DORTHY, ARE WE STILL IN KANSAS?

BLOG 66 December 18, 2017 MIRACLES NEVER CEASE 

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Followers of this blog know that Robert L. Wise has traveled across many states collecting stories of miracles and divine interventions that confront the contemporary secular mind. Read and see what you think.

This isn’t about the tin man, the cowardly lion, the scarecrow, and Dorothy, but it did happen in Kansas with friends who live in Hutchinson.

In previous blogs, you have probably noticed that people were praying fervently when someone was in trouble. I have observed that often people practice two types of prayers. One variety tells God to pay attention because he’s not aware of the disaster they are facing. The other kind calls on the Holy Spirit to descend on the person in need. Intercessors consider their prayers to be conduits for the power of God to flow through them into the dangerous situation at hand. Here’s an example.

Quinton Moore is the Presiding Bishop of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches. I’ve know him, his family, and their daughter Heather for years.  I didn’t know that Sean and Heather were expecting another child. As part of the usual pre-natal car, Heather went for her regular check-up. The doctor took some x-rays that stopped him in his tracks.

“Heather,” he said soberly. “We have a serious problem.” He held the x-ray up for her to see the disaster. “The fetus has Spinal Bifida.”

Heather, Sean, and the extended family were crushed. Their response was immediate. “What can we do?”

The doctor suggested they go to Wichita, Kansas to a specialist. Their questions would be critical and the Moore family needed the most competent help they could find. An appointment was set up for two days later and Quinton began praying. Calling Sean’s family to join with them, they went into a constant day and night intercession.

The examination in Wichita began. While Heather was undergoing a complete diagnostic regimen, the two families in the waiting room continued their prayers. Quinton paced back and forth asking the Holy Spirit to intervene with power and healing.

Eventually, the doctor came out, holding two x-rays. He began a rambling discussion of the condition and their procedures. Finally, Quinton interrupted him.

“Look doctor. Just tell us what the bottom line is. That’s all we want to know.”

The doctor took a deep breath and held up the two x-rays. He pointed to the spine area. “This first one clearly shows the condition.” Then he held up the second x-ray they had just made. Again, he pointed to the spine. “Look! It’s gone. The fetus does not have Spinal Bifida.”

The family cheered.

“Did the first doctor make a mistake?” Quinton asked. “Did we have a miracle?”

The doctor shook his head. “Just can’t say. “Miracles as good a word as any.”

“We’ve had a miracle!” Quinton declared.

In The Wizard of Oz, the lion got a heart, the scarecrow a brain, etc.etc., but none compare with Heather’s gift. Yes, Dorothy, prayer works.

 

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THE UNEXPECTED IN CUBA

BLOG 65 December 4, 2017 MIRACLES NEVER CEASE 

Followers of this blog know that Robert L. Wise has traveled across many states collecting stories of miracles and divine interventions that confront the contemporary secular mind. Read and see what you think.

Although I knew little about their work, I had heard of the Crusades that T.L. and Daisy Osborn began in 1949 that had stretched around the globe. Possibly, this is all news to you because the work of the Osborn family had been almost entirely outside of the United States. However, I had first run into reports of T.L. Osborn’s work that had been revolutionary in the Netherlands immediately after World War II.  Both T.L. and Daisy have passed away, but LaDonna Osborn continued the ministry in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Recently, I met LaDonna Osborn

LaDonna had a light in her eyes that sparkled with a penetrating and unique glow. Although, I came knowing virtually nothing about her, I quickly knew she was an extraordinary  individual with a passionately devout faith. As we talked, LaDonna shared the story of the family’s work in a multitude of countries.

In the ‘50s, T.L. Osborn held a meeting in Camaguey, Cuba. A woman who had been totally blind came forward to proclaim a total healing. Her eyesight was completely restored. While startling, this was nothing new to the Osborns. In their meetings that encountered thousands, they had come to expecte such results.

One young man who had been blind since birth was walking across a field toward the services when he suddenly crumbled to the ground. The people around him thought he had died. Actually, he had received a vision of the risen Christ that was so overpowering that he was struck to the ground. When he finally regained consciousness, he stood up and proclaimed loudly, “I have seen the Lord, and now I can see. I was blind, but now I see!”

How does such happen? I ask LaDonna how she explained such occurrences. She quickly answered, “The Bible says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What he did in the past, he continues to do today. We preached Jesus, people believed, and Jesus confirmed the message with his miracle power.”

Over the years, the Osborns documented an almost incalculable number of miracles. Their message was simple; the results were profound.

Stay with me. There’s more to come next week.

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RIGHT OUT OF THE MOVIES

BLOG 64 December 4, 2017 

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Robert L. Wise has interviewed people in many states about their experiences with divine encounters. Recognizing the secular preoccupation of many, Wise presents the evidence of miracles as he discovered them. Take a good look and see what you think.

Possibly, you will be surprised to learn that according to the Pew Research Center eight out of ten Americans believe in miracles. Even half of those not affiliated with any particular faith still say miracles are possible. Belief in miracles is on the rise because people are frantically seeking meaning. With the political nonsense that is omnipresent and increased talk of nuclear weapons in North Korea, citizens need hope as seldom before. Miracles supply an answer for that desperate need.

The recently released movie Miracles From Heaven touched that vacuum in many hearts. The story came from a true life experience that happened in Burleson, Texas on the Beam family farm.

Kevin and Christy Beam had a nine-year-old daughter Annabel. Devout Baptist, the Beams believed in the possibility of miracles, but didn’t think one would happen to them. Of course, they prayed everyday and considered miracles as probable, but that was it.

Annabel had been out climbing in an old hollow cottonwood tree when her food slipped. She tumbled headfirst down 30 feet. Unconscious in the bottom of the tree, no one was sure how to get her out. A rescue team struggled to find the best way to free Annabel. Finally, they broke her free while a helicopter waited to fly her for emergency treatment. The child remained unconscious.

Kevin and Christy prayed liked never before in their lives.

The doctors immediately began numerous scans to identify where surgery or similar treatment should begin. They stopped and repeated the process. They could find nothing wrong. The next morning Annabel and her stunned parents went home.

What had happened with Annabel Beam could only be described as a miracle.

If you want another jaw-dropping experience, read the Eben Alexander, M.D., account of his near-death experience in his book PROOF OF HEAVEN. A scientific and well documented account of recovering after seven days in a coma. The doctors were about to discontinue treatment when Eben opened his eyes. His journey with angelic beings will encourage your faith.

Are miracles happening today? Everywhere!

 

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ANGELIC INTERVENTIONS SAVE THE DAY!

BLOG 63 November 27, 2017 

guardian-angel

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE: Robert L. Wise has interviewed people in many states about their experiences with divine encounters. Recognizing the secular Preoccupation of many, Wise presents the evidence of miracles as he discovered them. Take a good look and see what you think

As I wander around the countryside picking up experiences of divine intervention, I often ran into people who had encounters with angels – which is certainly miraculous. Recently, I ran into a story from Lynn Valentine about an encounter that happened to Sarah Loutner in Springfield, Tennessee. Today, Sarah Loutner is a dancer and performs routines with a Christian message. At the time, Sarah was only a small child.

The Loutner family lived in an old two-story farm house. Like any older house that had been built years before, the staircase was steep. As was the custom in by-gone days, the stairs angled up partway to a landing, then turned 90 degrees before going up the rest of the way to the top. Sarah had a special place upstairs where she played with her toys. On this afternoon, she tired of playing with the dolls and wondered what her mother might be doing. Probably, she was down in the kitchen where cookies might be waiting. Sarah pushed the playthings aside and hurried toward the steps.

Pre-occupied in thinking about where her mother might be, Sarah didn’t pay attention to the abruptly sloping stairs. Her feet got tangled up, and Sarah fell head first down the plunging steps.

Like a scene in a slow-motion movie, Sarah discovered a figure standing on the landing. The man towered above the steps. Big and powerful, he appeared to be surrounded by a shimmering glow. The light swirled around him and Sarah immediately felt reassurance that she didn’t have to be afraid.

To her total surprise, Sarah realized that she was not falling, but seemed to be floating toward the unknown figure on the landing.  Unseen hands carried her downward until finally her feet landed gently on the floor. She knew that an angel had intervened to save her.

When she looked up, the angel was gone. Sarah ran to tell her mother what had happened. She listened, but Sarah distinctly felt she didn’t believe her. Years later, when Sarah, her brother Aaron, and her mother got off on the subject of angels, Sarah recounted the experience. This time her mother was convinced a guardian angel had indeed intervened, but wasn’t sure why an angel would have secured her.

Sarah’s brother Aaron immediately added, “You’re a dancer! You were caught so you could dance for God.”

Just thinking about her brother’s response, makes Sarah want to dance today.

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AN ASPHALT DRIFTER TURNS HIS BIKE AROUND

BLOG 62 November 20, 2017

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Ken Runnals is a big guy with a big faith, but he wasn’t always that way.

Ken and I sat in a room in the Platte Canyon Community Church, Bailey, Colorado,  last August and talked about his life’s journey. With his heavy leather jacket, wrist cuffs, biker boots, and a demeanor that made you no  want to mess with him, he was actually a Teddy Bear at heart.

Several years ago, Ken hadn’t been in a church since he was 18. Just didn’t seem like a place where he could be comfortable so he checked out. Ken roared around the country on his motorcycle taking care of business and having a good time. And then his aunt died.

Ken knew he had to be there, but never expected what happened. The morning of the funeral, he was preparing for the service when he was certain his aunt spoke to him. Although he didn’t really believe in that sort of thing, he was certain the voice was hers.

“It’s time to rethink your faith,” Ken’s aunt said and then was gone.

Stunned, Ken went to the service with that encounter in mind. During the funeral, one of the attendants spoke directly to Ken. “It’s never too late.”

Those two messages touched Ken deeply and he immediately went to a Barnes and Noble Book store to buy a Bible. Once he opened the cover, Ken discovered the print was too small for him to read. Out of the blue, his aunt’s son called and Ken shared what happened.

“I’ll send you another Bible,” the cousin said. Again Ken was amazed. He was certain God was speaking directly to him.

Shortly after that call, Ken was speeding down the highway on his motorcycle when a deer stepped into the road. The collision happened so fast that Ken didn’t have time even to put his helmet on. He remembered yelling, “O God, help me.” The next thing he knew, he was in an ambulance being rushed to the hospital.

Ken’s son was a doctor and just “happened” to be in the hospital. He immediately called his sister and told her the situation didn’t look good. After the staff doctor looked at the x-rays and CAT scan, he concluded, “He’s got a skull fracture with blood on the brain. I can’t believe he’s still here.”

What couldn’t be seen was the hand of God continually working in Ken’s body.  The Holy Spirit was moving with great power. The next day, the same procedures were repeated. The doctor stared in disbelief. The results were normal!

“Can’t be!” the doctor muttered.

The staff told Ken he could go home it he walked from his bed to the nurse’s station three times. Ken did it seven times.

After completely recovering from the scrapes and bruises, Ken was re-baptized and committed his life to Jesus Christ. He knew God still had something for him – and practices the pursuit to this day.

GOT A COPY? “When There is No Miracle” is a newly revised and expanded edition that explores the meaning of suffering and pain, written by Dr. Robert L. Wise.

 

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The Carlson Family

BLOG 61 November 13, 2017 MIRACLES NEVER CEASE Robert L. Wise has interviewed people in many states about their experiences with divine encounters. Recognizing the secular mind set of many, he presents the evidence of miracles as he discovered them. Take a good look and see what you think.

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Richard and Jacki Carlson have been our dearest friends for decades. We were eating supper together the other night, when Jacki shared this story.  Their  son (now a grown man) was only nine-years old when he told his mother Jacki that he had a serious stomach ache. She put Chris to bed, but the condition worsened. After a few hours, Jacki and Richard Carlson realized their son was in trouble and took him to a nearby emergency room

After an examination, the staff insisted that he needed immediate surgery for a bowel obstruction. The intestine near the colon was twisted and tissue had been deteriorating. The matter was extremely serious and couldn’t wait. The surgery revealed blockage that turned out to be the size of a football and demanded a colostomy, bag and all. After the surgery, the doctor informed the family that around 10 inches of his colon would have to be removed a number of weeks later. Of course, taking out intestine from a nine-year old boy could create other serious problems, but the section of intestine was dead.

The Carlson were highly alarmed and called their church friends to begin praying. Their particular church firmly believed that the Holy Spirit would be important things and they pursued healing. A team of intercessors gathered around Chris’ bed. People with a gift for intercession prayed fervently. The family applied every insight they could find in scripture. Everyone sensed something important was happening.

Just before the surgery, Jacki told the doctor they were expecting a miracle. He smiled, nodded, but seemed more to be  pandering her. The surgeon expected to remove eight to twelve inches of the intestine in the area of the colon. The Carlson family settled in as the long surgery began.

When the doctor came out, he was shaking his head in disbelief.
Never seen anything like it, he said. That portion of the intestine that was twisted and dying had completely straightened and regenerated. The tissue was healthy and normal.

He didn’t have to remove anything.

“You got your miracle,” the doctor admitted.

Jack and Richard thanked God they had taken a stroll through miracle land.

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MIRACLE IN THE MOUNTAINS

BLOG 60 November 6,2017 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? Read and you’ll find new insights.

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You’d like Jay Vonesh.

A professional youth worker in Bailey, Colorado, everyone in Platte Canyon Community Church, the school system, and the community knows what a tremendous asset Jay is for the youth of the mountain valley. In addition, Jay is a rugged rock and mountain climber who has competed internationally in skateboard competition. He’s no amateur when it comes to river rafting and climbing mountains.

Jay’s family is equally zealous about riding the rapids of Colorado’s roaring rivers. Taking a six-day packing trip on the Escalante River was a natural for Julie, Jessie, and Janae. During spring break in March, 2017, the family traveled to Utah and started down the river that eventually emptied into Lake Powell. The plan was to hike in for 3 miles and then paddle down 40 miles of river coming back for burgers on Saturday night. The trip started well, but a front blew in, dumping rain that caused the river to rise two feet. Not deadly, the river still looked angry.

When Janae and Jessie’s boat hit the river, they were gone! Jan and Julie were behind them, traveling at the same speed. The current seemed manageable until a car-sized blockage clogged their passage. The rafts went under. Paddles drifted away. Clothes, sleeping bags, food were gone. They were ten miles from getting out of the canyon, but the sheer, steep walls made it impossible to climb out and they were no longer able to paddle down the river. They were trapped.

Recognizing the serious of their situation, Jay left the family at the water’s edge and retreated to be alone, to think, to pray. He felt an urgent need to be speak with God.
Even though, he knew no one could find them trapped between unclimable cliffs and a roaring river, he prayed, “Lord, we’re in a tough place. You know where we are. Can you cut us a break?”

At that moment, Jay heard the whirling roar of helicopter blades. A team of rescuers were looking for somebody else who had been reported stranded along the river. Jay began frantically waving. Ironically enough, the sandbar they were on was the only one wide enough for the chopper to land. Out of clear blue, the impossibile had occurred. The family was saved.

A coincidence? Jay prayed. The rescue appeared.

Jay and his family knew they had experienced a miracle.

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MEET KAREN Z. BRASS

BLOG 59 October 23, 2015 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? Read and you’ll find new insights.

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I’ve known Karen and her family for a number of years. David and Karen have two great children Shawnah  and Adam who live in the glorious mountains in Pine Junction, Colorado, not far from Denver. Karen’s father was one of the few survivors of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration Camp during World War II. His experience is another important story for another day.

Because the Christian community knows so little about the Jewish world, believers often assume that Jews know nothing about divine interventions – even thought the Old Testament is packed with such stories. Karen is an example of how heaven still meets earth in her Jewish home.

At seven years of age, Karen had a dream that was repeated for years. Her mother was a highly insensitive person and in the dream opened a door that led to burning lava. Finally, Karen came to a door that opened out on to a corridor leading on an airplane runway. A voice said, “Get on.” Suddenly a beautiful white Pegasus horse landed and Karen climbed on and flew away from her dysfunctional family.

As she matured, Karen came to recognize that the voice was from an angel and the Pegasus horse was an angel. These dreams were the beginning of a continuing sense of guidance and divine contact. Later, a sense of direction developed from verbal messages she heard like ideas racing across her mind.

Thoughts would suddenly appear like “take the umbrella today” or “don’t wear those shoes.” In time, Karen realized she had a guardian angel who protected her. Sometimes, the angel would whisper a message. If she didn’t respond rapidly, repetition occurred that became increasingly louder. Karen often puts her hands up to let the angel knows she was paying attention.

Some years ago as Karen pulled into a synagogue, a strong angelic voice told her where to park. She argued that she could find a better place, but the angel persisted. Consequently, Karen took the appointed place whether she liked it or not. After the synagogue service, she met David for the first time. He helped her with her coat and walked her to her car. To her astonishment, Karen she was parked next to him!

The angelic directive resulted in Shawnah and Adam, living happy ever after today.

I believe everyone has a “guardian angel” who can make all the difference in our lives. Karen would suggest that we should pay attention to our dreams and random thoughts. We might just be at the right place to tune in for divine intervention.

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