A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE - When God Says "GO"!

 
A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE – When God Says “GO”!
By Mary Lindow
 
This Podcast is going to be focusing on what I would call
“A Miracle on Christmas Eve!”
 
Steve And I Had Just About Been Married About A Year and had been through a complete reorganization of his business due to a partner, having not reported properly on the business financial books. Shortly after we were married, we found this all out and we were saddled with the debt of the business and the business was shuttered and the friendship was shattered.  
 
STEVE REOPENED HIS OWN INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY BUSINESS ON A LITERAL SHOESTRING. I was teaching piano and voice lessons and directing a church choir.
 
In October Steve had been asked to totally remodel a local restaurant as well as create matching themed Christmas decor. I had worked in a floral shop for years as a young high school girl and had done many wreaths as well as large swags of things for commercial decorations. I helped Steve begin to build and construct the pieces that went together for all of the items we were going to install. Once it was all prepared and ready, the owner was so grateful and so in love with all the work, she asked us to also do Christmas swags and decor for the Bar and eating area in the bar. This was a few days before Christmas and she had decided she wanted more festive decor in the bar since many parties were to take place for Christmas and up to New Years Day.
So, we gathered materials and created that and installed it.
 
WE WERE NOT ANTICIPATING THAT EXTRA BLESSING FINANCIALLY and we received a $400 check, (which was a lot at that time.) As we began to pray about a Christmas offering, we wanted to do something to honor the Lord at Christmas and help others. A friend of ours whom we had met and had had wonderful prayer meetings with two other schoolteachers in East St. Louis, Missouri, had shared in a prayer meeting about a family in need. At that time, the Bloods and the Crips gangs were very heavily active and there was a tremendous amount of racial tension in East Saint Louis. We were always very careful when driving through the area to not get off on the wrong ramp because often there was a lot of car theft and harm done to people who didn’t know or belong to that area. But, there were times that we would travel down with a group of our friends, both black and white, to a house where a woman by the name of sister Lucy, who had a Doctorate in education, would hold ladies teas and prayer gatherings. We would worship and pray, and intercede and study the word fervently among both black-and-white women who were either highly educated or women who cleaned homes for a living. It didn’t matter! We loved being with each other, and we loved the presence of the Lord. So, when sister Margaret Wren our friend from East St. Louis, who was also a teacher, told us there was a family in desperate need of clothing and food that she knew of and that the mother who was in her early 60s had been holding all of the children and grandchildren together in her home.
 
THIS DEAR WOMAN WAS SCHEDULED TO GO IN FOR OPEN-HEART SURGERY ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Margaret told us there was going to be limited food and of course they weren’t expecting anything for Christmas. Steve and I knew that we were going to end up making what we considered a very significant personal sacrifice instead of doing things we needed to do to broaden our business and also to take care of a few things we needed to handle as well in our home. Yet, the Holy Spirit was persistent. The extra job came in unexpectedly. We knew that $400 was to be used specifically to help this family.
 
WE BEGAN TO TELL OUR SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO LIVED NEXT-DOOR TO US AND A FEW OTHER FAMILIES BEGAN TO GET EXCITED TO HELP. Steve and I went to the local grocery store and filled carts with warm blankets, hams, cereals, fruits, vegetables, different kinds of meat and canned goods, and had the joy of a lifetime like we had won the “Supermarket Sweepstakes!”
 
WE WERE GOING TO GO DELIVER ALL OF THIS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE DEAR SISTER WAS GOING TO GO AND HAVE HER SURGERY THAT EVENING. Everyone congregated at our little cottage home and we could not believe how many people put together beautiful things for this family! My sister-in-law Judi had put together stacks of beautiful clothing and little outfits for children that her children were no longer fitting into because we had said there were children needing clothing. They also found a giant 6-foot long stocking and filled it with candy, fruit, and nuts.
Another lovely couple had a giant Christmas turkey on a platter with all kinds of onions and celery and carrots with the stuffing ready to go so they could put it in the oven when we got there.
 
THERE WERE BOXES OF DIAPERS, FORMULA, AND SACKS OF GROCERIES FROM SO MANY PEOPLE! Many who also had large families! We really didn’t know how many we were going to be helping! We just knew that there was a large family in need, and there were children were involved. Several married couples lived in the same house with the mother and the poverty was substantial.
 
WE MADE A CARAVAN OF FOUR CARS TO TRAVEL INTO EAST ST. LOUIS and Margaret Wren met us on a side street as we entered to go towards this family‘s house. We parked the cars outside, and there was a young man standing outside who did live in the home, who told us he would watch our cars for us. We told him that we didn’t think it would be a problem and he smiled at us shyly and he’s told us it was very important to have someone from the neighborhood watching your cars. We thanked him and went up the steps to a house that was sturdy but in much needed repair.
 
WE STOOD ON THE PORCH AND RANG THE DOORBELL. The door opened and there was the most precious older woman standing there in her coat and hat with a purse on her arm. She told us she was waiting for us to come before she made her journey to the hospital. As we began to walk in with box after box, package after package, grocery sack after grocery sack of items, the room began to fill with people coming from upstairs just standing there, staring at us in wonder and shock.
 
AS I LOOKED INTO THE KITCHEN AREA, THE ONLY HEAT IN THE HOUSE WAS THE GAS STOVE WITH ALL FOUR BURNERS FLAMING AND THE OVEN DOOR WAS OPEN. Lying over on a vinyl couch was a little infant, beautiful, baby boy dressed only in a T-shirt and a diaper, and the house was chilly.
 
Our hearts were breaking to see how little they had, and yet the love among them was evident and of course, the mother/ grandmother was introducing us all with great pride to her children and their spouses. Two of the little boys saw the big fluffy blankets that we bought. We had stacked things over on a makeshift couch that was really just a twin bed with a covering over it, and these little boys grabbed the blankets and ran upstairs to their rooms.
 
TO SAY IT WAS HUMBLING IS MINIMIZING HOW LITTLE THESE DEAR PEOPLE HAD. We were not there to give out of any sense of benevolence, but out of love.
 
We Began To Talk To Their Children And Coo Over The Babies,
And The Tension In The Room Began To Melt As They Began To See,
That We Were Just People Who Came To Love And Bless Them.
 
Because they knew Margaret Wren, they knew we were safe people and that we were kind people. We knew they were safe people and kind people.
 
NOW HERE’S WHERE THE BEAUTIFUL MIRACLE PART BEGINS TO TAKE PLACE! Steve asked if we might be able to pray for this dear woman heading into surgery that night. She was the one holding the family together and I think pretty much financially as well. She was covering what it cost to pay for the house and just basic comforts. Although several other others did have jobs, it just was not going to be enough with her being incapacitated.
 
SHE SMILED BROADLY, AND SHE SAID, “I AM BELIEVING THAT GOD WILL HEAL ME AND THAT I WILL COME OUT OF THIS WITH A NEW HEART. That I will mend quickly! I trust in Jesus!” Some of her older children were rolling their eyes at her or had an attitude of just accepting that “this was the way their mother always was”, but there was not necessarily disrespect, just a lot of disbelief. Yet, they all joined the large circle we formed to pray.
 
STEVE BEGAN TO PRAY.
He prayed and blessed the family and thanked the Lord for the privilege of meeting every one of them. He asked the Heavenly Father if he would come and show himself to be kind and real to each and every one of them and provide for them and open up new jobs for them. He then laid hands on this dear lady, as did several others who were with us, and he anointed her with oil and prayed that the Lord would touch her body and astound the doctors, asking that there would not nearly be as much damage done to her heart as originally thought.
 
We All Felt This Unusual Warm Presence Gently Surround
All Of Us As We Were Standing There.
Everyone Was Aware Of The Sweetness Of God’s Presence.
 
WHEN STEVE GOT DONE PRAYING, WE ALL HUGGED EVERYONE.
Some of it was awkward, some of it was genuine and warm, and the dear lady said, "I need to be on my way, they’ll be waiting for me at the hospital." We said Merry Christmas to everyone and went outside where the young man was still watching our cars and of course, he had seen us take in all of the items. He was smiling a big smile and gave each of us a hug and said, “Thank you all so much. You have no idea how much this means to our children.” Many of us smiled and said, “We do understand because some of us came from big families and have been through hard times in the past, so we’re so glad to be able to share!”
 
ON OUR WAY HOME STEVE AND I JUST SAT THERE QUIETLY basking in the joy of knowing that God sent us to a difficult place and a potentially dangerous place, and that the enemy would want us to think that we were doing something foolish or dangerous, but instead, we were sent to love people who were in need. We were given the privilege of watching joy take place in their home, as well as seeing their beautiful children, and then praying for the dear lady who was going to have the heart surgery.
 
WE WENT TO STEVE’S PARENTS HOUSE and sat there with Christmas music playing and good food everywhere and said, “we’ve already had our Christmas” We just had the most beautiful moment and it just seemed like everything else paled compared to what we had had the honor of partaking in. It was about a 35-minute drive from Steve’s parents house to ours and we went home and prepared for bed.
 
CHRISTMAS MORNING, (THE NEXT MORNING), WE HAD GOTTEN UP AND WE WERE PREPARING SOME COFFEE AND WERE GOING TO OPEN OUR SMALL GIFTS TO EACH OTHER WHEN THE PHONE RANG. When we answered it, Margaret Wren was on the phone and she was laughing and praising God. We said, “What’s going on Margaret? What’s got you so fired up on Christmas morning to call us! Aren’t you with your family?”
Margaret said, “WELL!! I WAS getting ready to celebrate with my family, but I got a phone call from our dear sister who went into surgery last night …
…And as they were examining her last evening and did a final scan, the doctor was extremely puzzled. They decided to do some exploratory surgery before fully opening her up to make sure that everything was necessary.
Upon further examination with laparoscopy, the doctor was absolutely stunned and flummoxed that this woman’s heart was in perfect condition! There was no scar tissue. There was no evidence of heart attack or stroke anywhere in her body. Her blood pressure had gone into a normal rhythm and she was breathing with ease. They ran more tests and didn’t know what to do with her so they sent her home. 
 
WE WERE STUNNED, JOYFULLY PRAISING GOD AND LAUGHING AT THE FACT THE DOCTOR’S DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HER! We told Margaret we would split calling everybody up with her to let everyone know, and each time we called and told someone the rejoicing increased!
 
After the phone calls, Steve and I sat and talked about what an absolute moment it must’ve been for her children to have her walk through that door and smile at them and say, “Look what the Lord has done. He gave me the best Christmas ever! He gave me a new heart!” All of those young adults and grandchildren who stood in that room, doubtful that God cared about them very much, but knew that their grandmother or their mother loved them and gave everything for them in order for them to have comfort and shelter. Yet, she stood there bravely and courageously saying she was believing God for a new heart. (I think the Lord gave a few other people a new heart that day as well!)
 
WATCHING PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD or even from your own culture, praying for your mother, bringing gifts and treasures much like the Wiseman brought, filled with abundance because of Jesus to celebrate Christmas, created an open door for God to work a miracle and change an entire family’s focus to see that he not only cares for them, but that he loves them.
 
NO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, NO TINSEL,
NO BEAUTIFULLY WRAPPED GIFT HELD INTEREST FOR STEVE AND I THAT CHRISTMAS. We sat on our little couch and held hands and wept and praised God for the extra income that we had been given through the unexpected extra job. Even though we had suffered great losses and had been saddled with the business debt, we knew that we had obeyed the Lord being a part of the blessing of watching God unite many people who gave their little bits, which created a tremendous amount to bless another family in need. To see joy on those dear faces and learn of the miracle that took place was more than we could handle!
 
Every Christmas we recount the story. We remember the years where there was hardship and yet God always came through. That dear woman lived into her late 80s and although we never saw her or the family again, we occasionally would hear from sister Margaret about the advances that had taken a place in the family. How the grandchildren were doing. We knew that we had been a small, tiny part of validating that they were worthy of love and care.
 
WHAT IS IT RIGHT NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH IN ABUNDANCE?
What is it that you have in your home?
Maybe you have a box of new tennis shoes that you don’t really like or a pair of dress shoes.
Maybe you have jeans or clothing that you can’t fit into, or, they’re too big and they’re just hanging in your closet.
Maybe you have an extra $20 or $50 where you could go buy bags of fruit loaves of bread, a few blocks of cheese.
 
When you put these things together and you ask around, you will find a family in need. A family worthy of love, going through a difficult time.
In that moment when you choose to go and be the hands of Christ extended, not only will he empower you with his Holy Spirit, but he gives you the opportunity to offer prayer for the deeper needs that they may have.
 
Perhaps In The Next Few Days You Will Be Called Upon
To Do Something That Starts Out As Simply A Loving Act Of
Giving Of Sustenance And Warmth That Will Turn Into
A Miraculous And Beautiful Testimony.
 
We live in a world in a time we’re hoarding has become something others applaud, holding our “earthly stuff” close to us, and becoming cynical when others suffer or others are going through difficult times.
 
IF YOU HAVE WEALTH, IF YOU HAVE ABUNDANCE OR IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE,  and there is even the slightest hint of condescension or looking down on anyone else who suffers or seems to have cycles of loss, Check your heart!
You have been blessed in abundance, to help others in abundance.
That is the biblical approach to wealth.
 
We don’t store up and hoard for ourselves in order to impress others as believers.
We don’t flaunt and act extravagant in front of others in order to appear superior.
We humble ourselves, we give sacrificially, and we go to hard places, we go to difficult places, perhaps to families who have no interest in Christ, but we become light in their darkness and plant seeds.
 
THERE ARE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS NEARBY WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, THAT NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE SEEN AND LOVED. Even the smallest thing, a plate of cookies or a basket of fruit taken to a woman who has been recently widowed, can cause her loneliness and fears to be calmed.
 
ALWAYS REMEMBER TO PRAY WITH THOSE THAT YOU GO TO CHECK IN ON. They may say no, they don’t want to be prayed for, and you can lovingly say, “that’s fine. I will pray quietly for you at home.” But never be afraid to offer to pray for them in the moment.
This Is What Jesus Would Do.
 
Ask the Holy Spirit right now what is it that you have been blessed with.
Ask if you are supposed to share a part of that blessing.
Ask if there’s something sacrificial that you can do to help bless others who serve. Those who bless others who care take.
 Bless others who seem to be givers and others think they have an endless supply, when in fact; they too need to be loved and seen.
 
THE COMING OF CHRIST WAS A GIFT OF IMMEASURABLE GRACE.
God gave his entire wealth to mankind so that this gift would give us back access to the Father himself. He gave the very best that heaven could offer. That is why Christmas is such a potent time, because it is to be about the giving, the light, and the celebrating of this immeasurable gift.
 
When We Step Out Into Difficult And Hard Places And Sacrifice,
Remember,
God Is With Us! Emmanuel!
 
Matthew 1:23 Tells us
“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY SHALL NAME HIM IMMANUEL,” which translated, means, “GOD WITH US.”
 
THE NAME OF JESUS THE MESSIAH, “GOD WITH US”
MANIFESTS IN NOT ONLY THE MIRACULOUS,
BUT HE HEALS AND BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS. 
 
May your celebration of the King of Kings who was sent to earth as a tiny, vulnerable baby, be filled with a deeper understanding of the price that was paid for our lives.
 
Of course we know this is not actually the accurate date or celebration for Jesus’ birthday, but we must never minimize the fact that the world is aware of what we are celebrating! Something of great power and a great comfort. It has a depth and a meaning that many are still seeking to understand.
 
Let us use every opportunity to its fullest to tell of the wonders of his love!
 
Have A Miraculous And Beautiful Christmas Season My Friends!
God Is With Us.
We Are Not Alone!
 
I will say goodbye for now until my next podcast!
I bless you all in the mighty name of the Savior of mankind, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, GOD WITH US.
 
 
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed, as long as the complete message, Website, podcast link and information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You! 2024
"THE MESSENGER"  - Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
If you would be so kind and assist Mary helping her to meet other administrative needs such as website and podcast costs, or desire to bless her service in ministry with Spirit-led Love gifts or regular support:
 
Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of: 
► Personal Checks ► Business Checks
► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks
To: 
 
His Beloved Ministries Inc. 
PO Box 1253
Denver, Colorado 80614
 USA 
 
Or feel free to use our send a tax-deductible gift with
Pay Pal   paypal.me/mlindow 
Under the name of - His Beloved Ministries Inc. 
 
ALL gifts are tax-deductible under
His Beloved Ministries 5013c non-profit status.
 
We are financially accountable and have been in
full compliance since
1985
THANK YOU!
 

”The Timing of God and His Impeccable Attention To Details”

By Mary Lindow
Today’s podcast is one that I am going to share with you about “another wonderful story” of how the Holy Spirit can prompt us to do things for others at the most uncanny times, and as if they were perfectly orchestrated years and years beforehand.
And, of course, the Lord knows the heart desire of every one of his children, but he often uses his own children to help bring about the heart’s desire for many other people by being obedient and acting when the Holy Spirit in first Corinthians says, “Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves.” 1 Corinthians 6:19
 
IT WAS NEAR CHRISTMAS TIME, and a local Women’s Aglow group, which happened to be a good sized chapter, was having a Christmas ladies luncheon and asked if I would come in and be their keynote speaker. The room was decorated beautifully and of course the tables were festive for the holiday!
As I was sitting at the table next to the team members and the president of the group, there was a conversation about the beautiful table settings. I was just listening and enjoying hearing them talk about how they went about getting everything ready, and why they wanted to make it so nice for so many other women that were coming, because many of them worked full-time jobs and didn’t get a chance to come and partake of beautiful things during the holidays because they were also busy mothers.
 
ONE OF THE LADIES BY THE NAME OF BILLY WAS SHARING WITH EVERYONE THAT SHE HAD JUST GONE SHOPPING WITH HER DAUGHTER A FEW WEEKS AGO, and they had picked out Wedding China for her daughter and her husband, because her daughter was going to be married in the spring. She went on to say that she never did get to have Wedding China as a young bride and wanted her daughter to have a beautiful experience and opportunity to have a beautiful table.
 
I THOUGHT, "WHAT A WONDERFUL THING THIS WAS THAT THIS WOMAN WAS GETTING CHINA FOR HER DAUGHTER, AND THAT SHE HAD NEVER HAD WEDDING CHINA HERSELF." She went on to mention that she had picked out a special pattern herself as a young bride, but that it was just not possible for her family and friends to give wedding china at that point, because it was a very frugal wedding, and other wedding gifts were more important.
I sat there and wondered about how wonderful it was for her as a mother, to be so concerned that her daughter would have a beautiful table to set with beautiful things, when she herself had never had any. Now, it was time for me to get up and share my Christmas message so I did, and afterwards told her how beautiful her story was to me about her daughter, and proceeded to go home for the day.
On my way home, I began to remember that I have been given an entire set a Fine China from a dear friend, whom I had come to know while I was in Bible College.
 
NOW, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING!
This dear, godly, lovely man would take on students to help with jobs or different kinds of projects in his home or, other derelict properties that he would buy, and train them and also pay them so they could pay for their Bible college fees. He had been in the military with a high clearance type of job, and although he had wanted to marry, he knew that he would never be able to be home enough to justify caring for a bride. At 63 he began to take students into his home for meals and storytelling, and developing them for skill sets. He had been a trainer for all kinds of business components of the military.
WHEN I MET HIM WHEN IMMEDIATELY HAD A BOND because he was also a gifted musician, and had a love for Fine art and Fine China. He would go to the thrift stores or take me along and different places where very wealthy Texans would drop off Crystal and China and dishes and silver that they were no longer using. So he was forever scouting out Havilland china pieces or different kinds of China to add to his collection. I went on to meet my husband and marry him later and we moved to Illinois. (That’s where my husbands from.)
THIS LOVELY MAN BY THE NAME OF ALAN would occasionally sent boxes of pieces of things that he would find to add to a side of China for me, and I did have wedding China of my own. At one time we had three full sets of Fine China and I wasn’t sure what to do with all of it! Then came two boxes that he had found of a 1950s china pattern that he thought was exquisite! I had opened the boxes and noticed there were eight place settings, eight cups and saucers, eight salad plates, eight serving plates, and also a creamer and sugar set as well as a large serving bowl.
 
SOMEHOW, I NEVER FELT LIKE THESE WERE TO BELONG TO ME, and I really didn’t have storage for them. So, I put them away in a cupboard thinking that someday if we moved and I had a China hutch for them, I would use them as spring dishes. They had a platinum rim, they were white and off to the right side there was a spray of flowers that had a lot of teal and a little bit of touch of pink and a hint of orange, and of course soft green.
 
STEVE AND I WERE THEN CALLED TO GO HELP PIONEER A CHURCH IN MISSOURI, so we packed everything up and moved those dishes and everything else to Missouri. And understand these dishes have been shipped from Dallas Texas to Illinois. Now they were taking a trip to Missouri!
 
ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER STEVE AND I DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE BACK TO DENVER, COLORADO BECAUSE THE LORD HAD PROMPTED US TO DO SO. So once again, we packed everything up and moved to Denver. There I was in Denver speaking at a Women’s Aglow Christmas banquet luncheon and I hear this woman-discussing find China for her daughter.
 
NOW! BACK TO ME ON MY WAY HOME. 
The thought came to me, (prompted by the Holy Spirit) “Why don’t you give that set of China to Billy? What a wonderful Christmas gift it would be to gift to her, and she would have a lovely set of China for her own home.”
I was absolutely thrilled to think that this would belong to someone else, and that the Lord would want me to give it to them. But I wasn’t sure if it was a pattern she would want or not.
 
BUT THE PERSISTENT NUDGING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT…
… WOULD NOT GO AWAY!
 
I went into our basement storage area and found the two boxes and everything was still pristine and in great condition. I wrote a quick card, and told her that I felt like the Lord wanted me to give these to her after listening to her conversation about buying China for her daughter and then that I just wanted to bless her with it so she would have a beautiful table at Christmas time. I did get a hold of her telephone number and called and told her that I was having my husband and two little boys run some boxes by, just a little something for her. Would she be home? She said of course she would and she said she was “quite intrigued”.
I BUNDLED UP THE BOXES AND HELPED MY HUSBAND GET THE TWO LITTLE BOYS INTO THE CAR AND OFF THEY WENT TO DO THE DELIVERY. I was downstairs folding laundry, and just thinking about how much I hoped it blessed her, and that she would be tickled that the lord thought of her.
 
 NOW COMES THE MOST EXCITING PART!
The phone starts ringing and I went upstairs and I missed it. (This is back when Cell Phones were way too expensive for everyone and we still had a landline with a long cord!)
Then the phone started ringing again, so I quickly answered the phone, and on the other end, there was the sound of someone gasping and crying! Now Being a pastor's wife, we often received calls from people who were in distress or who were needing prayer, so, I began to saying, “Hello? Who’s there? Can I help you?” Finally, the person on the end of the line was able to clear their throat and gather their emotions, and it was Billy the lady who Steve had dropped the China off to.
 
SHE BEGAN SAYING, “OH MARY! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!” And of course I didn’t, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but I could tell that she was overcome! She then began to tell me that when the boxes arrived, she was tickled to think that someone thought of her, and my husband said my wife wanted to give these to you and wish you a Merry Christmas. But, when she closed the door and went to open the packages, she reached in and pulled out one of the dinner plates that was in a slotted cardboard area. The China pattern was the EXACT China pattern that she had wanted as a young bride, but never had. It had the platinum rim that she had desired to have on her pattern! And there were eight place settings, just enough for her Christmas table and her family that was coming to feast. Also, she was able to set a beautiful place setting and table, for the Mother of the Groom, who was going to come and visit.
 
THIS WOMAN WAS WEEPING AND LAUGHING, AND COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE LORD WOULD HAVE HELD ONTO THIS CHINA FOR HER ALL THESE YEARS. I told her that they have been given to me and shipped from Dallas to Illinois to Missouri to Denver. Imagine! The Lord had shipped those dishes, and had me move them “strategically”, until they got into the hands of the woman that he had planned to bless them with!
 
MY FRIENDS, GOD KNOWS THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS even down to the simple things like Fine China, and he knows that soft and beautiful things, in specific times of our life are so necessary, to show us how lavish and beautiful his care and love for us is.
 
THE STORY GOES ON BECAUSE MANY OF HER FRIENDS THEN BEGAN TO HEAR THE STORY ABOUT “THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE CHINA”, and they began to give her serving pieces that matched, or Silver pieces or Crystal, and one friend even gave her a set of family silverware to accompany her beautiful table. Everyone wanted to get in on the beautiful moment!
 
WHEN STEVE CAME HOME, WE JUST PUT OUR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER AND LAUGHED AND CRIED at the joy of knowing the Lord had those dishes, literally moved and sent on his behalf, to this darling woman.
 
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO NEVER, EVER, MINIMIZE THE FACT, THE HOLY SPIRIT ASKS YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
It could be something as simple as giving them a beautiful scarf that you are no longer wearing, or perhaps you have tools in your garage that you’re not using.
IT’S IN THE ACT OF GIVING
THAT THE PRESENCE OF GOD COMES DOWN
AND TRANSFORMS WHAT WE ARE GIVING, INTO HOPE.
 
 
GIVING IS NOT THE NATURE OF THE DARK WORLD! Taking and grasping and hoarding is from the dark part of the world. But we as believers are to give freely because we have freely received everything we could ever need to save us from the doom and darkness of this world.
When Christ himself came and gave his life as a lamb, as a child, he gave his life to us in the form of an infant so that when his day to die up on the cross came; he could truly say that he experienced life like we have, from cradle to grave.
 
AS WE ALL BEGIN TO DE-CLUTTER AND PUT AWAY CHRISTMAS ITEMS, I would encourage you to look at through the lens of what you have, and ask the Lord, “Is this something that I need to be sharing with someone else?”
Is there another set of silverware in your house that you are not using that another family might need?
Do you have several pairs of sports tennis shoes that you purchased and realized you don’t like them and they’re practically brand new?
 
FIND A FAMILY, FIND SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THEM.
And yes, you have to look for them sometimes, but the Lord will direct your path because you are led by the Holy Spirit and you belong to Him, and the Holy Spirit wastes NOTHING!
 
WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME WHERE THE BODY OF CHRIST
IS BEING CHAMPIONED AND CHALLENGED TO LEARN
HOW TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND MEET ONE ANOTHER’S NEEDS SO THAT NONE ARE LACKING.
There’s no place in the Bible that talks about hoarding or keeping everything to us. None whatsoever. But it does talk about sharing and at times, “sacrificial giving to others” so that they may know the love of Christ.
I encourage you to go through your canned goods to look at your bedding, sheets, extra coats, and by all means that dozens of Bibles that we all have sitting on our shelves in abundance! There are those who would give anything to have a new Bible or perhaps a warmer winter coat.
 
WE CANNOT LOOK DOWN ON THOSE WHO ARE SLIGHTLY IMPOVERISHED OR IMPOVERISHED,
BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING "MORE GODLY" ABOUT BEING WEALTHY, THAN THERE IS ABOUT BEING POOR.
 
GOD JUDGES THE INTENTION OF OUR HEARTS,
NOT THE ABUNDANCE OF OUR WALLETS.
 
THERE ARE THINGS AROUND YOU THAT THE LORD HAS PLACED WITHIN YOUR REACH and maybe even you have moved from state to state or move from one house to another that you could easily ask him about and ask him to prompt you to show you who is this to go to.
You may be sitting in a restaurant and hear someone talking about something they need and you may be prompted by the Holy Spirit that you are the one that has it.
It takes simple listening.
It just takes simple listening!
It doesn’t take a Herculean effort.
But love acts!
 
ONCE WE SECOND-GUESS OURSELVES and never stop and buy that cup of coffee for the person in front of us that seems downtrodden. Or, we wonder if that $20 towards someone’s grocery bill in front of us makes any difference, then we miss out on the blessing. But you see it’s not for us to question the amount or the moment! It’s for us to act in loving grace and humility and kindness, and in that moment change the world!
 
HEAVEN COMES DOWN AND MEETS THE NEED AND KISSES SOMEONE’S HEART WITH HOPE, AND HE USES US TO DO IT.
 
I wish you all a beautiful week as you prepare  for this up-and-coming year.
My message after the first of the year is going to talk about “Peace in the midst of chaos” because the world is becoming more chaotic, and unfortunately the world is covered with a gross darkness right now.
Believers need to be strengthened encouraged not to quit, not to hide, and certainly not to hoard!
I BLESS YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND I PRAY NOW THAT HE WILL TOUCH YOU AND GUIDE YOU AND SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO WITH THE THINGS THAT YOU DO HAVE, THAT YOU CAN GIVE FREELY. And, perhaps there are things that you are feeling a tug at your heart that you need to give but they’re going to cause a little pain to give away. That’s OK! The Lord does love, sacrificial, giving, and above all, he loves a joyful giver!
 
THERE IS NOTHING MORE JOYFUL THAN TO SEE THE ABSOLUTE SURPRISE AND DELIGHT ON THE FACE OF SOMEONE THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED IN KINDNESS, AND WITHOUT FANFARE.
 
Have a beautiful and Happy New Year, but above all, pray that the Lord would show you what he has to say to you in 2023 specifically for your life  and what kind of assignments he has for you.
 
THE CHURCH IS BEING CALLED UP TO BE THE FULL ARMORED BODY OF CHRIST, AND MY FRIENDS THAT MEANS YOU AND I.
Goodbye for now please go to my website at www.marylindow.com where you can listen to this podcast directly there or you can read and listen to other things that I have posted there and a few videos.
I say thank you to all of you who have been so gracious to send beautiful Christmas cards and little notes in the mail and also emails with encouraging words, sharing what these podcasts and stories I’ve been doing mean to you.
And I thank those of you who have been prompted by the Lord to support this next year of ministry. Your response has been a bit overwhelming and I thank you for your help, and also I think you more than anything for your prayers for I truly do feel them.
God bless all of you.
 
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete article, podcast and website information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You!
Copyright © 2022 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
  www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
If you would be so kind and assist Mary, helping her to meet other administrative needs such as website and podcast costs, or desire to bless her  ministry service with Spirit-led love gifts or regular support:
Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of: 
► Personal Checks ► Business Checks
► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks
To: 
His Beloved Ministries Inc. PO Box 1253Denver, Colorado 80614USA 
Or feel free to use or send a tax-deductible gift with
Pay Pal   paypal.me/mlindow 
Under the name of - His Beloved Ministries Inc. 
 
ALL gifts are tax-deductible underHis Beloved Ministries  501(3)c non-profit status.
We are financially accountable and have been in full compliance since
1985 with Clergy Financial Advantage.
THANK YOU!
 

”You Oh Lord Know Exactly Who I Am” - Measuring The Honesty Of Our Hearts

By Mary Lindow 
I am by far not an expert on the subject of plumblines and righteousness, so take what I say in the light of one who at time gropes like a child in the dark, ever reaching for the hand of the ONE to lead me into a safe place filled with His Hope, His Mercy, His Light and Life.
 WE LIVE IN A CORRUPT WORLD and therefore, have the “effects and affects” of that corruption ever influencing, ever tainting and ever wooing the flesh. 
Plumbline: a tool that consists of a small, heavy object attached to a string or rope and that is used especially to see if something (such as a wall) is perfectly vertical or in alignment)  
A plumbline is a simple but accurate tool used for determining whether or not something is perfectly vertical or upright. The Lord also used, and uses, a "plumbline," His Word, to determine how upright His people truly are in His sight.
How upright they think they are, or how upright they proclaim themselves to be, means nothing to God.
 "Behold, I WILL set a plumbline in the midst of My people". 
-Amos 7:7 
 
A PLUMBLINE SET OUT BY THE HAND OF GOD IS ONE THAT WE CAN ANCHOR OUR HEARTS TO.
It will always, always, ALWAYS, direct us to the truth in a matter; even if it requires pain, loss, persecution and perhaps death in areas we feel we may well have rights to. 
It will also be a shield, a balm, a comfort and a teacher to those who will yield to the directive positioning of the Master. 
“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumbline.” -Isaiah 28:17 
 
LIFE – DISTRESS - AND PERSECUTION 
I have found that in my life, distress and persecution do not feel like God’s care being poured out on me. My heart is not immediately drawn to thanksgiving and gratefulness for the faithfulness of God on display as I cling to the battered pieces that look like potential “rafts” of hope, only to find out that many of them have gaping holes or slow leaks in them. 
Rather, it feels like yet another hurt is being permanently woven into my tattered and war-torn soul. It seems as if another mound of questions are piling up and just waiting for an answer and a true solid REAL anchor of hope. 
 
I CAN REALLY CONNECT TO THE WRITER OF PSALM 42 
He said “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” It’s at those very times that the words of the Savior are so important. When we are down and in turmoil. 
But, how do we connect the dots between what we know is true about God’s faithfulness and what our hearts feel? When flipped and flung around by the waves, weary from crying and when no answer seems at hand, what is the answer? 
When my circumstances show many foes and tyrants rising up against me and my heart is prone to wander and fear, what hope is there of peace? 
When my feelings start controlling my thoughts, how can I rest in God’s promises? 
 
AT THIS POINT… I HEAR THE “GASPS” … 
…And perhaps shocked comments of a few who are amazed that someone who appears to walk so fervently and intimately with the Lord would have such difficulties! 
Well! Guess what?
I do struggle, I do hurt, and yes I do doubt when I have been side swiped or “rammed” by skilled cons and those who, although may have the appearance of godliness and offered friendship or fellowship, end up having private and evil agendas behind their well placed and planned schemes.
And boy oh boy! Those skilled players know the wicked art of wounding the heart and causing people to reel in pain! 
 
BUT, THERE IS ONE WHO FULLY SEES IT ALL 
The main skill in the issue of dealing with life as a spiritual person, is to know how to handle yourself when things not only crush and grind your heart, but what to do with the anguish and toll of their aftermath. 
We have to get ourselves into a place where we hear clearly again. 
We need have to address ourselves, preach to ourselves, and ask questions about ourselves. 
We must say to our soul: "Why are you cast down –Why are you so anxious and lacking in peace?" 
We must urge ourselves, and say ‘Hope in God’–instead of remaining in this paralyzed, aching state!” 
 
AND THEN WE MUST TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER
We must go on to remind ourselves just “Who “God is, and what God is and what God has done, and what God has promised that he Himself said that He would do. 
Having done that we can stand up and sing out strongly, defying the torment of the soul, and resist other people’s wicked tongues and arrogance, and refuse to go along with the devil and the whole world, and say: ‘Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” 
The hope and promise of the fairness of God’s justice when dealing with the hurtful things and presumptions of others gives me the confidence to know that God will never turn away from me in my need. No matter how they seem to prosper in the short term, wicked men and women will ultimately pay for their sins, in this life or the next. Jesus died to meet my greatest hardships and sorrows for me, and I need to preach this to myself every day.
His power is greater than my weariness and suffering. 
The comforting and instruction that comes from simply running to feed upon His word instead of the toxic poison of the replaying of trauma reminds me that what Jesus has done is strong enough for my soul to rejoice in and to be set into a place where it can rest and regroup, gaining a healthy perspective about what to give out to others and what is simply…
…. To be enjoyed by the Lord Himself. 
 
THE NATURAL IMPULSES OF MANKIND ARE SINFUL AND DECEITFUL! 
Human willpower alone will never be able to change this. 
We need God's help to truly change our hearts. 
 
REMEMBER. You cannot change the heart of anyone else either. 
If you try to, you will feel the bite of stinging venom or be laughed out of a room. Only the power of the conviction of the Holy Spirit can permeate and get around the jam-packed hardhearted egos of the self sufficient and bitter. 
Jeremiah 17:9 says that the human heart is deceitful in all things and is even beyond cure!
We must be cautious and wise in reproving and warning such types of people about their bad behaviors and wicked actions where there seems to be no appearance or hope of change and where there is danger of experiencing great and heart wrecking retaliation and slander. 
These types trample the warnings and urging for repentance and humbling of the heart under their feet, and turn again and slash at you, despising the warnings that are “tearfully and fearfully” given, and often hurt the persons who give them, either by words or deeds. 
 
"Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. 
Don't throw your pearls to pigs! 
They will trample the pearls, 
then turn and attack you.” 
-Matthew 7:6 
 
"GIVE ME THE FACTS MA’AM JUST THE FACTS” 
I remember that phrase from a TV show called “Dragnet”. The detective would not allow the details of the case to be skewed by any assumptions or pontificating from those he interviewed. He stoically and firmly demanded only the facts. 
And so, here are the “facts” about the heart of a good man or woman.
1.) The good man or woman: Brings good things out of the good stored up in his/her heart. And the facts about an evil man or woman. 
2.) The evil man/woman brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his/her heart. For out of the overflow of his or her heart his or her mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 
 
THE FRAILTY, BRIEFNESS, AND INSECURITY OF LIFE 
The frailty, briefness, and insecurity of life should hold down the vanity and presumptuous confidence of all of our projects and boasting about future greatness and bragging rights! We are always to depend on the will and leading of God. 
 
OUR TIMES ARE NOT IN OUR OWN HANDS, BUT ARE INSTEAD IN THE TIMING OF GOD. Our heads may be filled with cares and plans for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Divine intervention often throws our plans into bewilderment. All we have in mind, and all we do, should be with a humble and deep dependence on God.
It is foolish, and it is hurtful, to boast of trendy “latest happening” things and prospective projects, and it will bring great disappointment and will prove destructive to relationships and meaningful help to others in the end. 
 
“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” 
-1 John 2:16
 
LISTEN KINDLY - BEFORE SPEAKING YOUR THOUGHTS 
People don't need a lecture on the meaning of suffering or to have a barrage of scriptures “machine-gunned” at them as a reprimand for sharing their moment of grief or struggle! (Especially when their hearts are breaking, weary of the battle and if they are fatigued.)
Job could have done without some of the self-righteous answers that came from his “well-meaning” friends. All of the answers could have even been true, but Job didn't need to hear any of them. 
He needed their love, not their value judgments. 
In fact, it appears as if God judged THEM for trying to offer simple solutions to things that were beyond their comprehension. They had never walked in the loss he was in anguish over. 
 
WHEN WE SUFFER UNJUSTLY WE HAVE A MAJOR CHOICE TO MAKE
How will we respond? We can feel sorry for ourselves (and understandably so, for a while), become bitter and cynical, get drawn into a war of words, or even become mixed up in a major conflict.
On the other hand, we can take our suffering to the cross and allow our pain to draw us into a deeper place of understanding of what Jesus went though in his sufferings. This does not remove the pain, but does help us to know what to do with our hurt. 
 
This is the 'fellowship of his sufferings' (Philippians 3:10), one of the gateways to closeness with God and the release of his power in our lives. The weight of heartbreak shared with a loving friend cuts it in half. When the burden is shared with many friends, we can cope with almost anything.
We never feel more revitalized than when a friend loves us enough to walk with us in our pain. Not lecture us. 
 
The apostle Paul wrote these words to the church in Corinth: 
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God". -1 Corinthians 1.3-4 
 
SOMETIMES GOD GETS INVOLVED WITH DIRECT MIRACLES, Giving supernatural strength to those in need. But for the most part, he depends on us, his people, to do his work in the world. We love each other, work for healing, and suffer with those who suffer. 
The next time you see a friend who is suffering, Jesus may just invite you to be the warm embrace! We comfort each other with the comfort we have received in Christ. And when we do, we become the Body of Christ and he receives the glory! 
 
THE BIBLE IS CLEAR! 
We are to bear one another's burdens. 
We are to comfort others as Christ has given comfort to us. 
Your hard time becomes my hard time. 
We join hands in the journey. 
When you succeed, I succeed. 
When you suffer, I suffer. But we do it together. We share it together. 
And we do it, not so much in our wisdom or our words, but in our availability, our understanding, and through our presence. 
 
THAT'S WHAT FELLOWSHIP IS ALL ABOUT! 
But not “bland” fellowship.
It is CHRISTIAN fellowship. It is the business of burden bearing.
Authentic CHRISTIAN fellowship says that when you need me . . . I'll be there.
Support in suffering is at the core of what it means to share life together in Christ. The word for "comfort” is the same root word as the name Jesus used to describe one of the functions of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Paraclete). “I will be a comforter, one who comes alongside to give help.” And so as God comes alongside you, now you are able to come alongside another. As the Comforter is at work within you, so you also can be of comfort to those around you. 
 
WE ARE CALLED TO BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS. 
To mourn with those who mourn.
To be a follower of Jesus means to come alongside people who are hurting and find ways to help them walk even through the valley of the shadow of death. We are called to do this, as the word of God and care of God is shared with the intention of stirring, plowing up hardened hearts, creating a place for repentance and challenging saints to hope again, I know and believe that as we learn again as believers, to care, to truly listen and to hope fully again, that the sweet and heavy weight of HIS Glory will be made known and will manifest in unfettered and uncontrolled waves of worship and spontaneous adoration of the King of Heaven. 
HE REALLY DOES KNOW WHAT HE WANTS
Let's focus on bowing low and seeking His heart and plans in what matters to Him.
Indeed, HE is the Plumbline. 
 
Prayer 
God, I ask in Jesus' name, that you comfort, strengthen and encourage all who are hurting deeply right now and are going through so much pain and heartache. 
Don't allow them to give up in the heat of the battle. 
Let them feel your arms wrapping around them and your love overflowing and filling them up. Lord, I will pray often and I know that you will hear my voice, even when I speak to You in my silent thoughts. 
To You, I am crying out and my prayers are now before You. 
Father, I give to You my problems, I do not want them. 
Father, please restore them to You. I know that you have compassion for your children. Father, show them your ways and teach them your paths. Lead them in your truth and teach them you are the God of our salvation and on you we will wait. 
Protect them from the evils of this life and guide them through all of their days. Father, thank You for hearing my prayer Father and for considering and for having compassion on all who hear and read these words, and all who hurt, in this troubled world we live in. 
Keep them in the center of Your love. 
In Jesus’ Name
~ Amen 
 
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete article, podcast link and website information for Mary Lindow is included. 
Thank You Copyright © 2022 " THE MESSENGER "
~ Mary Lindow www.marylindow.com
https://marylindow.podbean.com
Your Gracious Support and Donations Are So Very Helpful
And Assist Mary In Publishing Her Teaching Podcasts
and Audio Messages.
THANK YOU!
Please go to PAYPAL to donate or support this blog: 
Donate to the tax-deductible ministry name of: 
paypal.me/mlindow    (His Beloved Ministries Inc.) 
Or You Can Mail a Check or Cashiers Check to: 
His Beloved Ministries INC 
PO Box 1253 
Eastlake CO 80614 
United States