SUNDAY JULY 26 2009
SOUTHSIDE FELLOWSHIP
It is amazing how God allows people to come into your life, sometimes it will be under unusual circumstances, but it has a purpose.
Some months ago, Dianne met a wonderful lady whose name is Joy Divona. The relationship with Joy began when Dianne had gone to the Cancer Center to a seminar that was being offered to patients. As she got out of her car, she saw a lady by herself that was having a very hard time getting out of her car and was on crutches. Dianne went over to her, helped Joy out of her car, and then got her a wheelchair. She introduced herself to Joy and came to find out that Joy was going to the same seminar which they attended together.
Afterwards Dianne and Joy became friends and she found out that Joy was a Christian and her husband Imelio had come to know Christ last December. Joy has been to our house several times and had lunch together. Joy has 3 children, Jeff, Randy, and Joyce. Imelio works in Los Angeles and is gone a lot of the time. Imelio also has inoperable prostate cancer and is under ongoing treatment. I have met Imelio and we all had lunch together at Mimi's in the Greenridge shops area and became to know each other better.
Joy has been going to Southside Fellowship with us since early part of this year and she is also attending the Discovering Southside series with us. Joy and Dianne had talked about laying on hands for Joy by the Elders of the church and we have been praying about it.
SOUTHSIDE FELLOWSHIP
It is amazing how God allows people to come into your life, sometimes it will be under unusual circumstances, but it has a purpose.
Some months ago, Dianne met a wonderful lady whose name is Joy Divona. The relationship with Joy began when Dianne had gone to the Cancer Center to a seminar that was being offered to patients. As she got out of her car, she saw a lady by herself that was having a very hard time getting out of her car and was on crutches. Dianne went over to her, helped Joy out of her car, and then got her a wheelchair. She introduced herself to Joy and came to find out that Joy was going to the same seminar which they attended together.
Afterwards Dianne and Joy became friends and she found out that Joy was a Christian and her husband Imelio had come to know Christ last December. Joy has been to our house several times and had lunch together. Joy has 3 children, Jeff, Randy, and Joyce. Imelio works in Los Angeles and is gone a lot of the time. Imelio also has inoperable prostate cancer and is under ongoing treatment. I have met Imelio and we all had lunch together at Mimi's in the Greenridge shops area and became to know each other better.
Joy has been going to Southside Fellowship with us since early part of this year and she is also attending the Discovering Southside series with us. Joy and Dianne had talked about laying on hands for Joy by the Elders of the church and we have been praying about it.
In James 5:14, the Bible says to pray for the sick, "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord".
The term Elder is used two ways in the Bible. There are those who are Elders simply because of age, Elders also describe special men who meet certain qualifications and are appointed to the work of overseeing the congregation where they serve. Since Elders have to meet specific qualifications, their lives are godly and therefore the sin in their lives is minimal and is confessed regularly; therefore, they are used to pray for the sick. One of the necessities in prayer is praying for the Lord’s will to be done, and they are expected to do this. The requirements of an Elder are listed in I Timothy 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 6-9.
The physical laying on of hands was not always required for healing. Jesus laid His hands on many of those he healed, but he also healed without laying His hands on people. There were times when he was not even near the vicinity of those He healed. In Matthew 8:8 it describes Jesus healing the servant of the centurion without going near the centurion’s house.
The physical laying on of hands was not always required for healing. Jesus laid His hands on many of those he healed, but he also healed without laying His hands on people. There were times when he was not even near the vicinity of those He healed. In Matthew 8:8 it describes Jesus healing the servant of the centurion without going near the centurion’s house.
So, Joy asked Raydell Tedder at Southside Fellowship if she could arrange to meet with the Southside Elders and be anointed and pray for her. Joy asked that Dianne and I also go with her, and we did so after attending our Discovering Southside class. We met in Charlie Boyd's conference office and Tim Johnson led the anointing and Walt Hanford, David Swain, Bill Albert, Todd Devaney, and Mark Moody attended and also prayed for Joy. Joy told them what she wanted them to pray for specifically. She also requested prayer for her son Jeff and for her Dad who is 90 years old and needs her help which she is unable to help now. Walt Hanford asked a question which I will never forget; he asked Joy if she would blame God if he elected not to heal her, and also asked if any of her family would blame God if he did not heal her, and Joy said she would not blame God.
Joy told the Elders that her Doctor had told her she would not live until March 2009 but she was still with us. Now, last week, her Doctor told her that she only had 90 days to live. All the Elders gathered around Joy, anointed her with oil, laid hands on her, and began praying. I felt the Lord's presence in that room and it is our prayer that God will be glorified in everything that happens in Joy's life.
God's blessings to Joy, Imelio, Jeff, Randy, Joyce, her Dad, and their families.
Bruce
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