I've discontinued writing monthly newsletters, but thought to leave these here for awhile.
September 2007
My dear friends,
As I sought the Lord regarding what to write about this month, the word “meditate” came to mind. In both Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:1-3, we find wonderful promises for those who will meditate on God’s Word.
In order to do what is written, we need to understand it. The Hebrew word for “meditate” in both of these Scriptures is “hagah,” which means, “to think on, ponder, to speak, mutter, or utter.”
We can take a verse, or passage of Scripture, and meditate on it, thinking about its meaning, pondering it and speaking it out loud. By doing that, we are meditating on it.
It is impossible to do something if we do not know how to do it. The more we meditate on God’s Word, the better able we are to understand what is written and to then apply it to our lives.
If we merely read the Bible, and do not do what is written in it, we are likened to a man who looks in a mirror and then walks away forgetting what he just saw. (See James 1:23-24.) God’s Word is the perfect law of liberty (verse 25). By being doers of the Word, and not hearers only, we are not self-deceived (verse 22).
In order to be doers, however, we need to understand what is written. One of the ways to help bring this understanding into our lives is by meditating on a verse, over and over again.
Whatever you need, God’s got it. As you search the Scriptures for your particular need, and then meditate on the verses He shows you, you will find your answer. It’s all there in black and white. The enemy of your soul wants you to give up looking in the Bible, but God said, “Seek and you shall find.” (See Matthew 7:7.)
So, don’t give up. Find your answer in the Word. Meditate on it. Speak it out. Your victory is imminent when you do this.
With His love,
Ann Doupont
P.S.: To get you started:
For healing: Proverbs 4:20-22
For financial concerns: Luke 6:38
June 2007
Beloved,
According to Matthew 6:33, as we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things shall be added to us. What are the “these things” that verse is referring to? The things written preceding that verse are food and clothing. All of our basic needs are provided for us if we will but seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
What does it mean to seek the Kingdom of God? What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is not meat, nor drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17). We are to seek (first) to be righteous in God’s sight, ridding our lives of sin. We are to seek peace and pursue it. We are to walk in the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. The word “joy” is an interesting word and often misinterpreted. It is not speaking of laughter and hilarity, as some have taught. It means “calm delight, gladness.”
In 2 Corinthians 5, we find that we are made the righteousness of God after we have become new creatures in Christ. (See verses 17 & 21.) Becoming righteous in God’s sight is a process. It’s not instantaneous upon salvation; at least, not in my understanding or experience.
Entering into the Kingdom of God is likewise not automatic. It takes an effort on our parts. In 2 Peter 1:11, we see that there will be an entrance ministered to those who have done what it has said to do in the preceding verses. We need to know, and do, our part. Then, God will do His part.
Unless we understand these things, we don’t know how to do them. We cannot enter God’s Kingdom with sin in our hearts. It requires repentance. This does not just mean that we have confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior once upon a time. No. It’s much more than that. It takes effort on our part. We need to constantly be forgetting the things behind and reaching forth to the things which God sets before us (Philippians 3:13-14). That takes work.
Once we are born again, we can then see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). The next step (in verse 5) is the entering into it. This can be done in the here-and-now rather than waiting till the sweet by-and-by. As the Kingdom of God goes forth all over the earth, then the end shall come (Matthew 24:14). Let’s enter into it now, and proclaim it everywhere.
In His Kingdom,
Ann
May 2007
My dear friends,
Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). This does not say that he went about and healed 50% of the people. No. It says that He healed them all. In Hebrews 13:8, we find that Jesus is the same now as He was then. He still heals people today.
Why aren’t more people healed? In His home town, He could not do more healing because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58). There are many reasons why people do not get healed, but it’s not because it is not God’s will for them.
Sometimes they need more knowledge. (See Hosea 4:6.) They need to know that it’s God’s will for them to be healed.
Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17). He not only died for our sins, but He also bore our sicknesses. In Psalm 103:3, we see that He heals all our diseases. There’s that word “all” again.
In Deuteronomy 28:61, we see that all sickness is included in the list of curses which starts at verse 15. However, if we look over into the New Testament, we find that Christ became a curse for us. (See Galatians 3:13.) He took sin and its punishment for us, so that we would not have to suffer for our sins, sickness being one of its punishments.
When Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States, he said that all of the answers are in that book (the Bible), if we would only open it up and read it. Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us that God’s Word is medicine to all our flesh. We need to read it as often as we would take medication (and pray for understanding of what we’re reading) if we are sick, and then also do what it says to do.
If we will do this, God will heal our lives. See also Romans 8:11 which speaks of His healing our bodies by His Spirit within us.
God is preparing me for the healing ministry I have requested. I believe that this is to be a public ministry of teaching and praying for people to be healed. He is now preparing me to be sent into that ministry. Please pray for me as God continues to prepare me for what’s ahead.
In love with Jesus,
Ann
April 2007
My dear friends,
In these troubled times in which we are living, one of the greatest assets we can possess is peace. Peace is one of the fruits of Spirit (Galatians 5:22) as well as part of our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:13, 15). In Psalm 34:14, we find that we are not only to seek peace, but also to pursue it.
In Philippians 4:6-7, we find one of the ways we can receive peace. We are told to let our prayers and supplications be made known unto God, with thanksgiving, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. As we pray, we can then give God thanks, knowing that He heard us because we asked in accordance with His will, and we then have the confidence that our answer is on its way. (See 1 John 5:14-15.)
When we are abiding in Jesus, and His Word is abiding in us, we will ask what we will and it will be done (John 15:7). The key then to getting answers to our prayers is to have His Word abiding in us.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). What He did when He was physically walking on the earth, He will also do today. He has not changed.
His instruction for the day in which we are living is for us to ask the Father rather than asking Him. (See John 16:23.) What things soever we desire, when we pray, we are to believe (Mark 11:24). It is then that we shall have what we have requested – when we believe we receive as we are praying.
God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). He never promised to respond to us if we merely offer Him our shopping lists. No. He wants more than just our lists. He wants us.
As we come to Jesus, He will give us rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-29). After we have given Him our lives, He is then responsible for them. We are not our own, but are bought with a price. We are therefore to glorify Him in our bodies and our spirits, which are His. (See 1 Corinthians 6:20).
Abiding in Him,
Ann Doupont