Chapter 2
Initially, inspired by the first church in Acts, I wanted to create a community of brothers and sisters dedicated to the gospel first – to reaching others for Jesus, just as we had been reached. I had received from the Lord to go and find others like me; however, I did not know to ask Him what I was supposed to tell them when I found them! I told them the Good News, of course, but then what? I had wonderful success among the drunks and drug addicts and prostitutes on the street. These, my brothers and sisters, would join me in preaching the gospel; and many of them did. Jesus saved many precious children in those days. We banded together, lived together, worked and preached and prayed side by side. My success encouraged me to preach the abundance message – I wanted us to live well so others would see what was possible – to show them that living for Jesus was neither sad and lonely and marginal, nor a beautiful theory of the mind without any actual application in the world but strong, and beautiful and prosperous! My own family, full now of beautiful children, was still growing. The community grew, and attracted persecution, but we did so well, and with miracles, healings and conversions, of course God was with us! For 22 years, we lived like this.
Then, I was accused of using the community so I could live well, myself. Despite this being totally untrue, there were many who believed it. They were never aware of the real problem, which was never money. I did have a secret sin – sexual impurity. I did not act on it then, but it was in my mind and my heart. I was convicted of fraud in Switzerland and so I went to the US. I had a series of miracles here too. My first week in the US I went from a rented car and a motel room to a home on the beach, a Mercedes and a suite of offices on Oakland Park Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale, rent-free! The next year, I was living in a million-dollar home with seven cars, a boat and a thriving business. I even began promoting my dream to build a Christian evangelization park to be called “Bible World”. But many believed the accusations against me, even among my brothers and sisters, who’d worked with me and preached with me, and everything began to fall apart. I lost my business, my community broke up, even my children began to go the way of the world.
I was so hurt, so dispirited! I used the situation as an excuse and left my disintegrating Christian life behind. I lived for myself only, worked as little as possible, fed my flesh, trying to sin enough to make God kill me. One day He sent a small girl to come and take my hand in a restaurant, and tell me God didn’t want me to die! Yet even during this time, I testified to people of the power and love of Jesus! And even at this time, He was using me.
It took a long time, but the Lord delivered me of the sin I was living in. He took me back and dusted me off and set me on His path again. He showed me that the apparent success I had with the prosperity message was not what I thought. The Bible does of course teach that those who follow the Lord will prosper, there is no disputing this, and certainly those who sow liberally will reap liberally. Even during the success, before the problems arose, I knew something was still missing. The problem was that this simply wasn’t my message.
So there I was in my nice little house, surviving, but thinking about my life, and saying to the Lord, “How will people ever listen to me now, after I left my wife and children, abandoned what You told me to do?” I remembered a prophecy someone once spoke over me that I would be a prophet to the nations, and I smiled to myself like Sarah did, thinking it was simply impossible that anyone would accept me. Now at 62, I look at myself and think back over those times when I was young and powerful and “successful” and I wonder to the Lord, “How will anyone accept me as a messenger? I am no longer so young or beautiful or powerful. With the baggage I have who will listen to me? They will think me mad or laugh at me. But I put my knee to the floor and say to Him, “Lord, I know you love me, but help me believe that you can still love me.” Maybe you’re there too. You may have miracles, and success and yet you KNOW in your heart there is still something missing for you, too. You KNOW you need the message. Many of the patriarchs faced this as well – look at Jacob: he stole the birthright from his brother, but he had to go home to face him, and on the way, he wrestled with an angel and received his message. God took Jacob, a deceiver, and made of him Israel, a prince.
Don’t worry, stay with me; we’re coming to the realization that prayer is not what we think, but very different.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
THE "SECRET PLACE" OF PRAYER
Chapter One
I didn’t realize when I began this message on why prayer seems so often not to be answered that it would take me several “chapters” to explain about prayer.
Recently I went to a Bible study at a local Methodist Church about the Psalms, during which the minister talked about prayer and the use of the Psalms as prayers, and I realized a lot of people don’t seem to know what prayer really is. Look at the disciples of Jesus, good Jews all, doubtless with lots of good synagogue attendance, yet they asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Certainly in this local church there was a need for teaching regarding prayer – they had a list of names on both sides of a sheet of paper of sick people – so he had the right idea! This broke my heart because, of course, answers are possible to all these problems. The pastor before this one at that same church actually considered introducing “reiki” into his church! The Lord has brought this back into my mind over a year later because it was time to deal with this issue. I asked that pastor what he was thinking and why he didn’t introduce the Holy Spirit into his church – as Wesley, his founder, would have done!
I never knew these things before either – as a former Catholic I was taught to pray before the statutes and as a young child it seemed to me that if I did this, the statue would move, or take action of some kind! We had amulets too: a sort of charm that contained an alleged hair from this saint or that, which would protect you through the day if prayed to the saint.
We can’t be blamed really, we’re human and we need and want answers – we’ll do nearly anything to get them. My mother, a fervent Catholic, if she got no answer to her prayers, would take me to a local wise woman for some divination – the lady would place an egg white in a glass of water and read “God’s will” for me there. My step-father, when he dislocated his elbow in a fall, went to a local bonesetter. The man was not bad at bonesetting, but he also added charms for protection to his prescription. I remember the maribou coming, with his castanets, to the local Muslims in Algeria; they would come to be “healed” by the spirits he would call. I first saw people become possessed at these sessions. Later, in Haiti, I would see the voodoo priest perform a ceremony to transfer the sickness from a child to an animal, and saw the animal actually appear to cry like an infant. I left because it was a very disturbing sight, but I say all this to show how far we will go to receive an answer.
While writing all this for you, it came to me that my life changed by prayer. I was arrested once in Switzerland, and the policeman who spoke to me told me that he’d prayed the night before for the Lord to send him someone he could testify to. This man said that when he went to sleep that night, he’d had a dream about me – that I would become a preacher! I didn’t listen to him then, but later, when I returned to Switzerland, I ended up being converted in a small church full of old people who’d been praying for me for the past year. I found out after my conversion that my brother the police officer had preached at their church and asked them to pray for me. They had been praying for me all that time, and the Lord put me in their church to hear His message and receive a visit from Him, for I was struck by His Light in that very church!
I have spent the past 35 years since then looking for the message I was to carry – I looked in a desert cave among the monks, where I fasted and prayed, and I did see an angel, but he only blew on me and healed me of sun-sickness – he spoke not at all! I was disappointed I can tell you! I was preaching and praying for miracles and baptizing and I knew I was to be doing these things, but all this is in the Bible – anyone can and should read and do them. I was searching for my specific message – I knew Jesus had not saved me to read the Bible to others and just repeat what they already knew. He saved me for a specific message – just as He did Paul, and Peter and the other first Christians. Just as He has you. I know you want your answer too; don’t feel discouraged – it took me 35 years; it’ll take a few paragraphs to get the point across! I have discovered that the message I am to bring is a preparation of the people of God for His return. But I did not discover this right away.
I didn’t realize when I began this message on why prayer seems so often not to be answered that it would take me several “chapters” to explain about prayer.
Recently I went to a Bible study at a local Methodist Church about the Psalms, during which the minister talked about prayer and the use of the Psalms as prayers, and I realized a lot of people don’t seem to know what prayer really is. Look at the disciples of Jesus, good Jews all, doubtless with lots of good synagogue attendance, yet they asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Certainly in this local church there was a need for teaching regarding prayer – they had a list of names on both sides of a sheet of paper of sick people – so he had the right idea! This broke my heart because, of course, answers are possible to all these problems. The pastor before this one at that same church actually considered introducing “reiki” into his church! The Lord has brought this back into my mind over a year later because it was time to deal with this issue. I asked that pastor what he was thinking and why he didn’t introduce the Holy Spirit into his church – as Wesley, his founder, would have done!
I never knew these things before either – as a former Catholic I was taught to pray before the statutes and as a young child it seemed to me that if I did this, the statue would move, or take action of some kind! We had amulets too: a sort of charm that contained an alleged hair from this saint or that, which would protect you through the day if prayed to the saint.
We can’t be blamed really, we’re human and we need and want answers – we’ll do nearly anything to get them. My mother, a fervent Catholic, if she got no answer to her prayers, would take me to a local wise woman for some divination – the lady would place an egg white in a glass of water and read “God’s will” for me there. My step-father, when he dislocated his elbow in a fall, went to a local bonesetter. The man was not bad at bonesetting, but he also added charms for protection to his prescription. I remember the maribou coming, with his castanets, to the local Muslims in Algeria; they would come to be “healed” by the spirits he would call. I first saw people become possessed at these sessions. Later, in Haiti, I would see the voodoo priest perform a ceremony to transfer the sickness from a child to an animal, and saw the animal actually appear to cry like an infant. I left because it was a very disturbing sight, but I say all this to show how far we will go to receive an answer.
While writing all this for you, it came to me that my life changed by prayer. I was arrested once in Switzerland, and the policeman who spoke to me told me that he’d prayed the night before for the Lord to send him someone he could testify to. This man said that when he went to sleep that night, he’d had a dream about me – that I would become a preacher! I didn’t listen to him then, but later, when I returned to Switzerland, I ended up being converted in a small church full of old people who’d been praying for me for the past year. I found out after my conversion that my brother the police officer had preached at their church and asked them to pray for me. They had been praying for me all that time, and the Lord put me in their church to hear His message and receive a visit from Him, for I was struck by His Light in that very church!
I have spent the past 35 years since then looking for the message I was to carry – I looked in a desert cave among the monks, where I fasted and prayed, and I did see an angel, but he only blew on me and healed me of sun-sickness – he spoke not at all! I was disappointed I can tell you! I was preaching and praying for miracles and baptizing and I knew I was to be doing these things, but all this is in the Bible – anyone can and should read and do them. I was searching for my specific message – I knew Jesus had not saved me to read the Bible to others and just repeat what they already knew. He saved me for a specific message – just as He did Paul, and Peter and the other first Christians. Just as He has you. I know you want your answer too; don’t feel discouraged – it took me 35 years; it’ll take a few paragraphs to get the point across! I have discovered that the message I am to bring is a preparation of the people of God for His return. But I did not discover this right away.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
I WANT TO DO "GOOD" ...
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts …” Matthew 7:11. It is difficult to discern what “good” is important to receive. The conflict we have is that we ask God, and receive, but differently from what we expect. Even from evil people, it is possible to receive food; it is immediate and easy and requires no work. To be fed in such a way is good for the short term, but afterward, you’re hungry again; as well as being dependent on evil people! It may be more painful to learn to feed yourself, but then you are fed for more than just a time.
It is possible to receive good things from evil people, but in the end, they don’t give a real answer. Something is still missing from what they give. But when we receive from God, it is not only good, it produces LIFE.
In Isaiah 35:8, the prophet speaks of a highway and a road that shall be in the desert. Everyone likes to walk on a highway – it’s smooth, easy, straight and good. When I was a young Christian, I wanted the highway too. It is like being fed by someone who is doing “good”. It is easy and requires little effort.
Jesus says the way to destruction is wide and easy and the way to Life is narrow and difficult. When God pushes you to believe, His way is more difficult than what you find by yourself, in your own freedom. Many times the way God asks us to go looks like something that, to us, He would never ask! The Bible promises prosperity and long life and goodness to God’s followers, this is famously and everywhere taught; however, this is promised to those who follow the Word of God, and the Word of God teaches sacrifice, and not only sacrifice for those we love and who love us, but also for those who hate us and persecute us.
I was praying recently and saw in my mind a young man, in a beautiful resort by the beach. He had just had some fine champagne, the bottle swimming in the icy water, and was going out for a walk. In one of the most beautiful places on earth, with a gorgeous sunset in front of him and perfect weather, his experience was empty. He saw the waves curl gently onto the sand and sink into it, but run away again. This young man was active in a great church, had a great family and a successful career; he was highly thought of by all who knew him. Because his church was a bit on the dry side for actual experiences, he would sometimes go to a yoga class or to see an astrologer, or a medium, to try to gain some mystical touch or be reminded there was something else other than just what he could see. Not bad, right, as long as you don’t believe the mumbo-jumbo that goes with it, what could it hurt? But as he stood there in the sand, he felt all these things to be like the waves – running over and through him and washing away again.
He had no one to share his plenty with – he had no one with him!
I was like this before – my heart sitting alone in all the treasure God had given me. I was like the man at the pool of Bethesda; I could see the angel coming, see the water move, but could not get to the pool in time. I thought I had it all, and thought I had God with me, but I was only using God to do FOR me, not to be with me. I was a man of impure lips because God was not IN me. When you preach the Word of God, but it is not confirmed, this is what is happening. When Isaiah saw his vision, and said his lips were unclean; they had to be purified by fire, which the angel applied to him with the burning coal. The Holy Spirit fell on Pentecost as a fire that lit on the disciples; they were purified by the light of that fire.
Now, I pray every night, and have the sweet Love of God to be with me. That is more than all I had before – not a concept of power, though power comes with the presence of God – a relationship with One Who never leaves me. My wife and I live together, of course, and I see her everyday, but sometimes, like the other night, I really “see” her and she’s not just someone I live with but someone who is “with” me – really with me, who I know will never leave me behind or desert me. That is how it is with Jesus - He is with me all the time! But in order to have this, I had to let go of all those things I thought were the important ones, just like I had to leave behind other women to have my wife. I had to leave the highway – the wide, easy path, and hit the road – go where it is difficult and narrow, but pure, just as the lips of the prophet, because of His Light.
The New Age and to an extent, even Christian denominations, promise enlightenment, miracles, mountain-moving, healing, speaking with other tongues, all of which have a real counterpart, for which these are substitutes. They do not end in perfection, as do the gifts that come through the Word of God.
People feel paralyzed and empty today because they don’t have God inside, but only outside – they are not purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit, which must live IN us. Our lips should reflect the Light of the Word of God.
Before, I played the role of the believer: I preached Jesus and said He was with me, and had miracles and signs and thought that was all. But for all that, He was not IN me. Paul was the best-educated, most “religious” man of his day, would have been the youngest member of the Sanhedrin, but something was missing in him. I was the same. It was as if I were Noah, who after he built the ark, ended up drunk and nude in the new earth. I did not go to perfection. Then, I had a vision where I saw the narrow way – God becoming man.
When we build tradition with our faith, we’re whitewashing the tombs of the prophets, not getting what they had. For every person, Christians and not, the way that we take has a detour to the narrow way - Jesus. God needs to cover you with the Light that He has, the same as He did Mary, and Paul and the Prophets. This does not come by anything else: science or knowledge, or religion – the “good gifts” from evil people, but from Jesus, as in Matthew 24 – where Jesus says everything will pass away, but His Words will not pass away. What God has taught me is to come back to His Word, leaving behind all the things I valued that did not make me perfect: preaching, casting out devils, making miracles, but with my unclean lips. The disciples before the resurrection were like this – they preached, they did miracles, yet Jesus constantly said to them “Oh ye of little faith!” This was because they said the Word of God, but it did not live IN them – it was incomplete. After the resurrection, and after the falling of the Holy Spirit, not only did they preach the Word of God, they lived the Word of God. They were going to perfection. After Pentecost, when Peter and John crossed paths with a paralyzed man, he asked them for alms, but Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none, but I give what I do have: in the Name of Jesus, get up and walk!” He had gone into perfection; he didn’t just use the Word of God, he embodied the Word of God.
God says that I can have anything I ask for in faith; yet He is not my valet to give me everything I ask, to save me from all pain and strain – the highway, the wide way to destruction. It is not the faith of Abraham I need, or of those who lived in caves and had nothing, because all this is just looking at the cross, but not going “through” the cross. To go through the cross is not to just accept that Jesus died for me and saved me, but to give my life to Him. Not to say “thank you” to Him for all the good things I have: my raise and my car and my home and my clothes and my social standing, but that He elected me to receive eternal life. He is perfection, the perfect Man, the perfect sacrifice, the only way to save us. Not popes, or bishops or ceremonies or buildings, but only He, the perfect answer.
Paul said in I Corinthians 13, 'I want to show you a more excellent way': God loved us so much, He became a man to take the place of all the “good things” that cannot make you perfect and lead to death; to put you in HIM, the Way, the Truth and the Life. This all came to me as I prayed on the deck where I am waiting to put the Tent, and when I stood up to go, I began to cry. I needed the Love of God. Paul said, living the principles of the Love of Christ, let us go into perfection! If I have the Love of God, though, I will Love my brothers. Do you know the Love of God? It is in Jesus – go to Him, give yourself to Him! Find His Love! Go into perfection!
As you may know, I pray every morning very early, so email me what you need to be prayed for and I will pray with you for it. My emails are cravanzola@yahoo.com, and jm.cravanzola@gmail.com. Email me your prayer requests or write to me by snail mail at 295 W Palmer Mill Rd, Monticello, FL 32344.
It is possible to receive good things from evil people, but in the end, they don’t give a real answer. Something is still missing from what they give. But when we receive from God, it is not only good, it produces LIFE.
In Isaiah 35:8, the prophet speaks of a highway and a road that shall be in the desert. Everyone likes to walk on a highway – it’s smooth, easy, straight and good. When I was a young Christian, I wanted the highway too. It is like being fed by someone who is doing “good”. It is easy and requires little effort.
Jesus says the way to destruction is wide and easy and the way to Life is narrow and difficult. When God pushes you to believe, His way is more difficult than what you find by yourself, in your own freedom. Many times the way God asks us to go looks like something that, to us, He would never ask! The Bible promises prosperity and long life and goodness to God’s followers, this is famously and everywhere taught; however, this is promised to those who follow the Word of God, and the Word of God teaches sacrifice, and not only sacrifice for those we love and who love us, but also for those who hate us and persecute us.
I was praying recently and saw in my mind a young man, in a beautiful resort by the beach. He had just had some fine champagne, the bottle swimming in the icy water, and was going out for a walk. In one of the most beautiful places on earth, with a gorgeous sunset in front of him and perfect weather, his experience was empty. He saw the waves curl gently onto the sand and sink into it, but run away again. This young man was active in a great church, had a great family and a successful career; he was highly thought of by all who knew him. Because his church was a bit on the dry side for actual experiences, he would sometimes go to a yoga class or to see an astrologer, or a medium, to try to gain some mystical touch or be reminded there was something else other than just what he could see. Not bad, right, as long as you don’t believe the mumbo-jumbo that goes with it, what could it hurt? But as he stood there in the sand, he felt all these things to be like the waves – running over and through him and washing away again.
He had no one to share his plenty with – he had no one with him!
I was like this before – my heart sitting alone in all the treasure God had given me. I was like the man at the pool of Bethesda; I could see the angel coming, see the water move, but could not get to the pool in time. I thought I had it all, and thought I had God with me, but I was only using God to do FOR me, not to be with me. I was a man of impure lips because God was not IN me. When you preach the Word of God, but it is not confirmed, this is what is happening. When Isaiah saw his vision, and said his lips were unclean; they had to be purified by fire, which the angel applied to him with the burning coal. The Holy Spirit fell on Pentecost as a fire that lit on the disciples; they were purified by the light of that fire.
Now, I pray every night, and have the sweet Love of God to be with me. That is more than all I had before – not a concept of power, though power comes with the presence of God – a relationship with One Who never leaves me. My wife and I live together, of course, and I see her everyday, but sometimes, like the other night, I really “see” her and she’s not just someone I live with but someone who is “with” me – really with me, who I know will never leave me behind or desert me. That is how it is with Jesus - He is with me all the time! But in order to have this, I had to let go of all those things I thought were the important ones, just like I had to leave behind other women to have my wife. I had to leave the highway – the wide, easy path, and hit the road – go where it is difficult and narrow, but pure, just as the lips of the prophet, because of His Light.
The New Age and to an extent, even Christian denominations, promise enlightenment, miracles, mountain-moving, healing, speaking with other tongues, all of which have a real counterpart, for which these are substitutes. They do not end in perfection, as do the gifts that come through the Word of God.
People feel paralyzed and empty today because they don’t have God inside, but only outside – they are not purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit, which must live IN us. Our lips should reflect the Light of the Word of God.
Before, I played the role of the believer: I preached Jesus and said He was with me, and had miracles and signs and thought that was all. But for all that, He was not IN me. Paul was the best-educated, most “religious” man of his day, would have been the youngest member of the Sanhedrin, but something was missing in him. I was the same. It was as if I were Noah, who after he built the ark, ended up drunk and nude in the new earth. I did not go to perfection. Then, I had a vision where I saw the narrow way – God becoming man.
When we build tradition with our faith, we’re whitewashing the tombs of the prophets, not getting what they had. For every person, Christians and not, the way that we take has a detour to the narrow way - Jesus. God needs to cover you with the Light that He has, the same as He did Mary, and Paul and the Prophets. This does not come by anything else: science or knowledge, or religion – the “good gifts” from evil people, but from Jesus, as in Matthew 24 – where Jesus says everything will pass away, but His Words will not pass away. What God has taught me is to come back to His Word, leaving behind all the things I valued that did not make me perfect: preaching, casting out devils, making miracles, but with my unclean lips. The disciples before the resurrection were like this – they preached, they did miracles, yet Jesus constantly said to them “Oh ye of little faith!” This was because they said the Word of God, but it did not live IN them – it was incomplete. After the resurrection, and after the falling of the Holy Spirit, not only did they preach the Word of God, they lived the Word of God. They were going to perfection. After Pentecost, when Peter and John crossed paths with a paralyzed man, he asked them for alms, but Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none, but I give what I do have: in the Name of Jesus, get up and walk!” He had gone into perfection; he didn’t just use the Word of God, he embodied the Word of God.
God says that I can have anything I ask for in faith; yet He is not my valet to give me everything I ask, to save me from all pain and strain – the highway, the wide way to destruction. It is not the faith of Abraham I need, or of those who lived in caves and had nothing, because all this is just looking at the cross, but not going “through” the cross. To go through the cross is not to just accept that Jesus died for me and saved me, but to give my life to Him. Not to say “thank you” to Him for all the good things I have: my raise and my car and my home and my clothes and my social standing, but that He elected me to receive eternal life. He is perfection, the perfect Man, the perfect sacrifice, the only way to save us. Not popes, or bishops or ceremonies or buildings, but only He, the perfect answer.
Paul said in I Corinthians 13, 'I want to show you a more excellent way': God loved us so much, He became a man to take the place of all the “good things” that cannot make you perfect and lead to death; to put you in HIM, the Way, the Truth and the Life. This all came to me as I prayed on the deck where I am waiting to put the Tent, and when I stood up to go, I began to cry. I needed the Love of God. Paul said, living the principles of the Love of Christ, let us go into perfection! If I have the Love of God, though, I will Love my brothers. Do you know the Love of God? It is in Jesus – go to Him, give yourself to Him! Find His Love! Go into perfection!
As you may know, I pray every morning very early, so email me what you need to be prayed for and I will pray with you for it. My emails are cravanzola@yahoo.com, and jm.cravanzola@gmail.com. Email me your prayer requests or write to me by snail mail at 295 W Palmer Mill Rd, Monticello, FL 32344.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Divine Healing is the Spiritual Cure
I originally wrote this for my dear friends Lowell and Catherine, but want to share it with you all. Lowell is the gentleman Jesus healed back on April 1st of Parkinson's disease, from which he'd suffered for 23 years before Jesus delivered him!
DIVINE HEALING IS THE SPIRITUAL CURE
God’s divine healing is spiritual.
-The divine spiritual is administered through the human spirit . 1 Cor. 2: 9-12
-In Psalm 107: 20, God says he sent his word and healed them. Important: it did not say that God sends His word to heal, but that He sent His Word AND HEALED. God considers it done. He is no respecter of persons, but does respect faith in his Word. Ps 4: 20-22.
The Word of God is LIFE. It is also health or medicine to all your flesh. The Word will heal your body, but it does it through spiritual means. John 1:4. You must receive God’s Word concerning healing into your spirit for supernatural healing.
THE ENGRAFTED WORD
God’s Word is perfect spiritual law. Ps. 19: 7. You must speak God’s word to your individual circumstance. James 1: 21 admonishes us to receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save our souls. Important: once the Word of God is engrafted into your spirit, it produces health in the body as well. Jesus said, “if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done to you. John15:7.
When God’s Word becomes engrafted or infused into your spirit, it becomes a part of you - It IS you. When It takes root in your flesh it becomes greater than disease, and healing is the result. God spoke and Creation WAS. Words are the carriers of faith. Heb 11:3. You are created in the image of God. Every time you speak by faith, God creates His Image inside you; therefore if it is healing you desire, the healing image is created by the Word of God in you. That image came into creation by the Word of God and you will begin to see it in yourself as well. When the Word is engrafted in you, it infuses its life into you. Rom. 8:11.
FAITH GIVES SUBSTANCE TO HOPE
Hope is important but hope lacks substance until it is filled with faith. Hope is only a goal-setter. Hope is to desire healing, but hope itself does not heal - faith gave substance to that hope; it gave substance to and brought about the manifestation of healing that was already yours because of the covenant.
-All things are possible to them that believe. Mark 9:23
-If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed you would say... Luke 17:6
-He that believeth, hath. John 3:36.
-Whosoever shall say... He shall have Luke 11:23
It is Biblical principle to believe and call for things that are not yet manifested. The words of Jesus ring very clear concerning healing. “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole” Mark 5:34. Our confession of the Word fo God calls for healing which is already ours, but is not manifested in our bodies. The unseen things are called into being only by words carrying faith! If a person takes medicine, he should mix it with faith, saying “I believe I receive my healing in Jesus’ Name”. It takes time to renew your mind and develop faith in your words, as well as God’s Word.
It is true that God has provided healing for us through His Word, but we must learn to appropriate that healing by making the Word part of our daily vocabulary. Ps. 107:19-20 and Isaiah 55:11 and 57:19. Denying sickness won’t make you well. By mixing faith with God’s Word, you are calling for the promise of God to be manifested in your body. By this we should be fully persuaded and healing IS the result.
There are some who would say you are lying if you confess you’re healed when you are sick. No, you are simply calling for healing that God already provided, even though it is not yet manifested in your body. What you are really doing is practicing God’s medicine. You are not trying to convince anyone that you are not sick; rather you are simply proclaiming what God has said in His Word to be fact, regardless of your present condition.
- The Word says, “By His stripes (those of Jesus) ye were Healed” I Pet 2:24
- Notice: it is past tense as to the healing as far as God is concerned, even if not yet manifested in you.
- You are calling your body well according to Luke 17:5 and Mark 11:23.
Don’t make the mistake so many Christians do by not calling things that are not as though they are. Bv not speaking the Word of God, they are establishing their present condition in their hearts, minds, bodies and faith.
DIVINE HEALING IS THE SPIRITUAL CURE
God’s divine healing is spiritual.
-The divine spiritual is administered through the human spirit . 1 Cor. 2: 9-12
-In Psalm 107: 20, God says he sent his word and healed them. Important: it did not say that God sends His word to heal, but that He sent His Word AND HEALED. God considers it done. He is no respecter of persons, but does respect faith in his Word. Ps 4: 20-22.
The Word of God is LIFE. It is also health or medicine to all your flesh. The Word will heal your body, but it does it through spiritual means. John 1:4. You must receive God’s Word concerning healing into your spirit for supernatural healing.
THE ENGRAFTED WORD
God’s Word is perfect spiritual law. Ps. 19: 7. You must speak God’s word to your individual circumstance. James 1: 21 admonishes us to receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save our souls. Important: once the Word of God is engrafted into your spirit, it produces health in the body as well. Jesus said, “if ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done to you. John15:7.
When God’s Word becomes engrafted or infused into your spirit, it becomes a part of you - It IS you. When It takes root in your flesh it becomes greater than disease, and healing is the result. God spoke and Creation WAS. Words are the carriers of faith. Heb 11:3. You are created in the image of God. Every time you speak by faith, God creates His Image inside you; therefore if it is healing you desire, the healing image is created by the Word of God in you. That image came into creation by the Word of God and you will begin to see it in yourself as well. When the Word is engrafted in you, it infuses its life into you. Rom. 8:11.
FAITH GIVES SUBSTANCE TO HOPE
Hope is important but hope lacks substance until it is filled with faith. Hope is only a goal-setter. Hope is to desire healing, but hope itself does not heal - faith gave substance to that hope; it gave substance to and brought about the manifestation of healing that was already yours because of the covenant.
-All things are possible to them that believe. Mark 9:23
-If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed you would say... Luke 17:6
-He that believeth, hath. John 3:36.
-Whosoever shall say... He shall have Luke 11:23
It is Biblical principle to believe and call for things that are not yet manifested. The words of Jesus ring very clear concerning healing. “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole” Mark 5:34. Our confession of the Word fo God calls for healing which is already ours, but is not manifested in our bodies. The unseen things are called into being only by words carrying faith! If a person takes medicine, he should mix it with faith, saying “I believe I receive my healing in Jesus’ Name”. It takes time to renew your mind and develop faith in your words, as well as God’s Word.
It is true that God has provided healing for us through His Word, but we must learn to appropriate that healing by making the Word part of our daily vocabulary. Ps. 107:19-20 and Isaiah 55:11 and 57:19. Denying sickness won’t make you well. By mixing faith with God’s Word, you are calling for the promise of God to be manifested in your body. By this we should be fully persuaded and healing IS the result.
There are some who would say you are lying if you confess you’re healed when you are sick. No, you are simply calling for healing that God already provided, even though it is not yet manifested in your body. What you are really doing is practicing God’s medicine. You are not trying to convince anyone that you are not sick; rather you are simply proclaiming what God has said in His Word to be fact, regardless of your present condition.
- The Word says, “By His stripes (those of Jesus) ye were Healed” I Pet 2:24
- Notice: it is past tense as to the healing as far as God is concerned, even if not yet manifested in you.
- You are calling your body well according to Luke 17:5 and Mark 11:23.
Don’t make the mistake so many Christians do by not calling things that are not as though they are. Bv not speaking the Word of God, they are establishing their present condition in their hearts, minds, bodies and faith.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Experience is not Enough, You need the Message
In I Timothy, Paul says he was put in the ministry when he was a blasphemous persecutor and an insolent man; in fact it could be said that Jesus did this because Paul was such a person, not because of his rabbinic tradition and his high education. Paul says in this section of Timothy that he obtained mercy because he did this ignorantly and in unbelief. He then says he obtained mercy in order to become an example to others. For surely, if Paul could be forgiven, so could they. In I Cor. 15 Paul says Jesus appeared to the 12 and to 500 and after to James and other apostles and finally to him. And God asked him to become a vessel for preaching the gospel. In Acts 9, Paul talks about his conversion and says that he saw a light and fell to the ground, and God talked to him. Now many people today have a similar experience to Paul’s – they see an angel or some other experience changes their lives. They think this experience is the truth, and say: “now I am a believer”.
Like Paul, such a person becomes a vessel. However, he has no direction. Having one experience does not give you this. When God spoke with Paul, Paul asked Him what he needed to do, but got no answer except, “Go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
One problem today is that people come to Jesus, but after that have no direction. It is not because of a personal experience that we leave behind anything but our ignorance - we have gotten rid of this. We still, however, need belief. Now we know that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, but this makes us a vessel only, it does not give us direction. When Paul asked, “Who are you?” He was told, “I am Jesus.” This is faith based on knowledge that there is now a God, Jesus, and He lives, but does not answer Paul’s question “what do I do.” Acts says Paul was in a room for three days without food or water, blind. However, he did pray. And in prayer he received a vision that a man named Ananias would come and restore his sight. This was still not a direction.
Even though he knew to expect Ananias, he still did not know what he needed to do. He prayed, he fasted, but no one gave him an answer more than: “Ananias will come.” Only this prophet had the Word of God and the direction and the faith for Paul. Jesus told Ananias the answer. He told him to go to see Paul, told him exactly where Paul was, told him to lay hands on Paul’s eyes, and that Paul was a chosen vessel to bring Jesus’ Name before gentiles, kings and Israelites, and that Jesus would show Paul all the things Paul would suffer for Him.
Paul did not know this plan; he only expected his sight; but Ananias knew. He came to Paul, told him the message, laid his hands on Paul’s eyes and Paul was cured; Ananias told him he also needed to receive the Holy Spirit. After Paul’s sight was restored, he was immediately baptized and began to preach. Now, not only did he have knowledge that there was a God and His Name was Jesus, but he also believed.
Today many Christians know Jesus saved them, and that He has a plan for them. This is a knowledge they have; but this does not make them believers. But when Ananias comes, that is, the prophet, and lays on his hands, and they have their sight restored and are baptized in the Holy Spirit, then they have direction, because they have received the message. Now, they know the direction and have the message from the prophet. The Word of God always comes by the prophet. Paul was to be an apostle, but he needed to hear this from the prophet.
So today, many Christians are confused because they have the same experience as Paul, but are still blind, still without direction, still without the Holy Spirit, depressed, unsure, wondering – because their prophet has not come. They have not received their message. This is a frequent blindness in the church today in many denominations.
Jesus even said, “I do nothing that My Father has not shown Me.” By this He wanted to show He was a prophet and that what we need to do cannot be known by tradition, or by simply attending a church, big or small; or even from the exercise of the gifts; it is from the prophet.
All the work of Paul issued from that one man’s visit on one street and from one prophecy. Now he is not only no longer ignorant, he is a believer. He continues in I Cor 15 that he obtained mercy despite his condition, indeed, because of it, that he might be an example for all.
This was true of all the prophets – from Abraham on down. All the 12 disciples were apostles, but still had to await their impartation of the Holy Ghost after going home and waiting as they were told.
In your life, God talks to you, so you know, but you all the time commit the same sin, because you have knowledge, but not belief. Now, you need to receive belief, and therefore life. Paul says I can have all the gifts, but if I have no Love, I have nothing. Love is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You can do miracles and speak in tongues, but if you don’t have the message of God, you cannot go to perfection, and will be stuck in your old nature. You must go into Christ by Grace. God, rich in mercy, gives us knowledge and faith, and the greatest of all - Love.
Now, you’re thinking to yourself, “Great, but where do I find this prophet to give me my direction?” Don’t worry, Jesus, who began a good work in you will complete it. He may tell you to go somewhere and wait, or He may turn you aside from where you are and send you somewhere else – like Paul, who had to change utterly all he had been taught. But Jesus will send that one to you to give you your direction. Don’t as so many do today, try to determine your own path, try to make up a plan for yourself for God, no. In Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas receive their next direction from the Holy Spirit by the other prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch. He will send one to you! But be careful that you don’t do as the Pharisees did in Jesus’ day – they killed the prophets sent to them because they chose their tradition over the Word of God – DON’T make this mistake!! Trust your Lord – He will send you a messenger – watch and wait.
Now many these days say they are prophets, so how are we to know? Again, don’t worry, the Holy Spirit will reveal your prophet to you. Watch and wait.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
MIRACLE on April 1st!
Not all of you know me and many of you don't read or write English, so I will post in French as well as often as possible. Those of you who do know me - who know that since 1970 I have been preaching the beautiful, true, holy gospel of Jesus Christ- will probably know that I have never stopped preaching, never stopped testifying since that day. I have been through hard times and good since the community was broken up, and I have loved and missed all of you every day since. Having heard from some of you, I know you miss it too. You miss the daily meat of the gospel, the revelations we received, the miracles we witnessed!
I tell you all those are still there and still available today. If you see this, please email me or leave a post with a way to contact you so that we can correspond. My emails are Jmcravanzola@gmail.com and cravanzola@yahoo.com
I have begun a new work lately, upon hearing from the Lord. My wife Martha and I experienced a great miracle on 4/1/08, on a vacation we took after a 33-day fast I finished. We attended a Bible study at the Seaside Chapel in Seaside, FL. After viewing a taped message on Jesus healing of the man who'd been blind from birth, we began discussing healing and how it should be something we see daily, as did the first church. We talked about what a miracle it was that Jesus healed the man, and not only his eyes, but his sight, for of course these are not the same thing, and Jesus not only made the man's eyes work, He gave him all the knowledge it takes to understand and use what he saw. As there was a brother there, Lowell Lotspeich, who'd had Parkinson's disease for 23 years, I pointed out to the brothers and sisters there that there was nothing to stop us from praying for his healing. We all gathered around him and I asked him if he believed Jesus could heal him. He nodded vigorously. Now this man was so disabled, he could barely walk, his hand and arm tremors were pretty constant, he could not form words well and had gotten to the point where he could barely make an expression. We prayed the he receive his gift of healing in Jesus' Name and then we walked him around. The transformation was amazing. His arms stopped shaking, he could walk much better, he could make expressions - we all saw his huge smile! - and he could talk.
My brothers and sisters - we should see this every day. I tell you, Jesus is the most real thing there is, and He has already won the victory for us - in Him we are healed, forgiven, free! Always believe, no matter what the circumstances. Adversity exists so we can learn to fight, and so the enemy has his chance to deceive us. But the Word of God is true and sure and faithful altogether.
I will have much more for you about this. However, after that trip and that beautiful miracle, the Lord gave me the direction to put up a tent in our back garden. It is the Tent of the Holy Guests and we have already put up the deck. This tent witl be a tent of prayer and contemplation for anyone who chooses to come, any day, from 8 am to 10 pm. Won't you join in this effort? Email me to find out how. Your kind gifts and donations are welcome. We hope soon to have our books and booklets available too. A few are already available, like "Why When You Do What Jesus Tells You, You Don't Succeed". Email me for more information. Jesus bless you and keep you!!!
I tell you all those are still there and still available today. If you see this, please email me or leave a post with a way to contact you so that we can correspond. My emails are Jmcravanzola@gmail.com and cravanzola@yahoo.com
I have begun a new work lately, upon hearing from the Lord. My wife Martha and I experienced a great miracle on 4/1/08, on a vacation we took after a 33-day fast I finished. We attended a Bible study at the Seaside Chapel in Seaside, FL. After viewing a taped message on Jesus healing of the man who'd been blind from birth, we began discussing healing and how it should be something we see daily, as did the first church. We talked about what a miracle it was that Jesus healed the man, and not only his eyes, but his sight, for of course these are not the same thing, and Jesus not only made the man's eyes work, He gave him all the knowledge it takes to understand and use what he saw. As there was a brother there, Lowell Lotspeich, who'd had Parkinson's disease for 23 years, I pointed out to the brothers and sisters there that there was nothing to stop us from praying for his healing. We all gathered around him and I asked him if he believed Jesus could heal him. He nodded vigorously. Now this man was so disabled, he could barely walk, his hand and arm tremors were pretty constant, he could not form words well and had gotten to the point where he could barely make an expression. We prayed the he receive his gift of healing in Jesus' Name and then we walked him around. The transformation was amazing. His arms stopped shaking, he could walk much better, he could make expressions - we all saw his huge smile! - and he could talk.
My brothers and sisters - we should see this every day. I tell you, Jesus is the most real thing there is, and He has already won the victory for us - in Him we are healed, forgiven, free! Always believe, no matter what the circumstances. Adversity exists so we can learn to fight, and so the enemy has his chance to deceive us. But the Word of God is true and sure and faithful altogether.
I will have much more for you about this. However, after that trip and that beautiful miracle, the Lord gave me the direction to put up a tent in our back garden. It is the Tent of the Holy Guests and we have already put up the deck. This tent witl be a tent of prayer and contemplation for anyone who chooses to come, any day, from 8 am to 10 pm. Won't you join in this effort? Email me to find out how. Your kind gifts and donations are welcome. We hope soon to have our books and booklets available too. A few are already available, like "Why When You Do What Jesus Tells You, You Don't Succeed". Email me for more information. Jesus bless you and keep you!!!
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