Tag: Divine Intervention

FALL RERUNS: MIRACLE IN A GARBAGE DUMP

BLOG 170

October 5, 2020

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Church with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced divine interventions.

Now it’s Fall. So, here’s Fall Reruns!

MIRACLE IN A GARBAGE DUMP

Rick Thomas usually wore cowboy boots and a big Texan hat. Living in El Paso, Texas, just across the border from Juarez, Mexico. And always colorful, he was known as an exceptional friend to the poor. When he died, Rick Thomas was buried in a homemade plywood coffin. A thousand people pressed into the church to say goodbye to a man who had lived love and spirituality. Father Rick Thomas, S.J. had been a Jesuit in the Roman Catholic Church.

Father Thomas still has insight for us about the world of divine interventions.

One of his significant places of ministry was the garbage dump for El Paso- Juarez. The sheer squalor of this sprawling pit of filth remains overwhelming. Poor Mexicans struggled to survive by living in the trash pit, having children here, and scratching out an existence in the midst of the debris. An untold number of the poverty-stricken live in cardboard shacks made from boxes tossed out in the trash. Fr. Rick regularly marched into the muck to hold religious services for them.

On the occasion of a visit to the United States, Sister Briege McKenna went with Fr. Rick to the dump. Sister McKenna was born in Ireland and entered the order of the Sisters of St. Clare where she became widely known for her ability to pray for the sick. With hesitancy, she walked into the worst squalor she had ever experienced. Sister Briege couldn’t see how any dignity of worshp could be manifest in such filth.

To her shock, nearly a thousand people had already gathered when they arrived. The contrast was staggering. These people literally had nothing. Setting up an old table for his altar, the priest went to work.

An old woman walked up, carrying a bundle in her arms. When she unfolded the cloth they saw a little child completely burned from head to foot. The dirty child was filthy and screaming. As she was crossing the mountains, the woman had found the child smoldering and picked him up. She handed him to Fr. Rick.

Sister Briege and Fr. Rick stared at the child that was nearly skinless. Finally, the priest suggested that they place the child under the table during the Communion Service. The service began and the congregation of the poverty stricken prayed with fervor. The Sister could feel the reality of the Holy Spirit descending across the mass of people.

Sister Briege began to weep and wondered if her faith might not be as strong as theirs.

As the Mass ended, they realized the baby had long since stopped crying. The child had crawled out from under the table. Sister Briege gasped! The little boy was happily playing in the sand – totally healed.

The Sister hurried over to the woman and ask, “What happened to him?”

The old woman looked at her with skepticism in her eyes. “What you mean what happened? Didn’t Jesus come?”

While the poor received the Mass, the child received new skin.

by Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: , , , Leave a comment

FALL RERUNS: ANGELIC INTERVENTIONS SAVE THE DAY!

BLOG 169

September 28, 2020

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Church with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced divine interventions.

Now it’s Fall. So, here’s Fall Reruns!

ANGELIC INTERVENTIONS SAVE THE DAY!      

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 Valetine 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 carryied 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.

by Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: , , , Leave a comment

YES, THERE ARE BAD GUYS OUT THERE!

Blog 167, 2017
August 24, 2020

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.

The corona-virus pandemic has made it impossible to make contacts. However, I’ve got a mail bag of great stories that I’m recycling. These are my summer reruns.

YES, THERE ARE BAD GUYS OUT THERE!

Are there “swindlers” out there? Sure are.

In the movie Leap of Faith, Steve Martin plays con man Jonas Nightengale who travels from town to town bilking farmers out of their money while he fakes miracles. In the town of Rustwater, Kansas, he sets up his nightly show. The town’s people are so taken that when the sheriff reports Nightengale’s real name is Jack Newton and he has continually been in trouble with the law, they won’t listen. Each night the fraudulent healer wearing a silver-sequined coat hops up and down the aisles while an assistant is in the backroom with television monitors sends him messages through an ear piece. The inside information makes Nightengale appear to have special secrets messages from the Holy Spirit.

The turning point comes when Boyd, a boy on crutches, is actually healed. Nightengale cannot believe what he is seeing and runs, leaving the silver-sequined jacket behind. As he travels away in a hitch-hiked ride, Nightengale tells the driver that he knows “the genuine article” and that a real miracle is not to be toyed with. The movie ends as Nightengale disappears into the night.

Interestingly enough, this movie was based on an actual fraudulent ministry of a Pentecostal type who kept his wife in the back room sending him messages through a hearing aid device. The audience was scanned by accomplices who produced information on the unsuspecting. The last time I saw this character on television, he was promoting “miracle spring water” and was still at it. The tragedy of these charlatans is that they demean the actual interventions of the heavenly Father. They reduce the miraculous to a sideshow, leaving people to go home disillusioned.

Equally tragic is that the antics of these types develop skeptics who see the entire scene as a sham. Both conclusions are equally unfortunate. While we acknowledge the reality of the counterfeit artists and the audience that travels with them to pretend a miracle occurred, we continue to recognize that divine intervention has made a dramatic difference in the journeys of a multitude of grateful people.

The key to the “genuine article” is found in understanding the stories in the scripture. As the Old and New testaments relate the stories of miracles, they contain details that are important in grasping how people like Elisha as well as Jesus Christ ministered.

Discovering the will of God is one of the first steps that unlocks sealed doors.

Stay tuned. More to come.

by Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: , , Leave a comment

SUMMER RERUNS: YES, THERE ARE BAD GUYS OUT THERE!

Blog 167, 2017
August 24, 2020

faith

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.

The corona-virus pandemic has made it impossible to make contacts. However, I’ve got a mail bag of great stories that I’m recycling. These are my summer reruns.

YES, THERE ARE BAD GUYS OUT THERE!

Are there “swindlers” out there? Sure are.

In the movie Leap of Faith, Steve Martin plays con man Jonas Nightengale who travels from town to town bilking farmers out of their money while he fakes miracles. In the town of Rustwater, Kansas, he sets up his nightly show. The town’s people are so taken that when the sheriff reports Nightengale’s real name is Jack Newton and he has continually been in trouble with the law, they won’t listen. Each night the fraudulent healer wearing a silver-sequined coat hops up and down the aisles while an assistant is in the backroom with television monitors sends him messages through an ear piece. The inside information makes Nightengale appear to have special secrets messages from the Holy Spirit.

The turning point comes when Boyd, a boy on crutches, is actually healed. Nightengale cannot believe what he is seeing and runs, leaving the silver-sequined jacket behind. As he travels away in a hitch-hiked ride, Nightengale tells the driver that he knows “the genuine article” and that a real miracle is not to be toyed with. The movie ends as Nightengale disappears into the night.

Interestingly enough, this movie was based on an actual fraudulent ministry of a Pentecostal type who kept his wife in the back room sending him messages through a hearing aid device. The audience was scanned by accomplices who produced information on the unsuspecting. The last time I saw this character on television, he was promoting “miracle spring water” and was still at it. The tragedy of these charlatans is that they demean the actual interventions of the heavenly Father. They reduce the miraculous to a sideshow, leaving people to go home disillusioned.

Equally tragic is that the antics of these types develop skeptics who see the entire scene as a sham. Both conclusions are equally unfortunate. While we acknowledge the reality of the counterfeit artists and the audience that travels with them to pretend a miracle occurred, we continue to recognize that divine intervention has made a dramatic difference in the journeys of a multitude of grateful people.

The key to the “genuine article” is found in understanding the stories in the scripture. As the Old and New testaments relate the stories of miracles, they contain details that are important in grasping how people like Elisha as well as Jesus Christ ministered.

Discovering the will of God is one of the first steps that unlocks sealed doors.

Stay tuned. More to come.

by Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: , , , Leave a comment

SUMMER RERUNS: MEET LESLIE

Blog 166
August 16, 2020

angel

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. 

The corona-virus pandemic has made it impossible for me to make the contacts to continue reporting extraordinary happenings to ordinary people. However, I’ve got a mail bag of these great stories so I’m recycling some that you probably never read. Here’s an example.

SUMMER RERUNS

MEET LESLIE

When Leslie began hearing angels, the idea complicated her sense of stability.

Consequently, she went to psychologist Dr. Jonathon Cargill to make sure she was not off the track. After a battery of psychological tests, the psychologist certified her as balanced and normal. The same results were later affirmed. There was nothing wrong with Leslie.

The ministry began to unfold because she wanted to comfort the afflicted. With unusual sensitivity, Leslie helps strugglers find direction and support. She is keenly aware that the ministry is never about her.

Her ministry is fundamentally the restoration of damaged souls. Leslie’s goal is to bring wholeness to anyone in need. Leslie’s ministry is not divination or some form of predicting the future. She understands herself to be operating in a biblical framework as the book of Acts describes (Acts 2:17-18). Leslie believes her primary gift is obedience.

The unusual ministry flows from fidelity. Her encounters with angels is an expression of the gifts of the Spirit. Leslie believes that everyone has a guardian angel. Through prayer and meditation, her experience has been that anyone can get in touch with this resource.

She believes we will discover that they have already been at work within us as the still, small voice offering guidance. When a message abruptly floats through our minds and we have no idea where it came from, she believes our guardian angel might be offering guidance.

Such an experience occurred when the Draper family lived in Glen Rose, Texas. She hurried out the door to pick up her daughter at school. As she was backing out of the driveway with her three-year-old daughter in the back seat, she saw money in the driveway and believed it had fallen out of her purse. At that moment an angel showed her a disturbing image of her falling out of the car to pick up the cash. She put the car in park and collected the money, thinking about how little money they had. After she got back in, Leslie saw other money on the grass and opened the door to lean down and get it. The car started to roll.

The inside panel gave way and she tumbled out, falling under the car. What followed only took seconds, but felt like an eternity. Leslie was abruptly upright in the car seat with no idea how she got there. For a moment, she thought maybe she was dead and was in shock. Two hands had grabbed her and put her back in the car. Leslie felt the imprints on her arms and looked for the stranger that saved her. No one was there. Suddenly, she remembered the warning and felt the angel Michael warned her to be careful.

In retrospect, she discovered that angels have the capacity to intervene but do so only if it is for the highest good and honors free will. They never interfere with free will and only offer guidance.

If you’ve encountered a divine intervention, I’d like
to hear you’re your experience.
Please write me at: revwise@att.net

YOU MIGHT ENJOY MY NEWEST BOOK HOT OFF THE PRESS
82 DAYS ON OKINAWA
Harper-Collins Publishers
JUST OUT – IT’S A THRILLER!
Col. Art Shaw & Robert L. Wise

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA at your local book store or on Amazon.

by Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: , , , Leave a comment

SUMMER RERUNS: THE LOG ROLL

Blog 164
August 3, 2020

angel angel

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. 

The corona-virus pandemic has made it impossible for me to make the contacts to continue reporting extraordinary happenings to ordinary people. However, I’ve got a mail bag of these great stories so I’m recycling some that you probably never read. Here’s an example.

SUMMER RERUNS: THE LOG ROLL

Art Shaw is a fascinating guy. At age 95, he was a retired Army Colonel who fought in World War II and all the conflicts that followed. Art received a serious back injury that required a spinal fusion from L1 to S1. Twenty-two units of blood were needed. A team of doctors and nurses was required to move him in the bed. Of course, any motion was extremely painful. Nevertheless, what the staff called a “log roll” was necessary to prevent pneumonia.

In the middle of the night, Art heard a voice call his name. “Art, it’s time to log roll.” No one was in the room. The voice came again. Because of the pain and serious possible complications, Art knew how difficult it would be. “Art, do what I tell you and you won’t be hurt.” Art intuitively knew to obey.

He opened his eyes and saw something like a black tube extending into infinity. At the top was a bright, concentrated light. With the instruction to turn over came the assurance that they would help him do so. He made the log roll and went back to sleep.

Later in the night the voice called again. “Art, it’s time to roll.” The same assurance that he would be helped was there. He turned over. Easily.

When his wife Joan arrived the next morning, Art told her that he turned over twice.
“Impossible!” she insisted. “You couldn’t have!”

She rushed out of the room to confront the nurse. “What are you giving him?” she forcefully inquired. “What drugs? What pain killers? Is he hallucinating?”

The nurse frowned. “What are you talking about? We didn’t give him any additional medications last night.

Joan dragged the nurse and her assistants back to his room. “He couldn’t have turned by himself! The pain would be too great. Too dangerous. But look!”

The nurse stared for a moment and then ran for the doctor. Dr. Shephard came in. Astonished! There was no medical explanation for how Art Shaw could have been repositioned – but it had happened – twice.

The angel continued to speak several other times. “Art, you will be alright. You’ll be okay.”

When Art told me this story, he was relating how he had come to know that a guardian angel was with him. Like a voice speaking inside his head, when his name was called direction followed. Today at important times, Art’s angel always shows up and gives him the orientation that he needs.

Art told me that the Angel always has the same particular tone in voice. Distinct. Individual. Whenever the voice sounds, Art knows who is speaking and listens.
Believe in Angels? Art certainly does.

YOU MIGHT ENJOY MY NEWEST BOOK HOT OFF THE PRESS
82 DAYS ON OKINAWA
Harper-Collins Publishers
JUST OUT – IT’S A THRILLER!
Col. Art Shaw & Robert L. Wise

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA at your local book store or on Amazon.

by Categories: Divine Intervention, Miracles, miraculousTags: , , , Leave a comment

SUMMER RERUNS: SURPRISING CHANGE

Blog 162
July 20, 2020

angel divine

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. 

SUMMER RERUNS

The corona-virus pandemic has made it impossible for me to make the contacts to continue reporting extraordinary happenings to ordinary people. However, I’ve got a mail bag of these great stories so I’m recycling some that you probably never read. Here’s an example.

SURPRISING CHANGE

Generally, people form their expectations of what God can do and does from what they’ve read in the Bible –only. For example, if a healing doesn’t occur instantly, they decide prayer doesn’t work. If Welch’s grape juice doesn’t become Gallo wine, they are discouraged. Let’s be clear, there’s no problem with what is in the Bible, but the stories must be seen as examples of a starting point and not a finish line.

We must add continuing human experience and consider the Bible as a spring board. The scriptures call us to open our eyes and hearts to greater expectations. Charlotte had such an experience.

In August, 2012, Charlotte had a total knee replacement. She knew it was coming and had put it off too long. Of course, knee replacements can be painful and Charlotte struggled. She knew about Leslie Draper and her ministry that stemmed from contact with the angels. Some people might consider that approach on the bizarre side, but Charlotte needed help. And Leslie was anything but bizarre.

From years of working with human need, Leslie had learned how to listen to angels. She silently turned to them to hear their direction for what should happen next. In Charlotte’s case, the direction was for an “energy healing.” Interesting indeed.

Angelic direction suggested that the problem was that Charlotte’s body was treating the knee replacement as a foreign object and attempting to reject the intrusion. The body’s resources were focused on getting rid of the artificial knee rather than embracing it.

Leslie came and prayed for a shift in the body’s energy. Her prayers and ministry were aimed at bringing the knee into harmony with the body. The sessions were aimed at restoring concord in Charlotte’s entire system.

Thirteen days after the surgery, the doctor took the staples out. To his shock, there was little swelling. Healing was far better than he expected. The next step was the physical therapist doing a knee flexion measurement on the knee. He, too, was shocked and surprised. The therapist told Charlotte that in two to three months the goal was a measurement of 120 degrees. In three weeks, Charlotte measured 128 degrees.

Charlotte had a divine intervention.

It wasn’t walking on water – but it was walking across her living room with no pain. The heavenly Father cares about such things. Expect Him to care for you – without defining how, when, and where His response will come.

If you’ve encountered a divine intervention, I’d like
to hear you’re your experience.
Please write me at: revwise@att.net

YOU MIGHT ENJOY MY NEWEST BOOK HOT OFF THE PRESS
82 DAYS ON OKINAWA
Harper-Collins Publishers
JUST OUT – IT’S A THRILLER!
Col. Art Shaw & Robert L. Wise

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA at your local book store or on Amazon.

 

by Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: , , , , Leave a comment

SUMMER RERUNS: ENCOUNTERING AN ANGEL

Blog 161
July 13, 2020

divine

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. 

SUMMER RERUNS

The corona-virus pandemic has made it impossible for me to make the contacts to continue reporting extraordinary happenings to ordinary people. However, I’ve got a mail bag of these great stories so I’m recycling some that you probably never read. Here’s an example.

ENCOUNTERING AN ANGEL

Miracle talk and divine intrusions generally seem to occur among Christian people. In many Christian groups there is an unspoken assumption that Jews wouldn’t experience such things. Even though the Old Testament is filled with miraculous events such as the Red Sea parting and Elijah raising a widow’s dead son back to life, Jews are excluded today. Wrong.

Here’s an example to consider. I’ve discovered that an important ingredient in Jewish life is an encounter with God as well as divine leading. Karen Z. Brass is a close friend whose family live near me in Colorado. Her father was a survivor of five death camps including Auschwitz. Today her family regularly attends a synagogue.

Around seven years of age, Karen began dreaming about escaping her dysfunctional family and an extremely difficult and abusive mother. As she took her reoccurring dream of escaping this family setting apart, Karen began to understand she was being saved by angels.

This experience expanded with the emergence of a “circle of light” that appeared at night giving her the assurance and security to go to sleep. Angels were regularly quieting her fears.

When Karen became an adult woman, she became aware of spontaneous thoughts that popped into her head and gave her guidance. For example, she would hear a thought like “take the umbrella.” If she didn’t pay attention, it would rain and she’d get drenched. “Don’t wear those shoes” might come through. If she went ahead and wore them, Karen was certain to trip and fall. In time, Karen realized that she had a guardian angel who kept her protected. When the angels spoke, it began like a whisper. If they repeated the message, the whisper got louder. Karen now often holds out her hands to let the angel know she is paying attention.

Karen met her husband David through an angelic intrusion. At a synagogue service, as she started to park her car, the angelic voice insisted she move to a different place than she intended. Karen argued that she saw a better spot but the angel was insistent. She gave in and parked as guided. During the service, she met David for the first time and was immediately attracted. Continuing their conversation, David walked Karen out to her car. To her surprise, she had parked next to him!

Today, Karen never ceases to listen for angelic guidance.

While not a miracle, hearing and being guided by angels is definitely a divine intrusion. Obviously, the angels don’t stop to check your religious membership card before they respond. Here’s a word of encouragement for you. Is it possible that some of your thoughts might not be random? Could you have been guided by a guardian angel and didn’t know it?

It’s worth thinking about.

If you’ve encountered a divine intervention, I’d like to hear your experience.
Please write me at: revwise@att.net

YOU MIGHT ENJOY MY NEWEST BOOK HOT OFF THE PRESS
82 DAYS ON OKINAWA
Harper-Collins Publishers
JUST OUT – IT’S A THRILLER!
Col. Art Shaw & Robert L. Wise

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA at your local book store or on Amazon.

by Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: , , , Leave a comment