Memories from one of my journals in 2010!
Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.
(1956-2018)
Bishop Sims is now resting in the presence of the Lord. In 2009, he had open-heart surgery. His heart was still strong, but he had leaky heart valves, both the mitral and tricuspid, which caused much of the blood to flow in the opposite direction. It drained him of his energy and caused other problems. The surgeon was able to repair it.
I Had a Dream
Before we left for Oklahoma City, I had a dream. Danger pursued me, but I was determined that it would not catch me nor overtake me. I ran faster than humanly possible, and pretty soon, I was in the air - defying gravity, flying above it all. I zoomed over the enemy and beyond his reach - high above every threat of danger. I felt free and relaxed and began to enjoy the sensational experience and thanked God for his divine protection. What a breathtaking sight it was! Although it was dark, there were lights everywhere in the city: the valleys, mountains, crevices, etc. I never wanted to come down.
When I woke up, I knew that we would have some dark times in the city, but the dream signified that we would rise above it all. We did defy gravity in a spiritual sense.
It was revealed to me that the body of Christ all over the nation was praying for us – they were those lights. I felt so undergirded. My husband shared this message:
“Thank you for your consistencies in prayer for my wife and me in our trying times. God did most certainly bare me up on eagles wings during this dark hour of my life. I felt the converging of the body of Jesus like I've never felt it before. The mountains of denominations locked hands, and nothing else mattered but the will of our heavenly Father. God is so perfect!” ~Bishop Ken Sims (2010)
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.
The Lord reminded me that no matter what, I have to take the heavenly viewpoint instead of the earthly perspective, for we are seated in celestial places in Christ Jesus.
Determined that we would not miss our assignments at the hospital, I ministered every day - sometimes for hours and even while in CCU with my husband. It took two days for some of the side effects from medications to wear off, but when it did, he ministered to nurses when his pain level was off the charts. He spoke slowly and quietly. One nurse sat beside him for an hour and went to tell her friends. Her actions reminded me of the Samaritan at the well. Three more came in, so we continued to minister for thirty more minutes.
Being hospitalized had many spiritual rewards. My mind is indelibly marked by an experience with a woman named Jamie, who's mother was having heart surgery at the same time as my husband, Ken. Her lungs were failing. Jamie had been looking for me for four days and started crying when she found me. Her mother’s condition worsened, and she stopped breathing.
Chaplains were available; however, she grabbed my hand and took me to her mom to pray for her. I felt honored to be the Lord’s instrument. Many were watching for the outcome. Fortunately, I was able to continue building on the faith foundation that began four days earlier while in the waiting room. I magnified the Lord by sharing some of our many testimonies. Initially, her mother, Ms. Kathy, was not aware of anything, but when I started softly singing about the name of Jesus, she could not be still. Jamie was thrilled. We were at the heart hospital for ten days; Ms. Kathy continued to improve each day.
It was a hard fight to get clear of here. This time was very challenging and demanding on our bodies, minds, and spirits. Never-the-less, we stood and we overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
He is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals us!
Whether you have a physical heart problem as Bishop Sims did or if you have spiritual heart issues, you need a surgeon. If our hearts are uncircumcised, we too have leaky valves and are unable to love and forgive like Jesus. The lives we lead flow in the opposite direction of God’s preference for us. We are drained of energy and are frequently faced with insurmountable problems.
Jesus is the surgeon who will repair, renew, and remake your heart. He will circumcise your heart so that you can be in covenant with him - he helps us to cut away the works of the flesh. If you allow him, he will give you a clean heart so that you can serve him.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
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