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

The Mercy of God On My Mother

I would like to share this testimony about a woman named Alba Davidson. She was the mother of Doyle Davidson, who is the president and minister here at Water of Life Ministries in Plano, Texas. My husband has known Doyle and followed this ministry since 1994, and in 2014 we both came on staff here to join Doyle and others in the ministry.  I invite you to read to this powerful testimony of faith in the name of Jesus.

Acts 4:12

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

 

That name is Jesus!

God Bless You,
Misty

" The Mercy of God on My Mother"

 

  "In 1992 something happened to my mother. She started out having mental problems and it was all fear. I would call and talk to her and she would say, ‘Doyle your dad is trying to poison me.’ I asked, ‘In what way?’ And she would say, ‘Well, he’s done something to the furnace.’ I said, 'What’s he done? ' She said, ‘Well, there’s gas leaking in this house.’ So I asked to talk to Dad. When he came on the phone I said, ‘Dad, what are these stories Mother is telling me?’ Dad said, ‘Doyle you know there is nothing to them.’ ‘I know Dad,’ I said, ‘but would you do something for me? Would you call the gas company and have them check it out?’ He said, ‘Doyle I’ve done that, but for you I’ll do it again.’ One of Grandma Miller’s relatives had put the furnace in and I said, ‘Would you have George come and check that furnace?’ Dad said, ‘Doyle I had him check it but I’ll have him check it again.’ The gas company came and found nothing wrong. They said, ‘Lyle, you know there’s nothing wrong’ and he said. ‘I know but Doyle asked me to do this for him.” My cousin George came and said, ‘Lyle, there is nothing wrong with this furnace.’ He said, ‘I know George but I’m doing this because Doyle has asked me to.’ George checked it again and of course there was nothing wrong with the furnace.

I had told Dad I would call back later and see what they found out and when I called no one answered. I wondered at the time, 'What is going on, why is no one at home?’ I received a phone call later that evening and my sister said they had taken Mother to the rehabilitation wing of St. John’s Hospital. I said, 'Well what is she being rehabilitated for?' They started to relate to me about her fears and how she was accusing Dad of trying to poison her. I said, ‘I’m aware of that. Is Dad there? Let me talk to him.’ He told me about 3:00 that afternoon, the girls decided to take her to her physician and he (her physician) told them to go ahead and take her to the hospital.

 

 

I found out a couple days later that it was really a psychiatric ward they had put her in. That really made me mad. I said to them, ‘Why didn’t you tell me? She doesn’t need to be there. If you can’t help her she needs to have medication, not put her in one of those places.’ A few days later they called and told me she was having strokes and she was losing her mind and later, they called again and told me she couldn’t drink water or take ice chips, she had ulcers all around her mouth and in her mouth. ‘We don’t want her on life support and we know you don’t either.’ I said. ‘No, you’re right, I don’t.’ ‘We’re going to let her die,’ they said. ‘Well ok.’ I said, ‘just don’t take her off fluids.’ And they said, “Well we already have.” I could not believe it. ‘You’ve done what? Put Dad on the phone.’ My sister said, ‘He’s on his way back home.’ I was furious, ‘What have you all done?! Do you realize that’s like putting her out in the desert to die of dehydration and starvation?!’ I hung up that phone and went outside. I was hot! I walked over and sat on the bleachers at the ball park right next door to the church and I did talk to God. I said, ‘If my mother were a horse I would drive up there and euthanize her. This is no way to treat my mother. I have a brother-in-law who’s a veterinarian, and a nephew who’s a neurologist, and they know better than that. If it was legal, I would go euthanize her, it would be better than letting her die like that. I don’t even know if this woman is saved, in fact I don’t think she is.’

 

        

That evening my Mother started yelling and they could hear her all over that floor of the hospital; they said you could even hear her in the elevators. ‘Jesus, come help me! Jesus, come get me!’ This is a woman who never raised her voice, a very quiet woman. She kept this up for thirty minutes. And at the end of that thirty minutes, Jesus did come, and He healed all the lesions on her lips and in her mouth and she was able to drink. My sisters called me up, so excited with what had happened. The Lord said to me, ‘Do you think she’s saved now?’ I chuckled, ‘I think so, thank you.’

 

 

My Mom lived five more years and she knew me every time I went to see her. I was on my way to South Bend, Indiana for a meeting one weekend and God told me to go and see her. We were on a charter flight and we stopped in Springfield and rented a car and drove to Mt. Vernon to the nursing home. They told me she wouldn’t know me and I said, ‘That’s alright.’ When I walked in Mother said, ‘There’s my boy.’ I prayed for her that day and cast three devils out of her. When I left, God told me not to go back there. It was the last time I saw my Mother. She went to heaven, January 4, 1998.”

 

Doyle Davidson

( Doyle's Personal Testimonies )

"Learning to Worship"

When I was growing up I was always a super quiet person, always kinda “hated” that about myself, and wished I was a little more outgoing. It prevented me from getting involved in a lot of things though, which today I can now see was God! But one thing I loved to do was sing, and I always enjoyed music. I enjoyed reading and words, and I thought when you put that stuff together with music, it was really something.


I wasn’t what someone would call a singer, but I enjoyed singing alone, and besides that, I was way too shy to ever use my singing voice in front of anyone. I didn’t seriously sing in front of people, or friends. The one time I decided I was going to try and perform for some function and sang in front of my mom, well, the look on her face convinced me I should never open my mouth and sing in front of anyone!

Over the years though, and after being married, that didn’t change. Oh I could sing some oldie song being funny, but I didn’t just truly sing. As I began to walk in the things of the Lord, well, worship was a part of that! There lied a huge problem!!

Psalm 100: 1 - 2
1: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you lands.

2: Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.


Well, in order to come into his presence it was going to require singing! How was I suppose to keep walking in the things of God when I couldn’t even seem to come before his presence with singing unless I knew I was really alone!!

I could get alone sometimes and I would just worship to the songs we had here at Water of Life. Times I would just set in front of the computer when we lived in Stigler, Oklahoma, and would just worship. I was always ministered to and comforted. It was a time I really enjoyed.

One day a person I knew was setting in front of me in one of the services in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Worship had begun and I in my quiet voice would kind of muster up the words to a degree hoping to keep my voice under everyone else. I know now, that wasn't using my faith. This person would belt it out as if it were just them and Jesus were the only ones in the room! I said, “Lord, I want to be able to worship you like that one day!”

Sometime after, Water of Life Ministries visited many of us in our church facilities while in Broken Arrow. Doyle Davidson who was and is the minister as well as the president of the ministry, began walking around praying and he ended up behind me. He began praying for me to be loosed from fear. I began being delivered for quite a length of time. In between hours he came and set by me and said, “God is setting you free of some fear girl!” I just answered with, amen. I have shared over time how that two days later I had one of the biggest attacks on my life. I knew it was necessary what God had just done for me by setting me free!! It was God!!

I was always someone too who could take instruction. If you just told me what you wanted done, or how to do something, I listened to what you said and did my best to do it right! Terry Mai who was the worship leader at Water of Life had gone to be with the Lord. He was known to have a strong voice and ministered faith as he would lead worship. After he went to be with the Lord, Doyle had shared about Terry’s strength as he sang. He shared how we should do the same; use our faith and push, believe God, and worship God. Well, I had been set free enough, and clearly I now had some instruction concerning worship. In other words, don’t be whimpy! Believe God, use your faith, sing unto the Lord! And you know pleases God?! Faith!!

Psalm 98:4
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise!

Well that doesn’t sound like be quiet!


I took the instruction, and I began to be a doer of the word! Making a joyful sound! Making a loud noise! Singing and praising with all I had using my faith. I began overcoming more fear, and overcoming things in my heart because God would be ministering to me as I would worship. You know I didn’t want to miss what God had for me! Anthony and I would join in each night from our home praising and worshipping the Lord. Before you knew it, I didn’t care who heard what, I just wanted the Lord Jesus to hear me, and the Father to hear me!


I share this testimony with you that you might see the goodness of the Lord. That you might see how the power of God is what began to change me, a person who was so shy, so quiet, and wasn’t going to be heard; to the person he has brought me to be today. It is what the Lord has done in me!!


We are told in 1 Corinthians 15:3 -4 that the gospel is how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Romans 1:16 tells us that, that gospel, is the POWER of God for our salvation. We aren’t to be moved away from it, but we are to stand in it, to trust in it, to believe it! I thank God that I was given the opportunity to hear it! That I was told that if I would believe it, the power of God would work in my life daily! And you know!? It has!! And it does!! And that is why I now tell you the same thing!! My hope is that you might believe and have that same power work in your lives daily, that you might have your hope, your trust, your confidence in the Lord Jesus! And that you might be delivered and set free of whatever keeps you bound like fear did for me all those years!!

Not long ago my husband, Anthony came across this song, and I said, “This is my song!” So we changed some words here and there, making it our "own".

The chorus says, “Hallelujah I have found him, whom my soul so long has craved.”
And I have found him!


Today, my husband and I have come on staff here at Water of Life Ministries. What comes out of this ministry, the music, books, or whatever the Lord is doing, is always free of charge.

Matthew 10:8 ..... freely you have received, freely give.

I encourage you to believe the gospel! Even when it doesn’t seem like you’re believing or look like a thing is going on, keep believing!! And see the salvation of God!!

You may visit: http://www.doyledavidson.com/music/music_download.shtml for all our worship music here at Water of Life Ministries. You will hear music ministered with faith in the hearts of those ministering in song, and it will minister to you.

God Bless You,
Misty

The Gospel Brought Me Salvation!

Romans 1:16

Tells us we are not to be ashamed ( afraid to trust in ) the gospel of Christ,
for it is the power (the ability of God) unto our salvation
(that is whatever we have need of ) to everyone that believeth.

One of the first miracles the Lord did for me after endeavoring to walk in the gospel
daily in everything I was doing, was when I was teaching third grade in Keota, Oklahoma.

I was always used to planning a little art activity on Friday afternoons with my school kids, and once again I was preparing a project for my third graders to do! And it involved poster board.

I also was use to using my own personal money for the expenses on these Friday's. At this time though, my husband and I were endeavoring more and more to hear and obey God in all things, and that included our money and our giving.

The scriptures tell us in Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

And in us doing so with our money,  and in whatever we were doing, we knew we were to do it by the Spirit of God as stated in Galatians 6: 7-8.

 

7: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8: For he that soweth to his flesh shall reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

So as I was preparing to purchase the poster boards, considering how many I
might need, and costs; Anthony told me how we didn't have the money to just go and
spend on those items. Needless to say, I got a little panicked!

I had already told my kids what we would be doing! I didn't like to tell them something and not do what I said! And I did not want to walk in there on Friday and not have what I had told them! I certainly didn't think I could walk in there and say, "Well some of the money I had for your project all went to the Lord!" I didn't think they'd understand that! I seemed to be having trouble considering it my own self now that I was personally being affected; or how I may "look" bad!

It's all nice and wonderful when you believe you are obeying God, and it works our for your benefit just as you thought or hoped it would; but when God starts lining things out more and more in your life, or by your obeying him, it ends up affecting your life differently than you thought.... well, will you keep believing him? Will you keep seeking him? Will you keep obeying him? Will you get offended?

So I was "stuck"! What was I going to do?! No one could help me but the Lord Jesus. I needed the salvation it talked about in Romans 16. I needed the power of God to work!  And the word says, that the gospel is the power of God for my salvation when I believe!

So what is the gospel I was to believe?

 

 

1 Corinthians 15: 3 - 4

3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

 

 

But look at what we are also told in the previous verses 1 - 3;

We are told how the gospel was preached to us, we have received it, and we are saved, ( saved, delivered, protected, healed, made whole, preserved ) IF we keep it in memory, unless our believing has been in vain.

 

So what are we to do? What did I need to do? Not look at the no money, no poster board, everyone gets disappointed! But look unto Jesus. I was instructed by the word of God to stand in the gospel, I was instructed by the word of God to keep the gospel in memory! Because what will happen if I do? I’ll be saved! And the Power of God will work!

So, I determined to do that! I would preach the gospel to myself! I would remind the Lord of his word!  Not just for 5 minutes, I was staying after it all I knew how! I did not tell one soul what was going on! But God knew, and the Lord Jesus knew!

Friday arrived, and no poster board! I drove to school, same thing, preaching the gospel to myself, keeping it in memory, keeping my heart on the things of God. We did not carry this kind of an item at school and for sure in a bulk amount, so I could not see it coming from there! Morning came, no poster board! Lunch came and went and “project time” was almost here!

As I was walking from one building to another during a break, I ran into another teacher friend. They stopped me and said, “Misty, I don’t know if you would need any or not, but someone just came and dropped off a whole case of poster board.” You talk about ministering to this girl's heart!!

Do you know I had all the poster board I could want! We had no lack of anything!

The kids and I never missed a beat that day! And it was right on time! You know I

couldn’t even tell them then what Jesus had just done for them! But I can today!!
The Lord Jesus had come and helped us!!

 

Do you know that was the Power of God!! That was my salvation brought to me;
brought to us! I could not see getting that poster board at school, but that is exactly what happened. God had that poster board delivered for us! Do you know that was no big thing for God to do!!? That’s what believing the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus can do! Why? Because Romans 1:16 says that the gospel is the Power of God for our salvation, BUT, we must believe it!! We must hold fast to it! Remember again what Corinthians tells us to do; to stand in it, keep it in memory, to not believe in vain, in other words, don’t say we believe, but our hearts are all over the place, and on everything else, and not on the gospel!

You know that was one of the first things, and most dear to me that the Lord Jesus did for me. I didn't have to of have arrived for the Lord to do that, I just had to believe he could! That’s why I declare this gospel to you in all my postings! I want what I have come to see working my life, to work in yours!! I want you to have the hope I have on a daily basis!!

So today, wherever you are, you too can take of this Jesus, like I have. And in order to do so, Jesus says in the word ( John 3 ) you must be born again.

How do you do that?

 

 

Romans 10:9

If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You can call on that name, Jesus!! Jesus!! And you know what? Your spirit and Jesus’ spirit will be one! He living inside of you! ( I Corinthians 6:17 )

Do you need to receive Jesus? Do you need a job? Do you need healed? Do you need poster board? Whatever it is you need, believing the gospel is how it will come! Believing the gospel will bring salvation to you in your situation!!

The gospel ( Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection ) is where the power is! The power is in the gospel. Why? The power of God is what raised that man Jesus from the dead!

And that same power is available to EVERYONE who believeth!

 

God Bless You!
Misty