Ken Lovelace Ministries


HEALING PRAYERS (another lesson on prayer) by Lygia Lovelace In family class on Wednesday evenings, we’ve been studying Elijah. I’ve always admired this “hero of the faith” and the relationship he had with God. In this particular study, what drew me to Elijah the most was how God dealt with him. Perhaps you’d like to read his story again. You see, it has struck me over the past few weeks how God answered Elijah in different ways. Sometimes, it was in a loud, powerful, instantaneous way—like when God sent fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice that Elijah had prepared. Elijah breathed just one prayer for this miracle to happen! It was quick and spectacular and life changing for many of the people watching. At another time, God spoke to Elijah quietly. And not only did God speak in a still, small voice, but He didn’t speak right away—not until Elijah had been waiting for some time on the mountain—he waited through a shattering, strong wind, an earthquake and even a fire until he finally heard the response he had been waiting for… Quite a few years ago, when Ken was pastoring a church, we had a really bad experience. It was one of those experiences where we felt all alone, and though we searched Scripture and prayed fervently for God’s direction in doing what was right, we felt misunderstood and ridiculed. Many times we came home on Sundays in tears. Our children did not understand the conversations they heard when we attended church. They cried on Saturday nights, when they knew we would have to go back to church on Sunday. Despairingly, we begged God to release us from this assignment. We knew that eventually He would call us away, but over and over God would say to our hearts, “Not yet…Stand firm…Be courageous...I am made strong in your weakness…” As a wife, I cried every time my husband left the house to go to a church meeting. I would pace the floor, and watch the clock until he returned home. I had heard the criticism he had received—the threats, and the lies. Many times, I saw my husband look into the face of powerful men in the church and tell them gently, “I’m sorry you feel that way—I love you guys.” I saw their faces contort in anger, and I knew that the enemy was in control. One person particularly made me angry. I couldn’t shake my feelings for him. I remembered the Message of the Dove (see previous article), but frankly, because I had heard him spew such hateful words, I didn’t know how I could ever forgive him. “Deliver me from this anger, Father,” I prayed. “Help me to understand this man…give me wisdom…give me the same sincere love that Ken has for him.” Then one night—almost immediately after I had prayed—I had a dream. I found myself standing before the throne of God. I looked around and saw millions of people. They were all looking to Jesus, Who was standing before us. He was looking at a certain crowd of people with sadness in His eyes. As I looked over to where Jesus was gazing, I saw the man that I despised! I looked again at Jesus. He was looking at this same man, with such tenderness and love, that I immediately felt uncomfortable. I felt extreme shame in my heart as I watched Jesus looking at him. I cried in my dream, begging God’s forgiveness. Christ had given His life for this man! Miraculously, I instantly was able to forgive him, to love him, and to pray for him. I felt immediate cleansing, never again tormented by the anger and hatred that I had felt for him. Another such time, more than just a few years ago, an anger began to fester inside of me. Again, I prayed and prayed for God to free me from the chains I felt weighing me down. My joy and peace were gone, and this anger stood like a wall between God and me. I looked up verses on anger, I prayed for this person—even when I woke in the night. But my healing wasn’t instantaneous—not this time. I had to meet with this person on a daily basis. I had to swallow my anger and resentment, and live Christ before him. I had to pray that God would love him through me, because I was too weak and sinful to love him on my own. It was a painful, humbling time. I had to work a long time—through the shattering wind, earthquake and fire of that relationship. Then, one random morning years later, I awoke feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from my heart. It was a miracle! I almost floated out of bed, and I knew immediately what had happened! I was finally healed of my anger! I no longer felt any resentment or dread in my heart. My chains were gone. I was free to really love this person. But…why did it take so long for this healing to come? I don’t know. It wasn’t fun, but I did learn a lot. And I grew stronger. There are many things I don’t understand about God’s healing. But I do know that His timing is perfect—His way is best. I have learned to wait (though not always patiently) and to trust Him. What healing do you need in your life? Have you been praying for a long time? Perhaps it’s a physical healing? An emotional healing? Spiritual? The healing will come. Oh, I’ve lived through enough disappointments to know that healing doesn’t always happen the way we want it to. But if it’s God’s healing, then it’s perfect healing. How do we know if it’s God’s healing? If we have continued to seek Him day after day, asking for His help—with pure motives and a clean heart. His Word tells us that if we seek Him with all of our hearts, He will be found. (Jeremiah 29:13) Go to Him now. He loves you. He delights in you. He longs to heal you. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:2

HEALING PRAYERS
(another lesson on prayer)
by Lygia Lovelace

In family class on Wednesday evenings, we’ve been studying Elijah. I’ve always admired this “hero of the faith” and the relationship he had with God. In this particular study, what drew me to Elijah the most was how God dealt with him. Perhaps you’d like to read his story again.

You see, it has struck me over the past few weeks how God answered Elijah in different ways. Sometimes, it was in a loud, powerful, instantaneous way—like when God sent fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice that Elijah had prepared. Elijah breathed just one prayer for this miracle to happen! It was quick and spectacular and life changing for many of the people watching.

At another time, God spoke to Elijah quietly. And not only did God speak in a still, small voice, but He didn’t speak right away—not until Elijah had been waiting for some time on the mountain—he waited through a shattering, strong wind, an earthquake and even a fire until he finally heard the response he had been waiting for…

Quite a few years ago, when Ken was pastoring a church, we had a really bad experience. It was one of those experiences where we felt all alone, and though we searched Scripture and prayed fervently for God’s direction in doing what was right, we felt misunderstood and ridiculed. Many times we came home on Sundays in tears. Our children did not understand the conversations they heard when we attended church. They cried on Saturday nights, when they knew we would have to go back to church on Sunday.

Despairingly, we begged God to release us from this assignment. We knew that eventually He would call us away, but over and over God would say to our hearts, “Not yet…Stand firm…Be courageous...I am made strong in your weakness…”

As a wife, I cried every time my husband left the house to go to a church meeting. I would pace the floor, and watch the clock until he returned home. I had heard the criticism he had received—the threats, and the lies. Many times, I saw my husband look into the face of powerful men in the church and tell them gently, “I’m sorry you feel that way—I love you guys.” I saw their faces contort in anger, and I knew that the enemy was in control.

One person particularly made me angry. I couldn’t shake my feelings for him. I remembered the Message of the Dove (see previous article), but frankly, because I had heard him spew such hateful words, I didn’t know how I could ever forgive him.

“Deliver me from this anger, Father,” I prayed. “Help me to understand this man…give me wisdom…give me the same sincere love that Ken has for him.”

Then one night—almost immediately after I had prayed—I had a dream.

I found myself standing before the throne of God. I looked around and saw millions of people. They were all looking to Jesus, Who was standing before us. He was looking at a certain crowd of people with sadness in His eyes. As I looked over to where Jesus was gazing, I saw the man that I despised! I looked again at Jesus. He was looking at this same man, with such tenderness and love, that I immediately felt uncomfortable. I felt extreme shame in my heart as I watched Jesus looking at him.

I cried in my dream, begging God’s forgiveness. Christ had given His life for this man! Miraculously, I instantly was able to forgive him, to love him, and to pray for him. I felt immediate cleansing, never again tormented by the anger and hatred that I had felt for him.

Another such time, more than just a few years ago, an anger began to fester inside of me. Again, I prayed and prayed for God to free me from the chains I felt weighing me down. My joy and peace were gone, and this anger stood like a wall between God and me. I looked up verses on anger, I prayed for this person—even when I woke in the night.

But my healing wasn’t instantaneous—not this time.

I had to meet with this person on a daily basis. I had to swallow my anger and resentment, and live Christ before him. I had to pray that God would love him through me, because I was too weak and sinful to love him on my own. It was a painful, humbling time. I had to work a long time—through the shattering wind, earthquake and fire of that relationship.

Then, one random morning years later, I awoke feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from my heart. It was a miracle! I almost floated out of bed, and I knew immediately what had happened! I was finally healed of my anger! I no longer felt any resentment or dread in my heart. My chains were gone. I was free to really love this person.

But…why did it take so long for this healing to come?

I don’t know. It wasn’t fun, but I did learn a lot. And I grew stronger. There are many things I don’t understand about God’s healing. But I do know that His timing is perfect—His way is best. I have learned to wait (though not always patiently) and to trust Him.

What healing do you need in your life? Have you been praying for a long time? Perhaps it’s a physical healing? An emotional healing? Spiritual?

The healing will come. Oh, I’ve lived through enough disappointments to know that healing doesn’t always happen the way we want it to. But if it’s God’s healing, then it’s perfect healing. How do we know if it’s God’s healing? If we have continued to seek Him day after day, asking for His help—with pure motives and a clean heart. His Word tells us that if we seek Him with all of our hearts, He will be found. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Go to Him now. He loves you. He delights in you. He longs to heal you.

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:2