"When God Doesn't Heal Now" (Larry Keefauver)

TITLE: When God Doesn't Heal Now
AUTHOR: Larry Keefauver
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2000.

I got this book several years ago. It was not read until recently as the catchy title keeps coming back to me. This is a book that attempts to correct misunderstanding of healing, and to debunk myths surrounding faith healing, and faith healers. It is evident that the author has encountered disappointments among people whose loved ones were not healed. They then enter into the guilt-zone of not praying hard enough, not enough faith, upset about unconfessed sin, and the confusion when certain faith healers did not heal as promised. The title of the book is important. Keefauver is not so much interested in the 'why' but in the WHEN. This is similar to Harold Kushner's world famous book, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." Keefauver argues that the why-question tends to drown a person in perpetual mystery and frustration. The 'when' extends the hope and allows the practice of faith.

The author is careful to distance himself from the kind of myth perpetuated by Kenneth Copeland, where physical healing has 2 dimensions: in time and in space (41). Instead, Keefauver suggests:

MYTH: "If you stand fast in faith, trusting Jesus, you will be healed in time and in space."

FACT: "If you stand fast in faith, trusting Jesus, you will be healed eternally even when you do not see your physical healing manifested now. "(41)

Other myths include:

• "Believe and you will be healed now" (Truth: It is not faith but God who heals.)
• "Great faith heals." (Truth: we cannot quantify units of faith.)
• "God must heal with we believe." (Truth: God is not servant to our faith demands)
• "God only heals those who believe." (Truth: God can heal anyone, not just believers)
• "The key to our healing is our faith."  (Truth: Key to healing is in Christ, not in our faith)
• "When I confess my healing, I will be healed now."  (Truth: Confession of sins is chiefly about salvation, not physical healing)
• "Persistent faith will cause healing to manifest." (Truth: persistent faith is not about persistent unto physical healing, but the race to complete the life of faith.)

The way to understand faith is this:

"It is more than believing in your heart that God heals. The truth is that God is the God who Heals. Faith is trusting the God who heals. Faith is a radical, absolute surrender to the God who Heals. Faith is not holding on for your healing but holding on to the God who Heals." (40)

Right on. Faith is on the God who heals, not on the healing.  Keefauver debunks the myth of faith healing which puts one's own faith (or lack of it) as a reason for lack of healing. He debunks the myth of some kinds of prayer that hinders true prayer. He deals with the myths of disease as a punishment from God, and the myths of faith healers.

Then he introduces his understanding of God's timing, sovereignty and true faith. What is not clear is physical healing. What is very clear is the eternal salvation and full healing in eternity. He then poses some truth statements:

• Truth #1 - "Visible Facts are Not Total Reality" (132)
• Truth #2 - "Faith Walking is Prayer Walking" (134)
• Truth #3 - "God and His Word can be Trusted" (137)
• Truth #4 - "Faith Focuses on the Healer, not the Healing" (138)

He then presents 40 steps to finding true health and healing.

My Comments

Keefauver has participated in many of the healing events by prosperity and health preachers such as Kenneth Copeland and Peter Youngren. While he does not agree with all of their teachings, he still admits God's sovereignty and timing, even quoting one healing event in Youngren's rally (118-9). While he acknowledges some healing, Keefauver's main point is that the Christian ought to give God the glory regardless of whether there is physical healing or not. This I believe is the most important point in this book. There is a tendency for people picking up this book thinking that it is a book that teaches one the formula for true healing. No. This book deals with the aftermath of 'failed' expectations of healing. It deals with what to do next. It corrects erroneous thinking surrounding faith and healing. It deals with the re-orientation of man's focus on healing, to God.

The author tries hard to give some practical applications, like the 40 steps to God's Healing through the Word. Unfortunately, it presents some problems. Not only is it too cumbersome and long, it is guilty of introducing another formula for healing. It may give the beginner a kickstart. It may give the new Christian hope in following through the steps. Its key strength is in debunking myths.

The fact is that everyone's faith journey is different. It is important for readers to discern what is best. Perhaps, there are no 40-steps. Perhaps, there is only a part or a combination of them. What is most important is that at each step, there is a renewed focus on God. God alone.

conrade

Book: "Everything Must Change" (Brian D. McLaren)

TITLE: Everything Must Change - Jesus, global crises, and a revolution of hope
AUTHOR: Brian D. McLaren
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2007, (332 pages).

The world is in terrible shape. There are more questions than answers, more problems than solutions, and more crises than opportunities. McLaren shares his more than 20 years of struggle through 2 key preoccupying questions.

1. What are the biggest problems in the world?
2. What does Jesus have to say about these global problems?

Key to McLaren's thesis is to change our 'framing story.' A framing story is like a framework used to view how the world is functioning. Our current world model of economics and globalization policies are launching the world into three major crises.

A 'prosperity crisis' in which our current global economic model is not only unsustainable, it is environmentally hazardous. It is also a model that is very poor in wealth distribution.

A 'equity crisis' highlights the problem of the growing rich-poor divide, that causes the 'poor majority to envy, resent, and even hate the rich minority.' This in turn creates an equal and opposite reaction from the rich. (5)

A 'security crisis' is a result of not adequately addressing the resentment and fear that arises out of the first two.

Finally, the 'spirituality crisis' represents the failure of the world's religions to do anything about it. In comes Everything Must Change. McLaren boldly calls for a new framing story to 'give people direction, values, vision, and inspiration by providing a framework for their lives.' (5)

McLaren believes that in Christ, everything can change. For the sake of the world, everything must change. He invites all to see Jesus's life and teachings not stuck in our personal spiritual closets, but as formative to the transformation of the world.

Book: "The Grace of God"

This book review was first published on YAPDATES here. I warmly recommend this book for your reading and practice.

conrade

---

Book Review: "The Grace of God" (Andy Stanley)

TITLE: The Grace of God
Author: Andy Stanley
Published: Thomas-Nelson, 2010.
Reviewed by: Conrade Yap

This is by far one of the best books on the subject of grace. Arguably, it can be even be ranked together with Philip Yancey's "What's So Amazing About Grace?" Deeply biblical, highly applicable and wonderfully quotable, Stanley has given the Christian public a wonderful and important gift with insights on God's grace in the Old Testament and the New Testament. He starts off well by addressing the position of grace.

"When we are on the receiving end, grace is refreshing. When it is required of us, it is often disturbing. But when correctly applied, it seems to solve just about everything. Contrary to what is sometimes taught, the opposite of grace is not law. As we will discover, God's law is actually an extension of grace. The opposite of grace is simply the absence of grace. " (xiii)

What the Book is About

Grace acknowledges both the seriousness of sin, as well as the magnaminity of grace and mercy. The whole Bible is in itself a Tour de France of grace. Stanley highlights the essence of grace through the biblical characters of Adam, Abraham, Judah, Joshua, Rahab, David, Jonah, Nicodemus, Samaritans, Paul and others. He packs his insights by allowing the reader to walk their doubts alongside. Gently, like popping the lid of a coffee can, he acknowledges the hard Mosaic laws God seems to demand out of the Israelites. Then he guides us to appreciate the aroma of grace coming off the laws of God, to reveal the heart of the law: God's grace. One of my favourite quotes deal with the purpose of discipline, and how God's law is an extension of grace.

"To a child all discipline feels like a curse, but to the parent, it's a way to teach two important lessons: disobedience has consequences, and obedience leads to freedom." (15)

My Comments
I love the way Stanley weaves in his interpretation of the Old Testament narratives through the lens of grace. He makes the ancient Old Testament books come alive with fresh and modern new applications. One of my favourites is the way he expounds the Ten Commandments.

"... the Ten Commandments do no stand in contrast to grace; they are introduced within the story of God's grace." (53)

For those who sees the Old Testament as a rigid rule book, it will be important to remember that the Israel of old does not have any laws like we do in modern times. In other words, at a time when Israel is in disarray and without law and order, God by his grace and mercy gave them laws to keep their own house in order. Giving the law is an act of grace.

Personally, I think that while Stanley does well in the Old Testament exposition on grace, the part from the New Testament is not as strong, except for the final chapter on the parable of the Prodigal Son. This last chapter, "How Sweet the Sound" is worth the price of the book. Now I learn to read that parable as the parable of the two sons instead.

This book is definitely my book of the month for November.

conrade

"Book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available October 2010 at your favourite bookseller."

---

Book Review: "A Resilient Life"

TITLE: A RESILIENT LIFE - You can Move Ahead No Matter What
AUTHOR: Gordon MacDonald
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2004.

The Christian life is sometimes compared to a race. In Paul's letter to Timothy, he famously said:

"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." (2 Tim 4:7)

Based on biblical concepts, the author has written a brilliant treatise on the need to establish resilience in our Christian walk. He places 5 major ways in which one can develop resilience.

1. Resilient people are committed to finishing strong.
2. Resilient people run inspired by a big-picture of life.
3. Resilient people run free of the weight of the past.
4. Resilient people train to go the distance.
5. Resilient people run in the company of a 'happy few.'

I like the emphasis of this book that focuses on the long-term, marathon-based, and the need to cultivate toughness in a person. Firstly, by developing a plan to establish a resilient life, one can avoid the easy temptations of short-cut Christianity. Knowing that the journey is long gives the Christian an impetus for faith and hope. Secondly, knowing that the race is more like a marathon will help us equip ourselves accordingly. Thirdly, having a tough mentality shows that the servant of God is not easily discouraged. It prepares one to go through the pain and sufferings of life, without losing the foundations of faith.

I warmly recommend this book for those of us wanting to cultivate a tough spirituality, that is tough on sin, but soft in grace.

conrade