"Oh (chuckle chuckle) So YOU Heal People? Ha!

My wife and I attended a banquet where I was to give the invocation last Thursday evening.  Whenever I'm doing anything public in service to Our Lord I wear my Order of St. Luke the Physician pendant.  Often it becomes a conversation starter.  Well, it did that night.  The banquet was held in the family life center (nice, big facility) of a large UMC congregation in the neighboring town.  The banquet was to benefit educators in the public school system and a member of that congregation's spouse is a teacher in the system.  During the social time prior to the banquet this man, we'll call him Tim, looked at the pendant and asked "is that the symbol for the Santa Fe Railroad?"  I said that it did kind of resemble it but no, it's the symbol for a religious order I'm associated with.  I explained that it was a healing order to which he replied:  

"Oh (chuckle chuckle) so YOU heal people?  Ha!"

I briefly replied saying "No, I don't heal anyone, God heals".  He immediately changed the subject and we both moved on to socializing with others.

That church holds monthly healing services the first Sunday evening.  With a congregation of over 400 maybe 20 come to the healing service.  It's essentially the same 20 who come to every Sunday night service.  It's a pity that of those who call themselves Christians so few embrace intercessory prayer for healing.  The majority don't witness the miraculous hand of God at work in these sessions so they fail to see it with their own eyes, hear the testimonies with their own ears, and feel the love within their own lives.  Perhaps it's because of the bad rap that healing gets from the charlatans on TV.  Perhaps it's because they genuinely don't believe it happens.  I don't know.  I do know that the majority is being deprived of the blessing that comes from praying for others in this way.

Frankly, I believe that most mainline Protestant pastors are reluctant to preach on the gift of healing for fear that the congregation will think that they are a whacko.  If they do hold healing services at some other time than Sunday morning, it's often promoted with the same enthusiasm as the announcement that the womens group will meet next Monday night.  We don't want to lift it up much higher than that for fear that we'll get replaced by the majority next year.   We''re afraid that most will think...

..."Oh (chuckle chuckle) so YOU heal people?  Ha!"

A Praise Report That Blew Me Away

Just as we were beginning to start Sunday School yesterday a member of the class got up -interrupting the class - and gave the following narrative:

"I saw David Pitts Wednesday and I asked him how he was doing.  I hadn't seen him since we buried his father October 30th.  He said he was fine and then told me that his grandson went to the doctor for more tests the day before.  He has a blood problem like hemophelia.  Well, he said that the doctor asked his parents what was going on...this is the best test ever!  The father said that he knew what happened.  When they were at the eating after the funeral the pastor there asked if he could pray for the boy.  He prayed for him and since then he hasn't even had one bruise!  The doctor said that he'll be happy with medicine and miracles wherever they come from.  

Folks, he said that that boy doesn't take to strangers well.  He said that at the visitation he was fascinated with Brother Marty.  He went up to him and wanted to be held by him.  Brother Marty told the proud grandpaw that his little grandson will make a great running back somewhere, someday.  When he said that David told him...that ain't gonna happen with this boy...you see...he was born with a blood disorder.  He can't play like other kids.  He bruises easily and cuts don't heal well at all.  Then the next day after the funeral Brother Marty asked his mom and dad if he could pray over the boy...he told them that it certainly couldn't hurt...so they said okay.  Brothers and sisters...God is not out of the miracle business...and Brother Marty.....what can I say....them folks are moving to the area in about a month and I know where they're going to go to church.  God bless you, Brother Marty."

The very moment he told this to the class (half of the congregation) I was overwhelmed and started trying to stop the tears of joy that were streaming down my face.  All I could do is sit there saying "Praise God, Praise God, Praise God."  A woman from a few pews back came up and gave me a paper towel - with tears flowing down her cheeks.  I looked around and there wasn't a dry eye in the room.  They started with the lesson but I couldn't focus on anything other than praising God...so I left for my office to try to regain my composure for the service that would begin 45 minutes later.  

I get personal praise reports from individual whom I pray for from time to time.  But this one came from right field.  Like it says in the title of this blog, we need to shout it from the highest peaks that God is not out of the miracle business.

Christian Healing: Why Do I Share These Things?

I often resist posting about a healing session because I believe that there are those who believe and those who don't...and nothing I say can change those perspectives.  But the occasional email I get from someone who has a testimony about God's healing power motivates me afresh to share.  To those who don't believe God answers prayers in a powerful way, I must say I disagree.  To those who say that if God uses someone for healing then why don't they go to the local hospital and pray away everything that ails the patients...I must say...you don't understand.  God decides who He will heal including when and where.  Those called to provide healing prayer do so as led by God to do.

I don't put up a sign inviting people to come for healing.  I have in the past - on the church sign - and only a few outsiders came.  It's like the Gospel account of the woman with the issue of blood...she sought out Jesus.  When people seek to find healing in the name of Jesus, they are drawn to people who believe that Jesus will heal them...if only they ask with everything that is in them.  Read through this blog to find examples of what I'm talking about.  If that is too time consuming, then let me tell you about this past weekend.

After a Saturday morning of running around to the hardware stores and Walmart, I came home and checked the phone for messages.  I had two messages at my office and one at home all saying that a church member was in need of Christian counseling.  I went to her house with her brother and she was a mess.  She has cancer in her thorax and was for the first time confronted with fear that she won't survive the treatments.  Fear was gripping her every expression.  I said, "I'm here...do you want me to pray for you?"  She said she wanted prayer...and wanted to have faith again that she will make it.  We prayed.   I put my hand on her head and prayed away the agent of Satan: Fear.  I put my hand on her upper chest and prayed that the cancer cells be washed away by the power of the Holy Spirit.  She, her brother and I were all shaking uncontrollably in the presence of the Holy Spirit filling her body with a washing of everything bad inside of her.  When God said stop, we stopped.  Tears of joy were streaming down her face.  Her brother was crying and I was spent.  I could hardly hold my head up, the drain was so intense.  

She had not been able to get out of bed for the past week as a result of the chemo treatments.  We talked more then I anointed her head and chest with oil then prayed for the staying power of the anoitment.  She got up and walked us to the door.  I had to regain my composure before trying to drive the 20 miles home.  That was Saturday.

Sunday morning, who is in church with her non-churchgoing husband?  She was.  I greeted her and she asked if I was ok.  I asked her why she thought I wouldn't be and she said that whatever had a hold of her left and she hoped that it hadn't got a hold of me!  I assured her that I had prayed away anything that may have come from her to me (which I did before driving home).  We both looked into each other's eyes and smiled.  BUT...it doesn't end there.  That night was the church Christmas program.  Again, she and her husband were there!  

I call that God's healing.  I don't know yet if the cancer is gone (but if it is it wouldn't be the first time) but I do know that Satan's grip on her is gone.  I know that she has no room in her life for fear.  And without that fear she has a renewed vigor.  All I can do is praise God.

This past weekend tells the story of Christian healing.  Like the woman with the issue of blood, she sought Christ's comfort and healing.  When the calls were made to me to come pray with her, I believed that I was the hands and heart of Jesus brought to her.  I certainly didn't plan on it as I had already planned a full day with no healing prayer anywhere on the agenda.  But when God calls I dare not refuse.  

I never ask for money.  If we have a healing service at church we never take an offering.  It isn't about money.  It isn't about ego.  It isn't about religion.  It isn't about anything other than learning to love our God with all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls AND loving our neighbors as ourselves.  If God gives you the tools to build something...Build It!  If He gives you a gift for singing, then sing.  If he gives you a gift for administration, then administer.  And if he gives you a gift for healing...heal.  

God Heals....Some of Us Let Him Use Us

I've been slow to post as I'm otherwise engaged with my time and attention. But tonight I want to share. At our church's youth gathering tonight we had a 19 year old give a sermon and testimony. I was moved by it. When she was finished, one of the 9 kids came to the alter to give her life to Christ. I was specially moved by her preaching as she told of the various miraculous healings she has witnessed since being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

When she finished her sermon, and after prayer, I took the pulpit and endorsed her words about how the Holy Spirit will fill you and change you. Before she spoke I pulled her aside, at the urging of the Holy Spirit, and said to her, "Let the Holy Spirit speak...and you just be the mouthpiece"...or words to that effect. At least 3 times during her sermon, she looked at me and said..."I didn't plan this but I've gotta share it". It was awesome.

As with all young people, there were scoffers and disbelievers of what she had shared. I took the lead and (as an older geezer) endorsed what she had said about God working miraculously in the lives of true believers. The kids took the message seriously. She now feels empowered to share with a broader audience. She asked me if she could deliver the sermon this Sunday...and I told her she could. It is the culmination of a weekend youth retreat, so it is appropriate that church on Sunday be reflective of that. What joy in that person. What radiance in her. What a move of the Holy Spirit I witnessed as she left grateful for the opportunity to share what God has put on her heart with the church.

How many of us hold on to our territory so hard that we cannot let someone come in and interrupt it with a testimony and word from God that is placed on their hearts? I will gleefully step aside this Sunday for this young lady's testimony and message. (Although I did tell her to pray for discernment, as this will be a mixed/blended crowd of new and mature Christians). I don't know what she will preach, but I will support it as I know it is Christ working through her.

I titled this post about healing. This young girl prayed for and witnessed the healing of a deaf child at Children's Hospital in Birmingham, AL. She let's God use her. Can we all learn to let God use us? His providence is more than we can imagine.

Different Styles of Healing Prayer

I'm not a "name it and claim it" type of Christian. At times I think that it is because I lack spiritual maturity or authority. At other times I think that it's because God is using me where I am to the best of my ability in His service. But a true self-assessment reveals that I'm humble. I'm humbled that God uses me for His healing. I'm humbled that I, so undeserving, can pray for someone and He answers that prayer. I don't command healing, rather, I supplicate for it. I don't wield God's power, rather, I ask that He wields His power. I just can't come to tell someone that they are healed...because I don't have that knowledge. The one asking for healing, and God, have that knowledge.

Oh, please, don't get me wrong. There are times when I'm tempted to say, "You're healed". But I don't...if I'm not led to do so. I blogged a while back about an incident where I was totally uncomfortable for an afternoon while visiting with relatives...and one was sick. I couldn't leave without having healing prayer for her and when I prayed, God said to me...."it is done". It wasn't me wielding the power of God, rather, it was Him wielding me to be His hands and be the deliverer of His mercy. There is a difference.

I never ask for a report card for God. I never ask "do you feel better?". I know that people are very open to suggestion when confronted with devastating circumstances in their health and wellbeing. I pray when asked to, and I supplicate when asked to, and I stand back and watch as God reveals his grace and mercy in the lives of those who come to Him. When they testify, without my beckoning it, I'm as awed as they are. When they testify, without my beckoning it, they are speaking about how their situation has changed and everyone there is mutually in awe of the power of prayer; the power of faith; the power of love, as the recorded words of Jesus Christ said: "I do nothing that isn't the will of the Father".

I simply cannot say: "You are healed." I cannot. But I can say: "Praise God...He has shown His mercy on you". I'm a spectator...and an intercessor...but not a commander of God's will. I bow before His throne. And pray that He is making a worthy servant of me. All glory to Father God.

The Catholic Priest Who Heals

I came across this account of a Roman Catholic priest who has the gift of healing recently. I share it because I'm moved by the manner in which he views the gift, as well as the manner in which the church describes the mystery surrounding it.

All glory and honor is given to God...not the person. Enough said.