A woman from Congo-Brazzaville was plagued by severe migraines. As she attended one of our public meetings a rain storm suddenly rolled in. While most of the crowd fled for cover, this woman pushed closer to the platform, refusing to leave.
My husband, who was speaking at the time, made the decision to continue solely because of her. After the meeting this woman couldn’t wait to talk to us. She said, ”With each rain drop that fell tonight the pain lessened in my head. I was desperate! I could not go on living this way any longer. When the rain came down it was like a cool, healing balm from heaven. The pain, fear and depression all vanished. I was going to take my life tonight if the pain did not leave!”
Though plagued by a chronic condition, this woman instantly found new life! What did she do? She brought her problem to Jesus. She was determined to get her healing. Like the woman in scripture with the chronic blood disease, she said to herself she was going to get what she needed! Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Scripture: Matthew 9:20-22, 11:28
The scriptures tell us of a woman who was stigmatized by a chronic illness for 12 years. Spending all of her money seeking medical solutions, she only grew worse.
Evidently, she heard about Jesus’ miracles and made a bold decision—despite public opinion. She repeated to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” Though crowded on all sides, Jesus knew someone had touched Him expecting to be healed. Turning immediately to the woman, He said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.”
This woman faced significant stress in life. She had spent all of her money, was ostracized by the public, and was critically ill. Yet, her thoughts led her toward healing! Her thinking gave her the strength to break out of her normal routine and find what she needed! She determined to press through the negative obstacles and reach out to Jesus for her miracle. I want you to know that you can do the same today!
Did you know that the majority of sickness plaguing the world today results from chronic illness and not infectious disease? Chronic Disease is defined as a long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured. Chronic illness is a worldwide problem. As described by the Centers for Disease Control, chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States.
Lee Jong-wook, former Director General of the World Health Organization, stated in a 2005 report that of a projected 58 million deaths in 2005, approximately 35 million or 60% would be the result of chronic disease. He also projected those staggering figures to increase by another 17% by the year 2015.
Come to Jesus today and give Him your weaknesses, fears, cares and sicknesses. The scriptures say, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” Wherever you are today, I want you to know that God is with you—and He hears you right now!
Scriptures: Acts 10:38
Time has a way of dimming our expectation and lowering our forecast of good things in the future. God designed prayer to include the expectation of an answer. Jesus often mentions that our Father’s desire is to do good to His children.
In times of delay Jesus mentions to ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. It is never too late!
When the news came to Jairus that his daughter had died while Jesus was delayed, Jairus was told by Jesus to “only believe.” His daughter will live! Death may be final, but nothing is too late when Jesus is with you!
Jesus needed the faith of Jairus to work with. He knew the bad report would paralyze Jairus as it would us. Grief and sorrow would soon replace faith unless Jesus addressed it. Getting hold of our feelings is important! I believe Jesus was saying to Jairus: “Just stay open to your miracle. Do not shut down. I am bigger than any bad report!”
Friends, never quit and you will never lose!
Scripture: Luke 8:48-50
More physicians today believe that medicine alone cannot deal with some of today’s worst illnesses, according to a statement issued by an organization composed of medical professionals who believe in divine healing.
Dr. Sean Thomas George, a consultant physician from West Australia, told his amazing story at an Australian Conference on “Spirituality and Medicine.” George told the crowd that after returning with his intern from a clinic session on the south coast of Australia, he felt minor chest pains and he was “unusually hot.” He decided to stop the car and as he got out, still feeling the discomfort, he called his wife, also a doctor, to let her know what was happening. She suggested that he drive straight home.
George said he felt “divinely directed” to enter a clinic, where he used an electro-cardiogram to diagnose a heart attack and to receive a few drugs they had on hand. The pain continued to get worse, and 11 minutes later his heart completely stopped beating! Not only did he have a heart attack but he was in cardiac arrest. For the next 60 minutes a team of doctors and nurses used more than 4,000 chest compressions and gave him 13 electrical shocks.
His heart and lungs did not respond. After one hour and 10 minutes, George was pronounced dead. Ten minutes later, his wife arrived and was told to go in and say her last words.
His wife, also a medical doctor, understood the seriousness of the situation and as a believer in Jesus Christ as Her Savior, she decided to humbly ask God to intervene. She held Dr. George’s hand and prayed “Lord Jesus, he is only 39, and I am only 38 and we have a 10-year-old boy. I need a miracle.” As soon as she said this it was as though someone had breathed life into Dr. George again and his heartbeat came back. George had come back from the dead.
Four hours later, George was flown to Royal Perth Hospital where doctors carried out an emergency procedure to clear a severely blocked artery on the right side of the heart. The attending physician thought George would not survive, and even if he did, he would be completely brain dead on a ventilator. In ICU, George had kidney and liver failure and went into a deep coma.
Against all odds, he opened his eyes three days later, was discharged after two weeks, and returned to full-time work following three months of steady recovery!
Perhaps today you find yourself in a difficult situation and you are in need of help? I want you to know that a prayer as simple as Mrs. George’s prayer could be the key to your miracle today!
God has granted us access to a relationship far greater than a master and a slave. He set all things before us so that we might enjoy the very best that life has to give!
We are not mere servants of God, but through God’s Son Jesus Christ we become children of God. Jesus called God Father! Have you ever called God ‘Father’? Perhaps you have called Him Creator, or you identify Him with the cosmic universe. But I want you to know today you can call Him Father.
Trust begins with a simple decision to get to know God through His words. How can you know all the functions of your TV or your cell phone if you don’t spend some time in the search menus or with the instruction booklet?
God only requires one thing for trust. He tells us, get to know Me and My words, and I will get to know you.
Have you ever asked the question, “How do I pray?” Prayer is talking with God, your friend. It’s just a conversation between friends! Prayer is opening your heart to God’s thoughts and ways. He desires to open His heart to you and He WILL answer you. The scripture says “seek me and you will find me.” What’s holding you back today? You can seek Him right now! How? Just ask Him to come into your heart and into your thoughts!
In his book, “The Message that Works,” TL Osborn includes a chapter about FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD in which he states that God declares, “YOU CAN TRUST ME, I WILL TRUST YOU!” Have you considered that God trusts you? And therefore you can trust YOURSELF? I believe this is the essence of God’s heart toward you today.
You and I were created for fellowship with God, for friendship with God. Our rightful place is at His side, not under His thumb or His feet. He doesn’t carry a hammer or a whip, commanding obedience—no, our rightful place is standing arm-in-arm with the living, loving God!
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13
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