|
The church you attend can change your life |
The church you attend will be used by Jesus to change your life.
What I learned from Jesus . . . . . . When I think about the church I attend I realize how our church influences me and my family and other worshipers. Church is the place where we are taught the power of prayer, to trust in Jesus and to trust the Bible as the inspired word of God.
Church is where we sing with the congregation and sing the songs that teach us the truth of Jesus' love towards us. Church is where I meet other Christian friends. Church is where we are encouraged to attend Bible studies that also encourage us in our walk with Christ. Church is were we are encouraged to financially help the church and missionaries. Church is where we learn to be open to help new churches use our church facilities, even non English speaking churches. In Summary the church you attend will change your life forever, as you learn of Jesus' death and resurrection and eternal love to you. Make certain the church you attend is an Evangelical church. Attend other churches until you find the church that only preaches the Bible and the word of God. POINTS TO PONDER Are you attending an evangelical church that preaches the Bible and Jesus' love to you? Does your church encourage you to get involved with Bible Studies? Is your church open to use their facilities for another church? Does your church encourage you to help missionaries by giving to them financially and by encouraging them? ACTION POINTS Talk to your church leaders and ask them to explain the philosophy of the church. Are you supporting missionaries? Should you? As you age, it does not take long to send or write a check for the support of missionaries. Are you involved in helping your church to expand its ministry to others? SCRIPTURES Acts 20:28 ESV "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he ordained with His own blood." Romans 12:5 ESV "So, we though many, are one body in Christ, and individually member of one to another." |
indexNothing Is Impossible with God
|
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!
|
HomeMediaBLOG
|
KInGomNOics
|
Indonesia
|