life

The Great Unmasking

/ Patty Morris / Leave a comment

Time to come out from hiding. And smile again!

There has never been a better time for you to show off your God-given smile than right now–especially now in these messy Covid virus times. The flimsy masks we are told to wear may give you a false sense of security. You may feel that you are being protective of others. But these masks can be actually hurting more than helping.

While the N-95 and surgical grade masks do help safeguard health care workers and food service workers, those flimsy pieces of cloth most of us wear offer little to no protection from sickness. Instead, they offer the illusion of safety where there is none. The tiny particles of the virus can easily penetrate homemade masks. (https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/04/commentary-masks-all-covid-19-not-based-sound-data)

Let the sick stay home. And let the healthy come outside and breathe the fresh air- -a gift from God. Be real. Sunshine is good for you.

Hiding behind a mask, on the other hand, can make people suspicious of you. Masks make people afraid. We become fearful of going too near someone to offer a helping hand or a friendly word of greeting or encouragement. We avoid looking at people directly in the eye. We can become locked in a self-imposed prison of isolation and discouragement. People with hearing difficulties (over a billion people worldwide) can be blocked from communicating and understanding, as the masks muffle the wearer’s voice and do not allow for lip reading.

Spread the joy

The world needs to see your smile and hear your voice! Even if you don’t feel like it, smile anyway. Your own joy will increase. It’s a proven fact that smiles boost endorphins, relieve stress, help you relax, and lower your blood pressure. Smiles may even lengthen your life.

Smiles increase your joy and the joy of those around you. When you unmask your beautiful smile, people feel valued, that they are worth the effort you made to smile at them. And they see you as more attractive, sincere, reliable and friendly. People respond to your smile with smiles of their own! It’s contagious. You have heard that the virus is contagious. But smiling is even more contagious!

Face it. When someone looks at you and flashes a genuine smile, it is hard not to smile back. We increase each other’s happiness.

We all feel better.

Pandemic of fear

By contrast, heavy-handed government regulations are tearing up people’s lives. The cure has become worse than the disease. Many businesses have been forced to close down, many have failed, throwing millions of Americans out of work, destroying dreams and futures. The financial and emotional stress of being unable to provide for their families, together with forced confinement at home, have caused alarming increases in domestic violence and child abuse. All this non-stop togetherness has brought out the worst in some people. Tempers have flared, and there are fewer ways to escape. Local shelters for victims are maxed out. The rates of depression and suicide are climbing. Alcohol and drug addictions have killed many more. As the stay-at-home measures continue to stretch out into months in some locales, people are losing hope. Lives are being lost at home. And especially in nursing homes in some states, where the inmates are locked down in solitary confinement, unable to visit one another or even see family members. Some patients are forced to die alone.

People should be free to choose how they want to live and die. Their quality of life may be more important to them than their length of life. How many of the so-called Covid deaths were actually the result of depression, loneliness and hopelessness caused by forced isolation?

Protection you can trust

So if masks are not the answer, how do we protect ourselves from a virus, Covid or otherwise? We put our trust in God and His word.

The Lord alone makes you dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

God wants you healthy.

Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in good health. (3 John 2)

He has supplied healing for you in the Blood of Jesus.

By Jesus’ wounds we have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

The promise of protection is for all believers, but especially for those who trust in the Lord and say so.

No evil shall befall you. Neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. (Psalm 91:10)

And if you do get sick, ask a believer to come and pray for you.

These signs shall accompany those who believe…they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18)

Time to believe again. And say so. Whom are you believing? Where have you placed your confidence? America’s national motto says “In God we trust.” Do you trust government bureaucrats with their dismal false prophecies, which seek to stretch out the so-called pandemic for years? Or do you put your trust in the Word of God, which is unchangeable, filled with life and healing power?

Jesus is our Savior, Healer, Protector. Not a small piece of cloth you cover your face with.

Free to choose

Most states are seeing the number of new cases steadily decreasing. All fifty states are beginning to open up. States like Georgia and South Carolina that have completely reopened have not seen any meaningful increase in virus statistics. The predictions of catastrophe have been defeated. Praise the Lord.

For most of us, whether you choose to wear a mask is optional. But if your employer or city mayor insists that you wear a mask, you may choose to comply. And no one should fault you for that. Certainly keeping your job, if you have one, is an important factor to consider. However, for those of us who are healthy and choose not to wear a mask, do not condemn us. Or arrest us. Instead, smile with us. Smiling can be infectious. And we will all feel better.

Miracle at the grocery store

/ Patty Morris / 4 Comments

A routine trip to the grocery store turned out to be anything but routine for me one day years ago.  I had been fighting a lot of fear during that season of my life, especially that day.  I knew I needed to go to the grocery store to buy food for our family.  But I was feeling swamped by fear and doubt.  As a young Christian, I was totally sold out to Jesus. I aspired to be a strong woman of faith, but I was unsure how to do it.

Pray first

Calling my Sunday school teacher for advice, he encouraged me to go out and minister to someone else.  Pray first.  Then go for it.  Even though I did not feel strong enough that day to help myself, much less anyone else, I prayed and asked God to make me a blessing to someone in need.   Whoever that might be.  Whatever their need might be.  So I prayed and left it up to God.  He did not disappoint.

I drove to the supermarket and began to shop.  I placed my order at the deli counter for sliced meat and cheese.  Moments later there was a flurry of alarm, as my server had cut her hand severely on the big slicing machine behind the counter.  Another server quickly went to her aid, backing her away from the machine, squeezing her hand tightly, trying unsuccessfully to stop the bleeding.  The wounded server was suffering extreme pain and appeared faint.  The department manager offered to take my order for me.  But I ignored her offer.  For this emergency, I knew that God’s help was needed.

Compassion rose up in me.  Faith came alive.  The Holy Spirit literally took over the situation.   I boldly proclaimed, “I am a Christian.  Bring her to me.  I will pray for her and God will stop the bleeding, take away all her pain and heal her hand!”

Radical faith

The three women looked at me with surprise.  The injured worker appeared that she might pass out at any moment.  I did not know if she could even walk the several steps over to me where I stood.  But she tearfully made it to the counter.  With God-given compassion, I told her to give me her hand, I would not touch the cut.  Gently, I touched her injured hand.  I prayed a simple prayer asking God to take away the pain, stop the bleeding  and heal her hand.  And no infection to be allowed.  In Jesus’ Name. 

Miraculously, her hand was healed immediately before our eyes.  All pain ceased.  All bleeding stopped.  Her flesh was knitted back together as if nothing had happened.  All three workers were amazed!  I just expected God would do it.  We all thanked God for His healing power. I was too stunned to say more.

Then as I walked away to continue my shopping, the deli department manager hurried after me. “I have a cold,” she said.  “Will you pray for me?”  Gratefully, gladly, I prayed for her as well.  She returned to work, praising the Lord for both healings.

Step up.  Speak out.

No one was more surprised than me at the pair of healings which the Lord gave through me that day.  I was super blessed beyond words.  God had answered my prayer to bless someone that day—twice over.   I was so honored to be His chosen vessel to help these women in need.  I had not been feeling strong or gifted that day.  Quite the opposite.  But God does not wait until we are feeling strong and anointed to use us.  He loves it when we are feeling weak, totally dependent on Him to empower us.  He knew my heart was to heal.  And He answered with LOVE and grace.

            As He is, so are we now in this world.

                                                                        1 John 4:17

Since that day I have prayed for many people in many places.  It is the joy of my life.  I have been privileged to see Jesus heal many—some instantly, some over time. Some people need to forgive themselves first before they can receive healing.  Some need to stop worrying and turn their problems over to Jesus.   Whatever the need, He always supplies.

But I am not unique or special to participate in God’s healing miracles.  The Lord invites all believers to join with Him in His healing ministry.  The Lord invites YOU to heal the sick.

And these signs shall follow those who believe…they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

                                                           Mark 16:17-18

Don’t wait until you are feeling strong and holy.  Step out today—no matter how you are feeling.  Pray first.  Ask God for the opportunity to bless someone.  Ask the Holy Spirit to be in charge.  Then step up and speak out in faith.  God will use you in miraculous ways.  Glory to God!

Christ in you—the hope of glory.

                                                            Colossians 1:27

God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty. He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies.  For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no prideful boasting in God’s presence.

                                                            1 Corinthians 1:27-29 

Are you feeling weak, forgotten or rejected by the world today?  God does not choose the strong but the weak, the foolish, the rejected.  God chooses you!

Pray first.  Then step out!

Share your story

Do you have an experience of God’s breakthrough in your own life or someone else’s which you wish to share?  A miraculous healing or escape from peril?  Go to the comment page and share with other readers.  To God be the glory!

Love is the answer

/ Patty Morris / Leave a comment

How is your love life?

Relationships can be messy.  Conflicts are inevitable.  With all the division, quarreling and misunderstandings going on today, there seems to be only one real remedy–love.

Love your friends.  Love your family and your supporters.  But don’t forget to love those who disagree with you.  And love your enemies–those who persecute you, criticize you and lie about you.  Pray for them.  Love them.  Especially those who disagree with you–even if they are wrong.

Pray and ask the Lord for wisdom and patience.  He will show you how best to handle each situation.  If there is abuse involved, remove yourself from that situation.  If you need help, get it.

But if a person is merely annoying you, making you angry, cover that person in prayer.  The Lord may give you insight as to why they are being so disagreeable.  God may tell you to bind the evil spirits that are deceiving that person.  Bind them in Jesus’ mighty Name.  Then ask God to send that person witnesses to the truth, witnesses to whom they will listen.  Declare by faith a spirit of love over your irritant.

” Receive this truth:  Whatever you forbid on earth shall be considered to be forbidden in heaven. and whatever you release on earth will be considered to be released in heaven.”                                                                             Matthew 18:18  (TPT)

Many times the Lord will choose not to deliver us from trouble immediately but rather uphold us through that trial.  His goal is to develop our strength of character and endurance.  Our character is more important to God than our comfort level.

Endurance means patience, perseverance.  Patience can be defined as love on trial, love refined and pure, selfishness conquered.  This trial of love could be painful, but the fruit of it is worth it  Let patience have its perfect work.

Let’s see what our love life should look like. This is what God says He is working to develop in us.

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s LOVE in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening! Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].                                                                              1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (AMPC)

Unconditional love that is patient and kind, not self-centered–that kind of love never fails!  God says so.  And He is always right.  He is LOVE Himself.

So agree with God.  Stop complaining about that person who irritates you.  They may be just the sandpaper you need to smooth out your own rough edges.  Start calling yourself and your irritant patient and kind with each other.  Say that you are ever ready to believe the best about each other.  Be not touchy, fretful or resentful.  Take no offense with each other.  Instead, be quick to forgive.  Say these powerful words from the Bible out loud each day, and watch your relationships change.  God-given words spoken by a believer have great power and authority.  They have healed many a relationship, many a marriage.

And in the meantime, if someone refuses to love you back–even after all your patience and kindness–just bless them and get on with your life.  Give them grace–not what they deserve.  No resentment.  No bitterness from you.  You go free from any burden of hatred or offense.

How is it possible to love the unlovable? Only by the Spirit of God.  If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, His Spirit lives inside you.  Let Him have free rein in your life.  Let Him love the people through you.  Be His love letter.  Ask Him to help you.  Love is really the only answer.