Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced the touch of God.
THE GREATEST MIRACLE
As I look toward the New Year, I ask myself a question. Out of the multitude of miracles I’ve encountered and discovered, what is the greatest miracle? If you’d go back and review my stories that span more than four years, you’ll discover amazing results as the hand of God moved. But what was the greatest one of all?
The stars in the sky and the systematic rotation of the seasons year after year through countless centuries offer their response. Even with the painful political nonsense we have had to endure, the world still continues on its way intact. Nations come; nations go. But we exist in a world governed by an unseen power that maintains order even when we degenerate into corruption, strife and combat.
Why?
Because we have a Heavenly Father who loves us regardless of our sacrilege, inadequacies, and inconsistencies. Even if we do not turn to Him, his love endures. The love of God continues unabated to the end of time. That, my friend, is the greatest gift of all.
Oh, and remember miracles never cease.
WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO, TOO!
82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced the touch of God.
EVIL PERSISTED UNTIL —
Dubois had been telling us how his life was changed. (anonymity for security sake) A native of Haiti, he had grown up in a culture that practiced Voodoo. As strange as that sounds to American ears, this occult religion included casting curses and the worship of the Devil. Dubois not only embraced these bizarre ideas; he became a witch doctor. As he told his story, he talked out of the side of his mouth leaving the impression that something had happened to his jaw.
Dubois’ story described what happened when he walked down a narrow mountainous pathway with a staff in hand. Because of his high status in the cult, he expected everyone to step aside. That’s when he ran into and confronted Maria Smith walking directly toward him. (anonymity)
Eighty-year-old Maria had been a missionary in Haiti for almost all of her adult life. Coming from the United States, Maria was devout and a prayer warrior. She not only knew about the Voodoo occult; Maria battled this evil practice.
Dubois demanded that she step aside to let him pass because of his status as a Voodoo priest. He was not about to yield to a practitioner of what he considered to be an inferior religion. The woman must yield to him or he would throw her bodily off the path.
Maria dropped to her knees, folded her hands, and began praying. Dubois was so offended that he drew his staff back to strike her in the head. Maybe kill her. At that moment, he felt something grab the back of his neck, lift him off the ground, and sling him into the bushes.
Not only was Dubois stunned, he couldn’t imagine anybody having the strength to throw him so far. He glanced sideways and saw a gigantic figure standing there glaring at him.
The figure drew out a large sword and warned, “I am a servant of the Lord and this woman is a faithful servant of the most high God. You will not harm her.” The angel slammed the tip of the handle into Dubois’ jaw. Instantly, the bone snapped. Dubois knew his jaw was broken.
Because of this encounter, Dubois abandoned Voodooism and rejected his evil practices. He turned to the missionary’s God for light to shine into his darkness. Dubois became a Christian. As he told us his story, he had talked out of the side of his mouth because of the angel’s blow to his jaw.
Few of us are so dramatically and visibly confronted by Evil. In our society, the attacks are more subtle, but just as invasive. The assault never stops. Pay Attention!
You don’t need a jaw dropping experience to recognize the importance of resisting and negating the influence of Evil. In the Christmas season, we often joke about the existence of Santa Claus. The influence and impact of Evil is no jest. Stand your ground and you’ll be able to walk a straight path. Call on the Most High to protect you. You can gain the same victory and overcome!
Remember: miracles never cease!
WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO, TOO!
82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced the touch of God.
THEIR BEHAVIOR WAS UNCONTROLLABLE UNTIL
One of the realms we have not considered is combatting evil. We have not explored the impact that the diabolical has on people. I have run into this problem far more times than most of the other areas I have previously explored. Regardless of whether or not people attribute talk of Evil to superstition or a Halloween movie, the fact of demonic influence is frighteningly real and always present, especially today. As you read this blog, you may recognize a habit, a behavior, or an experience that seems imposed or forced on you. Could that be the influence of Evil? Absolutely.
Here’s an example.
Anglican clergyman Christopher Neil-Smith received a call to come to a prison where two Hell’s Angels had realized they knew something was deeply wrong in their lives that they couldn’t control. Their behavior had been affected by a force they could no longer resist and wanted someone to pray for their release. One man had been sentenced for stabbing a man and the other for holding a gun on his victim. The prisoners desired help because they feared that when they left prison, they might not be able to control themselves and kill someone. Of course, a death sentence could follow. The men explained to Neil-Smith that they had participated in black magic and dedicated themselves to the devil. As they approached the priest asking him to pray for them, they were afraid to enter the chapel because of their involvement with the occult.
As Neil-Smith began praying, the first man succumbed and became unconscious. Only as he was sprinkled with water, did the prisoner revive. The second man struggled but stayed on his feet. The clergyman prayed fervently and slowly his sense of being possessed by Evil faded. No longer did the two men want to kill or injury anyone. Obviously, prayers penetrated their problems.
Their dread of entering the chapel disappeared and the men wanted a Bible. A Franciscan brother who worked with prisoners produced the scripture. Together they studied Mark 5:1-20, the account of a man released from the control of evil. The two convicts immediately identified with the demoniac. From Mark’s story, the two men recognized they had experienced an identical release from evil. Relieved of feeling captive by Evil, the two prisoners were spiritually free. The power of evil had been broken.
Should their account ring a bell with you, remember that Evil is strong, but prayer is stronger. Surrendering to the control of the Holy Spirit is your answer. We are not simply the captains of our own destiny. Our life’s journey involves navigating through stormy passages we cannot control. When we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us through troubled waters, the outside force of Evil cannot shipwreck us.
Struggling? Remember miracles never cease.
WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO, TOO!
82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced the touch of God.
THE BABY WAS DYING UNTIL
Rick Thomas usually wore cowboy boots and a big 10-gallon 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.
WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO, TOO!
82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced the touch of God.
BLINDNESS PREVAILED UNTIL
We often think that only special people have the capacity to participate in miracles. Do you need a special endowment to be part of the miraculous work of God? From interviewing many people who experienced the touch of God, I can tell you the issue is not a special capacity, but an openness to the possibility. The important issue for us to consider is our personal receptiveness to the working of God.
In a great many instances, nothing happened when people were struggling because there was no one there to fill the space between them and God. Talent wasn’t the issue. Availability was. Here’s an example.
Quinton Moore discovered this dimension of ministry that occurred almost without him until he allowed himself to become a conduit of grace. The issue was his availability to stand in the gap when a need occurred.
Quinton took a bus load of 15 kids on a mission trip to San Rafael, Mexico. While they were exploring the scenic area around the local church, a young blind girl walked up to the Americans. The group stared in consternation because her eyes were totally and completely white. Quinton was immediately moved and knelt down to begin praying for her eyes. Quinton knew he had to do something.
A white, milky substance started running through his fingers. Grabbing a cloth, Quinton began wiping her eyes. From underneath the white film, beautiful brown eyes emerged.
The child blinked several times and then looked at him. She abruptly screamed and called for her mother. Running her hands across the woman’s face, the child made sure it was truly her mother. She had never seen anything in her life and had to make sure of what was rushing through her mind. But her eyes had been restored.
And what about the teens watching? Their hearts were changed as well. They witnessed the results of availability.
In our quest to understand miracles and divine interventions, Quinton Moore’s experience added an additional dimension. While he had grown up in an environment where unique encounters occurred, he had developed a skepticism that caused him to retreat. Only an unexpected need pushed him into praying for divine mediation.
Quinton discovered that divine appointments happen without any expectation on his part. The occasions simply occurred because of a need. He made himself available for whatever followed. The results speak for themselves.
His example instructs that our willingness to respond is more important than any gift we bring.
What follows when we pray is up to God. Our job is simply to intercede. Perhaps, now is a good time to make a decision to be more open.
Remember; miracles never cease.
Did you discover something miraculous during the past year? I’d be delighted to hear your story. Please write me, email me your story at:
miracles@miraclesnevercease.com
Where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!
Remember to expect the unexpected! And let the miracles begin!
WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO, TOO!
82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews with persons who experienced the touch of God.
THE MAN WAS OVERWHELMED WHEN…
In Quin Moore’s world extraordinary events were considered the norm. He had grown up in a Pentecostal Church where people prayed for things to happen and they did. Perhaps, you’d like to know more about the Pentecostal Movement.
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.
When Quinton 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 Quinton 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 Quinton completed an excellent education, he felt called into the ministry and started exploring various aspects of outreach.
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 Quinton with a defiant look on his face. While no words were spoken, he seemed to be daring the preacher to say something. Quinton could feel the challenge written across the man’s face.
Quinton 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 Quinton 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, Quinton 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!”
Does our heavenly Father speak to people today? There’s a man in Kansas with a banana who will tell you so.
Remember miracles never cease.
Did you discover something miraculous during the past year? I’d be delighted to hear your story. Please write me, email me your story at:
miracles@miraclesnevercease.com
Where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!
Remember to expect the unexpected! And let the miracles begin!
WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO, TOO!
82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoeffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews and discoveries with persons who experienced the touch of God.
SHE FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BREATHE UNTIL…
I am often asked if there is any special place where miracles most often seem to happen. Of course, they occur where people are completely open to the Holy Spirit working in their life. No one can predict where the hand of God will move, but we can depend on the fact that our heavenly Father’s love is not only constantly, but particularly working when we hurt.
However, miraculous events often occur around people who have the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (See the New Testament, I Corinthians 12 for insight into the gifts of the Spirit) Such giftedness provides a channel for the power of God to be poured out. The Andrew Warmack conferences are a good example. Melanie Davis had gone to the Summer Family Bible Conference with such a hope.
Melanie had struggled with severe allergies her entire life. She took every medication possible, but still had difficulty sleeping. Breathing proved to be a struggle and her eyes were constantly red and usually swollen. Melanie Davis lived in continual misery. Often allergies forced her eyes shut. She had come to the Bible Conference hoping that maybe… just maybe… something … anything could make her life easier.
As the evening session unfolded, the speaker made a surprising announcement. “Someone here is struggling with breathing and a seasonal-type allergy giving them trouble sleeping.” Looking out over the audience, the speaker called out if that person was there, they should stand up.
Melanie abruptly felt like there were arms lifting her up. She rose to her feet feeling rather embarrassed. The speaker immediately suggested that the people around her should place their hands on Melanie and pray for her condition. With her eyes closed, Melanie could feel the warmth of hands being placed on her shoulders and prayers being said.
Lost in the prayers, Melanie no longer heard anything that was being said, but she felt the power surging through her body. Suddenly, her eyes popped open. She could see everything around her clearly. The swelling was gone. The itching had vanished. Melanie could feel the condition leaving. Stunned, she began to cry. Later she took a bicycle ride outside in the breeze and had no problems. She was healed.
Where did the miracle happen? At a place where gifted people prayed for others in need. Could be a church, a meeting, a conference. Just look for the places where spiritual gifted people are at work. And remember: miracles never cease!
Did you discover something miraculous during the past year? I’d be delighted to hear your story. Please write me, email me your story at:
miracles@miraclesnevercease.com
Where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!
Remember to expect the unexpected! And let the miracles begin!
WATCH MY LATEST VIDEO, TOO!
82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
Rev. Robert L. Wise, Ph.D. explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. An Archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches with a Ph.D., Rev. Wise relates his interviews and discoveries with persons who experienced the touch of God.
MORE THAN ONE MIRACLE?
Often, we think of people experiencing a miracle as if that’s a once in a lifetime experience. If you’ve had one, fantastic… but more than one? One after another? Remember that the miraculous is a product of a divine relationship. Put away your calculator.
Jodie Berndt discovered this fact when she lived with her younger sister Jennifer’s struggle with colon cancer. Jodie thought the problem was only a disorder. She didn’t understand that Jennifer stood at death’s door. Her sister simply kept her problem to herself until her mother recognized the lump in her stomach required a doctor. The medical prognosis was immediate. Jennifer had a malignant tumor: cancer.
But Jennifer immediately turned to and trusted God. She believed her heavenly Father would heal her. As she prayed, the scripture verse came to mind. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” She knew God had spoken. Miracle one: Jennifer knew she would be healed.
The story of Jennifer’s resolute faith spread and a local newspaper even wrote an article on her convictions. She was deluged by visitor’s and people she had never met wanting to know about her faith. A woman wrote, “If this teenager can find joy in the Lord, so can I.” The impact spread. Miracle two: others were impacted.
Jennifer’s tumor had to be removed because it had grown to the size of a grapefruit. The doctors felt there was a good chance that the cancer had spread. To their amazement they could find no trace of cancer anywhere else in Jennifer’s body. It couldn’t be possible, but it was. Miracle three.
As a follow-up, a specialist at John Hopkins University examined Jennifer and came back with a conclusion. “It’s very unusual. I can’t even tell she ever had cancer.” Jennifer had recovered in an astonishing amount of time. She reflected, “Even with the physical pain, this has been one of the best times in my life.” Ten years later the physician who removed the tumor wrote, “Contrary to what so-often happens, she is clear of any risk of recurrence.” Miracle four.
Jennifer’s perspective? Certainly, she was grateful for the healing, but her response was surprising. “The real miracle is in how God used my experience for His glory. I wrote down all the ways He was glorified and I counted more than sixty-five different items.”
Thanks, Jennifer, for reminding us that glorifying God is the path to the miraculous.
Remember: miracles never cease!
Did you discover something miraculous during the past year? I’d be delighted to hear your story. Please write me, email me your story at:
miracles@miraclesnevercease.com
Where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!
Remember to expect the unexpected! And let the miracles begin!82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle
You’ll find another Robert L. Wise’s latest books to be inspiring, too. One of the most significant Christians of the 20th Century, Dietrich Bonhoffer attempts to stop Adolph Hitler!
miraclesnevercease.com 