| Newsletter for 4/5/07- Do Doctor's provide Ministry? |
Good Morning,
I pray that your Easter Holiday went well. I apologize that this newsletter was not on time. The combination of part of
our staff being out of town for Spring Break and some medical issues that I have been dealing with, caused this part
of our ministry to be briefly incapacitated. We take this ministry very seriously and try to be timely and reliable with our
forms of ministry. I would like to share with you an update on some medical issues that I have been going through
along with some teaching that the Lord has been showing me through this.
Update
For nearly a month, I have been dealing some health problems. Two weeks ago, I was hospitalized with some heart
problems. I received an Angiogram at St. John's Hospital in Longview and then was rushed in an ambulance to St.
Vincent's in Portland. At St. Vincent's, I received Angioplasty including a stent being placed near my heart. Then
during my recovery last week, I suffered a mild heart attack. This was perceived in the Emergency Room to be caused
by a failure of the stent placed the week before. I was then shipped by ambulance back to St. Vincent's for another
Angiogram and Angioplasty where they found that there was a tear inside the artery previously repaired. We are
believing for no further complications and I have begun making some changes in my lifestyle and schedule, even
before I have finished my recovery.
Some people that are familiar with our healing ministry have asked if this has changed my theology on healing. This
has not effected my beliefs at all. I still believe that God heals!! This last Sunday, we celebrated the fact that Jesus
paid the ultimate price not just for our salvation but also for our healing and the ability for us to be a "friend of God."
I do not believe that God was busy or on vacation or uncaring in my recent time of need. In fact, as I sit here still
recovering but feeling much better than I did, I reflect on the fact that God gave the doctors the ability to prolong and
improve my quality of life. In fact, scripture states that all good things come from above and the ability for mere men to
keep my heart from the "natural end" that I would have realized is to me every bit God. As a 37 year old, happily
married man, with three children at home, I am very thankful for God's Grace in my life and His ability and willingness
to prolong my life.
Last week, while laying in the cardiac ward and overhearing other patients, Christians and non-Christians, I listened to
most talk to family members about their new leases on life. These are opportunities that have been placed before
them by God's Grace. Some realize this and some don't. But most all realize that they have been given a second
chance even if they don't realize the source.
"Well, this is not supernatural healing ministry," you might say. "These are not the miracles that we love to hear about
and enjoy seeing." However, the ministry that the doctors have been blessed with are as valuable as any other. In
fact, this is not a new thought for us.
In the past, we have shared testimonies with you of doctors being healed. We have also shared with you, healing
testimonies that were verified by medical doctors. We feel that God's work is good enough that it can be scrutinized by
doctors. God is not intimidated.
Some have asked, "Why didn't you just pray for yourself to be healed?" Believe me, I did and accepted prayer from
our team and many others. I have endured a great deal of physical pain, uncertainty and the accruing of likely some
great medical bills over the last few weeks.
So how come I didn't get healed? God is NOT a vending machine or a short order cook. As we have shared with you
previously, we have not had a 100% success rate while praying for people. This does not mean that we haven't seen
God do some incredible and awesome things as we have prayed for people. I have not given up on Him. I will continue
to make a case for Him and not against Him. God allows in His Wisdom, what He could easily prevent in His Power. We
do not always understand why He allows what He does, but I trust that He has our best interest in mind.
We do not believe that God sent this sickness as a lesson plan in order to teach us something. In fact, if that were the
case, I would have to ask you not to pray for me, lest God's plan be interrupted. On the contrary, many people have
contacted us letting us know that they had been praying for us and this has been a great blessing to us. God is not in
the business of causing sickness. However, He has obviously given Satan some freedom to attack us. This is proven
in scripture.
Job 1:8-12
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a
blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job
fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has
on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now,
stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 And the Lord said to
Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person."
God allows Satan a certain amount of freedom, just like He allows us freedom. The doctors have said that the cause
for my heart disease is mainly genetic, however, I am guilty of not taking care of myself as well as I could have. The
amount of exercise and quality of diet have been deficient in my life, while the amount of stress and work load have
been in excess. I can't blame Satan for this, in fact, I realize that I am guilty of this. I have had to say to myself, "Go
and sin no more!"
We have been challenged in our ministry when God has shown us that some people that we have prayed for, have
gone back to the causes of their infirmity. As many have said before, this is the definition of insanity, "to continue to
do the same things but expect different results." It would be silly to realize that a certain pair of shoes causes us
discomfort or injury, but because of vanity put them on tomorrow anyway. However, many of us are guilty of doing this
in other areas of our lives.
I want to say "thank you very much" to those of you that have been praying for our family. We have been blessed by
this, literally more than we can express. We pray that we personally can be as great a blessing to you, as you have
been to us. Thank you Lord for your grace and mercy to our family! We love you with all of our hearts!!
Working while it is still day,
Pastor Jeff McCracken and the Kingdom Power Now Ministry Team
www.kingdompowernow.com
I pray that your Easter Holiday went well. I apologize that this newsletter was not on time. The combination of part of
our staff being out of town for Spring Break and some medical issues that I have been dealing with, caused this part
of our ministry to be briefly incapacitated. We take this ministry very seriously and try to be timely and reliable with our
forms of ministry. I would like to share with you an update on some medical issues that I have been going through
along with some teaching that the Lord has been showing me through this.
Update
For nearly a month, I have been dealing some health problems. Two weeks ago, I was hospitalized with some heart
problems. I received an Angiogram at St. John's Hospital in Longview and then was rushed in an ambulance to St.
Vincent's in Portland. At St. Vincent's, I received Angioplasty including a stent being placed near my heart. Then
during my recovery last week, I suffered a mild heart attack. This was perceived in the Emergency Room to be caused
by a failure of the stent placed the week before. I was then shipped by ambulance back to St. Vincent's for another
Angiogram and Angioplasty where they found that there was a tear inside the artery previously repaired. We are
believing for no further complications and I have begun making some changes in my lifestyle and schedule, even
before I have finished my recovery.
Some people that are familiar with our healing ministry have asked if this has changed my theology on healing. This
has not effected my beliefs at all. I still believe that God heals!! This last Sunday, we celebrated the fact that Jesus
paid the ultimate price not just for our salvation but also for our healing and the ability for us to be a "friend of God."
I do not believe that God was busy or on vacation or uncaring in my recent time of need. In fact, as I sit here still
recovering but feeling much better than I did, I reflect on the fact that God gave the doctors the ability to prolong and
improve my quality of life. In fact, scripture states that all good things come from above and the ability for mere men to
keep my heart from the "natural end" that I would have realized is to me every bit God. As a 37 year old, happily
married man, with three children at home, I am very thankful for God's Grace in my life and His ability and willingness
to prolong my life.
Last week, while laying in the cardiac ward and overhearing other patients, Christians and non-Christians, I listened to
most talk to family members about their new leases on life. These are opportunities that have been placed before
them by God's Grace. Some realize this and some don't. But most all realize that they have been given a second
chance even if they don't realize the source.
"Well, this is not supernatural healing ministry," you might say. "These are not the miracles that we love to hear about
and enjoy seeing." However, the ministry that the doctors have been blessed with are as valuable as any other. In
fact, this is not a new thought for us.
In the past, we have shared testimonies with you of doctors being healed. We have also shared with you, healing
testimonies that were verified by medical doctors. We feel that God's work is good enough that it can be scrutinized by
doctors. God is not intimidated.
Some have asked, "Why didn't you just pray for yourself to be healed?" Believe me, I did and accepted prayer from
our team and many others. I have endured a great deal of physical pain, uncertainty and the accruing of likely some
great medical bills over the last few weeks.
So how come I didn't get healed? God is NOT a vending machine or a short order cook. As we have shared with you
previously, we have not had a 100% success rate while praying for people. This does not mean that we haven't seen
God do some incredible and awesome things as we have prayed for people. I have not given up on Him. I will continue
to make a case for Him and not against Him. God allows in His Wisdom, what He could easily prevent in His Power. We
do not always understand why He allows what He does, but I trust that He has our best interest in mind.
We do not believe that God sent this sickness as a lesson plan in order to teach us something. In fact, if that were the
case, I would have to ask you not to pray for me, lest God's plan be interrupted. On the contrary, many people have
contacted us letting us know that they had been praying for us and this has been a great blessing to us. God is not in
the business of causing sickness. However, He has obviously given Satan some freedom to attack us. This is proven
in scripture.
Job 1:8-12
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a
blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, "Does Job
fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has
on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now,
stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 And the Lord said to
Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person."
God allows Satan a certain amount of freedom, just like He allows us freedom. The doctors have said that the cause
for my heart disease is mainly genetic, however, I am guilty of not taking care of myself as well as I could have. The
amount of exercise and quality of diet have been deficient in my life, while the amount of stress and work load have
been in excess. I can't blame Satan for this, in fact, I realize that I am guilty of this. I have had to say to myself, "Go
and sin no more!"
We have been challenged in our ministry when God has shown us that some people that we have prayed for, have
gone back to the causes of their infirmity. As many have said before, this is the definition of insanity, "to continue to
do the same things but expect different results." It would be silly to realize that a certain pair of shoes causes us
discomfort or injury, but because of vanity put them on tomorrow anyway. However, many of us are guilty of doing this
in other areas of our lives.
I want to say "thank you very much" to those of you that have been praying for our family. We have been blessed by
this, literally more than we can express. We pray that we personally can be as great a blessing to you, as you have
been to us. Thank you Lord for your grace and mercy to our family! We love you with all of our hearts!!
Working while it is still day,
Pastor Jeff McCracken and the Kingdom Power Now Ministry Team
www.kingdompowernow.com