I am leaving for a freezing America this afternoon.
When I left for America in October last year – I cried the whole flight, because Aldo was so very sick to the point that he couldn’t even recognize me when I greeted him on the airport. But this is a new day, I am leaving a healthy child behind safely in the care of His loving King. He is improving everyday and we glorify God for this miracle!
“Mom, I’ll stick you for a cappuccino before you leave.” And there he started singing to me – bear in mind he can’t speak softly, and obviously can’t sing softly and everything is monotone - but what a WONDERFUL sound. My heart cries with joy. And I see how Jesus smiles with me.
Every now and again I fall on my knees and praise God for the miraculous change in Aldo. Thank you Jesus for Your blood! So many other things are still in the process of healing, but he is himself again – my new Aldo, not the old one. The old one died four and a half years ago.
He laughs, he plays, I even walked into his room to find him doing push-ups. He is back to school and doing well in his tests again – Glory to a living God!
Let me tell you, it is all GRACE!!!!!
I keep on shouting to my Jericho walls – GRACE – GRACE – GRACE to you!
During this season I have learned a very important truth the hard way…”Don’t outrun My grace Retha. For when you are weak, My strength is made perfect and My grace is sufficient for you. Just stay under the cloud of grace.”
God said to Moses – “Stay under this cloud”….”only move when I tell you to move. Rest in Me. If you run out before the cloud the sun will scorch you, if you lag behind you will perish. Just stay under the cloud. The cloud is My grace.”
When Aldo was so sick in December and God showed him there was water on his brain – I went to God and asked Him - “Lord, why did you not tell me about the water on his brain? I am so close to you, closer than ever in my live?” Retha – you are too fast.
I meditated on that for weeks, and finally I realized… I outran GRACE.
God’s timing is perfect; we need to trust God completely, even for the perfect timing of our miracle. Till then, walk in GRACE, shout GRACE to your situation, experience Gods GRACE, His unmerited mercy. Jesus we love you!!!
“God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love which He loved us....that in the ages to come, He might show us the exceeding riches of His Grace in His kindness towards us in Jesus.”
Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Light, and that is exactly what all the blessings in your life are – gifts from God, because of His great grace towards us. Not by our works, so that no one can boast.
Holy Spirit is my best friend and He is talking to me about how children of God are living their lives for themselves and not a life controlled by Him. We have to learn how to live under the submission and control of the Holy Spirit. He knows what is best for us.
Lying, anger, giving a place to the enemy with your own selfish desires, corrupt speech, bitterness, un-forgiveness and all the other works of the flesh grieve the Holy Spirit.
Do you love Holy Spirit – are you one with Him?
Do you have your breath, your life in Him?
We need humble hearts to approach the King, for God resists the proud, but gives GRACE to the humble. There are no “10 steps” to a humble heart. The closer you come to the throne the more humble you will be. You would not even have to say a word – your life will show it all.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, meek, merciful and the pure in heart. Everything is NOT about you, you will need to carry your cross, lay down yourself in all areas of your life, forsaking the world, and following Him, down to the last command – love one another as He loved them and to serve each other in humility.
If you can’t serve your brother – you are far from the truth.
So many children of God do not want to serve, but rather wait to be served by others. You will be controlled by the Holy Spirit when you go out and serve others. Not for what you will get out of them, but because of His Spirit and His character in you. Your true identity will become transparent in the hour we live in.
God’s plan was that we will enjoy the presence of His Spirit all the time, everyday of our lives.
People keep on asking me, “Isn’t it lonely to travel so alone?”No, I am not alone. Holy Spirit and I have the most special times together. We laugh together, we cry together for a lost world, He reveals His character in the small things around me, in gray areas He opens my eyes to the things that grieve Him - Like a believer who doesn’t wait for His guidance or doesn’t use the gift of a “mind like Christ”.
He guides me, comforts me and HE LOVES ME UNCONDITIONALLY. As we abide in each other He shows me how to love my husband as the bride of Christ loves Jesus. In His presence is perfect SHALOM peace. I love Him, and He loves me.
We need a heart that is watchful and ready to obey Him in everything He says. The Word of God speaks of the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. The only way we can live in the Spirit is to live by His truth, for the truth sets us free.
They that are in Christ have died with Christ and have crucified the flesh – that means your own strength, your own power, your own fleshly desires – all selfish desires must be given over to the transforming power of the cross. Yielding to the flesh, grieves Holy Spirit.
I see how we fight the “dying to self” process. Christians will fight each other and only the ones that choose to die to self will turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile and bless those who harm them. Do not open a door to the enemy by giving in to your anger or wanting your own way. Run from arguments, run – that is the enemy’s way to get you back under the control of the flesh. Remember, we are not fighting against flesh and blood but the rulers of the air- so discern their tactics and fight with humility, courage and wisdom.
The enemy’s primary goal is to lure you away from under the cloud of grace, and the cloud will only cover the humble. Be controlled by the Holy Spirit, because if you are in control of your own life, you are lost and without peace. A tender, humble, watchful dependency upon Holy Spirit and His leading is vital if we want to maintain His wonderful loving fellowship.
Back home I have a family that prays for me, loves me and encourages me to go and tell the world that Jesus is alive.
I will be recording a program for TBN in the USA and will be speaking in L.A. next weekend. God bless you, and do not forget to pray for Israel.
We to need to end up separated and set apart for God, free from the world, and fix our eyes only on Jesus.
As Josh says every morning of his life “I am full of faith and controlled by the Holy Spirit”
GOD BLESSES YOU. Retha