prayer – Page 21

A PRAYER EXPERIENCE

Blog 205

July 11, 2021

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

Robert Wise explores the world of divine interventions from an objective point of view. Can 21^st century people believe the hand of God still touches people today? Read and you’ll find new insights.

A PRAYER EXPERIENCE

Recently I was going through my files and found a letter from Vicki Leonard in Sacramento, California. Some years ago, I had been invited by Christ Community Church to hold a seminar on prayer and healing. Vicki and Fred Leonard were members of the congregation and had come forward during a time of intercessory prayer. After the event was over, Vicki wrote me about her experience.

As a child, Vicki had polio that left her with a curvature in her spine and affected her leg muscles. When Vicki came to the service, she had reservations. She didn’t doubt the possibility of God touching people’s needs, but wasn’t sure where she fit in the picture. Somewhere during the seminar, she crossed the line and put her quandaries aside and came forward for intercessory prayer and what the Bible calls the “laying on of hands,” meaning that I placed the palms of my hands on her head as we prayed. I had asked her if she experienced anything during the prayers. Vicki later wrote me, “I felt a warmth spread throughout my body. The feeling of love was so strong, almost electrifying.” However, Vicki wasn’t quite sure what was happening and returned to her seat. The spiritual experience had been so strong she wasn’t certain what to think.

Because of the lingering effects of polio, Vicki had a hard time staying in one position for long as well as feeling pain when sitting down. However, as she returned to the pew, she realized an absence of pain. The problem was gone. In her letter, she reported that the pain never returned.

Her childhood polio had been so serious that at one point, the doctor told her parents to prepare for a funeral. They were instructed that she would not walk again and probably not use her arms. There was no expectation of a normal life or the ability to have children. And yet by the grace of God, Vicki had lived through those dire predictions not only to have a normal life, but to have two children.

That evening in the seminar, Vicki had been able to push her reservations aside and reach out for the hand of God to touch her. She left the altar with a new sense of the Holy Spirit working in her life. She made the decision to “let God be God,” and the results followed.

Vicki Leonard’s experience offers encouragement to anyone with reservations. Our need is to realize the promises apply to us regardless of how we have been reluctant to accept that fact. How does prayer work? A Divine connection is made between personal need and God’s provision. As you are reading these lines, are you wondering could this happen to you. Absolutely!

Divine interventions come in many ways. The most important thing is to set our reservations aside and invite the Holy Spirit to come to our need. Vicki’s experience reminds us that our openness allows more to follow than we might imagine.

By the way, I’d love to hear your story if you’ve experienced a divine intervention.

Send it to me at Wise on Miracles@gmail.com.

Please watch and subscribe to my new YouTube channel MIRACLES NEVER CEASE, where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!

Let the miracles begin!

July 11, 2021 by revwise Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: Divine Intervention, laying on of hands, Miracles, prayer Leave a comment

PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER

Blog 204

July 4, 2021

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER

Some years ago, I started a Servants In Prayer group for people who wanted to explore how healing prayer could help them. David and Dana Taylor had been friends for years and she joined our group as we studied divine interventions and miracles. I did not know about her struggledwith a tumor behind her ear until later.

Much earlier in her childhood, Dana developed an illness with a high fever and swollen glands behind her ear. As the symptoms faded, the knot on her scalp didn’t. Five years later the problem returned and the growth became two-inches long and one inch wide. Dana had a problem! The situation looked like dangerous surgery would be necessary. A serious neck surgery had been required earlier. She didn’t want to go through the procedure again.

In our Servants in Prayer group, we stressed constant prayer about such problems. Dana realized she had not really followed this principle. Francis MacNutt had espoused the idea of “soaking prayer, ” meaning praying over and over until a condition improved. Francis had discovered that concentrated prayer over a period of time brought important results. Dana started following this procedure.

She placed her hand over the lump and imagined blood rushing to the area and breaking up the growth. For twenty minutes, she prayed that the mass was being reduced. Her hand became warm and she felt something happening in her head. The sensation begun to decrease and Dana stopped praying. When she measured the lump, it had decreased in size by an eighth of an inch.

For the next three days, Dana prayed in the same manner. In the morning, she prayed for half an hour and did the same in the afternoon. After each session, the lump was measurably smaller. By the fourth day, the lump had reduced to the size of a pea. Dana returned to the Servants in Prayer group and asked them to pray for her. By the end of that week, the growth had completely disappeared.

Mark’s Gospel has the story of a blind man that Jesus healed. (Mark 8:22-24) The first time Jesus touched him, people looked like trees. Jesus needed to touch him a second time for the cure to be complete. The man’s persistence was significant as was the case with Dana Taylor. Some healing experiences simply take more concentrated intercession.

The point? Don’t give up. The power remains constant.

By the way, I’d love to hear your story if you’ve experienced a divine intervention.

Send it to me at Wise on Miracles@gmail.com.

Please watch and subscribe to my new YouTube channel MIRACLES NEVER CEASE, where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!

Let the miracles begin!

July 5, 2021 by revwise Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: faith, healing prayer, Miracles, prayer Leave a comment

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

Blog 202

June 21, 2021

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

When Janet Wagner awoke in the middle of the night, she had a head-splitting headache. Janet never had headaches and knew something must be wrong. Abruptly she started to vomit. For the first time in her life, Janet felt like the top of her head would explode. Janet knew she was in trouble.

The next morning Janet was suppose to be a Bible Study Fellowship teacher, but she knew she could not make it. When she called the supervisor, Janet discovered the woman was a nurse who told her to immediately see the doctor. No telling what the problem might be.

The doctors immediately ordered an x-ray. The tests came back quickly. Three trouble spots on her brain looked suspicious. They had to be tumors and cancer was a real possibility. The internal medicine doctor sent her to a neurologist who quickly called for an MRI. The noise and the tight space of the machine left Janet feeling terrified.

Originally from Ann Arbor, Janet had lived in Denver, Colorado for years. She was raised a Methodist, but attended a Roman Catholic Girl’s prep school. When she grew up, Janet became a successful banker. A quite capable person, Janet Wagner wasn’t easily frightened. She was now.

To confirm his suspicions, the neurologist ordered a biopsy. The medical ateam would drill three holes in her skull to access what looked like tumors at the least. Janet was rightly terrified. Her friends gathered around her bed and prayed.

At 4:00 in the morning, she felt weight settling on her bed like someone sitting down. Instinctively she said, “Lord, is that you?” The voice said, “Yes.” Janet said, “I am really scared.”

“I know and I am with you to the end of time. You won’t have to have the biopsy.” Janet stammered, “Are you sure?” The voice answered, “Yes,” and was gone.

When the doctor walked in, he told Janet that he had changed his mind. An uncertainty had surfaced. They would wait and see what developed. Janet was sent home with some steroids.

Thirty days later, she returned for another MRI. This time they shot dye in her arm and the procedure seemed to last forever but at least an hour and a half. Janet felt like she was in a coffin and began to be really afraid once more. Already knowing how to pray, she called out for spiritual help. When she looked up, Janet saw a figure standing by the machine. With brown hair to the shoulders and piercing eyes, she knew the person was Jesus. He said, “I am with you. Be not afraid.” And then he was gone.

The x-ray technician had been certain there would be a tumor or evidence of a stroke. He kept ex-raying. Nothing. The three tumors had simply disappeared. The doctor finally came in and said, “You’ve had a miracle! This just doesn’t happen.”

Janet still had the x-rays and showed them to me. I’m certainly no radiologists, but I could see clearly the before and after. The spots were gone;

Janet Wagner did have a miracle!

By the way, I’d love to hear your story if you’ve experienced a divine intervention.

Send it to me at Wise on Miracles@gmail.com.

Please watch and subscribe to my new YouTube channel MIRACLES NEVER CEASE, where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!

Let the miracles begin!

June 20, 2021 by revwise Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: Divine healing, faith, Jesus, prayer Leave a comment

THE EXTRA TOUCH

Blog 200

June 7, 2021

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

THE EXTRA TOUCH

While scanning through my files, I found a letter from a friend I’ll call George. He was wanting me to share with me his experience during a Fellowship of the Healing Christ service. George had been struggling with anger, bitterness, and frustration that had a devastating effect on his entire life. During a time of intercession, he began to envision his negative emotions like a gigantic knapsack on his back. The figure of Jesus appeared before him and the Christ removed the burden from George. As he wrote to me, he could still see Him smiling at George as the weight disappeared.

George wrote:

I started to get to my feet. I felt we had finished. But the Lord had more to say.

I felt (one of the ministry team’s) hands firmly press on my shoulder and then

he began to pray for my diabetes I hadn’t written anything about that in my

prayer request. What prompted him to pray for remission of my diabetes? I

wondered.

In the weeks that followed, George discovered an amazing change. He cut his insulin dosage by almost 20%. At first ten units dropped to 7 units. Later over all, George dropped from 47 units per day to 8. He could only thank God for such a result.

In retrospect, George realized he had to deal with his harmful emotions before he could receive healing for his body. He began to think that the root cause of his diabetes began in unresolved anger and bitterness. His physical problem provided a convenient excuse to remain non-assertive. George had allowed himself to drift into acting like a turtle. He had a protective shell that he could retreat into when matters got personal.

During the worship service, George had released his bruised memories when the hand of God touched him. He let go and let God in. The results speak for themselves. George found that anger and frustration were replaced with patience, compassion, and love. He had come for one need and been healed of another. The extra touch made all the difference.

Doctors continue to tell us that hate and animosity can affect heart disease. In George’s case, it was the pancreas. One can never know how expansive the love of God can be … until they receive an unexpected extra touch.

By the way, I’d love to hear your story if you’ve experienced a divine intervention.

Send it to me at Wise on Miracles@gmail.com.

Please watch and subscribe to my new YouTube channel MIRACLES NEVER CEASE, where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!

Let the miracles begin!

June 7, 2021 by revwise Categories: angels, Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: Divine Intervention, healing prayer, Miracles, prayer Leave a comment

A GENTLE NUDGE

Blog 198

May 23, 2021

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

A GENTLE NUDGE

Many of my blogs convey stories of dramatic encounters that bring surprising changes and unexpected results. Miracles can certainly be like that. However, divine interventions often occur without people realizing what is happening. Sometimes we need to be alert to the possibility that God is working when we aren’t aware. This was the case with Lois Stagner.

Lois was a member of a local congregation and had been for years. She began to notice that her arm felt “funny.” Something wasn’t quite right. She ignored the problem believing whatever it was would soon pass. Two and a half weeks went by. The arm didn’t get better.

Finally, Lois went to a hospital and her arm was checked out by the professionals. They didn’t find anything and reassured her there was no problem. Next Lois turned to a scanning machine that again reported she was okay. However, Lois felt uneasy. There was an internal nudge that suggested she pay attention.

Once more Lois was sent back to her primary doctor who ordered another scan. Possibly the first one had missed something. With all of the back and forth, Lois’s arm continued to ache like there was a problem no matter what had not been found. The next step was to see a neurologist.

The internal nudge persisted. Lois knew something more was telling her to pay attention to this irritation. The neurologist agreed and ordered an arteriogram. Sure enough! There was blockage at a 50% rate. Usually, an operation isn’t performed until there is a 60% block, but the issue suggested that more needed to be done. They decided to operate. When the doctor came in after the procedure, they had found a more serious situation than expected. A tumor was abscessed and flaking off pieces that floated through her blood stream. Not only did Lois have a strange feeling in her arm, those pieces of the tumor could have killed her. Even though all those other medical procedures had missed it, her constant pursuit of the problem saved her life.

When I talked with Lois, she told me that she was convinced that the hand of God had been on her life all along. The unseen nudge had kept her searching. Although unexpected, the hand of God had prevailed even when medical diagnosis was to the contrary. Her experience can teach us to appreciate how the love of God is constant. Even with people who aren’t spiritual attuned, He is at work. We should always be alert to those gentle nudges that can make such a difference.

By the way, I’d love to hear your story if you’ve experienced a divine intervention.

Send it to me at Wise on Miracles@gmail.com.

Please watch and subscribe to my new YouTube channel MIRACLES NEVER CEASE, where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!

Let the miracles begin!

May 23, 2021 by revwise Categories: Divine Intervention, Dr. Robert Wise interview, faithTags: Divine Intervention, faith, prayer Leave a comment

WAITING WAS THE KEY

Blog 194

April 26, 2021

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

WAITING WAS THE KEY

I met Sam Matthews on a wet, cold Oklahoma afternoon. His Family of Faith church was out in the country near Shawnee. At first glance you wouldn’t know he was responsible for and an overseer for over 10,000 churches across the world. In addition, Sam operated a school and a seminary. A busy man, none of those concerns defined him. His main concern was prayer. Sam Matthews is an intercessor.

His personal account of divine interventions makes a better book than a blog. Nevertheless, here’s what happened to Sam and his wife Kathy.

During a Billy Graham School of Evangelism, Sam was startled to hear the voice of God say “I am not the Lord of your Life.” Highly committed and devoted to the scripture, Sam heard a voice. He and Kathy heard the challenge that they did things out of their own power instead of out of the power of the Holy Spirit. Even though seminary trained, Sam had never studied I Corinthians 12-14 and was challenged to recognize the gifts of the Holy Spirit. From that moment forward, his wife and his ministry changed.

However….

Shortly after that profound commitment, Kathy became ill and was diagnosed with an ulcerated colin and a deadly condition. Sam went to his knees and was spiritual lydirected to read Matthew 8 and read the story of the woman healed after touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. The words “only believe” leaped out. Not only did Sam have reassurance, he knew he wanted a ministry where people knew how to listen to the voice of God.

But Kathy didn’t get well. Every morning Sam and Kathy sought a Word from the Holy Spirit, a unique and special Word of guidance, but Kathy’s condition didn’t change. For 18 months, Kathy’s condition worsened.

Once more Sam was directed to read Matthew 8: 16-17 …”he healed all that were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Sam was impressed he had to make a decision between that doctor who wanted surgery and the Gospel of Matthew. Sam chose Matthew.

On that Sunday morning, Kathy started improving. Her fingernails began to grow again as well as her hair. When they returned to the Medical Clinic for tests, the technicians came running out shouting, “It’s a miracle!”

The trial? Certainly, Kathy’s illness was a struggle. But what about waiting and trusting God to do what He said? It’s easy to read about someone else’s difficulty until it’s our problem. Waiting on God to fulfill His Word can be excruciating. Waiting is hard. Waiting is exasperating. Finally, waiting became rewarding.

The Bible says, “They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.”

In your struggles, could you wait out 18 months? It might just be a life and death decision.

By the way, I’d love to hear your story if you’ve experienced a divine intervention. Send it to me at Wise on Miracles@gmail.com.

Please watch and subscribe to my new YouTube channel MIRACLES NEVER CEASE, where I post interviews with people sharing their experiences with divine encounters!

Let the miracles begin!

An Angel?

April 25, 2021 by revwise Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: Divine Intervention, faith, Miracles, prayer Leave a comment

A NEW YEAR OF EXPECTATIONS

Blog 179

January 1, 2021

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

A NEW YEAR OF EXPECTATIONS

Our heavenly Father is a creator who always brings newness into being. In my past years of researching and following people who had divine experiences, I’ve learned how unexpected His work can be. You can’t figure out the comings and goings of our Creator, but only hang on for the ride. We can live in hope and with expectation. My prayer is that these weekly blogs have increased your sensitivity to His hand working in your life and developed a greater anticipation of the possibilities.

I have noticed that having experienced one divine intervention does not exclude other problems and possibilities. I’ve seen persons with extraordinary healings have a recurrence of problems or similar issues later. Often the problem was whether the person was open and stayed open to the Holy Spirit’s work. Remember that we all have free will. Our resistance can keep the door shut. God made us this way. Obviously, we pray for the will of God and seek to pursue it. However, I’ve observed some good people with faith praying, “I know you can if it is your will which amounted to saying, “I’m not really sure about your interventions so I’m going to play it safe and hedge my bets.” Is not that the opposite of faith?

My discovery is that the most important way to pray is, “… ask in my Name and you shall receive.” (John 16:23-24) This passage is not some kind of heavenly slot machine that only requires you to pull the lever. A mystery always remains in the working of God and predictability is hidden in the many other purposes of the Father. At the same time, the ministry of Jesus demonstrates that we must come seeking while we remain open to alternatives that may later surprise us.

The miracles of God are part of the mystery of redemption. This impenetrable fact is difficult for a secular society to grasp. Americans have been raised in a society that philosophically rejects the reality and immediate presence of the Divine. At the same time, as noted in an earlier blog, 67% of Americans believe miracles are possible. My desire is that these weekly blogs have encouraged you to accept the miraculous as beyond your ability to comprehend while still walking into the enigma with hope. We find balance and maintain stability through hope.

Paul wrote, “…we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

As we launch into a new year may this Divine hope lead us onward to grasp the hand of God and walk with Him expecting the highest and the best.

My latest books:

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!

by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

January 3, 2021 by revwise Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, MiraclesTags: Divine Intervention, faith, Miracles, prayer Leave a comment

WHEN PEOPLE PRAY

Blog 175

November 16, 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.

WHEN PEOPLE PRAY

Recently, I was talking about the power of prayer and a pastor friend corrected me. He suggested that I was talking like prayer was a good luck charm, a talisman of some sort. He wanted me to remember that the results of praying were the work of the hand of God. Prayer is only an access to that divine intervention. God is not a rabbit’s foot. He really had a point. Often, we lose sight of what divine intervention is all about. We don’t make something happen just because we prayed, but our praying does open a door that invites the hand of God to come in.

As we have said a number of times, free will remains a key factor in approaching our heavenly Father. We have been given a great gift. We have the capacity to accept or reject the work of God in our lives. Effective prayer is opening our lives to his intervention. That’s using free will in the most constructive way.

Douglas Connelly in his book Angels Around Us, has an example of intercession making all the difference by focusing the power of God on human need. A member of his congregation, Carol Sintay was diagnosed with a tumor on her ovary. As her doctor worked with her, he could see that the cancer had spread and affected her colon and possibly other internal organs. Another surgeon performed ultrasound projection as well as x-ray, confirmed the diagnosis. Carol Sintray was in trouble.

The problem could not have come at a worse time. In her Master’s degree program, Carol was halfway through the semester. She protested that her research and master’s dissertation would be disrupted by such a serious surgery. The doctor’s understood but felt her life was in danger. The surgery could not wait.

The Elder’s of the church gathered around her. She was anointed with oil and they prayed fervently for her condition. The pastor and friends joined in the prayer. While it certainly wasn’t what she wanted, Carol left her life in the hands of God.

When the procedure began a few days later, the doctors were shocked. They found nothing that was abnormal.

Confounded, one of the doctors asked Carol. “Why didn’t you tell us that you were anointed? If we’d known, we’d done the tests over.” Carol only smiled. She had received a miracle.

Does prayer work? Most certainly when we remember it is opening a door and we are inventing the Holy Spirit to work. Prayer is a connection that brings change.

We have been calling on America to pray for the spiritual condition of this country. This is a serious hour for this nation Please read II Chronicles 7:14 and then join us in a daily prayer for the next year.

My latest books:

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!

by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

November 16, 2020 by revwise Categories: Divine Intervention, faith, miraculousTags: faith, Miracles, prayer Leave a comment