Gloria Fisher Obituary

Gloria Fisher

Obituary

Gloria Fisher, age 66, of Abilene, died Thursday, March 7, 2013 at Hendricks Medical Center in Abilene following a valiant fight against cancer. Her funeral service will be held at 2:00PM on Monday, March 11^th at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 525 Beech St with interment following in Elmwood Memorial Park. Visitation is from 5:00 to 7:00PM on Sunday at Elmwood Funeral Home, 5750 HWY 277 South.

Gloria was born October 1, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas. She lived in Paris, Texas, as well as Ozona and San Angelo before coming to Abilene. She grew up in Abilene and graduated from Abilene High School in 1965. She worked as a legal assistant in Abilene and in Dallas before devoting the rest of her life to the work of a spiritual director, helping others to find God’s purpose for them. She became an expert in Christian dream work and wrote the new classic on the subject in a book entitled Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep - Drawing Nearer to God With Your Dreams.

Gloria carried around a copy of her purpose statement, which was: "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. I must take care never to despise or be unthankful for these earthly blessings, and never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find until after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same."

Those who knew her will attest that she lived out that purpose, and we all take joy in knowing that she is at last in her true country. Friends and family will miss her, but rejoice in her being where she longed to be.

Gloria is survived by her husband Bill Fisher of Abilene; her mother, Arvena Williams of Abilene; her father, Raymond Smith of Arlington; her children, Chris Franklin of Boston; Stacie Cargill and husband Brian of Richardson; and Sheri Seckle and husband Tim of Saginaw, Texas; her brother, Travis Smith and wife Sueellen of Arnett, Oklahoma; her uncle Robert Shaw of Lubbock; and nephews, Clinton, Clayton and Paul Smith.

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Where Is Your Garden?

Recently my dad bought back a house he used to own. In fact he built the house back in the 1980s. He had sold the house in order to build a larger house and always regretted letting it go. So when the house came on the market again he grabbed it.

The house is unusual, to say the least, because it is built around an indoor garden. In the center of the garden stands a fountain recycling bubbling water, and all the rooms of the house open onto the garden. Above the garden imbedded in the ceiling sit eight skylights. Natural light pours in on the lush plants and greenery on sunny days, and they flourish as if they were growing outdoors.

My dad loves beautiful landscaping and especially fountains and waterfalls. As a result for many years he worked in the landscaping business. He always loves a swimming pool in his yard and has built more outdoor water features than I can name.

By watching him through the years I have contemplated mankind and his relationship to nature. I know several people, including my husband, who find God most available to them in nature. It seems that only when they escape the hustle and bustle of the city can they slow down long enough to totally rest in the presence of God. They see God’s handiwork in trees, streams, and wildlife. Gazing at the sky either night or day carries them to heights of contemplation they never otherwise reach.

I am not one of those people but I do understand what they mean when they talk about meeting God outdoors. In fact I believe that God meant for us to be outdoors. More specifically I believe God meant for us to live in a Garden. Genesis 2:8 says, “And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.” Therefore the Garden was man’s place. And God provided for him there. God says in verses 1:30-31, “I have given every green plant for food” and it was so. “And God saw all that He had made and behold, it was very good.” In the Garden man had everything he needed.

Sadly we know what happened. Man messed up and was ejected from the Garden. However, I believe man still has a seed of knowing in him that remembers where he belongs. Because he knows he belongs in the Garden, he continually longs for and looks for a way back to the Garden. Whether you search for and find the perfect backyard or you, like my dad, plant a garden inside your house, there is a deep-seated longing to make a bit of Garden in your life. Size doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to gardens. It could be an acre of land you have to mow with a tractor or it could be a window box planted with herbs hanging in your apartment kitchen. There is something about a garden that calls our names.

If you feel discontented. If you know there’s something missing. If you feel uneasy in your spirit, buy a piece of earth, no matter how large or how small and get your hands in it. Plant something beautiful. Water it with love. Anticipate new growth. Celebrate the harvest…the fruit of your labor. Find peace in knowing that you are on your way to where you belong…in the Garden where God first placed mankind. Then expect God to show up…walking in the garden in the cool of the day. (Gen 3:8)

Copyright 2012 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

Being Like Jesus

            Have you ever thought about being like Jesus? I have. When I think of it, two thoughts come to mind. One: what does it really mean to be like Jesus? Two: Do I really want to be like Him?

            I have asked myself: does being like Jesus mean that we should all teach, preach, and heal? Probably. But perhaps that is what He did and not who He was. Does it mean that we should love everyone, witness to sinners, or confront authorities in the church? Yes, all of that and more.

            But to me, being like Jesus has little to do with any of those things. To me it means being my authentic self and fulfilling my purpose and my destiny. In taking a closer look at Jesus in order to conform to His image, we see that He was a person who knew who He was. He wasn’t still questioning His thoughts and actions. His values, purpose, and destiny were already decided and set by the age of 30. Those questions had long been settled in His mind. He was who He was. He knew it. He accepted it.

            From the beginning of his ministry He knew what He was sent to do, and Who sent Him (John 6:38). He was so authentic in who He was He stood up in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth and announced it boldly (Luke 4:16). Did He care what people thought? I doubt it. He knew those people, and their reaction of rage was probably not a surprise to Him. (Luke 4:28).The gospel of John tells us who Jesus knew Himself to be. He said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35). He said, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) He said, “I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7)  And he said, “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:10) He also knew His destiny which He told his closest friends (Luke 18:31-33). If we are to be like Jesus, we need to know who we are. And be confident enough to be our authentic selves and not worry what other people think. Something not easy to do.

            If we truly want to be like Jesus, we must know our values, our principles, our priorities. Those decisions should be made and settled once and for all. Continuing to question those decisions, fragments us in our minds and in our hearts. That fragmentation weakens us. Having firmly set these things within ourselves, gives us personal power and inner strength.

Deciding our purpose and our destiny may be a little more difficult. But it is possible. With prayer, with input from trusted friends who love us, and armed with self-knowledge, most of us can figure out what our purpose is. Keeping a journal will help us figure this out. Also having a spiritual director can help us discover the answers.

            Living the life God called us to live is part of being like Jesus. Once we set our face towards living our authentic life, we will begin to grow into being like Him—congruent, real, and complete. That kind of life is lived on a higher level than most other people who are daily questioning who they are and what they believe.

            Jesus rose early every morning to spend time with the Father. His priorities were in order. He had the right idea about keeping focused. Being authentic requires staying focused. There were people around Him who tried to get Him off track about who He was and when He was suppose to reveal Himself to others (John 2:4, John 7:2-6). Family and friends thought they knew better than He about his ministry. Yours will try to do the same to you.

            Being like Jesus is not an easy task. Like Him, we must organize our life with our purpose in mind which means setting priorities, rejecting toxic people, and applying tough love to family members who have their own agenda. We must talk to God and hear from Him to keep us from turning to the right or to the left. Staying on the straight road to our destiny takes vision and a lot of will power.

            However, Jesus is our role model for living a whole and congruent life. What does it mean to be like Jesus? It means living life with our purpose and our destiny in mind. It means having our eyes focused on Him. Do we really want to be like Jesus? Yes, I hope and pray that we do. Living a life as authentic as His would be a life worth living.

Copyright 2012 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

The Cry of the Seed

　
My friends, Jana and Mike, are great Christian people. At their church they serve on boards, teach Sunday School, and mentor young people. As you would expect they raised their children in the church. Like their parents from children’s choir to Young Singles throughout the years Jana and Mike’s kids were always involved. Then they graduated from high school and went off to college. At college it was easy to give up on church so they dropped out. To Jana and Mike’s amazement they seemed to have turned their backs on God, the church, and their parents’ religious influence.

But Jana and Mike, because they are faithful Christians, never stop praying for their children, hoping for years to see some sign that there is interest again in the traditions and teachings of their youth. Without pressuring them Jana and Mike ease into a conversation about whether they have any interest in finding a church where they live. Not wanting to turn their children off to God altogether, they gently invite them to their church when they come home for visits.

If you brought your children up in church, there have been seeds planted in them. Seeds that you may not even be aware of. There are seeds of the Word of God planted by Sunday School teachers, the pastor, and youth leaders. There are seeds of influence of older Christian friends who planted the love of Jesus and the love of fellow man in them. Seeds of love, kindness, consideration, respect, and gentleness were planted. Worship services planted seeds of love for God and Jesus. Ceremonies planted seeds of order and spiritual authority. Prayers said in church planted seeds of reverence and respect for leadership. I could go on and on. You can make your own list. But I believe that as you do you will be surprised at how many different kinds of seeds were planted. I want to remind you that those seeds are still there hidden deep inside. They have not gone away. How do I know?

I know because the Word of God says so. Scripture tells us that we have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding Word of God. It goes on to say that the Word of the Lord abides forever. (1 Peter 1:23) That it never dies. Therefore the seed of the gospel never dies. The Word of God that was planted in us like imperishable seed does not wither away. It lives forever.

So take heart, the seeds of the gospel that were planted in your children are still there. They are still alive. They may be dormant but sometimes you can still see evidence of life inside them. If you can talk to them about some special memory of church, you’ll see in their faces. They remember. If you can play them a special hymn or quote their favorite Bible verse, you’ll see that it will move them even now. That is clear evidence that the seeds can be stirred up in spite of their seeming disinterest.

Never give up on your children’s relationship with God. Never give up on the seed that is alive in them. Have faith that the seed which was planted in the good soil of your child’s spirit is crying out to be watered and nourished. That seed is hungry for new growth. Be alert. Listen to your grown children with your spiritual ears, and you will hear the cry of the seed. Stir up those seeds of God’s word so your children may remember the fellowship they once enjoyed in their relationship with God.

Jana and Mike’s children are not in church yet but they continue to pray and believe that it will happen. They continually listen to the cry of the seed and respond with loving care believing that the word will bring them back. They rest assured because the Word of God lives forever in their children.

Magi and The Gifts

"And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh."

Recently I acquired a small jar of frankincense and myrrh. Just holding it in my hand gave me a strange and excited feeling that I was holding something extraordinary and ancient. The color of the goopy mixture is brown. The fragrance is sweet. Its texture is oily. As you can imagine having such a special mixture of ancient herbs in my possession made me want to revisit the account in the Gospel of Matthew of the Magi and their visit to the new King of the Jews.

In Matthew 2:1-12 I read that the Magi came from the east. Some Biblical scholars believe they came from Persia (Iran), some from Babylonia, and some from Yemen. I tend to think they came from China. After all China held the oldest knowledge of herbs. The Chinese have been healing with herbs for thousands of years. However, it doesn’t really matter where they came from. They were astrologers, evidently, and they had seen a bright star which they knew from their studies meant there was a new king born in Israel. And they wanted to worship him.

Unlike what we learned in Sunday School when we were children it seems that the star or bright planet did not shine on them the whole trip and lead them to the manger. That is a myth and stuff of Christmas carols. From the reading in Matthew it seems evident that the Magi saw the star while they were still in the east. It was their motivation to make the trip. Then they did not see the star again until they left Jerusalem and headed to Bethlehem. "...they went on their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them..." (verse 9) "...when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" (verse 10).

I have often wondered why they went to Jerusalem first. It doesn’t make sense that they would go see Herod. Unless they believed that the new king of the Jews would be the son of the present king of the Jews, Herod. It seems to me the only explanation. They arrived in the capital city of the Jews, Jerusalem, and went straight to see Herod the king whom they assumed was the father of the new king, the new baby. And they asked Herod, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" In other words, "Where is your new baby who will inherit your throne?" They had brought Herod and his new baby gifts. Treasurers for the present king and for the future king.

When they saw Herod’s reaction and the uproar they caused in the city, they must have been upset. Maybe they had misread the stars where the king was born. Maybe they had misjudged who the king would be. When Herod told them to leave, they were probably happy to get out of town. They headed towards Bethlehem. But before they got there, the star made its appearance again, and they were overjoyed. It was the same star or bright planet they had seen at home before they left on their trip. It had been two years since they saw the star. It confirmed they had been right in their calculations. Maybe it had been two years since they started on the trip. We don’t know. But by that time the baby king was no longer in a manger in a stable He was living in a house. But the star knew the way. The Creator of the star was leading them to His Son. They, unknowingly, were being used by the Most High God to provide for His Son.

When they found the Mother and Child, they were exceedingly happy. They fell down and worshiped Him. Their trip had been successful. They had found the treasure they were seeking. But their destiny and their purpose was not finished. They still had treasures in their caravan that they had brought for the present king and for the baby. And they had two gifts for the baby. Since Herod turned out not to be the father of the new king then the baby’s parents became the recipients of all the treasures they brought for the king. Enough treasure to take care of the Child King for the rest of His life. But what did they bring for the Child Himself? They brought holy and sacramental gifts. They brought gold for prosperity, and they brought frankincense (perfume) and mryhh (anointing oil) for healing. Perhaps they knew about the holy anointing oil that God had given the children of Israel for their tabernacle many years before. The tabernacle or place where God intended to reside. In Exodus 30:22-33 the scripture talks about God’s instructions to Moses about making the holy anointing oil, the perfumed mixture, the frankincense and myrrh with which He wanted everything anointed. He said, "Whatever touches them shall be holy."

These were no ordinary gifts. None of them were. The treasures the Magi brought were set aside for the king of the Jews. They thought that king was Herod, the king. But "the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous." (Proverbs 13:22) And the treasures of king Herod, in this case, were stored up and given to the righteous, Joseph and Mary. God, the Father, was providing through the Magi for His Son for the rest of His life.

After the Magi saw the Child who would become king of the Jews they spent the night or several nights. We don’t know how long. But one of them had a warning dream. The dream told them not to return to Herod as he had requested but that they should return home by another route. They listened to the dream and obeyed what it said. The dream was meant for their safety. They had been used by God, and they were being protected by God from Herod. They had fulfilled their destiny and their purpose. They had delivered prosperity and healing for the Son of God. The two gifts that would sustain Him in His life on earth. And they had delivered treasurers to His parents for the prosperity of the family. The story of the Magi is more than a nice story about wise men from the east. It is a story about God’s provision for His Son and the Holy Family. It also holds promises for us. Today He delivers those same gifts, of prosperity and healing, to us, the children of the King of Kings.

Copyright 2011 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

Veterans Day from a Daughter

There are certain days during the year that Daddy and I always talk. No matter where we are. No matter what we are doing, we call each other. Two of those days are Veterans Day and February 2.

You see, Daddy is 85 years old and a veteran of WWII. He entered the war as soon as he graduated from high school and planned to go kill Hitler all by himself. Instead, after basic training he was shipped to Burma. When most people think of WWII, they think of Europe or the Pacific. But there were also American soldiers in the tiny country of Burma. Why Burma you may ask? It was important at that time because there needed to be a road between India and China where the Americans and British could ship supplies and materials. The important theater of operations called the CBI (China-Burma-India) was led by Frank Merrill, and his company was the Galahad Unit. My dad served in the 124th Cavalry Regiment. Movies have been made about this long forgotten and underappreciated group of special military forces. They were called Merrill’s Marauders.

On February 2, 1945 my dad’s company was in a violent and valiant surge to take a hill near LoiKang Burma. They were under heavy artillery fire. Daddy’s first lieutenant, Jack Knight, was killed right in front of him while taking out enemy pillboxes and foxholes and later received posthumously the Medal of Honor. My dad was shot in the chest by a sniper, and he fell to the ground where he lay the rest of the evening and into the night. He tells of Japanese troops walking all around him jabbing bayonets into the ground while he prayed to God to save him. All night long he prayed and trusted God to deliver him from the hands of the enemy. Sometime in the early hours a fellow soldier and friend crawled up to him and whispered, "Smitty! I’m shot in the legs but I’ll crawl and tell them you’re here."

Fortunately later that day the medics arrived with a stretcher. His friend had crawled a mile in order to report Daddy’s condition and get him help. God had given him the strength he needed to save Daddy’s life. Daddy talks about later waking up to see many of his fellow soldiers’ and friends’ bodies wrapped in white parachutes and stacked in a field. He says, "those are the real heroes."

The medics took Daddy to the base of operations which was merely tents in a rice paddy. But it looked like heaven to a wounded soldier. Later Daddy was loaded into the side of a C-100 which lifted off from a rice paddy and flew him home where he recuperated after many months of medical care and rehabilitation in several different hospitals.

While still recuperating in one hospital he was awarded the Silver Star, two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star and several other Army medals. Today he is the most highly decorated WWII Veteran in Tarrant County, Texas. Tomorrow he rides in the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Dallas.

I called Daddy today because I knew he’d be busy tomorrow. Busy receiving many much appreciated thanks for his service to his country. While he’s doing that his daughter will be on her knees praying and thanking God that He heard the prayers of a 19-year old soldier lying on the ground with a hole in his chest half way around the world. No matter where we are God knows where we are. He knows our circumstances. He answers prayers when we cry out to Him. Thank you, Lord, for saving my dad and the lives of other American soldiers that we remember and thank on this Veterans Day.

Copyright 2011 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

Living With the Walking Dead

Do you ever have a day when nobody seems to get you? Do you feel like you’re talking to a blank wall? Does it ever seem like you don’t belong anywhere? I think I am safe saying that most Christians feel that way at some time or other. You may be trying to explain over and over what you think is a simple example of living by faith. Or you’re in the middle of a group of young people who are talking about the latest vampire movie craze and you begin to think, “I’m in the twilight zone!”

Actually that is not surprising. If you are a Christian and are practicing your faith, you are living in a different world from most people. You are living in a world where there are dead people walking around. That may seem harsh to think of unbelievers as dead people but they are. They are dead spiritually.

Humans are made in God’s image. That means that they are triune beings: body, soul, and spirit. If a person is not a believer and has not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior then they are, in fact, spiritually dead. No wonder it is impossible to have a spiritual conversation with them. They are living in the darkness. You are living in the light.

Romans 8:10 says, “And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” Therefore, if you have made Jesus Christ Lord of your life the Holy Spirit has come to dwell within you. When the Holy Spirit comes to live in you, then you are made alive spiritually. Until then you are spiritually dead. You may be walking around. You may even look good. But you are dead and don’t know it.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ...” (Ephesians 2:4-5 NAS). How important is it that we associate with people who are spiritually alive and not dead? It is essential. We should not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the path of the sinners (Psalm 1:1 NAS). What do we have in common with the walking dead when we are so full of the light? Nothing. Of course, we should have hearts that want to witness to the lost. We are called to be witnesses and to reconcile the world to God.

But the next time you are wondering why the world is so difficult to live in, remember that you are living with the walking dead. Yes, have compassion on them. By all means tell them about Jesus Christ and give them an opportunity to accept Him and be filled with life. After all we were all spiritually dead at one time in our lives. Before the Holy Spirit came to live in us we had no life in us. Now we have the Spirit of Almighty God inside of us. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.

It should be a comforting thought when you wonder why you are not fitting in with some people. The reason you are not is because you are living in a world where there are dead people walking. Is there something you can do about it? Yes, there is. Share Jesus with them. Bring them into the Light if you can. Pray for them. Turn them from death to life. Then we’ll all be walking around alive!

Copyright 2011 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

Peace at Home

"Believe me, unless we have peace, and strive for peace in our own home, we shall not find it in the homes of others."--St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle

The Harvest from Jesus' Own Words

"...His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." And He answered and said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

"Therefore just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."

There is a popular belief these days that when the rapture comes believers will be taken out first and the unbelievers will be left. I disagree with that belief because of this scripture from Matthew 13:36-43. Jesus is telling us that He will send His angels forth first to gather the stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness. THEN the righteous ones will be left in His kingdom. Meditate this scripture and His words and have ears to hear Him. He will reveal the truth to your heart.

The Power of Your Testimony

John 9:1-38
“The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes...and I received sight.”

Have you ever been miraculously healed of an ailment? I have been, and let me tell you, it can make you very happy. One minute you are burdened down by thinking about your illness, with having to deal with the limitations. But when you’re healed, the burden is lifted, and you truly feel set free. Along with that freedom comes boldness. You want to tell someone. Maybe you were shy before the healing, but now you want to speak up. You want everyone to know that God still heals today like He has in the past. And as you tell your story the boldness gets stronger and stronger.

That is what happened to the blind man Jesus healed on the Sabbath. We don’t know this man’s name but we do know that he was born blind. So he had been burdened with his affliction for a long time. When Jesus saw him, He made clay, put it on the man’s eyes, and told him to go wash in the pool. The man did as Jesus said, and he came back seeing for the first time in his life. What an amazing experience to have! To see nothing, then to see everything! Wouldn’t you want to tell someone? Sure you would. You’d want to shout it from the rooftops.

People who knew who the man was asked him how this thing happened to him. And he said the man named Jesus did it. That’s where his faith started. It started with calling Jesus a man. Next the Pharisees called him for questioning. They asked, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” His faith is growing as the day goes on, and he’s getting bolder and bolder the longer he sees. And he says, “He is a prophet.”

The Pharisees couldn’t stand it, they had to talk to his parents, thinking that the whole thing was a sham. But the parents confirmed that their son had indeed been blind from birth. Even angrier than before the Pharisees brought the man back for further questioning. And he’s had all day to walk around as a seeing person. His self-confidence has sprouted wings. They ask him what happened, and he boldly shoots back, “I told you already, and you didn’t listen.” Young people today would say, “Duh! Are you people stupid?” But he’s getting so bold, he starts to challenge them. He presses on, “Why do you want to hear it again?” Lightening didn’t strike him dead so he goes on, “Do you want to become His disciples, too?”

Now he has them on the defensive. They start to explain to him who they are! A man who was a blind beggar at the beginning of the day is now a bold witness for the Lord and is challenging the Pharisees on their own ground. He is so pumped up and set free he even begins to challenge them further and to preach to them. “Well, here is an amazing thing,” he says, “that you do not know where He comes from and yet He opened my eyes.” Good point. By this time he is so bold that he puts himself on their level with his mini-sermon, “We know” he says. “That God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him. ...If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” Everyone else is afraid of being put out of the synagogue but this man is preaching to the Jewish leaders! By this time he is calling Jesus “man from God.” With this they are totally disgusted and without answers, so they put him out.

Jesus hears about what has happened to this blind man since He healed him that morning, and He goes looking for him. From the time he was healed until now the man’s testimony has gone from calling Jesus a man, to calling Him a prophet, to calling Him a man from God. When Jesus finds him, He asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man didn’t know who that was. But he said to Jesus, “Who is he Lord, and I’ll believe in Him?” Jesus tells him that He is that Son of Man whom the man is looking at and talking with. And the man says, “Lord, I believe.” From man to prophet to Lord. With the man’s own words his faith grew and grew as the day went on. And as his faith grew he became bolder and bolder in spreading the word about what happened to him. He became a bold and powerful witness to the healing power of Jesus Christ in his life.

The same thing can happen to you. Power can fill you and make you bold in your witness about what Jesus has done for you. Talk about who He is in your life. Is He a prophet? Is He a healer? A teacher? Or is He Lord? As you tell your story tell the world who He is. Be bold. Pretty soon Jesus will come looking for you, too.

Jesus Is Your Peace

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee...” Isaiah 26:3

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: ...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

“Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.” Isaiah 26:12

“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” Philippians 4:9

“Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also we are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8

“The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11

“Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6,7

What Is God's True Fast?

Isaiah 58:6-12

Is this not the fast which I choose?
To loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke,
And to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke?

Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry,
And bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the naked, to cover him;
And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, “Here I am.”
If you remove the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness.

And if you give yourself to the hungry,
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness,
And your gloom will become like midday,

And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give you strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

And those from among you will rebuild
The ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

Without the Smell of Smoke in Your Clothes

Daniel 3:13-28 “...the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.”

One Sunday morning in a small but powerful church in east Texas I heard a sermon that has stayed with me. The pastor said, “Facts must fall in the face of faith!” Ever since that day I see it happening more and more. When we speak words of faith coupled with our belief in those words, unusual things happen. Fear is moved away. Blessings begin to flow. Resources show up that we never knew existed. I’m convinced that’s what happened to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

King Nebuchadnezzar was in a rage. He had made a mistake by creating the wrong image from one of his dreams but he couldn’t see it. He had been blinded by pride and by listening to bad advice. So when Daniel’s three friends refused to bow down and worship the image from the king’s dream, the king flew into a rage. His wrath was full blown. When he also asked what god was there that could deliver them, they refused to engage in his conversation of doubt and unbelief to try to convince him otherwise. People are often impossible to reason with in the middle of rage!

What they did do was to state their faith emphatically. “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing fire!” But not only that, “He will deliver us out of your hand.” Whether they lived or died, they knew they were delivered out of the hands of the king and into the hands of their mighty God. As the three held their ground the king grew angrier and ordered the furnace turned up even higher.

It took a miracle to open the eyes of King Nebuchadnezzar. Not only were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego not burned, the fire had no effect on their hair or their clothes. Verse 27 says that there was not even the smell of the fire on them! Plus, there was another person walking around in the fire who looked “like a son of the gods” according to the king.

By the time the three men came out of the furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar was worshiping their God! He said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego! He sent an angel to deliver them who put their trust in Him.”

When cold, hard facts are staring you straight in the face, whether it’s a bad health report or a bank statement with a zero balance, pay close attention to the next thing your mouth says. First your eyes see, then your mouth speaks. Be sure you say words of faith, words that confirm whose child you are and what your God can do. “It doesn’t matter what my eyes see, God is able to deliver me from this situation! I will come out of this without even the smell of smoke in my clothes!” Put your faith words to work today, and whatever facts are heating up against you they will fall at your feet in a pile of ashes!

Copyright Gloria Fisher 2011.
All rights reserved.

He Has Plans For You

“There remains yet the youngest, and behold he is tending the sheep.” 1 Samuel 16:11

It seems that most people hate Monday morning, and I used to be one of those people. Maybe on Sunday night dread begins to seep into your thoughts and before the night is over it has transformed your joy of Sunday into depressing gloom. Sometime about a decade ago I got tired of hating Mondays. So armed with the faith that it was possible to change my attitude, I made up my mind to start loving Monday mornings. In fact I found it quite easy. All I had to do was say it! I love Mondays! I love Mondays! And very soon I did.

Not only did I have to say it, I had to get a picture in my mind of something good that could happen on Monday and the following week. I would say my affirmation about Monday, and I would think about the possibilities that the week held. After a while I coined a phrase which all of my friends know I say, “The week is pregnant with possibilities!” And that is not merely wishful thinking, it is true.

Whenever the old dread tried to break free in my mind on Sunday night, I would take my thoughts captive and agree with my affirmations that every new day and every new week holds more promise and possibilities than I can possibly know about. Let’s think about David–the man who would be king. David was a young man living at home with his family. We know about his father, Jesse, and about his brothers, Abinadab and Shammah from 1 Samuel 16:8-9. Evidently, the sons had chores to do, similar to us, chores that kept the family prosperous and functioning. Perhaps it was a Monday although we don’t know that. But we do know that David was doing what he did on a regular basis. He was tending the sheep. A day like any other day. Doing what he did.

David had no idea that his week was about to change because God had plans for him. When he got up that day, it was just another day. Get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, comb your hair, head out the door. But somewhere in the midst of David’s day, it could have been a Monday, someone came to fetch him. “David! Your dad wants you up at the house!”

So David put down his rod and his staff, got someone else to watch the sheep for a minute, said he’d be right back. Little did he know that he was leaving the sheep a shepherd and coming back to them a king.

When David arrived at the house, there was a prophet there visiting. And his dad, Jesse, was there and his two brothers, so he could tell this was something unusual. Their day had also been interrupted. The prophet introduced himself and looked at David with wisdom in his eyes. It didn’t take him long to size David up and to hear from God. Yes, this boy was the one! He was to be anointed. As David stood there the prophet poured oil on him in front of his family and the Holy Spirit fell on David, and everyone in the room knew that something extraordinary was happening to David. The scripture doesn’t say it, but it would seem likely that there was joy and jubilation over the fact that David would be the new king of Israel.

God says, “...I know the plans I have for you...” (Jeremiah 29:11) Yes, God has plans for us. And we never know what day He’ll do something extraordinary for us to make those plans happen. When He does our lives change forever. Consequently, we should greet each day with high expectations! You could be sitting in an office or selling hamburgers in a café when someone will walk in whom God has sent to you. I know because it happened to me.

I was a legal secretary in a six-man law firm having an ordinary day when I looked up and an attractive man walked in the door that I didn’t know. He was there to see one of the attorneys. As I sat there looking at him from a distance God’s still small voice said, “That’s him.” Much like God telling Samuel when he saw David, “...anoint him, for this is he.” I didn’t know that day but I was looking at the man who would become my husband. And we’ve now been happily married for 32 years.

We never know when we get out of bed in the morning what God plans to do to bless us that day. But we should always arise rejoicing! Every day holds an untold amount of possibilities. Every week is pregnant with possibilities! Make up your mind not to look at your circumstances but to look at God’s resources and the possibilities each day holds because you belong to Him, and He has plans for you!

Copyright 2011 Gloria Fisher.
All rights reserved.

You Are Sent to Someone Today

"And the whole multitude sought to touch him; for there went virtue out of him and healed them all." -- Luke 6:19


During a day we meet from one to twenty people. Maybe they come into your office. Maybe you see them in the grocery store. Maybe it's simply a phone call. But everyone you meet has a need. You may not know what it is at first. But they might actually share their need with you if you listen. They might be lonely or sad. They might have health problems. Their children might be in trouble.

You are uniquely gifted to help someone today. Not everyone. But someone. Someone needs something you are gifted with. Maybe you have a gift to listen. Or maybe you are an intercessory prayer warrior. Maybe an encourager. You might have a golden opportunity today to minister to someone who needs just what you have to give.

A lot of people want to change their circumstances but don't know how. They need a word from the Lord. Maybe He has put you in the path of one of those people today. Jesus was a healer, a teacher, a comforter, a restorer. So are you. You have it within you to be kind, generous, and compassionate today. This is your opportunity to use your gifts for good.

Slow down today. Stop for a moment. Really listen to someone who pours out their heart. They may have been looking for you all of their life. Be a resource for them. Plant seeds of love and caring. Believe me it will come back to you. You will reap a harvest of blessing.

Copyright Gloria Fisher 2011.
All rights reserved.

When We Are Speaking

"When we speak of wisdom, we are speaking about Christ. When we speak about virtue, we are speaking about Christ. When we speak about justice, we are speaking about Christ. When we are speaking about truth and life and redemption, we are speaking about Christ." -- Ambrose of Milan

St. Augustine on Being

"Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation." -- Augustine of Hippo

First There Was Silence

If I could write what existed before “In the beginning” (Gen 1:1), I’d write “before the beginning there was silence.” Before the Spirit of God moved over the surface of the waters (Gen 1:2) there was silence. When God was alone in the formless void and darkness and His Spirit was not moving yet, there was silence. Before the Word spoke, “Let there be light” there was silence.

It seems that God’s Spirit moved first and it must have made a sound because Jesus talked about the sound of the Spirit to Nicodemus in John 3:8. He said, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” And similarly in Acts 2:2 Luke writes, “And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ...And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit...” (Acts 2:4) So we can surmise that the sound of the Holy Spirit moving over the waters was like a strong wind blowing.

Then after the Spirit moved God spoke. Once He spoke then He spoke more and more. He called the light good. He called the light day. He called the darkness night. He said, “Let there be an expanse...” and so on.

There is no way for us to know how long God existed before there was sound. How long was He in silence? Was He merely thinking? Or was He contemplating the creation He was about to call into being? Was He creating in His mind?

The creation story in Genesis chapter 1 relates that God created certain things on each day and at the end of each day He saw that it was good. Not only was it good He loved it. How do we know He loved it? Jesus told Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world...” (John 3:16)

Because Jesus is the Word all that was created was created by the Word. Therefore He was there in the beginning. He knew that God loved what He created. The apostle John wrote in John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

It seems to me that God was–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–in a pause so to speak before He began to move and make sounds and create. And that pause is called silence. In the silence God was complete. He was Absolute.

Copyright Gloria Fisher 2011
All rights reserved.

Journal Keeping As a Sacramental Act

I am a firm believer in sacramental living. I see some belongings as sacramental ownership, and I’ve blogged on here (Feb 2009) about that idea and method of thinking. But sacraments are not my idea, of course. They are God’s. However as I live out my life in ways that I believe God wants, I see sacraments in a lot of places. Not only are the sacraments present that God instituted such as baptism, communion, and marriage but I believe whenever we encounter an outward and spiritual sign of an inward spiritual grace, it’s a good idea to consider the fact that there could be a sacrament present in that.

As Christians we are expected to live a spiritual life instead of living a carnal life. That way of living makes it possible to cultivate a fertile field for spiritual activity. Maybe you worry that living a spiritual life may make you seem weird to the world. Well, you’re right. It might. But the reward of living a life of the Spirit is so great, why do we care what the world thinks? After all the writer of Romans says, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Rom 8:10) Do we want to live a life of righteousness? Of course we do.

I have kept a journal off and on almost all of my life. But I have faithfully kept one since 1980, and the benefits of keeping a journal are many. They are too many to list here. But I can assure you that the discipline of keeping one will aid you in growing spiritually by leaps and bounds. I always give my Spiritual directees a first page for their journals when I talk to them about journal keeping. On that first page is the scripture by Jeremiah that says, “Set up for yourself road marks. Place for yourself guideposts, direct your mind to the highway, the way by which you went.” (Jer 31:21)

How can you know how far you’ve come if you don’t know where you were before? And it is almost impossible to know that if it’s only in your head. It is essential to write your life down on paper so you see with your eyes where God has brought you. As a result your journal will also reveal to you where God is taking you. Your journal can be your testimony, a written reflection, of your purpose and your destiny.

A journal is like a true friend who keeps every confidence. The place where you can pour out your heart with no consequences. Your confessor and your voice of reason. In writing out conversations with friends, lovers, or God your journal is a place to pick your fights, to work through forgiveness, and to share your tears or laughter. A journal can be your holy space. Your prayer closet. Your prie deux. Your sanctuary.

Let me urge you to start a journal today. Buy yourself a pretty book. Give it respect and attention. Set aside a time and place for contemplation and reflection. Make a date with your journal and keep it. The rewards are numerous. The benefits priceless. Keeping your journal will become a sacrament in your life, an outward sign of a spiritual grace within you. It’s one of the very best ways you can love God and yourself.

Copyright 2011 Gloria Fisher. All rights reserved.