Irrefutable evidence of miraculous healing. Little boy was smashed in a car accident, given zero percent chance of living because the bones of his face were smashed into his brain. He lives. He talks. He walks. He is living a normal life, now more than 10 years later.
His face came back together supernaturally.
Jesus heals. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We have heard much about commitment, about tithing, about giving our time and talents. Those are necessary sermons, preached by a leadership that depends upon a great deal of volunteer labor to make the programs and offerings of the traditional church happen. The most involved, however, very frequently get burned out. Most leadership works an enormous number of hours and at great stress. (While some others do not, I realize.) For most of us who are committed, the Christian life has been one of working, more working… even more working… to exhaustion.
But it does say in the Bible: “Strive to enter that rest.”
I have read over that, prayed over that, and wondered over that a great deal.
A series of challenging incidents, however led to what seems to be a revelation in my life. Stopping, “slowing down” (NOT what my friends mean when they say this, doing less, but a diving deep into spirituality), connecting with Holy Spirit at a deep level, brings a rest, is a secret place, causes a power that is hard to put into words.
Let’s focus and aim at this sort of rest, connecting with All Grace. Let’s do faith the way it was originally meant: pistis, relying on, leaning on. Let’s not try to do faith as a work of will, separate from the prevenient (coming before) Grace of God. Let’s not try to do Christian walk all in the head or all in the hand, but dive deep into the heart of God with our hearts. This, after all, is like Jesus. He did work, teaching and healing the crowds. He also took his disciples aside to rest and eat. And he also spent nights in prayer. I think it was a communion prayer, not must more work, not just getting through some more words, don’t you think? So yes, let’s follow Jesus; lets be Christians, one who shine out Christ. Yes, let’s do the social work, political work, mothering work, and any other work we are called to do, but let’s first do the rest of connecting with God.
Do you have an experience of this you would like to share?
reblogged from Hala Thompkins, Christian Education Director at Hope Chapel, Austin
Far Too Easily Pleased?
I have been reading all sorts of essays and blogs recently. As a result, they become jumbled in my head and I can’t quite remember whose thought was whose.
However, in something I read recently, the author quoted C.S. Lewis and this idea has stuck in my head ever since:
“If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and s-x and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. ”
-C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, p.26
I’ve thought about applying this as I pray. Am I far too easily pleased? As I pray for my friends who are battling hard things- do I actually believe that God can do even more than I am asking? Am I willing to ask even bigger than is safe? What does real faith look like?
I want to encourage all of us to not be too easily pleased with ordinary, average, okay things. I am asking God to increase my faith, stretch my obedience and glorify Himself by making me dissatisfied with mud pies.
Will you come with me?
These are rebroadcast from the beginning of our broadcast ministry. The testimonies were the first topics when we went on the air and we ran them first on every channel we ever went on. The other three were a regrouping after 6 months, to be sure everyone knew what this ministry was about. Enjoy.
Helping Children with Learning Differences Dr. Swank, from Austin Texas, talks about her business — more than tutoring of children with dyslexia.
Escape from the Hell of Having a Messed Up Kid Recap of the aim of this ministry: helping others out of the hell of having a child with problems. Everyone thinks they are along.
What’s Up Discussion of the original mission of this broadcast
Testimony of “Miracles” from Innovative Education Great things from grandmother. When school doesn’t work — try something else! Ideas from everywhere, applied with faith, worked for us. The book about how to do it is : Learn at Home for Great Shalom, available at www.lulu.com.
Testimony of Miracle It really happened like this. That’s why they said, “Sharon, you must share this.” That is why this radio broadcast was born: to share. The book about what the Bible teaches about healing is : God Wants You Healed. Available at www.lulu.com.