THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK

Blog 102 December 3, 2018

Holy-Spirit-powerinside

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE ~ Robert Wise explores the world of divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?

In the blog just before Thanksgiving, we explored the extraordinary healing of Cyndi and the effect that experience had on Rev. Quinton Moore’s ministry. The encounter taught Quinton to have a greater dependence on the power of God. That event was only the beginning.

Cyndi’s recovery became a turning point for Quinton. He realized that divine intervention didn’t depend on how holy, spiritual, or competent he might be. The action of God was in one sense independent of him. Of course, he was the conduit that redemptive grace traveled through, but the empowerment was initiated by God alone. This insight encouraged Quinton to take divine interventions more seriously. His discovery was reinforced by a mission trip to Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

Ugandans call their churches Prayer Palaces where the services are almost endless. After several hours of congregational singing, the children’s choir performed while the sun mercilessly beat down on the hot tin roof. Finally, three hours later, the sick and infirm are carried in on mats. The twisted, broken bodies were placed down front near the pulpit. Sick people began to shout, “Preach! Yes, preach!”

Quinton stood up and proclaimed his text. “And in that day his burden will depart from your shoulder, and his yoke will be destroyed from your neck.” (Isaiah 10:27) Inspiration grew as he preached that the power of God would remove all burdens and break all yokes. Unfortunately, the translator couldn’t get it straight and finally Quinton felt his sermon was going nowhere. What he needed was to pray for the broken. Quinton jumped down from the pulpit into the midst of the struggling mass of humanity.

A 14-year old girl sat in front of him with a twisted body that left her immobile. She held up her arm and Quinton swung at her hand, hitting her palm. Immediately, the girl stood up and began clapping. She ran through the congregation with overwhelming joy. Quinton stood there more astonished than anyone in the room.

How did I do that? he thought. I can’t do such things!  

Quinton had simply reached out and asked the Holy Spirit to help a struggling girl and a miracle followed. He was as amazed as anyone in the church.

The multitude surged forward. Elders immediately began lining the people up in an orderly fashion. One-by-one they marched before Quinton for him to lay hands on them. After he prayed, most would take several steps and fall to the ground. The elders would pull them aside and the line walked forward. For three and a half hours, the needy came by. Quinton became so tired he could barely stand. Finally, he cratered to the floor, weeping at what he had seen.

A Ugandan elder bent down. “You didn’t do nothing,” the man whispered. “They had the faith. It was in them, not you.”

Once again Quinton recognized that he wasn’t in control of what only God can do.

We have a new website you’d enjoy ~ THE EARLY CHURCH FOR TODAY Surveying the first 3 centuries, we are examining the ancient Christian faith. The focus is practical, relevant, and inspirational. TUNE IN. Join us at earlyfaithfortoday.com

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THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK

Blog 101 November 19, 2018

Faith Will Heal You

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE ~ Robert Wise explores the world of divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?

While Quinton Moore experienced important expressions of divine guidance when he started a new congregation in McPherson, Kansas, skepticism still lingered in his thinking. He didn’t want to get caught up in any of that old emotionalism he had seen during his childhood. College day’s reservations still influenced his thinking to some degree. Then the unexpected happened.

On a cold February day in 1989, with snow covering the ground, Quinton got a phone call to come to the hospital. Cyndi and Mac needed his help. When he entered the room, Mac was pacing the floor. A retired Army Sergeant, Mac appeared beside himself.

“What’s going on?”  Quinton asked.

“Cyndi is hemorrhaging and the doctors cannot stop the bleeding,” Mac said. “We are panicked. No one can do anything.”

Cyndi raised up from the bed. “Brother Quinton, do you believe in miracles?”

He paused. This was no time to get philosophical. “Y-yes.”

“Good,” Cyndi said. “I believe that the Bible says if you lay your hands on me, the bleeding will stop. Can you do that?”

Quinton took a deep breath. “I can sure try.”

“Alright, Mac,” Cyndi said. “I want you to leave because you don’t believe. Me and the preacher will get down to business.”

Mac shrugged and trudged out of the room.

Quinton walked to the head of the bed and laid his hands on her head. Mustering everything, he had in himself, he called on the Holy Spirit to descend and bring healing. With increasing fervor, Quinton called for an intervention. Finally, he said, “Amen,” and left.

Two days later, he got the phone call. Cyndi was healed.

Cyndi’s recovery became a turning point for Quinton. He realized that divine intervention didn’t depend on how holy, spiritual, or competent he might be. The action of God was in one sense independent of him. Of course, he was the conduit that redemptive grace traveled through, but the empowerment was initiated by God alone. This insight encouraged Quinton to take divine interventions more seriously.

We have a new website THE EARLY CHURCH FOR TODAY Surveying the first 3 centuries, we are examining the ancient Christian faith. The focus is practical, relevant, and inspirational. TUNE IN Join us at earlyfaithfortoday.com

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THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK

Blog 100 November 12, 2018

quintin

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE ~ Robert Wise explores the world of divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?

Last week we explored Quintin Moore’s early experience when he grew up in Oklahoma’s beginnings of Pentecostalism. Let’s take another look,
Pentecostalism appeared around the turn of the century in the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles, California beginning on April 19, 1906 when a black preacher named William Seymour began calling the Holy Spirit down on the congregation. Many people repented and fell under the power of the Holy Spirit. The revival lasted until 1915 and is considered to be the beginning of Pentecostalism. From humble beginnings, the movement rapidly spread across America and into Oklahoma.

In Quintin’s world extraordinary events were considered the norm. When Quintin went to college, he encountered attitudes at the other end of the spectrum. The skepticism bug began to bite. Modern academia looked askance at the divine intervention stories coming out of Pentecostal churches. They were considered emotionalism, psychological manipulation, as well as nonsense. As Quintin studied logic, philosophy, and science, he began sliding to the edge. He certainly believed in the basic tenets of the biblical faith, but the supernatural dimension became less and less attractive. After Quintin completed an excellent education, he felt called into the ministry and started exploring various aspects of ministry. A church in Liberal, Kansas called him to come up and speak. Taking his new wife Annie with him, he drove to a small congregation, to try his hand at preaching. Around 35 people showed up to hear this young man.

The typical plain church building had a communion table underneath the pulpit with a thanksgiving basket sitting in the middle of the table. Bananas, apples, oranges had been piled together to represent the harvest season. People sauntered in and sat down to listen to this young fellow.

One man was particularly noticeable. Slouched down in the middle of the pew, the man stared at Quintin with a defiant look on his face. While no words were spoken, he seemed to be daring the preacher to say something. Quintin could feel the challenge written across the man’s face.

Quintin launched into his sermon, but a strange thought blipped through his mind. “Take a banana and put it on that obstinate man’s head.” While Quintin knew what it was to have the Holy Spirit speak in his thoughts, this idea sounded beyond the preposterous. He kept preaching but the idea wouldn’t go away. Finally, he jumped down from the pulpit grabbed a banana out of the basket, and started up the aisle pointing the fruit at the man’s head.

The defiant look vanished and the fellow virtually fell out of the pew. He began crawling up the aisle crying. The man grabbed the kneeling rail and sobbed bitterly. Most of the people in the congregation were family or knew him. They gathered around, praying for his wholeness.

After the service was over, Quintin approached the man to inquire what had happened. “Look,” the man said. “I cynically told the Lord if this preacher hears from you, let him put a banana on my head.” Still sobbing, the man said “you did!”

We have just begun a new website ~ THE EARLY CHURCH FOR TODAY ~ Surveying the first 3 centuries, we are examining the ancient Christian faith. The focus is practical, relevant, and inspirational. TUNE IN. Join us at earlyfaithfortoday.com

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THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK

Blog 99 November 5, 2018

miraclesquote

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE ~ Robert Wise explores the world of divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?

You met Quinton Moore in an earlier blog. Today he is the Presiding Bishop of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches.  I shared one incident in his ministry, but I didn’t go into details. I think you will find more insight into his life and ministry instructive. Let me tell you about his story.

Quinton Moore grew up in Pentecostal land. His grandmother had been the baby sitter for Oral Roberts while the cotton pickers worked in the field. Today, Lottie Moore would be thought of as an old time Pentecostal. She lived in a world that assumed miracles came with the Christian faith. Quinton grew up in rural Oklahoma where Pentecostalism was a major religious force.

Grandmother Jessie Hargrove, a full blood Cherokee-Osage Indian, remains as one of his early memories. Quinton watched her pace back and forth praying in the Indian language and in tongues. Suddenly, she stopped. “Yes!” Jessie cried out. “I sees him!”

Eight-year old Quinton wasn’t sure what was going on, but watched his grandmother grab a shawl and run to the door.

“Come on, Quinton,” she demanded. “We got to get to your uncle quick. I knows where he is now.”

Quinton piled into the pickup and they went flying down the road. He had no idea where they were going or where they were. Grandma Jessie seemed to have a map in her head and only she knew what was ahead. After a number of 90 degree turns on dirt roads he had never been on before, Quinton looked up and saw what was ahead.

“Hey!” he shouted. “That’s the cab to my uncle’s truck turned over!”

“Yes, son,” Grandma Jessie said. “That’s what the Holy Spirit showed me.”

They pulled up alongside the semi-trailer cab laying on its side. Jessie leaped out and climbed up the underside of the cab. “Just as the Spirit said! Your uncle’s down there out cold. He’s hurt. I’ll try to shake him loose. You run to that house over yonder and have them call an ambulance. Git with it!”

Quinton went running down the road to the nearest farm house. They were able to get his uncle to the hospital and saved his life. But Quinton couldn’t ever forget that experience. Without any knowledge of an accident, through her prayers, his grandmother Jessie had been able to discover the disaster and locate her son. She considered divine interventions to be simply part of her journey.

We have just began a new website THE EARLY CHURCH FOR TODAY Surveying the first 3 centuries, we are examining the  ancient Christian faith. The focus is practical, relevant, and inspirational. TUNE IN Join us at earlyfaithfortoday.com

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THE SECRET Part V

Blog 98 October 29, 2018

laying-on-hands

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE ~ Robert Wise explores the world of divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?

In the preceding four blogs, we have surveyed situations where the intervention of prayer, faith, and healing prayer made a profound difference. A number of insights stand out and are worthy of review.

From these healing and renewal situations, we have repeatedly seen in scripture that Jesus identified himself as “Life.” Our explorations have been an attempt to understand what this statement means.

My experience has led me to the conclusion that when we intercede for illness and brokenness, we are literally calling for a new surge of life to enter the person. When the name of Jesus is invoked, the name focuses on the reality that releases empowerment, bringing change in the body and mind of needy people. The addition of new life brings the healing. Even when the body remains the same, new vitality touches the mind, the emotions, and the soul. The recovery of new life happened with Lenore Ridell (blog 96- Oct. 15, ‘18).

At the same time, we have seen how it was necessary for humanity to take dominion.

Insight into the meaning of dominion can be found in the Book of Genesis. We are part of a divine partnership which means we have a responsibility for what happens in this world. The creation story makes it clear that humanity is to have dominion over the earth. For example, we can pray for a nice lawn but we don’t get Bermuda grass until we plant the seed. When we are struggling with illness and pain, it is important to make a connection with the heavenly Father for Him to release life in and through us. A process, a connection, exists between human need and the life God wants to pour into us when we are praying.

I conclude from these interviews that when people do not exercise dominion through prayer and seek healing, they probably don’t receive the blessing that was intended for them. Openness is required if we are to seek the miraculous. That’s a form of taking dominion.

Touch can provide a vital connection. What the Bible describes as “laying on of hands” is more than a ritual. Touching provides a connection that conveys life to the person in need. Everyone has times where they need more warmth and affirmation than they can find in themselves. When people pray for us and lovingly touch us, life is conveyed.

Could the power of God intervene and produce a miracle without any of the human factor? Of course. What the heavenly Father chooses to do entirely out of His grace is unfathomable and miracles have continued since the beginning of time. However, this book is about our part in helping to bring divine interventions to pass. That’s our target.

The events in these blogs describe what happened when a connection was made. Divine healing grace came through and recovery followed. Don’t hesitate to take it seriously. Your well being could be in the balance.

We have a new website ~ THE EARLY CHURCH FOR TODAY ~ Surveying the first 3 centuries, we are examining the ancient Christian faith.  The focus is practical, relevant, and inspirational. TUNE IN. Join us at earlyfaithfortoday.com

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THE SECRET Part IV

Blog 97 October 22, 2018 ~ MIRACLES NEVER CEASE

thank-you-Lord

Robert Wise explores the world of Divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?

In 2007, I wrote Crossing the Threshold of Eternity, about near death experiences. I found a large number of persons with such experiences. Even though they were pronounced medically dead for some limited period of time, they recovered. Their stories were fascinating.

At the time, I didn’t think of these stories as divine interventions, but in retrospect I realized they certainly were. While reading The Oklahoman daily newspaper, I found the story of Don Houston’s near-death ordeal. Don told me what happened.

Members of Faith Church, an Assembly of God congregation, Don had been general manager of a house building company that manufactured modular units. Congestive heart failure ran in his family, taking his father at 58 and his brother at 56. Don is in the 2% who survive this condition.

Because bronchitis caused Don to snore, Rita often slept in another room, but on this night she didn’t. In the middle of the night, she heard a “death rattle” and panicked. When she rolled Don over, there was no movement and nothing would wake him up. His tongue began to hang out. Rita called 911 for an ambulance as well as receiving instructions on performing CPR.

The ambulance attendants stuck needles in Don’s feet and received no response. He simply laid there not breathing. By the time he got to the hospital, the only things keeping him alive were machines. The doctors gave Rita no hope that he would regain consciousness and felt he wouldn’t make it. The best she could hope for was a nursing home.

Rita went into his secluded room and prayed. With Don’s two daughters, she made a prayer circle around the bed and began to pray fervently. “Jesus help us.”

And what was happening with Don?

Don became aware and looked around. He was in a totally white room with no windows and two distinct doors. The voice of God said, “Don, you had a heart attack.” The room suddenly lit up and arch-shaped widows appeared. Don saw figures walking by. The all had the same features, and the same colored hair. Each wore a white robe and Don thought they might look like Jewish people (though he really hadn’t been around Jews). He realized they were angels. Don felt totally peaceful with no worries.

Finally, one of the angels said, “Come with me.”  The angel escorted him through what Don calls “the door of second chances.” Suddenly, he was back in his body.

His daughter had been holding his hand and felt a squeeze. The doctor thought the tug was only a reflex and took Don’s hand. Abruptly there was another squeeze. The doctor nearly fainted. He rushed out and brought in other doctors to observe Don.

Rita stared. Don’s eyes had always been a greenish brown. Now, they were the prettiest bright blue eyes, she had ever seen.

Today Don tells everyone that there is life after death. He says, “I do know for a fact. You’re not alone. You need to get God in your heart because you never know when you’re going to pass.”

Can we call the results a miracle? Even a skeptic has to throw in the towel on such a phenomenon. For all practical purposes, Don was dead and the medical profession did not expect a recovery. However we define life, Don Houston came back because he was filled with renewed life that only heaven can give.

We have just began a new website ~ THE EARLY CHURCH FOR TODAY ~ Surveying the first 3 centuries, we are examining the ancient Christian faith. The focus is practical, relevant, and inspirational. TUNE IN ~ Join us at earlyfaithfortoday.com

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THE SECRET Part III

Blog 96 October 15, 2018

neverleaveyou

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE ~ Robert Wise explores the world of Divine intervention from an objective point of view. Can 21st Century people believe that the hand of God touches people in today’s world?

Could the power of God intervene and produce a miracle without any human factor? Of course. What the heavenly Father chooses to do rises entirely out of His grace. However, in these blogs we are exploring our part in bringing divine interventions to pass. Hopefully, we are learning how to be better connectors that convey life.

The urge to pray with people grew from these healings I have described. I became aware that when a person had experienced some form of healing they were often endowed with the ability to pray for others with the same problem. This happened when I felt moved to pray with Lenore Riddell.

Scott and Lenore Riddell lived in the top section of land above our house in Colorado. I saw the family occasionally and we were friends. During the summer I was working behind our house when an unexpected thought ran through my mind.

“Go up and ask Lenore if you can pray for her,” the message drifted into my thinking.

I kept working and thought it was only a weird random blip. The thought kept coming. With reluctance, I decided to walk up to the house and see if there was a problem.

Somewhat to my surprise, Lenore Riddell gave an enthusiastic yes. Without telling me exactly what the problem was, she asked me to come in and intercede. Eventually, she told me about painful attacks hitting her in the midsection and doubling her over in pain. For the next several months, I trekked up to their house and prayed by putting my hands on her head while I interceded. She reported warmth traveling up and down her spine. In three to five minutes, the pain was gone. Unfortunately, in a day or two the pain would return and we would start over again. Every time we prayed, the pain quickly disappeared.

I had no insight into her medical problem. I only knew when we prayed Lenore quickly had relief. Finally, she was diagnosed with an issue needing surgery. After the surgery, the pain returned. The doctors concluded she would have the problem the rest of her life.

When I continued to pray with Lenore, the pain stopped. Finally, the throbbing never returned and the medical predictions proved wrong. Lenore was healed. But something extra had been passed on in the process.

During a regular mammogram x-ray, the nurse took a look at the results and began taking more pictures. In an unusual procedure, she took over 20 x-rays and then went for the doctor. He looked at the x-rays and concluded there was a lump that could well be cancerous. The doctor returned and told her that a biopsy was necessary. They would do one more set of x-rays and then begin. Lenore cringed. She knew such a procedure could be highly painful and wasn’t sure she could stand it. Sitting alone in the room, she began to pray earnestly. “Not my will but yours, Lord. If this is necessary, please, oh please, help me get through it.”

Lenore closed her eyes and a vision began to unfold. She was sitting by a rippling stream. Surrounded by the lush green of a beautiful meadow and towering pines, the scene conveyed tranquility. A voice drifted across the stream. “I will not leave you or forsake you.” Peace descended over her and she opened her eyes. She was ready for the procedure.

The doctor walked in. “Rather amazing,” he said. “In that second set of x-rays, the lump is completely gone. Certainly didn’t expect that result.”

“Gone?” Lenore’s voice raised a notch. The doctor smiled. “I guess you can go home. You’re okay.” She smiled. “It was the Lord’s deal.” And it was.

We have just began a new website THE EARLY CHURCH FOR TODAY Surveying the first 3 centuries, we are examining the ancient Christian faith. The focus is practical, relevant, and inspirational. TUNE IN Join us at earlyfaithfortoday.com

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