Faith, Healing, and Innocence

I have been privileged to witness hundreds of people experience divine healing over the past few years. I have also seen many people who have not... yet. It is interesting to observe the various reactions to healing ministry. They range from apathy, confusion, doubt, and animosity to hopefulness, perseverance, faith, and joy. Sometimes even those who have received a miraculous touch still respond with slight indifference or disbelief. Healing can be mentally offensive to many because it counters their preconceived notions of how the world works. When we begin to renew our minds and think properly about the nature of God then healing will not only be pursued, it will be expected. Check out this video of a little girl rejoicing over the way God healed her. May we all have the faith, innocence, and joyfulness of this beautiful child.

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1:45

Taking Risk

Thrill seekers often push the boundaries of risk and danger when satisfying their need for excitement. Once they accomplish something, they will try to outdo what they just attempted because the fear factor and adrenaline high are diminished. The explosion of X-Games, motocross, and B.A.S.E. jumping demonstrate this trend toward extreme behavior. Although most people will never parachute off of a skyscraper or jump a motorcycle over 50 cars, we can learn something from those who do.

Can the Church really learn something from this guy?

Faith is activated by risk. It is not enough to simply believe in principles or concepts. Believers must step out and act upon their faith in order to advance the kingdom. It is usually fear that hinders us from taking action. But interestingly, when we begin to take risks, the fear factor becomes lessened and we actually develop confidence in something we once feared. For example, some children are scared when they first learn how to ride a bike. This is natural because it takes time to master balancing on two wheels and not fall. Eventually kids become proficient at riding and will even begin racing, jumping, or doing tricks on their bikes. I remember the fear I had in asking others if I could pray for them. So many thoughts raced through my mind such as, "What will they think of me? What if they reject me? What if nothing happens when I pray?" The more I approached and prayed for people, the less frightening it became to the point where others have even called me bold in my faith. I'm not so certain I would label it that way because I still have to overcome fear and doubt when ministering to others, but it is certainly much better than it used to be. When I read the Bible, there are so many stories of people who do crazy things for God. They are like the extreme sports athletes of the Christian world- standing up to giants, fighting armies, facing lions, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. I want to live the same way. I believe as we take small steps of risk, we will build confidence to do the greater things. May our lives be a continuation of the book of Acts!

"He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!" Acts 28:31

Prayer for Reformation

Recently, President Obama gave a very important announcement of great significance. I am not speaking of Osama Bin Laden's death but rather the National Day of Prayer. According to the Office of the Press Secretary, the President proclaimed:

"NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2011, as a National Day of Prayer. I invite all citizens of our Nation, as their own faith or conscience directs them, to join me in giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy, and I ask all people of faith to join me in asking God for guidance, mercy, and protection for our Nation."

Thursday, May 5 is the 60th Annual Observance of the National Day of Prayer

We have been bombarded with challenges such as the recession, national deficit, earthquakes, tsunamis, radioactive leaks, tornadoes, and global terrorism. Add to this the ongoing battle of protecting unborn children, preserving the institution of marriage, and promoting healthy marriages, the United States of America is truly in need of divine intervention. I am thankful for the National Day of Prayer tomorrow but it just seems that one day is not enough. It would be wonderful if there was a movement, revival, or awakening that caused the hearts of people to turn back to the Lord. Though we cannot control others, we can make a choice for ourselves. May we gather together in unity with other believers to stand in the gap for our nation and the entire world to experience transformation. Our prayers shift earthly realities!

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”Psalm 91:2