This woman, named Jessica, testifies that she had a metal plate and 3 screws in her wrist disappear during worship.
Jul 24, 2012
Jul 22, 2012
On Dying Young
This message is likely to meet with disagreement from many of my friends. I would ask that you read the message all the way through and consider it thoughtfully and prayerfully before coming to a conclusion on the matter. I would be glad to discuss your thoughts in the comments section.
The body of Christ has held two opposing views on the forces at work when people die at a young age. Some believe that God has a purpose for "taking" people in their youth, and these reasons often remain a mystery. Most of my friends who have discovered the resurrection power of God would disagree. They believe that we're all entitled to a long, prosperous life. They hold the view that it is only at the hands of the enemy that anyone dies at a young age.
Twelve months ago, I would have agreed with my friends. When the sacred cow was finally barbecued that said God has reasons for people to die in their youth, we all rejoiced. In the circles I travel in, the new dominant view is that it is never God's will for anyone to die at a young age.
I've spent a lot of time reviewing near-death testimonies and reading accounts from people who have gone into the heavens. And my perspective on the issue has been changing. The subject we're discussing is emotionally charged and full of conflicting views. Patience is required to sort these things out, so bear with me as I shed a bit of light on the different issues involved.
The argument for a long physical life is made by those who see promises of longevity in scripture. I've searched the bible and haven't found an explicit guarantee of longevity anywhere in scripture. I believe it is God's desire for us to have a long life, which is to say that He always wants us to live in such a way that our years on the earth would be fruitful and many. But I believe that some of our own choices frustrate those plans.
If you believe in determinism, this idea will probably be objectionable to you, for determinism teaches that our own actions cannot thwart the plans of God if He has sovereignly ordained us to live a certain number of years. I personally reject determinism. I believe that our own choices must be accounted for in the grand scheme of things and we can either frustrate or cooperate with His plans by the choices we make.
I believe it is God's desire that everyone would have a long, abundant and blessed life. God is good and He has nothing but our best interest in mind in everything He does. It is actually this principle (our best interest) that I believe is at work when people die at a young age. Allow me to explain what I mean by this.
The human perspective on life tends to focus on things that happen in the dimension of time and space. The temporal things of this world are the things we think about most often and value the most highly. One of the things is our own physical life and our experiences in this world.
When someone dies at a young age, we tend to view it as a tragedy. We consider all the things the departed person might have done if they had lived longer. We're saddened by the fact that they won't accomplish the wonderful things the rest of us will. We mourn the love they'll never know, the victories they'll miss out on and all the things of this physical life that we feel everyone deserves to experience. We value the temporal experiences of this earth rather highly.
It is our temporal perspective that clouds our understanding of life and death and obscures our ability to see how they are viewed from heaven.
I've been reading the book The Spiritual World by Peter Tan. I've also been watching video interviews with Katt Kerr. Both have received extraordinary revelations about the spirit world. Their testimonies have caused me to re-evaluate many of my beliefs about life and death.
I began to question the idea of a guarantee of long life shortly after I began praying for the sick. I had prayed at the bedside of a number of terminal cancer patients, and in visions, I often saw clear indications that the person's time on earth was up. Jesus was taking them home and there was nothing I could do to change it. While my friends in the healing community insisted that we had an obligation to heal everyone, I began to see things from heaven's perspective.
I've watched many interviews with people who have had near - death experiences. In some cases, the Lord would show them the things they would endure if they returned to earth then asked if they wanted to remain in heaven or return to their physical body. If a person chose to remain in heaven, their testimony, for obvious reasons, would never be recorded. But many chose to return, in spite of the difficulties they would face. And that begs the question - what purpose does God have for allowing people to decide their own fate concerning their physical life and death?
Katt Kerr has been taken into heaven hundreds of times to witness different things and reveal them to us, back here on earth. She's attended the homecoming of many departed saints and made an interesting observation about them. When we step into eternity for good - all of heaven throws a party for us. The "death" of our physical body is celebrated with extreme joy and celebration by everyone in heaven. There is no mourning, no weeping or sadness like we have here on earth. In heaven, the death of our physical body means it's party time.
She said that we all get to watch our own memorial service on earth. Nearly everyone who watches their own sad, somber funeral makes the same comment. They wish their friends and relatives on earth were as joyous as the saints and angels were in heaven. Our physical death, from the perspective of heaven, is a reason to rejoice - not to mourn and cry, regardless of the age of the individual.
Peter Tan reports that there are things going on the realm of the spirit that most of us haven't considered. Tan describes millions of different planes, spheres, and dimensions of existence in the spiritual world, each of which serves a unique purpose in the greater plan of God. As we step out of our physical body into the spirit world, we're taken to one of the realms of eternity. If you are a Christian, you'd call it heaven. Though in fact, there are many realms of heaven, each one containing a different aspect of God's glory for us to to become familiar with.
In eternity, we spend time exploring and being transformed into the perfect image of Christ by all the different levels of God's glory that we're exposed to. And yes, there is time in eternity - though it's quite different from how we understand time in this dimension.
The plan of God for each of us is to be transformed (sanctified) into the perfect image of Christ. (See 1 Thess 4:3) That transformation happens in many ways throughout the entirety of our existence, both on earth and in eternity. God is always interested in our transformation into the image of His son. This is the overarching concern behind everything He allows to come into our lives.
Nothing ever supersedes this imperative.
There are many experiences here on earth,which provide opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation. Some are revelatory; others involve overcoming adversity or persecution, but all develop Christ-like character in our spirit-man.
There are other experiences that can cause us to regress backward in our spiritual development. In them, our spiritual light diminishes with each passing day. Some people may go through so many negative spiritual experiences after returning to earth, they end up worse off (spiritually) than if they had remained in eternity.
All the positive and negative experiences that affect our spiritual development are considered when God decides if an individual will remain in heaven or return to earth. Physical age is not one of the major factors considered.
When a person dies, regardless of their physical age, God examines all the possible outcomes of their continued life on earth and their transition into eternity. He evaluates their potential for spiritual growth in both settings. His decision to allow them to remain in eternity or return to earth is based on His knowledge of all these factors. In some cases, the results of living in eternity and on earth may be so similar that He will allow the individual to decide their own fate.
If the individual has a chance to grow spiritually by returning to earth, they're usually sent back. But if they have little chance for spiritual growth on earth - they usually remain in heaven, where they'll continue the process of transformation.
Over the course of my career, I've probably interviewed more than 100 people who have had near death experiences. Nearly all of them remember being told "it wasn't their time". Nearly all were explicitly told they had more to accomplish before their time on earth was over. I believe the "something more" is the development of greater Christ- like character in their life.
It's almost time to wrap this up, so I'll close with this final thought:
When a loved one experiences physical death - the biblical response is to pray for resurrection. (Matt 10:8) We pray for resurrection because we don't know if they're going to remain in eternity or return to earth. If they need to return, our prayers enforce God's will for them to return. In situations involving resurrection, it's wise to ask God for a specific revelation of His will so that we might pray in accordance with it.
I'll post a instructional message in the next few weeks on how and when to raise the dead.
'till then....
The body of Christ has held two opposing views on the forces at work when people die at a young age. Some believe that God has a purpose for "taking" people in their youth, and these reasons often remain a mystery. Most of my friends who have discovered the resurrection power of God would disagree. They believe that we're all entitled to a long, prosperous life. They hold the view that it is only at the hands of the enemy that anyone dies at a young age.
Twelve months ago, I would have agreed with my friends. When the sacred cow was finally barbecued that said God has reasons for people to die in their youth, we all rejoiced. In the circles I travel in, the new dominant view is that it is never God's will for anyone to die at a young age.
I've spent a lot of time reviewing near-death testimonies and reading accounts from people who have gone into the heavens. And my perspective on the issue has been changing. The subject we're discussing is emotionally charged and full of conflicting views. Patience is required to sort these things out, so bear with me as I shed a bit of light on the different issues involved.
The argument for a long physical life is made by those who see promises of longevity in scripture. I've searched the bible and haven't found an explicit guarantee of longevity anywhere in scripture. I believe it is God's desire for us to have a long life, which is to say that He always wants us to live in such a way that our years on the earth would be fruitful and many. But I believe that some of our own choices frustrate those plans.
If you believe in determinism, this idea will probably be objectionable to you, for determinism teaches that our own actions cannot thwart the plans of God if He has sovereignly ordained us to live a certain number of years. I personally reject determinism. I believe that our own choices must be accounted for in the grand scheme of things and we can either frustrate or cooperate with His plans by the choices we make.
I believe it is God's desire that everyone would have a long, abundant and blessed life. God is good and He has nothing but our best interest in mind in everything He does. It is actually this principle (our best interest) that I believe is at work when people die at a young age. Allow me to explain what I mean by this.
The human perspective on life tends to focus on things that happen in the dimension of time and space. The temporal things of this world are the things we think about most often and value the most highly. One of the things is our own physical life and our experiences in this world.
When someone dies at a young age, we tend to view it as a tragedy. We consider all the things the departed person might have done if they had lived longer. We're saddened by the fact that they won't accomplish the wonderful things the rest of us will. We mourn the love they'll never know, the victories they'll miss out on and all the things of this physical life that we feel everyone deserves to experience. We value the temporal experiences of this earth rather highly.
It is our temporal perspective that clouds our understanding of life and death and obscures our ability to see how they are viewed from heaven.
I've been reading the book The Spiritual World by Peter Tan. I've also been watching video interviews with Katt Kerr. Both have received extraordinary revelations about the spirit world. Their testimonies have caused me to re-evaluate many of my beliefs about life and death.
I began to question the idea of a guarantee of long life shortly after I began praying for the sick. I had prayed at the bedside of a number of terminal cancer patients, and in visions, I often saw clear indications that the person's time on earth was up. Jesus was taking them home and there was nothing I could do to change it. While my friends in the healing community insisted that we had an obligation to heal everyone, I began to see things from heaven's perspective.
I've watched many interviews with people who have had near - death experiences. In some cases, the Lord would show them the things they would endure if they returned to earth then asked if they wanted to remain in heaven or return to their physical body. If a person chose to remain in heaven, their testimony, for obvious reasons, would never be recorded. But many chose to return, in spite of the difficulties they would face. And that begs the question - what purpose does God have for allowing people to decide their own fate concerning their physical life and death?
Katt Kerr has been taken into heaven hundreds of times to witness different things and reveal them to us, back here on earth. She's attended the homecoming of many departed saints and made an interesting observation about them. When we step into eternity for good - all of heaven throws a party for us. The "death" of our physical body is celebrated with extreme joy and celebration by everyone in heaven. There is no mourning, no weeping or sadness like we have here on earth. In heaven, the death of our physical body means it's party time.
She said that we all get to watch our own memorial service on earth. Nearly everyone who watches their own sad, somber funeral makes the same comment. They wish their friends and relatives on earth were as joyous as the saints and angels were in heaven. Our physical death, from the perspective of heaven, is a reason to rejoice - not to mourn and cry, regardless of the age of the individual.
Peter Tan reports that there are things going on the realm of the spirit that most of us haven't considered. Tan describes millions of different planes, spheres, and dimensions of existence in the spiritual world, each of which serves a unique purpose in the greater plan of God. As we step out of our physical body into the spirit world, we're taken to one of the realms of eternity. If you are a Christian, you'd call it heaven. Though in fact, there are many realms of heaven, each one containing a different aspect of God's glory for us to to become familiar with.
In eternity, we spend time exploring and being transformed into the perfect image of Christ by all the different levels of God's glory that we're exposed to. And yes, there is time in eternity - though it's quite different from how we understand time in this dimension.
The plan of God for each of us is to be transformed (sanctified) into the perfect image of Christ. (See 1 Thess 4:3) That transformation happens in many ways throughout the entirety of our existence, both on earth and in eternity. God is always interested in our transformation into the image of His son. This is the overarching concern behind everything He allows to come into our lives.
Nothing ever supersedes this imperative.
There are many experiences here on earth,which provide opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation. Some are revelatory; others involve overcoming adversity or persecution, but all develop Christ-like character in our spirit-man.
There are other experiences that can cause us to regress backward in our spiritual development. In them, our spiritual light diminishes with each passing day. Some people may go through so many negative spiritual experiences after returning to earth, they end up worse off (spiritually) than if they had remained in eternity.
All the positive and negative experiences that affect our spiritual development are considered when God decides if an individual will remain in heaven or return to earth. Physical age is not one of the major factors considered.
When a person dies, regardless of their physical age, God examines all the possible outcomes of their continued life on earth and their transition into eternity. He evaluates their potential for spiritual growth in both settings. His decision to allow them to remain in eternity or return to earth is based on His knowledge of all these factors. In some cases, the results of living in eternity and on earth may be so similar that He will allow the individual to decide their own fate.
If the individual has a chance to grow spiritually by returning to earth, they're usually sent back. But if they have little chance for spiritual growth on earth - they usually remain in heaven, where they'll continue the process of transformation.
Over the course of my career, I've probably interviewed more than 100 people who have had near death experiences. Nearly all of them remember being told "it wasn't their time". Nearly all were explicitly told they had more to accomplish before their time on earth was over. I believe the "something more" is the development of greater Christ- like character in their life.
It's almost time to wrap this up, so I'll close with this final thought:
When a loved one experiences physical death - the biblical response is to pray for resurrection. (Matt 10:8) We pray for resurrection because we don't know if they're going to remain in eternity or return to earth. If they need to return, our prayers enforce God's will for them to return. In situations involving resurrection, it's wise to ask God for a specific revelation of His will so that we might pray in accordance with it.
I'll post a instructional message in the next few weeks on how and when to raise the dead.
'till then....
Jul 21, 2012
Power and Love Training
Host Location:
Wellspring Church
Berlin, CT 06037
Date: August 15-18, 2012
Full School (all 4 days) Regular Rate Registration: July 19 to August 10, 2012 -- $80.00
Full School (all 4 days) At the Door Registration: $100.00
Per Session Rate: For those who can only attend part of the school, the rate will be:
$20 per morning session
$20 per afternoon session
$40 per day:
There is no advanced registration for individual sessions. These will be
available at the door only, space permitting.
Student Discount: Full time students can register at $15.00 off each full school rate above or $5.00 off the per session rate. You will need to show your Student ID when you arrive on Wed morning or you will be charged $15 at the door.
Jul 20, 2012
Colorado Theater Shooting 911 Dispatch
The dispatch tape of the 911 response to the theater shooting in Colorado on July 19 2012.
Where Do We Go When We Die?
Katt Kerr and Patricia King discuss the things we'll experience in eternity.
Jul 18, 2012
Baby Resurrected From the Dead
David Hogan shares with the students at Bethel school of ministry in Redding, California on how God raised a dead baby to life at a small fellowship meeting in Mexico.
Jul 16, 2012
Healing Mental Illness - A Matter of Love
I had a dream on the night of July 12. In the dream I watched people being treated for mental illness as they transitioned from a hospital to a mental health treatment facility. In some of the scenes, patients were treated rudely and without compassion. This made their condition worse. In some scenes they were treated with compassion, understanding and love - which made their condition better.
Some dreams don't need much interpretation. This is one of them. But I'll share a few thoughts on how it might be applied.
The dream shows a problem as it might be seen from my perspective. I routinely transport people from hospitals to mental health facilities; usually after treatment for a suicide attempt. If you work in medicine, you're aware that people with depression are frequently viewed with disdain. I'll go even further - they're often despised and resented by healthcare workers.
I transported one such patient about a month ago. We arrived at the emergency department to transport a middle-aged woman who had verbalized thoughts of killing herself after finding her 15 year old son dead in his bedroom. Her nurses described her as a needy, controlling person. They seemed giddy about the fact that we arrived early and were finally taking her away. She'd been there less than four hours.
When I met her, I was shocked. What I found was a sweet, kind, broken-hearted woman who needed someone to show her a little compassion. I couldn't understand why the nurses perceived her the way they did. Unfortunately, these attitudes are common among healthcare workers. At times, I'm as guilty as anyone.
In reading The Spiritual World by Peter Tan, I came across an fascinating revelation about love. Most of us know that God is love. That is to say; love is the very essence of His being. What most of us don't know is that love, by itself, is able to sustain all life in the universe. The substance of love that comes from the Father is able to completely sustain all life without the help of any outside force.
In the natural world, we perceive a complex symphony of multiple forces working together to sustain life. But the truth is - love is a life-sustaining force that is much more powerful than we understand.
Many people suffer from mental illness because they are unloved. The dream is a reminder that we can heal the pain and suffering of mental illness through the power transmitted to others by acts of sincere compassion and love.
Related Posts:
A New Season - Healing Mental Illness
Jul 15, 2012
ICU Being Healed
I'd be lying if I said I didn't love my job. I know you're busy, so let me just share a quick testimony. The woman below is smiling because she no longer has a torn rotator cuff. I bet you'll never guess how it happened.
Last week we transported a ventilator dependent patient who has Lou Gehrig's disease. Just like my friend Scott Buzzell, (I haven't forgot about you, Scott) our patient was diagnosed years ago and is now paralyzed except for his facial muscles. The woman holding the balloon was the respiratory therapist on duty when we picked him up in the ICU.
As we got our patient ready, I noticed her rubbing her right shoulder as if it hurt. I asked what was wrong. She told me she tore her rotator cuff last year when a nurse jerked the code cart away from her. I asked if she wanted to be healed. She did, so I placed my hand on her shoulder and commanded it to be healed.
At the nurses station in front of everyone. Then I asked if she felt anything.
"It just feels a little warm."
"Cool - that's the power of God healing you."
I prayed a second time and asked her to try to raise her arm up. With a torn rotator cuff, it's extremely painful to raise your arm above the height of your shoulder. She tried, but it hurt. I told her it might take a few minutes for the healing to completely manifest.
We continued getting the patient ready. A few minutes later she returned. Raising her arm a little higher than before, she said, "Look...what I can do". She was overjoyed. "I haven't been able to do this in over a year."
The patient had his own ventilator, which we were taking with us in addition to our own gear. We needed help getting it all down to the ambulance. The RT volunteered to escort us. On the way to the ambulance she told the patient's wife that I healed her shoulder. I asked if she was sure that she was healed. She said she was. We loaded the patient and equipment and I pulled out my phone to get a picture. She gave me permission to post it. I gave her a card and a hug then we left.
I'm waiting for a report from the Respiratory Therapist. So if you read this, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail and let me know how you're doing.
Praying Medic out -
Almost forgot.....I prayed with the patient on the way to his house. No report on him yet.
Jul 14, 2012
Her Best Shift
Kari was my partner for the next 8 hours. My regular partner wasn't able to work, so Kari filled in. We had a slow day - just two transports. That gave us time to talk.
Kari told me about her life. She's interested in archaeology and earned a Master's degree then began working on her PhD. Near the end of the process she ran into funding problems and never completed her doctorate. As a temporary way to earn a paycheck she went to EMT school.
After discussing her life for a while she asked about mine; what plans did a guy my age have for the future?
I told her that I'd worked in nearly every type of EMS environment and that I'd went through every career stage you can go through - from an excited newbie to an experienced trainer to a burned - out, jaded veteran and everything in between. Then I told her about the dreams that began in 2008. Hundreds of dreams about praying for patients in the ambulance.
I shared a few healing testimonies with her. She was a bit shocked, but wanted to know more about what God was doing in my life, so I shared a few more stories. She asked if I could help with a few medical problems of her own. I told her I'd do what I could.
She asked if I'd pray for her father to be healed of chronic back pain. Then she recalled the tragic tale of her best friend, who was severely injured in a car accident. Her friend has a metal plate in her foot that's slowly separating from the bone it was screwed to. It's extremely painful and her surgeon doesn't think anything can be done about it.
I told her I'd be happy to pray for both of them, but asked if she'd contact them and ask if they actually want to be healed. I said I'd be happy to visit her friend in person, since she lives in the area.
Kari asked if I'd pray for her eyes healed. She wears corrective lenses for near-nearsightedness and hates wearing glasses. I placed my hand on her forehead just above her eyes and commanded them to be healed. She felt a sensation of warmth invade her lower eyelids. She removed her glasses and noticed that her distant vision was improving. She was surprised at how quickly her vision changed. I prayed a second time and the warmth increased. Then I prayed a third time.
She removed her glasses again and remarked that although her vision wasn't perfect yet, it was much improved over just a few minutes earlier.
Satisfied with the improvement, she asked if I'd pray for her neck and shoulders to be healed. Like most of us who work in EMS, she suffers from chronic muscle strain and fatigue. She feels as if her neck and upper back muscles are under constant tension, causing a nagging pain that never goes away.
I placed my hand near the back of her neck, just above her shirt collar, but didn't actually touch her. As I commanded her muscles to be healed, I felt something I've never felt before.
Heat.
I felt waves of heat coming from her upper back, just below my hand. She felt it too.
"Let me see your hand."
I held my hand out in front of her. She felt my palm.
"That's crazy....when you put your hand near my neck, I could feel heat coming from it, almost like a hot pack. But your palm feels normal."
I told her I felt it too.
She moved her shoulders around. All the pain was gone.
We talked some more. She had a lot of questions, which I answered the best I could. She understood that I'm something like a conduit for God's power, which flows through me and heals people. I told her the only reason His power flows through me, is because Jesus gave me the authority to heal people and he gave the same authority to all of His disciples.
She remarked that today was probably the best shift of her life.
Isn't that how Jesus is?
Kari told me about her life. She's interested in archaeology and earned a Master's degree then began working on her PhD. Near the end of the process she ran into funding problems and never completed her doctorate. As a temporary way to earn a paycheck she went to EMT school.
After discussing her life for a while she asked about mine; what plans did a guy my age have for the future?
I told her that I'd worked in nearly every type of EMS environment and that I'd went through every career stage you can go through - from an excited newbie to an experienced trainer to a burned - out, jaded veteran and everything in between. Then I told her about the dreams that began in 2008. Hundreds of dreams about praying for patients in the ambulance.
I shared a few healing testimonies with her. She was a bit shocked, but wanted to know more about what God was doing in my life, so I shared a few more stories. She asked if I could help with a few medical problems of her own. I told her I'd do what I could.
She asked if I'd pray for her father to be healed of chronic back pain. Then she recalled the tragic tale of her best friend, who was severely injured in a car accident. Her friend has a metal plate in her foot that's slowly separating from the bone it was screwed to. It's extremely painful and her surgeon doesn't think anything can be done about it.
I told her I'd be happy to pray for both of them, but asked if she'd contact them and ask if they actually want to be healed. I said I'd be happy to visit her friend in person, since she lives in the area.
Kari asked if I'd pray for her eyes healed. She wears corrective lenses for near-nearsightedness and hates wearing glasses. I placed my hand on her forehead just above her eyes and commanded them to be healed. She felt a sensation of warmth invade her lower eyelids. She removed her glasses and noticed that her distant vision was improving. She was surprised at how quickly her vision changed. I prayed a second time and the warmth increased. Then I prayed a third time.
She removed her glasses again and remarked that although her vision wasn't perfect yet, it was much improved over just a few minutes earlier.
Satisfied with the improvement, she asked if I'd pray for her neck and shoulders to be healed. Like most of us who work in EMS, she suffers from chronic muscle strain and fatigue. She feels as if her neck and upper back muscles are under constant tension, causing a nagging pain that never goes away.
I placed my hand near the back of her neck, just above her shirt collar, but didn't actually touch her. As I commanded her muscles to be healed, I felt something I've never felt before.
Heat.
I felt waves of heat coming from her upper back, just below my hand. She felt it too.
"Let me see your hand."
I held my hand out in front of her. She felt my palm.
"That's crazy....when you put your hand near my neck, I could feel heat coming from it, almost like a hot pack. But your palm feels normal."
I told her I felt it too.
She moved her shoulders around. All the pain was gone.
We talked some more. She had a lot of questions, which I answered the best I could. She understood that I'm something like a conduit for God's power, which flows through me and heals people. I told her the only reason His power flows through me, is because Jesus gave me the authority to heal people and he gave the same authority to all of His disciples.
She remarked that today was probably the best shift of her life.
Isn't that how Jesus is?
Jul 12, 2012
To Delight in Hiddenness - Francis Frangipane
An excellent lesson from the Holy Spirit and Francis Frangipane. To view the Facebook note, go here.
The desire to be acknowledged and appreciated by others is basic to human nature. After healing ten lepers, Jesus Himself seemed disappointed when only one returned to give thanks (see Luke 17). Yet, while the need to be occasionally appreciated is not sin, it can become sin when our goal shifts from seeking God's glory to seeking the praise of men. We must determine that our service to mankind is guided by a higher, more focused obedience to God.
Jesus lived solely for the glory of God. We, however, too often seek the praise of man. In spite of the fact that Jesus repeatedly affirmed that the Father who sees in secret will reward us openly (see Matt. 6), we remain offended if we do not receive credit for our good deeds. This quest for recognition can become a source of wrong motives and failed expectations; it can give a place to jealousy, pride and selfish ambition if we are not careful.
I wish I could say I have never walked in this type of human weakness, but that would be untrue. In fact, I experienced something years ago that, though quite painful at the time, ultimately unfolded into a wonderful revelation concerning the nature of the Holy Spirit.
Yet, before I proceed, let me state that to share this publicly requires I make my own frailties visible before you. So please grant me your grace.
The scene was the 1996 Promise Keeper's Atlanta convocation for pastors. This event was the largest gathering of pastors in North American history---more than 40,000 ministers united from a great variety of backgrounds and cultures. It featured two themes in which I had been quite active: unity and reconciliation. Although I had been instrumental in bringing pastors together in many cities, and had learned some important insights along the way, I had not been asked to contribute. I mentioned my dilemma to no one, yet the lack of recognition was producing an ever deepening disturbance in my thought life. At the same time, however, the joy of seeing cross-denominational unity manifest in prayer and repentance compelled me to attend. Entrusting my inner conflict to the Lord, I felt perhaps there would be a way I could serve as the conference unfolded.
But no door opened. Pastors who knew me would ask, "So, why aren't you speaking at this conference?" I'd smile and respond, "This must increase and I must decrease." While my answer was both humble and sincere, I was becoming much more humble than I planned.
The fact was, I was asking myself the same question: Why wasn't I speaking? Ghosts of past rejections began to manipulate my fears. So, while I attended the conference and truly rejoiced in the unity, I also felt detached from it. I watched a spiritual vision that I carried in my soul emerge and take form, only to find myself floating, dreamlike, outside of the fulfillment. I was simultaneously deeply blessed and throughly miserable.
Finally, I laid my soul bare to a couple of friends. "What should I do?" I asked. "If I promote myself, God Himself will resist me; if I remain silent, I sacrifice my contribution to this historic event." If nothing else, I knew the Lord was crucifying my pride and fleshly ambition.
The conference came and went, but my inner struggle stayed with me. After several months I successfully buried the conflict beneath my everyday thoughts. I was going on with my life. However, in May the issue resurfaced. I was at a Mission America meeting in Washington, D.C., listening as a friend shared over lunch how the Lord used other leaders to lay foundations in his life. As we talked, I began to see that I was not outside of what God was doing, but underneath it. My labors in Christ (and those of many others) were part of a divine substructure upon which this current work was unfolding.
The efforts of those who serve in high visibility today will likely become foundations for greater works by others tomorrow. I felt I was beginning to understand my role in the context of God's unfolding kingdom. I was even able to look at my own life and see individuals whose teachings and spiritual examples had become foundations in me---people whom I also had never thanked or acknowledged.
The Nature of the Holy Spirit
I was growing in my understanding, yet the Holy Spirit had something else to add. That evening I confessed to the Lord my sin of seeking recognition. Immediately the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart a simple question concerning Himself. He asked, "Do you know My name?"
This was a special moment, and I could feel the flood of the Spirit's presence drawing near. His name? I knew the primary revelation of the Father's name was Yahweh and the name of the Son, of course, is Jesus (or Yeshua). I recalled all the compound names of God in the Bible, but again could not identify the specific name of the Holy Spirit. I realized that "Holy Spirit" or "Spirit of Truth" were more descriptive titles than proper names, per se; they were not names like Jesus or Yahweh. The term "Comforter" (or Paracletes in Greek, i.e., "one called alongside to help") also is not a name as much as a function.
What I am about to say here might not gel with everyone's theology. But there was a moment when Moses, standing before the fire of the Almighty, asked to know the name of God, to which the Most High answered, "I AM WHO I AM" (Ex. 3:13-14). I AM was a proper name. Again, there was a time when the archangel Gabriel told Mary that she should name her child Jesus (Luke 1:31). Both the Father and the Son have many descriptive titles, but on earth they are known by a particular name. Similarly, the Holy Spirit has many titles and functions, but I could not remember a time in the Bible where the specific proper name of the Holy Spirit was revealed.
My point is this: every good work, every miracle of grace, every virtue that has ever manifest on earth, has occurred through the work of the Holy Spirit. Yet He never draws attention to Himself, choosing instead to inspire our praise toward the Father or the Son. As I stood in this amazing moment, I quickly searched my memory of the Scriptures.
Again, to my knowledge, I could not recall any setting or verse where the proper name of the Holy Spirit was revealed---from brooding over the pre-creation universe, to strengthening the Son of God at the cross, to raising Jesus from the dead, to being poured out at Pentecost, to working miracles of redemption in spreading the Gospel throughout the world in millions of lives - all of it was stimulated and inspired by Him, but He never revealed His name!
Conversely, in this world we are all about getting our name out and making a name for ourselves, especially in the western world. The nature of the Holy Spirit is in stark contrast to our human desires to be seen, praised and recognized by other men.
Truly, the Holy Spirit passionately delights in hiddenness. Then I saw that the two greatest passions of the Holy Spirit's heart are to see Jesus glorified and to fulfill the Father's will on Earth. This was perfect humility -the God-pattern that would lead me to spiritual rest and maturity.
Beloved, if we would be filled with the Spirit, we must delight ourselves in seeing Jesus glorified and getting the work done that God calls us to fulfill. God sees and knows our motives. If we will lead others, we must do so as servants of Heaven. Let us, therefore, seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit and work purely to see Jesus glorified and the Father's will fulfilled.
Lord, forgive me for seeking recognition from man. Help me blessed Spirit to be filled with Your substance -Your thoughts and motives, Your contentment and power. Live Your marvelous life of hiddenness through me.
This message was adapted from a lesson in the Humility track of In Christ's Image Training.
Jul 10, 2012
Study of Prayer on Auditory and Visual Impairment
The following is the abstract of a study published in the Southern Medical Journal on the effects of prayer on individuals with auditory and visual impairment.
Impairments in Rural Mozambique
Brown, Candy Gunther PhD; Mory, Stephen C. MD; Williams, Rebecca MB BChir, DTM&H; McClymond, Michael J. PhD
Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Proximal Intercessory Prayer (STEPP) on Auditory and Visual
Background: Proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) is a common complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, but clinical effects are poorly understood, partly because studies have focused on distant intercessory prayer (DIP).
Methods: This prospective study used an audiometer (Earscan® 3) and vision charts (40 cm, 6 m “Illiterate E”) to evaluate 24 consecutive Mozambican subjects (19 males/5 females) reporting impaired hearing (14) and/or vision (11) who subsequently received PIP interventions.
Results: We measured significant improvements in auditory (P <0.003) and visual (P <0.02) function across both tested populations.
Conclusions: Rural Mozambican subjects exhibited improved audition and/or visual acuity subsequent to PIP. The magnitude of measured effects exceeds that reported in previous suggestion and hypnosis studies. Future study seems warranted to assess whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to standard medical care for certain patients with auditory and/or visual impairments, especially in contexts where access to conventional treatment is limited.
Key Points
* Although commonly employed as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, the clinical effects of proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) are poorly understood, partly because most research has focused on distant intercessory prayer (DIP).
* This study found a significant effect of PIP on auditory function across the tested population (P < 0.003).
* This study found a significant effect of PIP on visual function across the tested population (P < 0.02).
* Further study seems warranted to assess whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to standard medical care for certain patients with auditory and/or visual impairments, especially in contexts where access to conventional treatment is limited.
The full text of the article can be found here:
http://journals.lww.com/smajournalonline/Fulltext/2010/09000/Study_of_the_Therapeutic_Effects_of_Proximal.5.aspx
Impairments in Rural Mozambique
Brown, Candy Gunther PhD; Mory, Stephen C. MD; Williams, Rebecca MB BChir, DTM&H; McClymond, Michael J. PhD
Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Proximal Intercessory Prayer (STEPP) on Auditory and Visual
Background: Proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) is a common complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, but clinical effects are poorly understood, partly because studies have focused on distant intercessory prayer (DIP).
Methods: This prospective study used an audiometer (Earscan® 3) and vision charts (40 cm, 6 m “Illiterate E”) to evaluate 24 consecutive Mozambican subjects (19 males/5 females) reporting impaired hearing (14) and/or vision (11) who subsequently received PIP interventions.
Results: We measured significant improvements in auditory (P <0.003) and visual (P <0.02) function across both tested populations.
Conclusions: Rural Mozambican subjects exhibited improved audition and/or visual acuity subsequent to PIP. The magnitude of measured effects exceeds that reported in previous suggestion and hypnosis studies. Future study seems warranted to assess whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to standard medical care for certain patients with auditory and/or visual impairments, especially in contexts where access to conventional treatment is limited.
Key Points
* Although commonly employed as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, the clinical effects of proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) are poorly understood, partly because most research has focused on distant intercessory prayer (DIP).
* This study found a significant effect of PIP on auditory function across the tested population (P < 0.003).
* This study found a significant effect of PIP on visual function across the tested population (P < 0.02).
* Further study seems warranted to assess whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to standard medical care for certain patients with auditory and/or visual impairments, especially in contexts where access to conventional treatment is limited.
The full text of the article can be found here:
http://journals.lww.com/smajournalonline/Fulltext/2010/09000/Study_of_the_Therapeutic_Effects_of_Proximal.5.aspx
Jul 9, 2012
The Gospel for the Middle – A Synchroblog
The following exercise is from the synchroblog at http://frankviola.org/2012/07/09/gospelforthemiddle
Fielding Melish and his wife Felicia have two children, ages 10 and 6. They live in a very remote part of Maine, USA. They are surrounded by extended family, none of whom are Christians. The nearest churches are one hour away, and by all evangelical standards, none of them are good. These churches are either highly legalistic, highly libertine, or just flat-out flaky.
One of Fielding’s cousins is a practicing Christian. They see each other once a year. Fielding’s cousin has shared Christ with Fielding many times over the years. Whenever they’ve talked about spiritual things, Fielding shows interest.
Felicia grew up in a Christian home. She’s received Christ, but she isn’t evangelistic and is overwhelmed with working long hours and raising two small children. She would love to find a church nearby for the spiritual support and instruction, but none exist.
Fielding has no college education. While he is capable of reading, he is not a reader. He doesn’t use the Web either. He’s a man who works with his hands, both for his career and for recreation. He’s an “outdoorsman.” He hunts, he builds, he does manual labor, etc. In his spare time, he helps his elderly parents with various building projects.
Fielding is not an atheist. Neither is he an agnostic. He believes in God. He believes Jesus is the Savior of the world who died for our sins and rose again from the dead. He hasn’t fully surrendered his life to Christ, but he is not sure what that looks like exactly. His children know a little about the Lord, mostly because of what their mother has taught them.
Recently Fielding asked this question:
When I’m with my cousin once a year, I want to learn more about God. But when I come back home, and I’m around everyone else, my mind is off of God, and I am back to working, raising my kids, and helping my parents. Someone needs to come up with a solution for people like me . . . people who are in the middle. (By “in the middle,” Fielding means someone who believes in Jesus, but who isn’t fully absorbed in the faith yet either. They simply don’t know enough nor do they have any spiritual support system around them.)
Relocating is not an option for Fielding and his wife. Even if they wanted to relocate, they don’t see a way they could do it financially.
Remember: Fielding and his wife don’t personally know any Christians. None of their extended family or coworkers are believers either. And the nearest churches (which are an hour away) aren’t recommended.
Question: If you were Fielding’s cousin, how would you instruct him and his wife the next time you saw them?
Praying Medic's response:Bill Johnson once said, “There’s nothing more boring than church, and nothing more exciting than God.” Bill wasn’t church bashing when he said this. He was observing that when it comes to capturing the imagination of man, church services pale in comparison to the person of God. If I have a choice, I don’t want to turn people on to church, I want to turn them on to a Jesus who can touch them with his love and compassion and capture their heart, like He did mine.
If I were Fielding’s cousin, the next time I visited, I’d introduce them to a personal God who interacts with them in their daily lives.
Most people have dreams. But most are unaware that their dreams are messages from God. He's already speaking to people. What they need is someone to reveal what He's saying. I would spend a few hours discussing the dreams they’ve had and decode the hidden messages Papa has been sending and perhaps teach them how to interpret their own dreams.
Most people have aches and pains. If my cousins have any, I'd spend time praying with them to be healed. Afterward, if they’re interested, I’d teach them how to heal others by the power of the Holy Spirit. Healing is another way that the reality of Jesus becomes personal to us.
On an average call, I spend about 10 minutes in my ambulance with a patient. In those ten minutes, I have a lot of work to do, but I try to reserve a few minutes to introduce them to the presence of God. I invite Him to bring His presence into the ambulance and touch them.
Everyone experiences God's presence in a different way. Some report feeling an unusual sense of peace come over them. Some feel tingling, others report a floating sensation or a lightness of their being. But nearly all of them feel God touch them in a personal way.
Most people who aren’t committed followers of Christ haven’t experienced Him in a way that’s personal. I think our time is best spent introducing them to the Jesus they’ve never known. Once people meet Him and experience the reality of His love and compassion, they usually develop a desire to know him in a greater way. All we do is provide an opportunity for them to meet.
One way that I’ve found to capture the imagination of kids is to show them how to stick pennies to the wall by the power of the Holy Spirit. Once His presence is in the room, it’s pretty easy. One day I taught my daughter how to do it. Later that day she taught her brother. That weekend my son and his friends spent hours sticking quarters to the ceiling and learned about a personal God who is interested in the things they’re interested in.
So there you have it. I'd like thank Frank Viola for the opportunity to participate in my first synchroblog.
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