Are Miracles, Healing and Deliverance “Peripheral Issues?”
A common teaching in the church today is the idea that the working of miracles, healing the sick, and casting out demons are “peripheral issues” that can distract our attention from the “real issues” believers ought to focus on. Some would go as far as to say that anyone who spends too much time learning about them is deceived. But is this true? The first thing Jesus did after choosing the twelve was to send them…
Ascending the Mountain
In the last few years, I’ve had many dreams about ascending a mountain. I had another one on New Year’s eve. Several friends have also had dreams in which a mountain was the central theme. I believe God is speaking to us about something important in these dreams. I’ll give you a little background info from one of the previous dreams. On November 4, 2010, I had a dream about the earth being flooded with…
Re-thinking Missions Part 2 – Church or Kingdom?
If my first message on missions didn’t challenge your views, this one probably will. I appreciate the hard work put in by generations of missionaries who have sown and harvested in the field of God. I stand in awe of the sacrifices they’ve made. This is a discussion aimed at identifying things we can improve on and that means looking at things we aren’t doing very well. A common complaint I heard in my discussion…
Deliverance
Be careful what you ask God for. He likes to give us things, and they seldom come wrapped in nice, neat packages. I’d like to take you back (briefly) to the beginning of my Christian life and show you the path I’ve taken to get to my present understanding of demons and deliverance. After being saved, I lived a pretty ordinary life as an evangelical Christian. I was content to study my Bible, sit in…
Healing Mental Illness – A Matter of Love
I had a dream on the night of July 12. In the dream I watched people being treated for mental illness as they transitioned from a hospital to a mental health treatment facility. In some of the scenes, patients were treated rudely and without compassion. This made their condition worse. In some scenes, they were treated with compassion, understanding, and love – which made their condition better. Some dreams don’t need much interpretation. This is…