| JANUARY |
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Greetings all who wrestle for the Kingdom,
<NO “W” JANUARY 30th… MARS HILL WILL BE CLOSED ALL THIS WEEK>
Perfect
This is the word that most quickly comes to mind when people think about me ….
Was that thunder I heard just now?
All kidding aside this word has been rattling around in my head for the past week because of some of the expectations that people seem to have toward healing and any ministry that exceeds our acts of kindness or religious programs. When it comes to healing many people reject it as either not possible or they want to see perfect results and they want to see it now. Both of these ways of thinking reflect a flawed understanding of how healing works and how God works.
We see miracles every week at the “W” and it is amazing to hear over and over and over how God did what only He could do. We do not see 100% results but we do see miracles every week. Even with the obvious work that God is doing people still ask us “but what about the ones who are not healed?” As if we can somehow do something different to facilitate a miracle for them right now.
We are not Shaman’s.
We are not faith healers.
We do not have a book of magic formulas.
We are simply people who believe that the Word is true and speak in the authority given to us by Jesus trusting that God will act according to what He said He would do in the Word. There is not a perfect method and there is not a perfect result. One of the stories below is about a miraculous healing of a woman with stroke symptoms. A quick and powerful result that we thank God for. But we also heard back that a baby we prayed for inutero has been born with the Kidneys not functioning. Same people praying in the same way with different results. Why? We do not know the why … all we know is the truth; that God will be true to His Word and we can trust it and we can trust Him regardless of the result.
We do ask for God to show us more of His heart and more of His ways so that the testified result of a miracle healing becomes not only the expectation but the norm. Lord, help us grow into people that look like the book of Acts every day.
Thank God with us for these reports of ongoing effective (albeit imperfect) prayer …
REPORTS • This one in from the Wider Wrestling Team, Finnish Division... One of the new believers (Matt, not our Matti) in Kyle's church had a friend that was severely injured (almost killed) on the job (they work in construction and Matt's friend got cut up the middle, from his stomach thru the sternum). At first they didn't expect the guy to live. He did. Because he had a stroke as well they expected him to be a vegetable (was in a coma a number of weeks ... his brain had been starved of oxygen for almost a ½ hour!). He isn't. Matt tackled me after last Sunday and let me know that his friend is basically fully recovered (the only difference before/after is the scar and that his friend's voice is a little soft ... and, we're still expecting a FULL recovery there, too). What a mind-blowing object lesson for a new believer in trusting God and what happens when people pray in faith and authority!!! We serve a truly AWESOME God!!! Hallelujah!!! Hallelujah indeed. • A woman requested prayer for her granddaughter who had a diagnosis of cancer and this report came back; Awesome news last evening! <the grand daughter’s> bone scan was negative! We bless You miracle working Lord. • A Pastor who came to one of our conferences called last week asking for prayer for his wife. She had a stroke that fully involved the left side and was not doing well. The next day he called again and now the right side seemed to be involved as well. We prayed. He called Sunday night and the Doctors cannot explain it but all of the symptoms are gone and there is no damage from what they had thought was a stroke. Father, we thank You for once again confounding the wisdom of men with Your power and love. • A man came late to the “W” and asked for prayer for his wife who was ill. By the time he got home she was well. We bless you Healing Lord. • A story came in about an intercessor who dropped a friend off at the airport hotel. He was going to leave when the man he was dropping off asked for prayer because of a severe fear of flying. They prayed and the next day the intercessor got a call thanking him for praying since the flight went fine with absolutely no fear. Thank You Lord for answering our prayers. • An intercessor who is a part of the WT had received a seven page note from a friend ending a long standing relationship in a very messy way. While praying in the group a man saw that the relationship would be restored by God and not to worry about it. Two days later another seven page note came. This time repenting of the previous note and asking for forgiveness and reconciliation of the friendship. Thank You Father for helping us walk in unity. • A young woman was prayed for at the “W” for panic attacks and reported back that she is now free from all fear, the attacks are gone. Father, you cast out all fear and replace it with Your love. • A woman who is part of the WT told us of a story regarding her grandson. The parents were at a Bible study and one of the people thought that it was not right that their 6 year old son (this woman’s grandson) was having trouble with his eyesight. They did not pray during the time with the group but later thought that it made sense to ask God to heal the eyes. The boy was at school the next week and they were doing testing of the eyes for all the children. This boy was no longer wearing his glasses and told the person doing the testing that “he had been healed and no longer needed them”. The person testing said “well let’s just check to make sure”. He tested out at 20/20 vision for the first time in his life. What a great testimony to all involved. • A man was going to a business meeting and the person he was meeting had been prayed for and healed of an eye problem a few months ago. He mentioned that he had a crick in his neck that day and could barely turn his head and was in pain but the meeting could still go on. When the WT member got to the meeting he was standing by the booth chatting before the meeting began and the person with the neck pain said “Wow, just having you stand close to me has brought healing to my neck. I have full range of motion and no pain.” Thank You Father for healing in many ways and making it apparent that it is You and not us because You are the one who healed even though we did not say a word. • A woman asked for prayer because her car was repossessed. Within a day she was given a car to use for five months while the person who owned it was in Florida. Thank you Lord for provision true. • A man asked for prayer due to a snow-blower accident and sent this update; “God is always good. Last night I was able to play my guitar as God is healing my fingers from last week's breaking and cutting off the tip of my index finger and ring finger on my right hand. <My wife> called me at work today that she is stuck with 4-wheel drive. One call to a friend who is 1 minute from where she is stuck. The miracle as he is not usually in this area during the day and he was able to pull her out.” God you work all things together for good. • A man who is on the WT sent us an update regarding his cancer; I recently had a follow-up visit/ check for Prostate Cancer. I continue to be cancer free. My praise is that I know God isn't finished with me yet & has lots for me to do, He has proven that in such remarkable and tangible ways through healing the cancer in my body this year--I had so much peace about the course of treatment I chose and only doubted when people would say things like "are you sure radiation will be enough?" Funny thing is, after a while I learned to answer with confidence in HIS healing, “no, but Jesus is!” SO many people, especially cancer survivors, would say to me: "you should have had the surgery and just gotten it taken out!" The Holy Spirit gave me NO peace about that & I didn't feel comfortable undergoing a common, but major surgery @ only 43. I felt that I shouldn't pursue "more" treatment than I felt Him giving me a peace about. He has honored that by healing me & IN Him I am well, whole, and complete! We serve a restoring God. • Another internet testimony from the WT regarding prayer for a pregnancy that had turned bad; This is a note sent to me from Adrienne's mother in law after I had sent her copies of all prayers: Dear <WT member>, We so appreciate your prayers and words of encouragement. Thank you. Adrienne’s contractions are now very intermittent and it appears as though they will be able to hold off until the 16th to deliver her. Hardly a coincidence, sister! Love & Blessings ~ The WT member’s response was; God certainly is good and our prayers have been "loud and bold" and he is active hearing and answering! Thank you!!!! Father, You are good and we thank You. • A woman from NJ sent us an email; Dear Ted, > I hope this finds you well! Many thanks for the insights you'd shared in response to an email I sent a couple of weeks ago. You'd given the example of one gentleman in a non-Christian work setting who begun praying a binding prayer for his coworkers and himself daily - Since I've begun doing this, I've seen amazing results and have been greatly encouraged! Many thanks! Thank You mighty God. • A woman who gets the WT Updates sent this note; Ted, Thank you for the WT updates. This particular update was a true affirmation! Last Friday I was led to coordinate prayer for our pastor. I had a list of seven women and the prayer ring cards from Terry Teykl. We had all agreed to fast and pray for him through the month of December (this was planned on Friday November 27). I was able to speak with our Pastor following the service on Sunday AM. This concerted effort was mentioned and then he shared some ideas for the prayer ministry and how we need a break-through. On that Sunday afternoon his mother was in a serious auto accident. (She died the next Friday.) Coincidence? I don’t think so. God is moving right here in West Michigan and I’m excited to be a part of it. It would take pages to discuss all of the details of this past week including a Stark Raving Obedience by my husband. Thanks and Shalom, P.S. Thank you for referencing The Prayer Saturated Church. It is an amazing guide book. We bless you Lord for leading Your intercessors in effective prayer. • An intercessor who is part of the WT called with the testimony that her daughter and son-in-law decided to have their tithe automatically withdrawn from their paycheck (it is then matched by the company) so they would not even see the money. Within a week the son-in-law got a promotion that increased his income more than the amount they had set aside in tithe. Rather than expand their spending they have set up a “listening account” to pray together and ask God what He wants done with the money each week to expand the Kingdom. Now that is just plain flat out cool. • A woman who was in a car accident called a member of the WT for prayer. That person sent out an email and within minutes it was posted in Facebook as well. The prayers went up and the woman reported back that she is fine and suffered no injuries. May Your name be lifted up most worthy God. • A member of the WT was prompted to give away her expensive leather coat (she had lost quite a bit of weight so it did not fit anymore). She asked God if she could have a replacement coat. A week later she was in Goodwill and found a beautiful leather coat with a hood that is every bit as good as the coat she gave away. God, You are our provider. • A member of the WT was praying for a person with a painful knee issue. She had been told she could not run until it was healed and it had been months with no change. As they prayed the intercessor laid his hand on one of her knees. It was the wrong knee but when they were done praying the pain was gone and she called a day later saying she could now run without pain as well. God You are good indeed. • A woman who had her hip bone healed of a birth defect and also had received new arches in her feet had still been experiencing pain from time to time. She asked God why and He said it was her body relearning how to live in the healing. A few days later her feet started to peel (I never knew molting could be a part of the healing process<smile>) and after the peeling stopped the pain was gone and she is now pain free. Yes and amen Lord, You’re healing in Your time. • An 80 year old RCA Pastor who came to the conference in August woke up at 3AM last Wed. with a sore throat and a cough. He started to pray. As he was driving in to church that morning he laid a hand on his throat and spoke to it in the name of Jesus to be healed. By noon all symptoms and discomfort had gone away. Thank You Lord we are never too old to learn to trust You. • A testimony came in last week of a man working on a construction site who hit his hand with a 2 pound sledge hammer (missed the mark). Another worker came over to see if he was OK since it was a bad hit and his hand had already swelled up with a golf ball sized lump. He told the other worker “watch this” and put a little snow on the hand and started to pray quietly. Within two minutes the hand was back to normal with no lump and no pain and he went back to work. Father, we are watching as You do Your work. • Another situation on the same site occurred when a mixer would not start. The intercessor prayed over the machine and then with one pull it started. Thank You Father for demonstrating Your power and care to a seeking world.
Here are some additional things to be aware of as WT members; * Please continue to pray for the staff and workers at your church. * Please pray for a community wide prayer meeting called The Gathering (tentative date 4-25-2010 @ DeVos Place). There are over 80 churches involved so far and 20 ministry organizations. We will keep you informed of the details as the date approaches. Give me a call if you would like to help in any way with the logistics or finance. * Please continue to pray for Ted and Claudia and the OMWB as they speak and minister; * December 27th Ted spoke at the Sunday AM service at Harvest Community Church, CRC in Lake Odessa, MI. * Tentative Ted speaking for Intervarsity Fellowship Ferris State Univ. in Jan. * Tentative date for Spring Arbor University Chapel Feb 15th – OMWB & Ted speaking * Tentative date for a Chicago area conference @ Christ Church of Oakbrook is Mar. 19-21
The January team leaders for the Sunday Wrestling Team activities will continue to be Steve and Ruth Zwierzinski and Joe Martino. They will be “on the ground” before and during the services to assist with any questions or prayer needs that might come up. Ted and Claudia Kallman Wrestling Coaches
“One must be careful what one pretends to be, for what one pretends to be is what one tends to become.” C.S. Lewis
“We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but we will under no circumstances render to Caesar what is God’s.” The Manhattan Declaration
"...Even in its ruined condition, a human being is regarded by God as something infinitely worth saving. Sin does not make a person worthless - only lost. And in its lostness, the human soul is still capable of great strength, creativity, dignity, and heartbreaking beauty." Dallas Willard |