Life Lessons from Jesus
indexNothing Is Impossible with God
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Nothing Is Impossible with GodCopyright 2019 Bruce S. Herwig
Can the power of confession and faith heal you physically?
On August 21,2018 while I was sleeping, I had a massive heart attack, 2018. When I arrived at the Loma Linda Medical Center in an ambulance, their heart trauma team performed CPR on me for 55 minutes and used the shock paddles 20 times. My heart started and stopped 6 times before my heart very weakly continued to beat. I immediately had surgery where the blood clot was removed from my blocked artery and one stint was inserted. I then was medically sedated for 7 days and on total life support. There were serious concerns that, if I lived, I would have diminished mental capabilities. Again God, was gracious, as when I awoke, I had my full previous mental abilities. I was in Intensive Care for a total of three weeks, with another week in the hospital for rehab.
For the first ten days after my heart attack, my kidneys had totally stopped functioning. This required me to have dialysis every day, as my face and body had greatly swelled with fluids. When two Christian friends, Steve and his wife Joy, came to visit me, Steve reminded me of the promise in 1 Peter 2:24, “by his stripes (wounds) you have been healed.” This verse refers to the whipping Jesus suffered on our behalf, before he was crucified. We three then began praying this verse by faith many times, and I continued after they left. The next day, for the first time, I began to urinate a very little. I continued dialysis while in the hospital. My flow increased; however, my kidneys were not able to remove the chemicals of creatinine, phosphates and potassium from my blood. After being released from the hospital, I needed to continue my dialysis three times a week. After five sessions of dialysis near my home, I awoke early in the morning and began to pray to Jesus concerning how was I to have a ministry for him while I was on dialysis three times a week. His answer came quickly. He reminded me that I still had the unconfessed sin of pride in my life. He pointed out all the prideful physical things I was still holding onto like golf, holes-in-one, bowling, my muscles and my physique. Then one by one, He asked me how I was now doing in each of these areas where I was so proud. In each one, I answered that I was too weak to hit a golf ball, or pick up a bowling ball, and while in the hospital, I lost 30 pounds and my muscles had wasted away. In short, I no longer had any reason to be proud in these once-proud areas. Instead, I was to be humble and not brag, but instead, to help and encourage others. I immediately knew I needed to confess these sins and other areas of pride and to ask for forgiveness. This memorized verse in 1 John 1: 9 motivated me: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” With tears rolling down my face, I confessed these sins of pride, and by faith I knew they were forgiven. Instantly, I was I felt a flutter inside my abdomen. It felt like a flutter of a bird’s wing, and I was surprised. Then, by faith, I realized that this was the Holy Spirit healing my kidneys. I told my wife Carol about this experience. We prayed this would be true. My urine flow, which I had been monitoring, was previously very low, but immediately it significantly increased. When I went in for dialysis the next day, by faith I told the nurse about my confessions, the flutter in my abdomen, and that I believed my kidneys had been healed by the Holy Spirit. As a result, I would not be coming back. I could tell she did not believe me. As I was finishing the dialysis, Dr Stone, the nephrologist who specializes in kidneys, came by and began reading my chart and the results of my blood work. He was amazed. The blood test showed that both my potassium and phosphates levels were now in the normal range. These were two of the indicators that my kidneys were now functioning. After checking me over and seeing my ankles were not swollen, he told the nurse that I was to skip the next scheduled dialysis. The next day my wife received a call from Dr. Stone’s office and was told the previous day’s blood test concerning creatinine, revealed my kidneys had healed enough, so no further dialysis was necessary. However, I was to report back in three days; if I had gained less than three pounds and there was no swelling in my ankles, I would be finished with dialysis. We then had a time of praise and thankfulness for the love and mercy Jesus showed toward me. I returned three days later for my last dialysis visit and as I walked into the dialysis office, all the office staff, with big smiles, stood up and applauded me. It was very nice of them. I gained no weight and there was no swelling in my ankles. As I was leaving, the nurse I told about being healed by the Holy Spirit said that she had not believed me when I told her; however, now she believed. The head nurse who weighed me and checked me, said several times, “This just does not happen.” When I asked what she meant, she said that since there was no medicine that could cure kidneys, normally, unless you receive a kidney transplant, once dialysis has begun, it must continue until you die. She implied that I was one of the very rare persons who stopped dialysis because my kidneys were healed. In subsequent visits to Dr Stone, my blood tests showed the continual healing of my kidneys, until they are now fully functioning for a person of my age. When I asked him how he would explain my kidneys being healed, he told me that most who suffer massive heart attacks like mine permanently damage their kidneys. However, in cases where a sudden trauma occurs, such as a massive heart attack or car accident, the kidneys can, over time, heal themselves. For me, the timing of my confession of sinful pride, immediately followed by the flutter in my abdomen and the increased urine flow, and the assurance that I was healed by the Holy Spirit, cannot be explained, other than by the love, grace, mercy and power of our Lord. These lessons of trusting in the word of God and confessing your sins, so the Holy Spirit can work in and guide your life, are a constant reminder of a personal God who loves us. I realize that I am an answer to the prayers of many who prayed for my healing. Prayer for and from others is more important than you realize. POINTS TO PONDER: Do you have unconfessed sin in your life? Are you proud and brag about your accomplishments? Is there someone you can pray for or with, who are suffering or need healing? ACTION POINTS: 1 Confess your sins to Jesus, so He may forgive them and then guide your life. 2 Pray with and for others who are suffering or need healing. 3 Ask about others, and then listen. Do not talk about yourself. 4 Be kind and encouraging to everyone. Treat them the way you would want to be treated. SCRIPTURE: "He himself (Jesus) bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) "But he (Jesus) was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV) (Referring to the virgin birth of Jesus) "For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37 I am the helicopter!
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Try to Top This!
Copyright 20017 Bruce S. Herwig
After being diagnosed with cancer often depression follows as you try to cope with your shattered future dreams. Always remember, God has new dreams and new successes for you.
Copyright 20017 Bruce S. Herwig
After being diagnosed with cancer often depression follows as you try to cope with your shattered future dreams. Always remember, God has new dreams and new successes for you.
This God Story began in the spring of 2017. I was playing golf late one evening and as I was driving on the cart path to the next hole, I noticed that Jerry, a golfer in our men’s club, was sitting in his patio overlooking the golf course. I had not seen him playing golf lately, so I drove off the cart path to his patio. When I mentioned that I had not seen him playing golf in a while, Jerry informed me that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 bladder cancer. He shared that when all the test results were in, he and his doctors would plan how to deal with his cancer.
You Can Be Used by God on Your Way to The National Parks
Copyright 20014 Bruce S. Herwig
If God wants you to do a good work that He has prepared for you in advance, He will arrange circumstances; no matter how impossible they may seem, so His will be accomplished.
While living in Southern California, we received an invitation to our niece, Genevieve’s wedding. She was going to be married to Chad in the fall of 2014 in the ski resort of Telluride, Colorado. My wife, Carol, and I then planned a driving vacation to visit several National Parks on the way to and from the wedding and also to enjoy the beautiful fall colors. We ended up visiting seven National Parks.
The town of Telluride and the wedding and surroundings were wonderful and special. It was also a fun family reunion time with all my siblings and spouses.
One especially interesting portion of the marriage ceremony was that the two newlyweds were going to plant a Quaking Aspen tree as a symbol of their enduring love and commitment to each other. Why a Quaking Aspen tree?
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Preparing To Die; Planning To Live
Copyright 2003 Bruce S. Herwig
If you knew you might die tomorrow; what would you do today?
The week before my open-heart surgery was very difficult for me. I was anxious and fearful. Is it any wonder? Think about all the things that could go wrong. I had to fight back so many negative thoughts.
I felt so healthy. Was my Mitral valve really that bad? Did I really need open-heart surgery? Could I put it off? Should I put it off? These and hundreds of more unanswered questions raced through my mind. The verse “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV), was a great comfort to me during this time! I needed to concentrate on the thanksgiving part! It is hard to be “down” when you are being thankful.
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I Do Not Remember Giving Five Million Dollars
Have you ever forgotten about a gift or a good work that you did for God?
Copyright 2003 Bruce S. Herwig
It is in the summer of 1979. I was an attorney on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ in the Charitable Giving Department. All US staff came together in the summer for staff training in Fort Collins, Colorado. I would bring my wife and three children. It was a wonderful time of refreshment, friends and inspiring talks by mighty men of God.
Often the Board of Directors would meet there and be debriefed by the heads of the many ministries in the US and around the world. On this occasion the Jesus film had recently been completed. The JESUS film which had been funded by Campus Crusade for Christ is a movie filmed and produced in the Middle East and North Africa. It is about the last three and one half years of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Savior. It is true to the Book of Luke in the New Testament. Other than crowd noises and back-ground noises, every word Jesus speaks in the JESUS film is in the book of Luke. The producer of the JESUS film, as well as those that were played a major role in making this film possible were there for a special limited ceremony celebrating the completion the JESUS film.
