A Response to Obamacare

On Thursday morning, the US supreme court upheld the controversial program for universal healthcare known as Obamacare. The president is no doubt, relieved by the court ruling, since healthcare reform was one of his major campaign issues. I rarely involve myself in political discussions, but today I'd like to share a few observations.

The argument for Obamacare comes from those who believe that everyone should have health insurance, even those who don't feel they need it. Obamacare would mandate health insurance for everyone - even those who don't want it. There would be penalties for people who did not carry health insurance and its this part of the program that I disagree with most.

The first problem with Obamacare is one of priorities. I know they have good intentions, but supporters have prioritized health insurance over a freedom US citizens have  always enjoyed - we have the right to purchase or refuse to purchase whatever we want, without government interference. Under Obamacare, the government would have the right to force us to buy something, whether we want it or not. Sacrificing constitutional liberties for the sake of federalized healthcare seems to be a poor trade off.

I'm opposed to the idea that the people I elect as my representatives should have the power to tell me what is best for me. When government is granted such power, a host of problems will result. Not the least of which is the question, "What will be the next thing that we're required to buy?"

A federalized healthcare program will necessitate the creation of administrative and regulatory agencies. Government bureaucracies are neither responsive nor efficient and if Obamace is allowed to do what Government programs do best - we can expect substandard healthcare at a very high cost.

People are worried about their health and I suppose they should be. But creating more government agencies isn't the solution. Jesus modeled the solution for us.

Jesus didn't expect Rome to solve the problems of human suffering and sickness. Wherever He went, He healed the sick and set the oppressed free and taught His disciples to do the same.It's actually the responsibility of His disciples (that's us) to care for the poor, the sick and the outcast.

If I've taught you anything, I hope I've demonstrated the fact that a simple, untrained person like myself can make an impact in the lives of people who struggle with health problems. Healing the sick is easy once you believe God will actually heal the people you pray with. I'm not particularly gifted. I've never taken formal training for ministry. I'm just an average disciple with an extraordinary God who is able to do more than I could ask or think. And so are you.

Programs like Obamacare are becoming more popular because the body of Christ has failed in it's mission to relieve suffering and heal the sick. We are the solution to the healthcare problems of the world. If you don't want to see this trend continue, perhaps you'll consider becoming a part of the solution.

Inflammation: What to Eat to Reduce Your Risk of Many Diseases

By Cathy Sherman, originally posted here, on Natural News.

Inflammation is a double-edged sword. While it is very critical for the healing of wounds, it is also a bodily response that can become too much of a good thing. Any infection, injury or toxicity problem inflicted on our bodies is handled by the inflammatory response that occurs automatically. Unfortunately, if certain substances in our bodies become unbalanced, the inflammation switch can come "on" at the wrong time or forget to go "off" when no longer needed.

When inflammation occurs, it can be seen externally as a rash or swelling. A more dangerous kind is that which occurs internally. If it goes on too long it can cause damage to any organ or organ system. People with auto-immune and chronic inflammatory diseases are very familiar with the problems inflammation can cause.

Diseases in which inflammation plays a role are heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's, cancers, arthritis, gingivitis and other "itis" disorders.

On the positive side, since the growth in such diseases can be correlated with and related to our increased diets of fast, convenient foods, it is possible to end the inflammation process with a change in diet.

Not only do we need to eliminate saturated and trans-fats, refined sugars, starches, commercial meats and artificial sweeteners, but we can reverse problems of chronic inflammatory diseases by choosing certain foods and herbs available at the grocery store.

It is being shown time and again that the common therapy for inflammation – pharmaceuticals - has been a miserable and costly failure. Rather than submit your body to the side effects of such drugs, please consider the much healthier alternatives discussed below.

Dietary polyphenols, found in many edible plants, are being found to have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies on animals in the lab have demonstrated such properties, and studies done on different human populations have shown that those who consume polyphenol-rich foods have lower incidences of inflammatory disease.

Fruits rich in this phytochemical include blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sour
cherries, pomegranates and cranberries. If you drink these in juices, make sure to read the label and avoid any with sugar added.

Another group of dietary nutrients receiving much publicity today are the omega fatty acids. Don't be
confused by the wording here. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, while omega-6 acids can actually help cause inflammation. That is why we need to balance the use of omega-6's with omega-3's. If your diet has been predominantly rich in the omega-6 oils, you will have to do more than achieve a balance by increasing omega-3's and drastically reducing the omega-6's.

Other foods rich in omega-3's include oily fish such as herring, sardines, tuna, mackerel and salmon
(preferably wild); oils made from these fish; hemp, flax, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and their oils; high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables such as dark leafy salad greens, spinach, kale, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and onions.

We often overlook the turnip, but from a Chinese medicinal view, it and the radish both aid digestion by cooling and soothing inflammation and phlegm.

Quercetin is a flavonoid, and a very powerful one. It is found in red grapes, red and yellow onions, garlic, broccoli and apples.

Anti-oxidant properties in some foods also help fight inflammation by protecting the body from free radicals. Vitamin C-rich foods fall into this category, including carrots, orange winter squash, bell peppers and tomatoes.

To reduce swelling and inflammation quickly, eat half of a fresh pineapple or papaya daily. Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain and papaya contains papain. Pain and swelling should go down in two to six days.

Eating at least five servings of such fresh fruits and vegetables daily is a minimum. If inflammation is a problem, it is recommended to increase the intake of this food group. In fact, some natural health experts advise a diet that is 75% raw foods.

The flavorings and herbs used in cooking your lean meats and fish are very important as well in fighting inflammation. Turmeric, and its yellowing substance curcumin, are most commonly found in Indian foods like curry and in mustards. The author makes capsules of grocery store-bought turmeric, which has helped with arthritis symptoms. At least one naturopath has stated it works much like anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals, without the side effects.

Ginger is another flavoring that has many healthful properties, one of which is an anti-inflammatory.

Garlic has been the object of much research and has been shown to inhibit the growth of 23 organisms,
including bacteria, mold and yeast. It is also very helpful as an anti-inflammatory.

Remember, while adding spices like turmeric, it is just as important to decrease, if not eliminate,
flavorings such as salt, sugar and artificial sweeteners. Also avoid colas, white flour products and junk foods.

Just one precaution: Herbs and spices should be used with medical supervision if one is also taking
medications because their medicinal properties can interfere with the drugs.

When it comes to soy and soy products, the advice and research findings are contradictory. More research is needed on these foods.

In conclusion, if you want to reduce inflammation, eat healthier. Replace your processed foods with meals like cold water fish, chicken, salads, and steamed vegetables. Avoid deep-fried foods and hydrogenated oils. Bake or stir-fry instead of frying. Use olive oil, an omega-9 fatty acid, instead of corn and related oils


Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/022701.html#ixzz1q0RMDh1S

Breaking the Father's Heart

Two nights ago I had a dream about the Father’s heart. In the dream, I wanted to show a friend what the Father’s heart was like, so I created a three dimensional image of the words “Father’s Heart”. I carefully wrapped and boxed it. My friend lived in another country, so I shipped it to him. It was damaged while being shipped. A piece of one of the letters broke off, so he sent it back to me. That was the end of the dream.

I know that God wants to reveal some things to me that are new. Not new in the sense that they’ve never existed before – but new in the sense that I’ve never been aware of them. They are things that have always been true. But they haven’t been common knowledge, at least not to me. One of the things He wants to reveal is the nature of His heart.

A few years ago the term the Father’s heart was unfamiliar to me. Matt Evans was the first person I’d heard use this phrase. In the years since, I’ve had a deepening desire to become more familiar with my Father’s heart.

I talked with Matt the day I had the dream. He have me a prophetic word about God narrowing my focus to a specific set of things that I would learn about and share with others. He felt as though my sphere of influence would be smaller during this season, due to the fact that not many people will be interested in the things God is going to share with me.

The words smaller sphere of influence would strike fear in the heart of most bloggers. Bloggers are usually interested in finding more readers, not less. But this is precisely what God has been telling me to expect in the coming days.

During the last three years, He’s shared things of interest to many people and the blog has gained readers. But in the future, readership may decline due to a change of focus. And one of the things we’ll be focusing on is the heart of the Father.

In the dream, I tried to reveal His heart to a friend, by creating a sculpture that depicted my understanding of His heart. But the sculpture was merely words, which may suggest that I have a mental understanding of His heart that can be put into words, but not an experiential understanding. Papa’s heart was broken when I tried to reveal it in this way.

There will be many changes to this website in the coming days. I’ll be writing more on subjects that I don’t usually discuss here. In order to do that, I’ll be changing the look of the website. I’ll be adding tabbed pages so readers can find specific areas of interest more easily.

We’ll be learning about the heart of the Father and I hope that the way I describe it doesn’t break His heart. Please pray that He’ll reveal His heart to us in all of it’s fullness and that we’ll accurately reveal it to others.

Thanks,

PM  

The Banker

A few days ago my daughter decided to take God up on His promise to bless her. As a college student who asks her dad for gas money every week, she opted for a financial blessing. 

The next day she received a $300 check in the mail from the college she attends. Not sure if it was a mistake, she talked to an administrator and learned it wasn't a mistake. The college had a surplus and decided to share it with the students. The money was hers to keep.

She asked me to go with her to open a checking account, so we stopped at the Chase branch near our house. The banker ushered us into his office and we sat down. She shared the story of her heavenly blessing, which made the banker (Jim) smile. He asked the usual questions, offered some professional advice and had her sign the usual paperwork. She now had her own checking account.

Jim asked if we had any plans for the summer. We told him about our plans to visit Australia. Then we then told him why we're going. He was surprised to hear we were going to teach on healing. We talked for a while longer. I shared a few healing stories and the plans we had for ministering healing to the homeless people of Brisbane. He asked if I could do anything for a blown out knee. I said we probably could.

Jim confessed to being an agnostic. "It's not that I don't believe in God. It's more that I don't like organized religion."

I told him I didn't have much use for religion either.

Jim had seen an orthopaedic doctor who did an exam, but couldn't give him an exact diagnosis. He would need an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

"If you let us pray with you, when we're through you won't need an MRI."

I'm learning that unlike the affairs of men, where you get in trouble for writing checks you can't cover, God doesn't mind us boasting about His power and goodness. I'm convinced that it's impossible for me to write a check He can't cover.

Jim said that if we got his knee healed, it would change his views about God.

"Well then....why don't we pray right now".

I took a seat next to Jim behind his desk. (How many people get to sit behind a banker's desk during their first meeting?) My daughter scooted her chair closer and we laid hands on his knee. We commanded spirits of pain and disease to leave and commanded ligaments, muscle, tendons, bones and cartilage to be healed. I asked what he felt.

"Nothing."

"What do you mean by nothing?"

"I mean it feels normal."

"Why don't you squat down and flex it, to make sure there isn't some pain left."

Jim Squatted down as low as he could. "There might be just a little pain still, but it's nothing like it was before."

"Let's pray again". I wanted him to be completely pain free, so there would be no doubt in his mind that God had healed him. My daughter and I placed our hands on his knee and repeated the same process. "Check it out again."

Jim repeated the low squatting position and shifted his weight from side to side, then sat in his chair with a look of amazement.

"You know....the first time I was afraid to put much weight on the injured knee, but this time I put nearly all my weight on that side and it feels great. I haven't been able to do this in a long time."

We talked for a while longer and I mentioned this website. He asked if I'd write the website info on his business card, so I did. I told him we took prayer requests and if he knew anyone with cancer or a serious condition he could e-mail us a prayer request.

We shook hands and left the bank.

With a grin on her face, my daughter opened the car door.

"Dad.....it seems like everywhere we go, this always happens."

To My Beloved

Graham Cooke describes how God would love you...if only you will allow Him.

The Trials of Friendship

I had a dream almost two months ago that’s been on my mind since the night it arrived. In the dream, I moved my family to Oregon and I’ll admit, the dream has had me a bit confused.

Less than a year ago, I moved away from the Pacific Northwest, to the desert Southwest, primarily because my wife and I wanted to live in a warmer climate. I didn’t receive much revelation from God prior to the move, so when I had the dream about moving back to the northwest, I wondered if I’d made a mistake.

In thinking about the dream, I knew that if God wanted us to remain in the northwest, He probably would have made it clear prior to moving. His ways are a bit mysterious, but He’s been a perfect gentleman in leading us in these kinds of things and it seems unlike Him to tell us after we’ve moved that we’d messed things up.

Although many of my dreams are literal, most of the moving dreams I’ve had were symbolic.

I’ve been feeling for a while that I’d entered a new season in my life and if I’m in a new season then a moving dream might be appropriate. Dreams of moving tend to describe (symbolically) the things we can expect in a new season. I believe it’s the city we moved to in the dream that holds the key to the right interpretation. And the city we moved to was Salem, Oregon

Now in thinking about why the city of Salem was chosen, I considered the things that the name Salem is associated with. The most obvious being the famed witch trials of 1692, in Salem Massachusetts, where dozens of people were tried and executed for the crime of witchcraft. Many of those killed were members in good standing of a church congregation.

It seems as though God is warning me to watch out for some things that might resemble the witch trials of Salem in this new season.

It’s hard to receive this as “good news” I certainly don’t have any warm, fuzzy feelings about it. And yet, God always has a purpose for the things He reveals and His purpose is always for our benefit. The things He warns us about may not be comfortable, but the advanced notice may bring comfort, reassurance and instruction on how to navigate the storm when it arrives.

So the question is – have I encountered anything yet resembling a witch trial?

Strangely enough – shortly after I had this dream, I began receiving private messages from Facebook friends, who warned me about my association with a close friend, who had become the suspect in a string of bizarre spiritual events.

This friend is very inclined to the supernatural. He writes often on supernatural topics to spur discussions about things we don’t fully understand yet. Some of his views are pretty radical and they’ve generated a lot of controversy. As is always the case with radicals -some of the people who once supported him have begun to accuse him of going off the deep end. The story took a strange turn when this group of former friends began to experience demonic attacks and as a group, they “discerned” that my friend was the one responsible for them.

This group of former friends, without any direct evidence of wrongdoing, relying solely on their own personal discernment, tried and convicted my friend of the crime of witchcraft. They have as a group, blocked him from their lives.

Of course, that’s not the end of the story. It’s not enough to discern a source of evil and remove it from your sphere of influence. You must find out how far the evil influence has spread and remove yourself from anyone who has been infected by it. Isolation from any potential source of evil is the name of the game.

So the group approached me through private messages and laid out their accusations against him. Knowing that I was his friend – they hoped I would either straighten him out spiritually or sever all ties with him. After all – what man of God would knowingly associate with a convicted witch?

(And if he was a witch and I was his friend, maybe I was a witch, too)

When I didn’t respond as they expected, most of these people unfriended me.

The accusations against my friend are growing almost daily. He’s become the official cause of demonic attacks and bizarre spiritual occurrences that happen to anyone who knows him. Forget about Murphy’s law – you can now blame my friend for all of your bad luck.

The witch trials of 1692 stand as an example of how mass hysteria operates. They’re a poignant reminder of the dangers of isolationism, religious extremism, false accusation and disregard for due process. My friend has suffered the same type of holy violence the early pilgrims endured at the hands of their brothers.

When I approached my friend about the accusations, I was shocked to learn that not one person had bothered to confront him personally. In complete disregard for the instruction of Jesus to confront a brother in person and alone when you have a problem (See Matt 18:15-18) they chose to slander and gossip about him behind his back.

Of course, they claimed that “God told them” to talk to someone else about the problem instead of confronting him personally. I suppose you can do whatever you want as long as you make it clear that “God told you” and apparently, God now endorses gossip, slander and false accusation.

I’ve taken a break from Facebook for a number of reasons and this is just one of them. The way these people behaved reminds me of how adolescents resolve conflicts in a sandbox. I expected more maturity and compassion from people who are old enough in the Lord to know better.

I want to be perfectly transparent in all of this. My friend has received a few warning dreams from God lately. A mutual friend also had a warning dream about him being in some type of danger. The three of us have solicited the counsel of several older, trusted leaders to help us navigate through these times of uncertainty. That’s what true friendship is about.

Friendship is about helping others when they’re in danger – not departing from them for the sake of self-preservation. Isolationism is not the answer. True friends see the good in others and encourage its development. They don’t overlook the bad, but they don’t make it the focus of every discussion. They nurture others and suffer along with them, bearing each other's burdens.

I may have ten thousand friends when the good things in my life are on display. But only my true friends will be at my side when my flaws and failures are in the spotlight. And it’s the prayers and encouragement of true friends during hard times that I need more than the hollow praise of fair weather friends.

If I'm the kind of friend who can be pressured to leaving your side when the adversary is having a good time at your expense, then I'm not really a friend at all.

I'm learning a lot about friendship and loyalty in this new season. And when I return to Facebook, things are going to be a lot different.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Healed

This story was originally published here.

For nearly 20 years Ema Mckinley suffered with a condition known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a rare neurological disorder that left her disfigured and wheelchair bound. Through all the pain and near death experiences, her faith never wavered.

Ema says, “God was my partner in all of this and the strength and help He would give me, I could get through one more day!”

It was in the very early morning hours on Christmas Eve 2011, Ema’s life would forever change. A miracle as she tells it, was about to take place.

“…what I saw was the most awesome white robe, this robe was so white that our human eyes, we can hardly stand to look at it. I felt my foot going from this position to this position, He totally straightened that foot. After He straightened that foot, this arm, remember my fist was closed all those years, but this arm was underneath me. When God straightened out that foot, He came up to the hand and He started straightening out my fingers. Betsy through uncontrollable tears, when God had straightened out my fingers all of the fold lines that you have in your hand, it was totally raw flesh. I literally saw God grow new flesh over that raw hand. The folds in that hand were all raw. I watched the new flesh just going over all of it.”

And after her miracle, she rested. Her sons were coming over and little did they know what they were walking into.

“We came in, I saw her walking towards me and I knew it had to be a miracle. You don’t really think about what you’re doing at that moment you just react. I just walked up to her and gave her a big hug and the tears started flowing,” said Jason Lano, Ema’s son.

Dr. Robert Stanhope has not treated Ema but has known her many years while she sat crooked in that chair. He admits, that medically, sometimes there just aren’t any answers.

But as a believer himself, he offers this explanation, “I believe she is where she is because of answered prayer and we don’t understand it. To my knowledge it’s not understood. I know her doctors told her that she would be in wheelchair for the rest of her life and that there was nothing they could to help her.”

“Speechless. What do you say? I’ve been with her nearly 16 years. I’ve seen her struggles. I’ve been in those near death experiences with her. It was unbelievable. I know miracles happen! I know Ema’s faith but to actually see it and be a part of it…it’s just been phenomenal,” said Cathy Ruggeberg, Ema’s personal caregiver for the past 16 years.

Ortho Appointment

Vanessa sat on the gurney as the doctor examined her. He asked questions as he tested her ability to flex and extend her feet. Her tracheostomy made it hard to hear the answers. Her words came out in a muffled whisper. 

It was easier to read her lips.

She'd been brought to an orthopaedic appointment by another crew that had been held past the end of their shift and they needed to go home. We were taking over patient care. Vanessa was being seen several months after a car accident that left her severely disabled and in a lot of pain. 

The medic gave a quick report and apologized (repeatedly) for “dumping” their patient on us. There’s a lot of mistrust in EMS. Some crews do as little work as possible so when a patient is handed off to another crew, there’s always the thought that  laziness might be involved. The weary medic assured me she wouldn't be a problem.

The doctor finished his exam. Before leaving, he assured Vanessa he’d be praying for her. I love it when doctors pray.

(Now if we can only teach them how to heal their patients through prayer)

I introduced myself and Vanessa whispered her story.

I already knew a few details, having listened in during the exam. She’d been in a car accident that left her with a lot of broken bones in her arms and legs. She also had airway problems what required a tracheostomy and ventilator.

Vanessa rubbed her left wrist.

I asked if it hurt. She said it did and rated the pain at 6/10. Both wrists hurt, but the left was worse than the right. I asked if I could pray with her. 

She whispered, “Sure. I pray every day.”

I asked if she wanted God to heal her. She said she did. I told her that when I was done, her wrists wouldn’t hurt any more, because God loves to heal people and she would be healed.

So let me explain why I’m now telling people in advance that they will be healed.

I've noticed that when I have confidence (faith) in God’s desire to heal someone and when I allow that confidence to be expressed in words, it comes out as a confident declaration that they will be healed, before I lay hands on them.

My faith in God is manifest as a declaration that they will be healed. Not “maybe you’ll be healed” or “I think you can be healed”, but a confident prediction – “God will heal you.”

I’ve noticed that when I believe in my heart that God will heal someone and I speak with boldness that they’ll be healed before I begin to pray, God nearly always heals them immediately. It’s extremely rare that they are not healed.

I’ve also noticed that when I don’t have as much confidence in what God will do and I fail to speak confidently about what will happen – the results are not as good.

Now before we create a formula for healing, let's be clear about one thing - it's not my words of confidence that cause a person to be healed. It's my faith in God. If I were to make the same prediction while doubting that God would actually heal them - the results would be the same as if I'd said nothing. 

Here’s one more thing that I've noticed, and this is perhaps the most important revelation about healing that I've found in the last 6 months. (Take note of it, because it may be one of the keys to operating consistently in healing) 


I believe the Holy Spirit suggested a principle to me. I wasn't absolutely certain that it was Him, so I took the principle and began testing it to see if it was just a flaky idea or a real principle of the kingdom. It seems to be holding up under testing.  Here it is:

Once I’ve reached a certain level of faith about what God will do in any area – He expects me to operate at the same (or higher) level of faith in that area from that point in time forward.

This principle (if it is true) is full of consequences.

Once my heart and mind have been enlightened to the truth about God’s will for a specific thing, I don’t have the luxury of walking in doubt or unbelief any longer. He does His part, when I do my part. And my part is to believe that He’ll do what He’s done in the past. 

That means that when I discuss possible outcomes with a person who needs healing, I must speak as though I know what will happen before it actually happens; calling things that are not, as though they are.

So there I was in the doctor’s office, telling Vanessa that her wrists would be healed. I couldn't help but notice the surgical scars on her wrists where pins, plates and screws had been inserted to hold the broken bones in place.

“Alright Jesus, you like healing people, so let’s get her healed. Holy Spirit, bring your presence and touch her. I command pain and inflammation to leave, evil spirits to leave. Muscles, ligaments, bone, tendons, nerves and cartilage, I command you to be healed now in the name of Jesus.”

I asked what she felt. She moved her hands in circles, smiled and said. “Nothing.”

“What do you mean by ‘nothing’?”

“No pain. They feel great”, she whispered as she continued rotating her wrists to make sure she wasn’t imagining it.

“Is there any pain at all?”

“Maybe just a little in the left one”.

By now my partner was getting involved. Having been healed of neck pain two weeks ago and seeing a few patients healed since then, he told Vanessa she would be healed too.

I prayed over her left wrist a second time and the pain vanished. “Now let’s get your feet healed.”

I asked how much pain she had in her feet and checked her range of motion. The atrophy in her right leg was the greatest concern. Her left calf was twice the size of her right one. She had a limited ability to move her right foot. Her ankles hurt constantly.

I told her, “You won’t have any pain when I’m done.”

I had to believe that if God healed her wrists, He would heal her feet. I commanded her feet to be healed in the same way that I did her wrists and in a minute or two, all the pain was gone.

That’s when the doctor returned.

I told him what we’d been up to. He seemed pleased by her testimony and remarked that God’s ways are wonderful and mysterious.

On the way back to the nursing home, I prayed for her throat to be healed so they could remove her tracheostomy tube. She said that as I prayed, she felt heat coming out of my hand which was resting on her arm.

God just amazes me.

Vanessa asked for my contact information, which I gave to her as I taught her how to keep her healing. I’m looking forward to hearing from her. She lives at a nursing home we visit often. I’ll try to get a follow up report and post it here.

A few months ago, I had a dream about meeting a doctor who wanted to be healed of arthritis. He lived in Scottsdale. The office I was in today is in Scottsdale. I first visited this office shortly after having that dream. At that time, I felt that these doctors (there are several of them) might be open to learning how to heal their patients through the power of God. I plan to visit them on my day off and ask if they’re interested in learning about divine healing.

Please pray for open doors and open minds.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

EMS Blog Of the Year Winner

I'd like to congratulate Insomniac Medic for capturing the hearts of EMS blog fans around the globe and hauling in the 2012 EMS blog of the year trophy.

Nice work!

The contest was a big success. It acquainted more readers with EMS1 (the host agency) and gave them a better look at the world of EMS and the folks who write about it.

I was blessed and honored to have this blog named as a finalist.

Thank you to all who sent in nominations and voted.

Praying Medic

The Waiting Room Miracle

Surrounded by others seeking relief from aches and pains, Patty sat in a wheelchair in the Emergency Department waiting room.

We picked her up at a clinic, where she was evaluated for a possible head injury. She struck her head on a door and had blurred vision and a headache. We talked on the way to the hospital. She shared the following story:

Patty had great plans as a young woman. She dreamed of working in law enforcement, so she attended a law enforcement academy. In her first job interview she asked about her health. She told them she had medical condition that causes forgetfulness and disorientation. She was turned down and advised to look for another career. She interviewed with the department of corrections, hoping to be hired as a prison guard but was turned down again because of the condition.

She changed course and took a job at a bank. She soon found a job in management, working there until the banking crisis a few years ago, when she was let go. As she got older, she developed more medical problems. Friends told her to apply for government assistance because of her disability, but she hated the idea of taking money without working. 


We arrived at the Emergency Department and were directed to the waiting room. Patty didn't have a serious condition and the ED was crowded. She didn't complain. We helped her to a wheelchair, I took a seat beside her and waited to give report to the triage nurse. I couldn't help but feel sympathy. I wanted to end the string of disappointments and give her one small victory. I wanted God to restore her hope. So I asked if she wanted to be healed.

I was stepping out on a limb, since I didn’t know exactly what she needed to be healed of yet. The description of her medical problems was vague. But God knew and I figured He'd take care of the details.

“I’d love to be healed” she replied as her eyes filled up with tears.

My eyes misted over as I placed my hand on her shoulder. I asked the Holy Spirit to bring His presence near and touch her. I felt Him immediately. I declared healing of all her diseases and asked what she felt.

“My legs are tingling.”

“What’s wrong with your legs?”

“I have a lot of trouble with them.”

“Well, you don’t any more, because God is healing them.”

I asked if she wanted her mind to be healed. She did. So I placed my hand on the back of her head and commanded her memories to be healed and for evil spirits to leave. I commanded her brain to be free of all neurological conditions and asked what she felt.

Moving her hands to feel her face, she said, “Wow…..my whole head is tingling.”

We sat in the waiting room crying like a couple of babies as God gave her a complete makeover from head to toe. Then I taught her how to keep her healing. All of this must have looked strange to the triage nurse, who approached and said it was her turn.

I wheeled her to the exam room and gave report. Patty thanked me then gave me a hug and I left. I found an empty room where I finished writing my report.

When I was done with me report, I returned to the triage desk and gave them a copy. The nurse who took it asked if I would write down my contact information for Patty. She told them she’d been healed. The nurse wanted my contact information too. She was a Christian and wanted to know more about healing, so I told her how to find this website.

Sometimes I forget that God wants people healed more than I do. It’s easy to lose that perspective when someone isn’t healed. But He’s been healing a lot of people lately and I have some wonderful stories to share with you in the coming weeks. As soon as I can get them written, I’ll post them.

Thanks for dropping by,

PM

Releasing The Supernatural Presence of God

Every time I listen to Bill Johnson, I’m challenged in some part of my life. Most often it’s in the place of living the kind of life Jesus lived. Call me a fool, but I’m trying to take seriously the fact that Jesus said we would do even greater things than He did.

I’d heard this particular message before, but this time his words brought to mind something I’d been wrestling with for a long time. Bill hinted at the answer I’d been looking for. He loves to hint at the answers, without coming right out and telling you the full implications of what he's saying. There’s always a pregnant pause for reflection.

The message was on hosting God’s presence. If you aren’t familiar with hosting the presence of God, I recommend viewing the video (here) because much of what I’m about to share is tied to the concepts he illustrates so well.

As Christians, we are carriers of God’s Spirit and partakers of His divine nature. God is present in and resides with us. His presence in us is the life and power behind all that we do. He has enabled us to do things that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. His divine enabling is one aspect of His grace. While the law sets prohibitions on what we can do, His grace enables us to do more than we would ever dream of before receiving it.

Jesus often released the power (or presence) of God into a situation to bring about an expected result. He said, “The words that I speak are spirit and they are life.”

His very words carried the spirit and life of God in them. As he spoke to the sick, his words destroyed sickness. He knew how to release God’s presence. The release of God’s presence isn’t always under our control. Sometimes it flowed from him as he passed through a crowd like with the woman who was healed of her flow of blood.

Peter understood that he carried the presence of God. When the lame man asked for alms, Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6). What did Peter have? The presence of God. As he released it into the lame man, it enabled him to walk.

The instruction of Jesus was aimed at helping the disciples understand this concept; that they were carriers of God’s presence. As such, they had been authorized and empowered to do more than they realized and they were often afraid to fully walk in this reality.

When the loaves of bread were multiplied, it was the disciples who perceived that the multitude was hungry. They went to Jesus about the problem. They offered two solutions; send the crowd home, or buy them food. Having little money, they suggested sending them home. Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” In His instruction, Christ gave them the supernatural ability to carry out his command and they didn’t even know it. They gathered some bread and gave it to Jesus, expecting him to work a miracle. He blessed it and handed back a handful of bread. It had not yet multiplied. It was when they obeyed his command to feed the multitude that it multiplied. And it happened by their own hands.

Apparently, they either didn’t realize they had worked this miracle or they didn't remember it the following day as they sat in the boat being tossed about in the storm. Had they remembered the miracle of the loaves, they may have rebuked the storm themselves. But in their fear, they forgot the enabling they had received and Jesus had to calm the storm for them. He then chided them, because they didn’t remember the loaves. The disciples often forgot who they were and what they had been authorized and empowered to do. And so do we.

Many of us are fearful of overstepping our authority to operate in the supernatural. We say, things like, “I’ll participate in the supernatural, but only if God leads me in the experience or only if He initiates it.” The fact is - the natural man perceives supernatural experiences to be dangerous.

We're taught to fear the supernatural on the premise that it can lead to deception or harm. I won't tell you that it can't harm you or lead to deception. That would be naive. Satan owns a large chunk of supernatural real estate and it's not hard to find. While I appreciate the danger the enemy poses, I’d like to explain why avoiding the supernatural isn't the solution.

One of the ways God speaks to us is through preachers. One of the ways Satan deceives the world is through men and women who preach a perverted gospel. Should we abandon preaching because the enemy has found a way to deceive people through a false message?

Of course not.

The problem isn't that preaching itself is dangerous. The problem is that many of us are not able to discern truth from deception. The real problem lies in the heart of the ones who hear the preaching. If all God’s people exercised proper spiritual discernment, false preaching would have no audience and pose no threat.

One way God speaks to us is through dreams. One way the enemy speaks to us is through dreams. Should we refuse instruction from God through dreams, simply because the enemy has found a way to use them to deceive us?

Of course not.

The proper approach is to learn how to discern the difference between God’s dreams and the enemy’s and disregard the ones from the enemy. Sorting out dreams is a matter of learning God’s ways, recognizing His voice and His agendas, and learning to interpret the dreams by His Spirit. These are all things that come to us as we mature in our walk with Him.

One way God manifests His mercy is through healing. The enemy has found a way to heal people as well, through various counterfeit forms of healing. Should we reject the ministry of healing because the enemy has used it to deceive people? Again, we can’t reject the legitimate expression of God’s love because some have fallen for a counterfeit. We must learn to discern the one from God and teach others how to spot the counterfeits.

The prophets and apostles traveled in the spirit from place to place doing all sorts of bizarre things. Jesus himself traveled across lakes, alone and with the disciples, supernaturally. The enemy has learned how to transport people supernaturally through experiences like remote viewing and astral projection. Should we reject the idea of supernatural transport merely because the enemy has developed a copycat?

Of course not.

The problem once again is not that supernatural transport is a form of deception, but rather that we must learn how to discern the spiritual pathways of God from the highways of the deceiver and walk only on the ones God has provided.

For some, the answer to the problem of deception is simply to refuse to participate in anything supernatural. For others, the answer lies in only participating if God sovereignly brings the experience to their doorstep. I would suggest that these attitudes are nothing more than fear and disobedience dressed up as prudence and caution. Whether you live a supernatural life or not, you’re subject to deception.

The enemy uses many ways to deceive us including the belief that supernatural experiences are of the devil. The lives of Jesus and the disciples demonstrate the exact opposite. It was their willingness to host and release the presence of God that kept them free of deception. As carriers of His presence they received revelation directly from God on spiritual matters, which kept them walking in the truth.

Jesus is the most supernatural man who ever lived, yet He only did what He saw the Father doing. From this fact, it might appear as if he lived from moment to moment never knowing exactly what the Father had in store for him next. Yet when we read the gospels we don’t see him caught off guard, as if something had just happened that he didn’t expect. He was intentional and deliberate in all that he did.

The Father didn’t drop him unexpectedly upon the waves of the sea. He went there on his own for a specific purpose. When he appeared to Thomas after walking through a wall, no one would suggest that the Father sovereignly tossed him through the wall. Jesus chose the wall instead of the door to make a point. It was a deliberate act, where he exercised his will to do something. When he raised Lazarus from the dead, he knew days in advance what he was going to do and he told the disciples about it.

It doesn’t seem to me as though Jesus waited for His Father to make the kind of “sovereign moves” many of us are waiting for Him to make. He knew His Father’s heart and His will, which allowed him to cooperate fully with the Father’s plan. When he saw the lame, He knew the Father’s heart was to heal them. When he saw the poor, he knew the Father wanted to feed them. And when he saw the storm, he knew the Father approved of his decision to speak peace to it. When the crowd tried to throw him over a cliff, he supernaturally passed through their midst with the Father’s consent. He operated in the supernatural without fear because He knew the proper actions to take. That knowledge came from studying and knowing His Father’s heart.

As we step out in faith, and cooperate with God’s plan, He will give us experiences to help us get to know His ways. As we learn His ways, we’ll grow in confidence that we’re doing the things He approves of.

Some of us receive words of knowledge. What are they for?

To reveal something God wants us to address. Often it’s to alert us to lay hands on someone who needs healing. Words of knowledge are nice. They’re God’s way of prompting us to take action. But we can’t always wait for God to move first. We must eventually take the training wheels off the bicycle. And that means we must learn to initiate the encounter ourselves.

I used to wait for God’s approval before I’d pray for anyone to be healed. As I’ve grown in my walk, I’ve learned that I don’t need to wait for Him to tell me to pray for a certain person. If I decide to lay hands on someone, He usually backs me up. If I miss someone who is open to healing, He'll often tell me.

God began speaking to me a few years ago about spiritual transport (It was His idea, not mine). He brought up the subject and gave me a number of dreams about it. One night, while sleeping, He transported me to Brazil – not to the country itself, but to the heavens over it. Confirmation of the trip came a few months later when a friend told me about a dream he’d had where I met him at a spiritual portal over Brazil. I'd never told him about my experience, so he wouldn’t have known about it.

God desires us to experience these things with Him. I’m not completely certain why, but in the coming days, spiritual transport will be more common. In a recent dream, I saw a representation of the spiritual highway of the kingdom. Its capacity to move people was being doubled.

One of the great questions we’ve been wrestling with in the realm of spiritual transport is whether we must wait on God to sovereignly move us, or if we should learn to do it of our own free will. There are arguments to be made on both sides, but in the final analysis, the question is the same one we ask of all supernatural experiences – must we wait on God to initiate it, or are we mature enough to know when and how to do it ourselves?

One objection often raised is that some of us will “seek the experience” for the sake of the experience itself, instead of seeking God as the provider of the experience. It's true that some of us will be lured into seeking the experience out of boredom, curiosity, or some other foolish reason.

What harm will come to them?

The same harm that comes to anyone who seeks the supernatural as entertainment.

They’ll learn that the enemy is the primary supplier of supernatural entertainment and it’s on his terms that they’ll play. And they’ll suffer the consequences of their immaturity. I think once again, that the problem isn’t the experience per se, but the foolish, immature heart that doesn't distinguish between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. Thrilled by anything supernatural, they’re lured into darkness little by little.

I think it's always wise to invite God to be a part of our experiences. I rarely pray for anyone to be healed without asking the Holy Spirit to bring His presence and be involved in what I'm doing. How much more should we invite Him to be a participant in something like spiritual transport?

The issue may boil down to a matter of knowing the Father, His ways and His voice so well, that deception is spotted the moment it appears. If we're honest, some of us will admit that we don’t know the Father’s voice or heart well enough and we fear that if we make a move, it will be in the wrong direction. So we remain paralyzed; afraid to move in any direction.

Papa isn’t looking for pawns that can be moved around a chess board. He isn’t looking for timid creatures paralyzed by fear. He’s looking for sons and daughters, who are willing to accept responsibility, grow in maturity and cooperate with Him in a divine plan. He wants us to know that plan or at least the part that involves us.

Jesus said a servant does not know his master’s business. But after He revealed his plan to the disciples, he called them his friends. And that is how God sees us.

As friends of God we must grow in discernment so that we know when the enemy is speaking or acting instead of God. Part of that process is learning God’s plan, which provides a map for us. Another part is to grow in spiritual maturity, which comes by spending as much time with Him as possible, asking questions, meditating on the answers and trying out the gifts he’s given you.

Yes, we’ll make a few mistakes; we are His children after all and we haven't been this way before. But no mistake is wasted if we learn the lesson that comes with it.

-till next time,

PM

Hosting The Presence of God - Bill Johnson

Bill Johnson teaches on hosting the presence of God.