19-Mar-2010 (Fri) - Skeptic Feels Jesus; Unexpected Encounter

Yesterday (Thu, 18-Mar-2010), I took my normal business trip (by car, 5hrs there, work a while, 5hrs back). One of my business friends, whom I've known for some time, is basically an unbeliever. He was raised being exposed to pentecostal beliefs and people, but became offended by all of it and became a skeptic. He is a very sweet man and very genuine, a good friend. One month ago, when I visited on my regular trip, he had injured his back exercising, and he was in quite a bit of pain. I offered to lay my hands on him telling him, "I believe if I do this, Jesus will heal your back and relieve you of your pain right away." He basically replied with something like, "If you are going to lay your hands on me like my grandmother would, then I'm going to vigorously decline." I reminded him that he knew me and made him this offer: "If I lay hands on you and nothing happens, you can make fun of me. If I lay hands on you and something does happen, you will be out of pain. It is a win-win situation for you!" This seemed to tickle him, and he responded something like: "I admire your boldness and I know you are sincere. So, if I'm not better by the next time you visit, I'll take you up on your offer."

So, on my trip yesterday he specifically asked me to make sure I dropped by his office before leaving. I did. He then asked me to go ahead and try it. I laid my hands on him and very quietly and casually commanded his back to be made well. I could feel his back heating up in one spot. "Do you feel that?" He did. I asked him to test it. He did. "Does it feel any better?" He said, "Do I have to commit?" LOL! I said, "No, just asking if it got any better." He said, "I'll have to admit that it doesn't hurt like it did. Something has changed, but I'll let you know." I'll take that! I could tell he was dealing with the reality of it all. Go Jesus!

Next, I had made a friend on a forum a couple of weeks ago, and he had mentioned he was praying with an elderly lady (Doris) from a certain town in Georgia. I mentioned that I drive right through there every 2 weeks. So he asked me if I would mind laying hands on her and praying with her. I contacted Doris, and she agreed to meet me at a McDonalds in that town. So, yesterday (Thu, 18-Mar-2010), I met her on my way home. She brought a friend (Cindy) who was a little older than me as well and who also needed prayer. We talked about 30 minutes about Jesus and healing.

Cindy had been to a healing/deliverance facility and had been given by the minister there things that she needed to do in order to get healed and delivered, but she had done everything that minister told her to do and was none better. So I told Cindy if we could get in a time machine and go back 2000 years ago and stand in the crowd listening to Jesus, that Jesus would've just healed her and not given her a list of things to do because He never did that as shown in any scripture in the New Testament. I could tell this really touched her heart. She was suffering from depression and neck and spine issues. I laid hands on her and commanded her spine to be healed and depression to leave. Her neck and shoulders got very warm; she could feel it. Before I left, she had much relief from pain and stiffness. In fact I asked her to try to find the pain (she had shown me how if she pressed on a certain area it was extremely painful). She couldn't find it! Wonderful Jesus! This really surprised her and I could tell her heart was lifted. She was smiling and even gave me a hug.

Doris was suffering from diabetes and a lower back problem. Her back hurt her if she stood too long (several minutes). She also said she had psoriasis (very itchy skin rash). I laid hands on her back and it got warm in one spot down low. We couldn't really test it because it requires her standing a long time, so she said she'd let me know. I told her to go home and stand in front of the sink and wash the dishes (she'd mentioned that was when it hurt). She said she would. Then I took her hands and commanded psoriasis to leave her body and never come back. She felt a little sensation, she said. Then I commanded diabetes to depart her body and for all insulin levels to return to normal (the night before her sugar had been 400+!). Suddenly she felt very cold all over! She was so cold her teeth were chattering. I've never heard that before, but it made sense that it was all over her body. Of course, there was no way to test her sugar level at that moment, but she certainly felt something. She said she'd let me know about that as well. I'm sure Jesus was at work healing her body.

Praise Him for His always wonderful faithfulness and work!

09-Mar-2010 (Tue) - More than a healing

Last night, Monday, 08-Mar-2010, me and my sister (TammyC) went to a lady's house to lay hands on her. I had prayed with her once before on Saturday, 27-Feb-2010. On that day this is what happened:

On 27-Feb-2010, me & my family attended dad's memorial show (Leon Kiser Memorial Tribute Show). It is a celebration of bluegrass & mountain music in our area. Two or 3 people are honored for their contribution to the traditional music. All proceeds go to a scholarship at a local college. In case you don't know, Bristol, TN, (not Nashville) is the birthplace of country music (as acknowledged by the US government and the Smithsonian Institute). My dad helped get that established before he died. (see Bristol, TN & Leon Kiser). Normally, me & my family open up the show with a couple of songs in honor of my dad. But his year, me & my wife (TammyM) just couldn't do it because that very same day we laid my mother-in-law's body in the grave. But, my girls (Kimberly, Karahann & Kayla), my niece (Hannah) & my big sister (TammyC) [see pic above], however, did do a couple of songs to open the show. My wife and I just wanted to see the girls and then go backstage to thank some people and leave. It was a very hard day.

So, while we were thanking certain people for all their help during this time of my mother-in-law's sickness, I saw an elderly lady on a cane that I knew. I knew she had severe back troubles and she had asked that me and my sister come and lay hands on her earlier this week, but I was not able to do so. She walked up and hugged us [see pic right]. As she was talking to my sister & wife, I just put my hand on the small of her back. She asked, "Are you praying for me?" I said, "Yes ma'am I am. Do you feel that?" I hadn't said anything at all as far as praying goes. I told her Jesus was working on her back and she would certainly feel something in a second or so. She did. So much so, that she said, "I'm gonna need a chair. I can hardly stand up." We got her a chair and I left my hand on her for about 10 minutes. I told her this healing belonged to her because of what Jesus had done for her.

I had to leave, so I didn't get to stay much longer with her. Her back got very hot and was still very hot when I left. I had her stand up and test it out. She burst into tears right there in front of all the musicians backstage. Some were watching with great interest. I asked one lady to come over and feel Jesus working. She was amazed too. I told them Jesus must like bluegrass music to show up here and do this... hahahaha! That really tickled them all.

I knew she hadn't gotten it all, but wow, it was amazing. I just learned that she actually lives very near me, so I planned on paying her another visit laying hands on her again. The next day (Sun, 28-Feb-2010) I got an e-mail from her:

Good Morning Greg

Funny, but I was sitting here thinking of what I wanted to say in this email when your message popped up on FB!

Wonderful things take place at the LKM shows! There have been several special events in my life that have happed back stage on the last Sat in Feb! Other stories for other times.

I know Jesus could heal me totally in a flash, but He is choosing to do this slowly. I am not pain free, but I will be! I did not use the cane the rest of the evening, but after numerous trips up and down the steps, I did need it by the time I left. This morning I am able to get out of bed fairly easily and am walking without the "stick". I have several problems, all working together to control me with pain. My lower back is the worst long term, but right now is causing the least pain, even so the leg problem improved some also.

People were asking "Where is you cane?" Seems every year there is a story to tell about the show.......this year's story is the best by far. God Bless You and your family. I love you folks dearly.

Praise Jesus!

So, here is how our visit to her last night (Monday, 08-Mar-2010) went:

We arrived at her home and I saw her cane stored; she told me she hadn't used it or needed it since that night backstage. She still had a minor bit of "discomfort" in her back, but had severe pain in her left leg. Her left leg from knee to hip was very painful to push on. She would nearly double over with pain if she pushed on it.

We discussed the gospel for a good 30 minutes. My sister and I gave her plenty of testimonies and explained Jesus' goodness and how He perfectly represented our Father. All through this she kept saying, "There is more than just healing going on here. More than you know." I had no idea what she meant, but we continued. The witness of the gospel was very strong to her heart and she was quite emotional talking and listening about Jesus.

We laid hands on her leg (well, technically, she laid hands on her own leg and we put our hands on hers). Her doctors were going to give her shots in her leg today (Tue, 09-Mar-2010) to alleviate the pain. They told her she had arthritis, bursitis among other things. I explained those were just names under the Name of Jesus and there was none of those things in God's Kingdom which was about to touch her.

Her leg got warm and the pain was completely eliminated except in a few little bitty spots. It went from occupying her entire upper leg to a mildly sore spot the size of your finger tip here and there. But during all this I noticed that the lower lumbars of her back got extremely warm (hot even!) and, wow, they remained that way for more than an hour! You could feel the heat off of it without even touching her... just passing your hand by. Also during this time many "electric shocks" would go down her leg. She was in tears much of the time.

I finally got up enough courage to ask her what she meant by "more than healing going on." She finally told me that she had been a very mad and bitter woman toward God for years and years. She blamed Father for her husband's death. I smiled really big, because now I knew what to say. I simply said, "It's hard to be mad at Someone who is healing you, isn't it?" This really moved her. Then I explained the passage about Jesus telling us that we, as parents, know how to give good gifts to our children, and so, therefore, does God. God is not a child abuser. She totally related because, of course, she had children. She realized God did not take her husband from her.

The "more" that was going on was forgiveness! Jesus always amazes me about the things He really DOESN'T care about! He didn't care that she was mad at Him; He healed her anyway.

I got this e-mail from her this morning:

Dear Friends

Thank you both so much for the time you spent with me last night. I slept, but not a lot, although I am rested this morning. I had dreams off and on all night (I don't normally dream).....remember some parts, some is vague, but the both of you were still here. Pain level is still subsiding. I don't understand why it is taking so long, but I really am not questioning, I know the pain will be gone. I have prayed for an answer as to whether to even keep my doctor appointment today. I know I am being healed! no doubt in my mind. I get answers to my prayers, but I have never heard Him tell me to stop speeding......anyway I think I am going to cancel the appointment. I think when I find my "instruction" book and start studying again things will become more clear.

Well I'm not sure I am making a lot of sense, my head and my heart are full and I am excited again for the first time in a long time. Jesus has been a part of my life always, but a lot of the time I don't cooperate, during those times He has always picked me up and carried me.....I think now He wants me back on my own two feet listening to Him. He has brought some incredible people (angels if you may) into my life, especially since April 12, 2006.

I Love you both

D

PS: almost forgot this.....I woke up once and there was a warm, no hot spot, small about the size of the palm of a hand, on my lower back. I went back to sleep knowing He was still working on me.

The "stop speeding" statement is based on something I said to her. She believed her life was spared once because God had some noble purpose for her life and she still didn't know what it was. I told her a story of right after my daughter was healed, I was high on God and kept asking Him what noble purpose He had for my life. I had visions (not literally) of a big healing ministry, or as a missionary, or travelling evangelist, etc. While driving down the road to work praising Him and asking Him, "What do you want me to do?" ... He spoke to me and simply said, "I want you to do the speed limit." I asked her why she thought God might've said that to me. And she saw immediately that God sucked the wind out of my ego "ministry" sails. Yes! The purpose of my life was to simply be a good husband, and good father, and give others Jesus along the way. LOL! I love Him!

The "instruction book" is an old Bible she recently misplaced.

I have no idea what she means by "April 12, 2006", but her and Jesus do.

Praise Jesus!

07-Mar-2010 (Sun) - Hip & Back & More

Been a while since last post. Many things have happened in my family, taking away much time. It has been hard on them. My wife's mother (Alta) passed away suddenly 24-Feb-2010 [see pic left, Alta & my daughter, Kimberly]. As you can imagine, with my wife's dad (Bobby) still in rehabilitation after a stroke 13-Dec-2009, it has been very hard on her.

Despite all this, God is taking care of us all, and all things considered, everybody is doing pretty good. I've been going to see Bobby everyday and reading scripture to him and my Smith Wigglesworth Devotional (very powerful). Wednesday (03-Mar-2010), for some reason, I felt strongly that when I went to see him, that someone would show up that needed healing and I would get them healed in front of Bobby as a witness to him. It happened! A man named Jerry showed up to see Bobby while I was reading to him and talking about Jesus. Jerry's church upbringing doesn't lead him to believe in healing & miracles. I prayed with Bobby and nothing happened. But I asked Jerry if there was something physically wrong with him. He denied it at first, but then told me that he had had some trouble with pain in his back and right hip and that the chiropractor told him one leg was shorter than the other. So I asked if I could pray for that anyway even though he was not in pain. He agreed.

I laid my hand on his hip and prayed. I said, "Do you feel that?" (I actually didn't feel anything, but I've learned to ask). A wonderful look of surprise came over him, and he said, "Oh my gosh! My leg feels like it has been dipped in an ice bucket." That's a first for me... never heard "cold" but always "hot." Then it started tingling. He spent some time trying to "convince" us it was really happening. LOL! I know his church has taught him that miracles have passed away, or that they just don't happen like they once did in the Bible... but I wonder what Jerry thinks now.

Anyway, my sister (TammyC) was there and she said to Jerry, "Try it out!" So he did. He was in tears by now as he walked around Bobby's room. He kept saying, "I can't believe this. This is amazing." I looked at Bobby, he was crying too. I told Bobby, "That's what Jesus wants for you." So, we prayed for Bobby again. His shoulder got warm... but not much else happened.

UPDATE (18-Feb-2012): I was in Wal-Mart getting a gift for a little 3-year old girl to take to her party that my family couldn't attend (they were all out of town at a dance competition). I ran into Jerry. He stopped me and we talked casually. But then he got serious for a second. He said, "I've never told you this, but remember when you prayed for my hip?" I had a flood of memories of the above incident. As I was standing there in front of him with these memories flooding my mind, grabbed my hand with both of his and said, "I just want to thank you again for praying for my hip that day. I haven't had any trouble at all out of it since." He was sincere and I was touched. What can you say, but, a weak "You're welcome" and "Give glory to Jesus, He's the Healer. He loves you and that is proof." 

Bobby now has a roommate (Harry, age 74). Harry had a mild stroke and could not move his right side very much. Very weak. He couldn't lift his arm above his shoulder. He and one of his 4 sons witnessed what we were doing with Jerry & Bobby. So I asked if I could pray for him. He agreed, of course. Tammy & her friend (Billie) & I laid hands on him and prayed. I asked if he felt anything. He said the pain left him immediately. Wonderful Jesus! Then I noticed a spot on his abdomen getting warm. I asked what that might be... his son, who was crying by now, said that is where the docs had put a tube into him to drain some bile or something. Obviously Jesus was doing something there.

Thursday (04-Mar-2010), I drove to Georgia on my usual business trip. I listened to Dr. Roger Sapp on some MP3s I had on my Zune. Something he said caught my attention. He said something like, "I never know what I'm going to get when I lay hands on someone. If you get in this all-or-nothing way of thinking, then you usually get nothing. Don't think that way. I never know what I'm going to get when I lay hands on someone, but I believe that I have enough faith to get SOMETHING, and so, I always do. Then if you get part of it, and SOMETHING is different, then you know you are on the road to get 100%. But never despise partial healings." I needed that. I thought, that's what I've been doing wrong with Bobby.

So, that night, I decided to go see Bobby before I went home from my business trip. I read Smith Wigglesworth to him, and then I said, "Now, Bobby, I don't know if we'll get it all, but I do believe we both have enough faith to get something, don't you?" He said, "I absolutely KNOW we can." (Never heard him talk that way!) I thought, there's nothing wrong with his arm & leg... it is a brain injury. So this time I put my hand on the right side of his head and prayed. He immediately said, "Something's tugging on my arm!" I uncovered his left arm, and the muscles in his arm were flexed! He looked down at it and said, "I've never seen it do that before!" It stayed flexed for several seconds... amazing. I asked him to move it. He moved his arm toward his body very slightly and said, "That's the most I've ever been able to move it."

Wonderful Jesus again! I told Bobby I'd be back some more and we'd get some more. I also looked over at his roommate Harry... he had both his right hand and left hands clasped behind his head! He said, "I could move my right hand all the way back today." He told me he couldn't do that before we prayed.

I told my wife (TammyM)... she's excited... so am I. We're gonna see Jesus do this 100%.

So, new advice for training others & yourself: Take Roger's advice... don't go for the whole thing if you can feel it stretching your faith. Instead, KNOW that you have at least faith enough to get SOMETHING... so, just expect SOMETHING GOOD to happen, and boldly proclaim beforehand that something is certainly going to happen and change when you pray... and Father will oblige every time! Amen!

Also, something else that had happened since last post was my wife's sister (Penny's) husband (Tim) was electrocuted on job by 7200 volts. It burned him over 17% of his body, but miraculously, he was not killed, and did not even pass out! I went to the ER to see him and we all laid hands on him and rebuked the pain and asked Father to heal him. His pain nearly disappeared and he didn't even need pain medicine when they put in in the helicopter to take him to the burn center in Augusta, GA. He's spent the whole month of February in a burn center and has amazed doctors at his recovery. He came home this weekend and got to spend some time with his family. I went to see him, and he told me about the whole thing. He said when he was being electrocuted he heard the voice of God say, "No!", as in, "no, you cannot take his life." Plan on seeing him some more and praying with him some more. He is a truly awesome man, and his wife (Penny) has taken better care of him than teams of nurses could ever do. We love them dearly and look forward to his full recovery.

15-Jan-2010 (Fri) - Birthday Present

Whew! Well, it has been over a month since I posted something here. Reason being, the family has been very busy going to see my Father-in-Law (Bobby) both in the hospital and now the rehab center and helping my Mother-in-Law (Alta) keep things done at her house, and getting her back and forth. [See pic at left of my daughter Kayla, me, my wife Tammy, my daughter Karahann & Bobby]. I have laid hands on Bobby and prayed with him probably a half dozen times or more. The 1st 3 times I laid hands on him, he would feel God's love and begin to weep. I asked Father about this and I felt in my heart I needed to give Bobby just the basic gospel truth. So next time I was with him I did just that. I asked him if he had something that was bothering about himself, and he said there was and began to cry. But I comforted him with the good news that God loved him. He felt better afterward. This time when I prayed with him he felt some different things in his body.

I met a man on Facebook that is a traveling evangelist (Roger) [see Roger pic right]. He is a very sweet man and since he's had miracles working in his life, I asked him to pray with my Father-in-Law over the phone. I called him while I was visiting Bobby and Roger prayed with us over speaker-phone. As soon as he prayed, Bobby began to weep and reached for his neck. He said he felt intense heat there. A few seconds after we prayed with him my wife (Tammy) still had her hands on him, and suddenly Bobby felt “electricity” shoot up his left leg and down his left arm. Since this time he's had sporadic electrical storms like this. We believe it is God's power.

Wednesday night (13-Jan-2010), me and Alta were the only ones there late, and Alta was trying to get Bobby to move his left leg. He said, “I can't. It's too heavy.” But he tried and tried. I said, “OK, I'm going to do what I know to do. I'm going to lay my hands on you and pray and expect something to happen. OK?” They both agreed, so I did. For the first time praying for him I felt just a slight tingling in my fingertips. So I asked, “Did you feel anything?” He didn't. But I said, “Try to move your leg now.” Immediately his left thigh muscle flexed and he looked over at me and said, “Now it feels lighter.” He could move it a bit!

Tonight, my wife (Tammy) was visiting with him and he was sitting up and in good spirits. Bobby had ask Tammy what she wanted for her birthday (which was today), and she said she wanted him to move his left leg. So my youngest daughter (Kayla) asked him to do it while she videoed it with her phone. To his and everybody's surprise, he moved it several times, more than he's ever moved it! He began to cry. It was the first time he's actually felt like he might fully recover.

It was a perfect birthday present for my Tammy.

During all this time, I have been up and down. Moments of great faith and moments of despair. But each time I have gone to Father and have received what I needed from Him. I feel very strong in faith for Bobby. I believe with all my heart he will completely recover with no ill effects even noticeable. Also, during this time, I have prayed for many people and seen lots of wonderful healings happen right before our eyes. A young lady with a sprained wrist (where she fell on the ice), was healed in a matter of seconds after we prayed. A man with a frozen elbow could move it afterward with no pain. And some smaller ones like a headache, a slight fever and tight muscles all healed in seconds.

Jesus is amazing. Stayed tuned for Bobby's full miraculous recovery. It's happening.

13-Dec-2009 (Sat) - Father-in-Law Has a Stroke

This morning my Father-in-Law (Bobby) [see pic left of my wife's brother Timmy, Father-in-Law Bobby & my daughter Kayla] had a stroke that paralyzed him on his left side. We got there when the EMTs had just arrived and he was laying in the floor near the foot of his bed. His wife (Alta) had heard him yell for help about 8:45am. The EMTs loaded him up in the ambulance and my wife (Tammy) asked me to ride with him. I wanted to get in the back, but they made me ride up in the cab.

When we got to the hospital, they tested him. He couldn't move his arm or leg on his left side. His speech was slurred and he couldn't open his eyes, however, he was completely oriented. The doctors scanned his brain and found a blood clot. They wanted to use an experimental drug (TPA) that thins the blood extremely and can break the clot up. I called all the siblings (Mike, Penny, Timmy & my wife Tammy) in and they made the decision to go ahead. Before administrating the drug I had all the siblings lay hands on him and I prayed commanding healing into his body. Then the TPA drug was administered (which took about 1 hour).

After about 30 minutes, Bobby could lift his left leg and was moving his right shoulder weakly, but he still could not open his eyes. The doctors said the left leg movement was probably only reflex. Alta was in some hip pain in the hall, so I offered to pray for her. In just a few seconds the pain in her hip diminished and she was able to walk around easier. But while she was sitting with Bobby, she started feeling guilty for what was happening. She said, “I believe God is punishing me for the way I've treated Bobby.” Of course, me and my son-in-law (Grant) tried to explain to her God wasn't doing that, but we were getting nowhere fast. I noticed she was having back pain as well. So I said, “Let me show you something, OK?” She agreed. I laid my hand on her back and commanded it to be healed. She immediately felt the heat and the pain was removed. Then I said, “Was that real?” She said, “Yes, of course it was. It doesn't hurt anymore.” I said, “OK, then you and I both know that God is the one that done it, right?” She agreed. I said, “Now then, why would Father God punish you at the same time He heals you? Is He psychotic?” … and I smiled real big. She smiled back and said, “That makes good sense, I see what you mean. I guess God isn't punishing me after all.” It was a relief to her mind.

Now the goal is to get healing to Bobby.

12-Dec-2009 (Sat) - Jesus Comes to a Birthday Party

Today, my mom (Janice's) sister-in-law (Aunt Peggy) threw a surprise birthday party for her husband (Uncle Larry) [see Aunt Peggy & Uncle Larry pic right]. It was a 2½ hour drive to their house from where I live, so it was a full evening of family and fun. My Uncle Larry was fully surprised and the food was pretty good.

But as me & my family were getting ready to leave (already had my coat on), my mom came up and asked me to pray for my Uncle Larry before we left. She said he'd been fighting diabetes. She told him about Jesus removing a growth on her scalp [see 30-Nov-2009] to encourage him. (By the way, my mom had gone back to the doctor for her appointment on 10-Dec-2009, and the doctor was amazed that he couldn't find the spot at all! He asked my mom what had happened and she told him it was removed through prayer. He had nothing to say about that). Then I called my sister (TammyC) over and we 3 laid hands on him and I commanded his pancreas to function properly and for his blood to be cleansed and sugar levels to come back to normal. I didn't feel anything, but I'm used to the person I'm praying for feeling something, so I asked, “Do you feel that?” He said, “Yes I do.” I asked him what he felt. He said, “I feel really warm all over my body. And I feel really good!” So I told him it was Jesus healing his body of diabetes and that he should check his sugar levels when he can to see about it.

We were standing in the kitchen and my Uncle Harry [see Uncle Harry on far left of pic] was sitting there. I asked him how his leg was doing (which I had prayed for last week at the Christmas party [see 04-Dec-2009]). He said, “Much better, but now it takes spells where it hurts.” It had been completely numb and Jesus restored feeling in it last week, so now, evidently, he was feeling pain in it. So I put my hand on his leg and commanded pain to leave. It left immediately! He said, “Well, now it feels pretty good!”

I'm still trying to leave, but then, my Aunt Shelia [see on far right in pic above] (whom I had also prayed for at last week's Christmas party, [see 04-Dec-2009]) wanted more prayer for her shoulder. It didn't hurt much any more but it was still stiff. So I laid hands on her shoulder and it got really warm and the stiffness was removed. Meanwhile, one of my first cousins (Lora Ann's) husband (Scott) saw what was going on and evidently had asked my sister (TammyC) what was going on. She told him to go over and let me pray for him for his shoulder. He witnessed Aunt Shelia's healing just then.

I said to Scott [see Scott's crazy face right], “What is the problem?” He said his shoulder hurt every morning really bad like it had popped out of joint or something during the night. I asked, “Is it hurting now?” He said it was when he rolled it back to a certain position. I laid hands on it and commanded the pain to leave in Jesus' Name. He said, “Nah, it's still the same,” and started to walk away, but I said, “Hold on, man, I'm not done.” So he walked back over. I did it again and told him to try it again. This time he said, “Wow, that's really different!” I said, “I know. This is Jesus, He's amazing.” He said, “Do it again!” So I did, and then I challenged him to try to find the pain. He couldn't. He said it was stiff, but there was no pain. Then he started telling me a story of an encounter he had had with God.

Meanwhile, my Aunt Shelia wanted prayer for carpal tunnel that she could feel in her thumbs. Her fingers still felt great from where we had prayed against arthritis last week. So I put my hand on one of her thumbs and commanded healing. She tested it and said it was a little different. “OK,” I said, “Let's do this. For some reason this works for me. I'm going to lay hands on your thumb and command the pain to leave. As soon as I take my hand off, you press your thumb really hard where it hurts the worst.” She said, “But it will hurt!” I said, “No, it won't. Trust me.” So I did it and she pressed it. Instantly, no pain. She immediately presented me the other thumb. Again, instantly healed. I told her to try to find the pain. She couldn't. Then there was a small growth on her scalp (similar to my mom's), and I put my finger on it and cursed it. I told her, “It will be gone in a day or two.”

Again, still trying to leave (it was getting late), my Uncle Sammy [see pic left of my sister TammyC & Uncle Sammy] wanted prayer for a growth on his nose. I put my finger on it and cursed it and told him the same, “It will be gone in a day or two.” He also wanted prayer for his right upper arm. He had fallen on a river bank a few weeks ago, and hit his biceps really hard, and it had actually deformed the muscle. When he flexed the muscle, it was all bunched up to the upper part of his arm and there was significant gap between his muscle and the bend of his arm. I laid hands on it and commanded the muscle to move to its original position. He felt something happen, but we couldn't visually tell any difference. I told him to just check it day by day and see if it moves.

Before I finally left, Scott asked me some more questions. He wanted to know would this work if the person had cancer. I told him cancer was no different than anything else that had happened here. He said, “But sometimes God doesn't answer that prayer.” I said, “Did you hear me pray? Did I asked God to heal your shoulder?” He said he didn't understand, and that he hadn't really paid that much attention to what I said. I said, “I didn't ask God to heal anyone tonight, because I already know that is what He wants. Instead, I just told the body part to be made whole and the bad stuff to move out.” He didn't understand, and wanted to know about sins, and what if you'd caused your own problems, etc. I said, “Scott, I'm gonna make this real easy for you, and you'll never be taken in by false teaching ever again after you understand this one thing.” He was ready for it. You see, he and my cousin (Lora Ann) are very health-conscious in their food and lifestyle. So I said, “Jesus is the only example of how Father God really is. No one else in the Bible or in life perfectly represents Father, right?” He agreed. I said, “Then we can't get our ideas about Father God from any other man. And when we watch Jesus in the Bible we see Him heal everybody in a multitude. He didn't separate out the crowd into groups of people who ate healthy and who didn't eat healthy. He didn't separate them into groups of people who caused their own health problems and those that didn't. He didn't separate them into groups of people who exercised and those who didn't. He just healed them all even if they were the cause of their own problems.” I explained further that sin was taken care of forever and there was never any condemnation for believers. I didn't realize it at the time but my Uncle Larry was hanging on these words as well. I think both he and Scott got a revelation. I hope so.

Then, we walked out the door, but my Aunt Peggy caught us and told us that Uncle Larry was very interested in God and the Bible lately. She said he had asked some really good questions that she wasn't sure about and wanted to know if I would mind talking with him at length. Of course, I can't wait for that.

Wow, that was fun! I just wished we'd started earlier!

04-Dec-2009 (Fri) - Jesus Came To the Company Christmas Dinner

Tonight, the company my mom (Janice) owns, my older sister (TammyC) runs and my younger sister (Jennifer) and her husband (Jimmy) work for had their annual Christmas dinner. I and my family are always invited. So my wife (TammyM) and 2 of my daughters (Karahann & Kayla) went for dinner.

While eating hors d'oeuvres, my aunt (Shelia) sat beside me. I knew she'd been suffering various pains because my mom (her sister) told me. So I asked how she was doing. She began to tell me she had arthritis all over her body. Specifically, her knee hurt her, her fingers had nodules on them and were painful to bend, and her left shoulder hurt her when she moved it in a circular motion. I asked her if I could pray for her. She agreed. I held her hands in mine and commanded pain & arthritis to leave her body entirely in Jesus' Name. Then I asked her what she was feeling. She said, “I feel tingly all over.” I told her that was the power of God touching her body. I said, “Move your fingers.” She did and was pleasantly surprised. She said, “I can move them more freely!” I said, “I don't doubt it a bit. Jesus is amazing.” She asked, “Can you lay hands on my knee?” So I put my hand on her knee and commanded it to be healed, then asked her to move it. She said, “This is wild. It doesn't hurt!” Then she said, “How, about my shoulder?” I said, “What about it?” She said, “It hurts when I do this...” and then she moved her shoulder in a circular motion. Another wonderful look of surprise came over her face and she said, “Well, it used to hurt!” Jesus touched her shoulder and we didn't even ask Him to! I told her, “Jesus is healing your body.” She said, “You mean, as long as I believe?” I said, “Well, it doesn't really matter what you believe; Jesus will heal you because I believe, but, yes, He wants you to believe too.” She said, “This is wild. You need to pray for Harry, he can hardly walk.” Harry is my uncle, Shelia's husband. I said, “OK, I will.”

By this time people were getting in line to get their dinner. So I got in line with my family and we all ate dinner. My Aunt Shelia said, “I feel so good I think I'll take up bowling again.” I told her that was the right attitude! She got her food and sat down with my cousin (John) and began to tell him what had just happened to her. John, had been healed of back problems through prayer (see several other blogs below). He began to share with her what happened to him. They invited me over and we talked about Jesus. Aunt Shelia asked, “Do you have to have a special calling to do this?” I said, “No, of course not. Any believer can do this. You can't pray enough, prepare enough, be holy enough to earn this ability. You also can't sin enough to disqualify yourself from it either. If you believe Jesus paid the price for your sins and sicknesses, then He will work through you too to heal.”

My youngest daughter (Kayla) wanted to go to a basketball game, so we had planned on leaving a bit early. I also knew that tomorrow, John's mom, my Aunt Kathy (who was also there) [see pic left], was going to be leaving to go back home to Detroit. So being a bit rushed, I wanted to pray for her & my Uncle Harry before going. I had asked Father for the opportunities. So as I stood up from the table and was telling some people bye, my Aunt Kathy walked up to hug me goodbye. John said, “I really wanted you to lay hands on my mom before she left.” I said, “OK. Let's do it.” I asked Aunt Kathy what was hurting her. She said she had pain down her left leg which she believed was caused by a back problem. So I asked if I could pray for her. She agreed. I put my hand on her back and commanded pain to leave and for it to be healed. I felt a hand-sized part of her back get very warm. I said to Aunt Shelia, “Come over here and see if you can find the warm spot where God is working.” She did; she was very moved. My Aunt Kathy said she could feel the warm spot and that it felt very good! We left it at that, and John told her that if there was a warm spot, then God was at work and something good had happened.

Still in a bit of a rush, I saw my Uncle Harry hobble toward the kitchen by himself... perfect! So I went over to him and told him I was leaving, but I wanted to find him and pray for him before I left. Then I asked him what was hurting him. He said the lower part of his right leg from the shin down to his toes was numb and he couldn't even walk on it or use it. It had caused him to fall 2 times back in the summer while he was working in his garden, and both times he had to have someone help him get up because he couldn't use it. He walked with a noticeable shuffle and limp. I asked him if I could pray for him, and he agreed. So I took his hand and commanded feeling to be restored to his right foot and for it to be healed. Then I looked up at him (he had his eyes closed) and asked, “Do you feel that?” He said, “Yes! Actually I do.” I asked, “What do you feel?” He said, “I felt a release run through my leg.” I said, “Good! That's the power of God touching your body. Try it out!” He took a step and said, “That really is different! I think I can walk on it.” I said, “Walk on it.” He walked up the hall a ways with no limp! I asked, “How's that?” He said, “Much better!” He then told me how it had really pained him to not be able to do the normal things he loved doing. Tears welled up in his eyes a little, but he held them back, but he said, “Thank you so much for thinking of me, Greg.” This made everything worthwhile to me; to hear my uncle say something like that.

Thank You Jesus for visiting the company Christmas dinner!