I strongly recommend* that you study the book of Matthew while participating in this forum. I feel it's better to do that rather than repeatedly refer you to a chapter and Verse. It's not a lengthy book and you'll get a lot out of it. Besides, we all really need to understand the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. This book will be responsible for getting a lot of souls into the "Kingdom." One never knows who will gain their ticket to the Kingdom by investigating these little books.

The discussion topics below are according to my own experiences and understanding. You may see them another way. You can explore these topics and learn from other's experiences and understanding. Please remember: Your fellowship with God is a personal thing and means different outcome/results for each of us. But the common trait is a "kind" - "loving" - "understanding" spirit that yields to the wisdom and leadership of THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.

Why Are Some People Healed and Others Are Not?
( I'm trying not to sound too preachy )

As far as I know: If it is God's will for you to suffer and/or die from a disease or injury, all the prayer in the world will not change it.

According to God's Word: "It is appointed to each of us to die." So don't think because we lose a loved one that we are being singled out or punished. Our days on this earth are numbered. People are constantly (unknowingly and unjustly) doubting God because "He allows evil things to happen" (such as 9-11, New York).

I understand why a person (who does not know and understand God) could be bitter. After all, The Book of Job tells us that even Job was bitter and did not understand... and Job knew God very well. Although he knew him far better after his horrifying experience ~ An experience which was brought on by Satan but allowed by God.

Remember: Planet Earth is Satan's Domain. Pain, suffering and death are a fact of life and the price we pay for the sins and the human-nature of man. We (original creation of man) fell short and chose not to follow God's will for us. Never blame God for these facts of life. Do you remember the old song: "I'm Just a Poor Wayfaring Stranger" ~ "Traveling Through This Land of Woe". Well that's what the people of God are. We are only passing through, taking the tests, on our way to the "Kingdom" ~ it was never promised to be easy.
He originally put us in the "Garden." According to scripture the "Garden" was paradise... a lovely place... the original creation. Adam and Eve, as we are taught to refer to them, did not follow God's will, therefore they were cast out of the "Garden" and made to work, suffer and bear children on this planet which belongs to Satan. This was not the original plan for man. Because God is a natural God, HE allows freedom of choice to prevail.

Conditions from which we may be healed are conditions that are not of God's will. In other words: If we are sick or hurt because of something we did or Demonic intervention brought on us... we can certainly be healed by divine healing ~ miracles! There are many reasons divine healing occurs, such as... faith, prayer, confession, repentance and God's will to mention a few.

As far as I understand, we may be struck down by a lifestyle which brought about sickness or accidents ~ not God's will but our own doing. We can certainly be healed of these things through faithful prayer and repentance. Repentance meaning to turn away from the destructive things we once pursued and desire to live the clean, constructive life, a life centered in God's will, not our previous, sinful, destructive will.

The scriptures are clear... Jesus reminds us repeatedly that we are healed by our faith. It is plain to me that illness may be brought on by demonic influence. Jesus can certainly heal us in those cases (through prayer and repentance). Under these circumstances the evil work of demons and Satan can actually be used to bring about salvation. Romans 8:28... "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God".

"Salvation" and "born-gain" are interchangeable terms for me. I suppose there could be another opinion that would make sense to me but I have not needed another view for my own understanding, therefore, I have not looked beyond my own understanding. Other people's expression is welcome here as always. Let me hear from you.

My Experiences With Divine Healings

While I have experienced several, miraculous, divine healings myself, I have seen many others. The first miraculous healing was the incident I described on the BORN AGAIN page.

In time I will write about and discuss them all. However, there is one incident that was the most fascinating thing I have ever witnessed. I will write about it here and now.

Summer, 1976, Forest City, Arkansas...

At the time I was 31 years of age, living in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about a 2 1/2 hour drive to Forest City where I was running sales leads for a home improvement company. A few days before, I had a small "bump" surgically removed from my forearm, nothing to it, just a few stitches. The first night out my arm became slightly inflamed, I was running a mild temperature and the area on my arm was red in color. I did not feel well at all. The weather was hot and humid, a typical summer day in the "Mississippi Delta" area.

I was driving a near-new 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Classic. At the time I only had a few thousand miles on the car. Running down country/county addresses in the heat was no fun even though the car was air conditioned and very comfortable. For no apparent reason the air conditioning quit! August heat, fever, sick, and now... no air conditioning. My first thought was: Guess I'll "pack it in" and head for home. I had a young family and I was the only bread-winner... my wife did not work, she was a full time housewife and mother... I needed to do some business.

Just a few months previous my Mother, a devout Christian and prayer warrior had given me a book. I think the title was: "PRAISING GOD IN ALL SITUATIONS." Well, I had a thought: "I'll put the book to test."
I began doing what the author of that little book taught. I started praising God and thanking him for causing the air conditioning to fail, I praised and thanked him for my fever, I thanked him for the opportunity to exercise my faith and continued to give him praise. I explained that I knew it was for my own good and that something good and great would come from it all. I kept repeating my praises and thanking him for every unfortunate happening in my life as well as all of the wonderful things in my life. I reasoned that the overcoming of the unfortunate things in my life had helped me to know Him. I really began to mean every word.

REMEMBER... AT FIRST I DID NOT MEAN A WORD OF IT...

However, I kept on praising him and praying. I kept asking my prayer be heard in the name of Jesus. Soon I began to "feel" something happening... I began to believe that it truly was a blessing! I began to "get into the spirit" and within a few minutes I was meaning every word and my faith began to swell! Now I was thanking him and meaning every word of it! All of this took about 15 - 30 minutes (or so)... THEN THE AIR CONDITIONING CAME ON! It started working as well as ever and the car cooled down. Soon (I can't remember if it was immediately or over hours) my arm was well, my fever left and I felt fine!

The next few days passed, I finished running my sales leads, made several sales and actually had a good week. What a trip!

BACK HOME FROM THE TRIP...

The next day after getting home I was going to lunch at my favorite luncheon restaurant in Hot Springs. It just so happened my cousin had a radiator shop and he specialized in air conditioning repair, his shop was just across the street from my favorite little luncheon restaurant.

Now remember, my car was new and still covered under warranty but the air was working fine and I did not want to go to the trouble explaining all of this to the dealership repair shop.

While on my way to lunch I dropped my car off across the street and asked my cousin to take a look and see if he could see any reason for my air to be intermittent.

"Well Eddy"... "Did you find anything?" I asked. My cousin said, "No... but let's check that "inline" fuse on the fire wall." We discovered that the fuse had "blown" but had miraculously melted itself back together. I have a background in electronics and I can tell you: THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! But it happened! God fixes cars too!

I have used that method (praising God in all situations) a few times since and it still works! What a great little book! I wish I could remember the author and the title for sure. If I find it, rest assured I will post it on this site. You have to realize that was 1/4 century ago. I bet some of you know the book, let me know!

See? I Hardly Preached At All!

Your Friend,

John