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A lifetime is not long enough: My tribute to my wife-Ginelle

10/31/2013

            I wanted to do a Mother’s day tribute to my wife last Mother’s day, but I was fighting through the last stage of my seven year trial of pain and wasn’t able to. So this is either a late mother’s day tribute or I’m early for next year. I want to
thank my wife, Ginelle, publicly. She is my hero. She has always been there for me through all the trials. She is my best friend on this earth. She is my soul mate. What can I say I love her!

            We have been married for seventeen years. Both of us were married before and we have five kids between us. We have six wonderful grandchildren. I am grateful to God for giving me a second chance at love and family. I am so thankful that he brought her into my life. There’s a song that I heard playing at the gym today that says “some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.” I understand that, and am
glad that that moment that happened eighteen years when we met at the water fountain at Lake Geneva Bible Camp in Alexandria, MN at an Al Denson Concert on October 19th, 1995, has turned from that beginning moment into a lifetime of moments.

             Ginelle, had to do a lot of the things that I couldn’t do when I was very sick and in horrible pain. She mowed the lawn, paid the bills, etc. Things that I normally did. It would break my heart to not to be able to help her and see her having to do it all. She wore a lot of hats. She is just a great wife! She virtually never complained and always a source of encouragement for me not to give up. The Lord told me once that if not for her encouragement, my trial was so severe, that I wouldn’t have made it through to victory.

             I don’t know how to thank her. Words fall short! I have thought this many times: a lifetime is too short to
spend with someone that you cherish and love. I know that there is no marriage in heaven, but if there was I would like to ask the Lord to allow me to share my mansion in heaven with her. It would be my honor and privilege.

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Is there a golden calf in your life?

10/23/2013

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             That may sound like a strange statement? Most people, who have heard the stories of the Bible, remember the one about the golden calf. While the leader was away the people turned to other gods and began to play and out came this golden calf. God would tell the children of Israel not to worship other gods. There seems to be a default mechanism in mankind that goes to this.

                        So you are probably thinking how does this apply to me? I would never worship a statue. While that may be true, what would you worship? First, let’s define idolatry. What is idolatry? The basic definition is “the worship of images that are not God.” What the children of Israel did was resort to the oldest human nature impulse after the fall and the very thing that did cause the fall. They did it their way. They didn’t keep their faith in God exclusively.

             So is their a New Testament counterpart to the Old Testament Law-the Ten Commandments? I believe there is. It is called “another Jesus.” It looks like Jesus, but it is not Jesus.” What if the world do I mean by this? You make up a version of God that you like whether you are a believer or not. It would kind of be like grading your own test. Well, this is just what I believe about God and that’s good enough for me. NO! You can’t do it. Let me rephrase that. You shouldn’t do that. Have you ever thought about this? Who cares what you believe. That could be made up from your own mind. Find ten people and ask them for their opinions, you might get ten different ones. Now we must be respectful, people do have a right to have an opinion, but their opinion must always be help up to the light and standard of the Word.


                            II Corinthians 11:2-4 says it this way: “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

             Here are some examples: “I just believe a loving God wouldn’t send anyone to hell.” “I think God understands our weaknesses.” Now that is a half truth-While he understands our hurts and is touched by them, scriptures say, he doesn’t condone them or bless them. He gives us strength to overcome them. Even warped understanding can lead us to the wrong conclusion. I can’t count how many times that something evil has happened and people will say “God will never put more on you than you can handle.” First of all, God didn’t do it. The devil did it or the evil in man’s heart drove him to do it or both. I do believe that God will grant anyone grace to help them through it and to overcome it. Absolutely!
But it is important to know who is behind things. The basic rule is this: If its bad-it’s from the devil and if it’s good it’s from God. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10)
Now there are times at first appearance things aren’t as they appear and that must be factored in.


                              We should always remember that anything that we put in from of God in importance is an idol, and will hinder our growth at the very least and could destroy our soul at the worst. Putting your job, your hobbies, or any of your
interests before God is wrong. We need to examine ourselves and really ask God to reveal our priorities to us if we truly want to be a disciple. So how do you stay on track and keep that golden calf out of your house and heart. You must line everything up according to the Word of God. If it doesn’t line up, no matter how good it sounds, throw it out.

              "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31, 32)

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How Speaking in Tongues can revolutionize your life!!!

10/23/2013

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                    So what is the value of speaking in tongues? Some people have probably never heard of this. Others are still seeking for it. Many have it, like I did, and wonder in reality, what does it really do for me on a practical basis? First, let me share that millions of people around the world speak in tongues after receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I am going to share from Scripture and my practical experience, how it transformed my life the last seven years. Anytime, I am feeling blue, I use this powerful weapon and instantly it’s a mood changer. Speaking in Tongues has given me better physical health. I bet you never heard that one before. It just opens the Word of God and truth to me. It draws out the fruit of the Spirit (joy, peace, love, etc.). It causes the gifts to function. Those are just some of the benefits.

             I am ashamed to admit this; but if I took all of my thirteen years as a pastor/youth pastor and thirty years of being a Christian and put all my inspirational revelation down, I doubt if it would fill an 8 by 11 1/2 piece of paper. Some was my OCD personality which made it very difficult to concentrate. I should have overcome that Mostly, I just didn't really know how to get to that power of the Holy Spirit. How to get to the gifts, anointing, etc. eluded me. In most churches it seemed to me, in my experience, that maybe half of the people where Baptized in the Holy Spirit, and may 1% were used in tongues and interpretation or possible prophecy. It seemed that speaking in tongues, which are the initial physical evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, were the beginning point and the ending point for most.

                I am now in a church that does have the gifts in stronger operation than I have ever seen. I am grateful for that. But what about the personal use of speaking in tongue: can it really transform your life? It did for me. What if you could find something that would:  give you peace and joy; boldness to share your faith, revelation (insight into the Word of God); get the gifts of the Spirit working in you; and would help your physical health to boot. How much would you pay for something like this? You can't! It's free. It is probably the most neglected, and misunderstood gift in the church and God wants to give it to you. This gift was never meant to be optional or an elective for any Christian. Jesus told the original group of disciples not to do anything until they received it

                I know some people think speaking in tongues is weird or of the devil. Before you pass final judgment, would you listen to what it has done for me personally, and can do for you? I didn't use this gift of speaking in tongues very often. I am guessing I had a lot of company in that. If I had to estimate, I would guess maybe a few minutes a month. Mainly, in church services, when I was worshipping the Lord. Then I got deathly sick, and heard a man preach on this, and I was challenged and responded.

                 Let me say this. Speaking in tongues is brought out in scripture: Acts 1; 8 says "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."  I Corinthians 14:4 says "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself."Jude 20 says "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit." I Corinthians 14:18 says I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all."

              You said there is a health benefit to speaking in tongues. Just before I heard about this article below, I intuitively knew that what affects your spirit must produce health to your mind and to your body. When I say this, I took the challenge and believed with all my heart, for God to use speaking in tongues to give me a strong immune system. I went from two sinus infections a year minimum to having ones that lasted all winter for ten years plus to being sinus infection free for the last year. Check out this medical doctors' report.

              Medical Facts about Speaking in Tongues – Carl R. Peterson,  M.D.

Through research and testing he found out that as we pray in the Spirit, or worship in the Spirit, (our heavenly language) there is activity that begins to take place in our brain. As we engage in our heavenly language the brain releases 2 chemical secretions that are directed into our immune systems giving a 35 to 40 percent boost to the immune system. This promotes healing within our bodies. Amazingly this secretion is triggered from a part of the brain that has no other apparent activity in humans and is only activated by our Spirit led prayer and worship.

               For the complete article go to this link:
http://beingunderthenewcovenant.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/medical-facts-about-speaking-in-tongues-%E2%80%93-carl-r-peterson-m-d/

                     Many of you have heard of the "Oreck Challenge.": try this vacuum cleaner out and see if it’s not the best or we will refund your money. I am going to give you different kind of challenge: the "Speaking in Tongues Challenge." Do it for thirty minutes a day every day for a month. Do it in faith, expect God to begin to move inside of you and give you the fruit and gifts of the Spirit. Believe him to open his Word up to you. What do you have to lose? Jesus told a parable about a man with a servant who didn't use him so there was no benefit. If you don't speak in tongues often, you don't really benefit from this power gift. If you "speak in tongues" with a concentrated effort there will be no noticeable benefit. It might take a week or maybe a few months, but you will begin to see the miraculous take
place in you. It will just start to bubble over from your spirit into your mind and body.

                 I believe with all my heart that there is a trickle down effect to speaking in tongues often. I don't think our primary purpose is to have a purpose-driven life but to have a Spirit-driven life. Then when you have a Spirit-driven life it will produce a purpose-driven life. I believe doing it without the power of the Holy Spirit operating in you; it will run its course. Being, truly Spirit-filled, not just in name only, will produce true abundant life in you.You will become a strong Christian, and became a better husband/wife and father/mother or student or worker, etc.

                When can I find time to do this you ask? I do it driving to work and back. I do it in the shower. Some of you have jobs where you are free to do this. Train (discipline) yourself to do it. I have a sticky note in my car that just says simply "Speak in Tongues: It is a reminder and it works. It has changed my life, and that is the understatement of the year. I am living proof that it works!

                What do I do if I am not baptized in the Holy Sprit? Go to: How do I receive the Holy Spirit. Click on the following link:

http://www.howcanibehealed.com/how-do-i-receive-the-baptism-in-the-holy-spirit.html

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Does God really want revival or is it something else he is after?

10/21/2013

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             My whole Christian life, thirty-seven years, to be exact, I have heard people talk about and pray for revival. I have done the same. Something in my heart always kind of bothered me about this. It seemed like the right thing to do, but it never seemed to work. Now I understand that some are thinking that you might have to pray for many years and not see it in you lifetime. Recently, I completely changed my view of revival. I will do my best to back it up scripturally and with my own experiences confirming these truths. All I can say is the same thing I say about divine healing, the common way that everyone seemed to be doing it didn’t work and this did.

             First, let me analyze a revival. The Asuza Street Revival at the beginning of the 20th century is the one that I am the most familiar with. It gave birth to several spiritual denominations; one of which is the Assemblies of God; which is the largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States and the world? In 1900, a group of students and their professor were trying to determine if “Speaking in tongues and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was for today. In other words, did this gift end with the Book of Acts (1st century church) and the apostles or did it continue. I don’t you how much information is available about what was going on in the world at that time concerning Pentecost. I am sure there were pockets of people who were speaking in tongues, but for the most part it was like the world was in a Holy Spirit drought.

             This students and their professor, Charles Parham, were seeking God with all their hearts trying to find an answer with no one to guide them. They finally were baptized in the Holy Spirit, and this message spread to Los Angeles, CA and then to the other parts of the United State and the rest of the world.

             So is Asuza Street a model for revival. Yes and no. It is a historical event and movement that caused revival. I think there is a difference between what happened there over one hundred years ago and today. Let me illustrate this with this song.  I love the tune, the enthusiasm and the intent, but I am afraid the message of it may be misleading. It is a song that states “Lord, we need another Pentecost, send the fire.” So you are thinking what’s wrong with that. The students and Charles Parham, didn’t have any knowledge of whether Pentecostal power was still available. For them it wasn’t exactly correct, but the message of this song would have been closer. For us, it isn’t really a song that expresses the truth. Why? When it says we need another Pentecost, I respond by saying “what was wrong with the first one?”

             Today, we have become a generation of spiritual storm chasers. We go to Toronto and Lakeland and other places to see if we can experience something and maybe bottle it and bring it back home. I completely understand the motivation behind this. I have thought the same thing myself. People want to see the power of God and the moving of the Holy Spirit. The only problem is these movements are short-lived and sometimes not very balanced. So what is the answer? What if we could have this power right where we are. I think it is found in Dorothy’s Red Ruby Slippers. What? I’ll explain a little bit later.

             Ray Comfort, Way of the Master, who works with Kirk Cameron, said that according to his research about 2 out of every 100 people witnesses regularly. That would be to an unbeliever at least every six weeks. Some of the largest Pentecostal denominations only have about 1/3 of the adherents who profess to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and Speak in Tongues. You do the math. This is a problem! Jesus said “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest (John 4:35) Therefore said he unto them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2) Pray for laborers Jesus said. He knew the problem wasn’t revival but laborers. He also said that the harvest wasn’t a future thing. I realize there are mission fields where people have labored for years and sown seed and not saw the results they have wanted. Sometimes, one sows and another waters, but the harvest will come. The problem is that there are people who just pray only and don’t sow the Word. He said in the Great Commissions “Go and teach.” Prayer is like water and fertilizer; it prepares the ground for the seed and helps the seed to grow. I wonder if we have been duped by the devil into looking to the future for something that we already have! God can't give us what we already have!!!

             So what about Dorothy’s red ruby slippers? Most of you have seen the Wizard of Oz. At the end of the movie, she is told that she had this power all of the time. I believe that the same is true for us. The difference between the Asuza Street revival and us today is that they were not baptized in the Holy Spirit, we are. You need to be a born again Christian to receive the Holy Spirit. Now if you are not, I encourage you to go to the link at the end of this blog that will tell you how to receive Jesus and/or receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. If you need additional help, and you don’t know where to go; then go to your yellow pages and look up Assemblies of God churches, or charismatic churches. I am sure, if you call the pastor, they would be happy to help you.

             The bottom line is this; you can’t pray for something that you that you already have. Like Dorothy, if you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you already have this power. You may just not be using it or know how to use it. Jesus told a parable that seems appropriate to mention here. In Luke 17:7, 8-he was really getting at; if you have a servant you use him. He does you no good if you don’t use him. Today, it would be like an employer having an employee and just letting him do nothing while the employer does all the work. We must use the Holy Spirit in order to receive the benefits.

             I am not proud of this but for thirty years (thirteen of that as Pentecostal Preacher) I could have put all of my inspiration on an 8 and ½ piece of paper. Now after seeking the Lord and empowering myself though speaking in tongues abundantly (that means a lot) the revelation just flows out. Healing power is available whenever, I need it, and boldness, etc. Well you get the idea. Am I boasting, only in the Lord. I have told you the humbling truth of what I was like before, and through personal revival (speaking in tongues) God just revolutionized my life.

             So do we need revival? God’s tells us to pray for our nation and leaders. I believe personal revival is always available. If we do this, then the 2 percent who are witnessing will turn into a much higher number. The 1/3 in Pentecostal denominations will also turn into a much higher number. We can have personal revival and a greater harvest to boot!!! Maybe, what we should pray is not so much for revival but “Lord, make me a laborer.” Then be filled up with the Holy Spirit and Go!

LINKS:

How can I become a Christian?
http://www.howcanibehealed.com/how-can-i-become-a-christian.html

How do I receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

http://www.howcanibehealed.com/how-do-i-receive-the-baptism-in-the-holy-spirit.html

Asuza Street Revival

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azusa_Street_Revival

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Is the Book of Act possible today? I was on a quest to find out!

10/21/2013

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        When I was in my early twenties, I prayed for my niece and she died. My first funeral was for her. I didn’t understand it. My son, Chad was healed the first time I prayed for
him and then he wasn't the second time. When he was four hears old, he had
failed he pre-school hearing exam, and medical people said that he would need a
hearing aid. This really bothered me. So I prayed over him and said basically
"In the name of Jesus, Chad's hearing being healed." About an hour later, he
came out of the bathroom and said "Daddy, when I flushed the toilet, it sounded
real loud like an airplane taking off." With my lightening quick mind, I thought
to myself, well now that's kind of strange. Then it dawned on me that God had
healed him. Then about three years later, he had to have tubes put in this
ears due to frequent ear infections. I prayed for him and he wasn't
healed. Why was he healed the first time and not the second? Sound familiar. God showed me during this seven year period. The first time I prayed for Chad, it was done in a simple,
child-like faith on my part. I just put it on the back burner and forgot about it. The second time, I thought about it, stressed about it, and it didn't work. The first time there was no unbelief present, the second time there was. Unbelief is the main culprit that blocks healing, and keeps our mustard seed(child-like faith) from working. Matthew 17:20 says So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (NKJV)

        So how did I first test these principles. I was laying and bed one night and my wife Ginelle was asleep. She was very congested. So I just spoke to her congestion and said "Peace be still." I am not sure if I thought she was in storm. Why I used those words, but God interpreted them. I think I just thought "she needed peace in her breathing." It worked and she began breathing clearly. Later, her congestion came back and so I did
it again and it worked.

          The next thing, I tried was a cyst. I had this large cyst on my chest. It was benign. I had my doctor check it. So my first thoughts were these when it came to the cyst. Do it look at it, do I not look at it. Do I keep speaking to it? What if it doesn’t happen? Maybe I should pray again. So I just spoke to it and commanded it to explode and it did in the shower right after that. I moved on from there. I struggled back and forth. About two weeks later I noticed that it was gone. I moved on to other physical needs in my body.
Then I just kept working on other things. If Jesus could do it, I could do it. I would rebuke storms just to see if it worked-and it did- time after time.

         I told the Lord I don’t want to hurt anyone-how can I practice this-who can I practice on? –Guess who he told me to practice on? I practiced on myself-hundreds and hundred of times started with a cyst; then headaches, pain, muscles, joints, etc.
How do you learn to walk or be healed or do anything- you take baby steps and when you fall down, you get back up and learn how to walk!

          Every young minister and in fact, probably every Christian, has asked themselves this question. Could the book of Acts happen today?  I figured that I have come this far and I might as well go the rest of the way. What did I have to lose? That's when the last year and a half took place. At a certain point, I asked God to open the book of Acts to me. The Lord told me you have asked a difficult thing. It would be like taking a lifelong D student and saying can you make me into an A student.

         God's kingdom is built on laws and principle. He does not move on whims. God is not
fickle; he is the same, yesterday, today and forever. I learned about balancing grace and faith-how they can work together to see miracles take place -If we are New Testament believers, shouldn’t we be able to do the same things they did in the New Testament? In
John 14:12 Jesus said we could!-What is the only currency that spends in heaven? Hebrews 11: 6 tells us it is faith. Faith pleases God. So you say, but I don't have enough faith. That's not true. God has given each man THE measure of faith. We all have the same
amount of faith. But we don’t always develop and use what we have! -If Jesus needed
miracles to validate his ministry don't we? This is not a dress rehearsal. We must learn to get this right.   We have one shot at it. The sad thing is I think many have given up on the Book of Acts ever being a reality. I think what happens after people see no results or
mixed results; they get confused and disillusioned and begin to fall into unbelief and that
can be very subtle. Then they come up with beliefs/doctrines that fit their results. Then this gets passed down a few generations.

            So why did we lost our house? I don't want anyone here to think that I got healthy because I got out from underneath the house payments: this is a natural assumption. We were current on our house payments both times when I became sick.
I had a rhema word (a rhema word is where God speaks to your heart something just for you to in order to reveal something). I asked God why we had to lose the house. On 10-29-12 he told me why? He allowed it. It was for public knowledge. So people would know. I could have hid all my past failures. There would be no doubt, that God was the one who
was empowering me. This way it was public knowledge. It definitely was a pride killer. Any pride I had left was gone; that is for sure. I admit we had fallen short in this area, but
we were turning things around until; I was attacked by the enemy. If it was just a failure,
only on our part, I believe I would be honest enough to admit that. I believe that he had to do it to fast track the progress in me. To get me ready, it’s like he had to amputate my
pride. He had to do a deeper work in me. It was not an easy path as you can well imagine! It just about killed me to see my family suffer through this as God was preparing me for
this ministry! One purpose that I believe God wanted to use this for was;
for it to serve as a counterbalance measure to me. If I ever start thinking of myself
more highly I am reminded of my failures and that I have nothing to boast about in myself and all glory must go to God!

        I do believe God is going to prosper me and my family. It was headed that direction a year and a half ago, when I was believing God and sowing seed and beginning to prosper, and then the devil cut me off at the knees, and then I paid an even greater price.

         Prayer line wouldn't go through. Let me explain. The first time I had been able to receive healing through the preparatory prayers of my pastor; Pastor Pete and a
prayer counselor from Andrew Wommack ministries. I had to believe, too This time God said I want you to believe me yourself! I chose to quit going to my massage therapist-Amber. She was using high-tech massage techniques and there was a little bit of relief and a small amount of cognitive improvement. Her machine broke down and had to be sent away for repairs. The machine was out of commission for some time. I had to make a tough decision, but I know I made the right one. I knew that God wanted me to have a divine healing ministry down the road. I didn’t want there to be any doubts in anyone’s minds who healed me and why I got better. Anyhow, back to Andrew Wommack's prayer line. I called dozens and dozens of time during that first five-and-a half period. During this period of time, just before I was healed, I would try to call and it wouldn't go through. I would try other numbers and when you pushed the number one it would go right to voice mail.
When I did this on the Prayer Ministry site nothing would happen. This is still true today. T

        This is also when I dreamed I was at work and I was healthier and running for the first time in seven years, I dreamed healthy. Finally, the spirit of Popeye came over me. Remember popeye, from the cartoons. He would say after he had been bullied enough;  "that's all I can stands and I can't stands no more." Just like the woman in Mark 5 with the issue of blood, she was gonna touch Jesus no matter what. I drew a line in the sand, and told God that I believed he had healed me! Then on November 20th, 2012, I was healed again. For me this was a war with battles in it with huge stakes.

          On January 4th, 2013 God spoke this to me He said “Your seven lean years are over.” I turned on the radio a few minutes later and nearly word for word that's what speaker said to confirm this. I believe that meant financially, physically emotionally, and
ministry wise.

          I had to build up my strength and stamina again. It was like getting over the flu. The flu is gone, but I had to get my strength back. The second time was a lot harder. There was so much more to recover from. It took a period of time to get off the medications. I checked with my doctor. My body rebelled at first. It had to get used to living without drugs-like vicodin and several others. My body felt like shake, rattle and roll. The first time was easier although short lived. This time I had to trust God even more, because the devil would tell you all you're not gonna get any better you’ve maxed out. This is as good as it gets. I had
to stare these things down! All the damage that was done from my body being trashed for seven years: especially the last year and a half. Even though I was healed, I had to recover. There were weird looking skin colors and veins, etc. in my lower legs. So I just believed
God to reverse the damage. I just spoke to it everyday and little by little God reversed it. It just made me stronger and stronger and more determined! LET’S FACE IT AFTER 7 YEARS OF YOUR BODY AND MIND BEING ATTACKED AND TRASHED, IT TAKES A RECOVERY PERIOD. LAY HANDS ON THE SICK AND THEY SHALL RECOVER !!!

                        This is an excerpt from my testimony-"SEVEN YEARS IN HELL"

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No more naked prayers!

10/20/2013

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            Are your prayers naked? Do they need to be clothed with something? What do I mean by that? God spoke this strongly to my heart this week. I remember when I was
really sick and called a prayer counselor and he make this statement. What promise are you standing on?

            I had been doing this, but never really put the two together. Prayer without a promise from scripture can be naked. That is not to say we make a law out of this and have to have a scripture every time we approach God. But I do think if we are believing for something, and we don’t get that promise deep down in our mind and heart, and just pray only, that our minds will eventually be overcome by doubt. And if that doesn’t happen on our own, the devil will attack us and put on the pressure to doubt God’s faithfulness. I believe in most cases we will be overcome.

            In my life, I have found that it is easier to hang onto a written Promise than just a prayer only.

           “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)

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What is hell really like?

10/18/2013

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            I have never shared this part of my testimony with anyone. I prayed a very dangerous prayer in the fall of 2005. My life was going nowhere, and I was really ashamed to think of standing before Jesus and really feeling like I had failed with what he had called me to do. I had failed at ministry and marriage and about everything else I had tried. I prayed “Lord, whatever you have to do to change me, just do it, give me a vision of heaven or hell, just spare my life. I hoped for a 10 minute vision of heaven or hell to motivate me, but what I got was 7 years in hell. God would use this to transform my life.

                       Some people may question my vision of hell. They might say did you really go there. Remember, I didn’t go there it came to me, but it was just as real. I experienced it and lived it for seven years. Hell is a very real place. It is the final destination for everyone who doesn’t accept Jesus and put their faith in him as their Savior. Let me share what I
experienced.

           The strongest thing that stayed with me is the feeling of hopelessness. I had one advantage over people that were actually there, I could be healed or die if I could just hold on. I had asked God to change me and he was allowing this to transform my life. This experience changed my character. This experience: in my mind, soul and body would give me a taste of hell. It would give me compassion towards the lost and the urgency to warn them.

            I was in constant physical pain. I was not able to get comfortable for seven years. It was like being tortured. When you are in constant, acute pain all you can think about is how can I get out of this pain? Will it ever end? What would if be like to not have pain. We know that hell is a place of torment. Many people right here might stop and say why would a loving God send anyone to hell? I want to address that before I go any farther. We in reality send ourselves to hell. God sent his son to die on the cross for us and if we don’t receive that payment for our sins and the ultimate gift of love of his son, we reject eternal life. We really say to God, “I don’t care what you did for me on the cross.” God wants those who want him and he wants everyone to want him. But we do have free will and he doesn’t force himself on anyone. Everyone has a choice. I know one thing that came out of these seven years in hell for me, I don’t want to go there and I don’t want anyone else to go there! I choose Jesus and want to serve him with all my heart and will do my best to do just that!

             I had many other physical things wrong with me. I had eighteen different symptoms. I felt like Job. I think Job had a taste of hell, too. I was tormented by demonic forces on many different levels. Some were just oppressive evil spirits, and some manifested. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. It was an awful thing to experience. The worst part, however, was the loneliness and hopelessness. You will be completely isolated in hell with no one to talk to. It always blows my mind when people say stuff like “Yah, I’m gonna party in hell.” It will be like solitary confinement with no visitors. Your memory will be perfect. You will remember what you lost and could have had. The thought of that to me is unbearable now, even though I am out of that trial. It is final, there is no second chance. It’s over! Can you imagine that? You could have had millions of years in heaven but you made the wrong choice!

             For every person who knows Christ personally, I hope this will stir up within them a fire to win and disciple the lost. For anyone reading this that does not know Jesus and has never been born-again, I hope this will make you think. God has abundant life for you for you down here and eternal life forever and ever in heaven waiting for you. If you choose not to accept him, you get what you get down here, and the door will be slammed shut some day when you don’t expect it. Don’t put that decision off!

             In Luke 16, there was a rich man who went to hell and wanted to come back and tell his brothers to accept Christ so they wouldn’t end up where he was. He also wanted his constant thirst quenched. I realize talking about this isn’t popular; it’s kind of like looking at pictures of children with swollen bellies in third world countries that are starving. No one wants to talk about or look at unpleasant things, but someone has to. Hell is a real place!

             There is good news; however, you don’t have to go there. God gave me a second chance at life and ministry and I am not gonna blow it. You can abundant life on this earth. You can be a world-class over comer in Christ and get eternal life with Jesus. I wrote a song called “Streets of Gold” a few years ago. Now when I think about the contrast between eternity in heaven and walking on streets of gold versus the alternative of living in solitary confinement forever in pain with no hope and no way out, it just boggles my mind.

             Please choose wisely! If you need to know how to become a Christian, please click on this link:

http://www.howcanibehealed.com/how-do-i-become-a-christian.html

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Is it dangerous to go to horror movies?-You might bring home more than popcorn-I did!

10/17/2013

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             I went to a horror movie in the summer of 1979. It was wrong on so many levels. First of all, I was a Bible College
student and there was a policy against going to movies. I violated that. That was wrong. I have tried to be honest about my past, where appropriate and admit my failures, in hopes that it will help someone else. We went with another couple and skipped Sunday night church. We said that we were going to do research. Yah, right! I knew it was wrong. I knew it was a mistake. I wanted the scary thrill and to see what it was all about. Now let me clarify something: going to an amusement park to get a thrill on a rollercoaster, in my opinion, is just fine, but going to a horror movie to get a fear thrill isn’t. It can be down right dangerous, and you may bring home more that popcorn.

            We were living in an apartment at 5809 73rd Ave N.
Brooklyn Park, MN 55429. They were called the Century Court apartments. The rent was $205 a month and
guaranteed not to go up for 1 ½ years. Some of you might remember those days. I am just telling you this, so you won’t think that I have a poor memory regarding this event. The movie was very frightening. It was very demonic. I am not going to publish the name for fear that someone might rent it out of curiosity

            We went home and went to bed. In the middle of the night, we were both awoken to an abundance of noise. There were voices in the kitchen area and cupboard doors slamming. This went on for several minutes. Being the brave and heroic man that I was at the time, I rebuked it in the name of Jesus and pulled the covers over my head. It went away immediately.

            For years, this movie would trouble my mind. I would think of it frequently. Those images are hard to get out. This is another reason to be careful what one views.

            The next day, my wife and I, compared notes and it was like did you hear that? Both of us had been wide awake and our stories of what we experience matched. I had opened the door to demons. You could say that they followed me home from the movie theater. It was the painful price I paid for a enjoying??? -a little bit of fear.

            Now I had been attacked by a demon in Bible College and later twice during my seven year trial. These were sent to kill me-to take me out if they could. Those attacks were not my fault. This was completely my fault. I opened a door of fear and that opened the door to the devil. II Timothy 1:7 tells us this: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” So why was I trying to give myself a spirit of fear. Good question! I am not saying that if watch a horror movie this will happen to you, but it
could. You run the risk of opening a door to the devil.


                         My wife and I do watch movies on occasion. I try to use this standard now. Philippians 4:8, for me, sums this up, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.:”   If there is any kind of filth, we will get up and walk out and I do make a small scene. I want people to know why I am leaving. I will say something like “this movie isn’t fit for human consumption, let’s get out of here. That doesn’t happen much anymore, because I study websites that tell you if there is anything that will violate my Christian/family conscience in it. My personal opinion is if the Lord’s name is used in vain don’t go or at least walk out. Why? If they used your name or your parent’s name as a swear word in a movie would you go: of course not. My heavenly father has given me everything, and I want to honor his name. If I go to a movie, the only thing I want to bring home is a good feeling, a clean conscience, and maybe some popcorn; but nothing
else!

Link to the family movie guide that I use: http://www.movieguide.org/

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Praise Report

10/15/2013

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I just wanted to thank the Lord for a good report. I went to the doctor for a regular follow-up appointment on Monday, October 14th. My blood pressure when I was going through my trial for seven years was approximately 160 over 100. When I was healthy it was about 130 over 80. Yesterday it was 114 over 64. My pulse is 56. My pulse was in the upper 80's when I was sick. It was lower 70's when I was healthy. I can remember in 9th grade (age 15) 40 years ago the first time I had my blood pressure take and that it was 128 over 78. This kind of reminds me of a line from the movie "The Rookie." “Pitcher's arms don't get faster as they get older; they get slower." and neither do 55 year old men's blood pressure and pulse's get better. Now I am exercising and doing my part, but I just wanted to let you know: God is a good God and it's never too late for a miracle. This is just medical proof of what God has done in my body.

I am very grateful for all he has done and just wanted to share this with you. Now if I can just learn not to burn myself out by going to hard! God will help me. Thanks for all of your prayers and support!

Your friend,
Scot

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Do people who understand divine healing ever get sick?-I did!

10/14/2013

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             As many of you know, I went through a seven year trial of extreme pain and health issues. I asked God at the end of this trial, the last one and one half years, to allow me
to be a teacher and to open up the Book of Acts to me. He showed me how anyone could overcome addictions. He taught me about the amazing power of speaking in
tongues and how it can transform your life. He is showing me now the final pieces of discipleship evangelism. The main area he told me to focus in on was helping others to understand divine healing, and then to learn to walk in
divine health.

            Recently, I got overcome by sickness and had to go to the doctor and get an antibiotic. I was very troubled by this. Now I want everyone to understand what I am saying so
let me explain. I always encourage people to go to the doctor. I have a disclaimer on my website and give them these instructions in person. I am just talking about myself. I thought I had nailed this thing down and would never have to be sick again. I still believe that is possible and that I was doing that and will strive to do that. I know that the promises of God are consistent, but sometimes we are not; in this case me. In other words, there is always a reason why things don’t work. God’s kingdom and his principles are orderly and always work. I think sometimes today people look at them at mysterious almost like “you never know what God’s gonna do when we pray.” I used to think like that; now I know better and I’ve got seven years of living proof to validate God’s Word in my life when it comes to divine
healing.

            Remember, I had fifteen to twenty things wrong with me for seven years. I was attacked by strong demonic forces on two separate occasions: the final encounter with them
lasted three months non-stop. I had learned how to fight and win, and for this I give God all the glory. I was a wimp who had to learn to be strong and look around the wind and the waves and pull out the LIVING WORD in order to survive
and eventually overcome. I wanted to be a good example for others in this area; that is all. It is not to show off or just being prideful. I have been to the doctor countless times in my life. If I preach that divine healing and walking in divine health is possible, then I must live it out first myself.

            So, about two weeks ago, I could tell I was getting very sick; a major respiratory infection with some other things going on, also. I had overcome two of the three
enemies soundly, and the last one I thought I had, but I am still walking this out and fine-tuning. The first enemy was just unbelief; not believing that the promises in the Word of God would work in every situation. The first five and half years of my trial by fire were about this. The second enemy was standing against the devil. This was fairly easy when it was just for me and things were going ok. But when my health was taken down to nothing and then I began to
believe to help others, I was met by what seemed like insurmountable forces. That is what the last year and one half was about. By the grace of God, I was able to stand on both of these issues and eventually overcome. The third area, which you think would be the easiest, is actually, at least for me, is the most challenging. This area is self.

             I have always struggled with knowing when to take a step back and rest for awhile. I just go, go, go.! I guess we all have weak areas in our lives that we must continue to work on. This is one of mine. God is showing me and teaching me in this area. I was sleeping fine and eating right and exercising and was in the Word and prayer, but I began to realize as I had before, that I was giving out way to much and pushing it way to hard in way too many areas at one time, and that my mind and body were becoming exhausted. The Holy Spirit was nudging me to slow down and enjoy the process and his presence. I seem to have the uncanny ability to take something that is so joyful and if I am not careful to overdo it and turn it into drudgery and eventually become overwhelmed and then it hits my body.

             At first, I was ready to just quit. I thought I had let everyone down. Remember, I take this ministry very seriously. I realize that is could be a game changer in someone’s life that was very sick. Then I realized the only one I had really let down was me. Then I thought about this. I remember hearing a football player say when their team had a long winning streak and they finally lost a game. It was almost like a burden of perfection was lifted off them and they could relax. And by the way they went on to win the super bowl. I kind of felt that way. I now understood what I had done wrong to cause me to get sick. I know how to approach it differently next time. I will keep making course corrections on my journey. The winning streak may be over, but I still plan on winning the super bowl. I want to do it as a coach not a player. Thanks for your prayers and understanding.

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A lifetime is not long enough: My tribute to my wife-Ginelle

Is there a golden calf in your life?

How Speaking in Tongues can revolutionize your life!!!

Does God really want revival or is it something else he is after?

Is the Book of Act possible today? I was on a quest to find out!

No more naked prayers!

What is hell really like?

Is it dangerous to go to horror movies?-You might bring home more than popcorn-I did!

Praise Report

Do people who understand divine healing ever get sick?-I did!

Short and Straight to the Point!

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DOES GOD STILL HEAL TODAY? PLEASE WATCH MY TESTIMONY "TEN YEARS IN HELL" AND FIND OUT!!!