Celebrating Oral Roberts

Granville O. Roberts passed away today at the age of 91 from complications with pneumonia in Newport Beach, CA. Better known as Oral Roberts, he was a global healing evangelist, author, and educator. He had tuberculosis as a teenager but was miraculously healed during a revival meeting when he was 17. God then called him into a lifelong ministry of healing and teaching about the power of the Holy Spirit. In 1963, he founded a university that bears his name in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Oral was a man committed to proclaiming the truth that God is good and that all believers have the power to do the works of Jesus because of the Holy Spirit residing in them. Let us remember and honor this royal son by walking in the truths he taught and demonstrated. Click here to read more about this amazing man and his legacy to the world.

January 24, 1918 – December 15, 2009

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:8

Laughing and Joy

I have heard it said that children laugh several hundred times a day whereas adults laugh less than 50 times a day. Although I haven't actually read any serious studies to verify this statistic, I find that it is true at least with my own kids. They love to laugh and will find any excuse to do so. They really are very joyful.

Research has shown the health benefits of laughter. It releases endorphins, elevates mood, and burns calories! There is even a fitness program centered on laughing. If you needed a good laugh today, check out this video!

"In heaven the LORD laughs as he sits on his throne." Psalm 2:4

Thankful for Family

For much of history, parents would have many children to help with the farm or whatever the family trade might have been. I'm beginning to see the wisdom in that practice...

Maybe it's time to have another baby!

May you have a truly Happy Thanksgiving! God bless you and your family!

With much love,

The Oh Family

"You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
you are my God, and I will exalt you." Psalm 118:28

My Baby's Birthday

It's hard to believe but another birthday has come for my beautiful Baby! I am reminded of how Genesis says it was not good for Adam to be alone even though he had direct, intimate fellowship with God. I (and the kids) can certainly attest to that fact because life is almost inconceivable without my wife (and their mother). She brings so much love, peace, warmth, comfort, and joy to our family. She's like a soft blanket! We honor and celebrate you today and always!

Happy Birthday Baby!

"A wife of noble character is her husband's crown." Proverbs 12:4

The Spirit Is Moving

I am taking a break from writing specifically about joy in order to highlight a move of the Holy Spirit that is taking place right now at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. They are a ministry that focuses on worship and intercession through 24/7 night and day prayer. In one of their University classes last Wednesday, the Spirit moved so powerfully in healing and deliverance that the class lasted 15 straight hours. Word had spread so quickly that by the end of the night 2,000 people were gathered in the auditorium from all over the Kansas City area. Since then, they have continued to meet every night from 6 pm to midnight as a mighty spiritual awakening is stirring on that campus in amazing power. You can read more about their story and even watch the evening meetings live by clicking here. May there be a great revival that sweeps through not only the Midwest, but the entire nation!

"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." Psalm 27:4

Joy Defined

The dictionary defines joy as "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying". Based on this meaning, joy can come from things such as fine wine or a stirring movie. But the greatest joy is found only in the context of a love relationship. More specifically, it is in intimately knowing God and being known by him. Everything else is enhanced by this connection with our Heavenly Father- food tastes better, playing is more fun, and sleep is more restful. My kids exemplify this principle because whenever Daddy comes home, their joy increases. Mine does too...

Enjoying life together

"You have filled my heart with greater joy..." Psalm 4:7

The Joy of the Father

God is not only joyful, he is pure joy. This is demonstrated in his affection for his son, Jesus. He is a proud and happy father who delights in his first begotten son. Parents have the privilege of experiencing a shadow of this divine joy in raising children. I love my son Isaac so much it truly is not possible to express in mere words. He brings me joy unspeakable. Perhaps the most amazing thing God ever told me was that He loves me more than I love my son. Though we may not all be parents, we are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. May we let his love for us fill our hearts with the joy that no one or no thing could ever take away!

My Crown Prince

"At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth..." Luke 10:21

Joy

God has really taught me a lot about joy this past year. I hope to share what I have learned in the coming weeks and months. This subject is something I have not really seriously considered in my life until recently. I encourage you to think about how you would answer the following questions: What is true joy? How do we experience it? How do we sustain it? How do we pass it on?

I won't expand on any of these thoughts tonight except through a visual example...

I cannot but be joyful when I see this picture


"You have filled my heart with greater joy" Psalm 4:7

Speaking in Parables

There is a curious passage in Matthew 13 (The Parable of the Sower) where the disciples ask Jesus why he uses parables to teach the people. Jesus responds by saying:

This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them. (vv.13-15)

Truth hidden in story form

Jesus explains that he hides his message in parables because the people are stubborn and have hardened hearts. At first glance, that would seem like a good reason to be clear and straight-forward with them rather than cryptic. But the implication is that even if he spoke to the people plainly, they would still not receive his message. Jesus taught in parables to conceal truth rather than express it more clearly. This is actually a loving action because if the people understood the message they would be accountable to live it out- something they were not prepared to do. We will be judged according to what we have been given.

Another consideration is that there were probably some people in the crowd who genuinely wanted to know and follow Christ. This parable was an appeal for the spiritually hungry to search out answers to the mystery. Whenever there is something we don't understand in our faith, it is a divine invitation to greater intimacy with our Lord. Those who are earnest will draw close to Jesus and listen for his voice. I pray we may have humble and passionate hearts to know God more, especially when our understanding is limited.

"The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Matthew 13:11-12

Mysteries Hidden In Creation

The field of bionics or biomimetics seeks to apply principles and characteristics found in nature to engineering and technology. For instance, when the first Japanese Bullet Train was built in 1964, it could travel at 120 mph. But whenever the train exited a tunnel, there was a loud boom and the passengers would complain that the train felt like it was squeezing together. An engineer discovered the solution to this problem by studying kingfishers and designing the front of the trains like these diving birds' beak. Today, Japan’s reconfigured trains are quiet exiting tunnels and are 10 percent faster and 15 percent more fuel-efficient than their predecessors. Learn more about this story and other biomimetic applications by clicking here.

The Kingfisher diving for food

This fascinating story reveals that there are amazing mysteries hidden in creation still waiting to be discovered and applied. All of them have one thing in common- they reflect the glory of God as Creator and Lord. The greatest application of studying nature is not for the advancement of technology but the enlightenment of our knowledge of God. The Church will lead this revelation revolution for it is the Holy
Spirit which guides us into all truth. One day the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas!

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge." Psalm 19:1-2

Beginning Again

My family and I have passed our one year mark of living in Redding. It also feels like a year since my last post... That is partly due to my computer dying. I pray your summer has been fruitful and marked with great joy and blessing. My time has been memorable: spending time with my family, Writer's Conference with Paul Young (author of "The Shack"), ministry trips to Utah, Nevada, and Southern California, visits from both sets of parents, praying in the Healing Rooms every week, celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary, and working on a book about joy. Jenney posted some funny videos of the kids of some our summer experiences- you can check them out by clicking here.

Visit to Burney Falls- what President T. Roosevelt
called the 8th wonder of the world

I will begin the second year of Bethel's School of Supernatural Ministry on Tuesday. The first year of school was the most transformational year of my life. I believe this one will be even better. I am hoping to start blogging again on a more consistent basis. Bless you and may we grow even more in our love for God and people in this new season!

"Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen." Psalm 72:19

The Happiest Place on Earth

Disneyland just lived up to its motto for a group of young people last month. A few students from our school went down to this So Cal theme park and approached a high school student in a sling. They talked with him and found out he's the quarterback for his school. One of our Bethel students asked if he could pray for him and the guy got healed! He and his friends were so amazed that it opened a door for more prayer and God healed more people! Kids were calling their friends who had physical ailments and telling them to come. By the end of the day, over 100 people either experienced healing, accepted Christ, or felt the presence of the Holy Spirit! Naturally supernatural- the way we were meant to live. Check out a video of what went on.

"Our Father, who is in heaven, holy is your name, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-10

What's in the News?

It's amazing what passes as news in our society. From celebrity exploits to the moral failures of political leaders, the communication of our news is biased and often agenda-driven. This begs the question, "What information is not broadcast to the general public?" What about a community where 92 percent of the population is born-again; where city jails have been closed for lack of crime; where agricultural productivity has reached biblical proportions? We can learn more about this city and others like it from a video series called Transformations. Distributed through the Sentinel Group, it documents the move of God in signs and wonders from different parts of the world. I encourage you to seek out news about the advancement of the kingdom because that is the kind of information that will encourage, inspire, and challenge us to do the same. May we not only hear good news but become the good news!

Amazing testimonies of God's power changing cities

"They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations." Isaiah 61:4

Word of Knowledge Testimony

In the previous post, I introduced the spiritual gift of words of knowledge. Since that time, I had my first experience using this gift in the context of healing. I was part of a ministry team that traveled to Utah with Kris Vallotton. Kris was the guest speaker at a church conference in Ogden (just north of Salt Lake City). During the second Sunday morning service I was sitting at a table in the little café just outside the sanctuary writing a card for our host pastor. All of a sudden I felt this strange pain in my right knee that I had never experienced before. I was trying to figure out why it was hurting when our team leader came rushing to the table and told us to hurry into the sanctuary because the pastor wanted the ministry team to do words of knowledge. As I walked in I realized the pain in my knee was actually the Holy Spirit telling me that someone in the service had a problem with the right knee and needed healing. When I was passed the microphone, I simply asked if there was anyone in the room who had pain in their right knee. A man in the back row stood up and I just declared that God was healing him and encouraged him to test it out. He walked around, did a deep knee bend, and jumped in the air and said that it felt better! Witnessing the power of the Holy Spirit first hand is humbling, inspiring, challenging, exciting, and truly amazing. It makes me want more of His presence!

"Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge." Proverbs 23:12

Words of Knowledge

Anyone who has ever done any handiwork around the house, on a car, or doing carpentry knows the importance of having the right tools. Some jobs are almost impossible to do without the proper equipment. As believers our call is to love God and love people. One of the instruments available to us in our spiritual tool bag is called words of knowledge (cf. I Corinthians 12:8). This is simply a divine wisdom to know something specific, usually about another individual, we would not know apart from God for the purpose of edification. Read more about this spiritual gift by clicking here.

Carnac the Magnificent: Not quite the same as words of knowledge

Why is there so much fascination and media attention with witches, psychics, mediums, ghost whisperers, etc? I believe it is because we were created with the ability to operate in this supernatural way but we don't understand it and haven't learned how to do it properly. In some ways, words of knowledge are like psychic powers except they originate from the Holy Spirit. Because the church isn't effectively training people to hear from God, many are being drawn to false imitations of authentic spiritual gifts. Let us turn our hearts to the Lord and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit so we may better minister to the world who is so hungry for the love of God.

"Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it." I Peter 4:10 (The Message)

Studying Divine Healing

Candy Gunther Brown, an associate professor in the Indiana University Bloomington Department of Religious Studies, has been awarded a $150,000 grant to pursue research on divine healing practices and their involvement in globalization. Click here to read the full story.

Dr. Brown, Ph.D. from Harvard
Photo courtesy of Indiana University

This news is really exciting because it is drawing attention to God's outpouring of love and grace through the ministry of divine healing. If you haven't heard of any recent healing testimonies, I encourage you to seek them out. Learning about the Spirit's move of dramatic restoration in peoples' bodies will energize your faith and increase your hunger for more. The Kingdom of God is forcefully advancing throughout the world. May we be inspired to join in this movement with compassion and power!

"Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously." Matthew 10:7-8 (The Message)

Overcoming the Lack

In Matthew 8, a man with leprosy came and knelt before Jesus saying, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. (v. 2)" Jesus' response was awesome in its simplicity and power: "I am willing. Be clean!" The man was instantly cured. In fact, as far as Scripture teaches, everyone who came to Christ for healing was made well. Jesus shows the true heart of God when it comes to healing- He is willing.

Jesus demonstrates God's desire to restore everyone

If God is always willing to heal and we are called to heal, why do some people not receive their breakthrough when they get prayed for? I am still wrestling with this question but I must remind myself that the lack is not on the part of God. The lack rests in us. As someone who is stepping out in faith to pray for miraculous healing in others, it is a difficult thing when there is no visible sign of restoration. One core value that helps me is that it is impossible for nothing to happen when I pray. Something changes in prayer whether I see it or not. But I cannot be content with only a few people healed. I must seek to be completely filled with the Holy Spirit, as Jesus was, to experience 100% healing all of the time. That is one my life goals or God dreams. Please pray that this may become a reality not just for me, but an entire generation passionate for revival so that the world may be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord!

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up." James 5:15

Healing Rooms

There is an amazing organization called the International Association of Healing Rooms. It is based on the work of early 20th century, missionary and healing revivalist John G. Lake. After returning from Africa, Lake established a ministry for healing and restoration in Spokane, WA. Thousands of people experienced supernatural healing and at one point the US government declared Spokane to be the healthiest city in America.

Lake: A Man of Faith
1870-1935

The Healing Rooms began again in Spokane about 10 years ago and is growing all over the world. For most of my life, I did not know that the ministry of healing continued today. But when we study Scripture and our own church history, it's impossible to deny that we are called and equipped to do supernatural acts. Our obstacle to realizing these things include ignorance, faulty beliefs, rationalism, and lack of faith. Healing is our inheritance and a result of Christ's death on the cross. May the Church rise up and take her authority to heal the nations spiritually, emotionally, and physically!

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

Remembering Ralph Winter

Dr. Ralph D. Winter, a former missionary and professor at Fuller Seminary, passed away at the age of 84 on May 20, 2009 after a long battle with multiple myeloma. He was the founder of the US Center for World Missions in Pasadena, CA along with other ministries such as the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. He developed the terms “unreached people group,” “frontier missions,” and “10-40 window,” and truly catalyzed the Church's effort to fulfill the Great Commission.

Dr. Winter’s strategic emphasis on reaching not simply every nation with the Gospel, but every people group, dramatically altered the strategies of global missions. In fact, Billy Graham wrote, “Ralph Winter has . . . accelerated world evangelization.” In 2005, Time magazine included Winter as one of the top 25 most influential evangelicals. I pray the mantle of this man of God will fall onto hungry hearts so that his passion and vision to see the Gospel proclaimed to all nations will be realized. If you would like to learn more about this amazing visionary, click here.

Daring to Dream

Growing up, I was always taught to be practical. One of the effects of this emphasis was that I haven't really invested much time into dreams. I have been recently learning the importance of cultivating and praying into our yearnings and passions. One of the reasons dreams are so important is because God is often the one who places these desires in our hearts. Unfortunately, reason, rationality, practicality, and many other influences suppress our ability to even entertain the dreams we have.

Begin to take steps to fulfill your dreams

If you knew that you couldn't fail, what would you set out to do? This summer I am going to write down a list of dreams and begin bringing them to God in order to see their fulfillment in my lifetime. Our Heavenly Father is longing for the dreams of his children become a reality because the world is blessed when these things happen!

"I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." Joel 2:28

Prophetic Affirmation

The front page of the Redding newspaper had an article about eaglets getting ready to fly from their nest at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park. This may not seem newsworthy to many but Bob Jones spoke at our graduation service and prophesied that our class was like 1000 eaglets preparing to fly and soar all over the world.

Two baby eagles waiting to fly

Some may think this is just a coincidence but I am learning that God often uses funny coincidences to communicate with us and give us affirmation. Have you ever felt the Lord speaking to you through unusual means? Our Father is creative because he is the Creator. His first language is not English and perhaps isn't even human. But God does enjoy fellowship with people and he is not limited in how he speaks to us. Just ask Moses, Balaam, Elijah, or Paul. May we grow in our ability to "hear" from God because listening to him is the best way to live.

"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." Matthew 13:16

Grace to Write

This week I am attending a writers' workshop called "Writing Unto the Glory" at Bethel Church. William P. Young, author of The Shack, is the featured guest speaker. English classes, especially grammar and writing, were not a strength in school and I never imagined I would write anything that hadn't been assigned. Yet here I sit, typing away on a blog and making plans to begin writing a book this summer.

How I sometimes feel when trying to write

One thing I have learned from this past year is that grace is the divine enablement to do something you were unable to do before the grace was given. I believe God is giving me the grace to write clearly, meaningfully, insightfully, and transformationally. Are there areas in your life you are receiving or would like to receive grace in? Whether it's writing, speaking, parenting, etc, our Heavenly Father is longing to give grace in greater measure to those who desire it. Seek, ask, and declare it into reality. Then live it out and allow the Holy Spirit to infuse your actions with wisdom, power, and love!

"And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." John 1:16

Graduation Service

The Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry graduation service will be held today at 6:00 pm in the Redding Civic Center. For those interested, there is a free webcast of the event on iBethel.tv.

It is humbling to be a part of this revival movement. The past 9 months have been the most transformational time in my Christian life. Not only have I learned much, I have drawn closer to the Father's heart of love and grace. My family and I will continue our training here at least one more year. Thank you to all who have encouraged, prayed for, and supported us. We share our joy, victories, and blessings with you!

"I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints." Psalm 52:9

Prophecy Fulfilled

It's amazing how quickly time seems to pass in certain seasons. My last post was already one month ago and this weekend is our graduation service for school. (Apologies for the long delay in writing.) Just last week we had the privilege of hearing Bob Jones speak. He visited the church because he believes that all the School of Supernatural Ministry students graduating this year are a fulfillment of a prophetic word he received back in 1991. If you are interested in reading about his story about a diamond in the rough, click here.

A thousand points of light

God is stirring up the church for the greatest revival history has ever known. It will be characterized by love, accompanied by power, and centered on worship. A spiritual awakening will not only touch churches but cities. Do you believe entire nations can be transformed by the gospel? The Spirit is drawing us to greater faith to believe that truly all things are possible as we advance the kingdom of God!

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you." Isaiah 60:1

Joy to the World

Some of you may have heard of Matthew Harding- the internet phenomenon known as "Dancing Matt". The story goes that while working in the video game industry he decided to do more in life than just develop violent games, so he quit his job and began traveling the world. He started making videos of himself dancing in the many cities he visited and they eventually went viral. Matt, through his own initiative, even got a sponsorship from Stride Gum to make a third video of his dancing journeys. Check it out below:

There is something so special about Matt's story (and funky white-man jig) that stirs our hearts with joy and hope. Though people are so diverse, we are all made in the image of God. This is like a prophetic snapshot of the world to come when we will all dance with joy with our Lord and Savior Jesus!

"When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you." John 16:22 (The Message)

iBethel TV

The church we are attending (Bethel) has recently begun to broadcast their services online. If you are interested in checking it out, click here. They also post testimonies from people who have been healed. This has been the most explosive year of spiritual growth my family and I have ever experienced. The culture, values, vision, teaching, and miracles of this church and others like it are transforming the world and forcefully advancing the kingdom of God! Even if you are involved in another church, I encourage you to take a look at how the Spirit is moving in this community and receive even more spiritual nourishment for your journey.

"Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it." I Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)

The Shack

I just finished reading "The Shack" by William Paul Young. This fictional story about a father's amazing encounter with God after the tragic death of her daughter came out in 2007. It has risen to the New York Times Best Seller list and has remained their for over 45 weeks despite only an initial $200 marketing budget. It is the most revelatory work of fiction I have ever read regarding the nature of God. There is movement of the Spirit that is changing the world's perception of how people think about the divine. It is a revolution that is revealing the kindness of God and leading many to repentance. Click here to read a NY Times article about the book. I encourage you to read this remarkable story and pass it on to others!

Here is an excerpt from the book from pages 101-102: God (or Papa) speaking to Mackenzie (the main character). "Jesus is fully human. Although he is also fully God, he has never drawn upon his nature as God to do anything. He has only lived out of his relationship with me, living in the very same manner that I desire to be in relationship with every human being. He is just the first to do it to the uttermost-- the first to absolutely trust my life within him, the first to believe in my love and goodness without regard for appearance or consequence."

Mackenzie: "So when he healed the blind?"

Papa: "He did so as a dependent, limited human being trusting in my life and power to be at work within him and through him. Jesus, as a human being, had no power within himself to heal anyone."

Happy Easter!

I am not exactly certain how bunnies and eggs got associated with the celebration of Jesus' resurrection but somehow we got suckered into this tradition yesterday. A local church was hosting an Easter event with live music, food, and about 15,000 plastic eggs dropped from a helicopter. It sounded like fun but the reality was far from it. Hundreds of children and parents circled a wet, muddy field in anticipation for the drop. We were waiting longer than expected because the tiny helicopter couldn't hold all the eggs at once so they decided to drop half the eggs and allow kids six and younger to go first. However, the sight of thousands of eggs dropping from the sky is too much for a child of any age to resist and almost everyone mobbed the middle in a mad dash for oval plastic. Many of the eggs were cracked from their free fall and many of the young children were muddy from their fall as older children were pushing, shoving, and trampling. Isaac thankfully got an egg because we asked a generous (yet disobedient) 10 year old if we could have one of the many eggs in his basket. Isaac was happy!

We pray your Easter was filled with joy, celebration, and love!

Practicing Healing

Too often Christians who pray for healing and do not see any improvement get discouraged, lose faith, or even stop praying altogether. We have only to look at the secular medical field to realize this is not the attitude we should promote. Doctors are said to "practice medicine" because it is a discipline of theory and experimentation, trial and error, and learning and adaptation. For instance, there is no medical cure for cancer, only treatment. Does this mean people simply accept cancer as an incurable disease? On the contrary, billions of dollars are poured into cancer research so that one day no one will suffer from this terrible disease. We will never give up!

Nature reflects our propensity to perservere and survive

I believe it is acceptable for Christians to "practice healing". Even if we do not experience immediate success in our prayers, we have faith because Scripture tells us that our prayers are powerful and effective. We study and seek deeper intimacy because revelation is in the realm of mystery. We invest our time, energy, and resources to become better healers because we love people. We persevere because we serve a God of the impossible. On this Good Friday, may Jesus be our reminder that we only endure suffering for the joy set before us. Let us press in to see greater breakthroughs of the Kingdom overcoming sickness and disease!

"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed." II Corinthians 4:8,9

Objection to Healing

Before moving to Redding, I had developed a belief that God could heal anybody but rarely ever did. My foundation was that God was all-powerful, however my reality was that I never saw a healing. This type of faith resulted in pretty weak prayers where I would pray for those who were sick but never really expect anything miraculous to happen. Over the past year my faith has been growing as I have seen and studied the move of God in people's lives. I now operate out of a belief that Jesus gives us the authority to heal and so I pray in faith even if I don't observe immediate results.

Objections to healing almost always arise because the nature of the miraculous is difficult to understand. One common question regarding healing is "Why do some people get healed and others do not?" Although there is no perfect answer to this question, we must hold on to the fact that Jesus never turned away or failed to heal anyone who came to him in need. He demonstrated that God's will was for all to be made well. Therefore, we must strive to become completely filled by the Holy Spirit as Christ was so that we too may experience his success rate and do even greater works (cf. John 14:12). I will expand more on divine healing as it relates to the medical field in the next post.

"Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." Psalm 103:2-3

Understanding the Miraculous

Questions inevitably arise when we hear reports of the miraculous or testimonies of healing. For some the supernatural is offensive and dismissed, ridiculed, or rationalized away. For others it stirs up a hunger and excitement for more of God, causing them to seek a deeper relationship. I pray it is the latter for you.

Jesus and the disciples feed the multitudes with five loaves and two fish

One key to opening our hearts and minds to the Spirit can be found in Mark 6:45-52. Immediately following the feeding of the five thousand (vv. 36-44), Jesus sends his disciples to Bethsaida by boat while he went up onto a mountainside to pray. Here is the rest of the story:

⁴⁷When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. ⁴⁸He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, ⁴⁹but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, ⁵⁰because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." ⁵¹Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, ⁵²for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

Two details are interesting to consider from this amazing event. First, verse 48 says that Jesus was intending to pass by them as they were struggling with the oars in the strong wind. Why would Jesus want to purposely walk by his disciples while they were having a hard time on the water? Jesus only went into the boat because the disciples saw him and were terrified, thinking he was a ghost. Second, verse 52 notes that the disciples' hearts were hardened because they had not understood about the loaves. What didn't the disciples understand about the feeding of the five thousand?

Perhaps the journey across the rough waters was a test for the disciples to put into action what they should have learned from the loaves and fishes- the increase or miracle came by their hands through a divine directive. Could it be that the the disciples were supposed to calm the winds through the authority given to them through Jesus? It takes a soft and teachable heart to accept the idea that God works through human vessels. Eventually the disciples understood the authority, grace, and power they possessed and began to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit just like Jesus. May we have humble hearts to believe and do the same.

Faith and the Miraculous

When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth in Mark 6, it is noteworthy that "he couldn’t do any miracles among them because of their unbelief, except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And Jesus was amazed" (vv. 5-6).

Jesus is our healer

The lack certainly wasn't on the part of Jesus. He walked in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit, as was evident in his interactions with many people throughout the gospels. In fact, Jesus healed everyone who sought him. The difference with the Nazerites was their failure to fully accept and believe the Messiah. The reason our beliefs are so important is because faith is the catalyst to release the supernatural. If we are not experiencing healings, miracles, and wonders in our Christian walk, could it be a sign that our beliefs are not completely in line with what Jesus taught?

"Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Romans 12:2 (NLT)

Treasure Hunt Healing

Today my small group decided to go on a treasure hunt at a local crafts store in Redding. We didn't fill out a treasure map but simply went up to people who we felt God was highlighting to us. I saw an older woman (~50 years old) walking around with a subtle limp so I just took a risk and when up to her with my friend Alan. We introduced ourselves and explained what we were doing and asked if she (Marcie) needed prayer for anything. Marcie told us that she had torn a ligament in her knee and was scheduled for surgery in a few days. She gave us permission to pray for her knee right in the store and we just lifted up a short prayer commanding all the ligaments, tendons, and muscles to be restored. Afterwards we asked her to test it out and she could actually feel something different. She no longer walked with a limp and was able to move it in ways she could not just moments earlier with no pain! Marcie was deeply touched and excited to share her news to her family when she got home. God is so good!

"He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing." I Peter 2:24 (The Message)

God's Power

One of the foundational characteristics of God is his power. He can do all things. He creates by simply speaking a word. He is all-powerful or omnipotent. Nothing is too difficult for him.

The power of God is awe-inspiring

Jesus was our model for how to be filled with the awesome power of the Holy Spirit and walk in the supernatural. He walked on water, cast out demons, opened blind eyes, and healed every sickness and disease. He even had the authority to command angels (cf. Matt. 26:53). Jesus not only believed in the power of God but he taught that all believers could walk in that power as well. Unfortunately, much of the church has either rejected that power or created a theology that renders Christians virtually impotent. What do you believe?

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" Acts 1:8

Testimonies from Southern California

I just returned from our mission trip to Fontana, CA with 12 other team members. We were invited by a Guatemalan/Mexican church called Verbo to teach and minister to their congregation for three days. The people were hungry for the supernatural, although they did not have much experience with it. Without going into great detail, God moved powerfully and touched the church so deeply that it will never be the same. There were prophecies, divine encounters, angelic visitations, salvations, and healings. We haven't had a chance to record all of the testimonies yet but there were so many amazing healings. Here is a brief listing of some them:

A grandmother, diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her leg, felt pain and fire as she was receiving prayer and the tumor disappeared!

The grandmother's son (who came the night after hearing about her mother's healing) recently had surgery to remove gall stones and was simply experiencing the normal pain from post-op. As he was being prayed for, he started to cry and said that all the pain left his body. He was also supposed to have hip replacement surgery but the pain from his hip disappeared during the first prayer. We didn't even pray for his hip!

A woman with psoriasis (skin condition) had some sort of oil miraculously form in her hands as she was being prayed for. The next day her skin was completely healed!

A father who was living with extreme pain in his hip for 35 years and was on strong medications was reluctant to come up for prayer. But because his wife was powerfully touched by God, he came forward and all the pain left his body! His son was also healed of a shoulder injury and he broke down in his father's arms sobbing at what they had just experienced together.

"He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness." Matthew 10:1

Off to Missions!

I am off on a short mission trip to a Spanish-speaking church in Fontana, CA this weekend. Our team is excited because it is an opportunity to put into practice all the things we have been learning about. Your prayers would be appreciated as we seek to impart, activate, and encourage the people of this city! I will post testimonies of our experiences next week. Please also pray for Jenney and the kids while I am away. It's never easy to leave my wonderful family...

"As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:7-8

The Goodness of God

Many of us have probably heard of the phrase "God is good" followed by the response "All the time". We may have even been commanded to repeat this statement over and over and in different patterns until it becomes ingrained in our minds that God truly is good all the time.

A foundational theological principle

Until this year, I never fully understood the implications of this simple idea. It really means that there is never a time when God is not good. In this way, we can sincerely give thanks to our Heavenly Father in all circumstances (cf. I Thess. 5:18) because his character and nature never changes. It also implies that we are never justified in being angry at God. When we really accept and experience his goodness, we will be changed. No matter how good you believe God is, He's better than you think. That should make you happy!

"I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence." Exodus 33:19

Prophecy for the People

Do you believe in prophecy? I just finished reading "You May All Prophesy" by Steve Thompson. It is a fascinating manual highlighting our call not only to hear from God but also to prophesy to others. His understanding of prophesying is simply speaking a divine word in order to strengthen, encourage, and comfort others (cf. I Corinthians 14:3). This may seem unrealistic or even impossible for some to accept, but Christians are able to hear from God and share what the Spirit is saying to others.

"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10

Be encouraged and know that you can grow in your ability to listen to God. Jesus was our model because he did not speak on his own accord- the Father told him what to say and how to say it (cf. John 12:49; 8:28). May we become more intimate with our Heavenly Father to hear and know his heart so we may prophesy to all people!

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy." I Corinthians 14:1

Saint Patrick

Today many parts of the world celebrated Saint Patrick's Day. Patrick, or Patricius in Latin, is considered the patron saint of Ireland because his ministry helped convert many to Christ in the 5th century.

Naomh Pádraig (Irish) 387-461

What is amazing about his story is that he was originally from Wales and was captured as a teen and forced into slavery by Irish raiders. It is said that he worked as a shepherd, alone and far away from his family. It was during this six year period that God encountered him and eventually showed him how to escape back home. Patrick then felt called to go back as a missionary to the very same people who had enslaved him! If you are interested, you can read more about his testimony by clicking here. The amazing power and grace of God was exhibited in his life and ministry and continues to bear fruit today. May we be a generation that not only celebrates the saints of the past but continues their efforts to advance the kingdom in our own day!

"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing." Colossians 1:5

God Is In a Good Mood

If you had to guess what mood God is in, how would you respond? Sad, angry, reserved, stoic, joyful? To some people, the thought that God is in a good mood can be offensive. Many believers are apprehensive of what Jesus actually thinks of them. Here is one representation of Jesus that is probably more accurate than we realize.

Jesus not only loves you, he likes you!

Even though Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (cf. Isaiah 53:3), he was the most joyful person ever to walk the earth. Tax collectors, prostitutes, and other "sinners" flocked to him because their spirits were uplifted and hearts made glad in his presence. God is for you and is overjoyed with you! Let us turn our affections to him and be filled with joy for it is his kindness which leads us to repentance.

"In your presence is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11

Revival in China

Last night at church we briefly heard from Kathy Balcombe, a missionary in China for over twenty years with her husband Dennis. They are part of Revival Chinese Ministries International. They are witnessing to a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit throughout China with signs, wonders, and healings! The church is exploding as hundreds of millions of Chinese have already come to Christ and thousands more are being saved daily! Despite constant persecution, Dennis continues to preach boldly and has even been invited to speak at government sponsored Three Self Churches. Check out this short video about what God is doing in China through these faithful servants. Let us lift up prayers for China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong that the revival will continue and all people will be touched by the power and love of God!

"So the disciples set out and went from village to village,
preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere." Luke 9:6

The Real Jesus?

There are so many misconceptions about Jesus. Perhaps one of the most damaging is the idea that Jesus is more concerned about our behavior than our heart. Religion has distorted the law at the expense of love. That is why it is so important to know what we believe and to repent or change the way we think about false beliefs. Take a look at this humorous video created by a church in North Carolina called Vintage 21 about how a legalistic Jesus would actually treat his followers.

But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matthew 9:13

Rationalizing the Bible

I used to think that the gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 12 (i.e.- healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, etc.) were graces only for the apostles or early church. I was a cessationist without even knowing what it meant. The reason I thought this way was because I did not witness or experience any of the supernatural gifts in my life or the churches I attended. Whenever I came across a passage in the New Testament that spoke of the supernatural I simply rationalized it away to justify the lack of power in my own life.

God's gifts and call are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29)

There is a great danger with interpreting Scripture to fit our personal beliefs and experiences. I have discovered that I either rationalize what the Bible teaches or conveniently ignore certain passages. Our beliefs should ultimately be founded on the Word of God and the truth should dictate our experience, not the other way around. For example, regarding spiritual gifts, we acknowledge and believe that Scripture recognizes its reality, availability, and necessity for all Christians. From that stand point, if we do not manifest any of the supernatural gifts, we don't negate the Word but rather pray and press in until these gifts are operating in our lives. This is the life of faith. What do you really believe?

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

The Theology of the Kingdom

The original intent of humanity was to have dominion over the earth- to rule and subdue (cf. Genesis 1:28). That authority was lost and given over to Satan when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Because of the fall, men and women lived under a curse while Satan became the prince of the world. The effects of both are easily observed as sickness, disease, broken relationships, warfare, poverty, and immorality have been rampant throughout human history.

Our top priority

Jesus came and preached the gospel of the kingdom. He undid the works of the devil and commanded his disciples to do the same. His death on the cross was the ultimate victory over sin, death, and Satan's rule. Before his ascension into heaven, Jesus stated that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him (cf. Matthew 28:18). The authority to rule that had originally been given to Adam and Eve, and lost to the devil, was finally restored back to Christ. The church is now to advance God's kingdom on earth through the authority (or in the name) of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. We not only have the mandate, but also the authority, resources, and power to do the wonderful and miraculous things Jesus did. This is the basic idea of kingdom theology. May we be kingdom minded believers!

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." I Corinthians 4:20