God Heals...in Spite of Us

God can heal us if only we turn to Him and ask...sincerely ask. I know of a person who is afflicted with many maladies...and she suffers from them daily. After weeks of suffering she simply turned it all over to God and the symptoms simply went away! Is that a testimony or what?

We are all, healers and healee's (if that's a word) subject to the will of God. All too often we try to put God in a box and say, "heal this or you're not real". Or, "heal me or your healing isn't for this time". All rubbish. God's will is merciful...yet reserved for Him alone. I'm currently suffering from a prayer for healing that isn't taking place. It is disturbing, yet grounding. I do not know the will of Our Father. But I pray that it be the same as mine.

An 11 year old boy named Lucas is dying of a brain tumor. I've prayed for him before he knew he had the tumor, and after it became known what had afflicted him. I pray for him daily. If it is God's will that he join Him in heaven sooner than his family wants him to go, so be it. But I pray for healing nonetheless. Will you join me in praying for a healing of young Lucas? Thy will be done...but can I influence that will? I pray that I can. Join me in prayer.
Thank you dear brothers and sisters in Christ....thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Marty

Sometimes We Heal Ourselves

Often people make it a "God thing" that they are healed. More often than not...it is a "get real with yourself" thing that brings about healing. Ministers of healing are often the facilitators of this phenomenon. With that said, there are exceptions.

There are times when the will of the person being prayed for has nothing to do with their healing. It is purely by the mercy and grace of God. I could cite many times where the person being prayed for truly lacked faith, but the mercy of God overwhelmed the situation, and brought about healing. What a conundrum this brings. In spite of a lack of faith, our wonderful, loving God, Heals.

Why, I don't know. How, I have no clue. But heal, He does. And I'm proud to be a witness of this. I am overwhelmed at times by what He does...but subservient at all times to letting Him do His will through me or anybody He chooses. Isn't our God an Awesome God?

My prayer is that we all let God, through the Holy Spirit, influence our lives in ways we cannot imagine...we dare not imagine...and bring His fullness to this world we call Earth.
In Jesus name I pray...Amen.

Some Make it Tough to be in the Healing Ministry

Just gotta say, there is an outpouring (if you buy into this stuff) in Lakeland FL. A certain person in the name of Todd Bentley from Canada (no ill references to decent Canadians intended) is Big Time into revival in Lakeland, FL. I hold this person in disdain.

Give me money. Buy my CD. Be a "partner" for $30, 50, or 100 more a month...and God will bless you in a special way. I'm almost embarrassed to be in the healing ministry! Why do these charlatans get such press and support from churches throughout the nation? I don't get it? Is there nobody who has discernment? Again, I'm somewhat embarrassed to be in the healing ministry because of charlatans of this like.

Some may read this blog thinking that I'm into anything "healing". Nope. Not. I'm into the healing that comes from God, Almighty, who sometimes picks on someone like ME to be a facilitator. I do not buy into the alleged revival of this Todd Bently person. Not for a moment. It's all about making a dern good life off of sheep willing to give big bucks to be in his good graces. Charlatan...nothing less.

If I offend any friends who follow this blog, I am sorry that I have rained upon your parade. If you think he is of God....you are mislead. For anybody who doesn't know about Todd Bentley, please Google his name and read. Your eyes may be opened.

I know of two people from our very small community who have attended the revival in Lakeland, FL...and none are any better for it. Oh yes, they felt an euphoria at the time...but their symptoms and problems came back immediately after coming out of the influence of the hypnosis that this supposed revival is all about. False. False. False.

Our loving Lord reveals Himself through deep, spiritual, selfless prayer and love. In that, healing comes. If you have to buy anything...BEWARE!

I sometimes wish I could pave the way to easy street by being a charlatan...but God says NO...don't fall for that crap. Please, believers...don't fall for that crap!

Prayers answered by a powerful prayer warrior

A woman who works at a nursing home is a faithful believer in the power of God's healing. She often prays for people in their last days and her prayers are answered by means of extending some lives so that finalities can be facilitated. Unfortunately, her health became an issue with cancerous tumors invading her body. She was lifted up in prayer and simultaneously lived a prayerful life. When she went to the doctor for a pre-op exam, he informed her that her tumors were totally gone. No sign of them at all! Praise God!

I do not see this as an ordinary event, while statistically in the realm of normal, natural healing. Nope...I see it as the hand of God at work in a servant. Call me stupid, naive, or sheltered (which I'm definitely not)...just call me a believer in the miracles in Christ. Do you believe in miracles?

Marty

Awesome Intercessory Prayer

A dear church friend had emergency double bypass surgery this past Friday. On Thursday night a group of us met to pray for her. It was an awesome time of prayer and the presence of the Holy Spirit was felt by all. NOT to our surprise, she sailed through the procedure. Call it coincidence...or call it divine intervention...we call it God answering our prayers. The presence of the Holy Spirit was strong that night. No if's, and's, or but's,...God was there when we prayed.

No matter what life throws one's way...turn to The Lord in prayer and supplication, and His mercy shall prevail. Can't say anymore than that. Our God, is an Awesome God!

Cool Sermon by Bishop Willimon....and I met my new charge

Last Saturday we had a Methodist Festival, called Celebrating New Life. Our bishop, Will Willimon, delivered a sermon in the worship service that followed the lectionary. I have no idea how many pastors took his message and worked it into their own Sunday sermons, but I know of at least one. In the Luke passage for last Sunday, from Luke 24, is the account of the walk to Emmaus. Jesus revealed himself to the two with whom he had joined on the walk to Emmaus. Bishop Willimon suggested, why didn't Jesus, upon his resurrection, go to Pilate and show up next to him saying...."I'm Back"? Why didn't he go to Rome to the emperor and say..."I'm Here"? No, rather, Jesus showed up clandestinely to his own followers and revealed himself. What a wonderful experience it was hearing this beautiful sermon on how Jesus revealed himself to his followers, against their own better judgment, he revealed himself.

Jesus reveals himself today to us all, yet we sometimes find it hard to fathom. He reveals Himself every Sunday in every church. Yet, we find if hard to fathom. Remember, He said...."when two or three are gathered in my name, I am there..." yet we find it hard to fathom.
Well, Jesus comes to us each and every Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday, when we gather in His name. Are we humbled by His presence, or otherwise engaged that we don't stop to see he is there? Psst...He is there.

Tonight a mere 14 people gathered together to worship. Jesus was there...and we were touched by His presence. Can we expect Him to be there when there are 50, 100, 500, or more? Yes, indeed! As a popular hymn suggests...."Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place"...I'll ask...."can you feel His mighty power and His grace?".

On another note, last week, at the festival, I met with key people from my future charge. I introduced myself to them and said that I was their next pastor. What a warm embrace I received from them. What a warming in the Holy Spirit there was. I pray that in the next few months when I'm put in their charge, I'll faithfully serve and be the person that God means to have there at that time. I am deeply humbled, and taking on a servant's heart. Any prayers that one wishes to lift up on my behalf are deeply appreciated.

Nothing from Vegas Stayed in Vegas

After 3 days of exhibiting in Las Vegas and staying at a local hotel and casino, I'm proud to say that nothing from Vegas stayed in Vegas. We brought back plenty of great leads and contacts and it was a good business venture. I have to admit that I was awed by Caesar's Palace, with the artificial sky and statues of Roman Emporors...it was awesome to behold the creativity of man to replicate early Roman times. The shops were overpriced and the food overpriced...but it was all good. Very good.

We have nothing to hang our heads about as everything was good and above board. We met some truly wonderful people. Everything from born-again Christians to Orthodox Jews...and the rest of humanity...we met plenty of good people and made plenty of good contacts. Everything from Vegas came back as leads and prospects.

Some of our best contacts were people of Christ who were making a living in Sin City. We met numerous Christian cabbies. To the shagrin of those with us, I engaged numerous cabbies about their spirituality and was amazed to find many bibles in cabs. I recall one Phillipino cabbie who was into the healing ministry and a follower of Father Fernando Suarez, a Catholic priest who is in the ministry. What a joy to converse with him.

So, even in the midst of Sin City,there is hope. I'm glad I was there to be a part of the hope.
In Christ....
Marty