The Central Miracle

The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this. Just as every natural event is the manifestation at a particular place and moment of Nature’s total character, so every particular Christian miracle manifests at a particular place and moment the character and significance of the Incarnation. There is no question in Christianity of arbitrary interferences just scattered about. It relates not a series of disconnected raids on Nature but the various steps of a strategically coherent invasion—an invasion which intends complete conquest and “occupation.” The fitness, and therefore credibility, of the particular miracles depends on their relation to the Grand Miracle; all discussion of them in isolation from it is futile.

—C.S. Lewis, Miracles

Faith Boost

Need a "faith boost" for the new year? Then read this piece by George Wood at Charisma

Have you ever heard a healing take place? I have. I listened to an audio tape of Duane Miller teaching his Sunday school class from the text of Psalm 103 at the First Baptist Church in Brenham, Texas, on Jan. 17, 1993. Duane prematurely retired from pastoring three years earlier because of a virus which penetrated the myelin sheath around the nerves in his vocal cords, reducing his speech to a raspy whisper.

He experienced firsthand the awful distress described in Psalm 102, the counterpoint to the joy found in Psalm 103.

eaching his class that day with a special microphone resting on his lips, he reaffirmed his belief in divine healing and that miracles had not ended with the Book of Acts. Listening to the tape, at times you can barely understand his weakly spoken wheezy words of faith. The miracle happened at verse 4 when he said, "I have had and you have had in times past pit experiences."

On the word "pit," Duane's life changed—the word was as clear as a bell, in contrast to the imperfect enunciation of the preceding word "past." He paused, startled; began again and stopped. He said a few more words—all in a normal clear tone—and stopped again. The class erupted with shouts of joy, astonishment and sounds of weeping. God completely healed him as he was declaring the truth in this psalm. (You can read the full account in Miller's book, Out of the Silence, Nelson Publishers.)

Consider His Benefits

Like Duane Miller, perhaps you have spent a lengthy time in the despair found in Psalm 102; but Psalm 103 shows that the Lord has a deep healing to match your deep hurt. Psalm 102 ended with a sense that God's blessings would skip over you (v. 23) and benefit instead your children and their descendants (v. 28). Psalm 103 says God will not forget you.

No wonder the psalm begins with gratitude (v. 12). Look at what the Lord has done (vv. 3-5).

1. He forgives all your sins. Sins, like legal wrongs, are of two kinds: those arising from intention and those stemming from negligence. God forgives both our acts of commission and omission. He frees you to start over after failure, cancels all indictments against you, and discharges all your debts.

2. He heals all your diseases. The sticking point for many is that they have not yet experienced a healing like Duane's nor that assured in this psalm. But as believers in Jesus, we must take the long view when miracles do not immediately occur—that ultimately in Christ healing will come even if you must wait for the glorification of your body at the resurrection. God is committed to stamping out all disease; but in His providence, He has not yet banished death nor the instruments of illness which lead toward it.

Please broaden the definition of disease to include any deterioration which diminishes your well-being and wholeness. A disease can just as easily be a bad attitude, an unforgiving spirit, a bitter heart, an eruptive and angry tongue, a fundamentally flawed will that does not resist addictions. In Jesus, the good news of the gospel works to liberate us from these deformative and degenerative diseases so that on the inside our personality and disposition increasingly resembles that of Jesus.

3. He redeems your life from the pit. The pit represents the abyss from which you cannot escape. God reaches His long arm into the pitch-dark hole of depression or despair where you lie helpless and imprisoned, grabs you strongly, pulls you up and sets your feet on solid ground in the sunlight of His presence.

4. He crowns your life with love and compassion. A crown of righteousness, life and glory waits for you in heaven (2 Tim. 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Pet. 5:4). Right now, the Lord wants you to wear a crown of love and compassion. Let others seek the crown of success, riches or power. God has a better gift for you.

5. He satisfies your desires with good things. The principal horror of depression is its total lack of hope. But God is committed to bringing good into your life—no matter what. The subtlety of temptation is that it bids you to believe you are headed down into the pit of nonfulfillment if you obey God, when the opposite is true: "At Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Ps. 16:11). There's no disappointment in Jesus.

6. He renews your life like the eagle's. Trap an eagle and confine him to a dark cage. He won't live long. He lives best when he flies free. You're no different—and that's why the Lord has provided "all His benefits" (Ps. 103:2 ) for "all the oppressed" (v. 6). Note the word "all." Our Lord is not a God who has pets nor is He a respecter of persons. His favor applies to all who call upon Him.

Our Basis for Confidence

How can we be sure God is like this? We have the records of generations to whom He has revealed himself (v. 7). His character is seen in how He helped Israel and what He's done for you (vv. 8-12). And if that's not enough to convince you, observe His tender parenting (vv. 13-18). Your life has a fixed center of stability because the Lord reigns (v. 19).

Expectations

From Radio Free Babylon

Click image to enlarge

A Sign Without the Word Points Nowhere

I'm still thinking about the article by Matt Sorger -Just Show Me the Stuff - that I commented on yesterday in my post A Wise Warning to the Prophetic Movement. Here's another excerpt. I've highlighted a sentence in the second paragraph below that I think is of crucial importance.

The sign I am most after these days is the sign of a life transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to see people hungry to truly apply the Word of God to their lives—not desiring simply to hear something new but to put into practice what they already know.

I want to see people walking in love. I want to see people living righteously. I want to see people knowing who they are in Christ so the devil can't continually beat them up. I want to see people experience the abundant life Jesus came to give them. I want to see people preaching the gospel in power, laying hands on the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. But we can never forget that the power of the gospel is revealed through the foolishness of preaching—not just preaching our good stories, but preaching the Word of God with power and authority. A sign without the Word points nowhere.

I want to encourage the body of Christ in these days to evaluate everything you have believed and be sure it is pure gospel. Go back and read the New Testament from cover to cover and ask the Holy Spirit to write upon your heart the full counsel of God's Word as revealed in the New Covenant. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth and to be sure your foundations are strong and solid.

Never neglect God's Word. It has the power to change your life. As you soak in God's Word and in His presence, you will live a truly Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered life that will make a real difference in the world around you. Go and be the salt and light God has called you to be!

It is a very important point that signs follow the Word. I've known people who have experienced the power of God, but later turned away from Jesus to embrace this world. Their problem was that they got a sign without following its pointing to the Word of God. The Word (Living and Written) did not get deep in their heart, and they fell away.

The meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words translated in our English Bibles as Messiah and Christ is simply "Anointed One." The anointing of God's Spirit abides in fullness on Jesus, the Anointed One. We need good preaching of and about Jesus Christ before trying for signs, because signs follow the Word and the anointing abides on the Anointed One.

If you want an anointed message- accurately proclaim Jesus Christ in His fullness. If you want an anointed sermon - talk about Jesus and say what Jesus said. If you want an anointed life - abide in Jesus Christ. If you want an anointed ministry- represent Jesus Christ in action and character and give Him all the glory. Putting signs or experiences first is getting the cart before the horse, creates signs that point nowhere, and is leading in some circles to an idolatry of experience over truth.

Spiritual Gift Series

Adrian Warnock from New Frontiers in Great Britain has recently run a great blog series on spiritual gifts. Here's links to some of his posts. I recommend his teaching as balanced and practical.

• Q and A - Gifts Of The Holy Spirit
• Gifts Of The Holy Spirit - Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge
• The Gifts Of The Spirit — Faith, Healings, and Miracles
  
• Gifts of The Spirit —Discerning Spirits, Tongues, and Interpretation

• The Gift Of Prophecy - What Is It For?

• The Gift Of Prophecy – What It Is NOT
  

• The Gift of Prophecy — Dangers to Avoid
• Seeking the Giver and His Gifts

Chesterton on Miracles

"Somehow or other an extraordinary idea has arisen that the disbelievers in miracles consider them coldly and fairly, while believers in miracles accept them only in connection with some dogma. The fact is quite the other way. The believers in miracles accept them (rightly or wrongly) because they have evidence for them. The disbelievers in miracles deny them (rightly or wrongly) because they have a doctrine against them." -G.K. Chesterton

Hat Tip: bob.blog: Chesterton on Miracles

Five Core Values in Seven Simple Words

Love this article by Dianne Leman on Five Core Values, Seven Simple Words at Vineyard USA. This explains what we do every Sunday at our church, and every where else, anywhere else, we can.

Can I pray for you right now? These seven words—seven simply supernatural words—capture the essence of the five core values of the Vineyard movement:

• The Theology and Practice of the Kingdom of God
• Experiencing God
• Reconciling Community
• Compassionate Ministry
• Culturally Relevant Mission

At the Vineyard of Champaign-Urbana , where I pastor, we encourage everyone to be attentive and ready to speak these seven words wherever the opportunity arises—whether in the church building, on the street, or in our homes or workplaces. And in this practice of praying for others, we express the Vineyard’s five core values.

We offer to pray because we believe the kingdom of God has come, and we trust that at any moment the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit may break in and bring healing to our broken world.

We experience God when we respond to the Holy Spirit’s nudges and ask, “Can I pray for you right now?” As we pray, we sense God’s heart, we share his love, and we receive his guidance. We are actually partnering with God! His empowering presence fills us and flows through us.

Hat Tip: Rick Ianiello

Testimony from "Miracle Boy"

Last month I wrote about a young man in our church who was healed of throat cancer. Last night at our baptism and communion service he spoke to the congregation for the first time since his healing. I want to emphasize that this is not one of those "I know someone who knows someone whose sister heard about" stories. I heard all of this first hand last night from the man it happened to.

A few months ago Dustin was diagnosed with cancer of the throat. He had a growing tumor that eventually closed his esophagus to the point where he could not swallow food or water. The presence of the tumor was confirmed by multiple x-rays and MRI scans. He was put on a feeding tube for nourishment. The treatment plan designed by his doctors included chemo-therapy to be followed by drastic surgery to remove the tumor along with his esophagus and larynx. The doctor planned to build a new esophagus out of tissue from his stomach. Needless to say, Dustin would never speak again.

Our church began praying for Dustin with great intensity. His situation and need were featured on our e-mail prayer chain for many weeks. He was in our second morning service the Sunday (August 24) before his scheduled surgery and received hands-on ministry and prayer for healing.

No specialists were available locally to do this procedure. Dustin went to a facility in a neighboring state for what he expected to be a totally life altering event. Well, it was, but not in the way he thought!

The specialist did final scans which showed the large tumor present in his throat. Nothing had changed. After he was put under anesthesia, Dustin's doctors decided to do one final check before cutting. A camera was inserted in his throat. The doctor could see nothing but some scar tissue. The tumor was gone! Further scans could find no trace of the tumor.

When Dustin woke up he could not feel any scars and thought "oh no, I've woken up before the surgery!" Then his father told him, "son, it's gone!" Dustin ate a steak dinner that night!

Our pastor asked Dustin: "When we prayed for you to be healed, did you believe it would happen?" He answered "Not really, but I believe now!"

I have tried to be restrained in my language and tone in writing this. However, I do not know any other words to describe this than miraculous. Dustin has referred to himself as "Miracle Boy."

I am glad for all the testimonies of healing in our church. Back in July I wrote about a women facing a liver transplant who was healed and told that her liver is now more healthy than that of her doctor. We have seen four people healed of Hepatitis C. But more important, and more miraculous, than those healing stories are the testimonies of those who have found salvation - we have baptized adults every month for about two years (plus a few children of members). We have baptized married couples who have found the Lord together. We also rejoice in the stories of those who have experienced renewal- feeling the presence and love of God for the first time. We rejoice in the marriages saved, the families restored, the lonely ones placed in a church family.

God is good, and it is good to be in a place and among a people where His activity is expected and seen.

Evangelicals & the Supernatural

I've been meaning all week to highlight and comment on this post from Dan Edelen at Cerulean Sanctum from last Monday: Evangelicals and the Realm of the Supernatural

....Yet if one reads enough Reformed/Calvinist literature, it’s impossible to escape the reality that the devil doesn’t get much mention, with sin getting almost all the press. This, at least to me, seems a major oversight.

In many other Evangelical churches today, especially nondenominational, the devil gets a minor mention (as does sin), but the real enemy is made out to be negative thoughts patterns and practices. Again, this avoids the very real teaching that our foe is a being.

There’s a reason why these blinders exist.

The problem with these two viewpoints is they both avoid the truth that the enemy of the Christian is a supernatural entity that can’t be dealt with by human knowledge or through behavior modification. Yet this is how we deal with him in too many of our churches because to deal with him as a supernatural being necessitates holding a worldview that is consistently open to the daily intersection of the supernatural world with our own.

And the supernatural is…well, messy. It involves all sorts of nonrational thinking and practice, which scares the willies out of folks who like to be able to wrap their brains around everything they equate with the realm of God.

So I think that the reason you hear almost nothing about the prime foe of the Christian in large swaths of Evangelicalism is that acknowledging him as a supernatural being mandates believing that the supernatural is the “natural” state of the Christian life. By relegating the devil to a mere mention now and then some evangelicals think they can avoid dealing with the plane beyond this existence. In fact, I would say there’s a distinct inverse relationship: The more an evangelical places the opposition to the Christan in non-demonic sources, the less likely he or she will be to accept visions, charismata, and “mystical experiences” as part of the normal Christian life.

This argument may seem obvious to some of you, but it explains a great deal.

His argument here makes a lot of sense to me. I like his phrase "the supernatural is the 'natural' state of the Christian life." In Vineyard circles we call it being "naturally supernatural," as noted in my post from last Sunday.

We need to walk in a balance between spiritual warfare against the Devil and dealing with the flesh and temptations of worldliness. The Bible teaches that all three are enemies of our souls. As in so many other doctrines and practices, it all comes down to Biblical balance.

I Want to Do the Stuff

Eric Jones wants to do the stuff! TRANSFORMED DAILY!: I want to do it all

Am I a disciple of Christ? What does a disciple look like? I think of two scriptures where Jesus told us what he wants His disciples to be doing.

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

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. - Matthew 28:19-20

God, I ask that you would send me just as you sent your original twelve disciples – preaching the kingdom of God, healing the sick, raising the dead, driving out demons, baptizing, and teaching others to obey all of your commands. You say that we have all the authority in you to do these things for your kingdom; may it be so in my life. I want to do it all and be used by you for your glory. May I get out of the way and let you do your full work in me and through me.

As a Vineyard guy, I love the story from John Wimber's testimony when he attended a church service for the first time. Coming from the world of pop music, he had been reading the Gospels but had no church background. Upon leaving his first church service, he said to the preacher "That was interesting, but when do you do the stuff?" The pastor was totally confused - what do you mean "stuff" he asked? John replied, " You know, the Jesus stuff; healing the sick, casting out demons. I read about it in the book." "Oh," said the preacher, "we don't do that stuff anymore!" John made it his life mission to do the stuff, and to teach others to do what Jesus did.

I agree with Wimber and with Eric Jones above - I want to do the Stuff! I want to be part of a church where doing the stuff is normal and expected. I want to take the stuff outside of the church walls and into the streets. Am I doing it yet? Sometimes, in some partial ways. Nope, can't say I've arrived yet. But I am seeking and seeing signs of hope. I know people who are doing it more than I am. God's Word, commission and promises are more important than my (so far) limited experience.

Anyone want to join us on this quest?