Overcome - Jeremy Camp

This song, Overcome was first played for me performed by New Life Church by desperation band but I loved how Jeremy Camp did it too so I have placed both versions here for you.

Sometimes we just need to sit back and remember what exactly happened for us by the One who knew NO SIN yet He laid His life down for us.  AMAZING love; simply hard to comprehend.  I pray you will take a minute to sit back and just listen to these words and then join in to the PRAISE that ONLY belongs to the Son of the Living God!  Great is His name and He overcame for us!  Thank you Jesus!  Thank You Lord!

Josh Wilson - Fall Apart

A friend shared this song with me as I have been praying for my brother who is agonizing in a hospital.  It has been years that my brother has suffered...did you hear me, years; 48 to be exact but the intensity began to increase in the last 5 years or so. I have all the people I know praying for my brother and then one shared this link, Josh Wilson's song - Fall Apart.  I have also put the words here so you can follow along.  God is big even when we feel like we are falling apart.  Thank you Lord that you are faithful!

Josh Wilson - "Fall Apart" Lyrics

Why in the world did I think I could
Only get to know you when my life was good
When everything just falls in place
The easiest thing is to give You praise

Now it all seems upside down

‘Cause my whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when I fall apart

Blessed are the ones who understand
We’ve got nothing to bring but empty hands
Nothing to hide and nothing to prove
Our heartbreak brings us back to You

And it all seems upside down

‘Cause my whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when I fall apart

I don’t know how long this will last
I’m praying for the pain to pass
But maybe this is the best thing that
Has ever happened to me

My whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when
You will find me when I fall apart

The Healing Balm of Gilead

So often as I pray for people, I have prayed that the "healing balm of Gilead" would saturate their heart, soul, mind and body.  So what is the "healing balm of Gilead"?

The balm of Gilead (gĭl'ēəd) is the name for several plants belonging to different taxonomic families. The historic Old World balm of Gilead, or Mecca balsam (Balsam of Mecca), is a small evergreen tree (Commiphora gileadensis, also once called Commiphora opobalsamum) of the family Burseraceae (incense-tree family) native to Africa, Asia, southern Arabia and Somalia and the source of the commercial balm of Gilead.

It is referred to in the Bible in Jeremiah 8.22 (Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?) The Ishmaelites from Gilead were bearing the balm when they in their caravan that bought Joseph from his brothers (Genesis 37).  This Balm of Gilead is still in high repute for healing in some countries and is still used in skin care products for the treatment of eczema and dry skin.

The American balm of Gilead is a species of poplar (Populus candicans) of the family Salicaceae (willow family) which has large balsamic, fragrant and aromatic buds with sticky, resinous buds and heart-shaped leaves cultivated as a shade tree. The tree is seldom seen in the wild but was formerly a favorite dooryard tree of the northern states. The buds were used in domestic medicine. This poplar is closely related to, and sometimes considered a variety of, the balsam poplar (P. tacamahaca), which has also been called balm of Gilead and tacamahac. The name balm of Gilead has also been used for the balsam fir and for a herbaceous aromatic, shrubby plant (Dracocephalum canariense or Cedronella canariensis) of the family Labiatae (mint family) native to the Canary Islands and cultivated in parts of the United States.  It has a large, lilac-to-violet corolla with two lips.

When we read what Josephus had to say, we begin to get a clearer understanding of this Balm.  Josephus said that "balm" was first introduced to Israel when the Queen of Sheba gave it as a gift to Solomon. Thereafter the Balsam tree came to be cultivated on Mount Gilead. Gilead region was soon noted for its physicians and its curative balm.  This balm was used both as a perfume base and as a curative anointing oil. People believed it had miracle medicinal powers.  I even read that after Christ, a curse was placed on any Hebrew who gave the recipe to a Gentile (according to rabbinic Judaism).  So if you are following this, we have a costly, precious anointing oil whose fragrance was incredible and it's powers were known all over the Roman Empire.  Most common people couldn't afford it.

In ancient time the prophets were seen as spiritual physicians. They often brought God's healing Word and wisdom to the sin-sick souls of men. Thus the sage said, "The tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18).  Prophets also brought the message of repentance.  See repentance was a form of worship - it was part of daily living. The prophets would bring major adjustments to the people (prophet-physician) and they could be found bringing healing "balm" to those who would repent.

In Jeremiah 8 we see that the question is posed, "is there no balm in Gilead?" Gilead had gone too far and the balm had been rejected.  The people were steeped in idolatry and they didn't care about the prophets message or his warnings.  Read this in Jeremiah 8:12, 14 and 20.

So now that we have explored the physical healing balm, what is the spiritual implication?  The healing balm of Gilead is the Old Testament reference to what the New Testament refers to as the healing blood of Jesus.  He is our balm from heaven.  He healed us and set us free.  The balm is likened unto the concept of salvation through Jesus Christ and all that His death represented for us!

We have through Christ the ability to now BE the healing balm to those around us.  Jesus made the way.    Interesting that the Balm of Gilead is an oil.  All through the bible we know that "oil" represents the Holy Spirit.  Jesus left His Spirit here with us to minister to us, to others and through us into this lost and dying world.  Do you see it?  The healing Balm of Gilead (this oil) is really the power of the Holy Ghost which we have available to us today to do the things Jesus did and even greater things!  May the healing Balm of Gilead minister LIFE to you and those you meet today!