In The Fire Or In The Lions Den?
November 1, 2021
Dear Friends,
I have been studying the Old Testament book of Daniel and am fascinated by how this young man Daniel and his three friends; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who were captives of King Nebuchadnezzar, became trusted advisors to the King. Over the years that they served under the king, there were many times when he called on them for counsel or to interpret dreams for him that his trusted advisors could not do.
As a result, these other advisors became jealous and planned devious schemes to discredit them and even kill them. The first was when King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue fashioned and ordered that all should bow to this new golden God made in his image. Of course, these three young Jews would not do that and his chief astrologer reported it to the king. He became very angry and had the furnace heated seven times its normal temperature and ordered them caste into the furnace.
Their response was astounding! Abed-Nego stepped forward and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar if you sentence us to death by the furnace, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the flame. But even if He does not, know that we will stand firm and never serve your Gods. Nor will we worship your golden image now or any other day.”
What an astounding statement! What would you have done if faced with this same choice? Is your faith and trust in God strong enough that you could be this fearless? Think about what a horrible and painful way this would be to die. I would like to think that my faith and trust in God is strong and deep enough to respond as they did, but we won’t really know until we are faced with something like that.
Next is what happened with Daniel who as a very young Jewish captive, probably still in his teenage years, was elevated to a high position in the Babylonian kingdom because he was able to tell King Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was and the interpretation of that dream. Again because of envy and jealousy by the counselors and astrologers to the king they convinced him to issue an edict that for thirty days no one would be allowed to pray to or petition anyone but the king.
Daniel violated this edict by praying to his God three times a day. He was quickly arrested and thrown into the lion’s den. Although the king loved Daniel and did not want to do it, he was placed in a position where he had no choice. Daniel went into the lion’s den confident that his God would deliver him from any harm. We know the story of his deliverance without a scratch on him.
So the question would be for us; how would you respond to being faced with something like this? Again we would like to think that we would be brave and confident that God would protect us, but we would never know for certain until we faced this kind of test.
BEFORE YOU GET HERE
Why wait until heaven to be freed of the invisible burdens that oppress and defeat you? God wants you to face those burdens now, on this planet, and through the power of specific prayer be freed from them. My newest book, subtitled Baggage To Drop On Your Way To Heaven, is a guide to assist in discovering freedom from the invisible burdens that oppress and defeat you. Purchase at our online store at Before You Get Here or call us at (661) 833-2920.
God bless,
Mike
BOOK AN IN-PERSON MINISTRY SESSION
We have found these ministry sessions with people to be invaluable in healing them from wounds from their past. In some cases after two or three sessions, they experience freedom! If you need deep-level healing prayer or know someone who could benefit from this, here is how to start the process. Send an email to mevans@wholeness.org or call 661-833-2920 to schedule an appointment. On our website, simply follow the instructions under Personal Ministry.
I Want To Experience That Healing Power!
October 1, 2021
Dear Friends,
Recently, a gentleman whom I have long admired came up to me after an evening meeting and said, “I want to experience God’s healing power.” He had this excited, intense expression on his face that surprised me but what I heard him saying is, “The power of prayer that I see in operation when you pray for healing, I want to experience that kind of power!”
For a little background, he has been around for a number of years in meetings where he has seen the power of God moving, bringing healing to the sick. Immediately I sensed he was not just casually asking but seriously wanted to experience the kind of healing power he had seen manifested. Two things immediately came to me. I said, “First, you have to spend significant time just hanging out with God. Second, you have to be willing to take a risk and step out and begin praying for healing expecting it to happen.”
Those of you who know me understand this response. These two themes I believe are key to watching God move through us to bring healing to a broken world full of sick, downtrodden people. People that are desperate for a healing touch from God.
I went on to explain some more about what I meant. I shared about what I’ve come to understand as key to walking in the healing power that God has made available to us through the Holy Spirit. I often joke about “Having Coffee with God,” which in reality is me spending time first thing in the morning sitting with God doing nothing but sitting with God while I have my morning coffee. These last six weeks I have had the privilege of sharing weekly with a group of men in the discipleship-training program at the Bakersfield Mission. When I spoke on this topic I shared with them how difficult this was in the beginning and how powerfully I have watched it come to life when I am praying for healing for someone.
As they grasped what I was trying to live out daily I could see in them the excitement to try this. I shared how in the beginning it was difficult for me to sit still and quiet because I was not used to doing that but was more comfortable doing things for God. I shared why this was such a hard discipline when I first started and could see the recognition on their faces and the excitement they demonstrated in wanting to try and do this. But I also told them how much Satan would oppose them when they first begin because it freaks him out. Satan knows that the closer you become to God, the more dangerous you become.
Then I shared with this gentleman the second thing he needed to do was take a risk, step out and pray for people, expecting God to heal them. I told about the journey God has had me on and over the years how He brought me around to not only expecting healing but being surprised when healing doesn’t happen.
Jesus Didn’t Hand Out Crutches! In the Gospels, we are commanded to heal the sick. The disabled jump to their feet, the deaf hear, the blind see, the dead show up for dinner. The strong message is that we are to bring in the Kingdom of God by doing exactly what Jesus did. I have found that when you show people the power of the Holy Spirit and they see or experience His healing both physically and emotionally, they want to be involved. So let’s don’t hand out crutches, let’s be bold and take the risk and do what we’re told to do; Go Heal The Sick!
God bless,
Mike
BOOK AN IN-PERSON MINISTRY SESSION
We have found these ministry sessions with people to be invaluable in healing them from wounds from their past. In some cases after two or three sessions, they experience freedom! If you need deep-level healing prayer or know someone who could benefit from this, here is how to start the process. Send an email to mevans@wholeness.org or call 661-833-2920 to schedule an appointment. On our website, simply follow the instructions under Personal Ministry.
Demonstrate Your Trust In Me
September 1, 2021
Dear Friends,
What I am quoting below I read the other day in a book called Jesus Calling and found it encouraging and stimulating.
“Demonstrate your trust in Me by sitting quietly in My presence. Put aside all that is waiting to be done, and refuse to worry about anything. This sacred time together strengthens you and prepares you to face whatever the day will bring. By waiting with Me before you begin the day’s activities, you proclaim the reality of My living presence. This act of faith-waiting before working- is noted in the spirit world, where your demonstration of trust weakens principalities and powers of darkness. As you look to me for guidance, I enable you to do less but accomplish more.”
This says many significant things. First, your trust in God is demonstrated by sitting quietly in His presence. Doing nothing, just sitting in His presence, quietly listening to Him. Why? Because this strengthens you and prepares you to face whatever the day brings. Second, this act of faith puts the powers of darkness on notice and weakens them.
How does that happen? They understand when you sit in the presence of God your spirit is renewed and strengthened. This sitting quietly brings about a better understanding of who you are and what is available to you simply because you are His child. That weakens their ability to harass and influence you and strengthens your belief and trust in God. There is a passage in James 2:19 that says: “You believe in God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder! This says to me, to believe in God is just the beginning. Even demons believe in God. Your belief requires some action and that action should begin by sitting quietly in His presence doing nothing.
It took me many years before I came to the place of understanding the profound importance of this discipline. For me, this practice began when God said to me, “Michael, I’m going to teach you how to be a friend, and friends just like to hang out.” That was a novel concept to me as most of my life I had been working to please God by my works.
Growing up I had been taught that my faith was demonstrated by my works. In our society today we often judge people by what they do. So my thinking was that the more I do for God the more He will be pleased with me. But what God was now revealing to me was that works are important, but of paramount importance is for you to come and sit quietly with Me. I heard Him say, “Let’s just hang out and learn to be friends!” When I started this discipline the change that began to take place within me was profound. Not only did I began to listen more carefully to God, I felt that He began to draw me closer to Him and tell me how much He loved me and how valuable I was to Him.
It’s About Relationship!
God wants to hang out with you. We so often feel as if we must be doing something even when we are with God that it’s difficult for us to grasp that He wants to be our friend. In order for deep friendship to develop there are times when we must spend time together doing absolutely nothing but being together. When I say this to people they will look at me as if I am a few marbles short of a full load. That’s because we don’t fully understand who we are and how passionately and irrationally the Father loves us.
This book will help you understand that, but only if you apply it will it help you live it. Everything in this world fights against time alone with God. Everything in God longs for time alone with us. Why would you possibly choose to be influenced by the former? Order from our Online Store or contact us at 661-833-2920 or mevans@wholeness.org.
We are in a good season and feel so blessed and it’s in part because of what you do in supporting the work of Wholeness Ministries. I have been following this path for over 26 years and God has brought faithful people around to meet the needs of this ministry every month. Thank you for your continued faithfulness without which we could not do this work.
God bless,
Mike
BOOK AN IN-PERSON MINISTRY SESSION
We have found these ministry sessions with people to be invaluable in healing them from wounds from their past. In some cases after two or three sessions, they experience freedom! If you need deep-level healing prayer or know someone who could benefit from this, here is how to start the process. Send an email to mevans@wholeness.org or call 661-833-2920 to schedule an appointment. On our website, simply follow the instructions under Personal Ministry.
I am the Anchor of your Soul
August 1, 2021
Dear Friends,
I recently read this from the devotional, Jesus Calling, and found it to be very encouraging. So I wanted to quote it here and add some comments that were meaningful to me.
“Come to Me continually. I am meant to be the center of your consciousness, the Anchor of Your Soul. Your mind will wander from Me, but the question is how far you allow it to wander. An anchor on a short rope lets a boat drift only slightly before the taut line tugs the boat back toward the center. Similarly, as you drift away from Me, My spirit within you gives a tug, prompting you to return to Me. As you become increasingly attuned to My presence, the length of rope on your souls anchor is shortened. You wander only a short distance before feeling the inner tug—telling you to return to your true center in Me.”
What struck me about this was the idea of God being the Anchor of my soul. Knowing I will wander from Him, His spirit within me tugs on the rope that is anchored in Him, to draw me back. And then the idea that as I become more tuned in to His presence that rope is shortened. Thus I don’t wander as far before I know that I must return to Him because only there is the true center of my being, which is Him.
When I am honest enough to be transparent with Him and myself, and understand without Him how ugly and sinful I am in all of my humanness, I am amazed at His unconditional love.
When you think back over your life and what you’ve done; when you honestly examine yourself today, what you may sometimes think or say or do, don’t you stand amazed that He is always there, that He will never forsake you nor leave you?
He is aggressively initiating and seeking relationship with us. He is urging and inviting us to obedience because He knows what a life of wonder and power it is.
The realization of this is incredibly freeing. I don’t have to “suck it up” and tackle this task. In fact, the more I determine to do this in my own strength, the more miserably I fail. “I will do this” is not obedience. Rather, “I will let Him” do this in me, is obedience.
And knowing that He is the Anchor of my Soul and will always draw me back to Him, no matter how far I may wander is a depth of love I cannot fully grasp. But what I can grasp is that no matter how far I may wander He is always there to fully embrace me and bring me back into intimate relationship with Him.
We are in a good season and feel so blessed and it’s in part because of what you do in supporting the work of Wholeness Ministries. I have been following this path for over 26 years and God has brought faithful people around to meet the needs of this ministry every month. Thank you for your continued faithfulness without which we could not do this work.
God bless,
Mike
My newest book BEFORE YOU GET HERE: Baggage To Drop On Your Way To Heaven, is a guide to assist you in discovering freedom from the invisible burdens that oppress and defeat many Christians today. Chapters include: The Importance of Forgiveness, The Traps of Unforgiveness, A Look in the Mirror, Harmful Words and Harmful Connections, Let Yourself Be Loved By God, The Recovery of Intimacy, and more. Copies are available at Wholeness.org and at Amazon.com. Check out the entire Wholeness Ministries Catalog right HERE.
BOOK AN IN-PERSON MINISTRY SESSION
We have found these ministry sessions with people to be invaluable in healing them from wounds from their past. In some cases after two or three sessions, they experience freedom! If you need deep-level healing prayer or know someone who could benefit from this, here is how to start the process. Send an email to mevans@wholeness.org or call 661-833-2920 to schedule an appointment. On our website, simply follow the instructions under Personal Ministry.
I CAN SEE! I CAN SEE!
July 1, 2021
Dear Friends,
I have had the most amazing thing happen to me over the last couple of months. I have had to wear glasses for over 50 years. A couple of months ago I went in for an eye exam and the doctor said I had stage 4 cataracts. (Stage 5 being the worst).
So Kaiser sent me to a Dr. Cowan who, after a thorough exam assured me that she could remove the cataracts and I would be able to see clearly without glasses. She said I might need them for reading but her goal was to bring my eyesight back to what would be required for me to pass the DMV driver’s eye test without glasses. She was a bit concerned about the shape of the right eye but felt she could still fix that condition.
On April 7 I arrived at the surgery center and after some preparation, they wheeled me into the operating room and Dr. Cowan began working on the left eye. I was awake during the entire procedure. Had to wear an eye patch for 24 hours due to swelling but when the eye healed I could see clearly without my glasses! Suddenly all the colors were bright again. I didn’t realize until this surgery that I was seeing everything through a brown haze. Obviously, I was overjoyed at the results.
Went in for surgery on the right eye on June 16th. Both eyes are now healed and I can see clearly without my glasses for the first time in over 50 years! What modern medicine can do is amazing to me. For me, this was another way God brings about healing. He does this by using skilled doctors and surgeons and various medical procedures we have available to us that were unheard of 25 years ago.
When Dr. Cowan said I would need glasses for reading I thought she meant I would need to go back to my Optometrist and get a new prescription. But it turns out that I could go to almost any store and buy reading glasses over the counter, which I quickly did, much to my delight.
Christ Cathedral Provided For Me!
For a number of years, I was provided an office rent-free at Renaissance Church, which is under the leadership of my friend Pastor Tony Kim. They have graciously allowed me to use this space without any cost, even providing me access to office supplies and a copy machine. Due to circumstances beyond their control, they needed the space and I had to relocate.
I wasn’t sure what to do but when I mentioned this to another friend, Pastor Max Van Dyke, he graciously offered me an office at his church on White Lane. I have moved in and once again have a place to meet with people for counsel and Inner Healing prayer. As things have loosed up a bit regarding covid-19 I’ve had opportunity to meet in person with people in this office. I still do some ministry by Skype.
Thank you for your prayers and donations that help keep this ministry going. Keep our needs before the throne of God.
Thank you for your continued faithfulness to this ministry. We are truly blessed.
God bless,
Mike
My newest book BEFORE YOU GET HERE: Baggage To Drop On Your Way To Heaven, is a guide to assist you in discovering freedom from the invisible burdens that oppress and defeat many Christians today. Chapters include: The Importance of Forgiveness, The Traps of Unforgiveness, A Look in the Mirror, Harmful Words and Harmful Connections, Let Yourself Be Loved By God, The Recovery of Intimacy, and more. Copies are available at Wholeness.org and at Amazon.com. Check out the entire Wholeness Ministries Catalog right HERE.
BOOK AN IN-PERSON MINISTRY SESSION
We have found these ministry sessions with people to be invaluable in healing them from wounds from their past. In some cases after two or three sessions, they experience freedom! If you need deep-level healing prayer or know someone who could benefit from this, here is how to start the process. Send an email to mevans@wholeness.org or call 661-833-2920 to schedule an appointment. On our website, simply follow the instructions under Personal Ministry.