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July 12, 2021 6:00 am
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Get involved in promoting the sanctity of human life with Focus on the Family see life 2021. It's a six episode digital experience to help you embrace the pro-life cause with truth, compassion and empathy. See like 2021 premieres on Focus on the Family's website and social media channels on Friday, July 16 at 7 PM. Then each week will debut a new episode equip you on the pro-life issues of our day will hear from respected leaders and see amazing testimonies from women and men whose lives have been impacted.
So join us for this life-changing six week experience online. Premiering on Friday, July 16 also mark your calendar now for the culmination of sea life 2021 with the celebrate life live experience in Dallas-Fort Worth on August 28 for more details, visit Focus on the Family.com/C life they forgot to touch somebody else touches you. The first thought that comes to mind, and it's the truth. I don't deserve this and you don't and that's when grace is wonder if you've ever personally witnessed a miracle if not now you're about to walk into Focus on the Family with your host books. President Jim Daly I'm John Fuller and you know John and it's one thing to read about healings and miracles occurred in biblical times that it's truly unique to find a modern day miraculous healing that was recorded on tape and that's what were going to hear today. Our guest is Duane Miller he's an author, speaker and the pastor of pinnacle church on Cedar Creek Lake near Dallas, Texas. He's been married to Joy Lane for over 50 years and they have two daughters and one granddaughter Wayne is written a book about his amazing story. It's called speechless and we got details about it in the episode notes here now is Duane Miller speaking at Allison Park church in Pennsylvania and where to pick it up as he dives into a story on today's episode of Focus on the Family January 1990 I got out of bed and and in the morning and you know that feeling you get when you know you're coming down with something you not really sick. Just give me a minute and I will be at that nasty yucky feeling that you know you got whatever it is you caught that's how I felt that morning and I began my ministry singing professionally and for number of years.
I sang a gospel music and traveled. So now that I'll take a song in a sermon outline and got a put them together and preach, saying my sermon and that's what I plan to do that morning. Well, at the 830 service. I try it didn't sound good and it didn't feel good and so 11 o'clock.
I just tried to get through it and by the time we came back for Sunday evening for for the things we did on Sunday evening. I could not even participate. I was so sick. My church prayed for me and send me home and told me go get well while I stayed in bed for about 10 days with the flu. I called a doctor friend bided Houston. I ask you to see me's ENT and he agreed to see me at we tried W the office. He tried to scope my throat.
I could not even get a scope down my throat because it was swollen almost completely shut the blood test came back told me I had an infection that was really horrible in my bronchi so he put me on some medication for that put me on some steroids to reduce the swelling in my throat send me home for another 10 days until we come back and see them at the end of that time when I went back to him. He told me that the swelling was gone, which I could tell from the feeling in my throat. He told me that that the that the infection was clear, but I was left with a pressure in my throat, and the only way I know to describe that pressure is to tell you.
Grab your windpipe and squeeze if you do, that's what I sound like and that's what it felt like it might throw for the next three years of my life. My friend thought he knew what was wrong with me immediately. We want to corroboration so he sent me over to Baylor College of medicine. When I walked in the door they learn they agreed. I picked up a team of 13 physicians became my lead team before this is over.
I've seen over 200 physicians from all over the world literally. And the reason was because my condition was so rare wasn't because I was important it was because I had something that nobody knew what to do with and so I became the guinea pig. All I knew was that I was suffering when we got all through within my physician gave him one day look to me and he said when I don't know what is wrong with you but I can tell you what's not wrong with you. You don't have cancer. And believe me, folks, you'll never know relief until you find out it's not the seawater as a dock.
Thanks. What we do now. He said when we allow testing to be said here is what I wanted to do next is that I want to take a leave of absence from your church, he said. And furthermore, I want you to leave town. Want your wife to leave with you want to go someplace where you don't know anybody because for the next six months. I want you to be totally silent so it took six months. Joely went with me left town stayed gone came back it was November came back into Houston went straight to the med center arrange to get there on Friday afternoon for my appointment straight into the doctor's office, sat down in the examining room in the dock go through the door. He's grinning any got some papers rolled up his hand. Don't know why. Remember that, but I do and he looked at me and he said all right Duane let's hear and I said in my voice was exactly the same as a dad walked out of his office six months before and he said the way we got a lot of testing. Got a lot of things to do. Don't get discouraged. I said I ever go to get to preach again and he looked at me and he was serious and said Duane that's a question I cannot answer because until we get a clear diagnosis of the problem. I can't begin treatment until I get you into a treatment program. I can't give you a prognosis for success. So at this point I don't know. That morning I resigned truth. Scariest thing of ever done in my life.
Both of my daughters were students at Baylor University. At that point I did not. We would keep the kids in school. I didn't know what we going to do to make a living. We moved back to the city of Houston. We went back to First Baptist Church, which is home for us at this point been there for so long. Went back to a Sunday school class that I had taught when I was on staff classes 3 to 400 people in the class. Now I'm just a member in the class and on back there.
One of the guys in the church. Help me out he he's a private investigator in and he said when I got some you can do and he put me to work for him as a private investigator. He was actually working for the FDI see for the FSLIC a contract and remember when the banking and the savings-and-loan crisis and all that was going on. Will this was in the in part of that and what it was having to happen was every single loan in every single institution was having to be verified that it had the collateral that it was real yada yada yada and so suddenly the church network which I believe in and found me a job I didn't have to talk. I could go to the courthouse.
I can write reports on a computer and suddenly I was gainfully employed. My kids could stay in school while working as a private investigator not doing reports and all the time doctors are trying to examine figure out what's wrong with me. At one point they thought I had MS my vocal cords would move and that's why doctors were everywhere wanted to see me. I was the aunt canvasses of what they treat now been back in the Sunday school class for couple years as a member and an end and the teacher had to take some time off. Class comes back to me and said hey would you fill in and I'm looking at them in sin as I get DH it's too hard to understand me and inside I'm going and they said you teach will listen really carefully so I went back to teaching.
I could use a microphone when I finally wound up getting a headset and I would literally put the windscreen on my lips and I would scream at at the top of my lungs when I would finish teaching for 45 minutes on Sunday morning. I literally physically would be ringing wet from perspiration all away from my T-shirt all way through my suit coat that began in April 1992 May 9 two that federal agency for one day of the next. I just didn't get a fax called up the administrator and I said hey man what's up that I do something wrong but I miss uppercase. What's the problem here is that all Duane.
Don't worry about it were doing a little reorganization will get back to you shortly. I never heard from them again. That was the end of May 92 to 92 I get a letter for my group insurance carrier. They said Duane we have written here physicians to ask them what you will be fully recovered.
They now tell us that you probably will not recover. So all of the therapy that you are now undergoing is now classified as experimental treatment and we don't cover that your $18,000 were the bills that we have promised to pay but were not going and in July I got a letter from my disability carrier and they said Duane we have re-examine your disability. It doesn't fall under the definition that Social Security gives to disability, so therefore we determined that you're not really disabled and we won't pay you your benefit anymore, but we won't sue you get back what we've already paid you which I thought was right and I so and suddenly I have no job I have no group insurance to take care of me look after me, provide for me. I picked up $18,000 with the bills and then my disability carrier tells me I'm not disabled one month it's because I am disabled I can have coverage next month is because I'm not disabled that I can't have coverage who signed me up. People told me through the years that I should be a writer.
The got is gifted me and Eric never had time to write. Suddenly I had time I sat down I outline a couple books and often Christian publishers that I knew. I asked him to publish for me and I waited their response that would been August dish come January. I had not heard from that federal agency. I have not heard from anybody and I said it's time for me to find out what happened. I pick up the phone. I called administrative assistant at that federal agency and I said Jerry look, it's obvious I'm not getting more business. We all and I'm not begging. I just want to know what happened. Jerry said when I don't know but I promise I'll call you and he did call me up in the morning and he said when I find out what happened to you neither like it but here's reality. Our attorneys went to a management seminar as they were sitting around a table talking. They discovered that you were doing 80% of the work in the Houston area coming through you. Bye-bye now we have reached the size and importance of cases that they determined it was just a matter of days before someone was going to challenge how that case was prepared and they would have to put you on the stand to testify and with your voice the way it is, they were afraid that the jury or the judge might misunderstand or not get it and it would blow the whole case so they decided to never use you again because of your voice.
That's not fair, but it was right. It could happen as a Jerry.
Thanks. At least I know what happened when out about my day the mail came that afternoon, like it always does. About 130 had letters from both the Christian publishers that I sent my book idea to each one of those letters could been prepared by the same secretary on different letterhead. They read almost verbatim. Duane, thank you for your book idea believe it's commercial believe it would sell. It also appears you have talent to write but you don't have the name recognition of a Chuck Swindoll or James Dobson in order for us to recoup the investment we have to make in you. We have to put you out on a book tour to promote your book and with your voice the way it is. You could never do the book to sorry we won't be able to publish for you. Oh and by the way, we doubt you'll ever find a reputable publisher because they'll all have the same problem we do and suddenly I can't write because I can't talk who signed me up for that. I went home that afternoon with those letters in my hand and I sat down in a chair in my living room literally and I held those letters up and I said God this isn't funny. And it's not fun anymore and I can't take I want out. I can't support my family. I can't do anything I want out. The only thought that came to my mind is. Let's get the 12gauge and get this over with and I went upstairs and I loaded the 12 I came down I sat down in that chair and I sat there for the next four hours. People say why did you pull the trigger. Only answer I can give you the grace of God I don't know I get other people say to me when you shouldn't tell that preachers are supposed to think like that. Hey folks, I live in a real world okay forgive me. I'm tired of television theology that tells you if you give your heart to Jesus Christ you will never have another problem that's a lie. It's not true and if I don't tell you that the grace of God can get you past that chair when you find yourself in that chair you will know what to do so. The most important thing I can tell you is it's not a sin to find yourself at the end of yourself. It's not a sin to find yourself at your wits end and not know what to do. It's not a sin to find himself in the chair.
Some of you were there right now, not a sin. God's grace will get you past the chair living proof my sweetheart came home from work and see if I asked. Give God the praise man Lord my sweetheart chemo found in a chair.
She never seen the like that. I'd never been like that in my life.
She did everything she could. That afternoon to encourage me but I was beyond encouragement. I had to get up on Sunday morning, go teach that Sunday school class I monetize a message for I want to go teach at Sunday school class if there ever been a time in my life when my cup was empty. It was that Sunday morning. I tried to find somebody to fill in for me take over that class on that Sunday.
I did not want to be there.
I hurt and the pain that I was bearable. You know what to do, but my daddy raised me to believe that when you give your word you will do something you do it no matter what. Whether you feel like it when you don't feel like it you do it. That's how I was raised and I went to teach that Sunday school class that morning. Out of a pure sense of duty.
God knows that's the truth, and the lesson that I taught that morning was what Southern Baptist used to call Bible book series material.
So this lesson that I'm going to teach that morning when on the lesson plan for years before I got sick.
Psalm 103.
David's words bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, oh my soul and forget not all his benefits that he starts to list. He forgives all my sin and he heals all my disease and redeems my life from the pit.
The grave destruction and he crowns me with loving kindness, compassion, and he satisfies my mouth with good things.
My desires so that my youth is renewed like the eagle and I started teaching through that outline and I talked about the fact that he's forgiven all my sin. Not when looked up that word all Hebrew.
You know what it really means every last one, without exception, every last one, without exception, I moved to the second step in the second step was, and he heals all of my disease. I would love looked up that word all hoping and sure enough it was the same word every last one, without exception, he heals every last one, without exception, all my disease was going on in my mind why not, I'm standing here telling your people what your word says and I could barely croak it out. The testimony I moved to the third point any redeems my life from the pit. I never got to talk about the pit because just as I began to elaborate on that topic. God intervened in that room and this is what he did instead to say that every single person will always be healed because Jesus died on the cross is a misinterpretation of Scripture not true won't work.
Isaiah 53 doesn't talk about physical healing. I'm sorry.
It's just not the context and to impress that there causes a misinterpretation of Scripture that wrong. On the other hand, to say that since we don't have anything after the book of acts that miracles ended at the book of acts, and they never happen again is equally as wrong because you have put God in a box both ways. He does want to be in the box so the psalmist says I'm excited. Bless the Lord, O my soul, one of his benefits is he heals all of my diseases in verse four he says any redeems my life from the pit now. I like that verse just a whole lot. I have had and you have had in times past experiences, we both had we've all had times when our life seem to be in a grave and we didn't have an answer for the pit we find our selves in and I don't understand this right now.
I roamed at the moment I'm not quite sure what to say or do I sound funny to say you lost for words. Thank you Lord.
I wish I could let you see how I feel inside right now. I wish I could see how I feel inside right now here, it's good and a hand like tell you what happened right there when I said you had and I've had times past experiences on that word.
That pressure that had been in my throat for three years. Let go. I have had and you have had in times past experiences, we both had we've all had times when our life seem to be in it in a grave.
It was nothing anymore, or any less dramatic than that and it was gone and it startled me. You can hear that if you listen carefully when I say a couple words you hear me pause and you'll hear me swallow is the first time I swallowed and three years without feeling like I was being choked and when I said I don't understand this right now that doesn't mean that I didn't understand healing. I just got through telling everybody I believe God heals, but what was happening was it was happening understand this right now.
Trust me, if God touches you, that's the least of the things you might say I don't understand this right now.
It's one thing for God to be in the Bible. It's one thing for God to touch somebody else but God touches you understand this right now because the first thought that comes to your mind, and it's the truth. I don't deserve this and you don't and that's what grace is about call the doctor on Monday morning I went on on Tuesday morning and he had clear his entire day just for me. We shut more video of my throat. At the end of that doctor said that when he said you gotta watch this and believe me, folks, we got enough video to do a 90 minute special, and I'm not kidding. He looked at me and he said watching. You can literally watch scar tissue grow in my throat so like time lapse photography all the video that we shot of that three year. You watched all that grow in my throat. He said now watch this.
Any shot.
He played the video from that day in the video from that morning shows that all that scar tissue was in my throat is going in my throat is a slick smooth this date is hold the entire ordeal began. He said he explained that he somewhat makes scar tissue scar tissue educator, it doesn't go away. God walking on the doctor's office. He looked at me and he said when I tell you one thing I cannot find any evidence that you ever had a voice problem and I walked out the door, rejoicing few days later. I'd always asked God why and all once God told me why folks when Jesus comes. Things are dramatically changed and you can't explain.
One day I'm going to stand before the father and he's going to look at me and he's going to say when I can't find any evidence that you ever had a sin problem because you see folks scar tissue is to the body what sin is, to the soul. You can get rid of now I got a scar right here. I can cover it up so you never see it it doesn't keep me from doing anything with that hand. I want to do, but I will die with that scar that sin you covered up so nobody can see.
It may not keep you from doing anything you want to do in this life good time with it when Jesus comes.
Ladies and gentlemen, all I am is an object lesson of what it means to be forgiven. God did something concrete to demonstrate an abstract principle forgiveness.
I want you understand tonight that my entire life is dedicated to bringing that news to people who need to know Jesus Christ is real is for you. This is real is healing Israel all the things that God promises that all real and are all available to you and that's where will have to end this terrific presentation from Pastor Duane Miller John this is good, and let me just follow up by saying that if you need healing or forgiveness from the Lord please give us a call our caring staff would count it a privilege to pray with you over the phone and if your situation warrants it will set up a call back from one of our Christian counselors and our number is 800 the letter a in the word family 800-232-6459. I want to add one thought to Duane's powerful message when were going through a dark time in our life, it often seems like God shows up at the very last minute like you did with Duane. So please remember this if you're going through a very difficult time. Hang in there. Continue to honor the Lord, you never know what God's going to do tomorrow.
You know, Jim.
I held onto that tomorrow good sense of what's next with our kids growing up six kids.
There was always something going on and we looked to tomorrow during those tough seasons and we really have let me also add that a fitted from the counselors here at Focus on the Family. Dena and I have pulled on them on numerous occasions. I hope our listeners will as well, not so good John and our counselors are doing a great job and most people don't know that the counseling team responds over 2000 requests each and every month, and that's made possible by donors like you. It's a free service that we provided for over 44 years of this ministry's history.
So please consider supporting the work were doing here at Focus on the Family by making a monthly pledge any gift, large or small, helps us keep our team of Christian counselors at the ready and when you make a pledge of any amount I'd like to send you a copy of Duane Miller's powerful book. It's called speechless and if a monthly pledge is not possible for you right now will send to the book for a donation of any amount we just wanted get this into your hands and you can reach us when you call 800 the letter a in the word family 800-232-6459 or follow the link in the episode notes to donate to the work of Focus on the Family and while you're there, request Duane's book and since podcast episodes can sometimes expire after a month or so. I strongly recommend you get the CDC always have that body of the healing moment to share with a friend. You might need encouragement that God is with on behalf of Jim Daly and the entire team. Thanks for joining us today or this Focus on the Family podcast take a moment if you will give us a reading podcast that helps others find these helpful programs. Thanks in advance for doing I'm John Fuller inviting you back. As we once more help you and your family thrive in Christ, I'm here asking people how they could both begin and I don't know. Maybe.
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