Hasten, O King!: A Woman’S Journey Through a Life-Threatening Illness, and Inspiring Devotionals from the Author’S Personal Journal

By Mary Stafford Varnado

How Great is Our God
Believing Gods promises transforms a human life and enables the believer to experience the abundant life Jesus came to earth to give. Jesus said, the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
Many people today struggle with emotional, physical, or spiritual bondage. Hasten, O King is the story of the writers journey through a life-threatening illness and how her belief in Gods power and His promises brought healing, health, and restoration. Daughter, be of good courage, your faith has made you well; go in peace (Luke 8:48).
Inspired devotionals from the authors personal journal encourage the reader to embrace Gods Word and to live each day with renewed courage and hope even in the midst of adversity. This book is recommended for small groups as well as for individuals seeking an easy-to-read yet in-depth Bible study.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781449774158

Mary Stafford Varnado

Mary Stafford Varnado is a Christian writer and Bible teacher. The purpose of her teaching and writing is to help others discover the transforming power of Christ in a human life and to experience His love, care, and provision by trusting and abiding in His Word. Mary is the founder and sponsor of Daybreak Ministries. Her devotionals and Bible studies spread the author’s message of hope, love, and inspiration to her readers. “My heart is indicting a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made as touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” Psalms 45:1

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 Mary Stafford Varnado

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1-[phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-7413-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-7415-8 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-7414-1 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012921201

WestBow Press rev. date: 1/3/2013

Contents

Preface

The Abundant Life

The Power of God’s Word

Chapter 1 When God Calls

Chapter 2 The Abundant Life

Chapter 3 Devastating News

Chapter 4 God’s Power to Heal

Chapter 5 Something More

Chapter 6 Scriptural Promises

Chapter 7 Devotionals

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my mother, whose love for me was unconditional. My mother’s love and devotion to God and her dedication to her family will always be remembered. Though the poems she wrote were never published, her legacy continues to live on. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness (Proverbs 31:26).

Preface

God speaks in every age to those whom He chooses. When God chose Moses to lead the nation of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, He spoke through a burning bush. Before the birth of Jesus, whenever God wanted a message delivered to His people, He spoke in dreams and visions and through prophets, priests, and kings. Today, God speaks primarily through His Word and the Holy Spirit.

I have never heard the audible voice of God, but I believe many years ago God impressed upon my spirit three simple words that I have never forgotten. These words were Hasten, O King! Even though at that time I did not understand the meaning of these words, I knew that this was a message from God and that I would one day understand its meaning. Little did I know that many years later God would use this same message to help me understand the power in His Word.

Scripture tells us that God created and knew us before we were born (Psalm 139). God also has a plan and a purpose for each life, although the fullness of God’s plan may not unfold all at once. Sometimes we spend years attempting to chart our own way in life, and as a result, we often stray from the plan God has in mind. Yet because God is a God of infinite love and mercy, He continues to call us back into relationship with Him and enables us to accomplish that which He purposed all along.

Jesus said, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

There is power in God’s Word, and He will hasten to perform His word when we commit our lives to Him in simple faith and obedience.

My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer (Psalm 45:1).

The Abundant Life

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

I always knew there was more to the Christian life than what I was experiencing. For years I struggled through difficult times doing the best I could. But regardless of how hard I tried, my efforts always seemed to fall short.

From childhood I had studied God’s Word and at an early age committed my life to Christ. I was familiar with the Scriptures which said that when one accepts Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior, God sends His Holy Spirit to live within that person. But being controlled by the Spirit and living a victorious Christian life during times of adversity was something I knew little about.

Over the past several years God has shown me that the secret to the abundant life Jesus has promised is to simply abide in Him and allow Him to be God. Where I am inadequate, He is more than adequate; where I am weak, He is strong. And it is in my weakness that His strength is made perfect (II Corinthians 12:9).

When we become willing to relinquish the control of our lives to the One who created us and the One who loves us unconditionally, we began to experience greater freedom and peace regardless of circumstances. Herein is the secret to the abundant life.

Jesus said, Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me (John 15:4).

When we have Jesus, we have everything we will ever need. Without Him, we have nothing. He alone is sufficient!

The Power of God’s Word

"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth. It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:10–11).

There is a difference in the