Heart Keepers Ministries

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miracle

The Doctor Is In!

by Debbie on July 28, 2018

Recently, while talking with my son Blake, I was sharing with him that I had been feeling dizzy and lightheaded and nauseated.
I told him I had met with Dr. Google and he said I most likely was experiencing an inner ear issue, perhaps Vertigo.
I explained to my son that I had finally decided to try some Benadryl even though I was concerned that it would keep me from getting up early to go to the gym with him. I told him that the Benadryl seemed to be helping. He told me I needed to go see an ENT doctor to have it checked out. I told him that I wanted to but with my work schedule it would be a while before I could have any time off.
He understood that because he works with us in our family business and knows how hard it is to get away from the
ringing phones and many walk in customers. So we just left the conversation there, both of us settling with the fact that I needed to see a doctor but didn't have the time to go for a while.
He and I are so much alike in the area of our health and wellness. If something is not the norm in our bodies we want to find out what it is and address it. We don't like pretending it isn't there and just hoping that it will go away.
Later that day after our "I'm sick but I don't have time to go to the doctor discussion", I was sitting at my desk and my son said, " Mom, that was my ENT that just came in and bought a belt for his dryer, you should have talked to him about your situation." I said, "well, I wish you would have told me before he left." Yet, Blake and I both surmised that the doctor probably did not want to be asked about "work" stuff, when he is away from work.
So I didn't think much about it and I stood up from my desk to go up towards the front of our business and ran right into that Dr. in his scrubs, holding his old broken dryer belt and the new one he had just purchased.
Something caught his attention on his way out of our store. He saw the new Speed Queen washers and dryers that we sell.
He asked me a question about them and we ended up chatting about the appliances and his current appliances and suddenly I realized that God had sent the Dr. to me that I didn't have time to go see. I found the opportunity to tell him about my symptoms and he asked me several questions about my condition and then told me that what I was doing was best for now and that if within one month the symptoms were not completely gone that I should come see him. I felt such peace, but even more than peace, I felt like rejoicing and giving God praise to the top of my lungs. How great is our God to send a doctor to us when we can't go to the doctor.
In hindsight I now realize that I could have prayed and asked God to send the doctor to me since I couldn't go to the doctor. But what kind of faith would it take to ask for, think about, or even imagine such a thing happening. I was too busy talking about the reasons a Dr. visit couldn't happen to even think about a God who can do more than I can ask or imagine.

Ephesians 3:20
Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us. By this power he can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.

There is a story in the Bible about someone who needed to get well but had some excuses, but when the Dr. came to him, it changed his life forever.

John 5:1-15
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of such people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water, then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"
The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have not a man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed."
He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.' "
Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you. 'Take up your bed and walk'?
But the one who has healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest
a worse thing come upon you."
The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
*************
This man who had an infirmity thirty-eight years was now well because the doctor, Jesus, came to him. Jesus knew that the man couldn't go to him, so he came to the man.
But what did the man do when he was healed? He went to the temple! I think he was rejoicing and so excited that it got the attention of others.
Jesus found him in the temple and just reminded him not to sin and warned him that if he did, something worse could happen to him.
I don't know about you but I think God is able to do anything and he does it even when we don't think to ask him or imagine it.

I share all of this because I want God to have the glory. He did something for me that I didn't ask for, think about, or even imagine.

What a great testimony of his faithfulness.

I could tell that my son Blake was amazed as well. And as for me, well I was ready to go to church and get on my knees and thank HIM and then stand and give him praise.
He is an awesome God and can make things
happen that we just can't think or imagine.

Do you want to get well? Then stop making excuses like I did, and like the man at the pool did.
Jesus can show up in our situations in ways we can't even think or imagine.

The Dr. that came to me, I know was sent by God. And I am most grateful for such an amazing God.

The Dr. stated that he had been told about the Speed Queen appliances years back when my son went to
visit him but had forgotten about them until he saw them on display. He said, 'I am going to buy one, because I
think I deserve it.' I agreed with him wholeheartedly, because he had been an angel sent by God to me.
I certainly thought he deserved it.

I know that not one of us deserves the grace we receive from God through Jesus Christ but he still gives
us the blessings anyway.

What do you need today?

Do you want to get well?

Dear Jesus,
You are so awesome. You show up to us when we don't know what to do. When we are helpless and hopeless
and we have tried everything. Lord you are amazing.
Thank you for sending angels to help us in our time of need. Thank you for the miracles that you still perform today.
Thank you for sending the Dr. to me. I give you all the glory, and hope that others will also see your miracles in their hopeless and helpless situations. Thank you that when our faith is not wise enough or big enough to even ask, think or imagine what you can do, you can and will still do it.
You amaze me God- All glory be to you God, Amen.

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NO, NOT YET!

by Debbie on May 14, 2017

Yesterday I had the privilege of being with my precious mother who is now 96 years young. She walked out of her house looking beautiful and ready to go, right when my car pulled up to her house. She had been ready and waiting on me for over an hour because somehow she thought I would be arriving at 7:30 a.m. instead of 8:30 a.m.

When I saw her come out of her house my thoughts were, "Oh how beautiful she is"! When she got situated in my car with her seatbelt on, she looked straight into my eyes and said with such sweetness and kindness, "I was wondering what happened to you. I thought something bad had happened to you".

I looked at her kind of bewildered and asked her what she meant. Come to find out, my brother thought I said (in my text to him) that I would arrive at my mother's house at 7:30 a.m. when I actually I had said I would leave my house at 7:30 a.m. He had his daughter and son-in-law and their 4 children visiting so I can understand how he could have misread it and misinformed my Mama.

After I explained to her that I was not late but on time, she just smiled and gave me her little laugh that she often gives me these days because she seems to be getting a bit more confused about things as the days go by.

Unfortunately, we were both heading to a funeral. It was my cousin's funeral. She had fought a courageous battle with cancer and now was with her Lord. She won the victory because of Jesus and the work of the cross.

At the funeral I watched my Mama cry over the gasket and it revealed the love she had for my sweet cousin who in my opinion left us all much too soon. She left behind a loving husband of 36 years, two beautiful daughters who dearly loved their mother, two precious young grandsons and a loving, caring sister and brother. Not to mention a wonderful church family and other loved ones such as my mama and I and many others.

She left a great legacy though. She left a legacy of "blessed assurance". Not a single one of us were left without assurance of where she was now. We all knew she was with Jesus. In her life, she made sure that people knew that she loved God, loved his Word and loved her family and others. That brings us joy but doesn't make us miss her any less.
It is more natural for children to have to see their parents leave this world, than it is for parents to have to watch their children leave this world. Both are painful times of the heart and neither are pleasant.

As I reflected on watching a beautiful young 64 year old mother leave this world and watching my beautiful young at heart 96 year old mother yesterday, it made me think of Jesus' mother Mary. Good mothers love their children and are always wanting the very best for them. My mother wants the best for me and my cousin always wanted the best for her children and grandchildren.

Mary wanted the best for Jesus as well. As a mother she thought she knew what was best for her son even though he didn't agree with her. So often that is the way our relationships are with our parents. We think we know better than they do.
T
here were way too many times in my life that I did not listen to my Mother's words of advice. And way too many times that I would have avoided trouble if I had but listened to her.
Jesus went to funerals too. But I also remember that he attended a wedding that his mother Mary attended as well.

John 2:1-12
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. And Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

"Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water", so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."

They did so and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed a few days.
****
This story amazes me! However, today one thing really stands out to me in this story. The confidence that Mary had in her son to obey her. Jesus had no sooner told her NO NOT YET, than she told the servants to "do whatever he tells you."

Oh the joy we mothers would have if we could have the confidence in our children to do what we tell them to do.
If only they would listen to us and obey us, their lives would perhaps be more glorious a lot sooner than they think.

I know now that when I was younger and my mother would share her wisdom with me, I knew in my heart that she was right but instead I just responded with a NO NOT YET instead.

I was not like Jesus who changed his mind and obeyed her and turned water into wine. He did a glorious thing that blessed many just because he obeyed his mother.

Mary had to suffer greatly at the cross watching her precious son die yet she had the memories of her son being an obedient son who brought her many blessings.

What about us? Can we bring our mothers many blessings by obeying them? Even if they are not here with us on this earth any longer, their words will live on in our hearts and minds.

I hope that if your mother is still with you that you will obey her words of wisdom and not be a, NO NOT YET, child! And I hope that if your mother is no longer with you that you will listen to her words of wisdom that still linger in your heart and mind and obey them.

You may not think it is time to do things her way but look at how one act of obedience to his mother, changed Jesus' life. This act of obedience was the beginning of Jesus doing many miraculous things while on this earth.

Your life could be a miracle as well. Listen to your Mother! Remember the things she has taught you. Mary had the privilege of knowing that even though Jesus did not think it was "his time", that he would do as she said, because she was his mother. What a great influence she had on his life.

What can we do today to honor our Mother and be more like Jesus? Obey her! It will bring her much pleasure and bring us much glory.

Mothers are always wondering what will happen to their children and perhaps concerned that something bad will happen to them, just as my sweet mother did when she thought I was an hour late, and although Mary would one day face the pain of watching her son die on a cross, she had the memories of a faithful obedient son. Perhaps nothing could be more precious to her than that.

Make this a Happy Mother's Day! Honor your mother always by obeying her words of wisdom.
Her children stand and bless her...Proverbs 31:28

Dearest Jesus,
Thank you so much for leaving us an example of obedience to your mother Mary. Thank you for showing us how we should react to our mother's request even when we are thinking, NO NOT YET! Help us to turn from that stance and turn to a stance of obedience. Thank you for good mothers. Mothers who pray and listen to you God and who want the very best for their children.

Bless the children for sure, but bless the mothers who try so hard to lead their children in the right direction and sometimes get disappointed by their children's disobedience. Comfort all mothers and help them not to give up on their children but continue to pray for them and instruct them in the way they should go.

Jesus thank you for the miracle you performed at the wedding just because you obeyed your mother. Help sons and daughters who are saying NO NOT YET, to follow in your footsteps and obey their godly mothers. Thank you that with you we have hope for miracles.

Comfort those children whose mothers are no longer in this world. Help them to continue to obey the words their mothers left with them. Comfort also mothers who have had to suffer as Mary did because they no longer have their children on this earth. Help them to remember the sweet times when their children did obey them. Comfort, comfort all mothers Jesus.

Move the hearts of children to obey their parents and not rebel and say NO NOT YET!
In your precious holy name we pray, amen.

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No Doubt

December 8, 2015

....And no one dared ask him if he really was the Lord because they were sure of it.
John 21:12
The disciples lost something....their doubt about who Jesus was....they were sure now that he was the Lord.
What would it take Jesus doing in your life to remove all doubt and make you sure of who he is?
For [...]

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What A Difference Grace Makes

December 20, 2010

There is one word that sticks out in my mind when I think of a recent incident in my home town. That word is grace! To be honest, God's grace! There is just no other way to describe it. The incident I am referring to is a story of how one day [...]

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