Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord! I have been blessed by my Lord in so many ways that I will be thanking Him for all eternity. Even in the times of my greatest sufferings God has given me a supernatural peace that has carried my burden. Yes, Praise the Lord! God is good. He has done everything for me including sustaining my very life through the power of His Word. The psalmist writes, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalms 100:4).

The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This is where God is ministered to by His people. Zeph 3:17 says, “The LORD your God in the middle of you is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over you with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over you with singing.” When we praise God, God is rejoicing with singing, and the angels are dancing!! Praise the Lord!!

 Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” praising God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. “They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion” (Psalms 84:7).

Praise is also an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances (Romans 8:28). Praise is a “sacrifice,” something that we surrender to God, not just because we feel like it, but because we love Him and wish to please Him. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15).

Praise manifests God’s presence and is also a powerful weapon against the devil. Psalm 8:2 says, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” The enemy fears the power in the name of Jesus, and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise. In Matthew (21:16), at the time of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), Jesus quotes from Psalm 8:2 When he quoted this verse, he interchanged the words “perfected praise” for “ordained strength.” This is a tremendous revelation: When we Praise God as little children we are given strength to overcome all our enemies. Hallelujah!!!

David was delivered out of the hand of his enemies and Saul because he purposed to call on the Lord through praise in 2 Samuel 2:22. Paul and Silas were thrown in a dark, damp, filthy prison by the local Philippian authorities after they were severely beaten. Yet, in spite of the throbbing pain in their bodies and the disheartening atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing praises to God! It was the praise that released the power of God and the earthquake that delivered them from their captivity in Acts 16.  

God knows what you are going through and what you need to get through your valley. Just start to praise Him for the provision that He already has for you. Thank Him for loving you and for sending his Son to die for you. Through praise, begin to recognize how He IS working in your circumstance. Believe and recieve His promises for you.  If you have already accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, rejoice that your name is written in Lambs Book of Life.  If you don’t know Christ personally; He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you, invite Him into your heart by faith.

Praise Him because He alone is worthy to be praised!

Aug 4^th , today we found out our dear friend, Nick Newell died in Flagstaff, AZ. It was a shock to everyone as he was only 23 and had such a zeal for life. We have known Nick most of his life and our families are very close. Our kids have grown up together and shared many fond memories and experiences including Church, Christian elementary school and combined family vacations. Even with the age difference, as Nick grew we became close friends. Nick had multiple health conditions that impacted his daily life and he and I would encourage ourselves in the purposes of God. Nick’s life impacted many other people; especially his last few years working as a counselor in Teen Challenge in Arizona. Nick had a unique way of sharing Christ with anyone willing to listen. He served Jesus with passion and authority while at the same time never giving in to the pain that he suffered his whole life. Below I wanted to write a story of what it may have felt like for Nick after waking up in Paradise. 

Nick had been in severe back pain in the days leading up to his departure, as he slept he drifted into eternity; lovingly received by his Savior, Jesus Christ (Ps 49:15). In a twinkling of an eye, Nick was in heaven’s paradise experiencing untold joy and happiness. Suddenly transformed in a new body, in a new place with new life, Nick was ecstatically joyful; experiencing no pain, no tears, no sorrow, and no sickness. Nothing but incomprehensible peace and infilling love. Standing awestruck, Nick examined his new weightless body, made of a beautiful, glowing, semi transparent material of heavenly light. As Nick lifted up his eyes he saw the loving face of Jesus with his outstretched arms welcoming Nick home. (So precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints Ps 116:15) . Nick then would have buried his face in Jesus’ chest with eternal gratefulness. Tilting his head back to look into Jesus’ eyes, Nick says “Thank you for loving me” Jesus kisses Nick on the head and shares the words we all long to hear, “Well done good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Mt 25:21).    

Nick’s regenerated mind suddenly flooded with a million questions he thought to ask. As fast as he thought of them, Jesus would answer him in lightning quick speed. The heavenly language became mind to mind communication. There was no sin or “carnal mind” present to hinder the instant flow of knowledge by the Holy Spirit. As Jesus spoke, Nick was in awe at the speed of his “heavenly language” which was totally clear within his head. As Jesus and Nick were talking, he discovered that Jesus also placed upon his new mind the very questions which he should ask!  

Jesus presented Nick with his own customized mansion (dwelling place) prepared especially for him surpassing any imagination. Jesus knew the thoughts and intents, desires and dreams that Nick had carried in the secret place of his heart while on the earth. Nick could not fathom the extent of God’s goodness. Nick began to explore his new mansion in paradise with his new body. The thrill of being unrestricted to discover a portion of the majestic kingdom with his glorified body reminded Nick of a jubilant day anticipating opening Christmas presents as a young boy.  With so many new heavenly delights before him to choose from, Nick was off running in a huge valley of celestial beauty without even touching the ground. Although his long legs were in motion, his speed would change with his thoughts. With graceful precision, Nick’s feet moved smoothly through the grass, trees and flowers of paradise with nothing being disturbed. These heavenly gardens of vegetation simply passed through Nick’s legs and feet with no resistance. The experience so fascinated Nick that he curiously stopped to pick some of pleasingly fragrant flowers, and realized he already held them in his hand. In complete wonderment, Nick asked Jesus mind to mind, “Jesus, I do not understand. I just decided to pick some flowers and they were already in my hand.” Jesus responded reminding Nick that he has the mind of Christ having creative ability outside of time, where a thought becomes an act.  Hearing this from Jesus, Nick raised his arms in thanksgiving and adoration for the Lord’s care to show him one of heaven’s many wonders. 

After this breathtaking experience, Nick became keenly aware the heavenly music surrounding him; the music encompassing him was coming from everywhere in all directions. Harmonic and beautiful, unlike any earthly vocal or instrumental sounds he had ever heard before. Nick himself, joined in the chorus with his own totally undistorted, worshipful and edifying rap vocals uniquely contributing his own expression. In the distance, Nick saw a path of pure gold that led to the top of a mountain shining with light. The glory of the light caught his eye and he was compelled to embark on the path he was joined by a group of Angels, they seemed to know and enjoy him. They encouraged Nick to show them his famous “c-walk” (Nick danced the “c-walk” in his size 16 shoes at my daughter, Jessica’s wedding last year). To the amusement of all, Nick glided side to side and back and forth with ease about 2 inches above the golden walkway with his brand new 16 inch sandals. He was smiling and laughing with heavenly pleasure as he thought, “What a place Jesus has prepared for me!”  After this uproarious time of playfulness, Nick saw a golden bridge ahead. The bridge led to a large pearl gate (Rev 21:21) that opened for him into the courtyard of the shining heavenly city called the New Jerusalem.  Once Nick went inside, with full perception, he saw a multitude of saints, the souls that were in heaven. Whether there were millions or billions, Nick had no idea. As far as Nick could see in every direction were people of all nations and generations including his precious grandma, relatives and friends. All were dressed in white robes, a part of the great cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1). The people were semi-transparent; Nick could see through them. They were behind him, across from him, all around him, they were “floating” on what appeared to be a crystal mirror or sea of glass (Rev 4:6). Each person was holding at least one crown in his or her hand. The saints were giving Nick a thunderous applause for finishing the race he ran on the earth in faith and perseverance, then saying to him, “We were waiting for you!!!”  The cloud of witnesses separated to reveal the appearance of Jesus. As he emerged, He showed himself to Nick on the Cross as if he were in the flesh, still with his nail-pierced hands and feet, with the wound in his side (Jesus, the Lamb freshly slain from the foundation of the world. Rev 5:6, 5:12, 13:8). Nick fell on his face and wept in thanksgiving as he considered the price paid to grant him access to heaven. The King of Kings left His deity in heaven giving His life as a ransom for sin through His death on the Cross. His innocent blood was shed for the guilty as a gift for eternal life.   Nick’s home was in paradise because he received God’s gift to the world; His Son Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

At a recent funeral and also a wedding I attended last weekend, I saw many people I hadn’t seen in a long time, many who have known me to be in better health. When friends would attempt to speak to me and ask a question, they were not able to hear my response because of my faint, monotone, slow speech. I’m sure this is uncomfortable for them since it’s difficult to carry on a conversation with me without an interpreter (usually a family member). They seem to question whether I can hear them; so they talk louder. My indiscernible voice is misleading!! Many times, people feel so awkward that they politely excuse themselves and walk away. What is frustrating is that I do desire to communicate and joke with them (although my timing is off). I know exactly what I want to say but because of my articulation, complicated by excess saliva, my words come out slow and unintelligible and are interrupted between pauses for spitting. Unless a person is willing to patiently take the time, get close enough to hear me and make an effort to understand what I am saying; my words would simply be lost and unable to be shared.   These reoccurring situations in public are greatly discouraging for me.  

God has helped me to see that this was the same way that I have treated Him. He showed me that even though I may have wanted to hear a word from him, I was unwilling to draw near to hear His voice in my spirit man. He showed me how often I would choose to give in to the needs of my body and emotions without having an ear to listen to what the Spirit was saying to my greatest need. Or how I would let my mind wander drifting away to think about selfish and earthly things instead of patiently waiting to listen to the one whom has the words of life. Other times, I have been too busy, preoccupied, in too big of a hurry to accomplish something “important” for God but was really just being self-occupied, not willing to take the time to worship Him through my spirit man.  The Holy Spirit began ministering to me the verse; Jn. 4:24 “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” The reason we must worship the Lord in spirit is because that is the only part of us that can commune with Him. Trusting in sight, our eyes will not bring us into the presence of God because they are blinded to the spirit (Jn 12:40).

We need our ears and eyes to have the scales removed from them so that we can truly worship God. We need the Spirits illumination. This only happens when we die to our self life (our flesh) and live by faith in Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Gal 2:20. 

The Holy Spirit is the life-giving Spirit; we need to remain in a heart posture of communion in our spirit to meet Christ throughout our day. When we live outside of the “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17) we live “the life of the flesh which is in the blood” (Lev 17:11) (self effort, self works) but when we choose to live the life of the spirit we are choosing to live our life in Christ’s finished work blood (Jn 19:30) (Christ’s effort, Christ’s work). We can only live this spirit-filled life through Christ. Help us Lord to open the eyes and ears of our hearts to know who we really are through Your Word, and Your Spirit. 

Life is very short compared to eternity; this is why we must not waste any opportunity we have to live in this life by His Spirit and in His power. We have to ask Jesus to help us see beyond our immediate situation. There are some things in life that are more important than what you are facing now – understanding that God loves you and has a plan for your life, a deeper purpose than just to suffer. He won’t waste your sufferings, they are precious to Him, but He wants you to look beyond your pain and into His promises for you. God is not a man that would lie, His Word is true, and He only asks us to believe it by faith. We must believe without seeing and be patient until what we believe for manifests from the spiritual realm to the physical. If I had not believed that God had a plan for my life, I would have been so bitter and negative. But I have a dream, we all should have dreams. When our dreams match up with Gods word we can be confidently assured they will come to pass. Abraham was a man of faith but he had to step outside of his tent and take a look at all the stars of God’s promises before he began his journey of faith. God’s promises to Abraham gave him the capacity to dream for something beyond what he could perceive with his natural senses. 

Abraham heard from God through his Spirit not his flesh, trusting God to lead him to the Promised Land. When we are in Gods presence hearing from Him you will know where you are going, and then with your eyes fixed on this hope, all the bumps in the road will not affect you. When you go through hard times, the Spirit will quicken you to remember Gods promises to you. You will be able to stand strong against overwhelming tribulations because you know Jesus will never leave or forsake you; and has already overcome the world for you Jn 16:33. God speaks to us today through his Son Jesus who is the Word and through His Spirit; to anyone that is available with spiritual ears to hear. Mk 7:16. 

Our pilgrimage through life can be likened to a wilderness journey before we get to the awaited Promised Land of Heaven. Just as the Hebrews of long ago needed the guidance of God and received daily nourishment of manna from heaven, we also need God’s direction and provision for our journey. For 40 years the children of Israel were in the dry and parched wilderness. They faced many enemies causing them to fear, doubt and disbelieve that they would ever attain their promise. God was faithful to them; He guided them in the desert continually by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  In addition to the manna, He turned the bitter water of Marah into sweet water.  He also sent his Angel ahead of them to overcome their enemies (Ex 23:23, Neh 9:19, Duet 8:3).  

While in this world, we may be aware of our own wilderness or desert place. Our modern day enemies may be that of sickness or particular hardships. We realize that life is beyond our control, fear and disbelief monopolize our thoughts. We question God’s care for us or that He will deliver us from our sufferings and bring us through to a land of abundance and rest. God’s desire for us is to enter into the fullness of a blessed life, in fellowship with His Son who died to grant us full access to His Throne of Mercy. His complete deliverance was accomplished at the Cross, once for all (Heb 4:3). He gives us direction, comfort and provision through His Word to overcome any adversity we will ever face. The wilderness is no longer a barren place, we discover springs of living water where we can drink refreshment.

Isaiah 58:11 reveals to us this certainty:  “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”  

The Hebrew meaning for drought means “dry places” –places exposed to the intense heat of the burning sun, parched from lack of moisture. When we go through dry places seeing ourselves as parched, dried up and unfit to overcome the opposition we face, God is at work strengthening our bones by imparting His hidden manna to sustain us and wellsprings of living water to refresh us. 

Whatever difficulty we are facing, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble (Ps 46:1). His Word instructs us not to forget His benefits of forgiveness, redemption, mercy and healing (Ps 103:2-4). So many, so weighty, so inexhaustible are the gifts of God toward us, we are not able to contain them.  Glory be to God, who sends us both physical and spiritual benefits everyday too numerous to be counted. These blessings are not only for bright days but on dark, barren days as well. As His child, when we are sick or weighed down by the burdens of this world, we can trust that God is loading us up daily with his benefits (Ps 68:19). They are bestowed on us just as the manna from heaven was provided daily for the children of Israel. God wants us to uncover the very brightest gems and jewels he has for us while we seek him on our wilderness trail of life; hidden treasures silently waiting to be discovered through the eyes of faith.  

Believing that God is imparting to you spiritual benefits on bright days when you’re healthy and everything is going well is one thing, it is quite another challenge altogether to believe God for His benefits on dark days when you’re sickly or when everything is falling apart. What we fail to realize is God’s great care for us. When you cry out to God in faith, trusting Him for deliverance, He will prove himself to you on those dark days of physical or emotional need, He will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing that you will not be able to contain (Mal 3:10). He will give you beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Is 61:3).  Imagine what blessings God has already bestowed on us awaiting our access by faith right now!  

God desires to direct and provide in the barren regions of our life. He intends to work through each of us to share His goodness with others. We are His vessels, overflowing from springs of living water that quench the thirst in a dry and thirsty land. 

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength; every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Ps 84: 5-7).

God has recently brought me through 3 months of intense physical affliction with a great joy and strength. He has renewed my vision to proclaim His gospel all over the U.S. and the world. He has blessed my family and my business. My health has returned to a place where my legs and lungs are once again getting stronger everyday. Glennis and I are back to taking walks as often as possible. It is exciting to know that God has been “loading up” my body with not only spiritual but physically benefits during these dark days. I have been satisfied in drought (Is 58:11) during my recent sickness and earnestly believe that my bones have been made “fat” with renewed bone marrow that will be utilized for my healing.  

Despite any hardship you may face, God has also given you everything needed for your wilderness journey as you access His benefits through faith.    

In John 10:10, Jesus says “the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly”. The thief (the devil) steals, kills and destroys people through the words that come out of their OWN mouths. Jesus said “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Mt 12:34). Whatever is in our hearts is readily available to come out of our mouths, bringing to surface the overflow of what we are occupied with. Whether attitudes of our fleshly nature or the peaceable fruit of righteousness pouring forth from our spirit. God knows the thoughts and intents of our heart (Heb 4:12) and is not fooled by our words when they don’t line up with what is in our hearts. Discerning persons are also able to determine what kingdom is giving voice to our words; the devil also is taking surveillance.  Our words may try to cover up and conceal the foundation in which we have been building upon, but over time it is abundantly evident.  

Proverbs 18:21 tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Our tongues have the power to speak life or death into any circumstance we are in. We must not be careless with the words we choose to speak because God will hold us accountable for every idle word we say (Matt 12:36).  As we remember, in the book of Numbers, chapters 13 & 14; twelve spies came back to report of the findings they were sent to spy out in the Promised Land. All of them except Caleb and Joshua spoke unbelief with their tongues likening themselves unto grasshoppers, in fear that they all would be devoured by giants in the land if the children of Israel were to enter into the Promised Land.

Upon hearing this, the whole congregation of Israel lifted up their voice and cried, complaining and lamenting having ever left Egypt. God was angered; after all the signs that He had performed among these people, speaking through Moses He said to them “As I live, says the Lord,  just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you…”. In God’s judgment (verses 29-35),  He set Israel aside in the wilderness for 40 years according to the number of days the men had spied out the promised land (vs. 14:34). God’s rejection of the evil congregation that gathered against Him was that they would die in the wilderness. Only Joshua, Caleb and those under the age of 20 years would go in and possess the land of Canaan. The spies, who brought the evil report by the fruit of their tongues had caused the congregation to sin, they were all killed by a plague before the Lord.

God is listening to our words they have power and authority behind them, and they also have creative ability. We create our own future by the words we choose to say and. Our words will either testify for us or against us (Mt 12:37). God has a future of abundant life destined for us but Satan has a plan of death waiting. There are crossroads ahead for our future and we have two paths we could choose. Satan has plans for our death and destruction on one path but God has plans to give us a life of hope and future on the other narrower path. Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God loves you, He has a plan of hope for your future.

As we consider, in application to our own lives, God instruction for Joshua to meditate on the Book of the Law day and night that he might observe to do all that was written in it, then he would be prosperous and successful (Josh 1:8). God also told Joshua to be strong and courageous and not to be afraid or dismayed because of his enemies (vs9); God was with Joshua and He promises to be with us.

For myself, it is not always easy to confess God’s promise for health and healing as I’m hooked up to a breathing machine, fed through a feeding tube, wearing a brace that supports my neck with Velcro to keep my head in place. When my breathing was failing last month and I had no capacity to use my authority to declare scripture or the energy to read my bible on-line, my wife would remind me of God’s promises and say to me, “You are getting better every day” and, “We have a future together”. God also sent people that visited me, wrote e-mails and would call on the phone to speak words of life to encourage me. I was greatly strengthened and it helped to bring me to a place of expecting God for a victory with my breathing. Slowly my breathing improved and I began to regain energy to declare scriptures of life. During the time that I was most affected with restricted breathing, projections of death filled my mind but God kept reminding me that it wasn’t my time to go; He was using me despite my illness. I realized that God was sustaining me and I could not just pass away quietly in the night although I was having trouble breathing. No, God has a future and a plan for me and my wife, He wanted me to believe Him and confess scriptures of life. The issues of death and the timing of it belong to God (Ps 68:20) so I didn’t need to worry about that. One of my favorite verses that I would meditate on during this time was (Ps 118:17) “I shall live and not die and declare the works of the Lord.” Praise be to God, I have learned that when I am most vulnerable, in a position of weakness, that is when God’s strength is displayed greatest to the atmosphere and to those around. In confidence and completely at the mercy of God, I profess His words of life trusting Him to bring to pass that which He gave faith to believe.

We must comprehend the importance of thinking and speaking aloud the truth found in the Word of God seeking God’s guidance and provision for our lives. When things seem unfathomable and impossible, we stand on God’s Word for His best, this becomes the evidence of Faith…the substance of things not seen (Heb 11:1).  The world in which we live was framed by the power of the Word; the living Word has power to bring forth things into existence. Do we realize that we can pray words of life to affect our future? By possessing the indwelling Spirit, we are given access to the Resurrection power of Christ; this power brought Jesus up from the grave to defeat the devil.  We take charge of our mind and guard our heart, not being ignorant of our adversary the devil, for he will war against us to steal away our confidence. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God, for pulling down strongholds” (2 Co.10:4). This verse gives us our warfare plan. This is a spiritual battle; we are not to let Satan steal our future by playing his hand and confessing words of death. We are to take charge of our words and bring all our thoughts captive casting down anything that exalts itself above the knowledge of Christ. As believer priests in this world we have been given authority to speak words of life which come from the kingdom of heaven. When we confess God’s Word over our circumstance we allow God to do His creative work.  

 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb 4:12

Regarding the account of Philip and Nathanael, in the book of John, Jesus speaking to Nathanael; perceived that his heart was upright. Jesus said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile (deceit)!” What wonderful words declared to Nathanael integrity! He asked “how do you know me?” He may have thought; We have never met before, so how would you know my character? 

Jesus was gentle and loving in his response, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael’s heart rejoiced, only one with the spirit and power of God could know that, he had prayed in secret, hidden in the branches of the fig tree. Nathanael then said aloud, “Rabbi (Master), thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel!” As soon as Nathaniel confessed his faith in Jesus as King, Jesus said that Nathanael and all who see with the eyes of faith would behold “greater things than these” (John 1:47-51). Nathanael serves as a model for the true seekers who overcome initial skepticism and place belief in Christ. 

How about us? Do we want to behold greater things and miracles? Do we believe God through the eyes of faith; or are we only walking by sight and practicality? Do we accept only the advice of medical or professional authorities and what they pronounce? I’m not suggesting those who specialize do not have a professional opinion, but we are to take their instruction under advisement and seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit, who guides us onto all truth…..where all wisdom dwells. God can open doors and shut them, He can direct your steps, send spiritual counselors  and orchestrate situations that will convey godly wisdom for the way you should proceed. When we are confronted with life changing decisions, who do we turn to and wait to hear from? Is God pre-eminent in our life or is He only a “Sunday” God; scarcely consulted to intervene in our everyday life?  We all have to be careful and not act hastily with our choices. We must be patient; waiting on God for a confirmation of peace and a settled heart of conviction.  

In rabbinic literature, the proper place to study the Torah was under a fig tree. Jesus identified Nathanael’s devotion to the Torah with a heart that desired the things of God. Nathaniel lay under the fig tree searching the Law. When he finally met THE SON OF GOD he called Jesus the Messiah. God rewarded his faith by saying “greater things than these you will see” When we put our faith in God we will not be disappointed. God does not waste our hope. He will take us beyond ourselves and into the realm of the supernatural, where the heart cries out to know Him, where greater things happen and destiny is fulfilled. 

In April, I was in a battle for air. My ability to breathe on my own was seriously weakened by pneumonia, creating a further degree of stress on my already compromised health. My lung capacity to inhale air became so deficient that creating a force to clear phlegm in my airway was next to impossible, the mucus became the consistency of rubber cement. Choking and respiratory failure were 24 hour a day concerns. I could not function without my Bi-pap machine (external ventilation) on most of the day and all night. There was also the management of the cough assist, nebulizer and suction machines, herbal and prescription mucous thinners and fighters. When I didn’t have my mask on, my face would turn beat red, I had a continuing headache from lack of oxygen. My upper body became overheated (as in hot flashes). I needed fans and air conditioning to try to cope with the sensation of air hunger due to the rising carbon dioxide levels in my bloodstream. The inability to breathe precipitated an anxiety threat of its own. 

This pre-occupation with survival led me to think about the simplicity in my relationship with Christ. My thoughts were of His love for me, His trustworthiness and commitment to be with me where ever He leads.  Again, I am at a cross roads of accepting another medical intervention or peaceably allowing the natural course of events. Believe me, I related to those who wish to release their families from the increasing burdens of critical illness. At times, I would rather have given up and let go, enter heaven in anticipation of the face of Jesus and live in a perfected body forever.

After giving prayerful consideration to my decision, God, as He has in the past, compelled me to exhaust all possibilities as He leads the way. At this time, I was to pursue Him here in the land of the living expecting “greater things”. He asked me to trust Him that greater things ahead will glorify Him; in and through me. I take great comfort knowing that the suffering in this life is never in vain. 

It was at this time that I heard an inspiring message by Francis Frangipane who’s timely preaching concerning God’s purpose to leave us in the world, not to take us out (Jn 17:15). I knew I was in a grave situation and was willing to get a tracheotomy so that I would not suffocate. Who knows? God could extend my life another 20-30 years to be used by Him. God could miraculously heal my lungs at any moment or He could grant me His grace to enter into this new life change. I sought the Lord in prayer for wisdom as to whether or not my breath should be dependent on a ventilator.

The pulmonologist at the University of Washington informed my wife that 95% of the people in my condition would choose not to have a trach operation because of their bleak prognosis and continuing losses. Most would rather die naturally instead of the worst-case inability to communicate in anyway, trapped in the shell of their body to be kept alive in a trance by machinery. He also emphasized the financial strain imposed on families. It would cost $150,000/year minimum to maintain round the clock care for me and most insurance would not cover custodial care in the home.  

Was I willing to sacrifice the promise of my voice to proclaim the message God had given me to encourage people whose hope is fading?  My ability to speak and use my voice was always how I naturally assumed that I would one day be able to testify of the healing work of Jesus. Now I was faced with the decision to go forward with a laryngotracheal (separation) tracheotomy advised for persons with A.L.S. This type of operation is preferred for patients who’s recovery of voice and swallowing function is uncertain and the aspiration of salvia are life threatening. Laryngeal closure would eliminate my ability to speak but would protect my airway, preventing aspiration of secretions that brings about the leading cause of death for ALS patients…. pneumonia.  

What the pulmonologist reported to us was hard hitting, in-your-face reality, perhaps factual but void of inspiring faith or trust in the promises God. It may be his place to be so objective and present only the “evil report” but we have to take all things into consideration and let the Holy Spirit “weigh-in” as we seek to know God’s will. After absorbing the initial fears, and considering the impact on our daily lives and future, I continued to believe that God would make a way to confront all these obstacles as we were to walk through this valley. I was not deterred from going forward with the recommended Laryngectomy if God did not quickly turn my breathing situation around. 

On Friday of that week, I received an e-mail from a dear friend of Glennis and mine. Natalie Nichols sent a powerful prayer that inspired me to believe God would heal my lungs. Many other family and friends had also been praying which further encouraged my faith to trust and believe God for healing. I want to post Natalie’s prayer because I think it will encourage your faith (Insert your name where she has mine).

 “Scott, I’m asking and believing God to strengthen your lungs and enable you to breathe normally on your own.  Father, thank you for your love for Scott.  You care for him so tenderly and in you his health and wholeness consist.  Everything he is and has is in you.  You give Scott your joy, your peace, your wisdom, your energy, your life…and your breath!  I speak to Scott’s body, his lungs, his breath and say:  Be filled with the life-giving, creative breath of Jesus Christ.  I say to every cell: submit to the authority of Jesus Christ. I tell everything standing in opposition to God’s will – anything that is working against God’s plans for Scott – to go in Jesus name.  Every bacteria from the pneumonia be gone NOW in Jesus Name.  Every evil spirit effecting weakness and sickness, you must leave Scott’s body now.  We, Scott’s brothers and sisters in Christ, equipped with effective, powerful weapons of warfare, command you to leave.  Father, I claim lung health for Scott.  Your blood bought every amount of healing we experience on this earth.  By your wounds may Scott’s lungs be healed.  Father it only takes one word, one touch, one breath from you and we are healed.  Send that word, that touch, that breath this very moment and heal Scott. In Jesus Name.”

By that Saturday night my breathing had turned around, I had been off the bi-pap ventilator for 3 hours and I still had energy, it was obvious that something had changed, I told my wife in amazement how good I was doing, I had vitality and felt stronger. I knew right then that I was not to get the trach at this time. Supernaturally, I had received healing in my lungs. Sunday and Monday I kept improving. On Monday night about 3:30 am I awoke and started praising God for my healing, then I heard a voice in my spirit say, “you shall see greater things than this” these words greatly encouraged me as I am assured in God’s Word that nothing is impossible with God. No sickness, no terminal disease, no paralysis, no heartache, no tormented soul would not be able to be healed by the blood of the Lamb. God has overcome every sickness and heartache that we could ever face.

Many of us are like Nathanael, laying under the fig tree reading our Bibles “about” God but never personally believing and trusting in Him. Until such time that we have a supernatural encounter with Him, our faith will not increase. Jesus calls your name and leads the way to follow Him, by responding positively, your faith will explode. You will be like Nathanael, shown greater miracles and expecting greater things such as healings and awareness of God’s ministering angels; eventually to obtain resurrection from death to life. 

“Jesus glanced around at them and said, With men (it is) impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” Mk 10:27

A few days ago my head slipped out of my Velcro head band that holds my head from dropping forward. I was sitting at my desk and had just finished typing an e-mail. My head dropped, there it remained. I felt like I would suffocate; my neck muscles are so wasted away I could not raise my head back up. I was already struggling with mucus in my throat (a constant challenge for me) so I fought for every breath of air I could get through my nose. I began to panic and started to get overheated and then my body began to shake. I thought of the Apostle Peter sinking in the water and could only cry out to Jesus to save him from drowning. I was all alone in the house; my wife had gone to the doctors office with one of my daughters. My caregiver and friend, Sharon, was due to be over within 15 minutes. I was praying that she would not be detained and I cried out to God for help.   He comforted me that everything would turn out okay. Every breath was a struggle and every second seemed to last forever. I soon was experiencing light-headedness and felt as though I might black out for lack of air. Not a moment to late, Sharon arrived and lifted my head up. She then secured my head in my brace with the head band. I was so happy to see her and felt like I had just been rescued from the arena of death. Jesus delivered me not a second to late.

He is an “on-time” God, as I have experienced over and over again. God has given me a promise of healing that I consistently affirm as a faith confession. In no uncertain terms, Jesus ministered to my spirit this reality. I have not received the full manifestation of that promise, but I know through the Word of God that faith pleases Him (Heb 11:6) and that the work of God is to believe Him (Jn 6:29). If I am in agreement with a God given vision, then I will not limit or impede the fulfillment of the miraculous. I look for Him in anticipation, in a conversation or sequence of events, I do not have any idea how a physical reversal of my condition could logically happen, I only know that God is faithful to His Word. He is the author and finisher of my faith (Heb 12:2) I can be confident that He will manifest His promise. When God speaks to our hearts He wants us to believe Him. He does not want us to ask how, He only asks us to believe Him. He does not want us to ask when, He only asks us again, to believe Him. Will you believe Him today for your miracle? Jesus wants to rescue you from fear, depression, worry, sickness, disease, emotional instability, financial pressures and troubled marital relationships. Dear brother and sister, what you are going through is not unlike what many of us face. We are pressed on every side and cannot find a way of escape.  Jesus is the way of escape! Life’s challenges can be overwhelming and seemingly impossible to overcome. Jesus said “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” Jn 16:33.   

Do you believe that Jesus can rescue you from your despair and doubt? If you believe God, you are agreeing with Him, with assurance, that he has already overcome the obstacle you are facing. This truth might be easier to profess with confidence at the beginning of a trial, but how about when nothing happens and your situation does not improve it only gets worse. Remember, the adversary’s objective is to wear out the saints (Dan 7:25). Over time, we begin to doubt we understood God’s word or promise and we begin to look for other answers. Instead, we are to remain steadfast, immoveable in longsuffering and patience. We remain faithful to trust God as a child. He will sow to us the virtues of the Spirit of God. Enlarging our hearts in deeper capacity, changing, transforming us into a reflection of Himself as we become true sons (and daughters) of the most High.

There was a woman (Mark 5:25) that had lived with a severe health condition for 12 years that caused her much suffering and blood loss. She spent all her money on physicians year after year hoping to get better but only got worse. No doubt she was classified as incurable and more than likely she was told to go home and die. Something inside her didn’t allow her to give up hope. Perhaps she had young children at home, maybe she was taking care of her parents, maybe her friends told her about Jesus healing the sick in other towns and possibly he might visit theirs. She may have been discouraged over the years when her conditioned only worsened, but she held out hope. When she heard reports that Jesus was in her village and large crowds were gathering she was compelled to think “if only I could touch the hem of his garment I will be made whole” Jesus visited her thoughts that day and healed the woman. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me), has restored you to health. Go in peace and be continually healed and freed from your [distressing bodily] disease” This woman is a great example of someone who had every reason to give up hope that her condition would ever change. She may have been discouraged but she continued to look for the way she would be healed. It took one touch, one day, to change her life forever. Will you believe with me that God can turn your life around with simply a touch from the Father? Could you conceive with me that today could be that day? 

 “But You, O LORD,  are a shield for me,
 My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
 I cried to the LORD with my voice,
 And He heard me from His holy hill.Selah.                                                                                             

 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.”                    Psalm 3:3-5

Just before the end of the year, I came down with a severe chest cold, since my lungs are already weak from Lou Gehrigs’ disease I was unable to sleep for over 42 hrs. I was exhausted and wanted so desperately to rest but each time I tried to drift off to sleep, my breathing became accelerated since my lungs were so full of fluid. I was experiencing such shortness of breath within my already diminished lung capacity and felt like I might hyper-ventilate. The continual irritating cough didn’t help either, I was getting extremely over-heated and my heart was pounding. I was gasping for breath and felt that I might suffocate…I needed air! I started an antibiotic after not being able to sleep that 1^st night and Glennis used the breathing nebulizer and albuterol steroid and codeine cough medicine which finally allowed to give me some vital rest finally by 3:30 a.m. the second night.

When I was in this struggle to breathe for two nights my thoughts were, “have I loved?” and “have I forgiven?” I was not concerned with theology, work, ambition or any of the overwhelming details of my life; only love and forgiveness filled my mind. God showed me how vital to my healing were love and forgiveness. After the first night I began writing a letter to someone that God put on my heart to show mercy to. As I was writing I began to feel my breathing improve. God had my attention as I was “giving mercy I was getting mercy!” Sowing mercy – reaping mercy! The key to receiving mercy was showing mercy. 

I needed immediate mercy just as David did when he said “Have mercy on me and be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am weak (faint and withered away); O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled” Ps 6:2. God heard David’s prayer and answered Him. God heard my prayer for mercy and answered me by saying, “sow mercy, Scott”.

In the book of Mathew, verse 5:7 says “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.” What does it mean to be merciful? Jesus’ word is Eleemon. The Hebrew counterpart is Chanan. It is actually untranslatable into English. It means far more than our words “mercy”, or “pity” “sympathy” or “empathy.” It certainly does not mean simply “to feel sorry” for someone else. Being merciful means to get right inside the skin with someone else until you see, things they see: think things they think, feel things they feel. It comes from a conscious deliberate identification with someone else until that person’s hurt becomes our own hurt. Showing mercy to another helps us in a small way to understand how God must feel when  He pours out mercy to us. Jesus Christ identified with our suffering and paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross instead of us. He looked beyond our depravity and felt, hurt, and suffered for us when we deserved hell. Because of mercy I am still alive today!

Because I have been shown mercy and love and forgiveness I want to extend it to others. No matter what someone has done to you it is not worth withholding mercy from them. God wants you to sow seeds of forgiveness, mercy, and love to others; and as you do, you will discover how your own soul and body will prosper and begin healing.

My wife was a magnificent example of how mercy works during those trying nights. Every time I needed help she was there, ready and willing to do whatever she could. She identified with me, never leaving me until the trial past. I am so fortunate to have a wife like her whose inner beauty shines brightly in the dark seasons of the night. God has blessed me beyond measure during this disease. He has given me treasures in darkness by revealing His great love and tender mercies as he uses my wife and others to minister kindness and compassion to me in my hour of need. 

“He who finds a [true] wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord” Pr 18:22. 

All of life, both physical and spiritual aspects, depends upon God’s provision. An emphasis held in the world, and in our own human nature, is the focus we have almost totally upon the physical aspects of life. God provides for us “wilderness experiences” to let us know that there are spiritual aspects of life that require nourishment and care, just as surely as the care of our physical bodies. We are given a witness for our instruction in the account of the children of Israel. Deut 8:2 says “And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” The Israelites endured many hardships during their forty years in the wilderness, and they sinned a great deal too. God, however, reminds them that He was with them during both good and bad times. He also makes it very known that He Himself allowed and inflicted a great deal of sorrow. The purpose for why He did this includes three specific reasons: to humble them, to reveal their hearts and to teach them that man does not live by bread alone. We see that God humbles us to drive the pride of self-sufficiency far from us. When things go well, it is easy for us to disregard the purposes of God and ascribe success to natural abilities, learned skills, or even good luck.

In 1997, when I was first diagnosed with the terminal disease of A.L.S (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) I was in my mid 30’s and was told that I would be dead in 2-5 years. Unimaginable! I was in the prime of life and still very physically capable; apart from a loss of strength in my right hand. I believed I could beat this illness through my own determination and effort; with Gods help. Despite countless alternative and plausible treatments the following 8 years, I eventually acknowledged, that no one beats A.L.S and everyone dies. I conceded that I was totally at God’s mercy for deliverance. My body was His responsibility, my life is hid with Him, for His purpose, I would trust Him for my very breath (which becomes the demise of persons with this illness). I am continually brought back to this reference point; God desires to bring me through this wilderness experience where the only option I have is to completely trust Him. Human effort and resources will not rescue me; I relinquished my control to work it out. Only the very Life and Spirit of God Himself can deliver me from this body of sin and death. This was (and is) a difficult and exasperating realization to my understanding but Oh! What a joyful release in my spirit; to be totally dependent on the mercy of my Living Savior Jesus Christ. God wants me to be free from a spiritual A.L.S that is far more destructive to my eternal soul than physical A.L.S could ever be to this temporal body.

When malnourished, our bodies begin to weaken noticeably, muscles start to atrophy and we soon begin to experience fatigue and frailty. If not addressed through intervention, we would eventually die. Our human spirit, when malnourished weakens and seems to “die” so slowly that it is almost unperceivable. Unknowingly, as we spiritually deteriorate, we may even feel blessed and prospered by God! We think that we are okay and doing well because we are physically capable and find intellectual solutions of handling life’s trials. God, in loving chastisement, disciplines us with symptoms to warn us that we are not as spiritually healthy as we thought. In fact, our dependence to understand the ways and purposes of God are shaken, hopefully leading us to draw closer to Him for strength, comfort and wisdom.

God seeks to help us see our need and our reliance on Him. We absolutely must learn that life—both physical and spiritual—depends on the supply of God. Jesus says in John 15:5, “Without Me you can do nothing.” Somehow in our own vanity we think that when adversity comes our way with God’s “help” somehow we will get through the trial by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. Although, we give Him praise for every good gift and victory; many times we don’t recognize our utter dependence on His grace. The truth is that; if we can handle and fix our problems then we would have no need for God to deliver us. Many things are done in self effort, in the strength of the flesh; we can exhaust every option only to realize that when we finally give up and get out of the way, it is at that time God has the freedom and invitation to move in our situations. In Mark 8:32, Jesus rebuked Peter when he told Jesus that He should not go to the Cross to die, exposing that Peter minded the things of man and not the things of God, Jesus said in verse 8:34b  “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”.

I find that our long standing responses to the trials we face reveal the stability in our heart. We have the potential to be purified and refined by adversity when we allow God to exchange His strength of character for our frailty. The security we place in Him is foundational to the freedom we can have to be content whatsoever state we are in. He becomes the stability of our times. Our abandon unto God, places us at the end of ourselves; we are dependent on His mercy and love.

God asks us in His Word to live by faith, confident in Him to supply our needs even when we have no indications or evidence to believe; this is the substance of faith. We trust in His love, believe Him at His Word; this being the work of God that pleases Him. We are found “In Him” having no righteousness of our own but having His righteousness, His integrity, as our breastplate protecting our heart and decisions.

God deliberately orchestrated difficulties for the Israelites to face but He did not ask them to go through these trials alone. He was with them in the cloud and in the fire; He dwelt among them in the Tabernacle. We don’t invite trouble and find no good time for it; in fact, our prayer would be “lead us not into temptation but deliver from us from evil”! God chastens us for our profit to produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness within us (Heb 12:11). We can lift up the hands that hang down (quite literal for A.L.S. condition) and strengthen the feeble knees. We place our human understanding on the altar and avail ourselves to the plan of God which can save and sanctify us.

Recently, Glennis and I walked down to a creek that is part of a large river that flows into the Puget Sound waters and eventually, the Pacific Ocean. It’s been the time of year where salmon make their run from the ocean to their original birthing places upstream. Salmon spend most of their adult life in the ocean, when they reach maturity and are ready to spawn; they begin their journey up river. As I’m sure in countless other places along their journey, we saw how the salmon had already been through a gauntlet of fisherman lined up in a continuous row for over a mile just off the mouth of the river. They were standing waist high in the river, with fish nets and fishing poles, eager to bring in a catch.

On our walk further upstream, we watched as the salmon had to negotiate and overcome a series of rapids and smaller waterfalls. What impressed us was the determination and will of these fish; to never give up no matter how difficult the obstacle they faced. We watched them make attempt after attempt to jump a waterfall. They never quit, they circled around and tried again until they made it. We’ve learned that after surviving a grueling journey back to the place where the salmon are born (sometimes a distance of 1000 miles & 7000′ in elevation) the fish will select a mate and begin the spawning process in shallow, gravelly water in the upper reaches of the river. Shortly after their eggs were laid the salmon would die.

“Speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?” Job 12:8-9

God has a plan and a strategy to fulfill in every one of His creatures. He supplied the salmon the drive and instinct they need in order to make their long difficult journey home. In a similar sense, God knows our nature and has put eternity in our hearts (Ecc 3:11), He wants us to seek Him while on this earth and has given us a blueprint for finding Him. Jesus tells us the way to having eternal life is by dying to our self-life in this world and living in Him.

 ”I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.] If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” Jn 12:24-26.

God has promised us that if we die to our life in this world He will give us life eternal. As we learn to lay down our will and our ways for His ways we will begin to see that when we let go of willful ways we are actually more alive spiritually than we were before.

Oftentimes, we don’t see or feel that we are more spiritually alive, we ask God to show us how the principle works. If we pray for God to do something for us and He has already done it, do we really believe that He has done it? If we are unaware of His work, we think He hasn’t done it and we don’t depend on it. We have not moved our expectation out of the spiritual realm by faith into the physical.

A great man of faith, Manley Beasley, put it this way, “When we ask God to do something on His side (of heaven) that He has already done positionally, we are not asking to get into the room we are asking to get out of the room we are already in.” He goes on to say, “We need to ask God to open our eyes to see that God’s done it and I already have it by faith”. We become a hindrance to our own prayers when we ask God to do something that He has already done. Our prayers should be “Lord, open my eyes to see what I have in you so that I can accept it, and believe it, and experience it.” This is the essence of having a faith expectation, believing and trusting God, even if we do not see it.

God is pleased with our faith. He has already prepared a supply according to our need (and He knows our true needs, not just our wants). If we are Spirit-sensitive we will see God’s provision by faith every time we have a need. Often times, our circumstances are critical and we don’t see any way out of our crisis. This is exactly where God wants us, in the place where we cannot deliver ourselves; having to depend on Him. In this “tribulation journey” we are challenged to spawn spiritual growth and become strengthened in His grace, expressing with a confident resolution that “If God is for me, nothing shall be against me”.