not of walked through that like I did. I wouldn’t of been seeking him, listening for his direction on what I was to do daily, I wouldn’t of had confidence knowing that was him talking to me, telling me,  “Go see your Mimmie.” Do you know all that I went through, was nothing but the love of God for me!! The love of God. That kind of love is available for you too!!

You know my dad discplined me, corrected me. He would always say, “I do it because I love you, if I didn’t love you I wouldn’t care what you did.”  I never could understand that until I became a teacher, and was repsonsible for “my kids”. You know God corrects us, corrects our steps because he loves us! Although we may not understand it because of how it hurts, or what it looks like, it is still the love of God.

Hebrews 12: 5 - 10
5: And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7: If we endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8: But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9: Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

If you want to know the will of God for your life. If you want to hear the voice of the Lord, so you’ll know what to do in your life. If you want to have the confidence that God is with you, and Jesus is with you in every situation no matter how grim or scary it looks, or maybe you were like me, and could find yourself thinking….”What will I do if…”  You know what you will have to do?  You will have to have the spirit of Jesus in you!! You will have to be born again!! There’s no other way!!

Romans 10:9-10

9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

 

Acts 4: 12 tells us, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Call on him, Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!! And when you do, you will be born again; and every day you will have to seek him; what will you have me do today Lord? You will not be sorry!!

 

Through all this I was learning to love because of the love of God that was being brought forth in my life. I was learning to lay down my life and follow Jesus.
 

John 15:13  

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 
God Bless You,
Misty