Category: The Secret Place

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Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place Through The Looking Glass

Finding Order in the Chaos

Through the Looking Glass        M. C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist, known for some of the most interesting art of the 20th century. Two of his works, Relativity and Waterfall, are classic examples of his work, which combined art, architecture, and optical illusion. He once said that…

 “We adore chaos because we love to produce order.”

 Sounds a lot like man’s relationship to God.

 Our world — devoid of God — is chaos. At Adam’s Fall, the world was plunged into disarray. Yet, each time one of us makes the decision to leave the chaos of death for life in Him, He takes what was confusion and disorder, and turns it into a beautiful paradox… a life that was seemingly going nowhere that now has eternity as its open road.

Not sure which way is up? Just reach out your hand to Jesus. As imperfect and chaotic as your life may be, He still adores YOU!

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America Friendship Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

The High Cost of Influence (A Lesson from Crazy Horse)

Crazy Horse2         One of our mission teams returned from South Dakota this past week, having seen and experienced some amazing things in and around the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. While there, they had the opportunity to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial – a mountain that is in the process of being blasted and carved into the shape of the famous Oglala Lakota Indian warrior. There are some interesting facts surrounding the memorial…

RushmoreThe Crazy Horse Memorial is the largest mountain carving in progress. All four of the 60-ft heads from Mount Rushmore would fit inside Crazy Horse’s head. The carving is 641 ft long and 563 ft high.

Although the sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, died in 1982, his wife and 7 of his 10 children carry on the work and the dream.

All of the money used to finance the project comes from private donations and admission fees for the attractions related to the monument.

Even though Korczak was offered $10 million in government funding on two separate occasions, the Memorial organizers refuse to accept any government funds.

So why, if the organizers are needing funds would they turn down such a generous donation? Why would anyone in their right mind refuse to accept help that is offered for something of that magnitude?

It could be that the Memorial organizers understand the value of allowing (or not allowing) someone else to have influence over them. It could be that they grasp the concept of caution when allowing someone to speak into your life.

Consider this story from I Kings 13:

By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. 2 By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” 3 That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.”

4 When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. 5 Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord.

6 Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before.

7 The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.”

8 But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9 For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’” 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. 12 Their father asked them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. 13 So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”

“I am,” he replied.

15 So the prophet said to him, “Come home with me and eat.”

16 The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’”

18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.’”

23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 25 Some people who passed by saw the body lying there, with the lion standing beside the body, and they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived. (NIV)

Wow! Although the man of God did as the LORD commanded him in the face of Jeroboam, he failed when it came to the “harmless” request of the old prophet. It was that failure that cost him his position, his heritage, and his life.

So what does this say about how you should react when someone speaks into your life? Does that “word” reinforce or contradict what you know to be God’s will? Has the still, small voice of God already spoken to your heart something that you feel someone else is trying to divert you from? Is the person speaking to you someone you know to be a person of integrity and Godliness, or an “old prophet” who will say anything hungry and eager ears want to hear?

In I John 4, John tells us to “…not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Just remember the three “P“s when it comes to allowing someone to speak into your life…

Prove. Has the person speaking proven themselves to be a person of integrity and Holy-Spirit power?
Prayer. Take the time to pray about what you have heard. Ask God to guide you in His wisdom.
Peace. Allow the peace of God to be a sign that what you are hearing is from Him.

Make sure that any “word” you are given is from God. If it’s not, even the most “well-intentioned” word can become a curse.

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Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

A Midnight Stranger

“Well… that was a close one!”

How many times have you heard that said? How many times have you said it yourself?

We may never know how many accidents, injuries, and “near misses” we have had in our lifetimes. We may never know how many times we have received angelic counsel from a quiet “impression”, a “still, small voice”, or a stranger who may have, in fact, been an angel. Hebrews 13:1-2 says:

Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers,
for by so doing, some have unwittingly entertained angels.

In my book Our Invisible Allies (Charisma House), I convey one such story…

It happened just past midnight on March 26, 1993, to Vincent Tan, and analytical chemist  who works in Chattanooga, TN.

Vincent was born Tan Ban Soon in Singapore, of Chinese Buddhist parents. A few years ago as a young boy in Singapore, he was in the library reading a book on nuclear physics and discovered an offer for a Bible course stuck between some pages. He ordered the course and later became a Christian. He came to the U.S. to attend a Christian college, then gave himself the Western name of Vincent. After four years, he graduated with a major in science. He has been very active in his church and in sharing his faith.

On the night of Thursday, March 25, 1993, Vincent was working late in his laboratory to complete tests due on Friday. During the evening he moved his car close to the front door of the building, since there had recently been criminal activity in the area. From time to time, he looked out the window into the almost empty parking lot to check on his car. At 1:30a.m., he finished working in his lab. As he was preparing to lock the door, he saw a person standing by the passenger side of his car. Vincent assumed the man was trying to steal his car. He noted that the stranger was of medium build with clean-cut, straight hair and had on a T-shirt, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. Unsure what to do, he went back into the lab and prayed, “Lord, help me to do what I have to do. Do I have to use chi-sao?” (Chi-sao (pronounced “chee’-sow-o”) is a form of martial art in which Vincent is proficient.)

To be extra safe, he looked around the lab and picked up an 18-inch metal rod, held it behind him, and stuck his head out the door. He said, “Hi, can I help you?”

The stranger answered, “Hi, Vincent.”

Startled, Vincent asked, “Do I know you?”

The stranger replied, “Not really.”

“What is your name? Who are you?” Vincent probed.

The stranger said, “I have the name of your primary and secondary school.” He added, “I’m a friend. You don’t have to use chi-sao or the rod on me.”

His voice had unusual authority, and it seemed he knew the question before it was asked.  Now Vincent was really startled. No one, not even his best friend in this country, was familiar with chi-sao, nor did anyone even know that he knew it. Also, there was no way the stranger could have seen the rod behind his back.

Vincent later reflected that the stranger had used terminology (“primary and secondary school”) of Singapore and not the U.S., and that the name of his school back in Singapore was St. Gabriel. The stranger was saying his name was Gabriel!

“How do you know that?” Vincent asked.Angels

“I know,” the stranger replied. “By the way, Mum is fine.”

Vincent was startled again. Just the week before, his sister had called from Singapore saying that his mother had heart complications, and Vincent had been quite worried about her.

Gabriel continued, “You love the Lord very much, don’t you?”

“That’s right,” Vincent replied.

“He loves you very much too,” Gabriel said. Then he added, “He is coming very, very soon.” He seemed to emphasize the “very soon.”

Vincent answered, “That’s great!”

Gabriel then asked, “Can I have a cup of water?”

Vincent said, “Sure,” and turned momentarily to get him the water. Then he decided to invite the stranger inside to drink from the water fountain. He turned back to invite him inside — but Gabriel was not there. He had suddenly and inexplicably vanished! Vincent had not turned his head for more than three seconds.

There was no place for the stranger to have gone. Puzzled, and not wanting to go back into the lab, Vincent laid the metal rod down by the front door and headed to his home outside of Chattanooga. When he came back to work later that morning, he wondered if he had dreamed the whole experience. As a scientist, he wanted to prove whether it had really happened. When he got to the building, he found the metal rod lying by the door just where he had left it. He knew he had not been dreaming. Upon entering the lab, the first thing he did was to lock himself in the restroom and kneel in prayer. “Show me what to do Lord. I know what I remember, If I’m supposed to share it, I must believe it myself,” Vincent pleaded. He then sat down at his computer and recorded every word said, and everything that had happened.

That night, March 26, 1993, in a dream Vincent relived the whole experience, seeing himself and, word for word, hearing the whole conversation. He awoke at about 3:30a.m. and wrote down every word in the dream and the description of the stranger. What he wrote from the dream confirmed every detail he had written earlier. Also, a week after the experience, he learned that his mother had received needed surgery and was recuperating nicely — and that the medical decision about her improved condition came a week earlier at about the very same hour as he was talking with Gabriel!

On July 29, 1993, Vincent was asked what effect this experience has had on him. He said he believes more strongly now that we should be ready every day for the Lord’s coming, and not worry about which day He will come. He said the experience has intensified his dedication, causing him to spend more devotional time than before, wanting to know more about God and be closer to Him. For some time, even before that experience, Vincent said he had been asking God, “Am I ready, right now?”

Now more meaningfully than ever, this writer is asking that same question.

Would you like to find out more about angels… where they came from, how they operate, and how you can activate them in your life? Click here for more information about my book, Our Invisible Allies.

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Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Refusing To Settle For Less

How many times have you seen someone give their all to a pursuit, only to come up short? We see it all the time…

  • A thriving business that ends up failing due to bad decisions, mismanagement, and financial chaos;
  • An actor who receives accolades for a performance, wins an Academy Award, then falls into obscurity;
  • An athlete or team that wins contest after contest, only to fail when it really matters. (Remember the New England Patriots 2007 season – they were undefeated going into Super Bowl XLII, only to lose to the New York Giants.)

But worse than coming up short in a contest or personal pursuit is someone who makes a conscious decision for defeat… someone who makes a decision not to take advantage of every opportunity, resource, or gift available to them.

     † D.L.Moody was NOT such a person. D.L. Moody, the founder of many establishments including Moody Bible Institute, was a man who refused to operate without the power of the Holy Spirit. Early in his ministry he pushed forward in his work, operating mostly in the strength of his own flesh. He felt he had no real power in his life, but he didn’t know how to resolve the problem.

At the close of his meetings in a YMCA, two humble Free Methodist women often approached him and said, “We are praying for you.” Their comment unnerved the young preacher. Finally, one night upon their approach, he asked, “Why are you praying for me? Why don’t you pray for the unsaved?”

They responded, “We are praying that you may get the power.” He asked them what they meant, and they proceeded to explain to him the definite baptism of the Holy Spirit. He then prayed with the women, fervently desiring the power of God to fall on his life.

Not long after that prayer, as he was walking in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the streets of New York, the power of God fell upon Moody so mightily that he had to turn aside to the house of a friend. There, alone in a room for hours, he experienced the filling of his soul with such joy that he at last had to ask God to withhold His hand. He went out from there with the power of the Spirit upon him, and going directly to a London crusade, he saw God do a wondrous work through him, bringing hundreds into the church.¹

I could write pages and pages of the men of God who have experienced the filling of the Spirit, such as Charles Spurgeon, Billy Sunday, Charles Finney, and Evan Roberts, the Welsh evangelist. However, God’s power is not just for great preachers of the faith. It is God’s desire for all Christians to know the power of the Holy Spirit upon them.

† From my book, The Essential Guide to Baptism in the Holy Spirit Published by Charisma House

¹ R.A. Torrey, “Why God Used D.L. Moody”, in James S. Bell, ed., The D.L. Moody Collections (Chicago: Moody Press, 1997), 116-117

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Friendship Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

What A Difference A Year Makes

As I sit in my office contemplating the last year, I am overwhelmed by a profound sense of thanksgiving. At this time a year ago, I was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from open heart surgery.

As many of you may (or may not) know, a year ago things were very different in my life. After more than a week of exhibiting some very serious symptoms, my family, staff, and friends began voicing their concerns. My son, Ronnie Jr., had been out of the country preaching, and while he was away, had a heavy burden for me. He and his host pastor prayed and interceded for my life, and upon returning home, tried to convince me to go see my doctor. Reluctantly, I did so, and was diagnosed with “severe sleep apnea”. However, that diagnosis did not quell the stirring of the Spirit for those concerned about me.

On that Friday, I was taken to the emergency room, but everything was deemed “normal”, and they sent me home. Now, anyone who knows anything about Spiritual Warfare has heard of “generational curses” or “generational demons”. I believe that generational demons can play a strong role in our lives if we fail to recognize their patterns and method of working. Looking back on my case, this is very obvious… my own father was sent to the emergency room twice the week he died. Both times he was sent home, being told he was okay. A couple of days later, he was gone – at the age of 69.

After being released from the ER, Ronnie and I had a couple of discussions. He was still concerned, but I tried to assuage his fears. I had speaking appointments, a church to shepherd, and much to do. Going in for medical tests – being poked and prodded by doctors and nurses – just did not fit into my schedule. In frustration, Ronnie contacted a dear friend of mine by the name of Ron. He asked Ron to talk to me, and try to convince me to go have some tests done.

On Sunday, April 15, Ron spoke to me, and convinced me to change my plans. I was actually scheduled to leave the next day for Louisiana to speak in the very area where my ministry began. After hearing the concerns of my best friend, my son, and others, I decided to cancel my trip, and go for the tests. On Tuesday, Ron picked me up and took me to the hospital for a stress test…

I failed miserably.

As the providence of God would have it, when I failed the stress test, my cardiologist just happened to be there. Two nurses in the room who “just happened to be Christians” immediately laid hands on me and began to pray. The doctor immediately took preventive measures, admitted me, and sent me for an arteriogram. It was at this point they discovered that I had extensive blockages – what doctors term “the Widow Maker”. Among others, I had a 4cm blockage (100%) in my main artery.

Now, what makes my trip to Louisiana significant is that I was going to the very place (the 9th Ward) where my ministry began… a place and time of poverty, struggle, and depression for my family. I firmly believe that the enemy was taking me back there to kill me, for had I not had those tests, the doctors believe I would have been dead within hours.

I was put into intensive care, and they proceeded with surgery the next morning. I came through the bypass surgery and was put into recovery. It was during my time in recovery that I had a sensation that I was choking, and I heard the voice of the devil tell me, “I’m going to kill you!” But before fear even had a chance to take hold, I heard the voice of an angel say, “You’re a liar!” It was then that I saw a golden blanket descend on me. I felt the Holy Spirit telling me that this blanket was my prayer cover. I went back to sleep, and woke up to the beautiful face of my wife telling me everything was ok, and that I had made it through.

They moved me back to the intensive care unit, where I noticed one nurse in particular who seemed to be there a lot, almost like a guardian angel. She was working a double shift, and I came to learn that her father had come to a saving knowledge of Jesus toward the end of his life through the ministry of Ron Phillips from Abba’s House. This kind nurse said that the Lord told her to take care of me, and even though hooked up to wires and tubes, I had the opportunity to pray with her.

Over the next few days, God gave me the opportunity to rediscover the joy of the simple things in life – things like getting to sit up in a chair, walk down the hallway, or carry on a conversation with a friend. There is so much in life we take for granted.

My experience was a wake-up call. While I have made a living and lifetime out of feeding my mind and spirit on the things of God, I failed to take very good care of the “earthly temple” that God entrusted to my care. However, I have learned that living a “life more abundantly” is all inclusive… body, mind, and spirit.

RP Year
Top image: Just prior to surgery
Bottom image: December, 2012 (8 months later)

It’s now April, 2013, and I feel very thankful to be alive. I am thankful for the life God has given me, and for the second chance at being the best husband, father, grandfather, friend, and pastor that I can be. I am thankful for morning cups of coffee, looking at the sunrise, and making the most of the life God has blessed me with.

God has slowed me down a little, but not in a bad way. He has just made me more observant, has taught me to listen more to others, and care about what affects them. He has taught me to look for the lonely and hurting, and to take the time to hear what they are saying, not just be an advice-giver.

I am looking forward to many more years serving the King, listening to His voice, and sharing His Good News with anyone with an ear to hear.

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Healing Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

No Fear

After following the news in the wake of this week’s terror attack at the Boston Marathon, it is obvious and understandable that emotions in our nation are running the gamut.

We are saddened by the physical and emotional pain that our friends and fellow Americans are facing as a result of those killed and injured. Our prayers for healing and comfort go out to the victims and their families during this time.

We are angry that someone had the audacity to commit this heinous crime on a day (Patriot’s Day) that was about everything that is right with our nation (courage, honor, freedom), on our own soil – our home.

We are confused as to why and how this could have happened. Who committed this act? Why did they do it? As our fine law enforcement officials investigate, we believe that answers will be forthcoming.

We are afraid. Many people in our nation are now living in fear on a variety of levels:

People are in fear that it could happen again.

Witnesses may face fear from the memories of that horrific day.

Victims are fearful of moving forward into a future of uncertainty.

Terror, by it’s very definition, is about eliciting a fear response. Terror means “extreme fear”. Terrorism is not simply about killing and wounding innocent men, women, and children; it is about inciting fear in those who remain, and causing people to live in fear.

The problem we face is that fear (terror) is a vicious cycle. Fear is a magnet to demons. The more we discuss and voice our fear with our lips, the more demons are attracted to the atmosphere of fear. Fear is more than emotion… fear is a spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that…

“God has not not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind“.

In the Bible, Job was considered a righteous man. However, Job had a fatal flaw. In Job 3:25, Job confesses:

“For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.”

Job feared the loss of his children and his treasures, and Satan was drawn to that fear. And while we may think that fear is an unavoidable part of life, living in fear is an existence that we do not have to settle for. 1 John 4:18 tells us that “perfect love casts out fear“, and in Proverbs 29:25, we have this promise:

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Abraham Lincoln is arguably the greatest president our country has ever seen. However, history bears out that he lost every single election he ran until he ran for president. What if he had allowed fear from past experiences to convince him to quit? How different would our country look today.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” For the believer in Jesus Christ, the opposite of fear is more than courage… it is faith and hope.

For those of you that watch my television program, Ron Phillips from Abba’s House, you are familiar with my co-host, Angie McGregor. What many of you may not realize is that Angie is a gifted songwriter and singer. Several years ago, in the immediate shadow of 9/11, Angie released a song that resonates today. Having faced down some fear in her own life, she penned the song simply titled, I Will Not Fear. After the events of 9/11, this song took on a whole new meaning for all of us that heard it.

— from the CD Could We Dance? ©Copyright 2002 FacePlace Music

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Friendship Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Bible The Life of Faith The Mysteries of God The Secret Place

Whys, Lies, & The Mysteries of God

Why?

It is the single word ground into the bloody soil of every battlefield in the world.

It is buried in the rubble of every civilization, state, and neighborhood that has been devastated by a natural disaster.

It lies in the ashes of the burned-up dreams of a family that just lost everything.

It can be heard in quiet, night-time sobbing of a little girl whose mother just succumbed to cancer.

It resonates in the screams of a father as he buries his son.

It is the shortest, most-asked, and

least-answered question in the English language.

Why?

You’ve heard it asked thousands of times, and while there are sometimes physical reasons that events happen in our lives, reasons – even good reasons – don’t answer why.

Or, to be more specific…

Why did God allow this to happen?

Whether you are just wondering, have gone through something that you have come to terms with, or are in the heat of that emotional torture right now, I don’t presume to have an easy answer for you, or have anything to say that is going to make the pain magically disappear. In reality, I believe we have a very skewed, 21st Century perspective of life, pain, and suffering (and I’m as guilty as the next person). We don’t want to believe that “bad things happen to good people”. We cannot conceive a loving God who allows tragedies and atrocities to occur. We stand on the words of Thomas Jefferson and claim “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, while forgetting the words of Jesus that promised, “…In this world, you will have trouble…”.

Quite honestly, it is a mystery… pure and not-so-simple.

Mystery… one word that encapsulates the very nature of God.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. ~ Isaiah 55:8

The Bible is filled with references pertaining to the mysteries of God. The word mystery, by its very definition, means something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. There is not the time, knowledge, or vocabulary to begin to explain either the mysteries of God or the mystery that is God. However, there is truth that, while it may not give us answers, can give us hope.

All of us are going to see difficult times. Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the subsequent curse that altered the course of human history from a state of perfection to what we find today, we will all face problems, suffer hardship, and experience death. It all goes back to the verse I mentioned earlier…

… In this world you will have trouble…

But the hope lies in the rest of the verse:

But take heart! I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

While suffering in every conceivable way is part of the deal our ancestors signed in the Garden of Eden, Jesus assures us that He has it all in hand because He has overcome the world.

Whatever we are going through, HE has already been there. Bad things do happen to good people. If you don’t believe me, just think of Jesus. While being the sinless Son of God, He was falsely accused, suffered at the hands of sinners, and was killed in a horrific way by sinners.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21

The mystery of this verse lies in the first 4 words: For He made Him… When Jesus went through all of the agony of being our sacrifice on the cross, God didn’t just watch it happen, or even allow it to happen… He MADE it happen. He wrote the law that provided our way of escape as a result of the fall, and then executed the plan even though it would cost Him His only Son. He did that for you.

When you are in your darkest night, there will be no shortage of people making inappropriate (and even stupid) comments. Some people truly want to help, but don’t know what to say, so they say the wrong thing. Some people just want to be judgmental, give you your why in the form of condemnation and criticism, and throw gasoline on your emotional fire. If either of these describe what you have gone through, you are in good company… consider Job. Everything that happened to Job was simply because Satan wanted to prove a point, and God took the challenge – at Job’s expense. When the bottom fell out in Job’s life (along with losing his possessions and health, he tragically lost his ten children), his “friends” showed up, and immediately started telling him everything he may have done wrong. His wife even chimed in, telling him to “curse God and die”. However, after all of the criticism, nay-saying, and unsubstantiated accusations from his friends, Job was vindicated. Not only was Job restored and blessed (even more than previously), but the very people who criticized him had to go through Job in order to be forgiven by God (see Job 42:7-10).

Whatever life sends your way, none of it gets by Him.

The fact of the matter is that God has a pretty profound list of whys as well. Why did God have to allow Jesus to go through all of the frustration, humiliation, sorrow, pain, and death? Why did He decide to offer a faithless, ungrateful, and fallen race a second chance with Him? Why did He decide that we were worth loving when He knew we would fail Him over and over again?

It’s a mystery I don’t understand.

But… I’m sure glad He did.

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Living It Out In Real Time The Life of Faith The Secret Place Uncategorized

The Pardon

Sunlight thru trees-edited“In the year 1829, a Philadelphia man named George Wilson robbed the U.S. mail, killing someone in the process. Wilson was arrested, brought to trial, found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. Some friends intervened on his behalf, and were finally able to obtain a pardon from him from President Andrew Jackson.

When Wilson was informed, he refused to accept the pardon.

The sheriff was unwilling to exact the sentence since the president had pardoned Wilson. An appeal was made to President Jackson who, in turn, asked the Supreme Court for a ruling. Chief Justice Marshall ruled that a pardon is a piece of paper, the value of which depends on it’s acceptance by the person implicated. If it is refused, then it is not a pardon.

George Wilson was hanged, although a pardon lay on the sheriff’s desk.” **

During this Easter season, I am reminded of this story. We, too, have a pardon that is there for the taking. However, our pardon is not written in ink by the hand of a president, in order to save us from the hangman’s noose…

Our pardon is written in blood by the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, in order to save us from an eternity of torment — forever separated from Him.

And while this free gift of God is available simply for the asking (because He desires that “none should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)), so many reject His pardon, missing out on the life of peace, protection, and promise that life in the Presence of God brings.

So what about you? Will you choose a life of hope and purpose, or an existence of uncertainty.

Will you choose the Rock of Ages, or the stone of judgement?

If you want to choose life everlasting, it is here.

HE is here.

All it takes is a simple prayer of faith…

“Jesus… I am a sinner. Please come into my life and save me. I know You died to pay the price for my sins. Thank You for all You did for me on Calvary. I accept Your gift, and ask You to be my Lord and Savior! Thank You Jesus for saving me.”

If you prayed that prayer… CONGRATULATIONS! You are now a part of the Family of God!

If you prayed that prayer, please let me know. I would love to hear from you.

Happy Easter!

** from my book… Isaiah: Light for Days of Darkness
Categories
Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Life of Faith The Secret Place

Tell Me More…

FOWN Altar

Our annual Fresh Oil New Wine 2013 Conference is under way, and what an amazing way to start it off! Yesterday, we witnessed dozens of healing miracles happening right before our eyes. People being healed of all manner of illnesses, conditions, and diseases. The reports have been nothing short of amazing!

While I believe healing builds the faith of the person receiving that healing, I also believe that testimonies of those healing miracles help to build the faith of others. Personal testimony has a powerful effect, on both the one testifying as well as those listening.

FONW WorshipI want to hear from YOU!

I want to hear your story of healing!

If God has touched you with miracle healing power already, I want to know. Please leave me a comment and tell me your story. I would like to share it, here on the blog (your comments will be viewable by others who follow the blog), as well as on Twitter and Facebook, so that others can rejoice with you, and find hope for themselves by the testimony of what God has done for you.

Talk to me.

Tell me more.

PLEASE… share YOUR story in the comment section below.

FONW2013

Categories
Healing Living It Out In Real Time Miracles Out of Nowhere The Life of Faith The Secret Place

When The Diagnosis is Defeat

“When adversity comes, you praise God.”

That was what my friend Terry had always been taught. When those tough times come, you just stand there, stare down the storm, and praise God.

However, on January 8, 2012, praising God was not very high on Terry’s priority list. After experiencing some problems, and noticing a lump that had developed only over a couple of days, and that ran from his chest up toward his shoulder, Terry decided to visit his doctor. His doctor was pretty blunt with the assessment:

“You have extensive small cell carcinoma (a very fast growing and aggressive form of cancer). You probably only have 6 to 12 months to live.”

A very shocked Terry had little time to process this news and the implications. He began chemotherapy immediately… the next day to be exact. While the prognosis was grim, doctors were going to try to do what they could to try to help him.

In her book, On Death and Dying, psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross outlines the 5 stages of grief for someone who is dying: Denial (isolation), anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

“I immediately began going through the stages. In the coming weeks, I dealt with anger, denial, and depression.”

But after some initial grieving, something miraculous happened:

Terry found a spark of faith.

He found out that people all over the country were praying for him, praying for his healing. People from all walks of life were joining together in faith for a husband, father, and brother many had not even met.

“I was at my sister’s barber shop”, Terry recalled. “A Christian lawyer was there and asked if he could pray for me. As he prayed, I felt some long-seeded emotional pain begin to disappear. I felt healing – emotional healing – beginning to take place.”

Terry was sent to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX for more treatment. During his numerous visits to MDA, he would undergo radiation therapy… for three weeks at a time.

After his first stay at MDA, Terry came home. That Sunday, while at Abba’s House for the morning service, Terry came forward for prayer. “As Pastor prayed over me, I could feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit.”

Drawing on these prayers, Terry began to spend more time in personal prayer, time in the Word, and listening to anointed worship music and healing Scriptures. Through his Lifegroup at Abba’s House, Terry was introduced to the book, The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. The book teaches that, if we will just keep “circling” the promises of God through prayer, that God will ultimately deliver. One of Terry’s favorite quotes from the book is “God has determined that certain expressions of His power will only be exercised in response to prayer. Simply put: God will not do it unless you pray for it.”

Holding on to the prayers that had been offered up on his behalf, as well as the belief that his mission on this earth was not over, Terry refused to stop believing in a loving Father who wanted to heal him. He continued to “draw the prayer circle” around his need, and continued to believe for his healing.

On February 13, 2013, Terry was declared “cancer-free” by his doctors! At a time when medical science had all but written him off, Terry believed God. “Don’t stop! Don’t give up,” he says. “God will answer your prayers. It may take a while, but his promises are ‘yes and amen (so be it)’. Hold God to His word, and don’t give doubt the tiniest foothold!”

As you can imagine, the medical cost of a catastrophic illness such as this can be astronomical. However, Terry just smiles, “God has met our needs. Not one bill has gone unpaid. I haven’t worked in over a year. However, we continue to pay our tithes and give, and God miraculously meets our needs”.

God is true to His Word. Throughout Scripture, He gives us His promises to heal and deliver, and His promises are as good today – as “yes and amen” now – as they were when He originally breathed the Word to those who wrote it down.

So here is the question? Do you need healing? Do you want to be healed – physically, emotionally, spiritually?

If the answer is YES, I hope you will join me at this year’s Fresh Oil New Wine Conference. We are believing for a mighty, healing outpouring this year.

Come and get into the circle! For more info, just click the image below…

FONW2013