I Wish

I wish everyone in the whole wide world know the Jesus of the Bible.  I wish everyone could be free in Jesus!  The reality is that many do not know the Jesus of the Bible.  Those of you who read my blog regularly know that I am an ex-Mormon. For those who are new to my blog I have written in older posts about how I got into Mormonism and how I got out. Anyway with that said...Way back in my youth (33 years ago) when I was a Mormon I thought I had it all together.  I was engaged to a good Mormon guy and I was planning my wedding.  I did not understand spiritual blindness back then.  Then one night while doing dishes with my mom she said this to me, "Jesus didn't come for the "perfect" people, He came for everyone.  Your dad and I won't be able to see you get married in the Mormon temple because they keep "unperfect" people out."  The Lord used this one sentence to open my eyes and the spiritual blindness that had gripped me went away.  This Bible verse came to my mind, "On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:12-13, NIV.  We all fall short of the Glory of God and we all are sinners in need of a savior.  Unfortunately, the world has many false saviors, but the truth is there is only ONE Savior and you will only find Him in the Bible.  For some reason that message is offensive to many people.  I think it bothers them so much because they don't like to think of themselves as sinners.  Some do not even acknowledge or accept that there is sin in the world.  This battle that born-again Christians face is a spiritual battle, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, NIV.  So spiritual blindness is part of the world and speaking words from the Bible and prayer is the only way to break the chains of spiritual blindness.   For many in the grips of a false religion they don't believe the Bible is really the only book that speaks the truth.  So for those deep in confusion we need to pray that the Lord will break through and open their eyes.  When I was a Mormon I read the Bible and the Book of Mormon along with the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price.  I was taught that the Bible is only accurate in as far as it is correctly translated.  How convienent that Satan would put forth this lie to keep people in the dark and not trust God's Word--The Bible.  The man that I was engaged to way back in 1979 has since died.  I saw his obituary online and was sad to see he died still in the darkness of Mormonism.  I wish that were not so, but sadly it is.  I have been praying for his children and the wife he left behind for their salvation.

 Please join me in praying for the salvation of all those lost in darkness.  I know this is a general prayer, but we worship a BIG GOD who is MIGHTY TO SAVE, JESUS CONQUERED THE GRAVE! (thanks Laura Story for that wonderful praise song!)  I will be eternally grateful for the grace of God in protecting me and saving me. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.  I and the Father are one."  John 10:27-30, NIV.  I know the world and media will say that Mormonism is just another Christian denomination, but this is NOT TRUE.  The Mormons have changed who God is and their version of god does not match up with the God of the Bible. They can't see this because they don't trust the Bible, but that is part of spiritual blindness.  So in saying that let me leave you with this verse:

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--which is really no gospel at all.  Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!  As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" Galations 1:6-9, NIV

Let's pray:  Dear Lord Jesus I pray for Your Mighty Hand to protect us from the enemy and his lies. I pray that Your wisdom and favor will be upon Your people and I pray for those lost in darkness that the truth found in the Jesus of the Bible will touch their hearts and start them on a journey toward You and Your grace and the gift of salvation.  I say these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

www.karenejklein.com

Jesus Heals

"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.  News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, the eplieptics and the paralytics, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him."
Matthew 4:23-25, NIV

""When Jesus came into Peter's house he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.  He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.  When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.  This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
"He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases".  Matthew 8:14-17, NIV

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried or sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."  Isaiah 53:4-6, NIV

"Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray. Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the LORD.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the LORD will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  James 5:13-16, NIV

Let's pray:  Dear Lord Jesus,  thank You for healing us from disease, pain and broken hearts.  I pray for those who are reading this that they will turn to You, Jesus, and be healed from whatever is wrong.  I pray they will have hope in You, Jesus, and not in things of this world or philosophies of this world for You are the ONLY ONE who can heal us.  In Jesus' name, amen.

www.karenejklein.com