The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Jesse Birkey's picture

picture of frustrationThe thing about transparency is that you have to be willing to be transparent.  Not just in the good times but also the bad.  Maybe even the ugly.  But I've found that God can do amazing things when we share our failures.  Sometimes it’s our ugliness that helps people in the ways they need most. 

It was late one night when the phone rang.  Not too late, but late enough.  My wife picked it up and I didn't hear anything else for a while.  I was working on producing the Life Resurrected audio book and getting frustrated with the software. 

Suddenly my wife was at the door telling me that one of our friends had called asking if we would come and pray for her mother who was in the hospital.  We had no idea what was wrong and she didn't tell us.  We didn't even know her mother was in the hospital. 

My reaction was less than…well let’s just say it was terrible.  I was angry.  I was angry that it was late and we had to go to the hospital.  I was angry because everything I had planned for the night was ruined.  The kids were staying overnight at their grandparents which gave me another reason to be upset.  It was looking like a quiet, relaxing evening but not anymore.  I complained all the way down the stairs and into the car.  My wife was just shaking her head at me as if to say, “Are you seriously throwing fit because someone asked us to come and pray?”  I was.

About 5 minutes into the 25 minute trip I was still venting.  My wife was just being silent, patiently waiting for the Lord to get a hold of me.  Then it happened.  I heard the soft voice of Jesus tell me that there were many times in which he stepped away from what He had planned so that He could minister to those who came to Him.  He allowed Himself to be repeatedly interrupted because He loved the people so much.

I spent the next few minutes repenting for my ridiculous and childish attitude as compassion filled me for the person we were going to see.  It was then that we began to ask the Lord to show us how to approach the person we were going to see.  He responded by showing us a vision with an accompanying message.

We arrived at the hospital and our friend escorted us up to where her mother was.  My wife and I explained the vision we’d seen and gave her the message we’d heard.  It ended up being a word of knowledge for her medical condition and the message spoke directly to her heart.  Then we spent time praying for her healing, physically and spiritually.

That night God touched her heart in a special way.  He also touched her body.  We received word the next day that her heart efficiency had increased by a significant percentage and there was no plaque buildup like they were expecting.  She was discharged a couple days later.

I learned many things that night.  Things I didn't expect to learn when we received the call.  God is so faithful.  He doesn't give up on us when we react poorly.  He gives us the chance to embrace the opportunities He brings to us.  But we have to choose to get over our sense of inconvenience.  I had to give up my anger and frustration.  It was the only way I could have a chance to hear from the Lord and be a part of the amazing things He did that night. 

Blessings,

Jesse and Kara Birkey

www.reflectministry.com

jbirkey@reflectministry.com

twitter.com/JesseBirkey

http://www.facebook.com/reflectministry

View the Trailer for our new book, Life Resurrected, Extraordinary Miracles through Ordinary People Here!

Click Here to find information on an exciting new documentary called DeadRaiser releasing in October!

 

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Through the Bible New Testament MP3 Package

3 MP3 Sets by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 1 eBook by Mark and Patti Virkler

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the New Testament in three modules. This package includes parts six - eight of our Through The Bible series,  which provide you an overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

Why are there four Gospels describing Jesus' life? How are the three synoptic Gospels different from John? What does God want to say to me through the life of Jesus? Can I really imitate Christ and be like him? Yes, Jesus came to model the lifestyle God has empowered us to live!

Price: $55.00

Through the Bible Old Testament MP3 Package

5 MP3 Sets by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 1 eBook by Mark and Patti Virkler

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the entire Old Testament in this five module series. This is a part of our Through the Bible series, which gives you an overview of the entire Bible. This package contains five sets of MP3s which span the Old Testament and includes the Through the Bible e-workbook

Price: $90.00

Unique Gifts Make Winning Teams MP3 Package

The contents of this package are the same as the Unique Gifts Make Winning Teams CD Package but in digital format. Receive your products immediately with no shipping fees!

Price: $69.95

Unleashing Healing Power Through Spirit-Born Emotions MP3 Package

314 page eBook by Mark Virkler and Charity Kayembe | MP3 set teaching through book and second MP3 set of 5 Spirit-led and interactive devotionals set to music

Experience Healing for Your Body, Soul, and Spirit through Kingdom Emotions!

In Christianity, emotions are often considered to be misleading and untrustworthy—a lingering part of our fallen nature that distract us from God’s truth. But our emotions were created by God, and though the enemy may seek to manipulate our hearts, Jesus sets us free! This practical teaching will empower you to see emotions as unique channels through which the Holy Spirit works to bring miraculous life-transformation, deliverance and healing.

Price: $95.00

Your Extraordinary Life MP3 Download Package

197 Page eBook | 16 MP3 Sessions | Save 10% | by Mark & Patti Virkler

Can you imagine starting new believers off with the Holy Spirit! What if the first thing you were taught as a newborn Christian was how to connect easily and daily with the Holy Spirit Who was living inside you, anointing you, empowering you and transforming you?

Price: $45.00
4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice eBook

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 305 Pages | Retail: $16.99

Have you ever wished you could just sit down and have a long talk with the Lord? Wouldn't it be wonderful to move beyond having a theology that states that God loves you to actually hearing Him whisper words of love into your heart? When you're worried or confused, wouldn't you love to see the situation from His perspective and hear how He wants you to respond?

Price: $14.95

Counseled by God eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 146 Pages

Have you ever been defeated by negative emotions such as anger, fear, guilt, inferiority, condemnation or depression? Have you tried to fight them off unsuccessfully? Is there an answer that is deeper than simply trying to mentally reason yourself out of these emotions? Is there a way that Jesus can speak a word of life into the depths of your emotional despair and bring healing on a deep level? Is there a form of Christian counseling that begins and ends with the movement of Christ within your heart, rather than simply with the words of man?

Price: $9.95

Dialogue with God eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 296 Pages

A narrative, right-brain presentation of the principles of how to hear God's voice. Especially enjoyable for personal use, it makes a great gift for introducing a loved one to the voice of God. This book teaches the four keys to hearing God's voice in readable style, and also devotes two entire chapters to moving samples of people's journaling (i.e. their two-way dialogue with God).

Price: $17.95
Hearing God eBook Cover

Hearing God eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 192 Pages

Reviewed by Sid Roth on It's SupernaturalWhat does it sound like to hear from Heaven? In this interactive journal, Dr. Mark Virkler takes you on a life-changing journey that reveals three powerful ways you can hear God’s voice and recognize how He is speaking in your life everyday.

Price: $16.95

How to Hear God's Voice ebook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 317 Pages

We recommend that you order the newest revision of this book titled 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice. It includes 95% of the content of How to Hear God's Voice but is reorganized so it fits perfectly with the 10 DVDs on this subject by Mark Virkler. In addition, it gets you started using the four keys earlier in the book and gives you more journaling samples and exercises. Since we have removed the large margins, it is a smaller and less expensive book.

Price: $15.96

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