Concerning Spiritual Gifts

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio.

A look at the 9 manifestations of God’s Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12v.1 tells us that he wants the church to be informed. He’s noticed that when the Corinthians were lost or pagans they were led astray by mute idols. Now he’s wanting to give the church some guidelines regarding manifestations of God’s Spirit. It’s implied that they may be prone to error due to their gullibility from the past.

The rule is, the manifestations of the Spirit have to give glory to Jesus, v. 3 says, I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Father, Son, Holy Spirit

John 16:13-15
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Imagine, if you will, a flow chart with the Holy Spirit at the top flowing down into an individual person. What flows out of that person are works. These works consist of service and spiritual gifts. Imagine the flow chart now consisting of many people. There’s only one Holy Spirit but many expressions of the Holy Spirit through people.

God Gives Good Gifts to those Who Ask

Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

1 Corinthians 12:7
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Meaning these gifts are not only for you but to help others.

If the gifts become self serving then things are out of order. (Tongues, without public interpretation, are for self edification 1 Cor. 14:4)

1. Message of Wisdom
2. Message of Knowledge
3. Faith
4. Gifts of Healing
5. Miraculous Powers
6. Prophecy
7. Distinguishing Between Spirits
8. Speaking in Tongues
9. Interpretation of Tongues

Wisdom
Wisdom is the synthesis of knowledge (facts). It causes one to draw conclusions that people without wisdom cannot draw. Facts and knowledge are the building blocks upon which wisdom is built. Supernatural wisdom would have a God component to it that would make it elusive to anyone without the Holy Spirit. Sometimes lost people are very wise in their synthesis of facts.

James 1:5,6
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Knowledge

Holy Spirit Knowledge-
John 1:47-51
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe[h] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[i] you[j] will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’[k] the Son of Man.”

Faith

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

The Faith of the Centurion

The Centurion’s faith was rooted in his natural understanding of authority and his supernatural understanding of who Jesus was. Combining these two components leads Jesus to proclaim, “I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

If we want to be people of great faith like the Centurion we also will have to know who Jesus is. Compare the Centurion to Martha.

John 11:21-24
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Gifts of Healing
As an extraordinary charism, gifts of healing are supernatural enablements given to a believer to minister various kinds of healing and restoration to individuals through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the Greek of the New Testament, both the words gift and healing are plural.

I have noticed that some people who have gifts of healing may have greater success with healing some people with certain diseases over other diseases. I have a ministry friend that says, “Send me people with fibromyalgia”. They’ve seen a lot of success with the Holy Spirit flowing through them in healing this particular disease. I’ve also known a man who could touch a wart and it would disappear within a few days. It seems strange, but gifts and healing are both plural in the Greek.

Miraculous Powers
Every time something happened for the first time in the Bible it had never happened before. Today, in our time, if God did something that was not recorded in Scripture that was miraculous and brought glory to Jesus, there are some in the Body of Christ who would say, “That’s the Devil”. Be open to God doing miracles that don’t necessarily fit into our box, but the manifestation must point people to Jesus.

Signs and Wonders by their very nature will make a person wonder.

John 21:25
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Prophecy

Foretelling – Knowing the future, knowing hidden knowledge.
Forth telling – Expressing the heart, mind, and will of God about a situation supernaturally.

1 Corinthians 14:3
3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

A word of Wisdom regarding directional words. Be careful. You should be able to hear God for yourself any way but if God uses a prophet to speak a directional word please be cautious. You don’t have to do what the person prophesying says. Unfortunately some can “prophelie” their own feelings or use the prophetic platform to manipulate.

A Truly Seeker Sensitive Environment

The gift of prophecy when in operation
1 Corinthians 14:24,25 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

Distinguishing Between Spirits
Demons have various agendas usually tied to a sinful habit or behavior. A spirit of lying for example that influences a person’s thinking and words to lie. When a demon is manifesting they seem to try and mask their true nature because, for a reason I don’t fully understand, they lose part of their hold on the person when their true nature is revealed. In the Bible a name=nature.

In Mark 5:9 we see Jesus asking the Gaderene demoniac’s demon what its name is. The demon answers it’s name (nature or character) is legion for we are many.

When the nature of a demon is uncovered it’s exposed and less likely to retain it’s hold on the person.

Tongues
A sign that consistently accompanies the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:4, Acts 8:12-17, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 11:14-16, Acts 15:7-9

A sign in a one on one setting for unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 14:22
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; A Language to God 1 Corinthians 14:2 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.

Personal Edification

1 Corinthians 14:4a
4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves,

Jude 1:20
20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, Interpretation of Tongues

Conclusion

1 Corinthians 12:31 (Amplified)
31 But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces).

1 Cor. 14:1
Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy ([a]interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).
   

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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God Frustrates Humanism but Empowers People with the Holy Spirit

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.  

A comparative look at the tower of Babel and Pentecost                                                                                       It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness but today we’re going to talk a little bit about darkness before we get into the light.                                                                            Humanism - a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values; especially : a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual's dignity and worth and capacity for self-realization through reason.

 

I believe humanism has so infiltrated many Christian systems that we don’t even recognize it. It’s accepted as normal and we just go on.

 

Building with Humanism

 

Genesis 11:1-9

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b] and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel[c] —because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

 

Pray

 

Abraham, Israel, and Jesus Christ were decendents of Shem. The possible jealousy of the Hamites towards the Shemites is revealed in Genesis 11:4, since,'let us make us a name' is an intriguing statement since the Hebrew for 'name' here is actually 'Shem'

 

Many today like to look at how other churches are doing things. There is some value in this, but I challenge those in Christian leadership to hear what God is telling you to do, don’t necessarily pattern the work that you’re doing after another simply because they have numbers or some other method of success. I believe a house built on sand can get very tall… until the rain comes.

 

Psalm 127:1

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

 

How the Church is Built

 

Matthew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

 

Everything the Hamites did was motivated by their own hearts, their own desires, and their own reasoning. The scripture in v. 3 doesn’t say they asked the Lord and the Lord said. It says, “they said to each other”, and again in v. 4 they said, “let’s build a city and a tower.” None of this grandiose activity was directed or blessed by the Lord.

 

The Power of Human Agreement

 

With innate human power the Hamites built a massive city and were in the process of building a massive tower when God stepped in saying, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” (Gen 11:6)

 

The purpose of the tower that went to the heavens was two fold:

1. Make a name for ourselves
2. Prevent scattering

Make a Name for Ourselves

This has been the motto of humanity, "let us make a name for ourselves." Think for yourselves how many public edifices make a plaque somewhere on which the names of all the public officials who were in power when it was built are inscribed: the mayor, the head of public works, etc. "Let us make a name for ourselves," is a fundamental urge of a fallen race. It reveals one of the basic philosophies of humanism: "Glory to man in the highest, for man is the master of things." That is the central thought of humanism, glory to mankind.

 

James 4:6

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

 

1 Peter 5:5

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

 

Human effort apart from the spoken voice of God has potential to produce a lot of things but God wants us to hear his voice and obey. This is the way we are to build.

 

No Scattering

The second reason they built a tower and a city was so they wouldn’t be scattered across the Earth. God certainly desires that people live in unity but it must be for the right purpose and motivation. Unity that has disobedience as it’s purpose or outcome is not something God desires. The people of Babel where unified in such a way that they were working against God’s intent that humanity multiply, fill the earth, and glorify God in the process. Instead they had united in one place in order to secure their own position and in some way raise themselves up to God. The building of the Tower amounted to an assault on heaven. It was a statement saying that they could approach God on their own terms and in some measure as equals. The confusion of languages forced them to scatter across the earth  in order to fulfill the command to tend it and care for it.

 

One of the biggest temptations facing humanity today is trying to build something “for” God with human effort and strategy being the central theme of the work. Very often the motive is self, money, ego, or some other not so noble heart condition.

 

You hear it when pastors get together. They almost always want to talk numbers immediately, to almost jockey for position based on this. Numbers are important because they potentially represent people who a coming to know Christ and growing in their faith but not at the expense of our obedience to God’s spoken word. Now this will never be stated in a mission statement, vision statement, or church document but it will be in the hearts of the people in leadership if it’s in place.

 

God restores the languages of man but only with himself at the center of the process.

 

Acts 2:1-12

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Approximately 15 different nationalities and corresponding languages are listed here in Acts 2.

 

I’m concerned in our modern world that there are many religious systems that are built upon man’s abilities, man’s strategies, and man’s personality. I find this most unfortunate but know that “the tower” will come down. God will frustrate these systems.

 

I want every Christian to know how incredible the Holy Spirit is. He’s not Casper the Friendly Ghost, He’s God!

 

Romans 8:14

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Holy Spirit Accepts the Gentiles

 

Acts 11:15-16

15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with[a] water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” Cornelius the Gentile has a Vision to call for Peter

 

Acts 10:44-46

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues[b] and praising God.

 

Acts 19:4-7

4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[b] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

 

All believers should persistently seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes an increase in the activity of the Holy Spirit in the life of the recipient. The Holy Spirit gives dunamis power for life and service, as well as the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.

 

Humanism says, “I don’t need that”.

 

When God restores our language and He becomes the center of our life and work I believe the statement found in Genesis 11:6 “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” This will come to pass in a righteous way with the Holy Spirit at the center, giving glory to Jesus.

   

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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The Introduction to "What Ever Happened to the Polarizing Jesus?"

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Podcast
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download

 These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.   Matthew 10:34-39
 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
 

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.
Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124
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Right Relationships Within the Body of Christ

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download To watch the video, click here.

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.   Thesis: The very windows of Heaven will open or close based on how we relate with one another.

The Importance

Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

1 John 4:20
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

1 Corinthians 11:29, 30
For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Vertical Relationship: Going Up

How to get the most you can get out of people in spiritual authority.  Honor them and the gift that they walk in.

Matthew 10:41
41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

You could also read it like this:
41 Whoever does not welcome a prophet as a prophet but welcomes him as a welder will not receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a laborer at Ideal bakery will not receive a righteous person’s reward.

I believe that you can pick other spiritual gifts as well and they also apply. Evangelism, Apostleship, Mercy, Administration, you name it.

To sum it up, honoring the office that a person carries, will open up the blessing of that office.

Luke 4:22
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

Mark 6:2, 3
2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Teaching Ministry

• Amazement by the people who recognized his source of information was divine.
• Great wisdom flowing forth from Jesus
• Signs, wonders, and miracles accompany the ministry of the word!
• His vocation and family come up and the people become offended. They now reason that he’s just like them and they lose their ability to receive from the gifting that is obviously present.

Mark 6:4-6
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Attitude of familiarity = Lack of Faith

Miracle’s get stifled in this environment. Even Jesus Christ, the God Man, Son of God, The sinless Christ was limited by it.

So honor should be the culture. Honoring the men and women of God in your midst. This will open the way for their gifting to flow to you. If you dishonor them it will stifle the flow of the Holy Spirit. It happened to Jesus and it will happen today.

Vertical Relationship: Going down

Now let me speak to the men and women in the house of the Lord who have some measure of spiritual authority in the ministry. Maybe you have a title or a specific function where you’re responsible for people in some capacity.

Humility and mutual honor should blanket every relationship within the body of Christ. There shouldn’t be an attitude like Big “I” and little “you”.

Matthew 23:5-12
5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. 8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

I believe this passage is to be interpreted in light of the attitude behind it. Let’s take a look at the spirit behind the instruction. It’s pride. Can you call someone in ministry by any title. Well, if you interpret this passage literally you can’t. So no more pastor, teacher, bishop, prophet, father, whatever. However, I don’t believe the primary issue here are the titles but the response in the heart of the person with the title.

When you approach someone in spiritual authority and call them say, “pastor”. Are they o.k. with you calling them brother? They should be.  If they aren’t, there’s a pride problem. However, for their benefit, if they view you as a brother when they need the pastoral anointing it might not be available for them. If they see you just as they are, they will have a friend’s reward. That is fine but if you need a prophetic word the heavens might be as brass for that prophet if you see them as familiar. If you need a healing you might not receive it due to this buddy, buddy attitude.

1 Peter 5:5
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Don’t Lord over People

Matthew 20:25
25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Lording over People

1 Peter 5:2
2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Revelation 2:6. In the letter to the Ephesian Church John writes. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. I believe history bears out that the name Nicolatian refers to conquering people. The sect was inclusive of more depravity than just this but I believe this was one component of it.

Horizontal Relationships

Binding and Loosing

Matthew 18:18
v’s 15-17 deal with conflict resolution between brothers and sisters. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven.
v’s 19-20 deal with the prayer of agreement. Conclusion: The very windows of Heaven will open or close based on how we relate with one another.
   

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.
 Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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The Faith of a Child, a Country, Nations, and Yahweh's Tattoo

 By Rachel Holloway Moore

Moriah

So many of you know that Moriah had surgery to remove a cancer mass that was in her gall bladder and liver last Oct. 19th. 2011

What you may not know is that a miracle happened that day and it was because the faith of those here in the states was mixed with the faith of a tiny tribe of Massi in Uganda as well as the Faith of a little child named Moriah.

When the surgeon called us to say that the tumor in Moriah's body was cancer and its name was Fibrolemellar Heptacellular Carcinoma, a chemo resistant cancer that is very rare and very deadly. The wind was almost knocked out of me for about a sec. So sweetly the Lord spoke into my ear and said, "My Name is Greater than the Name of this cancer." Life was breathed back into my lungs at that very moment.

When Earl and I shared this news with Moriah her first response was, "I don't have cancer my liver does." I believe at that moment the tumor in her body began to decrease. Her faith, the faith of a child, was working in her to heal her.

The surgeon also said that day that her tumor was in a very bad location and wrapped around her vena cava and portal veins as well as many other veins and arteries in her liver and in her gall bladder. Removing the gall bladder is no problem he said. However, removing the tumor from her liver was going to be a different story.

We began as a family to pray immediately and passed the word to our family, and church family, and this community as well as communities all across the nation literally. Our friends and family passed it on to their churches and friends. Our church had a mission trip leaving for Uganda the week of Moriah's surgery. They were going to visit our newly opened orphanage in Uganda and would be visiting other neighboring tribes and places in the area. I asked the leader of our group to carry a picture of Moriah with them and to have the children at the orphanage to pray for her.

This next part of the story gives me chills every time I think about it. The night before the surgery I could not sleep. I stayed up throughout the night worshiping the Lord and Praising Him for the healing I believed He would do for my daughter through this surgery. One of the songs was You are my Hallelujah by Rita Springer. I couldn't stop praising. Moriah woke up two times between 1 and 3 to vomit profusely.  We had to be at the Hospital at 5am. She vomited all the way to Children's. Earl and I both believed that she was being healed. Earl even mentioned I really think the Lord is shrinking that tumor.

When we got to the Hospital we were greeted by the surgical staff who would be operating and by the anesthesiologist  who would be giving her the pain meds. and putting her under for the surgery. This team shared with us minutes before they take our daughter back to the OR that they had been looking at her films all weekend and believed that the tumor was worse than originally thought. Moriah would be coming out of the surgery with a port for them to do chemo because they did not believe they would be able to remove it all. They also said she would loose at least two lobes of her liver and all her gall bladder and that their was 4 pints of blood waiting in the OR for the transfusions they would need to do. They also said that the 4 hour procedure may take as long as 6/7 due to the veins and arteries it was wrapped around.

You can imagine how this news hit us not to mention our 12 year old that lay on the bed beside us. We just looked at them and said The Great Physician will be in there with you to her and to the staff.

Then they wheeled her away.

I can't describe the peace that I had during the 3 1/2 hrs. it took. The anesthesiologist herself came out at the 2 1/2 hour mark to tell us the surgery was going WAY better than the films showed and that they had not had to give her one single drop of blood.

When they buzzed us at 3 1/2 hours to tell us the surgery was over we were amazed.

When the surgeon came to meet with us to tell us that everything had went sooooooo well and that none of the veins or arteries were involved like they thought. She only had a small pizza size wedge of her liver removed because when they saw the tumor it wasn't in the place it was shown to be on the films. It was right on top of her liver and not as big as originally thought to be. We Praised the Lord and knew what we had prayed for had taken place.

What you may not understand is just how many films they had to look at. They had Ultrasound, Ct scans with and without contrast, a total of 4 hours of video assisted MRI's and an MRA. Believe me when I say before the surgery the Doctors knew what they thought they were going to find. The hospital surgeon had even requested a special surgeon from UAMS who was a liver surgeon only who had been doing this for 40 years.

When we asked the drs a few days later why they thought the tumor was not as originally suspected and the attending surgeon said well you know those films are just shadows and you really don't know what you are going to find until you get inside. We said well we believe the Lord took care of where it was located and made your job easier.

Here is they amazing part. Remember the tribe of Massi well unbeknown to us they had been praying with me in the middle of the night before the surgery. As a matter of fact the next day the Tribe leader woke up our mission leader at 3am and said, "How is sister Moriah, Have you had any news? We have been fasting and praying all night and all day for her healing!!!" WOW  Remember I said that I was unable to sleep for doing nothing but praying and praising well across the other side of the world so were people/ children even that didn't even know her. Just had her picture at the very moments she is vomiting and the Lord I believe was at work in her to move and shrink that tumor.

We have told Moriah that her scar from the surgery is not a scar but Yahweh's tattoo reminding her that it was He who healed her because of her faith. The tattoo is in the shape of a Y. :)

YHWH Tattoo

I give GOD all the Glory and Praise Him that Moriah's liver has been free from cancer for 1 year this Oct 19th.

Please feel free to share this testimony of God's healing power with everyone!