On Friday I will be teaching on two of the most radical revivalists from the 20th century, Jack Coe (left) and A.A. Allen (right). We will look at video clips of the two men, hear audio testimony from R.W. Schambach of "the greatest miracle" he has ever seen, and we will discuss Coe and Allen's impact on modern Christianity.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Redeemer Ministry School on Friday
On Friday I will be teaching on two of the most radical revivalists from the 20th century, Jack Coe (left) and A.A. Allen (right). We will look at video clips of the two men, hear audio testimony from R.W. Schambach of "the greatest miracle" he has ever seen, and we will discuss Coe and Allen's impact on modern Christianity.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A Congressman is Healed!
William D. Upshaw was born near Atlanta in 1866. He grew up as a farmboy until the age of 18. While doing his chores one day he fell on the crosspiece of a hay wagon and fractured his spine. The accident caused him to be paralyzed from the waist down. He spent the majority of the next seven years confined to his bed.
In time, William regained some mobility and was able to use crutches and a wheelchair. He writings were published into a book titled Earnest Willie. The money earned from the book allowed him to attend Mercer College when he was 29 years old.
In 1918 William Upshaw was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1920, 1922, and 1924. In 1932 he was the presidential candidate of The Prohibition Party. From 1933-1952 he was the president of the National Christian Citizen Foundation. As their president he traveled the country preaching against alcohol and communism. He also had served on two separate occasions as the vice-president of The Southern Baptist Convention.
William Upshaw notified one of the ushers that he was the man from that vision. The ushers in turn told Branham the the man from his vision is in attendance and that the man is a former U.S. congressman. They brought Upshaw to Branham in his wheelchair. Upshaw asked, "My son, how did you know that I fell and hurt myself as a boy?"
Branham responded, " I can't tell you sir. I only say what I see."
Upshaw said, "God bless you my boy."
Then Branham prayed for people in the healing lines. Upshaw later said that people all around him were being healed of their ailments. After much ministry time had passed William Branham was so exhausted that he needed to be helped out when ministry time ended. William Upshaw was still in his wheelchair.
As Braham was being helped away he saw another vision. This vision was not of William Upshaw's accident but rather it was a vision of a healthy William Upshaw walking without crutches. William Branham spoke of what he saw and the pastor of Calvary Temple, Leroy Kopp, rushed to the microphone and announced that William Branham said that , "The congressman is healed!"
William Upshaw immediately stood and walked toward the pulpit. It was the first time he had walked without crutches in over 66 years. William Upshaw would have full use of his legs until he passed away on November 21, 1952.
Before William Upshaw died he published his healing testimony in a tract that was delivered to every Senator and each member of The House of Representatives, President Truman, Winston Churchill, and King George of England.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Passing the Healing Baton
(William Branham & Oral Roberts) Dr. Charles Price and Smith Wigglesworth were famous worldwide for the healings that took place through their ministries. They were seemingly as different as two men with the same vocation could possibly be. Price was professorial, articulate and proper. Wigglesworth was illiterate well into his adult years, spoke brusquely, and seemed to have no awareness of social niceties.
During their later years they both independently prophesied that God was going to bring about a healing revival soon after their lives were over. Wiggleworth and Price passed away within 5 days of each other in March of 1947.
The expected revival of healing seemed to occur within months of Price and Wigglesworth passing. In the spring of 1947 both Oral Roberts and William Branham began to attract international attention through their healing ministries. Oral Roberts was tall, handsome, well educated, and gifted at building organizations. William Branham was more country than chicken fried chicken, uneducated, and seemed awkwardly uncomfortable talking about himself or his ministry. They were as different as... well, Charles Price and Smith Wigglesworth.
These are the two men that were the catalysts of The Voice of Healing era that lasted throughout the 1950's.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Friday Morning in RMS
Tomorrow morning in RMS we will be studying the healing ministries of the late 1940's and 1950's. It is a period often referred to as The Voice of Healing era. The Voice of Healing was a newsletter organized and edited by Gordon Lindsay. Lindsay later founded Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas.
One of My Favorite Smith Wigglesworth Stories
The next evening the young man returned. He came forward still wearing the bandages on his throat. Wigglesworth looked at him and asked, "What are you doing here? I prayed for you last night." The young man said that he wanted to tell him what happened the night before. Wigglesworth immediately turned the young man around to face the congregation and told him to tell the everyone his story. The young man said that he went home and did what was asked of him. He asked his mother to make him a meal of meat and potatoes. She of course resisted due to his health restrictions. He explained to her that the preacher told him that he must eat meat and potatoes. That convinced his mother enough to begin cooking. Once the food was finally in front of him he was terrified. It had been a very, very long time since he had eaten anything in the normal manner. He put the first bite into his mouth. He chewed...and he chewed...and he chewed. Finally he tried to swallow and succeeded. There was no pain! He ate that plate of meat and potatoes and then croaked out still in a voice barely above a whisper that he would like another plate. His mother, while shocked, made her son more food. Then he asked for yet a third plate of meat and potatoes. After devouring the third helping, he spoke to thank his mother for her cooking. As he said "Thank You" his voice was strong and loud for the first time since the surgery. The congregation was amazed at the testimony of what God had done.
Wigglesworth listened silently until the story was finished and then asked the question that was burning in his mind. "Why are you still wearing those bandages?" The young man explained that he had an appointment at the hospital the next day to have the feeding tube removed. Wigglesworth replied, "What The Lord has begun, He can complete." He gently put each of his hands on opposite sides of the feeding tube and slowly began to draw it out of the young man's throat until it was fully removed. The people in attendance were astonished. Then Wigglesworth called for the pastor of the church and some his leadership team. He told them that what they are about to see they probably had never seen anything like it before and very well may never witness anything like it again. Wigglesworth then removed the bandages revealing a gaping hole in the young man's neck. He placed his hand on the skin of his throat and while praying pushed the skin together between his fingers. He then asked The Lord to seal what was once open. When Smith removed his hand the throat was completely whole with no signs of scarring.
This account was told on an old audio recording that I have of George Stormont, a British minister that was friends with both Smith Wigglesworth and the pastor of the church where this miracle took place. This story came not from Wigglesworth, but from the pastor that witnessed the event with his leadership team.
Jesus in a Year
I just finished reading Ed Dobson's book "The Year of Living Like Jesus" this morning. This work was inspired by A.J. Jacob's book of a similar title, "The Year of Living Biblically." Jacob's is a Jewish man trying to get in touch with the Torah while Dobson is a former pastor endeavoring to emulate the life of Jesus.
"The Year of Living like Jesus" was a quick, interesting read for me. I began it on Monday evening and in just a few sittings had it completed this (Wednesday) morning. I have a feeling the questions that arose while reading will take me much longer to ponder than the actual time it took me to read the book.
Besides growing out his beard during the year of living like Jesus, Dobson set out to:
He found many of the things listed above to more arduous than he expected. Part of the difficulty is due to Dobson's battle with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS). The progression of the disease made much of his journey understandably more difficult and complicated. In fact, I found his perseverance to be heroic at times.
"The Year of Living Like Jesus" did not give me a list of ways to follow Jesus that were easily transferable to my own life. I think I was hoping that I could cut and paste his story into my own and follow Jesus in new, practical ways after finishing the book. I did experience through Dobson's brutally transparent memoirs several light bulb moments that will keep me thinking way beyond the last page of the book.
I have found myself asking God to heal him of ALS even this morning. If you would like to get a better understanding of Ed Dobson, this book and other things he is working on go to livingjesusly.com.
"The Year of Living like Jesus" was a quick, interesting read for me. I began it on Monday evening and in just a few sittings had it completed this (Wednesday) morning. I have a feeling the questions that arose while reading will take me much longer to ponder than the actual time it took me to read the book.
Besides growing out his beard during the year of living like Jesus, Dobson set out to:
- Eat Kosher (no meat and dairy in the same meal, no rare meat etc.)
- Give to anyone who asks for anything
- Spend time relating to people in bars and other "drinking" situations
- Fast
- Spend time alone in a desolate area
- Pray often
- Observe the Sabbath
- Dress Modestly
- Observe Jewish Holidays.
He found many of the things listed above to more arduous than he expected. Part of the difficulty is due to Dobson's battle with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS). The progression of the disease made much of his journey understandably more difficult and complicated. In fact, I found his perseverance to be heroic at times.
"The Year of Living Like Jesus" did not give me a list of ways to follow Jesus that were easily transferable to my own life. I think I was hoping that I could cut and paste his story into my own and follow Jesus in new, practical ways after finishing the book. I did experience through Dobson's brutally transparent memoirs several light bulb moments that will keep me thinking way beyond the last page of the book.
I have found myself asking God to heal him of ALS even this morning. If you would like to get a better understanding of Ed Dobson, this book and other things he is working on go to livingjesusly.com.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Redeemer Ministry School
This Friday in RMS we will be studying the lives of Smith Wigglesworth (left) and Dr. Charles Price (right)in Kingdom of God II. They both had healing ministries but their methods were vastly different.
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