Miraculous Neck healing.. a video testimony...

     I wanted to share this video that I received from a very reputable ministry adjacent to our church.  It's  a woman giving her testimony about her severely damaged neck being miraculously healed.  I would encourage you to take the 11 minutes and hear her story and then glorify God for His grace and love.  The best thing is that He is no respecter of persons, so you can be healed ,too!

That's it, my mind is made up!"......

     " That's it, my mind is made up!"' how often have you heard that phrase?  Or possibly the accompanying phrase, " Oh, they are just set in their ways!".  Probably, too often.  They are used by, and spoken of, those people who will not, or simply refuse to change.  People who have come to accept a certain rigid mindset.  In a cosmos where our thinking filters how we see the world, ourselves, and others; a mindset seems to be a either a potent weapon for change or a handicap which can hobble us from living victoriously.
     There is an old Keith Green song that I just love.  One that casts a somewhat farcical view on such matters.  It is called , " So, you wanna go back to Egypt?".

     In this somewhat mocking composition, he presents the children of Israel as living in delusion.  They are musing about how good they had it while they were living in slavery and bondage.  They seemingly negate the daily goodness of God, while he is walking them through a quick maturing process while in the Wilderness.  It is God's variation of shock and awe. And they were not living up to their fullest potential because they still had the old mindset of a slave.

     In slavery, they had food, shelter, and clothing.  In the desert, they had food ( manna), they had shelter ( a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night), and they had clothing ( that simply never wore out!).  In slavery, they had harsh overseers, taskmasters, and huge work project to accomplish.  In the desert, they had overseers( Moses and Aaron), taskmasters ( self governing tribal leadership), and they had huge work projects to accomplish ( gathering the manna, worshipping God, and getting 1.3 million people across the desert in 40 days).  In Egypt, they had to obey the voice of Pharaoh.  In the Wilderness, they had to obey the voice of God.  In Egypt they had supernatural deliverance.  In the Desert, they had supernatural provision.

     But, between all of these contrasts and comparisons, they had one thing that obviously didn't dramatically change.  It was their mindset.  They still retained the mind of a slave.  In the face of daily signs and wonders, in the end it was their mindsets that sentenced them to having to wander the Wilderness for 40 years.  They could simply not overcome a lifetime of what was, to obtain the reality of what is!  God had changed their environment.  But, they had refused to transform their minds in the light of their new reality.  This is why the Word says that we are to be " transformed by the renewing of your mind". ( Romans 12:2)
     We, like the children of Israel, were born slaves into another kingdom.  But, if you are saved in Jesus you are now in the Kingdom of Heaven. The whole salvation transformation goes way beyond just raising your hand, saying a prayer, regularly attending church, and following some rules and regulations for moral conduct.  Most civic organizations will ask you to do pretty close to  the same thing.  God has called his citizens to be transformed.
     If you really want to get a handle on this scripture, the word in Romans 12:2 translated transformation is the exact same word that is translated as transfiguration in Matthew 17:2.  It is metamorphosis.  Literally, to breakthrough a wall/ barrier and transition.  On the Mount of Transfiguration ( Transformation), Jesus didn't just become a better person.  He was like a butterfly, momentarily transformed.
      The Word encourages us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  This is not Dr. Phil semi-religious psycho-babble, but instead a truth that leads to victory both now, and in the hereafter.  As, Christians, not only do our hearts need to change but so do our minds.  Let's put it this way, as a faithful follower of Christ, our minds cannot think, reason,or believe the same way that they did from the day that we were saved until now.  In, fact, the two should be two very different blobs of grey matter.  If not, we will fall prey to dying off in the desert of life as opposed to inheriting the Promised Land.
     In the face of the daily supernatural care, provision, and guidance of God in the Wilderness, the first generation of freed Hebrew slaves in 400 years, blew it because of a brainfreeze.  They still had a victim mentality.  The hopes, trust, and aspirations of a slave.  It reminds me of the stories that you hear of people who after losing an amazing amount of weight, get toned, and buffed; yet look in the mirror each day to still see a fat person.  Mind sets kill!
     But, we don't have to live that way any  longer, if you choose.  BE TRANSFORMED, by the renewing ( renovation,the rising up in freshness of Heaven, the gaining of God's perspective of your status change) of your mind.  The Promised Land is yours to gain!
    
    
    

"When they went they were healed" Luke 17:14,15

     In our tweeted,emailed,Googled, texted, cellphone instantaneous generation, even our faith and spiritual life has been condition to only expect and desire a split second response from an omnipotent God as the only acceptable answer to prayer.  Now may I say that I too, do believe, strive for, and expect this same God to indeed provide His loving care and grace in a moments notice just like you. Because I know that He can and will.  I have seen it with my own eyes!
     Yet, may I also say that any healing is from God.  Because you see we have an enemy, also.  His job description, if you want to call it that, is to steal, to kill and destroy.  How hideous.  He hates you, with a passion.  He would not want you to be healed.  So, you see, logically, healing comes from God.
    I know that in some sense I may have simplified this too much for some, and not enough for others.  But, the point that I want to get across is that God is your healer.  Jesus Christ paid the price for your victory, no matter how and when it is manifested.  And because it may not be seen in that first split second, doesn't make it any less a gift of love from a caring Father's heart.
     There is a scripture that goes along with the following true testimony.  It's  from  Luke 17:14,15.   It says,"

Luke 17:12-15

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

¹² As He entered a village, 10 men with serious skin diseases met Him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
¹⁴ When He saw them, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were healed.^[a]
15 But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. 
   
     The point that I would like to emphasize is that Jesus in effect prayed for them to be healed, and while they were going.....they were healed.  What we must remember is that this was Jesus himself, and in this case it was a healing/miracle in process.
     

Now for our true testimony from a good friend.
     Last week, I grabbed a box that happened to weigh around 40 - 45 lbs., and thought nothing of it.  About 20 minutes later though, I found  that I had some pain in my arm and wrist, and it was getting progressively worse.  As it progressed from discomforting to excruciating, I found myself going to the Hospital Emergency room.
     It took several hours for X-rays to be taken, and a diagnosis to be given.  As I waited for all of this to take place, I was literally pacing the floor.  You see the only position for my arm to be comfortable in was to be held up right, and the only safe available place to be, was to walk the floor of the room.  The ER doctor after reviewing all of the information and X-rays, was pretty certain that I had ruptured a tendon. Due to the fact that there were no breaks, yet the pain was so severe.  Now, I don't normally like to take medications.  But, this time the pain was just too much so I took the doctor's prescription this time.
     On the way to the pharmacy, I was wholeheartedly praying to God.  I was in pain and needed His help.  I can honestly say it was one of the most painful conditions that I have ever experienced.  I know that the Lord has experienced pain too just like mankind, just look at what He went through on the cross.
     While at the pharmacy waiting for them to make up my prescription, I saw a woman who is a mighty prayer warrior at our church.  I wondered to myself, if this was just chance or was it something more?  I had been a Christian long enough to know that in the Kingdom of God that nothing occurs by happenstance.

 So, I thought just  maybe this was a divine appointment. 
     I went over to the lady.  She could tell immediately that something was wrong because I was pale and sweating.  I asked her if she would please pray for me because of my arm and the pain.  She got right to work.  Here we were right there in front of the Express line in the store praying up a storm.  She was rebuking the enemy's plans for me, asking for God' relief, and healing touch.  It may not be your everyday "normal" Express lane checkout experience...but then again, "Why not"?  I think that at times we don't receive simply because we don't ask?   
     I did end up taking a half of one of the pain pills that day.  I also slept later with the wrist iced and elevated. The next morning the pain was all but gone.  It was a little tender, so as a precaution I kept a brace on it.  I had a referral to a specialist a couple of days later.  I went to the appointment.  He examined the wrist.  He said that he could find no evidence of a rupture or tear, and that there was no permanent damage.  He said, that maybe it must have been just a severe strain based on the reports.
     I know that my wrist was healed through prayer, and the loving touch of my Heavenly Father.  The overall experience encouraged and challenged me as a whole.  I found out personally that  people in need of prayer don't really care if it is in the middle of the store, in public, or what others around them might be thinking.  People in need, just want to know that God loves them and want His comfort and His healing touch.
     As with the scripture from Luke that I shared above, my friend got his healing so to speak as he went on his way.  He was trusting that God was already working on his behalf, he was in process.  And that process did not take long at all.  I think that the bigger lesson was that he experienced first hand that the Kingdom of God is everywhere; so we can call on God to show His wonders, anywhere!
      


     
    

    

" He will deliver us from the Assyrian".....Micah 5:5

     In previous postings, I've shared how it's my belief that based upon an alternative view of the scriptures, there's a distinct possibility that the Antichrist will be a Muslim.  Yet, in our current Church mindset questioning the status quo seems almost heretical by some sects.  But, when scripture is not emphatic on any one point there is the possibility of alternative views being valid.  Most 21st century Christians are not even aware of the fact that a pretribulation rapture eschatalogical view of itself has only been around since the mid 1800's.  But, hearing the way that some teach and preach  this view, you would think that it was an established fact.  Now, it may or may not actually be how the future pans out.  And, I am not posting here to insist on one particular view, but rather to ask the reader to search the scriptures for themselves and ask the Spirit to guide them into all truth.

     This posting in general is an update for those who are following this proposed alternative end times scenario.  Back in November, when we did our first teaching in the church.  We raised the points to keep an eye on Egypt and Syria.  At that time those countries were both in the midst of the upheaval of the Arab Spring.  Currently, after several different elections Egypt is on the verge of having the Islamists consolidate all working power in the country.  Beware of how our American news media reports which parties, and which candidates are "moderate".  Then search those parties, and candidates yourself and see if you agree with the slightly leftist slant of our journalists.

     All during 2011, our President and Secretary of State supported an applauded the democratization of Egypt.  But, as we are seeing happen before our eyes this country will eventually become more and more radicalized.  I would say that in the years to come, it is not outside the realm of possibility that the new Egyptian government completely abandons the Camp David accords.  Whether by official government policy, or simply by looking the other way while allowing surrogates to act on their behalf in this matter.  I strongly believe that how fast or how slow this happens will be directly impacted by the American Presidential elections in 2012.
     The next country to look at was Syria.  I believe that as I said back in November it is only a matter of time before Syrian President Assad is gone.  Syria is a very important country, and will go Islamist because it figures heavily in Bible prophecy.  It is also given an important place in Islamic eschatology.  It is from there that the Islamic Jesus will come back to Earth.  Yes, you Christians heard me correctly!  Muslims believe, probably more so, than most Christian churchgoers that Jesus is literally coming back to Earth in the last days.  According to their traditions, he will land in Syria.  So it is a logical conclusion, that today's " moderate dictatorship" that currently runs that nation will eventually become more radically Islamic.
     Though in the realm of geopolitics events seem to come in fits and starts, they also like waves on the ocean, still continue to move forward until they eventually reach the shore.  We may have seen a lot of movement in 2011, that has seemingly drifted out of the headlines.  But, according to this interpretation of end times events, eventually all of the moderate Middle Eastern nations will fall to become part of a larger Islamic Caliphate of sorts.
     It doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to contemplate what this turning of the tide would do to that region of the world, our global economy, and the effects that it would have on the state of Israel.  So, a praying Christians, we must always adhere to the Lord's request for us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem".  And because He is above all the Father of all, remember too to pray that the light, and love of His grace shine in the hearts of all mankind so that they see Jesus as their saviour first, before they see Him as their judge.
   The Assyrian in Scripture,