Paralysis drew musician to God

Courtesy of ASSIST www.assistnews.net

AUCKLAND, NZ (ANS) -- Accomplished electric violinist Hanna Lee, of Auckland, is heading for an illustrious international career.

MUSICAL GIFT: Hanna Lee of Auckland performing solo with her electric violin, has a testimony that has moved many.

However, five years ago, it seemed her career was in tatters after her left hand became mysteriously paralysed.

Miss Lee, now 24, emigrated to New Zealand with her family from Korea in 1994. The whole family was musical so it was natural for Hanna to pursue a career in music, majoring in classical violin at the University of Auckland.

Just a few days before her recital for her performance papers at the end of her second-year, Miss Lee was practising with her accompanist when suddenly her left hand became paralysed.

“I was very shocked,” she said. “It was very painful.”

Miss Lee, who describes herself as a “churchgoer” at the time, visited an acupuncturist and thought the pain would go away.

“But it didn’t. So I got all sorts of treatments, even an injection from a nerve specialist. But nothing cured my hand. The pain always returned.”

Miss Lee could no longer play her violin so she pursued other studies. But she didn’t give up her hope of making it in the music world.

“I am a fifth generation Christian but I really hadn’t met God,” she said. “People told me I should pray for healing.”

So Miss Lee started attending the Auckland Methodist Church Korean congregation prayer meetings at 5.30am each day in Takapuna.

“I went every day for two years,” she said. “I knew I had to have 100 per cent faith in God so he would heal my hand.”

Then the church had a three-night rally in which a Korean pastor with a gift for healing spoke.

“She said people’s pain would be healed if they had faith in God. I thought ‘yes, my hand will be healed’. Then I felt something like electricity in my arm and the pain disappeared.

“I tested it by lifting a Bible, which would normally have hurt, and it wasn’t painful.”

Since that day, the pain has gone, returning only a little in wet weather. This does not affect her performance.

During her time away from serious music study Miss Lee took up an unusual instrument, the electric violin, and became one of the few proficient players of the instrument in New Zealand.

“I was playing in bands at the time and I liked the opportunity to improvise, something you don’t do with classical music,” she said. “I thought God would one day use my musical talent so I persisted.”

The experience of nearly losing her career taught Miss Lee a powerful lesson.

“I didn’t have a strong faith in God because everything in my life had gone well up to then,” she said. “God used that experience to teach me that he wanted me to use my musical gift for him and not for myself.”

Miss Lee moved back to Korea last year to give solo performances in churches and universities, finishing each performance with the testimony of her healing.

“The young people come because they have never seen anyone play an electric violin,” she said. “They say ‘Wow!’ Then I give my testimony and people are very moved by it.”

The faith of the many people who prayed for Miss Lee’s healing has been strengthened and God is now being glorified through her music.

In 1995 she wrote and directed a musical based on her life and her healing. It was performed before an audience of 600 in Auckland.

“It was my story and only I could write it,” she said.

Prayer Request from a Pastor in India -- Please Pray

Greetings to you in the holy name of our lord Jesus Christ.

We would like to ask you for your holy prayers for Joshua` health, he is 7 years old boy and coming to our Sunday school and church. He is burn by doing witchcraft to him. Recently his grand mother (Hindu) became a Christian and coming to church, with her Joshua is coming to our church and his whole family at to save. But some of the Hindu people did witchcraft to him and his family. Therefore the evil took him to the oil (kerosene) and told poured upon him and put flam of him. Now he is in the hospital and 70per body burned. Doctors are telling his condition is very critical.

Please keep Joshua and his families in your holy pray that God may to great miracle and heal Joshua completely. And pray that God may comfort his family and they may come to know the living lord Jesus Christ.

Please share this prayer request to your to your friends and family.

Pastor. P. Prasana Jeevan Babu and church.

Dreaming? Why Not!

You see things and you say, "Why?" But I dream things that never
were and I say, "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -- Mark Twain

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

-- Martin Luther King Jr.

When you cease to dream, you cease to live.
Unknown

Burma's Christians Need Our Prayers

Chuck Colson/AH (Feb. 3rd, 2007)

Recently, a chilling secret document from Burma (also called Myanmar) was leaked to a UK-based newspaper. The document contained a detailed strategy for "wiping out" Christianity in the Southeast Asian country.

Human rights groups, as well as some celebrities, had been trying in the last year, to turn the eyes of the UN, and the world, toward the escalating ethnic cleansing going on in Burma, attributed mostly to the ruling Junta regime, and militant Buddhist monks.

While Junta denies ownership of the leaked document titled: Program to Destroy the Christian Religion in Burma, they do not refute its contents, which begin with the line, "there shall be no home where the Christian religion is practiced." And, according to a report by Chuck Colson for Breakpoint, carried byThe Christian Post, 300 Buddhist monks were recently "sent to forcibly convert the populace."

Colson calls on Christians in the West, and all around the world, to familiarize themselves with the grave persecutions against their brothers-and-sisters-in-Christ, in Burma. First; pray, says Colson, then as you become aware of the situation, educate and motivate other Christians to do likewise.

According to Colson, the U.S. has no influence on the Junta government, however China does. "We must make it clear that 'doing business' with China doesn't include turning a blind eye to genocide," says Colson, suggesting a boycott of goods from China in hopes of moving them into action against the persecution in Myanmar.

Colson adds, "Even if our options are limited, we owe it to our brethren to try."

Source: Christian Post

A CALL TO BE UNDONE

Courtesy of the elijahlist.com

Catherine Brown: "A CALL TO BE UNDONE--GOD'S SPIRIT IS SHAKING OUR HEARTS TO SURRENDER TO HIM"

"God is looking for face-to-face encounters with His children, so that we might become so absorbed by His gaze of love that we will be undone."

As I think of the year that lies ahead, my heart has been captured afresh by Christ's love. We can do nothing apart from His love. His call to remain (John 15) is a clarion message to the Church in this hour. Our best plans amount to nothing, if they do not flow from hearts that are undone by His love. May we be increasingly captivated by Christ and experience His divine romance in order that we might bring our Heavenly Father much glory and experience His joy.

Isaiah's Commission and Background

Isaiah 6:1-9:

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!'

And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: 'Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.'

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.'

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?'
Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.' And He said, 'Go, and tell this people....'"

Isaiah was one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament, with the others being Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. He prophesied for almost 40 years through the reign of three kings: Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Isaiah lived in Jerusalem in the 8th century BC. He received His commission in the year when King Uzziah died in 740 BC.

Isaiah's vision of God colored His entire life mission. He had seen God with His own eyes and lived; experiencing first hand the forgiveness of His personal sin. From a face-to-face encounter with the living God, he was sent out to carry the heart of God to the people of Israel.

The prophetic words and visions of Isaiah speak between judgment of Israel for sin and rebellion, and yet never failing to underscore God's patient loving plans for Israel's restoration. Isaiah presented the Israelites with a picture of a holy and caring God who would restore them to Himself. God is infinitely loving and tender to Israel, His vineyard.

God forgave His people for their sins time and time again. He never left their side throughout their suffering, setting them free because of His great love for them. Isaiah paints a picture of our God as one who speaks and has power to act and who faithfully carries His people's burdens, even when they are faithless towards Him.

Being Undone Daily

Isaiah said he was, "undone." What could it mean to be undone to us in the 21st century?

Here are examples of being naturally undone in our daily lives (with some humor):

ACCIDENTALLY UNDONE: If our shoe laces were accidentally untied, it could lead to a trip and/or a nasty fall. Being accidentally undone isn't an attractive option.

MALICIOUSLY UNDONE: What about when someone else does something to us that causes us be undone? If another individual loosened our shoe laces without our knowledge, this could be described at best as foolish behavior, or at worst even malicious behavior (depending on the motivation behind the act), and might cause injury or harm. Forcing someone to become undone isn't what Isaiah had in mind either!

MISTAKENLY UNDONE: Have you ever had a button pop off, or a zipper mistakenly come undone at an inopportune moment? Such occasions can, and usually do, cause acute embarrassment and make us feel uncovered and vulnerable. Not pleasant! I don't think this is what Isaiah meant when he referred to being undone either. What then could "undone" look like?

PURPOSEFULLY AND THOUGHTFULLY UNDONE: To best explore this, we can refer again to our shoe lace analogy. When we have consciously untied our shoe laces of our own will, possibly after a long and tiring day, it is such a glorious feeling to allow tired feet to rest! Wiggling swollen toes in the fresh air is so relaxing! This purposeful, thoughtful choice to be undone is a lovely experience. There is no fear, anxiety, or harm in it. We freely choose to enter in and the results are delightful.

The Rosebud

Have you ever considered the unfurling of a rosebud, as each petal gives itself in absolute surrender to the process of being uncovered?

Our Creator God, knows exactly how and when to unfurl each petal, ushering every bloom through the process of being completely closed, to opening up under His tender hand to become a thing of exquisite beauty that releases and reveals glorious fragrance and becomes a joy to all who gaze upon it.

Forcing the bud to open prematurely might destroy it, but God's timing is perfect. We might compare and consider our hearts in such a way too. God is looking for face-to-face encounters with His children, so that we might become so absorbed by His gaze of love that we will be undone just like the rosebud. As we encounter God's heart in such a way, we receive revelation and an impartation of His love that equips us for mission, and our lives overflow in His goodness and grace. Such life changing encounters cause transformation in us that becomes a catalyst for divine transformation in the nations.

The Human Heart: Being Undone for the Love of Christ

"In the shaking of God's dealing with our hearts, the Bridegroom King is revealed."

Isaiah was pointing us to the truth that only God's Spirit can enable us to surrender and be "undone." It is purposeful, thoughtful, and all for God's glory to reveal the fragrance and beauty of Christ to each one of us, and in and through each one of us. His love is trustworthy and unfailing.

Just like the petals of a rosebud, the protective layers of our heart (i.e. our defenses, our weaknesses, our fears, and our pride) all melt away in the ardent love gaze of our merciful Bridegroom King. Under His purposeful hand, His perfect plans unfold in the heart that is undone in His holy presence with lasting and fruitful effect!

As the atmosphere of Heaven touches earth, it consumes all and changes all that it embraces.

In the shaking of God's dealing with our hearts, the Bridegroom King is revealed. We realize afresh our need for a Savior. In face-to-face encounters, we repent, and the ashes of our ways are redeemed under God, to become things of amazing grace and beauty in His pierced hands.

The call to mission is one born of intimacy with Jesus. A heart undone, ravished by the unending love gaze of Christ, is the only thing Jesus asks of us. Our response to His eternal, breathtaking love is to say "yes" with our whole being, and follow the Master with all that we are.

We Are Revived for Mission!

When our hearts enter the blessedness of divine romance with Christ, we are released to a lifetime of effective mission. To be carried in His heart is to carry His heart of mercy to pursue people and cities until they are delivered from judgment of sin and rebellion, and delivered into a loving, living, faith relationship with God. Our mission must flow from being undone by His love; for without it our mission becomes merely works.

His love is our preparation, causing holy devastation to our flesh to produce purity and divine desperation in us, to continually seek Him with all our hearts and make His unquenchable, agape Love known throughout the world. We are revived for mission!

Isaiah 61:1-3:

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair...."

I hope this short message from Isaiah's life will be fresh bread to each of your hearts today.

Bless you!

Catherine Brown
Gatekeepers
www.gatekeepers.org.uk

"IT'S TIME FOR POSITIONING"

Courtesy of the elijahlist.com

Cal Pierce: "IT'S TIME FOR POSITIONING--WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY"

"When our position is unchangeable, our condition has to change."

Power Over the Enemy

This will be the year for the body of Christ to position itself on God's foundation, for the enemy is attacking the Church from all directions. He is trying to strip God from our families, distort what a marriage should look like, steal prayer from our schools, cause us not to pledge that we are one nation under God, release a spirit of terrorism, and cause us to lose hope.

All of these things come against us for one purpose and that is--discouragement. The devil can discourage and bind us up if he can cause us to focus on what he is doing, rather than focus on what God is doing.

We must stop facing our enemy and start facing our God. What you face is what you will embrace. If you have a full-time God, you won't have time for the enemy. Our position needs to be of Luke 10:19, where it says that we "have been given authority over ALL the power of our enemy." Notice, this proper position will change our condition. When our position is unchangeable, our condition has to change. Then our condition will align us to God's will, rather than the will of the enemy.

John 8:32, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." The bride of Christ must begin to take her proper position on a solid foundation of truth that will set her free. She must take off the grave clothes and put on the wedding gown. She must come to a position of authority where she is so occupied by God, that she no longer has time for the enemy. She must have a position of truth that says she is mighty in God to tearing down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). And no weapon of the enemy will prosper against her (Isaiah 54:17).

We must stop being moved by earth and start being moved by Heaven. The only thing between Heaven and earth is the Body of Christ who has been given authority over ALL the power of the enemy.

We've Been Given the Keys

We have come to a place in history where the Body of Christ can no longer afford to be messed up. In the Healing Rooms Ministries, I see people from the Church all over the world coming for prayer in every imaginable kind of trauma from the enemy, and some self-inflicted. It is good that we seek prayer for what we need deliverance from, but when we receive the deliverance, we must put on God's armor and position ourselves to no longer be moved by what the enemy does.

In the world, we will have an enemy who brings tribulation, but it doesn't have the power to move us because we have authority over it. Jesus tells us that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church.

Matthew 16:18, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." The reason the gates of hell cannot prevail against us is because in the next verse, it says we have the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Those keys are so powerful that whatever we loose and bind here will be loosed and bound from there.

Matthew 16:19, "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven." What this verse tells me is that what I first do here in obedience, causes something that is waiting in Heaven to be released on earth. That ought to get our blood flowing!

Glory to God, we can move Heaven when we're moved by truth!


Cal Pierce, Director
Healing Rooms Ministries