Ponderings on health..............

Got a lot of thoughts pouring out of my brain today, nothing new really, ha! But today I want to talk about living in good health. I see so many people coming into grace getting freer and freer from things that used to hold them back, and from health issues too. But many are still frustrated with issues that they can't get answers for. What does this mean? And how do we deal with it? 

What if the answer to your health issue was a simple practicality? What if it was a matter of being led into all truth in life in ways that would benefit your health as a whole? What if we don't get that instant healing when we were prayed over, does that mean we lack faith or won't get healed? How do we deal with this? Do we give up and embrace our sickness? I mean doesn't salvation mean, healing, wholeness and preservation? How exactly does that come to us? 

I believe that signs, wonders and healing confirm the Gospel being preached. I believe that we will see instant healing and I believe at times we won't. What if we were healed one day, but then the next day went back out and indulged in addictions of food that don't benefit us and ate (insert most disgustingly unhealthy food of choice)_______, and then got ourselves sick again. I mean do we not remember that all things ARE lawful, but not all ARE beneficial?? Don't you think that God wants us to live in the beneficial things of life for our own benefit, not because it changes things between us and Him? Don't you think He is kind enough to teach us all things pertaining to life? Like leading us into truth regarding healthy eating choices so we can enjoy those benefits of good health? And even if we don't go down that path, there is no condemnation for sure. But I do believe our choices reap in whatever we have sown. Don't you?

I used to wonder how 'practicals' fit into the grace message. I detested 'practicals' because they were so heavily taught in my old church as a way to attain godliness and holiness. But what if we ditched all of that thinking, which doesn't line up with the gospel anyway, and we decided we wanted to learn some practical advice for life that will benefit us. A year ago or so, I was not able to even entertain the idea of practical life advice and I still don't seek it out heavily, unless I am ready to learn in an area of life that I want to see benefit me. I trust the Holy Spirit to teach me from the inside out, and I trust that He will encourage me through my brothers and sisters and inspire me into benefits through them as well. Sometimes, I do need a bit of nudging, lovingly of course from those I trust and know that love me. ;)

So today I am here to simply bring this up, cause I personally am very passionate about living in better health. I am very intrigued by learning about nutrition and love to talk about it. I certainly don't have all the answers, nor do I want to ever be legalistic about how I approach any area of my life. However, I do want to talk about what I am learning and I do want to encourage and help other people. I mean what if all it was for you today was a simple fix to an imbalance in nutrients you may have? Would you want to know about it? Anyway............ I have to say, I have seen my life being transformed from the inside out since grace came to me and I am so amazed and so thankful. I have also seen an insatiable hunger within me to live in a whole way. To experience vibrant health and vigor in life. I have seen many things fall away that were hindering me and I am thankful. Yet I still have unresolved health issues that I would like to see resolved.  I also greatly desire to learn how to take care of my health and greatly desire to help others live in better health too. I feel, much like we want to get a good diet of grace, chew up the meat and spit out the bones, we want to do the same with our temples/bodies too. I notice when I am full of yummy nourishing grace teaching my spirit soars and I feel so satisfied. It's much like that when I nourish my physical body as well. 

That all said, I just wanted to get it out there that I love to learn about health and I love to talk about it too, ( I think we all have areas in life that we can share beneficial things with others), and may start bringing it up a bit more on here, just in a broad way. But I pray today that God will bless your food to your body, nourish you and protect you and cause you to flourish in your health!! Grace and peace!!!

Bertie Brits............

Last night I had the privilege of hearing Bertie Brits preach, about an hour and a half away from my home. I was accompanied by Chetana,  the lovely woman I had run into earlier in the week. We had awesome fellowship and conversations the whole way there. I am so glad she could come with me. 

When we got to the church we quickly realized that the hosting church was mostly Indian, and Chetana was thrilled as she is also Indian. Just another kindness of God, 'eh. We enjoyed some time singing and then the pastor of the church briefly spoke before he introduced Bertie. This man was in love with Jesus and thrilled to share about Jesus with us. I enjoyed hearing his passion to share that the whole Bible speaks of the one man Jesus! 

Then Bertie came up to preach. I had a smile on my face the entire time I think. He spoke the truth and preached the Gospel in all it's purity and with such vigor. It was funny cause he confirmed a lot of what Chetana and I had discussed on our ride up. It just reminded me, we really cannot help but speak of what we have seen and heard. This message truly is GOOD NEWS. It's not too good to be true, it's so good because it is SO TRUE!!! I really truly never tire of hearing of it!! 

I jotted down a few things Bertie said that to me were power packed quotes (perfect facebook statuses, hee hee). He talked about how we were so valuable to God. He said; 'The value of something is what you are willing to pay for it. You have such value to God because of what He was willing to pay for you!'  I just think that is so powerful and so comforting. He also said, and I have heard Joseph Prince share this too, and I really need to keep being reminded of this; 'If change is not effortless it will never last.'  How true is that?!! It's not our efforts EVER, folks. It is always Him iniating through us. I love that - freeing indeed! He also described the flesh, or being in the flesh as the same thing as being under that law. That was important for me to see it that way. 

After he spoke he invited people up for prayer. Both Chetana and I went up. When Bertie prayed for me, first he asked me my name. I said, 'Lydia'. He said, 'Oh you're Julie's friend!" Julie had just spoken with Bertie earlier in the day, and told him to look out for me!  Bertie had stayed with Aaron and Julie just this past March when he came to minister at their church. He also has contributed to Julie's blog as well. Anyway, I asked him to pray for some health issues I have had for some time. He did, and then he told me to put my hand on my stomach and he prayed for the issues in my stomach, of which I had not told him about. That really meant a lot to me. I have had such troubles with my gut in the past year and half or more. It has been one of my most frustrating issues, but I had forgotten to ask for prayer, since it wasn't currently bothering me. So that really blessed me, it showed me God was looking out for me!! 

All in all it was a fabulous evening. So wonderful to be in a fellowship of like minded believers knit together by this glorious Gospel! I hope to get out to hear him again on Sunday, when he will be in Philadelphia! I highly recommend checking out Bertie's teaching! 

(sorry about the quality of the photo, we took it from Chetana's cell phone)

Lazarus come forth.........

John 11

The Death of Lazarus

 ¹Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ²This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. ³So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."

 ⁴When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." ⁵Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

 ⁷Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

 ⁸"But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"

 ⁹Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. ¹⁰It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light."

 ¹¹After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."

 ¹²His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." ¹³Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

 ¹⁴So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

 ¹⁶Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

Jesus Comforts the Sisters

 ¹⁷On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁹and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. ²⁰When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

 ²¹"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

 ²³Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

 ²⁴Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

 ²⁵Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; ²⁶and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

 ²⁷"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

 ²⁸And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." ²⁹When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. ³¹When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

 ³²When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

 ³³When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴"Where have you laid him?" he asked. 
      "Come and see, Lord," they replied.

 ³⁵Jesus wept.

 ³⁶Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

 ³⁷But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

 ³⁸Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹"Take away the stone," he said. 
      "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

 ⁴⁰Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

 ⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

 ⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. 
      Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

A faith builder...........

Then and now..............

I am restored and made new......................

So, what's the difference in my life since then, since I was living in confusion about who I was in Christ and how God felt about me?

Well, then, I lived often confused, often feeling like I wasn't ever good enough, like I wasn't mature and needed to somehow 'grow' and be more holy, have more discipline in my life.

Now, I know I am holy, set apart to God! He said it not me! I don't need to be sanctified, I already am. I can't do anything more or less to attain my status or change it! I am complete and whole in Him, PERIOD!! (My 'sanctification' if you will is just me getting a greater and greater hold on who I am, believing in the Truth and letting it do it's work in me)

Back then, I often felt depressed, but didn't know it. Endlessly emotional, tossed to and fro. Tired, mentally, physically and spiritually. Self-conscious and insecure. Struggling with fear of man and what I could do to please people.

Now, I am full of joy and totally know it!! I am happy and growing more and more stable as time rolls on. Physically energized, mentally stimulated and spiritually alive!! Christ conscious and VERY SECURE!! Now I do not give in to fear of man like I did back then. It's tempting, but no thanks!!

Back then, I was wary of people. I scrutinized everyone and often judged others in my heart. I had a hard time making 'real' friends and relating to others. My relationship with God was impaired. My relationship with my husband was wrought with angst and criticism. My relationship with my kids was more about correction and teaching them, than accepting and loving them.

Now, I see people as precious loved ones of a most High God. I am quicker to accept others and not regard them according to their flesh, but instead according to how God sees them. Whether saved or unsaved. I have some of the best friends I have ever had in my whole life, and can be totally real and honest with them. My relationship with God has never been better. We talk, we laugh, we grieve, dance, play and love together. My husband and I are now live in peace and happiness and no longer judge each other. I adore my kids and regard them as precious. I can't believe how much I love them and no longer view them as 'objects' to train and teach, but as unique individuals that I can nuture and encourage.

Then, I lived with a lot of guilt. Condemnation consumed me. I could barely function. I was uptight and grumpy often. I didn't know who I really was. Depression was my companion and I did not know how to get free from it.

Now, I am free from guilt, shame and condemnation. Not just in the sense that that is True in God's Word, but I am living in that truth now. And if condemnation ever comes my way, I stand up fight and it quickly goes. I function out of peace and just go with the flow of what each new day brings. Enjoying the fresh mercies God sends along daily. I am much freer and happier. Joy is my constant companion. I am beginning to find my true self, and all the passions I held inside are now bursting forth with fresh life!!

"Christ has set us

free to live a free life.

So take your stand!

Never again let anyone

put a harness

of slavery on you."

- Galatians 5:1

The Message

Receive your healing today!!!

You and I, we are meant to be whole! In spirit, soul and body! I am believing that I am becoming whole!! Lately, I have been believing God for my healing from asthma, allergies, chronic sinusitus, headaches, migraines, pain all down the right side of my body, eczema and some other issues with my health. Watching the Lakeland Revival, listening to great preaching and visiting a Healing Room have all been ignitors of my faith for my healing. Reading God's Word on the matter keeps my focus on my healing and inheritance steady! However, by my faith, confessions or efforts I will not be healed. It is only by believing in Jesus and what He has done for me!!! On the cross he carried my sickness and bore my infirmities!!

Over the past several months I have gradually seen an increase in wellness manifest in my body. Prior to that for 6 months straight I was sick all the time. Over the years I have struggled greatly with asthma, and sinus infections, especially in the fall, my favorite time of year no less. Lately though, I haven't experienced the usual fall sickness or symptoms!! Yahoo! I have felt quite healthy and am only getting healthier~! I no longer have sinus infections, migraines, headaches, aches all down the side of my body!! And I believe that one day I will wake up free from all the ailments that have been plaguing me for TOO LONG!!! I have heard this quote flying around that, "one day with sickness is one day too long!!"  I must agree. If God is not the author of sickness, we know who is, and I for one do not want to be linked in anyway to his schemes! 

So, I thought I'd share a bit of my journey into healing. Oh, and I personally haven't done a thing to change my own health, I'm just believing God on this!! My hope is to see more and more folks embrace their healing. After all it is your inheritance! Take it by storm if you have to - it's yours!!! I don't care if others aren't getting healed and that clouds your faith! (Not that I am saying I don't have compassion for those who aren't yet healed!!) Unfortunately, their reality or even your reality (with an illness) is not God's reality for you!!! I want to say to you don't give up! Do not fall into unbelief and accept your sickness!! I am not suggesting striving in any way, just listening to the word of God on this again and again until you believe it! 

That said, I must share a wonderful video teaching done by Bertie Brits. Thanks to Julie for finding this guy!! It is a wonderful grace filled teaching and I highly recommend checking it out today, don't wait! One more day with sickness is far too long!!! 

(When you click on the link, go to the bottom of the page to find the video teaching.........)

Heidi Baker......

Well as promised I continue my tales of the Women on the Frontlines Conference. Thursday night with Jim Goll was powerful! But Friday with Heidi Baker, was just as awesome, but in a different way. Both of these truly wonderful folks have such an obvious love for God that pours off of them. Heidi came to the conference totally jet lagged, missed a flight, didn't sleep and could barely walk up to the front. I couldn't believe she was even there! Apparently, she had arrived and several ladies, whom she knew just spent the entire worship time loving up on her and praying over her. When she came up to speak, she simply sat down on the steps to the podium and invited everyone to come up to the altar and just be close. As we all headed up she shared how we all just need each other, we just need to press in to His presence together. Heidi didn't really share an actual message, she just shared out of her heart. She shared how she felt so weak and so broken. She shared about some of her trials in Mozambique, and how recently she was robbed. All her technology was stolen, cameras, projects she was working on and a lot of her clothes.

Some of her affiliates went out to look for her stuff and the people that took it, and all they came back with were some of her clothes filled with bullet holes. She shared a testimony of a woman with gnarled hands, who couldn't really walk and had come to Heidi's home to beg for her help. Heidi was so honest about how she wished she didn't have to see this woman. She wished she could have her sight taken, it was too painful to look at. The woman also came with a pile of kids (that's what Heidi said), a pile of kids and she had no where to go. So Heidi welcomed her into her hut and told her she would figure something out for her. I really appreciated her pure honesty, in that she is essentially a missionary to these people in Mozambique, and sometimes she just can't handle the pain and trials that come. So the whole morning was about letting yourself be weak, and letting God just love you and fill you up. Fill up the broken vessels, so He can pour out through them! She did read from Scripture a bit, the one passage I remember was Colossians 1: 24- 29, Christ in you the hope of glory!! I just love that passage!!

Much of the time we just all worshipped and ladies prayed for one another. I met Jen from Lancaster, and we prayed together. I met Kathy from Maine and we talked about our challenges faced due to broken church situations. More and more people these days are experiencing deep hurts from church splits or break ups or whatever, it is far too common! I remember hearing Heidi saying, "Why can't we just be Christians, I just want to be a Christian, I just want to be Christ like." I don't remember why she brought it up, but I think she hit something that everyone else in the room felt. I guess my re-telling may not do this meeting justice. But what I believe came out of it was good for me in the sense of it made me aware of my need for the Body and how good it can be to be really raw and broken and real in a context like that, amidst people who can't help but care, instead of being with the sharks who will attack you while you are weak.

I was undone by Heidi Baker's total pure real open self, I just loved her!! Even though I didn't experience the intense supernatural tangibleness of God like I did at the conference with Bill Johnson, I think I learned how to allow myself to be broken, and be more okay with it, because God's glory can shine through us better when we surrender and are broken - does that make sense? I realized I wanted to be more free in this way, not in a condemning performance sort of way, but I just want to be me, and I sense that the Lord is breaking me in a way to be a carrier of compassion for other women who are hurting and don't know how to let it all hang out!! That was the whole point of the conference to get to a place to be a warrior of compassion, and how can I have that warring sense of compassion for others if I am not myself experiencing my own brokenness and need for the healing balm of the Lord and the Lord's tender mercy and compassion all over me first!!! I just really believe that we need to let ourselves be loved, let ourselves be weak, so His grace can pour out and shine through!! In other words as much joy and peace as I do have in my life, there are challenges, even persecution, in the sense that you know people are opposing you. But, it's worth it to go through, knowing it's all for Him and that He will heal our hearts and strengthen our hearts.

I guess this concludes my post, but I will continue in another post, about our time Friday night................................

Heidi Baker......

Well as promised I continue my tales of the Women on the Frontlines Conference. Thursday night with Jim Goll was powerful! But Friday with Heidi Baker, was just as awesome, but in a different way. Both of these truly wonderful folks have such an obvious love for God that pours off of them. Heidi came to the conference totally jet lagged, missed a flight, didn't sleep and could barely walk up to the front. I couldn't believe she was even there! Apparently, she had arrived and several ladies, whom she knew just spent the entire worship time loving up on her and praying over her. When she came up to speak, she simply sat down on the steps to the podium and invited everyone to come up to the altar and just be close. As we all headed up she shared how we all just need each other, we just need to press in to His presence together. Heidi didn't really share an actual message, she just shared out of her heart. She shared how she felt so weak and so broken. She shared about some of her trials in Mozambique, and how recently she was robbed. All her technology was stolen, cameras, projects she was working on and a lot of her clothes.

Some of her affiliates went out to look for her stuff and the people that took it, and all they came back with were some of her clothes filled with bullet holes. She shared a testimony of a woman with gnarled hands, who couldn't really walk and had come to Heidi's home to beg for her help. Heidi was so honest about how she wished she didn't have to see this woman. She wished she could have her sight taken, it was too painful to look at. The woman also came with a pile of kids (that's what Heidi said), a pile of kids and she had no where to go. So Heidi welcomed her into her hut and told her she would figure something out for her. I really appreciated her pure honesty, in that she is essentially a missionary to these people in Mozambique, and sometimes she just can't handle the pain and trials that come. So the whole morning was about letting yourself be weak, and letting God just love you and fill you up. Fill up the broken vessels, so He can pour out through them! She did read from Scripture a bit, the one passage I remember was Colossians 1: 24- 29, Christ in you the hope of glory!! I just love that passage!!

Much of the time we just all worshipped and ladies prayed for one another. I met Jen from Lancaster, and we prayed together. I met Kathy from Maine and we talked about our challenges faced due to broken church situations. More and more people these days are experiencing deep hurts from church splits or break ups or whatever, it is far too common! I remember hearing Heidi saying, "Why can't we just be Christians, I just want to be a Christian, I just want to be Christ like." I don't remember why she brought it up, but I think she hit something that everyone else in the room felt. I guess my re-telling may not do this meeting justice. But what I believe came out of it was good for me in the sense of it made me aware of my need for the Body and how good it can be to be really raw and broken and real in a context like that, amidst people who can't help but care, instead of being with the sharks who will attack you while you are weak.

I was undone by Heidi Baker's total pure real open self, I just loved her!! Even though I didn't experience the intense supernatural tangibleness of God like I did at the conference with Bill Johnson, I think I learned how to allow myself to be broken, and be more okay with it, because God's glory can shine through us better when we surrender and are broken - does that make sense? I realized I wanted to be more free in this way, not in a condemning performance sort of way, but I just want to be me, and I sense that the Lord is breaking me in a way to be a carrier of compassion for other women who are hurting and don't know how to let it all hang out!! That was the whole point of the conference to get to a place to be a warrior of compassion, and how can I have that warring sense of compassion for others if I am not myself experiencing my own brokenness and need for the healing balm of the Lord and the Lord's tender mercy and compassion all over me first!!! I just really believe that we need to let ourselves be loved, let ourselves be weak, so His grace can pour out and shine through!! In other words as much joy and peace as I do have in my life, there are challenges, even persecution, in the sense that you know people are opposing you. But, it's worth it to go through, knowing it's all for Him and that He will heal our hearts and strengthen our hearts.

I guess this concludes my post, but I will continue in another post, about our time Friday night................................

Do you see this woman?

I honestly don't even know where to begin, as I share about the conference. It was one of those times that you know a lot is going on inside and you just can't figure out what it all means yet. I know God was doing something deep in me, and I don't fully know what yet, but I believe it will be evident in time, as the fruit of my time comes out in my life.

There was so much intense beauty in all that was shared over the course of a few days. One thing that struck me as I have come back and reflected is the unity that was so available there. I can't explain fully what I mean. But it was a time where so many folks, women mostly, just let themselves be loved and ministered to by the Holy Spirit. There were a lot of tears shed and much healing was taking place. I just believe God was unifying his body in a corporate way, in a healing way, to strengthen those who attended to take it back with them to their own churches, families, communities.

I just felt that this conference allowed me to grieve and process over the hurt and angst that came along with leaving my former church a year ago. The Lord allowed me to grieve and to process on a deeper level, over broken relationships, ones that no longer exist simple because I left a church. By letting myself grieve, I was opened up in a way for more healing more restoration and tender love from the Father. He showed me His love afresh and I realize, the more I let myself be loved by Him, the more I carry love for others that just comes unexplainably. I think the hard thing is, over time, I can't let the people go, as much as I wish I could, it would be so much easier. But I know that my life is not just about me, it's about my place in His Body. It also opened my heart in on a deeper level to love and have compassion for those who are longing for more of their God and need greater levels of freedom in Christ. I think we just get so hung up on right doctrines and right ways of living that we miss out on being real and totally raw and weak even! The truth is the Body of Christ is hurting! The Body of Christ needs loved up on!!!! The Body of Christ needs to chuck away all it's differences and all of the things dividing one from and another and unite in the love of God! I mean why on earth do we let hurts and divisions linger? That is missing the point of all that we have been given in Christ. I just feel like a new season is rising up, where we just need to stand together! Stand together despite all of our hurts, or fears or misgivings!

Anyway, that is not what I sat down to write about, but I can't ignore the fact that unity in Him hasn't been heavy on my heart. We all just need Him as much as the next person. We all need to stand up together and declare the wonderful works and goodness of our amazing God and Father who has caused us all to be born again to a LIVING hope in Christ Jesus!!!
Okay again, I can't help myself. Back to content.....

Thursday night, Amy and I arrived at the church a bit early for the conference. It was pouring down rain! After we had gone into the building, several people were staring out the window and someone said, "Did you see the rainbow?" I quickly ran outside to see a gorgeous full rainbow, with another faint one up above it. This gave me such joy and reminded me that the last time I had come to Life Center for a conference I had seen a rainbow the night before. Interestingly, I was wearing linen overalls covered with ladies holding umbrellas. Don't ask me why, but it seemed prophetic that I was wearing them. Several ladies and I discussed this, and as I continue on with my story it may become more clear. So moving on, we headed up to get our seats, which were all taken so we sat in the front on the floor. Worship was wonderful, led by Julie Meyer, a very prophetically gifted worship leader. Julie had a wonderful way of just getting worship to flow so that you were just quickly ushered in to the presence of the Lord. It was quite transcendant! After worship, Patricia King gave some testimonies regarding giving and sowing into the Kingdom. Then there was a beautiful prophetic act done by some ladies. They all carried red umbrellas and did a dance to a beautiful song about seasons of rain. Anyway, at the end of their song they all walked over to Michal Ann Goll, who is currently stricken with cancer and in a lot of pain and covered her with their umbrellas. (I guess you just had to be there to see the beauty in this act.) Then they all went up front and turned the umbrellas upside down as containers for people to bring an offering.


Worship continued a bit, and then Jim Goll came up to share. I had not yet heard much about Jim Goll, all I knew of him was that he wrote books and that there were two of his books I wanted to read. I was quite blessed by him that night, I will do my best to share of it here. Jim Goll was unpredictable, he was tender, crazy, really real and open, fierce and wild and passionate and just loveable!! As the focus of the conference was women, women on the frontlines, warriors of compassion, Jim spent a bit of time talking about his dear wife. I imagine she may normally have spoken at a conference like this but due to her health, she could not. Regardless, Jim did an excellent job and I believe it was crucial that a man shared at a conference like this. ( I will explain why in a bit). Jim shared that when he found his wife, he got himself a sweet deal. She was beautiful, had a 24 inch waistline, could sing like an angel, play the piano and cook for him. He said he had it made in the shade. Until one day, she started to speak up. Apparently, Jim had treated her more like a trophy and a maid than the woman she truly was. He didn't understand her true value as a woman. He shared about a time when the Lord spoke to him. He, being a man in ministry, was exposed to many "important" men of God. He had had the privilege of being sharpened by them and God reminded him of these men. Jim of course thought with pride, yup all these great men have influenced me so well. Then the Lord told him to look over at his wife asleep next to him. So he did. The Lord told him, "She has been more of a man to you than all these men combined!" Whoa! That was a turning point for him and he began to see his wife with different eyes from then on. He proceeded to talk about how for so long men in the church (meaning corporately) have not seen woman as they should. So much confusion has been in the church over whether or not women should be allowed in ministry or not. He then read a list of woman's names out of the Bible and their roles in the church. This was powerful!! This led to him apologizing to the women and asking for forgiveness for the men for how they have not seen the women as they should. Oh you could hear a pin drop! He spent at least 30 minutes walking around to numerous ladies and looking them in the eye, saying will you forgive us? He said, if he had time he'd would go to each and every woman there and ask for coporate forgiveness. There was not a dry eye in the building. What an intensely beautiful moment! I just had so much respect for this man. I wish so many folks I knew could have been there, it truly was a powerful time!! (By the way as soon as these messages and dvd's are available online, I will be sure to link to them, in case anyone may be interested in checking them out!)
He then gave a message on the woman in Luke 7. This too was a powerful message. This is the woman who came and soaked Jesus feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair and poured out expensive perfume all over him. The Pharisees had a little problem with this, they knew who this woman was. She was a sinner, a harlot. (I wonder how they knew?) And they seemed to disdain this beautiful act of worship. The text says in Luke 7:39; "Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." In verse 44, Jesus turns toward the woman, while still speaking to Simon, "Do you see this woman?" Jim really stressed how Jesus turned away from the man he was speaking to and looked at the woman. "Do you see this woman?' He didn't go on to describe her lavish act of worship, as we have all heard that point made time and time again. No, he really wanted to stress the "Do you see this woman?" He wanted to bring out the value of the woman, who she was was more important than what she did. And I suppose I will stop here and pick it up in another post......................................

Healing is a part of Salvation.....

Healing is just salvation impacting the natural man. That's all it is. Jesus didn't see a difference between salvation and healing to the person.
We can get a little bit of an idea of this in Mark 2:9, where Jesus said, "Whether it is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?"
We've taken what God put together in the Atonement and we've made it two seperate subjects. When Jesus went to the cross, He took our sin, iniquity, sickness, and disease there. Forgiveness and healing have never been different subjects. Healing is nothing more than the New Birth affection the human body.
We see that sin takes a toll on the human body. We can look at someone who has been in sin all their life, and we can see it on them. We can tell that they have lived a rough life. Their sin has had an adverse affect. If someone is an alcoholic for a long period of time, we can see the effects of that upon them. And when people get born again and healing begins to come into their body we can see the advantages of righteousness on them.

Jesus wanted to prove to the religious leaders that He could forgive sin. The religious leaders could only go by what they saw, so Jesus showed them salvation in the natural. He healed the lame man to show how salvation works. In other words, he said, "If you can't see redemption one way, I will show it to you another. I'll prove to you that I have the power to forgive sin. I'll tell this man to get up and walk, and he will do it." He did, and they were absolutely amazed. As the power of this gospel of salvation impacted his physical being, he stood up and walked, and salvation renewed the whole man.
Salvation is not to renew part of us, but it's to have all of us impacted by all of God.
Isaiah 53:4-5 "Surely he hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
Salvation and healing are not seperate issues. Jesus didn't see them that way. We will never walk in the full measure of power to get the sick healed until we have a proper, foundational understanding of healing in the atonement.
John 3:17 says, "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."
Now if you look at this word "saved" in Strong's Concordance, in the Greek it means "sozo." That word means "deliver, protect, heal, preserve, save, do well, to make whole."
If you look at that word "whole" in Matthew 9:21, it says, "If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole."
The woman with the issue of blood touched His garment and she was made whole. That word "whole" is also the Greek word "sozo." The whole person impacted by the whole God.
In Mark 10:50-52 we read, "And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, what wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."
In this passage the word "whole" is also "sozo", "to be completed." You see salvation is to impact or make whole the person in spirit, mind and body. It's not to push this work of healing on God and think that God's will is salvation for everyone, but not healing for everyone. When we push that responsibility on God, then it's "Whatever God does is OK with us." But God's will is for salvation to impact every person and also for healing to impact every person and also for healing to impact every person.
Romans 5:12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
If we look into Deuteronomy 28, we see that sickness is incipient death, or death in progress.
The passage in Romans say that by on man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. Through the fall of Adam, sin entered the world through disobedience, and death by sin. Sickness is incipient death. Since sickness is part of the curse, and only God could remove the curse, then the only way He could do it was through substitution, because of our free will.
We have a will to choose - God is not a dictator. He's not trying to force us to become His children. Through substitution, He could remove the curse.
Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."
If healing is not for us, then how can justify us, and at the same time require us to remain under the law's curse, when the Apostle Paul says you're not under the law, but under grace? (Romans 6:14)
Why should anyone remain under the law's curse if they're not under the law? That would be like putting someone in jail and keeping them there when the court has declared them innocent.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. He became our substitute. He became the curse so that the curse of sickness would come off of us and go onto Him on the cross. He bore our sickness and carried our pain.
If we're to be redeemed to God through salvation, then why should we remain under the curse of the law, which is sickness? Sickness is part of that curse. See, if the body is not included in redemption, how can there be resurrection? How can corruption put on incorruption?
1 Corinthians 15:52-54 says, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
If we were resurrected with a body still under the curse - if redemption were not impacting the physical man - and we were raised with the curse of sickness still in us, then sickness would go right up to heaven.
But Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, because He was that substitute. Sin and sickness went upon Him, so that redemption would impact the whole man, not part of man. God is coming to redeem man in spirit, mind and body. That's why corruption will put on incorruption in that day - so that healing will impact the whole person.
Since our future destiny is both spiritual and bodily, our redemption must also be both spiritually and bodily. There can be no bodily resurrection without bodily redemption. It can't happen.
Isn't God as willing to show the mercy of healing to His Body as He is to show the mercy of forgiveness to His enemies? Think about that. If salvation and healing are to impact us, and He is willing to show His mercy for salvation to His enemies, then He is also willing to show His mercy for healing to His own Body.
If Jesus is the Head of the Church, and we're the Body of Christ, then we're connected, because we have been raised with Him and we're seated with Him. We are connected. And if salvation and healing are provided by the Head, then whey should it bot also impact the Body of the Head? Why should this Body only be impacted with salvation and still have the provision of the curse - sickness - impacting the Body?
Is the Body of Christ supposed to look like the world, or is it to represent what the Head provides for it? If sickness comes from the enemy, should the things of the enemy exist in the Body of Christ? We must not look at the Church as a body of believers disconnected down here, we must see it as connected to the Head. We must have a revelation of what the Body of Christ is to look like. Not a Body with a rapture mentality. Not a Body more impacted by what the devil had done than by what God has don.
Here again, we have to go back to Ephesians 2:5-6; "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
We're a connected Body. We must begin to exemplify all that Christ provided in the atonement as the Head of that Body.
I believe that Jesus has been looking down at His Body lately, saying, "This isn't what I had in mind. I want this Body to benefit from all that I provided when I redeemed it from the curse." Redemption is to impact HIs whole Body, not part of it.
God's purpose in sending His Son to the cross was to redeem all that He created, not part of it. God 's purpose in sending His Son to the cross was to redeem all that He created, not part of it. God did not make a disposable man. He did not say, "I am coming to redeem just the spirit of man, and I'm going to discard the rest of him.
1 Corinthians 15:53-54 says; "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
When the power of redemption impacts a person, it is to impact the whole person. We must begin to move toward that understanding of redemption.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
It doesn't say "may the God of peace sanctify you partly". I says entirely. He's saying here that the spirit, soul and body must be preserved complete. When you preserve something, you leave it in the best order possible. When you preserve peaches, you get them to their optimum condition, and then you preserve them to keep them that way.
God is saying He wants to preserve His Body. He wants His Body to represent what the Head provides, so that it will be without blame at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When Jesus comes, He's coming for a Church in victory, not a church that's a victim -- a Church that is benefitting from all that He provided when He destroyed the curse, taking it upon Himself as our substitute. Salvation and healing are ours in the atonement. When Jesus comes for His Body, it's not going to be in a mess, it will be in victory, without spot or wrinkle.

(excerpt taken from Cal Pierce's teaching on "Healing in the Atonement." Cal reopened the Healing Rooms of John G. Lake, in 1999 and travels all over the US and worldwide holding conferences on Healing.)

Healing in the Atonement.....

The Power to get the sick healed

by Rev. Cal Pierce

Part of the problem that we're experiencing in the Body of Christ today comes from a thinking that is called dispensationalism. The thinking behind here is that God has dispensed of the power for the Body of Christ to get the sick healed. Rather than a Gospel of the Kingdom, we've developed a Gospel of Grace, and this dispensational thinking puts the responsibility for healing off of the Body of Christ and on to God. It says, "Well, God is sovereign. He will heal some and not others. It's up to Him." 
Isaiah 53:4 in the Hebrew meaning of that Scripture, says "Jesus bore our sickness. He carried our pain. By His stripes we were healed." 
1 Peter 2:24 in the New Testament reiterates this: "By the stripes of Jesus we are healed." 
If we go to Isaiah 53:6, it talks about the iniquity of us all being upon Jesus. From there we get our salvation.
If we can get our salvation out of verse six, then we need to get our healing out of verse four. The provision for salvation and healing are both in the atonement for a reason - so that the Body of Christ can have all the provision for the whole person to be impacted by God.
The problem with the dispensational thinking that has crept into almost every denomination is that when we say God is sovereign, we then put the responsibility of healing upon God. If the scripture is true, and the Hebrew meaning of Isaiah 53:4 is that Jesus bore our sickness and carried our pain on the cross, then it is wrong to put that work on God, as if God was going to decide whether or not He's going to heal us. Putting that responsibility on Him takes it off of us, and then we don't want to become responsible. This comes from a wrong thinking and a wrong understanding of healing in the atonement. 
Matthew 8:17 takes what Isaiah 53:4 says and brings it into the New Testament: "....so that what was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah....he bore our sickness and he carried our diseases on the cross." 
So God made provision not only for salvation impacting us, but for healing impacting us. What we're seeing happening today, and why this healing movement is coming so fast, I believe, is because as we get closer and closer to the end time, we're going to begin to carry a salvation message to the street, and we're going to back up that salvation message with a Kingdom message that doesn't just come in word, but in power, so that healing can be a sign to the lost that our God is real. 
God has kept the healing evangelist before us, but the healing evangelist was never going to do all the work. The Church has pushed the work onto the healing evangelist to come into a community, bring the anointing, do a crusade and leave. The anointing would follow after them, and the sick would also have to follow after them. But God is going to bring this healing anointing in this hour - not on somebody, but on The Body. There's a connection being made between the healing evangelist and the Healing Room type of ministry, a work that will reside in the community all year long to get the sick healed.
Part of this work is to break the barrenness off of the Church, and this wrong understanding of healing in the atonement, and to break off this dispensational thinking. 
This is fairly recent thinking. It goes back to about 1830. It says that God is somehow dispensing with that part of the Gospel--that Jesus healed the sick, but then stopped, and now today we're not to move in that kind of power. The thinking is that there's just a a Gospel of grace. This has not allowed us to be like the frog in the pot, slowly getting boiled, not knowing that we have the power and authority to walk in. This thinking puts the responsibility on God. It causes us to have a rapture mentality rather than a harvest theology. We want to get bailed out. This thinking preaches a gospel of a kingdom of heaven, a future kingdom, and leaves us in the kingdom of darkness in this world, with that rapture mentality.

God is saying to the Church in this hour, "thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven." 

1 Corinthians 4:20 says, "The kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power."

In the Greek that means "dunamis" or "dynamite power." See, we're to have a kingdom message here and now in order to move into the harvest field and move in power to destroy what the enemy has done. We're God's Body, we're the Body of Christ. It's the Body that does the work. We're to move in power, not form. We're to have a salvation message that will be backed up with a Kingdom message. We're to bring the Kingdom of God to this planet here and now as it is in heaven, so that we can move into the end-time harvest with power and authority and begin to destroy the work of the enemy.

Why would God dispense with power in the Church, yet allow the power of the enemy to exist on the planet, when He says greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world? For some reason, we're not supposed to work and move in that greater power? 

Part of the problem that this causes is that we show up on Sunday at church, we get born again, and that's it. Nothing happens. We sit in church waiting for and talking about a rapture as if we're running out the back door with the devil kicking in the front door. We think the enemy is greater than the power of God in us. 

That's the church that God is not coming for. God is not coming for a church in a mess. He's coming for a church in victory, not a church that's a victim. Not a church with spots and wrinkles, but a church without spots and wrinkles. This dispensational thinking says, "Well God is sovereign. He will heal some and not others." 

God is sovereign, but He's no liar. He says none should perish. All should come to repentance. That's what God's will is. A sovereign God will tell His Church what His will is so the Church can move in it. We're to move in the power to get the sick healed. We're to move in power to get the lost saved. We're to be impacted with Isaiah 53:6 for our salvation, and as the Body of Christ we're to be impacted by Isaiah 53:4, which states that He bore our sicknesses and He carried our pain and by HIs stripes we were healed 2000 years ago. 

We're to take that message of salvation and healing to the street, so that we can move in power to get the sick healed. Not looking for a future kingdom, but bringing the Kingdom of God into this planet here and now. It will not come in word, but it will come in power. We're to move in power in the Body of Christ. He wants His Church to move in power in order to take this harvest. 

After 9-11, when those airplanes hit the twin towers, we began to realize that in Islam they have been taught and trained not receive a salvation message. But the only message that will bring them to Christ is the Kingdom message that brings signs and wonders following after it. Those signs and wonders are undeniable. 

In Matthew 16:19 it says; "I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven." This is talking about power. "And whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 

You see, God gives power that we might bind and loose down here, and it will be backed up with a binding and loosing in heaven, because God stands behind His promise and His word. And we're to walk in that promise, we're to walk in that word, we're to walk in that power to get the sick healed. 

Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." 

You see, God is saying if you seek Him first and His righteousness, then He will bring the provision. He will bring the power to back up His word so that it will not be void. It will not go out of His mouth without accomplishing what He sends it to do.

Matthew 24:14 says; "This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come." 

If we don't have a gospel of this Kingdom, how on earth will that be fulfilled? It will be fulfilled on earth with a Church that doesn't have a partial gospel getting a partial result, but a Church that has a full gospel getting a full result, so that the Kingdom message will not just be in word, but it will be in power. So that signs and wonders will begin to follow after the Church. 

Matthew 12:28 says; "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you."

If we do this work of the gospel of the Kingdom, then the power has come. If we expel the enemy and destroy his work by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come upon us. God wants this Kingdom message to come into the Body of Christ. But dispensational thinking is putting the responsibility of this healing work onto God, and not allowing it to be on us. If Jesus is the Head of the Church and we are His Body, then it's the Body that does the work. God does not dispense with part of His gospel. Otherwise, He's not the same God that He used to be. When He says in His word, I am the same yesterday, today and forever. 

Did God hold some of His healing power back, because He's sovereign, so that some would be healed and not others?

Jesus said, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." What part of "all" are we having a hard time understanding?

Ephesians 1:22 says; "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church." 

Ephesians 2:5-6 "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

We've been raised with Him. We've been quickened with Him. We sit with Him in heavenly places. We're not a disconnected body, but a connected body. The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in this Body in order for it to carry out this Kingdom work. But this dispensational thinking has caused us to be filled with doubt and unbelief that comes through fear. It's developed in the Body a "hope so" faith for healing rather than a "know so" faith for healing. It has pushed the work on God, so that we can't pray with faith, because we don't need faith for healing when it's not our responsibility. But without faith, it's impossible to please God. 

When the Father gave all power in heaven and earth to the Son, then the responsibility for this healing work, this Kingdom work, went to Jesus and from Jesus to the Church. That's why He said that He has put all things under the feet of Jesus and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church. So God transferred the responsibility for salvation and healing to Jesus, and through Jesus to the Body, because Jesus is the head of the Church, and we're the Body of Christ. When Jesus wen to be with the Father, what did He say to the Apostles? "Where I go you cannot follow. But it will profit you, because I will be sitting at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you, and I give you the Holy Spirit." 

The same Holy Spirit that raised Him is dwelling in us - not a seperate Holy Spirit, the same one, the Bible says. And that's to bring resurrection power into the Church. 

This is why it says in John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also: and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." 

Because we're the Body, and the Body is to move in power and authority, the Body is to bring this Kingdom message, this Gospel of the Kingdom, into the planet here and now. 

The Church will begin to walk in authority and they will begin to carry this healing power to destroy the work of the enemy, because we're the Body, and the Body is supposed to do it. 

(to be continued....)

Healing Words......

Matthew 8:17 - "And thus He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, He Himself took [in order to carry away] our weaknesses and infirmities and bore away our diseases." {Isaiah 53:4}

3 John 2 - "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." 

Psalm 30:2 - "O Lord my God, I cried unto you, and you have healed me."

Psalm 34:19 - "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. "

Psalm 91:9&10 - "Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place. There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent." 

Psalm 103:3 - "Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases."

Psalm 107: 20 - "He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction." 

Matthew 9:35 - "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and every weakness and infirmity." 

Jeremiah 30:17 - "For I will restore health to you, and I will heal your wounds, says the Lord..."

Matthew 12:15 - ".....great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all." 

Matthew 14:14- " And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick."

Matthew 15:30-31 - "And great multitudes came unto Him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and He healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be made whole, the lame to walk, and the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel."

Mark 16:17 & 18 - " And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." 

Luke 4:40 - "Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them." 

John 14:12-13 -"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to My Father. And whatsoever ye ask, command, require, demand in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Romans 8:11 - " But if the Spirit  of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken you mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you." 

Hebrews 13:8 - " Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever."