HEALING WAYS

Order of St. Luke

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Autumn 2014

There is a River!

I was drawn to a verse in Psalm 46… There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God (v.4).

Rivers are wonderfully evocative things, especially when reflecting on spiritual matters.

Of course, it was important for Jerusalem to have a reliable source of water, and in times of testing it allowed those living within the walls to enjoy vital

sustenance. But it was far more than this. The psalmist had in mind the actual presence of God, the ultimate provider of our nourishment for life.

On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles the priests, as they did on all 8 days, took a large golden flagon from the temple down to the Pool of Siloam. They were on their way to fill it up and return it to the congregation where it would be ceremonially poured out as a symbol of God’s provision of water in the desert, where water had even poured out of rocks to meet their needs.

Jesus had been present for a few days teaching the people. As he engaged with all the need around him, he noticed what we all notice at times… that most people were living lives of quiet desperation, wondering how their souls would ever be truly satisfied and longing for a real move of God.

On the last day of the Feast, as though compelled as he often was with a deep compassion, he stood up and shouted out at the top of his voice… ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. ‘He who believes in me, as the scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'

This really hit the spot, and recalled what he had said on previous occasions, such as when he saw a Samaritan women struggling to draw water from a deep well. Look at the conversation…

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Therefore the Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked him,

and he would have given you living water. ”She said to Him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do you get that living water? “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are you, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

Everywhere I look I find Christians who are struggling to live the lives they feel called to. They have great ideas of what it should be like, and yet often find themselves exhausted and disillusioned. Is it because we are still trying to draw the water by ourselves?

At the Feast Jesus reminded us that the ‘river’ had a life of it’s own: like a spring it is ready to bubble up within us and into our churches and communities, if only we would locate it! So Jesus gives us a clue… ‘this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive’.

In times of revival people say that it was simply like riding the crest of a

wave. I like to think in our modern terms of surfing. The momentum is all in

the powerful waves, not in us. All we have to do is make sure we keep up!

Our magazine this quarter is interlaced with this theme. We learn about

engaging with God in contemplation, being sensitive to what the Spirit wants

to do in our lives and others through a rediscovered power of blessing, and

then onward into our work in the wider world.

Did we imagine that God wasn’t doing anything these days? Well he is, but

he requires our sensitivity and co-operation. That’s all. Are you ready to get

into the flow of God’s healing Spirit? If so, read on… Charlie Radburn

The emblem of the Order of St. Luke is a cross within a circle, which together make an acrostic. The motto is in Latin:

JESU ESTO MIHI JESUS - DUX - LUX - REX - LEX

Roughly translated this means: "O Jesus, be to me my Saviour (Healer), my Leader, my Light, my King, and my Law." Life's greatest adventure awaits you when Jesus Christ becomes your Leader, Light, King, Law, and Saviour-Healer.

According to tradition, this cross was found in the catacombs of Domitillian Rome during the second century. It is the prayer of a Roman nobleman. The story is that this Roman officer lost his wife who had been the guide and inspiration of his life. He felt the light of his life had been extinguished.

Restless and distraught, he wandered this way and that. Then he heard the Glad Tidings of the Christian Gospel and found in the catacombs this prayer inscribed on the wall. He accepted Christ and made the prayer the rule of his life. The light of Christ shone into him with healing and integration. He lived a long and useful life thereafter.

Quick Study: God’s General and Specific Will to Heal

The stream of God’s healing starts with him and his will. Scripture clearly shows that as a general rule it is God's will to heal the sick.

James 5:15 says "the prayer of faith will heal (Greek future indicative) the sick" not "the prayer of faith may or may not heal the sick." And the overall witness of the New Testament regarding God's attitude toward healing shows that God desires to heal. Any reader of the Gospels knows that God’s Son healed the sick. Acts and the Epistles show that the apostles and Early Church healed the sick (Stephen, Philip, Ananias, the Corinthians, Galatians, Jewish Christian churches, etc.; E.g., Acts 3:6, 12; 4:29-30; 5:12- 16, 20-21, 28, 42; 6:8, 10; 8:4-7, 12; 9:17-18 (cf. 22:13), 34-35; 14:3, 8-10, 15ff.; 15:12, 36; 18:5, 11(cf. II Cor. 12:12; I Cor. 2:4-5); 19:8-12. Rom. 15:18-19; I Cor. 2:4-5; 11:1; 12:1-11, 28-31; II Cor. 12:12; Gal. 3:5; Phil. 4:9; I Thes. 1:5-6; Heb.

2:3-4; 6:1-2; Jas. 5:13-16.). God gave the church gifts of healing (I Cor. 12:9). As well, He commands the church to pray for the sick in James 5:14-16.

So we know from all this evidence that as a rule, God desires to heal the sick. Scripture also makes it clear that in a minority of cases for various reasons the early

church did not always see all the sick healed (2 Tim. 4:20; Phil. 2:26-27; 1 Tim. 5:23; Gal. 4:13-14).

If we read about the prayer of faith that makes the sick person well in James 5:14-18, we find that the way that Elijah listened to God's immediate word and then prayed in 1 Kings 18, is an example of the prayer of faith that will make the sick person well. Elijah first heard the prophetic word of God in 1 Kings 18:1 that God was going to send rain, and then in 1 Kings 18:41-45 Elijah actually prayed for the rain that God said He was going to send. So the faith that heals the sick involves hearing what God wants to do in prayer for the sick person and praying that out over the sick person until we see the fullness of healing manifested in their body, just as Elijah prayed until he saw the rain finally begin to come.

Examen: Becoming aware of God’s Presence and the Holy Spirit’s movement in your day

The Prayer of Examen is a daily spiritual exercise typically credited to St. Ignatius of Loyola [1491-1556], who encouraged his followers to engage in the practice for developing a deeper level of spiritual sensitivity and for recognizing and receiving the assistance of the Holy Spirit. At the heart of the practice is increasingly becoming aware of God’s presence and the Holy Spirit’s movement throughout your day, and therefore a crucial spiritual practice

Practicing the Prayer of Examen

This Prayer of Examen is primarily an exercise in remembering. One is invited, through four portions [presence, gratitude, review, and response], to concentrate on experiences and encounters from the past 24 hours. The beauty of the practice is its simplicity; it is more a guide than a prescription. If some portion feels especially important on a given day, feel the freedom to spend all or most of your time in that portion. The purpose is to increase awareness and sensitivity, not to finish or accomplish a task.

For this practice

A comfortable and relatively quiet location is likely most conducive for reflecting

The experience doesn’t need to be a certain length—as little as ten minutes could be sufficient, and you could spend more time on certain portions compared to others

It might be helpful to journal your thoughts and recollections or to write out what you notice during your times of prayer.

Consider sharing your experiences: allow encouragement and insight from others to influence you and cheer you on, and when appropriate give the same, together striving to encourage others.

1. Presence

Begin this practice by recognizing the presence of God. Remind yourself of God’s presence with you and His desire to be with you. Consider praying for the Holy Spirit to help you be attentive to God’s presence. To become more focused, it might be helpful to repeat a simple phrase during this time, like “Be still and know that I am God” [Psalm 46 v.10].

It’s important to begin this practice in a calm frame of mind. There may be days when you’ll need the entire time to remember and focus on the nearness of God. Don’t rush past this portion. Take the necessary time to wait and find comfort in God’s presence.

“Gracious God, in these moments please remind me of your presence and generosity, and give me the wisdom and courage to live gracefully with myself, others, and the world you have wonderfully made. For the sake of Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Amen.”

Take some time and focus on the nearness of God. Open yourself to His presence.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” [Psalm 145 v.18].

“The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you,

O Lord; your saints will extol you.” [Psalm 145 v.9-10]

2. Gratitude

“If the only prayer you say in your entire life is ‘Thank You,’ wrote Meister Eckhart, “that would suffice.” As you think about the past 24 hours, what causes you to be thankful? Look back over the past day, the big and small aspects of life, and recognize what reasons you have to be grateful. Focus on these experiences and encounters, helping your mind and spirit centre on the goodness and generosity of God.

If you’re using a journal, consider capturing your thanks in writing, expressing words of gratitude and giving testimony to God’s generosity and faithfulness. Find encouragement and reminders of God’s goodness, and be thankful.

Q. Looking back over the past 24 hours, for what are you most grateful?

Q. What makes you feel thankful?

Using simple words, express your gratitude to God.

“Praise be to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.” [Ephesians 1 v.3].

3. Review

Over-packed lives can rob us of the opportunity to learn from the past, to see how yesterday might inform today.

“Where did the time go?!” we ask ourselves, often struggling to remember what we did just a week ago. Here we can benefit again from taking time to look back over the past 24 hours. By intentionally reviewing our interac-tions, responses, feelings and intentions, we can avoid letting days speed by. We can pause to learn more about ourselves and about God’s activity in our lives.

Try to look back objectively as you review. Rather than interpreting, justify-ing, or rationalizing, the intent is to observe and remember. Allow your mind to wander through the situations you’ve been in and to notice details. The questions in this exercise should help you bring specific experiences to mind…

Q. When or where in the past 24 hours were you cooperating most fully with God’s action in your life?

Q. When were you resisting?

Q. What habits and life patterns do you notice from the past day?

“Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul…Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” [Psalm 143 v.8b, 10].

4. Response

Having spent time remembering, it seems natural to want to respond in some way. Take time to journal or pray, expressing your thoughts on the actions, attitudes, feelings, and interactions you’ve remembered as a part of this exercise. You might need to seek forgiveness, ask for direction, share a concern, express gratitude, or resolve to make changes and move forward. Allow your observations to guide your responses.

Q. Beginning today, how do you want to live your life differently?

Q. What patterns do you want to keep living tomorrow?

“Ever-present Father, help me to meet you in the Scriptures I read and the prayers I say; in the bread I break and the meals I share; in my investments at work and my enjoyments at play; and in the neighbours and family I wel-come, love, and serve, for your sake and that your love and peace may reign now and forever. Amen.”

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” [Hebrews 13v20-21]

God’s peace be yours.

Meditation can be a means of helping others...

After a period of relaxation, take a meditation such as 'I am peace within you' and repeat the phrase interiorly and slowly. After some minutes, during which you begin to realise your oneness with God and the one for whom you are going to pray, bring that person into the meditation, 'dropping' him/her so to speak into the healing pool of silence to which the meditation has led you. And then, after a minute, longer if you wish, without straining to convey the sense of peace to his/her mind, continue briefly with your meditation, concluding with thanksgiving. If you are remembering a number of people, start with meditation, bring each one into the meditation as suggested, and then continue a further period of meditation, ending with a prayer of gratitude. This ministry requires patience, perseverance (ponder Jacob's wrestling in Gen. 32) and a recognition that it is a work to which we are invited to offer ourselves:

'Channels only blessed Master, But with all your wondrous power Flowing through us, You can use us Every day and every hour.'

Late one night a member of a healing group whose name was Margaret telephoned requesting help. A visit was made, and following lengthy meditation, prayer with the laying-on-of-hands some calmness was restored.

The truth of the meditation - 'I am peace within you’ had been communicated from one mind to another, enabling her to climb out of the abyss. Keith Havers

Living Faith Church, Manchester

'Faithful Friends Ministry' and Chaplaincy team regularly visit residents in residential and nursing homes, across the Greater Manchester area sharing the Christian Gospel, and praying for the sick.

We have been astounded by what God has done and how lives have been impacted and transformed in the last two years. During this time, over 100 people have made Jesus their Lord and Saviour. We have so many testimonies of what God has done by His grace; here are a few that we hope will encourage you.

We had the wonderful opportunity of being asked to take an Easter Service at one of the Nursing Homes. During this service a resident who was a former chaplain responded and made Jesus his Lord and Saviour. After the service he stopped one our volunteers and said “now I know". After nearly 80 years he now knew what it meant to be a Christian. Praise God!

We have had testimonies from staff of large numbers of residents having to be re-assessed for less medication because of their sudden improvements in

health. One man had a severe rash over his body, and as a result of this he wasn't allowed to have an operation that he desperately needed. We prayed for healing for him and the rash went, he was allowed to have the operation and he recovered very quickly.

Society seems to have forgotten these people; we are so thankful that God has not. Steve Evans

Learning to be a Channel of Blessing - FFald-Y-Brenin

I am sure that many of you will be aware of Ffald-Y-Brenin retreat centre and the many answers to prayer experienced there. A feature of ministry that has developed there is the ‘Friday Blessing’. During their Friday morning prayers they speak out blessings into their local community, with some amazing results over the years. It is a practice that they have commended to other Christian groups and I pass it on to you for use in your regular Chapter meetings. Do please let me know how this impacts your communities.

What follows comes from FFald-Y-Brenin:

The Bible says that one of the roles of priests (Levites) was to speak (not pray) blessings to the people, and we take that privilege seriously because we have become a kingdom of priests to our God. In Numbers 6, for instance, we read that when priests speak blessings over people, God responds by loosing blessing upon them. ( See Deuteronomy10:8, Numbers 6:23&27, 1Peter2:9 and revelation1:6.

What follows is our usual framework but you may wish to add some of the following if they apply to the area in which you live:

Hospitals, shops, youth centres, workplaces, local government, economic and social development agencies etc.

“In the name of Jesus I bless your life, your home and your family with all the blessings of the mighty God who planned you and created you. I bless

you to know everything about Him that He wants you to know. I bless you with the fullness of blessings that God longs to pour into your lives. I bless you that you may prosper in every part of life as God makes Himself clear to you. I bless your family and I bless the circumstances of your life that they may be wholesome, healthy and strong.”

We speak out blessing, health, prosperity and fruitfulness into their marriages, families and friendships, and the work of their hands. We also bless the local school and places of Christian worship, that the Spirit and the Word may flow together to bring kingdom life. Finally we bless the hearts of the people that they may be softened towards God and quickened to hear His voice.

If you want to learn more about the ministry of blessing do read Russ Parker’s recent book, ‘Rediscovering the Ministry of Blessing’. God bless you all as you serve him. Chris Low

The Grace Outpouring, by Roy Godwin and Dave Roberts.

This captivating account of the spiritually

unexpected unfolding at on a Welsh hillside

will challenge and encourage you. In keeping

with God s pattern of using marginal people

from obscure places - fishermen, tax

collectors, children, women and Galileans -

this story sees God intrude into the mundane

rhythms of life in a Christian retreat centre,

Ffald-Y-Brenin, run by a couple who would

have been forgiven for opting for a quiet life

when they arrived in this quiet Welsh hamlet.

God’s intrusion has not only sparked the

growth of a House of Prayer but also touched many lives with healing. The

multiple miracles will provoke the reader to wonder and worship but the

book also imparts a fresh understanding of how the church might bless a

community through prayer as a prelude to the breaking in of the Kingdom of

God into every area of local life. A fresh perspective on evangelism emerges

from this inspiring insight into how God might work in your community.

Rediscovering the Ministry of Blessing By Russ Parker

Some years ago I was the keynote speaker at a conference for Roman Catholic prayer leaders in Italy and was launching my new book Forgiveness is Healing at the same time. When I arrived I discovered that my book had been published without my knowledge into Italian and this version was selling remarkably well whereas my own, official copy of the book remained unsold. Needless to say, I was very concerned and upset. Then in the middle of all this a woman came up to me and not only asked me to sign her copy of the offending book but also to pray for her! I did my best to swallow my pride, signed her book and then laid hands on her head and prayed (without being translated), “Lord! Give this woman the biggest blessing she can live with.”

She immediately rested in the Spirit and later told me that she had experienced an overwhelming sense of God’s special love for her. She said that it lifted the heaviness that she had grown accustomed to living with and believed from this that her life long battle with depression was at last being won. She believed that she was healed.

Following this blessing prayer and in a matter of moments I had a queue of people clamouring for prayer ministry. As I could not speak Italian, I prayed the same prayer over them all and in rapid succession. So many of them rested in the Spirit as the touch of God came upon their lives. Such was the demand for prayer that the rest of the conference was given over to this and I never did give the rest of my scheduled talks. I don’t mind admitting that I felt out of my depth and awed at the presence of God to heal so powerfully. I was even assigned a couple of “minders “who would make sure that I had some space to myself. During the course of that day many people reported to Father Di Fulvio, the convenor of this conference, that God had healed them of their sicknesses. Amongst the range of stunning healings reported were those from deafness, sight impairment, physical pain and terminal cancer. It took my breath away and when I sat down with God after three days of almost nonstop praying in this way and reflected on what had happened, the Lord showed me that this was the power of blessing.

This began for me an adventure of discovering the lost ministry of blessing. Up until this moment in time, the word ‘blessing’ for me was a reference to

praying for God to answer my prayers and do something good in someone’s life. There were no specifics attached to praying “Lord bless this person, Lord bless our church.” It was Christian shorthand asking God to do something or to bring wellbeing. Not a bad thing to desire of course but if we are honest with ourselves, this kind of praying also comes with the hazard of becoming boring after a while with an almost zero level of expectation.

It is this carte blanche use of the term that we find the world over. When someone sneezes we say “Bless you!” When a baby does something endearing we say “O how sweet. Bless!” And there are still a few would be sons-in-law who will ask the Father of their intended Bride if he can have his

consent or his blessing to marry his daughter. They all convey the wish to see good fortune for someone.

Yet the Bible teaches us that blessing is a unique ministry resource gifted to believers to bring about the purposes of God in peoples’ lives. And like any other ministry procedure, it has its own rules and rhythms of grace.

There are three examples of the ministry of blessing that stand out in scripture and from which we can learn so much: The priestly blessing of Aaron (Numbers 6v22-27), the Beatitude blessings of Jesus (Matthew 5v3-10)

and the injunction upon all Christians to be the people that bless (1Peter 3v9).

The Priestly blessing: Numbers 6v22-27

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord make his face to shine upon you And be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

The first thing to notice is that when giving a blessing it is not asked for but

pronounced with authority and expectation. This is not arrogance or assuming an authority we do not have but it is the exercising of a commission to be the people that bless. The other thing to notice from this passage is the purpose: the name of the Lord is to be put on the community of Israel. It is interesting to note that this is the first recorded blessing since the debacle of the rebellion of the golden calf when the people of God where in great danger of losing their identity as the people of God. This priestly blessing was to herald that God was back putting his presence and name powerfully upon this community. Oh how we need this blessing on so many of our churches today!

The Beatitude Blessings of Jesus: Matthew 5v3-10

The Greek word used here for blessing is ‘makarios’ and it is almost exclusively used on the lips of Jesus. William Barclay translates the first Beatitude as “oh the bliss of those who know their poverty of spirit because Jesus will give to such the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus is stating the benefits of being the blessed. We are to be the people who will be comforted in times of loss and grief, by God’s goodness we will inherit the gift of his earth, we will know the mercy of God upon our lives and have the honour of being called his children. The Christian is known as the person who is blessed of God and it shows.

Be the People who bless: (1Peter 3:9)

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, be cause to this you were called, so that you might inherit a blessing.”

It would be so easy to miss the astounding simplicity of this text. Although it is referring to our response in times of evil or being insulted it is a reminder that part of our calling as Christians is to be the people that purposefully bless others. In his book The Grace Outpouring, Roy Godwin tells of how his faith community in South Wales began purposely walking the lanes around their property blessing the local farmers with good and healthy born calves and lambs and that their crops would prosper. Over the course of the years it became apparent that the industry of the farmers was prospering and they linked this to the focussed blessings of Roy and his companions. Quite a few came to a new faith in Christ through this. It is a perfectly legitimate thing therefore to ask God “who are the people you want me to bless and what should I bless them with?” If you are a parent then immediately I would encourage you to ask yourself, “What is the blessing that my son or

daughter needs in order for them to flourish in the way that God intends for them?” When you have the answer to your question then convert this into a pronouncement of blessing. Here is one I pronounced over my son who was living over a thousand miles away from me at the time:

“Joel! I bless you with knowing how much God loves you and what a lovely boy you are to me.” I prayed this continuously for over a year and all the time I pronounced it I noticed that my son began to turn around in his life and eventually came home to Jesus which was a tremendous thrill for me.

I think the ministry of blessing is long overdue for renewal in the lives and practices of Christians who calling amongst others, is to be the people that bless!

Rediscovering the Ministry of Blessing, by Russ Parker.

The Bible teaches us' Russ Parker writes, 'that blessing is a unique ministry resource gifted to believers to effect the purposes of God in peoples 'lives' In this enthralling book, the author tells of situations of family estrangement, depression and chronic illness; of times of hopelessness and helplessness where miraculous transformation has been wrought through calling on God to bless someone with the richest blessing they are able to receive.

MEDITATION: OUR WATER - GOD’S WINE

This meditation reminds us that God uses us to fulfil the needs of the people of his world, and that he enables ordinary people to fulfil extraordinary tasks way beyond our own skill or capacity.

Even when we think we have nothing left to give, he provides so that when we trust him we never run dry, we can still give out for him and fulfil his purpose. We can all think of incidences of great achievement for the Lord’s work or tremendous self giving and devotion with resultant benefits to the world. All of which are examples of our water becoming God’s wine.

So in this meditation we consider how God can turn the water of our endeavour into the wine of his fulfilled purpose when we offer ourselves to him in love and trusting obedience to his will.

Prayer:

Father as I come into your presence may I be open to the promptings of your Holy Spirit. Draw near to me now as I still my mind and body to receive the blessing you have for me. Amen

Preparation:

Sit upright with feet placed firmly on the floor, legs uncrossed and hands resting open on your lap. Pay attention to your breathing, taking slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you do so, let the tension ebb from your body, starting with your head and face and moving slowly down to the tips of your toes.

The meditation:

Imagine you are on a South facing hillside in the warm sunshine. Some trees and shrubs are growing among the rocks; you are sitting beside a clear pool.

Water flows from the pool and on down the hillside to the river in the valley below. As it flows down it provides the moisture needed for the variety of plants and wildlife on the hillside so that all kinds of flora and fauna flourish along its path. At one point it seems to disappear into the ground to re-emerge further down as it runs on to flow into the river.

As you look at the pool you notice that despite the constant out-pouring of water it remains full and clear. The reason for this is the constant in-flow of water from above the pool, so that the water which flows out, is constantly replaced by that which flows in. Just as God fills us with his love, replenishing all that we give out to others and refreshing our spirit.

Spend a moment or two reflecting on that fact; remembering that whilst you love the Lord and seek to serve him, you can never run dry, and you will be given the strength and gifts needed to fulfil his purpose.

Now spend some time offering yourself to God, opening yourself to receive his love and waiting on him, for his word in your heart to show you where he seeks to turn your water into his wine.

Now return to the here and now, still in our Father’s loving presence here in this place, filled with his love and purpose, empowered to be and do what he wills. Give thanks to God for his blessing of you.

Bible Base: Releasing The Power of Spoken Blessings!

Our words have great influence in the lives of those around us, and spoken blessings can bring hope, encouragement, and direction to our families, friends, and others. Many people are experiencing deepening relationships and spiritual encouragement as they discover the power of spoken blessings.

A spoken blessing is a positive, Biblical statement that releases the blessing of God into the life of another. The power of spoken blessings comes from God, Who Himself “has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

A Blessing Is an Instrument of God’s Love

Our words have potential to do good or to do harm. The Bible describes the potential impact of our words in verses such as these:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit of it” (Proverbs 18:21).

“Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).

“Heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop: but a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25).

A spoken blessing does good to those who hear it. In the New Testament, the English word bless is a translation of the Greek word eulogeo. According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, eulogeo means “to speak well of, i.e. (religiously) to bless (thank or invoke a benediction upon, prosper).” When you bless others, you direct God’s goodness to them; you intercede for them—“stand in the gap” for them as you come boldly to the throne of grace in faith. (See Ezekiel 22:30 and Hebrews 4:16.)

Use a Biblical Framework for Blessings

The priestly blessing recorded in Numbers 6:24–26 provides us with an excellent example of a Godly blessing: “The Lord bless you, and keep [guard, protect, compass about with a hedge of safety] you: The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: The Lord lift up his countenance [give full attention in a favorable way] upon you, and give you peace [wholeness, health, security, serenity, well-being, contentment, harmony;

an absence of negative stress, disturbance, tension, and conflict].”

You can use this blessing as a framework for composing blessings. As you can see, it can be helpful to look up the meanings of key words in verses (included in brackets above). A thorough knowledge of these words will expand your understanding of the message and equip you to apply its truths more effectively.

Discern How to Bless Someone Effectively

It often takes time and effort to search out appropriate blessings. Ask the Lord to make you attentive to his Spirit as you read Scripture, discerning which words, phrases, and concepts He wants you to share with someone. As you learn what God wants to accomplish in and through his children—through the Scriptures and as the Holy Spirit instructs you (see John 16:13)—begin to affirm God’s will by declaring Biblical goals in your spoken blessings.

When the Lord puts a desire in your heart to bless someone in particular, be attentive to the needs they may be experiencing. With that person in mind, you can ask the questions below to help you discern the kind of blessing that he needs. Consider using the related Scripture references in the blessing you share.

Is the fruit of the Spirit evident in his life? (See Galatians 5:22-25.)

Is he serving others in love? (See Galatians 5:13 and Luke 6:27-38.)

Is he seeking God’s guidance so that he can carry out the good works God has prepared for him to do? (See James 3:12-13, I Timothy 6:11- 19, Titus 3:8, and Hebrews 10:24.)

Is he submitting to his God-ordained authorities? (See Hebrews 13:17, James 4:7, Colossians 3:18, and I Peter 2:13-14.)

Does it appear that something may be competing with his devotion to God? (See Matthew 6:33.)

Are there particular temptations that seem to present big challenges

in his life? (See Matthew 6:13, I Corinthians 10:13, Matthew 26:41, I Timothy 6:9-12, and Luke 8:4-18.)

Are you aware of any fears, hurts, or pressures that he is facing? (See Galatians 6:1-3, James 5:16, Romans 12:1-15, and Ephesians 4:32.)

As you consider these questions, God can reveal to you areas of need in someone’s life. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to specific verses or passages of Scripture that can be used as a blessing related to those needs.

Personalize a Blessing to Meet Current Needs

Imagine that you know a person who struggles with fear and anxiety. You could use a concordance, when necessary, to look for verses that refer to “fear” and “anxiety” and “peace” and “comfort.” As you searched, you would discover verses such as II Timothy 1:7, which says, “For God has not given us the spirit of

fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind [discipline, self-control].” You also may discover that I John 4:18 and Philippians 4:6-9 contain words of wisdom and comfort, especially for someone who is fearful or anxious. Applying the basic truths recorded in those verses to the model blessing found in Numbers 6:24-26 to create a blessing like this one:

May the Lord God bless you and keep you from the torments of fear and anxiety. May He cause His face to shine upon you with His power and love, and may He give you a sound mind. Through His perfect love, may God give you grace to cast out fear. May He lift up His coun- tenance upon you with freedom as you tell Him every detail of your need in earnest, thankful prayer, and may He give you His peace that surpasses all understanding as He keeps your heart and mind safe through Jesus Christ.

In II Corinthians 1:3, the Apostle Paul declared, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort.” These words might be used to bless someone who is enduring deep sorrow, as follows:

May God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all comfort, encourage your heart and protect you from despair. May He cause His face to shine upon you as you rejoice in the midst of troubles and trials, putting your faith in Him and being confident of His loving- kindness toward you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you with the riches of His joy and pleasure, and may He give you His peace in your heart and soul.

The Apostle Peter includes this blessing in his first letter: “[May] the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect [complete], establish [turn resolutely in a certain direction], strengthen [confirm in spiritual knowledge and power], settle [consolidate, make solid or secure] you” (I Peter 5:10).

You could use this verse and the definitions of its key words as a basis of a blessing for someone who is enduring a trial:

May the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, bless you and keep you strong during this time of testing. May He cause His face to shine upon you and give you grace to endure with patience. May He lift up His countenance upon you to make you perfect and complete in Him, to establish you clearly in the direction He gives you, to strengthen you through spiritual knowledge and by the power of His Holy Spirit as you seek Him with all your heart. May the Lord settle you, making you secure and confident in His love and provision for your peace and well-being.

As you speak these words in prayer or speak them directly to the person for whom they are written, you will invoke the power, grace, and blessing of God upon him. You also could write out the blessing and mail it or take it to the person for whom you are interceding; God could use it as a great source of encouragement in his life.

Become Familiar with Many Scriptural Blessings

The following New Testament passages are particularly suitable for use in spoken blessings:

Romans 15:5-6, 13 I Corinthians 1:4-9, 16:23 II Corinthians 1:3-7, 2:14, 13:7-9 Ephesians 1:3-23, 3:14-21, 6:18-20, 23-24

Philippians 1:3-6, 9-11; 4:6-8, 23 Colossians 1:3-6, 9-14; 4:2-6 I Thessalonians 1:2-3, 3:12-13, 5:23-24, 28 II Thessalonians 1:11-12, 2:16-17, 3:5, 16 II Timothy 4:22 Philemon 1:4-7 Hebrews 13:20-21 I Peter 1:3-9, 5:10-11 II Peter 1:2-4, 3:18 II John 1:3 III John 1:2-3

Trust the Lord to Guide You

As you make yourself available to intercede for others with spoken blessings, the Lord will open your spiritual eyes and ears to comprehend what He wants to accomplish in their lives. Offer God’s own blessing to them, from His Word. Put your confidence in God, Who will carry out those blessings according to His will.

When Jesus was instructing the disciples to minister to others in the power of the Holy Spirit, He said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). Interceding for others with spoken blessings is one way you can freely release the flow of God’s love and power to others in Christ’s name.

The way a blessing gushes out in practice may even be a word of announcement or command, as we declare the will of God for those we are blessing. Interestingly the blessing/command prayer is the most frequent type of healing prayer in the Gospels and Acts, so expect the Lord to lead you to use the prayer of command a lot in healing prayer!

“Be clean!” (to a leper) Mk. 1:41; “Get up!” (to a lame man) Mk. 2:11, Jn. 5:8, Acts 9:34; “Stretch out your hand” Mk. 3:5; “Get up” (to a dead person) Mk. 5:41, Lk. 7:14, Acts 9:40; Jesus spoke to a deaf man's ears, "Be opened!" Mk. 7:34; Jesus "rebuked the fever, and it left her" Lk. 4:39; “See again! (Gk. Anablepson)” (to a blind man) Lk. 18:42; “Lazarus, come forth!” Jn. 11:43; “Walk!” (to a lame man) Acts 3:6; “Stand up!” (to a lame man) Acts 14:10.

Down the mountain the river flows And it brings refreshing wherever it goes

Through the valleys and over the fields The river is rushing and the river is here

The river of God sets our feet a-dancing

The river of God fills our hearts with cheer The river of God fills our mouths with laughter

And we rejoice, for the river is here

The river of God is teeming with life And all who touch it can be revived

And those who linger on this river's shore Will come back thirsting for more of the Lord

Up to the mountain, we love to go To find the presence of the Lord

Along the banks of the river we run We dance with laughter, giving praise to the Son

Manchester: Healing Testimony

In 1981 Dodie was not feeling well and was taken to the hospital. The last thing she ever imagined was the diagnosis of metastatic cancer of the liver. She had a tumour the size of an orange on her liver, plus two almond sized ones. She’d assumed she had picked up hepatitis or something similar from traveling overseas many times with her husband John. She had been in the hospital 20 days and on December 10, 1981 the test revealed the terrible news. In that time she’d dropped to 89 pounds and was terribly jaundiced. Dodie knew that she had no hope EXCEPT for the Word of God! God says 3 John 1:2 ‘Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers’.

Not all healings are instantaneous. Sometimes we have to fight the fight. Don’t give up too soon. She could have given up right then or when she got out of the hospital. She wanted to live; she knew that her husband needed her.

The doctors said they could treat her with chemo, but they were not sure it was going to work. She was told that she only had a few weeks to live. She and her husband decided to go home, seek God, and rest her body. The doctors told her don’t go home for longer than 10 days. They told her “you need to come back by then,” but she never went back.

That day she made a decision to try and live normally, even though she was horribly unwell. She got up the next morning and cooked breakfast. When her daughter told her she should be in bed Dodie declared “if I’m going to be healed I need to act like I’m healed.” When people would ask her how she was doing she would say “By the stripes of Jesus I’m healed.”

With every step throughout her day she would repeat a healing scripture. She had to cast down so many imaginations because fear and torment came against her.

After her daughter went to school Dodie and John lay on the floor in their bedroom and John, as the head of the household, commanded that spirit of cancer to leave Dodie. Like Jesus commanded the fig tree to die John commanded the cancer to wither in die in Dodie. When she got up from the floor she felt immediately improved. She felt on the inside that she had been healed. She didn’t feel any physical change but she accepted on December 11, 1981 that she would be well. Every time the devil told her

that she would die she would declare on December 11th when her husband prayed she had received healing in the name of Jesus. The devil is a tormentor and you have to cast down imaginations and bring all thoughts under the captivity of Christ.

Dodie put pictures of herself from younger and more vibrant times at the foot of her bed and asked God to make her like she was in those days. Like Abraham she “called things that were not as if they were.” She would envision herself well; see herself with her children grown, and seeing them be married. She made “healing cards” with healing scriptures on them. She would read them and remind God of His Word. The healing scriptures were her medication. (She also takes them every day even now).

Dodie also took the time to write letters to everyone she felt she needed to ask forgiveness of. When she was done she felt cleansed before the Lord. Forgiveness is a key to healing. Dodie also prayed for others even though she didn’t feel like it. Job was healed after he prayed for his friends. As she prayed for others she would feel better.

The Word says “A merry heart is like good medicine.” Dodie would do things that would make her laugh. Her kids would give her a hard time because she watched cartoons when they were at school. Like Hezekiah Dodie asked Jesus to give her extra years. If God would do it for Hezekiah He would do it for her. Hezekiah asked for another 15 years. Dodie asked for another 25 or 30 years (then after 25 years asked for another 15 or 20). Whenever Dodie would pass a cemetery she would declare “with a LONG life He will satisfy me and shows me His salvation.” Remember praise God and thank God for what He has done in your life now and in the past. Always give testimony of what God has done in your healing.

Dodie was totally healed of cancer. It would have been easy to give up. Don’t give up too soon! Whatever you believe God for it is closer than you think. Steven Evans

A Christian GP has published an article in a medical journal this month in which he reports on research which shows that the effects of faith on health are “extraordinary”.

Dr. Richard Scott, had his article published in this month’s British Journal of General Practice. The article was also mentioned in The Telegraph this week.

Survey Prompted by his own battle with cancer, the Margate GP consulted the Handbook of Religion and Health, a book published by two American professors in 2012. The book surveys the wealth of research on religion and health that has been conducted since 1800. The majority of these are US-based studies and concern the Judaeo-Christian tradition.

Benefits Dr Scott reports that 81 per cent of the studies showed that faith benefits health and only 4 per cent showed harm.

More specifically, faith leads to reduced anxiety, less depression and 70 per cent faster recovery from depression. 85 per cent of the studies showed reduced alcohol and drug misuse and 70 per cent showed less suicidal ideation.

The benefits of Christianity are also apparent in physical conditions. Regular church attendance is associated with less coronary heart disease, two thirds fewer heart attacks and 40 per cent fewer deaths in men aged under 60. Disability following stroke is reduced and decline in dementia is slowed. Dr Scott also notes with interest, given his own battle with cancer, that

Christianity is associated with reduced cancer incidence and better survival if cancer develops. He concludes: “Faith in God is relevant to all diseases yet studied”.

Books His research inspired him to summarise his findings in his first book God—I’ve Got Cancer, published last year. He says his aim was to “encourage all those, like myself, unfortunate enough to develop serious illness to practice evidence-based medicine by getting the best possible treatment and pray.”

Favourite Pastimes

I can’t remember ever not going for walks. As a child my Dad took me for walks – our quality time together. Schools went on Nature Walks in those days (no risk assessments needed!) and being a keen Girl Guide got me into hiking. Going for a walk in the fresh air is my husband’s recommended remedy for every slight ailment, and we belong to the local walking group here in Llangollen. We’ve explored many countries around the world on holiday by the best way – on foot!

Our walking group sometimes takes on the challenge of completing a long-distance path over a period of time. Offa’s Dyke and the Anglesey Coastal Path for instance have been covered by walking sections every month. We are currently tackling the newly opened North Wales Pilgrims Way from Holywell in Flintshire to Bardsey Island

(over 200 miles in all). St.Winefride’s Well in Holywell (left) is certainly worth a visit if you’re ever in this area. Pilgrims have travelled many miles to either bathe in the pool or drink the spring water, famed for having healing properties. It’s significant as a holy site, and certainly reminded me of Bethesda (John 5;1-15). We attended the daily service at noon in the chapel at St. Winefride’s –a simple time of prayer for healing.

Another of my favourite pastimes is reading. I recently enjoyed a book not unconnected to walking and pilgrimage – The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, by Rachel Joyce. Do hotfoot it to your local library (if it’s still open) and get yourself a copy – or use Amazon if you must. The story has many biblical overtones and will certainly set you thinking. It will spoil it for you if I disclose anything further – suffice it to say that the concepts used around healing are challenging and fascinating, and could be used for group discussion. It certainly gave me a golden opportunity to open up the subject of Christian Healing when my local Book Group discussed it. Yvonne Davies

When Harold Fry nips out one morning to post a letter, leaving his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other. He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone. All he knows is that he must keep walking. To save someone else's life.

Hello from OSL in Canada!

I am the webmaster for OSL Canada http://www. oslCan ada.org and am writing to ask you to add a link on your website to us. I have added you to our site at http://www.oslCanada.org/

links.htm in two places: at the top of the page, and also under "Publications" (a bit lower down on the page).

OSL Canada is committed to finding ways for us all to remain connected and encouraged. “The Network” looks and feels like Facebook, but is a private, social network for OSL Members and invited guests.

The network is a great place to... be encouraged... receive teaching... share photos, videos, music... share your struggles and questions about healing... give and receive support from others. ‘Embers’ cool and grow cold when removed from fire. Let’s stay connected and encouraged! Membership is FREE. We are now more than 55 members... and growing! We’d love to have you join us.

Newsletter:

Current and past issues of our newsletter can be found by clicking "Newsletters" at the top of any web page.

Free Conference Calls:

If the time zone is convenient for members in your country, they are welcome to join our OSL Online Telephone Conference Calls using a free long distance connection via a link to FlashPhone, found on our website at http://www.oslRegion8.org/online.htm . We have folks joining the calls from USA and the UK, but I don't know if the time zones in New Zealand or Australia would be convenient.

Since we share a common bond in our Lord Jesus Christ, and OSL, I hope you are as interested as we are in building relationships and making our publications available. God bless you,

Keith Bird, Webmaster OSL Canada

Dear Friends,

Reflecting on the horrendous news regarding the atrocities committed by Islamic terrorists over the past week, I was wondering what we could do as Christians and was reminded of something that I read about some years ago, which occurred during World War 11.

During the terrifying days surrounding the evacuation of Dunkirk, Major W Tudor Pole, one of Churchill’s advisors, called upon the people of the UK to unite in prayer at 9pm each evening. Most families would gather around a radio at this time to listen to the BBC news, which began with the sound of Big Ben. During the chimes and the 9 strokes of Big Ben, people prayed in silence, using the following prayer which became known as ‘the silent minute of prayer’.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven

Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me.

There are many stories of its effects throughout the war, here are three:

A captured Nazi intelligence officer stated this; “With the striking of Big Ben each evening, you used a secret weapon which we did not understand. It was very powerful and we could find no counter-measure.”

Other reports, from German bomber pilots, described seeing hundreds of allied planes coming against them when there were in fact only 2. Likewise, infantry battalions withdrew in the face of a massive host opposing them, when in fact there was only a battalion of our men.

This led me to think that, knowing the power of prayer as we do, this is something we could do and encourage others to join us in doing. So my suggestion is this, that whatever we are doing at 9pm each evening, we stop and pray. I believe that to do so aloud would be even more effective than doing so silently, but I appreciate that for some this would be too great a challenge if they were in a public place.

However, imagine the witness this would be to others if we were to pray aloud, having explained to those with us our purpose; who knows, it may

well prove to be an encouragement to them to join us in prayer.

After all, many committed Moslems request that their employers allow them opportunity to pray at their prescribed prayer times each day and ask for a quiet space in which to do so. Isn’t it time for us as Christians to be visible and active with our prayers and to encourage others to join us? We know that God answers the prayers of his people, so let’s be visible in expressing our faith.

Most of us have an alarm on our mobile phone or watch which we could set to remind us each day, so remembering to stop at the appointed time would not be difficult. If we also ask members of OSL and Christian friends around the world to join us we could end up with prayers ascending round the clock.

I like the way the silent prayer uses part of the Lord’s Prayer, reminding us that, as Christians, we are looking for the coming of God’s Kingdom and longing for all to be obedient to him and his loving purpose for us. So this is the prayer I suggest we use:

Father of all, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

Bring defeat to terrorism and a revival of Christian faith. And let your justice and peace prevail in my life and throughout the world.

Amen

May I also request your prayers for the people of Rotherham in the light of recent revelations about the trafficking and sexual exploitation of over 1400 children between 1997 and 2013? Please pray for healing for the victims, their families and communities and for justice and stringent measures across our nation, to prevent such devastating crimes from being perpetrated.

These are sad and difficult times and people turn to us as Christians and ask how God can allow such terrible things to occur. We need to stand firm in our faith and remind them and ourselves of God’s all-encompassing love, authority and power and that even now he is working his purpose out.

In Jude v 17,18, 20 - end we read this: But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you ,”In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the

Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy mixed with fear, - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God, our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore. Amen.

May God Bless you as you serve him Chris

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,

An ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

And the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Though its waters roar and foam

And the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

He lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done,

The desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

He burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

- Order of St. Luke -

2015 Annual Conference

Wading Deeper into the River of God

The Hayes, Swanwick

15th—17th May