Tag: faith

NANCY STAFFOR: CHRISTIAN IN HOLLYWOOD

Blog 152
April 27, 2020

matlock

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today?

NANCY STAFFOR: CHRISTIAN IN HOLLYWOOD

MATLOCK, the television series with Andy Griffith, has made a new comeback on the Me-TV series. The “good old days” series like Gunsmoke, Carol Burnett, Gomer Pyle, etc. are so much better than most of the contemporary mindless sit-coms that people are tuning them in again.

One of the regulars on MATLOCK was Nancy Stafford who played Andy’s secretary Michelle Thomas. Through the years, Nancy Stafford performed on a host of other shows such as Seasons of Miracles, Quantum Leap, The Mentalists, and a host more. Nancy had the highest praise for Andy Griffith as an actor who cared deeply about what he did. He could memorize the courtroom scenes so well, that at the end of a shooting, everyone clapped. Griffith made sure every aspect of a set was perfect. Nancy adored working with him.

Nancy grew up in a Christian home and was taught that it was important to have a relationship with God. She grew up knowing about divine interventions. However, once she plunged into the acting world, she took a different path for 15 years. Today, she remembers that her personal choices left her a broken person. Going from boyfriend to boyfriend, her career boomed, but her life didn’t. During this time, she studied Buddhism, Rosicrucianism, as well as Hinduism. She had become a religious seeker without answers that worked.

At that point, Nancy discovered she had developed a cancer on her face. Her ‘perfect life” could disappear in an instant. Nancy was in turmoil. She was working on an episode of “Magnum P.I.” in Hawaii and shooting on the beach. Nancy brought her Bible with her and was reading it. As she studied the promises in the Bible, a change began forming. At that moment, she began experiencing an incredible encounter with the Living God. Nancy knew she must depend on Jesus Christ in all of her choices. She realized that the hand of God had enabled her to be a successful actress and would lead her through recovery from the cancer. A divine intervention changed her entire life.

Today, Nancy is an inspirational speaker and works with Christian groups as well as continuing her acting career. She prays about the roles that she accepts. Nancy works to help the public understand God loves them, cares for them, and provides them with hope.

Are divine interventions still possible? Nancy Stafford believes the pages of the scripture can lead anyone to a vital and dynamic relationship with their heavenly Father.

You might find my collection of near-death experiences to be helpful.
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF ETERNITY
Robert L. Wise Regal Books

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A HEALING TOUCH

Blog 152
April 20, 2020

spirit

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today?

A HEALING TOUCH

As I talked with persons having an experience of divine intervention, more than once I ran across someone with a healing touch. The idea of a “touch” is actually not that different from people who can draw images that move us. The artist’s touch was with a brush. Author’s “touch” us with their words. Where do such abilities as painting and writing come from? Why do some have the gifts and others don’t. Fundamentally, “touch” is God given. The healing touch is all part of the same gifting from our heavenly Father.

Here’s an example.

Maurice Tester, a “property consultant,” in London, England, suffered with a prolapsed disc in his spin. Of course, he struggled with great pain. Unfortunately, doctors had no answer and no one could produce a cure. The only possibility offered to Maurice was a surgical operation that had a limited hope of success. He was pushed against the wall.

Someone suggested that Ted Fricker might help. Fricker had a reputation of being a healer and a person with an extraordinary “touch.” Anything would be better than what Maurice Tester lived with. He knocked on the door of Mr. Fricker.

Ted Fricker welcomed Maurice and had him come in and lay down and stretched out flat. Ted Fricker began to run his hands up and down Maurice’s back. For about ten minutes, he gently moved up and down Tester’s spine. Slowly, the pain began to diminish. Finally, at the end of ten minutes, the pain disappeared. Maurice went home a happy man. He came back to Ted Fricker for several more visits and the pain never returned.

The orthopedist Maurice had been going to confirmed that he had received a total healing and natural remission was impossible.

When his ability to bring healing was explored, Ted Fricker said that whatever capacity he had came directly from God. What he did during a treatment was only following what he believed the Holy Spirit silently whispered in his ear. Maurice’s cure was only one of many.

What should we conclude? First, God gives the gift of healing “touch” as He chooses and many people have the gift. Second, we should be open to the gift being used on us when we have need. Third, we should be open to the Holy Spirit visiting the gift to us. We don’t have to seek to be known in our community, only available to help when there is a need.

You might find my collection of Holy Land experiences to be helpful.
BIBLE LANDS: An illustrated Guide to Scriptural Places
Barbpir books Publishers

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ANGELS ARE FOR REAL

Blog 151
April 6, 2020

angel 2

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today?

Read and you’ll find new insights.

ANGELS ARE FOR REAL

Francis and Judith MacNutt have been friends of mine for decades. Recently, Francis passed to heaven. Judith continues their ministry. One of her books that I would highly recommend is Angels are For Real (Chosen Books) where she relates this experience.

Susan worked in O’Hare Airport where Judith met her. For some times she had been suffering with an undiagnosed severe abdominal cramping. Eventually, she had to be rushed to the ER where she was hospitalized. After testing, the results indicated her condition was serious.

Around midnight as the pain worsened, Susan cried out to God for relief. Her stomach had become distended. Even with the additional medication the doctor prescribed, nothing halted the pain. Again, she cried out for divine intervention.

In an adjacent room, a patient with terminal cancer heard the cry and came in. Wearing the usual hospital gown, the terribly thin and frail woman offered to pray for her. Susan begged her to because her pain had become so intense that she was even ready to die. Susan instantly begged for the woman to intercede for her.

“Do you mind if I anoint you with oil?” the woman asked.

Susan again agreed. The woman anointed her forehead and began praying. As she prayed, Susan’s stomach returned to normal size and the pain slowly decreased. Susan was so overjoyed she kept thanking the woman and finally fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

When the doctor returned in the morning, he was surprised that Susan was sitting up in bed. Later he told her that he had not expected her to live through the night. To his even greater surprise, when he examined her, he could find absolutely nothing wrong with her.

Susan proceeded to tell him what had happened, only making him look more confused. He asked for a more detailed description of the lady who prayed. Susan went into great detail while watching his face become more confounded.

Finally, the doctor said, “That’s impossible! The woman you described died at 8:00 last night.”

You might find my collection of Holy Land experiences to be helpful.
BIBLE LANDS: An illustrated Guide to Scriptural Places
Barbpir books Publishers

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AN INTERVIEW WITH QUENTIN MOORE

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today?

Read or watch and you’ll find new insights.

A SURPRISE FOR YOU

Here is a teaser interview with Quentin Moore and myself discussing a miracle known as the laying on of hands. It is for my upcoming YouTube channel launching soon.

Enjoy!

Quentin Moore Episode 2 from David Canavesio on Vimeo.

 

You might find my collection of Holy Land experiences to be helpful.
BIBLE LANDS: An illustrated Guide to Scriptural Places
Barbpir books Publishers

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EASTER CAME EARLY

Blog 149
March 2, 2020

holy communion

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert L. Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today?

Read and you’ll find new insights.

EASTER CAME EARLY

Stovall and Kerri Weems started a congregation with seventeen people in l998. Today, they have over 12,000 members. In 2018, the Weems were holding a Good Friday service when a break through occurred. This year they decided that rather than a regular sermon, they would have a “shared experience” of the resurrection. What brought the change? How did it all happen?

Stovall had heard people say they literally experienced the risen Christ, but he doubted those stories. Of course, he was a dedicated Christian, but he wasn’t sure about those contemporary reports. Then they held a special Jewish traditional Seder Passover service where the pastor could and did pray in Hebrew.  As the pastor was consecrating the bread and wine, speaking Hebrew he said, “Take and eat. This is my body broken for you.”

However, as he was speaking in Hebrew, another voice broke in.  An audible voice said three times in Hebrew, “Take and eat. This is my body broken for you.”

The pastor knew he was in the presence of God and was hearing the actual voice of Jesus speaking. He could only stand there in silent shock. The staff sitting close thought something had happened to the pastor standing there voiceless like he was in shell shock. What was going on?

In those moments, the pastor was in a trance and having a heavenly vision of the Passover with Jesus and his disciples seated around a table. He could see and hear them. Here was Jesus of Nazareth just as he had been during his earthly ministry. The pastor could hear his voice with the same passionate authority and strength that it must have always carried when Jesus taught and preached..

When the pastor spoke of a “shared experience” service his perspective had obviously changed. He was speaking out of his most personal encounter. The story of Easter was not a memory from the past or an account in the pages of scripture. The resurrection was a story he had physically touched.

And the meaning? Certainly, there’s no magic in Hebrew words, but something about Holy Communion can reach across 2,000 years and connect with a heavenly reality. Each of us can have our own encounters even though they are personal and different. Even with these diverse paths, we are challenged to reach out so we can say with conviction, “I too have seen the Lord.”
The promise makes Easter possible every month of the year.

You might find my collection of Holy Land experiences to be helpful.
BIBLE LANDS: An illustrated Guide to Scriptural Places
Barbpir books Publishers

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MIRACLE AROUND THE BEND

Blog 150
February 24, 2020

bus

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

 Robert L. Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today?

Read and you’ll find new insights.

MIRACLE AROUND THE BEND

One of my good friends is a clergyman in Jacksonville, Florida. Sean Yost has led an exciting life. Earlier he worked in Africa and today is an instructor for Youth With a Mission. During his training, Sean learned how to use scripture to build a resilient faith that has carried him through an important ministry. Recently, I was with Sean in Tulsa, Oklahoma and he shared the following experience.

Sean had gone to Kenya to help minister in a school for the blind. Joe Masci had been there for some time working as a missionary and also bringing help to the children in the school. As a young man, Sean assisted in such projects. Sending time in Africa was right up his alley.

Because the setting was rural, there were few roads in and out. The country was mountainous with deep ravines cutting through the tree covered jungle countryside. Sean and Joe had set out on a mission to travel down one of those narrow dirt roads to carry out their ministry.

They were driving down the roadways that twisted and turned around the mountainside chatting and talking about their work. Ahead of them was a large bus that they hoped to pass eventually, but the road was so narrow they had to be cautious. Just as they were coming to a turn, the two men realized that another bus was trying to pass on a curb and both buses had completely blocked the road. A collision was unavoidable!

Masei’s car was going far too fast to make any significant slowdown. On one side was a steep mountain side shooting straight up. The other edge was a steep cliff that shot down far below into a valley. Neither alternative offered anything but disaster. There was simply no way to get around. Seeing that a deadly collision couldn’t be avoided, both men threw up their hands in front of their faces to avoid flying glass. Sean remembers crying out in desperation, “Jesus! Jesus!”

Sean and Joe closed their eyes and prepared to enter eternity. They could do nothing.

When they opened their eyes, their car was behind the bus that had been in front of them and the other bus had gone on down the road. Impossible! There was no way around and yet there they were alive! Sean could find no explanation for how their car had been in one place and ended up down the road, missing the two buses.

I pressed him to explain. They couldn’t have gone up the hillside. Turning off the dirt toward the ravine would have been suicide. And yet there they were! Safe and sound!

I recognize that such a rescue sounds like one of those Twilight Zone stories, but even more so. How could such be?

If you turn to the New Testament, the accounts point to stories like Jesus walking on water or turning water into wine. Impossible? Sure. Just like Sean’s car passing through an impossible barrier to avoid an impasse and a car pileup.

But did it happen? The incident happened decades ago and I talked with Sean last week. Gives you something to think about.

You might find my collection of Holy Land experiences to be helpful.
BIBLE LANDS: An illustrated Guide to Scriptural Places
Barbpir books Publishers

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CRUISING FOR A BRUISING!

Blog 148
February 17, 2020

intervine

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Often, I hear from people who have experienced miracles or divine interventions. I look forward to receiving these accounts as they deepen our understanding of how these experiences occur. Could you be like that? If so, please share your story with me. Contact me at revwise@att.net.

CRUISING FOR A BRUISING!

Cathy Sanders and I became friends when I helped her work on the untold story of how the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed. Her two beloved grandchildren Chase and Colton had tragically been in the Day Care Center underneath the building when the bomb exploded. The tragedy was unspeakable then and remains so today.

One never recovers from such a loss, but you just go on.

As a tribute to those lost children, Cathy set out to uncover what were all the untold clues about the bombing. For a year and a half, I worked with her, interviewing Terry Nichols and Lana Padilla, and a multitude of other persons, including lawyers, policemen, and citizens effected by the blast.

In time, Cathy moved to Arkansas. She and her husband loved to sail across the lake in their pontoon boat during beautiful weather. They had just come in from a ride when Cathy began to hook up the wrench on to the boat to bring the craft up out of the water. Unfortunately, the boat moved backward and she needed to catch it. Cathy reached out with her foot to pull the bow closer. The boat jerked further back, throwing Cathy off balance. She fell from the pier landing onto the top of the boat. With such a significant drop, she landed like being hit by a speeding car.

Cathy’s lung blew up like a balloon and she could feel two broken ribs. The pain swallowed her as if she had been dropped into an abyss of black agony. She was sure there was no hope. Cathy prepared to die. She knew her life had been good and she could go on.

At that moment a golden cloud appeared. The covering descended over her and the nightmarish suffering evaporated. Next, an aquamarine light seemed to be leading her forward. While she had not seen His face, Cathy was certain the blue beam was leading her to Jesus. With her painfulness gone, Cathy was filled with excitement and anticipation. Always a religious person, she was eager to see the person she called her Savior.

And then, Cathy remembered something that was highly important to her. For five years she had been working on a book and now she would not be able to finish writing it. The realization was the discovery of something important remaining unfulfilled and she needed to complete the task.

At that moment, the forward journey ceased. Cathy discovered she was back on the boat with a punctured lung and broken ribs. Medics appeared and had to take her back across the lake to a marina to load her in an ambulance. The pain returned.

While her trek into eternity hadn’t been completed, Cathy’s convictions about eternity and the reality of heaven were more than confirmed. Today she is doing well.

Divine interventions often come unexpectedly. Cathy certainly didn’t have time to ask for her deliverance, but her life called for the experience. I think today Cathy Sanders would tell you that the worst pain can surprisingly become the best gift.

You might find my collection of Holy Land experiences to be helpful.
BIBLE LANDS: An illustrated Guide to Scriptural Places
Barbpir books Publishers

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JOSEPH BIAS: Part 3

Blog 149
February 10 , 2020

bible

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today?

Read and you’ll find new insights.

JOSEPH BIAS: Part 3

In two previous blogs, I’ve told you something of the story and experience of Joseph Bias and the miraculous healing of his vocal chords after they were accidentally clipped in a medical operation. Joseph went on to discover another spiritual intervention at the home of the well-known musician Allen Moore.

Let me remind you of Joseph’s past. In addition, to being trained at the Rochester School of Music for operatic singing, Joseph performed across America. At the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he sang a solo. In addition to his solo albums, he worked with singers from Sandi Patti to Johnny Cash. Joseph hosted a gospel music television show, “I Choose Life.”

Following the extraordinary healing of his vocal cords and the spiritual discovery at Allen Moore’s house, Joseph knew there was more that he needed to grasp. He sensed there was one fundamental principal there that he had yet found. He needed that principle to get his life in proper order. During this time, he was struggling to get the opportunities he needed to perform. Even with his history and contacts, the doors were opening slowly. Something was missing.

Joseph had begun to attend regularly a Bible study group and had begun to search the Bible for answers. During this time, he came across a verse that leaped off the page. From Malachi 3:10-11, he read, “Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test. Says the Lord of Hosts. If I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” From somewhere, he thought he remembered Jesus saying, “Give and it shall be given unto you.”

The challenge struck Joseph as especially for him. This passage had the direction that he needed for his life. He had to become a giver. No matter what the challenge or the limits, Joseph was determined to observe this principle. The practice changed everything.

Closed doors opened. Opportunities appeared. Paul Crouch of TBN called and offered Joseph a TV show. He was well on his way. Eventually, Joseph Bias became the Music Minister of the First Methodist Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

He gave and it was given unto him.

Over the years, I’ve talked with a great many people who have been challenged to take a leap of faith that changed their entire life. However, giving money has usually been the most difficult step to be taken. Divine interventions are easy ideas to talk about, but following the commandments of God is an action, not an idea.

If you’re hoping for the Holy Spirit to touch your life, you might start with what Joseph learned. “Give and it shall be given unto you.”

Does it work? You bet.

You might find my collection of Holy Land experiences to be helpful.
BIBLE LANDS: An illustrated Guide to Scriptural Places
Barbpir books Publishers

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