Until the last rose fades

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Until the last rose fades

It’s either that happy day we look forward to in February or the most dreaded day of the year. Whether we love it or hate it, it shows up regardless.

Valentine’s Day is many things to many people. Some have terrific memories of elementary school and spending several nights in a row around the kitchen table, filling out little paper Valentines. Don’t forget to add a few candy hearts inside the little envelope! That was always the most difficult. You had to choose wisely or Tommy, Joey or Michael might think you actually liked them. EEEWWWWW!

I happen to love Valentine’s Day. I was engaged on February 14, 1979 and have great memories of dinners, flowers and chocolates. When My Three Sons were of school age, once again I found myself helping them fill out their Valentine’s. Not much had changed in the way things were done since I had been in school. They still worried over what to give to the opposite sex. So much fun with the school parties and cupcakes and games.

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Since I don’t have a hilarious true story to  share of a disastrous Valentine’s Day in the Elkins household, I thought I would share some senseless facts. There was that Valentine’s Day that The Sweetheart sent me this in a text message:

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, lived a wife that never nagged, whined or complained.

But it was a long, long time ago.  And it was just that one day.

Yeah. But I love him anyway. This one day a year.

  • Valentine’s Day’s most popular theory originates with Emperor Claudius II.  Supposedly, he didn’t want Roman men to marry during times of war but Bishop Valentine didn’t honor his wishes and performed secret weddings for those who were in love. Unfortunately, Valentine was jailed and then executed. But before he died he wrote a note to the jailor’s daughter and signed it “from your Valentine”.

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  • Some believe that the X symbol became associated with the KISS way back in medieval times. If you couldn’t write your name you would sign in front of a witness with just an X which was then kissed to show commitment and sincerity!

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  • Another one from the Middle Ages tells us that young men and women would draw names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. Yeah, that would happen today. They would wear the name pinned to their sleeves for one week for everyone to see. From this comes the expression, “To wear your heart on your sleeve”!

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  • Did you know that 15% of women in the United States send themselves flowers on February 14?

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  • Approximately 8 billion (that’s with a B) candy hearts are made each year for Valentine’s Day. That is enough candy to be stretched 20 times from Italy to Arizona back and forth!

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I will leave you with this true story from someone I met this week. One year he gave his wife a dozen of the most beautiful roses that looked as normal as any other bouquet. But tucked in the middle was a single, artificial rose that blended in with the rest. His note?

I will love you til the last rose in the bouquet fades completely away and dies.

Which reminds me of the year that The Sweetheart left me with a forever memory. Our wedding colors were yellow so every single year for 37 years he has never failed to send me a dozen yellow roses, even when we were overseas! One year we were ministering in Chattanooga over the Valentine weekend and he left our hotel early that morning to “go get breakfast”. He was gone over an hour and finally came back looking quite sad. He had been all over town looking for yellow roses and couldn’t find any. As a last resort, he went to Wal Mart where he bought an artificial bouquet of yellow roses. Yeah. Teary eyed, I have treasured those more than any I ever received and of course they are the only ones I still have that look as good as the day I received them.

However you celebrate today, tell someone you love them, hug your kids, your pets, your parents and your sweethearts. Everyone can benefit from sharing love!

For the kingdom

Fasting together: Changed!

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Fasting together: Changed! January 31. Mix of emotions. You can read all of our previous posts here!

You did it! Even if you were tempted to cheat, accidentally forgot, or even purposely went off of the fast and back on again, you have accomplished something amazing. Do not beat yourself up if you weren’t perfect during the fast. You will be more diligent as you continue to make fasting a regular part of your spiritual and physical lifestyle.

Fasting has so many health benefits. Some studies show it is effective against cancer; it could also reduce the risk of developing cancer, guard against diabetes and heart disease, help control asthma and even help ward off Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

We do not take the best care of ourselves with our hectic lifestyles and eat-on-the-run schedules. Regular fasting will detox your body and get rid of poisons. It gives your digestive system a much needed rest. It will reduce your blood sugar, which will in turn break down fat. It can even correct high blood pressure and will definitely improve your immunity.

There are spiritual benefits that are out of this world!

  • Has the Lord spoken to your heart during the fast?
  • Have prayers been answered?
  • Do you feel as if you have drawn closer to the Savior?

Even if you started your fast for a particular reason, and still do not see an answer, do not despair. God will answer at just the right time, always ON time.

Fasting is never wasted before the Lord if it is done for the right reasons. We have mentioned many times that it is so much more than just going without food. If that is all you are doing then it truly was just a diet program.

But when you are desperate for a move of God in your life, fasting will help bring those results!

Fasting helps move everything else out of the way so you can hear HIS voice more clearly. “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6 KJV.

Fasting will break strongholds in the demonic world!

The disciples could not cast the evil spirit out and had to get Jesus to help. That is when He told them it would take prayer AND fasting.

The prophet Daniel found out how real it was when the angel showed up to meet with him after his 21 day fast: “Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” Daniel 10:12-13 KJV.

Fasting will definitely strengthen your prayer life. It will help you die out to the flesh and be sensitive to the power of the Holy Spirit.

I pray this month of devotion has been a blessing to you, no matter how often, how many days or which way you chose to fast. And I hope WE ALL will continue to draw closer to the Lord through regular fasting and prayer.

Plenty more available in my book, The Daniel Fast, A Devotional. Check it out!

The Holy Ghost Fell

The Daniel Fast: And the Holy Ghost Fell

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One more day of our 31 Days of Fasting in January. You can read past posts here!

Every time I read the amazing story of Cornelius I get goose bumps. You too? Are you familiar with this devout man? Let me tell you what God says about him…

“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.” Acts 10:1, 2 KJV.

A centurion was a captain over 100 soldiers; he was a fairly important man. The Bible says he was devout, he feared God, meaning he revered Him, and made sure those in his household did the same. He also gave of his tithes and offerings and prayed to the Lord always.

Why did the Lord insist that Peter go and visit Cornelius?

There were a couple of reasons. One of them Peter wasn’t so crazy about at first. The Jews and the Gentiles didn’t mix. The Gospel had not yet been preached to the rest of the world and the Jews had pretty much determined it belonged to them exclusively.

When Peter fell into a trance on the rooftop he saw all of these unclean animals that the Israelites were not supposed to eat and the Lord told him, “Rise Peter, kill and eat!”

Peter immediately said, “No way, Lord! I have never eaten anything common or unclean!” (I’m taking liberty to paraphrase just a little here). This happens three times and then the vessel with the unclean animals was taken away and Peter woke up.

Immediately, there was a knock at his door. The Lord spoke to Peter and told him that he was to go with these men and that He had sent them, not to worry, not to doubt. What a promise!

Cornelius had also heard from God to send for Peter and when Peter arrived he told him what had happened,

“And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing…” Acts 10:30 KJV.

So Peter realized that this was BIG. And he preached the first sermon to the Gentile people by saying these famous words:

“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons…”

He preached for a couple of moments and ended up with “…that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:37-43 KJV.

Now, here come the goose bumps!

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” Acts 10:44-46 KJV.

Is this why Peter was sent to the devout Christian man, Cornelius?

  • Did he not already serve God?
  • Did he not pray every day?
  • Was he not a good man?
  • Didn’t he pay his tithe?
  • Didn’t He fear God and give Him reverence?
  • Didn’t he give to the poor?
  • Why then did he need Peter to come?
  • What else did he need to know?

Cornelius needed MORE….

While Peter was PREACHING, the Holy Ghost literally FELL on those that were listening, just like it did in the second chapter of Acts.

The Holy Ghost Fell

How do we know something actually happened? Because the WORD says so. “For they HEARD them SPEAK with TONGUES and MAGNIFY GOD.” Acts 10:46 KJV.

God sent Peter to tell Cornelius that there was more for him, there was power to keep him; the Comforter had come!

He needed to be re-baptized in the Name of Jesus and he needed the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Well, you may say, that was then and this is now. If the Bible says it isn’t so, then it isn’t so. But if the Bible says it is for us today…

Peter cleared up that confusion in Acts 2:39 when he said, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” 

Over and over in the Book of Acts (the birthing of the Church) they repeat the example:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4 KJV.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38 KJV.

“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8:14-17 KJV.

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” Acts 19:1-6 KJV.

Such wonderful words; such confirmation! Look at Ephesus again. Paul asks them, “Have you received the power (Holy Ghost) since you believed?” Remember, the Lord said you would receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. (Acts 1)

The people at Ephesus hadn’t even heard of the Holy Ghost. So Paul, just like Peter, asked how they were baptized. They replied, “John’s baptism.” But John’s baptism was only a baptism of repentance and he pointed them to the One that should come after. Once again, what did they do?

They were baptized in the name of the LORD JESUS.

Then what happened?

They spoke with tongues and prophesied. They spoke with tongues and magnified God.

Remember, Jesus told them to “…wait for the promise of the Father…” and that He would “send the Comforter…” He did that in the Upper Room. (Acts 2) They were waiting just like He said and the Holy Ghost came as a mighty rushing wind. And it continues to be poured out even today.

Brothers, sisters, we are Acts CHAPTER 29! “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:39 KJV.

Cornelius fasted, he believed, he received; he and his household.

And the Holy Ghost fell!

In these last days we need that infilling of His spirit more than ever. The prophet Joel prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be poured out in the last days. Surely we are living in those last days. We are very likely the people that will see the coming of the Lord in our lifetime, maybe even sooner than we think. We need the power of God, the indwelling of His spirit, within us, alive and working through us. He wants to use you to be a sharer of the Gospel. Be blessed as you fast, pray and seek the Lord.

Don’t forget to grab your copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional! Good for any fast, it is a great, simple read with devotions for every day of a three week fast. Get yours on Amazon here!