Declaring Boldness

​I want to declare with all boldness to you today that God is real, God is good, and God’s Word is true. Let me explain.
I woke up on January 22 feeling like I was maybe getting the flu. I went to the bathroom and the sick feeling became overwhelming. I went to my knees and began to sweat profusely. I tried to stand up to get back into bed, and passed out. The next thing I remember is Trudi kneeling over me and pushing on my chest saying, “In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.” I woke up saying, “I’m ok. I’m ok.”
She took me to the emergency room. My blood pressure had dropped to 80 over 60 and my heart rate was around 120, which is nearly twice the normal rate. They discovered that I was bleeding internally and determined to scope me to find out the problem.
As I lay in the hospital room about 2:00 am the morning before the procedure was done, I began having a conversation with Jesus. I told Him, “Lord, I am 69 years old. I’ve had a good life. I’m not afraid to die. I know where I’m going.. But in my heart I don’t think Im supposed to leave right now. First of all, I know Trudi wouldn’t like it. Secondly, I don’t think I’m done yet. I still have a strong desire to fulfill the call to preach on family in the body of Christ, and to also help my son with our church in OKC where I’m the apostolic elder.”
As I laid there the Lord gently told me, “I am the Lord and I will heal you.” Assurance and confidence rushed over me. I knew I would be ok. I grabbed my phone to look at the context of that verse.
It is found in Exodus 15. This is after God parted the Red Sea and destroyed the Egyptian army. 1 Corinthians 10:11 tells us that these things (the story of the deliverance of the children of Israel under Moses) happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us how live at the end of the age.
So this story is like a pattern for the church of our day to follow. It is a picture. Moses is the savior (like Jesus) that delivered the children of Israel from the land of sin. The Red Sea parting is a picture of how we are baptized into Christ, by water and by the Holy Spirit. The children of Israel are on a journey to find the promised land. As believers in Christ we are designed to use the promises of God to fulfill our earthly purpose.
But 3 days after that miraculous event, the Israelites are thirsty. They are in the desert and need water. Water in the Bible is always a picture of the Holy Spirit. We need the life giving help of the Holy Spirit as we journey through life. They come upon an oasis but quickly discover that the water is bitter and they can’t drink it. The people begin to complain but Moses cries out to God (that’s what a good leader does.) God answers his prayer by showing him a tree.
Exodus 15:25 (NKJV) So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast [it] into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them,
What is the tree? The tree is a picture of the wooden cross that Jesus died upon. When Moses threw the tree in the water it became sweet. The application of the cross in our life is designed for us to deal with the bitterness. We all have to face our own bitterness as we journey through this life. People will disappoint you. Things don’t always go smoothly. Bitterness is designed by the enemy to stop you from entering your promised land.
So what do you do about it? Throw the cross into the bitter water. Give it to Jesus and refuse to allow it to poison your heart and stop your progress. As I read that scripture that night I checked my heart. I told the Lord, “I let go of any and all animosity or bitterness about anything in my past. I repent if I hold anything of bitterness against anybody. I forgive everybody and give it to you Lord. Thank you for the fresh water of the Holy Spirit to help me right now.”
The Lord spoke to me again and said, “Because you have tried to live for me and have done your best to live by my Word, it allows me to heal you.”
The next day they did the scope and found that I had 2 ulcers that had caused the bleeding, one on my esophagus and one in my stomach. They put clips on them to repair them and I am as good as new.
In conclusion, ask yourself this hard honest question. Is there anybody or any event in your life causing bitterness to live in your heart? I encourage to release it in faith. All of it. Bring it to Jesus and let it go. Throw the cross in the bitter water so that God can heal you and you can go on to fulfill your purpose for being alive.
Life is short. Don’t allow bitterness to affect and infect your destiny and assignment.
I just wanted to share this story honestly with our friends and partners. I hope it helps you. Thank you for partnering with our ministry. Trudi and I love you.
Blessing,
Ken and Trudi​