Book Excerpt: Introduction

Introduction ~

It was a simple message. About family. About devotion to God. Trendy but tight (scripturally sound). Conservative, yet fresh to the ear. When suddenly, quietly, the pastor revealed his deepest desire. Almost casually and barely audible, he said it. He obviously wanted everyone to hear. After all, he was wearing a wireless microphone on an internationally televised program. The editing staff and producers had left it on the tape. So, of course, the world would hear as he revealed the desire of his heart, and that of his wife.

“You know I have a special needs child. But one day...” He turned aside from facing the congregation and walked across the platform, “He’s gonna get out of that chair. I have faith for that.”

My heart began to ache for them. It still does.

He stood before the world and spoke this truth. Transparent. Humble. Confrontational. Truth confronts. Truth demands and makes room for itself. And makes clear. Stands alone but always stands, undeniable. Truth comes as Goliath - to reveal the ugly lies in our own lives - when we have to choose to retreat or to climb past all of life’s clutter and defeat every thought that has exalted itself above the knowledge of Christ. Or as the burning bush of Moses - to provoke us to turn aside, to be astonished and witness the incomprehensible. To set us apart.

He spoke an embarrassing truth. This pastor. This man of faith. He had a desire, beyond that, a desperate need to see his son made whole. He had learned the principles of faith, the keys, and confessions. What he didn’t have was a miracle.

I knew the proper Christian response. I knew the scriptures. The words of faith. I knew how to pray, and what to pray. But I could not. I cried. And I turned aside to seek the Lord.

This book does not purport to answer the ‘why’ or ‘when’ regarding a healing miracle for this man’s son, or anyone else’s. Although, I treat the subject in the section - Mary’s Mourners.

This book contains the reflections of an inquiring soul in conversation with the Holy Scriptures and what the Lord, by His Eternal Spirit, wants revealed in Time to a seeking church.

My thoughts were flooded with questions and declarations.
No more works.
Faith is not of works.
Salvation is free, therefore healing is free, deliverance is free.
“Greater works shall you do...”
“Freely you have received, freely give.”
It’s all free. So where is it? What happened?
“Where is the Lord God of Elijah?”
Where is Jesus of the Bible?

In this day of merchandised and mechanized ministries, what have we done with the Gospel? The Good News? The free gift of God?

Let us turn aside as King Hezekiah did when he knew his time was short, and return to the Holy Bible to recover the most sacred gift ever given to humanity, Jesus, the Messiah.

Jesus healed them all.

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