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Greetings all who wrestle for the Kingdom, Less is More We all have religious habits and practices that we perform as a result of the particular tribe or religious culture that we grew up in or find ourselves in today. Most of us go to church on Sunday and sing similar songs all facing the front just before the trained expositor delivers the text for the day. We then all go home just do it all over again next week. Some of these habits or traditions have nothing to do with how Christians in the early church acted or interacted, many of them are not Biblical, some are even rooted in Pagan rituals, but it is how we experience the church today. One of the practices, steeped in tradition, is how we pray. If someone comes for prayer for healing many times we will launch into long, eloquent prayers that are sincere and heart-felt intending to move God’s heart to bring healing to the person. It is how we have been taught to pray and how we have observed other people in the church praying but is that how the early church ministered healing? In Acts 3:6 Peter spoke 9 words and the crippled man was healed. In Matthew 8:3 Jesus spoke 5 words and the leper was healed. In 8:15 he touched Peter’s Mother-in-law’s hand and the fever left her. He never spoke a word. In 9:28 again 9 words and the blind men were healed. Over and over we see short statements or simple acting in belief and the result was healing. Even raising the dead only took three words. The paralytic man in Luke 5 required 13 words to be healed. Are we really more effective when we pray lengthy prayers or is it just the way we have always done it? We want to stay comfortable and so we repeat what we have seen and practiced over the years. More words does not equate to more power. Apparently, if we follow the text, few words were needed and few words were used. Less was more. Ask God to show you how to pray. Ask the Spirit to direct you in how to speak to the disease and then only speak what He says. In one of the small groups at the “W” last month a man was prompted to say “rise up and walk” to a 75 year old woman who had not walked without the aid of a walker since an operation last May. That was the length of his prayer … three words. She then got up and walked across the front of the room and back. She then got up and walked all over the church. A short prayer said in response to the prompting of the Holy Spirit that had immediate and powerful results. Less is more. Thank God with us for these reports of the results seen by people who were praying in a different way over the past month … REPORTS: • A member of the Wresting Team emailed this story; "Prayer report: A friend's purse was stolen last night when she was at a restaurant. She is flying to Florida on Wednesday and needed her ID, credit cards, keys, etc. She was supposed to come over to my house this afternoon to pick up some paint. I forgot to put the paint on my front porch so I had to call her. Otherwise I wouldn't have. When she told me what had happened I said that I would pray for her whole purse to be returned to her (I questioned, ah oh should I pray that, but did). She agreed! A bit later she walked up to the gas station to see if someone could help her get into her car. When she returned home she saw her purse hanging on her fence gate! Everything was in it! God worked in less than an hour. He heard the prayer, softened a heart, returned a needed purse and His people rejoiced!!! Yippee!!! God is great and I stand in awe of him!" • Another email came in this week; Ted; I needed to tell you this. Before we came to your service the other night, <my wife> went to a specialist concerning the eye inflammation I had talked to you about. He said he was pretty sure that the inflammation was caused by the cancer. Then there was a good chance he would have to operate next week (and <my wife> would have to miss her first vacation since she was diagnosed with Cancer last September - she was going to Florida with four of her girlfriends). Her oncologist set her up with an MRI at 6:45 am this morning to scan her eye and brain to identify the extent of the cancer cells.
We have had prayer warriors praying for <her> over the last several days. And for some reason you sent me an email on Monday and led us to your healing service on Wednesday.
At 9:30 this morning we got the results of the MRI. THERE WAS NO CANCER IN THE MRI. In addition, her inflammation had actually gotten better and the small floating particles in her eye that caused the inflammation (and still may be cancer cells) had begun to break down.
We have a long way to go and <my wife> still has cancer but that is only a "fact". God's "reality" is clearer every day. <My wife> has experienced that "reality" and will get a long deserved vacation!!
I am not one to wear my faith on my shirtsleeve, but I think God wants me to witness to this. I praise God for these miracles, for prayer warriors, and for your healing ministry. Although <my wife> will be in Florida on Wednesday, I plan to come to your service to give testimony to God's works. Indeed, what a mighty God we serve! • A man’s 16 year old son was having panic attacks so he spoke to the fear and told it to leave and it did. It began a great discussion with his son and later he saw in his son’s open journal that the son felt it had been “the best day of his life” because of what his Dad had taught him. God, You teach us and we teach others Your truth. Thank You. • A woman went with her mother to find an assisted living situation. The home her mother liked had a waiting list that they said it would be two months. They prayed and within two days her mother was given a room (which they were told ‘never happens’). ‘Never’ is not a word that limits You Father. • A man was having severe shoulder pain that was clicking and locking up. He asked for prayer @ Panera and the pain left immediately. Two weeks later he gave the testimony at the “W” that he was still pain free. Father, we thank You again for Your care. • The man who was brain dead and in a coma who has been swarmed twice at the “W” now was told that he can go home April 1. Nothing is too difficult for You Adonai Rapha. • A man who has never prayed for someone at church was prompted to ask a woman if she needed to go down front for prayer. She said no. He persisted a bit later and she again declined. HE then asked if he could pray for her. She mentioned that there was enormous strife in her home and in her marriage which she thought it would end in a divorce very soon. The man prayed and the next week she reported back that things had improved remarkably. We bless you remarkable Lord. • A story came in about a woman who spilled boiling water on herself at work. The arm became very red and looked like it was going to blister. She grabbed a co-worker and they prayed. The pain stopped, the redness began to dissipate and by the next day you could not tell she had been burned. Father, You answer the prayers of Your people. We thank You. • A young man was prayed for at the “W” via the box who had fluid on the lungs and a blood clot in his leg. Within a week his Doctor declared him free of all health issues. Yes and amen`. • A woman was diagnosed with fast acting cataracts and told she would be blind in that eye within a year if she did not have surgery. She asked for prayer. We placed her name and the request for prayer in the “box”. It has now been three years and last week the Doctor told her the Cataract not only did not get worse but has diminished, which is not medically possible. All things are possible with You Lord. • A man who was out of work with special needs was prayed for at the “W” and he found work through a past relationship soon after being prayed for. Special delivery from Your heart to his, thank You. • Another man who has been out of work expressed thanks that he has gotten a number of small jobs that have paid the bills every month. God, You do indeed provide. • A woman was concerned that her sister was being scammed via a web dating service. She prayed with her sister over the phone that any lies would be revealed and within two days the man was exposed as a fraud and her sister was protected from financial or emotional loss. Father, You are our strong tower and we run into you. • A woman was experiencing pain in her hip so she put a request in the “box” for healing. There was no change. The next week at one of our conferences she decided to put the request in the “box” again and as she walked up to place the paper in the “box” she heard a pop in her hip and the pain went away. All things in Your time and we thank You. • A woman was prayed for at the “W” over a year ago who had cancer and was given a very short time to live. It has been 13 months and she is still fighting. Father, finish Your work we pray. • This note came via Facebook; "A week or so ago we had extra eggs from our chickens. So we asked our pastor if he would like some, he said yes, put them in the mail box. So Monday we did just that..eggs in the mail box. Next week we ask his wife if they got the eggs, she said she went to the mail box to get the mail. Found the eggs there, was so excited because she need eggs that day she was all out. Pastor was so busy he forgot to tell they were coming....This reminds me of the egg story I heard from you. God cares about giving every one eggs and... Letting them know they are loved." We bless you Lord for guiding us and letting us be a part of Your provision. • A story came in that a young woman who was diagnosed with “mono” went back to the Doctor who now says it must have been a misdiagnosis since the Mono is gone and could not have gone away that fast. You baffle the Doctors all the time and we thank You. • An intercessor that is a part of the WWT had been praying for her son to find work. She had put his name in the “box” many times and had him prayed for in the small group settings as well. Last week she put his need in the “box” again and the next day he got an awesome job. We keep seeking, asking and knocking and the timing is Yours but we still say thanks. • A woman was prayed for at the “W” for severe anger issues and reported back last week that she had been freed for three weeks from all anger and was giving the glory to God for her freedom. What a bondage breaking God we serve. • A ten year old girl prayed for her Dad to find work and within a week he was employed. Father, we know You delight in the prayers of children and we thank You for blessing this family through the prayers of a child. • A member of the WWT prayed for his cousin in another State who was diagnosed with Cancer and just heard back that for some unknown reason the Cancer is gone. We know the reason. • A man who has been coming to the “W” went from a wheelchair to a cane to walking with no help and lost over 100 pounds in just eight months. Yes and amen. • A man watched as his son flipped off a stool when it tipped over and was banged in his leg. He was in pain so they prayed and within a short time the pain left completely. Thank You Father for showing us how to pray. • A man with pain in his right arm from repetitive motion issues at work was healed of all pain in worship @ the “W”. Wow. • A man with a headache was in a prayer circle @ the “W” and a woman in the circle said “I need to put my hand on your head and pray”. He had not told anyone that he had a severe headache and as she prayed all the pain left. God You know our needs and help us, thank You. • A man was dealing with frustration and disappointment with his church and as he prayed all the negative emotions left and he had a joy in serving God where he had been called. Thank You Father for helping us deal with Your sheep. • A woman with a broken rib was prayed for multiple times with no effect. A few days ago as she was praying the pain left and she is completely well and pain free. Your time and Your way Lord. • A man needed a new roommate to help with his mortgage payment who was called “out of the blue” by a friend who needed a place to stay and who could help financially. Thank You for provision Lord. Here are some additional things to be aware of as WT members;
OPPORTUNITIES:
* Please continue to pray for the staff and workers at your church. * Please pray for a community wide prayer meeting called The Gathering (4-25-2010 @ DeVos Place). There are over 100 churches involved so far and 20 ministry organizations. We will keep you informed of the details as the date approaches. Give me a call if you would like to help in any way with the logistics or finance. * Please continue to pray for Ted and Claudia and the OMWB as they speak and minister; > April 26th OMWB concert in Holland MI > May 23rd and 30th Ted will be speaking at Sunfield United Methodist Church for a community wide meeting also called The Gathering. Worship will be by Old Man Worship Band. These are Sunday evening events and will begin at 7PM. The April team leaders for the Sunday Wrestling Team activities will continue to be Steve and Ruth Zwierzinski and Joe Martino. They will be “on the ground” before and during the services to assist with any questions or prayer needs that might come up.
You are appreciated and prayed for often.
Ted and Claudia Kallman Ted and Claudia Kallman Wrestling Coaches “We ever must believe a lie / when we see with, not through, the eye.” William Blake “… Kierkegaard’s forecasts based purely on his imaginative intuition have been fulfilled to a remarkable degree. Take for instance his profound sense that if men lost the isolation, the separateness, which awareness of the presence of God alone can give, they would soon find themselves irretrievably part of a collectivity with only mass communications to shape their hopes, formulate their values and arrange their thinking.” Malcolm Muggeridge “If we make use of prayer, not to wrest from God advantages for ourselves or our dear ones, or to escape from tribulations and difficulties, but to call down upon ourselves and others those things which will glorify the name of God, then we shall see the strongest and boldest promises of the Bible about prayer fulfilled also in our weak little prayer life.” From the book Prayer: The Cry for the Kingdom, by Stanley J. Grenz where he is quoting from the book Prayer by O. Hallesby. Brian White quoted this in his teaching “Desiring God” Sunday night Feb. 7th @ Mars Hill. “Custom without truth is error grown old.” Tertullian – early Church Father “Faith and obedience will remove mountains, mountains of evil, mountains of difficulty. But they must go hand in hand.” God Calling by A.J. Russell
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