Please ... Can You Help US?! (This is a model, not the real person)
A
s I picked up the phone, the troubled voice on the other end said, “I got your number from Jim Logan—I hope I’m not disturbing you, but we’re desperate! Dr. Logan seems to think you’ll be able to help us!” I waited a minute so she could compose herself before urging her to continue. “Our sixteen year old daughter is being tormented! “We don’t have any idea why, but she struggles every day! When we pray, it gets better, but then it just returns. I’m afraid we’re all getting weary in this battle!” I asked when her daughter’s trouble began. “Well, up until about a year ago ‘Mary’ was a happy, carefree teenager. But then, all of a sudden, things started changing drastically!” I encouraged her to go on, asking what was happening around that time. “I don’t know if I can say for sure that anything out of the ordinary was going on. “Well ... as I think about it, things actually began to change after she made a public profession of faith at a youth meeting. “Ever since then she’s been under some kind of attack that has her in a panic and unable to sleep at night. “I wish I could be more specific, but other than that, there just doesn’t seem like anything out of the norm has occurred. “But, we’re desperate ... do you think you can help us?!!”
Assuring her we’d do everything we could, I encouraged her to pray about scheduling an appointment and get back to us. After discussing the possibilities with her husband, they felt FFM was the place for “Mary” to find help. The only other option that had been presented to them was psychiatric care and the medication route. The decision was difficult as many in their circle of friends were advising the psychological path. After all, they’d seen this sweet teenager change almost overnight, and getting relief for her was their main concern. Anything would be better than watching this precious young girl go through such torment! However, God confirmed this was a spiritual issue, not just psychological, and the family made their plans to travel across several states to our Georgia Retreat. When they arrived, we immediately sensed a strong desire in “Mary” to be free. She opened up to us right away and began by saying she felt as if she was on the edge of a cliff and about to fall off! While we knew a good bit of her story, we encouraged her to share it from her perspective. “Well, I was born to Christian parents. I have two biological siblings, plus a foster sibling who is physically impaired. “My parents have a big heart and couldn’t bare to see him suffer without the comfort of
a loving home. “My folks have always provided a caring environment and taught all of us kids how to love God, as well as, one another. “Although, I didn’t make a public profession until I was fifteen, I’ve known since I was a little girl that God loves me. “When I was younger, I fell off a concrete wall and cracked my head open. My family started a prayer chain at our church, and the Lord healed me. “He’s always shown me love, and until now, I can’t ever remember being fearful! “A year and a half ago, after a series of meetings at our church, I asked Jesus into my heart. “Those months, serving God after I was baptized, were pure joy! I wondered why anyone wouldn’t accept Jesus when it makes you so happy! “That summer I went to a Christian camp. I had a great time meeting a lot of new people and renewing old friendships. “However, for some reason, I didn’t feel my usual energetic self. I didn’t want to eat much, and even after I returned home, I didn’t have a good appetite. “I began losing weight and became anemic. But unfortunately, the doctors couldn’t find what was wrong with me. “I felt a heaviness come over me and began to battle thoughts I wouldn’t normally ever have. “Nighttime was very hard as I struggled with restlessness. “My parents and I prayed about it, but I wasn’t able to shake those bombarding thoughts! “I couldn’t understand where they were coming from and why! Sometimes they came so fast and heavy that I was totally overwhelmed! “I prayed a lot, and God did help me, but they just kept coming back. I can’t live like
this, and that’s why we’re here to see if you can help!” As “Mary” continued to share her story, we began to see where the doors had been opened, and started to slowly and meticulously help her close them. The Lord led us throughout this process until she was ready to move toward full freedom. But first it was vital that she be taught her role in the deliverance process. To become free is rather simple in most cases, but we had to teach “Mary” about her part in walking out that freedom. The Bible is clear about our authority as believers, but Satan is very cunning and tries to deceive Christians into acquiescing to him. It was a joy to work with “Mary,” as she was so open to hear from the Lord, and she “totally got it!” As she left that last session and rejoined her mom and dad, they both instantly knew she had been in the presence of the Lord, and needless to say, they were elated! The final session with her folks that day was a time of rejoicing for the wonderful miracle the Lord had performed in their daughter’s life! And an extra bonus was that they gained insight and understanding they needed for their own Christian walk! Mary’s dad is a pastor and her mom ministers on a more casual basis in the community and at their church. They both took home valuable “tools” for their personal walk and ministries. After several weeks, we received an Email from “Mary’s” mom. In it she wrote, “Just a quick note to let you know that things are going well here and to thank you again for your caring ministry. “‘Mary’ is doing well. She is able to implement what she has learned successfully, and we are so thankful that she once again wears a happy smile with joy in her eyes!”
Is Tap Water Safe? C
hlorine is a halogen that damages body enzymes. While water is a crucial nutrient for the body, we have been hoodwinked into accepting a product that is inferior. It is well known that the average city water today contains over 500 chemicals. Chlorine is intentionally added. However, there are safe alternatives for purifying water, such as ozone and ultra-violet light. Dr. Sherry Rogers, M.D. reports that she has seen people experience a set-back in their healing of cancer either by drinking chlorinated water or swimming in a chlorinated pool. All municipal water supplies in the U.S. have at least one ppm (parts per million) chlorine, and pools are even higher. Plus remember, anything on your skin is like drinking it because of dermal absorption. In some cities of the U.S., the chlorine level is so high, that taking three showers a day puts you over the government standard for exposure. Also, chlorine potentially creates a magnesium deficiency, which you know
HealthPoint can cause just about any symptom you can think of, from high blood pressure to chemical sensitivity or sudden death. All these years doctors have been putting people on low sodium diets for control of high blood pressure. But it turns out that sodium is not the problem as much as chloride. It is now known that chlorinated water not only contributes to hypertension, but also cancer of the pancreas, colon, bladder and much more. Furthermore, it decreases the absorption while increasing the loss of calcium and phosphorus. And since it increases the loss of calcium into your urine, it promotes osteoporosis. A much better way to clean water of bacteria would be ozonation which is done widely throughout Europe. Likewise, the dangers of fluoride are often ignored. It too can be very damaging to enzymes and cause a host of symptoms. Be smart and do your homework ... don’t just believe the media hype. Take charge of your health!
Seek First...
his year is going by so fast! It seems like T only a short time ago we were celebrating
the birth of our Saviour. And then the new year began, and now it’s March! Do you ever want to say, like the play from many years ago, “Stop the world! I want to get off?!” Our lives can bea hectic with all the busyness that calls us to run from task to task with hardly a moment to spare. If you’re waiting until you have time to slow down, you might as well give up. It’s not going to happen! I realize, saying “No” is not always easy, but it becomes necessary if you are to have a life worth living. So many requests come your way to do “good” things that time to ask God what is best rarely finds an opportunity for consideration. How can that change? Really, is it even possible? To find time for God, you have to take it — sometimes by force — or it will never be available. The Lord tells us, “If you seek Me diligently you will find Me” (Proverbs 8:17). He wants us to seek Him with diligence in every task we encounter.
FFM encourages this by scheduling a devotional time each morning with an emphasis on two-way conversation with God. When most people begin this practice, it seems awkward. But as they continue, the listening becomes easier, and the words begin to flow more smoothly. God wants each of us to live by faith in His Word — both the written and spoken Word. He will share with each of us how we are to live a life of faith, which is dependence on Him, putting our belief in action. He will also impress on us what we need to know to grow closer to Him and develop, through obedience, the kind of faith that will move mountains. When we hear the wonderful results of this pattern becoming a habit in those who have been to FFM, we know the Lord has worked another miracle! Let us give you that same challenge to seek God’s direction in every situation you encounter. Then watch as the Lord brings blessings in abundance! His desire is to spend time with His children, and encourage each one to “seek first His kingdom.”
H
Faith Without Works is Dead
ow do you get faith? First, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Let’s focus on the word hearing. This is not just hearing with your outer ears, but also with your spiritual ears. Next, Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Keeping Christ’s commandments means obeying His commandments. Love demands it! However, the New Testament requirements of obedience are not the same as the Old Testament when people were under the law. Christ has fulfilled the law, setting us free from it. Galatians 2:20 says, “... and the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God ...” God’s Word teaches us to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. And to love others as He has loved us. He also says, it is impossible to please Him without faith. So, apparently faith (dependence on God which is belief in action) is vitally important to our Creator. I’m sure you’re familiar with Hebrews 11 and have marveled at the names that are commended to us as people of faith. Let’s consider why they were listed here. In this chapter, we read that by faith “Able offered,” “Enoch pleased,” “Noah prepared,” “Abraham obeyed,” and on the list goes. Each name is presented as a beacon of faith because each one did what God asked of them! That is the secret — obedience. Obedience to the truth God has shared in His Word, through His servants, or through circumstances. All of these are essential. But if these are all we are experiencing, we are missing a wonderful blessing. You see, Jesus, when He was on the earth, spent many hours with His Father. He shared what was going on in His life and listened to what His Father had to say to Him. This is the same thing those in Hebrews 11 did. They heard God speak, not necessarily audibly, but very clearly in their spirit. They knew it was God speaking because they had spent time with Him, and were familiar with that inner voice. Now, the Holy Spirit, who is our Helper, is in you and me. And while He is in us to help, we still have to cooperate with Him! Just think, God, who created the earth, sun, moon and stars, wants to help us, and an essential part of that help is His speaking to us, sharing revelation knowl-
edge! Many do want help, but are not willing to listen to His voice as they’re afraid He’ll ask them to do something they don’t want to do. As long as they’re just reading the Word, they can sluff it off as “God speaking for that time period.” But if they “listen” to the Lord speak, they become responsible for what they hear just like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and the prophets. We must not only listen, but heed what God tells us, as our faith is revealed by our obedience! For example, if you tell your children, “When you eat everything on your plate, you may have dessert.” If they eat most of what you have served them, do they get dessert? No, you had given them instructions to “eat everything.” You, as a parent, wouldn’t reward your children’s disobedience with a blessing. Otherwise, you’d be fostering distrust. Likewise, God isn’t going to prosper us when we don’t follow His instructions. Every one of us has the ability to hear from God. And everyone of us can walk out what we hear Him say without fear. He won’t ask us to do something we are incapable of accomplishing. The tasks He tells us to perform carry with them His provision. However, you must understand that God will not tell you to do something that is, even in the slightest, contrary to His written Word. If what you hear isn’t confirmed in Scripture, then you didn’t hear it from God. Throw it out! The devil is cunning. He knows the Word very well and will twist it just slightly, mixing truth with error, so you will be drawn off track. This has been his pattern since the beginning of time when he tempted Eve in the Garden. Make no mistake about it! God will not violate His written Word by telling you something that deviates from it. Listen for His voice, obey it and watch as your faith increases with each obedient act!