My Magnificent Obsession

 Obsession means the state of being obsessed with someone or something. An idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.  “I am obsessed with knowing Jesus!”

 Magnificent means impressively beautiful, elaborate, or extravagant, striking.  “My Lord is beautiful, elaborate, extravagant, and striking.”

How do I know this? Because, I have a personal, daily relationship with Him! I hunger for Him in the morning, noon and night!

Ps. 42:1, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”

Ps. 63:1, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;”

In recent weeks and months I have been drawn into my secret place more and more. If we choose to look around us, we can see and feel the winds of the tribulation, the spirit of antichrist is at work in our world!  Wake up, oh my soul! It is attacking our nation, our families and our churches! We have to fight in the Spirit like never before! I have been sensing an urgency as never before for my Magnificent Obsession who is Jesus Christ, my Lord, my Savior, my Friend, my Protector, my Provider, my Healer, and my Counselor and so much more. 

My Magnificent Obsession directs my steps every day. I meet Him the first thing in the morning.  He leads me beside still waters when I feel uncertain.  I have confidence that all is well.  This doesn’t mean that I never feel shaken; but, when I do, I know who I can go to. Jesus is my ever present help in the time of trouble.

 Deborah knew this when she was asked to go into battle with Barak. There was a great victory against Sisera because she had a relationship with Almighty God! She knew who to go to for counsel. She sought the Lord and He delivered her nation. So many times, we ladies seek the counsel of others first instead of the Lord. When we walk in the Spirit, we will be lead by God, not our friends. Our Lord’s counsel is never wrong. How does He speak to us? Through His Word, through our pastor, sometimes through impressions or even through a song. 

 Nothing catches our Lord by surprise! We recently spent 3 weeks in Florida. After having been in Christy’s home about 15 or 20 minutes, not remembering that she had a step-down den onto ceramic tile, I fell off the ledge and landed on both knees.  18 years ago my doctor told me I needed to start treatment for my bones. I had osteopenia. My future looked dismal if I did not take the injections. I sought the Lord, and felt Him directing me to trust Him only. I did. It hurt when I landed on those knees. My husband thought I would end up in the hospital with fractures, thus ruining our time with the girls. I got up and sat on the couch, asking them all to lay hands on me. I bent both knees in the Name of Jesus! In three days time, I had no pain. They never swelled up. The Lord, Jesus, my Rapha, my Healer, protected me and had already healed me! He is my Magnificent Obsession! 

 I find myself slipping away to areas of my home to talk with the Lord. Sometimes I pray and worship in the car. My secret place is anywhere I seek the Lord. Most often it is in my bedroom, sitting on my rocker.  I love it when the Spirit moves on me to dance. Sometimes, even before a victory is won!

 You can have this One Magnificent Obsession! It is not limited to one or a few.  I challenge you to hunger for Him. Remember dear ladies, as William Ross Wallace who lived from 1819-1881, said, “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.” Spiritually we can rule our world. We have such a great influence in our families. Be cautious about your actions and words! Be in tune with Jesus. We need an awakening. We need to fight against the powers of darkness! Victory is ahead. We can have peace in this troubled world.

    -Written By: Sis. Jeannie Collins 

This Is Not The Plan!

I made my way through my stash of craft supplies in the basement to see if I could find some pretty fabric to make masks from. I came across some fabric that contained cherry pink flowers with Eifel towers and beautifully written French words. I remember making curtains from the fabric for my niece who decided she wanted her room decorated with a Paris theme. I decided the feminine print would be perfect for a mask. I brought the fabric upstairs and began the task of cutting the fabric to the size needed along with the soft backing it would need, and finally snipping the elastic to the length it would take to make a nice fit.

I took to the sewing machine and began stitching the two pieces of fabric along with the elastic together like I had been doing with other patterns for the past several days. I sensed God impressing some thoughts on my heart as I moved the fabric through the machine. Everybody wants to go to Paris, you know. In spiritual terms, He was saying everybody wants to go to the Promised Land, but no one wants to go through the wilderness, or the quarantine we have all been called to for this season. As the thoughts flooded my mind and heart, the Lord went on to say sometimes it’s necessary to go through the wilderness to get to the Promised Land. There are powerful lessons that can only be learned in the wilderness that would be impossible to be comprehended in Paris.

As a nation, no one is where they want to be; no one wants to wear a mask that restricts the freedom of taking in a deep refreshing breath that we are used to, but as we travel through this wilderness, the mask is a layer of protection against uninvited germs and particles from entering the respiratory system of those we come into contact with that could restrict the ability to take in a breath at all! We are traveling to Paris! In Paris, we don’t need a mask, but until we get there, a mask may be an important part of the uniform to help us fight while we are in the wilderness.

No one wants to worry about what they may encounter just because they had to make a grocery run, gas stop, or a doctor appointment, but for now we are in the wilderness and we must be concerned about what we come into contact with so we can get to Paris! In Paris, there are no worries, sorrows, trials, or pain, but we are not in Paris yet!

Everyone is trying to figure out what to do in the wilderness. God would say keep moving! Don’t get weary in well doing. Learn the lessons well while in the wilderness because Paris is just over the mountain top! If you stop in the valley of the wilderness, you will become weak, thirsty, discouraged, and depressed. If you don’t keep moving, keep drinking, keep eating, you will die! Paris is on the horizon! Don’t stop in the wilderness, just keep moving! 

Written By: Sis. Patty Hollaway