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God Is a Loving Father!On Father’s Day, many of us look back to our childhood with fond memories.It thrills us when we think about all the things we did with our fathers and thesacrifices they made for us. However, I realize that some people didn’t have a loving,nurturing father, and others never knew their earthly fathers. But no matter whatkind of experience we’ve had with our earthly fathers, if we’ve received Jesus Christas our Savior and Lord, we have a loving, compassionate Heavenly Father.God has so many good things in store for us because we’re His children. Jesus saidin Luke 12:32, “ ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to giveyou the kingdom’ ” (NIV). And in Matthew 7:11 (NIV), the Lord compared the love ofan earthly father to the Heavenly Father’s love. He said, “ ‘If you . . . know how to givegood gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good giftsto those who ask him!’ ” God is just looking for ways to show His love to us!Notice that Matthew 7:11 says the Father gives good things to those who ask him.So we need to ask. But when we ask our Heavenly Father for something, we don’thave to use flowery words or fancy speeches. We can walk right into the throne roomof Heaven and say, “Father, I have a problem, and here’s what I need.”When we go to Him in that way and ask in faith, He will give us whatwe need.Sometimes we don’t realize how good our Heavenly Fatherreally is. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is fromabove, coming down from the Father . . .” (NIV). God revealsHis goodness to us in so many ways every day. He is infinitelygood, beyond what we can imagine. And as we honor ourearthly fathers this Father’s Day, let us not forget to honorour Heavenly Father—the One Who freely gives us all goodthings (Romans 8:32)!Kenneth W. Hagin2 rhema.org

Director of CommunicationsPatty HarrisonGraphic ArtistsKristen CookLydia GalazJeanne HooverJ.P. JonesAmanda KingGreg LaneJulie SnowdenAmber WarnerRose WenningEditorial StaffJeff BardelKimberly HennenfentPeggy RiceJanet WagnerSenior EditorBob MurphyPhotographerPhil AnglinProject ManagersChristi FinleyDagny GriffinElisabeth RogersKris TaylorPostmaster: Please send address changesto Kenneth Hagin Ministries, P.O. Box50126, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74150-0126.THE WORD OF FAITH has no subscriptionor newsstand price and is supported throughcontributions from readers worldwide. All gifts tothis ministry are tax deductible.PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40032023VOLUME XLII.........................................Number 6RHEMA Bible Training Center admits students of anyrace, color, or ethnic origin.MEMBER EVANGELICALPRESS ASSOCIATIONTHE WORD OF FAITH is publishedmonthly by RHEMA Bible Church, AKAKenneth Hagin Ministries, a non-profitcorporation. Editorial offices: 1025 W.Kenosha, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. ©2009 RHEMA Bible Church, Inc. Allrights reserved. Reproduction in whole orpart without written permission is prohibited.THE WORD OF FAITH and logoon the cover are registered trademarks ofRHEMA Bible Church, Inc. in the UnitedIn this issue . . .Articles4101620Features2223Seed ThoughtsHow to Handle PressureKenneth W. HaginIn today’s world, many people are under a lot of pressure. Learn fourthings you can do that will enable you to overcome pressure instead of itovercoming you.Getting Acquainted With GodKenneth E. HaginJesus revealed God as a loving Father Who cares for our every need.Discover the rich relationship your Heavenly Father wants to have with youthrough Jesus.That We Might Know HimLynette HaginIt’s common to say you “know” someone when you are really justacquaintances. What about God? How well do you really know yourHeavenly Father?RHEMA: A Place to Call HomeFor the RHEMA USA classes of 1979, 1989, and 1999, WorldwideHomecoming 2009 held special meaning. Read what attendees celebratingtheir 10-, 20-, and 30-year reunions had to say about RHEMA’s impact ontheir lives and the first-ever Worldwide Homecoming.God has great plans for each one of His children. The problem is, we often want to planour own lives. This month, Lynette Hagin encourages us to find out from God what Hisplans for us are, and then follow those plans one step at a time.F.A.I.T.H. Academy Kids’ Page(F-earless, A-nointed, I-nward-Led, T-rustworthy H-eirs of God) If you’re a kid, this page isfor you. We’ve included Bible lessons, puzzles, and riddles for you to enjoy. Have fun!States and in the foreign countries whereTHE WORD OF FAITH circulates. Printedin the U.S.A. Send all U.S. mail to: THEWORD OF FAITH, P.O. Box 50126, Tulsa,Oklahoma 74150-0126. In Canada,write to Box 335, Station D, Etobicoke,Ontario, M9A 4X3. Or use the Web siteaddress: www.rhema.org.Have you had yourRhema for Today?Go to www.rhema.org/media to check out ourradio broadcast schedule and to listen to Rhema forToday online!rhema.org 3

In today’s uncertain world, many ofus are under a lot of pressure. Andthe way we react to that pressuredetermines whether we will succeedor fail. What do you do when you’re underpressure? Do you simply fold up? Themoment you experience a little adversity,do you come apart at the seams?I’ve noticed that some of us in theChurch can’t handle pressure or adversityin our walk with the Lord. As long aseverything is going fine and the devil isn’texerting too much pressureon us, we’re okay. But theminute we encounter problemsor things don’t fall intoplace, we go to pieces.First Peter 5:7 instructsus as Christians to cast all ofour cares on the Lord. I knowthis is not always easy to do.But when the pressure is on,it’s the only way we can walkabove the circumstances andnot be buried by them.The next time you areunder pressure and you are tempted tocave in, here are some things you can do.If you follow these four simple steps, youwill be able to overcome pressure insteadof pressure overcoming you.Number One:Keep your focus on God.ISAIAH 26:33 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,whose mind is stayed on thee: becausehe trusteth in thee.When encountering a crisis, manypeople fail to keep their minds stayedon the Lord. They focuson the negative and onlysee what is going wrong.Instead of believing theirsituation can have a positiveoutcome, they begin todoubt that they will everrecover.Focusing on the problemwon’t do you any good. Infact, the more you thinkabout the problem insteadof the Problem Solver, theweaker your faith becomes.To rise above pressure, you haveto think on the right things. You mustreplace negative thoughts with good,4 rhema.org

positive thoughts. Doubt has to bereplaced with faith.The Apostle Paul told the Philippiansto “Let this mind be in you, which wasalso in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). Whatwas in the mind of Christ? All things arepossible if you can believe (Mark 9:23).Whatever is impossible with man is possiblewith God (Matt. 19:26). The mind ofChrist knows the Heavenly Father hasalready taken care of the pressure youare experiencing.Problems become small or greatdepending on the way we think aboutthem. You probably know someonewho faced a small challenge, and theyobsessed about the problem until itbecame a huge mountain to them.This is exactly what the devil wants.He wants to keep us looking at theproblem instead of looking at God andHis Word. If he can do this, then he haswon. We see an example of this in theBook of Matthew when Peter walked onwater.On Jesus’ single command of “come,”Peter jumped out of a boat during aviolent storm and walked on a choppysea. He continued walking on the wateras long as he maintained an unwaveringgaze on Christ. But when Peter tookhis eyes off of Jesus and looked at howstrong the wind was, he began to sink.(See Matt. 14:25–32.)Your success in the midst of thestorms is determined by how well youcan control your thought life. And noone can control your thoughts but you.You determine what you think about andhow you react to any given situation.In his letter to the Church at Philippi,the Apostle Paul shows you how to reignin your thought life.PHILIPPIANS 4:88 Finally, brethren, whatsoeverthings are true, whatsoever thingsare honest, whatsoever things arejust, whatsoever things are pure,whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoeverthings are of good report; ifthere be any virtue, and if there beany praise, think on these things.Thinking about things that meetthese qualifications will give you victoryin your thought life. And God has givenus plenty of things in His Word thatmeet all of these conditions. Focusing onthose things instead of on negative circumstanceswill help you overcome thepressures of life.Number Two:Focus on your potential in God.One year a young rookie footballplayer was a top NFL draft pick. Thefootball team choosing him didn’t pickhim because of his height or weight.They didn’t choose him because of hisaccomplishments in college. They chosehim because of the potential he possessedto become a great athlete.You probably don’t realize the potentialyou have in God. Although you can’taccomplish some things in your ownstrength, you can accomplish anythingin God’s strength. Instead of focusing onweaknesses, focus on the potential youhave in God. Joel 3:10 says, “. . . let theweak say, I am strong.” No matter what issurrounding you, “I am strong” needs tobe your daily confession.God’s WordIs His PlanUnder the Old Covenant,God sent an angel or a prophetto relay His plan to His people.Under the New Covenant, wedon’t need angels or prophets totell us God’s plan.We have God’s written Wordto instruct us and the Holy Spiritdwelling within us to guide us.And as we follow God’s planfor our lives, we will walk invictory. The Apostle Paul wrote,“Now thanks be unto God, whichalways causeth us to triumph inChrist . . .” (2 Cor. 2:14).Victory comes when wefollow God’s plan completely. Wemust rely on God to perform thesupernatural in our lives. We’renot responsible for bringing thesupernatural to pass. We’re onlyresponsible for obeying God’splan so He can bring it to pass!A Positively Life-ChangingMessage!In a world full of uncertainty,could you stand to hear a little goodnews? Many Christians have allowedtheir circumstances to govern theirthoughts. They need to rise to a newlevel of thinking! The good news is,they can!Staying Positive in a Negative World(book, Kenneth W. Hagin)Regular Price: $10.95 ($13.15 Canada)Special Offer: KIT09WF06A | $8.95* ($10.75* Canada)Plus Shipping and Handling*Special Offer expires September 30, 2009To order, visit us online at www.rhema.org/bookstore,call 1-800-54-FAITH (543-2484), or mail the enclosed envelope.In Canada, call 1-866-70-RHEMA (707-4362).rhema.org 5

Lynette Hagin’sWomen’s ConferenceSeptember24–26, 2009On the RHEMA USA CampusOnline3 WaystoRegisterBy Phone1-888-54-FAITH (543-2484)Be sure to mention Offer #MKTF0904By MailComplete this registration form, detach, and send to theaddress on the form. Mailed registrations must be receivedby Friday, September 18.www.rhema.org/ktfPlease make your checkor money order payableto RHEMA and mail italong with this form to:Women’s ConferenceRHEMA Bible ChurchP.O. Box 50126Tulsa, OK 74150-0126Offer #MKTF09048 rhema.orgCONTACT INFORMATIONNAME ______________________________________________________________________________First MI LastADDRESS ____________________________________________________________________________CITY __________________________ STATE ______ ZIP ____________ COUNTRY _____________PHONE (_____) _________________ E-MAIL ______________________________________________HOME CHURCH _____________________________________________________________________PAYMENTWe accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmericanExpress, Checks, and Money Orders.CREDIT CARD # ____________________________________________ EXP. DATE _______________PRINT NAME (as it appears on card) ____________________________________________________SIGNATURE (for Credit Card payment) __________________________________________________Enclosed is my $55 Registration Fee (nonrefundable).

SPEAKERSLynetteHaginPatsyCameneti“You, O Lord, keep my lampburning; my God turns mydarkness into light. With yourhelp I can advance againsta troop; with my God I canscale a wall.”—Psalm 18:28–29 (NIV)LoisTaucherRhondaRogersSCHEDULEThursday3:00 p.m. Registration Opens7:00 p.m. Evening ServiceFriday10:00 a.m. Morning ServiceNoonLuncheon1:30–2:15 p.m. Workshops2:30–3:15 p.m. Workshops7:00 p.m. Evening ServiceSaturday10:00 a.m. Morning ServiceNoonLuncheon1:00 p.m. Style Show7:00 p.m. Candlelight Prayer & PraiseRegisterTODAY!rhema.org 9

(Editor’s Note: This article was adapted from Brother Hagin’s book Classic Sermons.)“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the wholefamily in heaven and earth is named.”—Ephesians 3:14–15Spiritually speaking, there are onlytwo families on the earth: the familyof God and the family of Satan.Every person, regardless of heritageor background, belongs to one of thosetwo families. Which family do you belong to?Who is your father—God or Satan?The only way you can be delivered outof the family of Satan is to be born into thefamily of God (John 3:3; Col. 1:13). You mustreceive Jesus as your Savior and be bornagain to belong to the family of God and callGod your Heavenly Father.Once you are born again, you begin togrow spiritually as you get to know yourHeavenly Father. The number one way youbecome better acquainted with God theFather is through His Word. Smith Wigglesworthonce said, “I can’t understand God by10 rhema.org

feelings. I understand God by what theWord says about Him. He is everythingthe Word says He is.”Many people want to get acquaintedwith the Father through experiences.It’s true that you can learn somethings about God through differentexperiences in life. But the number oneway to get to know Him is through HisWord. In the Word we find out aboutthe Father’s nature and how much Heloves and cares for us.What does the Word say about ourHeavenly Father? Jesus always presentedGod as a loving Father.JOHN 3:1616 For God so loved the world, thathe gave his only begotten Son, thatwhosoever believeth in him shouldnot perish, but have everlasting life.JOHN 16:2727 For the Father himself loveth you,because ye have loved me, and havebelieved that I came out from God.It was difficult for the Jews to understandwhat Jesus was saying when Hetalked about a Father of love. They hadonly known God as a God of law andjustice—and that is one side of God.Jesus was presenting the Fatherhoodside of God. He was presentingthe very nature of the Father, for theBible says God is love (1 John 4:16).Jesus revealed God as a loving FatherWho cares for our every need.MATTHEW 6:8, 268 Be not ye therefore like untothem [the Gentiles]: for your Fatherknoweth what things ye have needof, before ye ask him.26 Behold the fowls of the air: forthey sow not, neither do they reap,nor gather into barns; yet yourheavenly Father feedeth them. Areye not much better than they?Notice the utter tenderness in thispicture of the Father caring for Hischildren. Our Heavenly Father knowsour needs, and He desires to meet thembefore we even ask Him for help!Because God is my Father, I like todo what Paul talked about in Ephesians3:14–15. I like to get down on myknees and say, “. . . I bow my knees untothe Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,Of whom the whole family in Heavenand earth is named.” That word familytakes God out of a harsh religiouscontext and makes our relationshipwith the Father real and intimate.We’re a part of the Father’s family.That fact has nothing in the world todo with religion. Religion is harsh andcold, but Christianity is a relationshipwith a God Who is a loving Father.Many Christians have a difficulttime comprehending God as a FatherWho loves and cares for them. OftenChristians have been religiouslytaught to fear and shrink from a Godof justice. They have the idea that Godis like a judge who sits up in Heavenlooking for a chance to punish peoplethe moment they make a mistake.But no, God is love! Thank God forthe Father’s love that Jesus came toreveal to us.In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus saidmore about the Father’s care for Hischildren.MATTHEW 6:31–3331 Therefore take no thought,saying, What shall we eat? or, Whatshall we drink? or, Wherewithalshall we be clothed?32 (For after all these things do theGentiles seek:) for your heavenlyFather knoweth that ye have needof all these things.33 But seek ye first the kingdomof God, and his righteousness;and all these things shall be addedunto you.Some people have been religiouslytaught to read that last verse, “Allthese things shall be taken away fromyou.” They think if they put God first,they won’t ever have anything.But that’s not what Jesus said. Hesaid the things you need will be addedto you as you seek first the Kingdom ofGod. That promise proves your Father’slove and care for you.Look at Matthew 6:34. Jesus said,“Take therefore no thought for themorrow. . . .” Another translation says,“Be not anxious for tomorrow.” Thisverse shows us that the Father doesn’twant His children full of worry andanxiety because He loves us and wantsto meet our every need.So have no worry or anxiety. Do notfret. You can be sure of this one fact: Asyou trust God with your life, He will takea father’s place and perform a father’spart in your life. He is your Father, andHe loves you and cares for you with aneverlasting love (Jer. 31:3).We’ve looked at several statementsJesus made relative to the Father.Against the backdrop of these powerfulstatements about the Father’s love,The number one way you become betteracquainted with God the Father is throughHis Word.Attend to MyWordsMy son, attend to my words;incline thine ear unto my sayings.Let them not depart from thineeyes; keep them in the midst ofthine heart. For they are life untothose that find them, and healthto all their flesh.—Proverbs 4:20–22These verses give us the answerto all of life’s problems. God madethe world with words (see Genesischapter 1). Because God’s Wordhas creative power, it’s our remedyfor any difficulty.For God’s words to become lifeand health to us, we must continuallypractice these simple steps:1. Attend to God’s Word.2. Incline our ears untoGod’s Word.3. Let God’s Word not departfrom our eyes.4. Keep God’s Word in ourhearts.rhema.org 11

A treasured resource returns!TheRHEMAStudy BibleBack by popular demand, the RHEMAStudy Bible includes 27 lessons fromKenneth E. Hagin on topics such asprayer, faith, the Holy Spirit, and theName of Jesus. The RHEMA Study Biblefeatures King James text, an extensiveconcordance, and other helps bound inblack bonded leather.$99 99While supplies last!Offer: KIT09WF06DTo order, visit us online at www.rhema.org/bookstore, call 1-800-54-FAITH (543-2484),or mail the enclosed envelope. In Canada, call 1-866-70-RHEMA (707-4362).rhema.org 13

Kenneth W. HaginLynette HaginCraig W. HaginCharles CowanMark HankinsJuly 19–25On the RHEMA USA CampusService TimesSunday7:00 p.m.Monday–Saturday10:00 a.m., 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.For more information and to register,visit www.rhema.org/cm.14 rhema.org

Hotel InformationCall the listed hotels directly toreserve your room. To receivethe discounted prices, ask for the“RHEMA rate.” These rates do notreflect state and city taxes.Ministry for the Family• Adult Services• Summer Blitz (youth services)• Kids | Unlimited (ages 3 and up)Special Music byRHEMA Singers >>>>>Best Western Kenosha Innwww.bestwestern.com(918) 251-2795 $69Deluxe Continental BreakfastClarion Hotelwww.clarionhotel.com(918) 258-7085 $65Continental BreakfastDarrell HuffmanComfort Inn Broken Arrowwww.comfortinn.com(918) 258-8585 $59Continental BreakfastScott WebbCandlewood Suiteswww.ichotelsgroup.com(918) 294-9000 $82Full KitchensJ.C. HashReggie ScarboroughThree Ways to RegisterOnlinewww.rhema.org/cmBy Phone1-888-54-FAITH (543-2484)Be sure to mention Offer #MCM0907By MailSend your name, address, phonenumber, and e-mail address to:Campmeeting 2009RHEMA Bible ChurchP.O. Box 50126Tulsa, OK 74150-0126Mailed registrations must bereceived by July 12, 2009.Shekinah GloryEmbassy Suites Hotelwww.embassysuites.com(918) 622-4000 $119.00Hampton Inn Broken Arrowhamptoninn1.hilton.com(918) 251-6060 $85Deluxe Continental BreakfastHoliday Inn Expresswww.ichotelsgroup.com(918) 355-3200 $89Full Hot BreakfastRenaissance Hotelwww.renaissancetulsa.com(918) 307-2600 $119Staybridge Suiteswww.ichotelsgroup.com(918) 461-2100 $99.99–$139.99Hot Breakfast Buffetrhema.org 15

That We MightKnowHimLYNETTE HAGINHave you ever been asked, “Do you know so-andso?”If you know that individual, you might automaticallyreply yes. But do you really know thatperson? If someone asked me if I knew my congressionalrepresentative, I would say yes. I’ve been introduced tohim and we’ve spoken. And I’m sure if we met on thestreet, he would acknowledge me.But do I really know him? No. I know his name, and Iknow what he does as my congressman. That’s the extentof what I know about him. However, in such cases we alloften say, “I know him.”How well do you know your employer? You probablyknow him or her better than I know my congressman, buthow well do you really know your boss?I’m sure you know more about your friends than youdo about your employer. And you probably know somefriends better than others. Some are simply acquaintances,while others are close friends.Of all my friends, I don’t know any of them as well asI know my husband. Ken and I have been married for16 rhema.org

almost 44 years. I know his thoughtsand he knows mine. It’s a natural factthat the more time you spend withsomeone, the better you know thatperson.Both of my children are marriedand have families of their own. Andafter they left home, I retired fromcooking. Although I love to cook, I nowdo that only on holidays. As a result,my husband and I eat out frequently.Sometimes Ken will ask me whereI want to eat, and I’ll tell him that I’mthinking about a certain restaurant. Andoften he tells me he’s thinking about thatsame restaurant. This happens becausewe have spent so much time together.Ken’s ways have become my ways, andmy ways have become his ways.Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughtsare not your thoughts, neither are yourways my ways, saith the Lord.” Whenyou are born again, your thoughtsand ways might be very differentfrom God’s. But the more time youspend communing with your HeavenlyFather, the more your thoughts andways become like His.Our Heavenly Father desires thatwe know Him. But some people knowGod only as their Creator. Othersknow Him and Jesus only as theirSavior. Still others know the Fatherand the Son as their Creator, Savior,and Healer.Do you realize that you can knowyour Heavenly Father as a friend? Ifyou allow Him to, He will be a closefriend and confidant Who will neverbetray you or tell your secrets.Isn’t it funny the way some of usare? Many people who hear confidentialinformation feel as though they musttell one other person! They say, “Don’ttell anybody else. This is between youand me.” But after each person tellsjust one other person, it soon seems asif the whole world knows the secret.God is not like that. I learned along time ago that I can tell Him all ofmy problems and secrets and He willnever betray me. He will never let mysecret out.How do we get to know our HeavenlyFather better? First of all, we cando that by reading and meditating onHis Word. We can learn so much aboutwhat God is like by reading and studyingthe Bible. And if we want Him toanswer our prayers, we need to knowwhat He’s promised us in His Word.We can also get to know our HeavenlyFather by spending time withHim in prayer. D. L. Moody once said,in effect, “I would rather learn to praythan to preach.” Jesus never taughtI learned a long time agothat I can tell [God] all of myproblems and secrets andHe will never betray me.His disciples how to preach, but He didteach them how to pray. Jesus knewthat prayer was vital to the disciples’success in life and ministry.The Apostle Paul is a good exampleof someone who knew the Father. Butone reason he knew Him so well wasthat he made knowing Jesus his toppriority. And Jesus told His disciples,“Anyone who has seen me has seen theFather” (John 14:9 NIV).PHILIPPIANS 3:8, 10 (Amplified)8 I count everything as losscompared to the possession of thepriceless privilege . . . of knowingChrist Jesus my Lord and of progressivelybecoming more deeplyand intimately acquainted withHim. . . . For His sake I have losteverything and consider it all to bemere rubbish . . . , in order that Imay win . . . Christ. . . .10 [For my determined purpose is]that I may know Him [that I mayprogressively become more deeplyand intimately acquainted withHim, perceiving and recognizingand understanding the wonders ofHis Person more strongly and moreclearly], and that I may in thatsame way come to know the poweroutflowing from His resurrection[which it exerts over believers], andthat I may so share His sufferingsas to be continually transformed [inspirit into His likeness even] to Hisdeath. . . .How Well Do You Know YourFather?We’re not talking about yourearthly father—we’re talking aboutyour Heavenly Father. In Kenneth E.Hagin’s 4-CD series, get to knowGod, not just as your Creator, King,and Savior, but as your Father.Knowing God as Your Father(4-CDs, Kenneth E. Hagin)Regular Price: $28.00 ($33.60 Canada)Special Offer: KIT09WF06C | $21.95* ($26.35* Canada)Plus Shipping and Handling*Special Offer expires September 30, 2009To order, visit us online at www.rhema.org/bookstore,call 1-800-54-FAITH (543-2484), or mail the enclosed envelope.In Canada, call 1-866-70-RHEMA (707-4362).rhema.org 17

It is clear from these verses thatPaul desired to know the Lord better.He knew that if he knew God morecompletely, the Lord would be there forhim in every way.When you study Paul’s writings,you see that Paul rarely prayed forhimself. But he often prayed for others.For instance, in Ephesians 1:17–19Paul prayed for the Ephesian church.But he did not pray for their specificneeds or wants. He prayed that theywould know God better.When you know the Lord intimately,you’ll know that the devil is underyour feet (see 1 Cor. 15:27; Eph. 1:22).You’ll know that when you encounterdifficult situations, you don’t have tobecome upset and cry out to God inprayer.You’ll already know from God’sWord what the results are going to be,so you’ll begin to declare, “Greater isHe that is in me than he that is in theworld” (1 John 4:4). “I can do all thingsthrough Christ Who strengthens me”(Phil. 4:13). The better you know theLord, the bolder you will be to declareHis Word.Your passion should be to know the Lordbetter than anything or anyone else.Your passion should be to know theLord better than anything or anyoneelse. You need to know that He is foryou and not against you, that He willbe there to encourage you in difficulttimes. Know that you can draw uponHis love for you and that He will giveyou what you need, when you need it.My prayer for you is that if someoneasks you, “Do you know God?” you canreply, “Yes, I know Him. I know Himvery well.”Talking to God Each DayWe are told in the Bible to “praywithout ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Buthow can we do that?One time I asked the Lord thatquestion, and here is what Heshowed me to do:1. Create an atmosphere.Wherever I go, I always havemusic playing.2. Upon waking, begin prayingand meditating on the Word.3. Establish prayer stationsduring your morning routine.Pray for different things in differentplaces. By the time I getto the office, I’ve prayed from30 to 45 minutes. Occasionallywe need concentrated prayertimes. But we should not feelcondemned if we can’t do thatevery day. It’s better to practicethe presence of the Lord andpray throughout the day thannot to pray at all.Special MeetingWith Kenneth andLynette HaginChurchAnniversaryCelebrating 20 Years!..............September 20, 2009The Living Glory210 W. Pine StreetLafayette, LA 70501Pastors Carl & Belinda Benton(337) 237-4462Service TimeSunday, 10:00 a.m.18 rhema.org

‘He Is a Miracle!’Imagine being more than 1,200 milesfrom home and receiving a phone callwith the news that a loved one was aboutto die. Kerry Fitts, a 1992 RHEMA BibleTraining Center graduate, didn’t have toimagine it. He experienced it.Kerry, a pastor in Hudson, Florida,decided to attend Winter Bible Seminar2005 on the RHEMA campus in BrokenArrow, Oklahoma. While at WinterBible Seminar, Kerry received a phonecall from his mother. Thenews he heard about his79-year-old father, BarneyGeorge, was something noone wants to hear.“I got a call on Wednesdaymorning, telling methat my father was in thehospital and was goingto die,” Kerry said. “Thedoctors didn’t expect himto make it to the weekend.He had bone cancer, andit had spread through hisentire body.”Upon hearing the news,Kerry booked the earliest flight he couldin order to be by his father’s side. Butthe soonest he could get to Florida wasthe following evening. With twenty-fourhours to spend in Broken Arrow beforehis departing flight, Kerry decided totake advantage of being at RHEMA andobtained a prayer cloth for his father.Later that day, Kerry was able to talkto Craig W. Hagin as he was coming outof Healing School. Kerry explained thesituation to him, and Rev. Hagin prayedBarney Georgeover the prayer cloth. Kerry said, “I felt atangible anointing on the cloth.”That evening, Kerry called his momand asked her to relay a message to hisdad. He said, “Tell Dad I’m coming homeand that Craig Hagin has prayed over aprayer cloth for him. I’ll be home tomorrownight; I’m going to take him theprayer cloth; and he will be healed!”Kerry arrived at his father’s bedsidethe following night around 10:00. One ofthe first things he did washand his dad the prayercloth. His father immediatelyfelt the healingpower of God. He wasn’tthe only one who felt it.“There was anotherlady from our church inthe hospital, right downthe hall from my father,”Kerry said. “She washaving internal problems.She came to my father’sroom to visit, and my dadtold her to touch the prayercloth. When she did, sheand my dad both started weeping. Shewas released in a few days, completelyhealed.”Kerry’s father believed he was healedas well. There were no changes to seewith the natural eye. He still lookedsick. He still felt sick. But he believedthat when the prayer cloth was laid onhis body, he was healed, so he made adecision to not act sick!Kerry remembered, “Although heshowed no signs of being healed, my dadsaid, ‘I’m healed. I need to go to churchbecause that’s what people who are welldo.’ Even though he wasn’t supposedto make it to the weekend, he did livepast the weekend and then even wentto church the following Wednesday. Hewas very weak, so he stayed only 15minutes. He looked terrible. He probablyweighed less than 100 pounds. He couldbarely walk. But by that Sunday he wassinging in the choir, completely healed!By the next Tuesday he was playing golf.The doctor said he is a miracle.”The faith of the father was evident inthe son as well. “I never doubted that mydad was going to be healed,” Kerry said.“I expected it to happen.”Even though he never doubted,Kerry was still in awe of the goodnessand healing power of God. “I felt jubilation,”Kerry explained. “He’s my fatherand I love him, but it was amazing toknow that God had visited us. My dadwas almost dead, and the doctors saidhe was going to die. You don’t see recoverylike that without a miracle fromthe Lord.”PRAYER CLOTHSCountless people have beenhealed by God’s power throughprayer cloths from KennethHagin Ministries. The staff andvolunteers pray earnestly overthe cloths, believing God forcomplete and total healing.If you or someone you knowwould like a free prayer cloth, itis just a phone call away.Call: (918) 258-1588, ext. 2280(Monday–Friday,8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CST)Contact Us• Tell us how you have been healed through KHM or request a prayer cloth for yourself or a loved one. Call 1-800-54-FAITH, e-mailpartnerservice@rhema.org, or mail to KHM, Attn: Focus on Healing, P.O. Box 50126, Tulsa, OK 74150-0126. (Mention Offer #5401.)rhema.org 19

Worldwide Homecoming is an awesome thing. It’s like family coming back together again.—Thomas and Sylvia Parker, ’99 graduatesManchester, New HampshireFamily. That’s what RHEMA is all about. And as hundredsof RHEMA Bible Training Center graduates gathered together on the campus in Februaryfor Worldwide Homecoming, a big part of the family was together again. Old friends reunited, newconnections formed, and RHEMA’s global impact became visually evident as never before.Worldwide Homecoming was held in conjunction with Winter Bible Seminar. This time was extra specialfor the RHEMA USA classes of 1979, 1989, and 1999 as they celebrated their 10-, 20-, and 30-yearreunions. We asked members of those classes to describe the impact RHEMA has had on their livesand what Worldwide Homecoming means to them. Here’s what a few of them had to say.We are excited about being back home. It’s so wonderful.The anointing that was here years ago is still here, and wefeel the effects of it. It’s been awhile since we’ve been back,but RHEMA changed the whole direction of our lives.RHEMA taught us faith, but most of all, love. If it were notfor RHEMA, we feel that we would not have been able to dothe things that we’ve done thus far. We’re just so grateful forRHEMA, the RHEMA family, and the Hagin family—whatthey have done and are continuing to do.—Larry and Deloris BrownRaleigh, North CarolinaI don’t know if I can even put into words what itmeans to come back to RHEMA for WorldwideHomecoming. The anointing has been so wonderful.RHEMA is like a lifeline. It changed my life totally. Allof the wonderful teachers imparted so much into me.—Mary HouseSouth CarolinaPastor Hagin came to South Africa in 1977. For the first time inmy life, I saw the power of God in operation. Everybody in thatmeeting was on the floor. In the car going to the airport PastorHagin said to me, “Lyndie, if you come to America, I’ll give youa bursary [a scholarship] to study at RHEMA Bible TrainingCenter. You can’t think about it, you can’t pray aboutit. I want an answer from you right now. Yes or no?” I’m soglad I said yes, because a whole nation was changed. FromSouth Africa to Africa to Europe, thousands of studentswere thrust into the harvest fields. And here at WorldwideHomecoming, I’m home. I’m so proud of my roots.—Lyndie McCauleySouth Africa

RHEMA is home. It’s always home, no matter where wego. We may go all over the world, but when we come backhome, it feels like we never left. And when you’re alwaysgiving, it’s good to get refilled and see everybody. This ismy family. And RHEMA equipped my husband and meto do the work of ministry. People always say, “There’ssomething different about you.” It’s because of the Lord andbecause RHEMA put something different in us. This is alife-changing place. Once you come here, you’ll never be thesame when you leave.—Missy WidnerDawson, GeorgiaWorldwide Homecoming is like coming back toGrandma and Grandpa’s house. Just like you go visityour grandparents at least once a year, we come back toRHEMA—to Pastor and Mrs. Hagin. I think the best thingwe learned at RHEMA Bible Training Center was notimparted through our teachers and instructors, but throughPastor Hagin. We connected with him when we were here,and God imparted through him what would help us themost later on in life. It was his motto: “I cannot bedefeated, and Iwill not quit!”—Rob and Bonnie NoahIowaComing back to Worldwide Homecoming is like cominghome to us. We get refreshed. It’s so encouraging to sit underPastor’s and Mrs. Hagin’s teaching again and to heartheir hearts. We just value that. This is our home.Pastor Hagin is our pastor. And RHEMA changed thedirection of our lives and changed us. Now we take whatwe learn here to our congregation. . . . RHEMA’s like family.And every function that we come to, whether it’s WorldwideHomecoming, Kindle the Flame, A Call to Arms, orCampmeeting, keeps us connected. It’s such a blessing.—Trevor and Jeni NeufeldCalgary, Alberta, CanadaWorldwide Homecoming is just a thrill. Ilove the spirit of love and unity that I get toexperience here. I am very thankful for theeducation and training that I got at RHEMABible Training Center—now 20 years ago. Tothis day, I still get out my old cassettes andnotes and thank God for the Word that wasimparted into me.—Debbie (Ramirez) BarkerTulsa, OklahomaWorldwide Homecoming2009 is over, but youcan still come home.Join us for Campmeeting2009, July 19–25 on theRHEMA USA campus inBroken Arrow, Oklahoma.Come expecting, andleave refilled, refired, andrefreshed. Your familycan’t wait to see you!

y Lynette“The Lord will guide you always: he will satisfy your needs in asun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be likea well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”—Isaiah 58:11 (NIV)I remember hearing my father-in-law say, “Some peoplelive and die and never fulfill the plan of God for theirlives.” When I heard that, I thought, I do not want to beone of those people. One scripture that I have always reliedon is Jeremiah 29:11. I especially like this verse in theNew International Version: “ ‘For I know the plans I havefor you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and notto harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” TheNew Living Translation says, “ ‘They are plans for goodand not for disaster. . . .’ ” And The Message Bible statesit this way: “ ‘I know what I’m doing. I have it all plannedout—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans togive you the future you hope for.’ ”God has promised us in His Word that He has great plansfor each one of us. He has everything planned out, and Hedesires to take care of us. The problem, however, is that ashumans, we desire to make our own plans rather than letGod make them for us.You may be wondering why things are not workingout for you the way you thought they would. You maybe frustrated with your life right now. You may beconsumed with worry, fear, and anxiety. I want to askyou a thought-provoking question: Have you asked Godwhat His plan and will is for your life at this particularmoment, or are you busy making your own plans? Somany times we become consumed with planning ourown lives, and we don’t stay sensitive to the voice ofGod and ask Him for His direction.God is standing by, ready and willing to direct our lives.But we must give Him permission to do that. How grievedour Heavenly Father must be sometimes when we are goingdown the wrong path, and He so desires to get us back onthe right one.We follow God’s plan step-by-step. He does not giveus the whole picture; He hands out only one piece of thepuzzle at a time. The problem is, too many of us are nothappy with the puzzle piece we have at the moment; wewant several pieces at once.God’s plan is like a slow-cooker rather than a microwaveoven. The path that He desires for us may seem like thelong way around. But that path molds us, softens us, andmakes us what He desires us to be. I can put a pot roast inthe microwave and it will be done quickly. However, themeat will be tough and hard to chew. If I place that sameroast in a slow-cooker and leave it in there all day, theresult will be a flavorful, tender piece of meat. That’s howit is with our lives. God takes us down a path that willcause us to be much more tender and “flavorful”—if onlywe will follow His plan rather than try to take a shortcut.You may not understand why God has you where Hedoes right now. When my husband and I came to work forKenneth Hagin Ministries, I did not understand at thatmoment the plan God had for our lives. All I knew was,my world was being turned upside down. I finally said,“God, I cannot figure out the road that you are taking usdown, so I am going to have to just trust You and let Yoube the navigator of my life.” That was difficult for me,as I had always taken pride in planning my own life andsuccessfully completing each phase of those plans.At times I wanted to question God. It seemed thatwhen I gave up being the controller of my life, thingsgot worse instead of better. When that happens, yourmind can go tilt on you. The Enemy would like to getyou away from trusting God and into the arena of humanreasoning. He will say to you, “You need to take chargeof your own life.” At such moments, it is absolutelyimperative that you take time to pray and listen tothe voice of your Heavenly Father—for certainly He istaking you down a path that is for your good and notfor disaster.22 rhema.org

®Find the DifferencesSee if you can find all seven differences betweenthe two pictures below.A.B.Out of the Belly of the WhaleHelp Jonah find his way out of the belly of the whalethrough the maze to the whale’s mouth so he canescape.finishstart➛startA N S W E R S :finishThe Bible Wall of Shame—ANSWERS: A. CAIN B. ANANIAS C. JEZEBEL D. ACHANE. BALAAM F. JONAH G. SAPPHIRA H. ADAMFind the Differences—ANSWERS:1. In A Jonah has a green hat and red in B. 2. In BJonah doesn’t have a red sash around his waist but does in A. 3. In A the whale’s eye is redand blue in B. 4. In A there are 4 birds and only 3 in B. 5. In A the whale has no teeth butdoes in B. 6. In B there are water drops on the whale's nose but not in A. 7. In B the wavesplashes off of the right side of the picture but doesn’t in A.Most people remember Jonah as the prophet whodisobeyed God and got swallowed by a big fish.But even after he changed his mind and obeyedGod, Jonah still had a problem . . . he had a badattitude. He finally OBEYED God but he wasn’tWILLING. Isaiah 1:19 says, “If you are willingand obedient you will eat the good of the land.”Jonah found out that it isn’t enough to justobey . . . his attitude had to be right, too! Maybeyou have discovered the same thing. If yourparents ask you to go clean your room and youobey them but you STOMP your feet in angerall the way to your room, chances are that yourparents won’t be very happy with you! God isn’tmuch different from your parents in that respect.If He asks you to do something, He expects you toOBEY and HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE too.The BibleWall of ShameA. NICAB. NIANASAC. BLEZEJED. CHAANE. MABAALF. HONAJG. SHAPPIRAH. MAADWritten above are the scrambled names ofBible characters who are best rememberedbecause of their disobedience or badattitudes. Unscramble the names above todiscover these men and women on The BibleWall of Shame.Why was thebroom late?It over swept!Did you hear about the madscientist who put dynamite in hisrefrigerator?They say he blew his cool!What is a polygon?A missing parrot!What kind of car does MickeyMouse’s wife drive?A Minnie van!Why did the man take a pencilto bed?To draw the curtains!Son: Dad, there is a man at thedoor collecting for the newswimming pool.Father: Give him a glassof water!Mother: Eat up your spinach. It’llput color in your cheeks.Daughter: But I don’t want greencheeks!Margie: Were you long in thehospital?Sam: No, I was the same sizethat I am now!Customer: Waiter, this souptastes funny!Waiter: Then why aren’t youlaughing?

P.O. Box 50126 • Tulsa, OK 74150-0126CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTEDNon-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDKenneth E. HaginEvangelistic Assoc.How much difference does my dollar really make?More than you think!Offer BRWPPTo join the Word Partner Club, call 1-800-54-FAITH (543-2484), visit www.rhema.org/wpc, or e-mail partnerservice@rhema.org.Coming Soon!Kansas City, MO