Faithful Men Ministries - Jack's Blog

Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
This has been our life scripture for years. God gave it to us after I found my father murdered. I even wrote on the back cover of the book, "Murder for Hire," that I never believed anything good could come from my fathers murder, except the one who did it would pay for it with their life!.
But I didn't know Gods plan for my life at that time.

As many of you know, God took what the enemy meant for bad and turned it to good in so many peoples lives around the world. I thought I had this scripture down and minister that truth everywhere.
Recently God revealed another very simple truth to me about Romans 8:28.
As many of you know(if you don't know, then read the blog, Medical report blog of March 1, "Just Building Steam") I am on a journey of faith I have never been on before. God saved my foot from amputation and my foot wound, from three surgeries in six days, is "miraculously" growing new tissue at a phenomenal rate(according to the medical team). My surgeon told me yesterday, "your foot is responding incredibly well to the treatment."

Let me tell what the "treatment" entails. I have a 'wound vac' attached to my foot 24/7. It has a tube that runs from a sealed 'bandage' ,on the bottom of my foot, with a little suction cup on the end of it to the vacuum pump on my waist(like a fanny pack size) quite stylish, ha ha ha. Anyway, the sealed black foam bandage has to be replaced every 48 hours so I go to outpatient care at Baylor hospital every two days for that(thank God for James & Gina Martin who sacrificially take me every day and also provides my home health care every day, WOW!).
The first time the "wound care specialists" were replacing the black foam they poured something called "Medi-Honey" inside the wound. I said, what's that? They said Manaku honey from a bee in New Zealand(no honey from a bee anywhere else in the world holds up to the extreme temperatures,560 degrees, still doesn't break its "healing" attributes down). He said they have had good results since they just recently began to use it.
Then they began to layer these small white strips on top of that. Again I asked, "Whats that? They said, "tree bark from the inside of a tree in Germany." I'm like, WHAT? You're putting tree bark from a tree that only grows in Germany and honey from a bee only in New Zealand? WOW, who would have ever "thunk" it???

GOD! THAT'S WHO!

Then Romans 8:28 burst open in my spirit. All THINGS work together for good.....praise God, I was getting a new revelation of "ALL" things. When Gods word says ALL things work together for good, He meant ALL things, not just bad things. God created every good thing on the face of the earth. All things meant bees and trees too. I realized God chose that particular moment to reveal His inexhaustible word to me.

Yes God, heal me anyway you desire!

And I just thought I understood Romans 8:28.
Lord, I repent of thinking I know anything! Keep teaching me, keep me humble before my savior Jesus Christ!

I pray today God reveals His omnipotent creative power and His inexhaustible word to you through His amazing love, Jesus Christ.

In His service,
Jack

Pastor GF Watkins, Powerhouse Christian Center, Katy,TX has been a tremendous influence in my life and ministry. Edwin Cole influenced Pastor Watkins life in building his church on discipling men. He has hundreds of commissioned men, "making disciples of other men," influencing them in a like manner.
Pastor GF wrote a blog this week about 'Sampson doing mighty exploits for God' http://www.dangerousgames.org/#/media . I feel it is worth passing onto you. You need to also check out his ministry to leaders at www.jordanranch.org and this incredible event April 7-9 at Jordan Ranch in the 'foothills' south of Austin, TX. www.intensemen.com

Forty days of intimacy with Him......

Okay, let's see if this blog works on our new website. I am going to interrupt the "book review for a few days to share some of the miracles of the last 40 days.
    No matter what you're going through, you have to keep your eyes on where you're going to.... keep looking for God in every situation you face because he is bigger than anything you are going through!
Forty days ago I went to the emergency room thinking they would give me antibiotics for the infection in my left foot & send me home.
    I had no idea it would be the most intimate 40 days with my Savior of my entire life! I'm not sure where to start except the night they took me to the operating room for "gaseous gangrene" surgery in my left foot.

   Betty called the kids to inform them of the situation. We each prayed and agreed on Gods word for healing and wisdom for the surgical team.
      When I came out of recovery the surgeon informed us they had to leave the wound open to attempt to get the infection out, but a lot of dead tissue was removed. The next morning after surgery I woke at 5am and turned ESPN Sports talk show on the TV to see if the Dallas Mavericks had won the night before. Instantly I heard the Lord say, "whats that sports show going to do for you?" CLICK! I turned it off and laid there thinking about what the Lord had just said to me. I reached for my bible to read Proverbs 4th chapter. Again,the Lord spoke and said, "worship me." So I reached for my ipod with my favorite worship songs and again, He said, "no, just worship me."  I said, "Father, that's what I'm trying to do, read the word, saturate myself with worship songs, I don't understand what you want." he said, "Let's spend time alone together, just sit at my feet, you and me. All that other is necessary and good but no substitute for the intimacy I want alone with you."  I was taken back that I may have substituted things for time alone with Him. Don't take me wrong, the Word is our refuge, the Word is our fortress. worshipping God in song brings intimacy and His presence amongst us. But have I missed God's best for me daily and moment to moment by a routine or ritual that makes me "feel" like I'm close to Him. I broke and wept as I laid there in the hospital bed. I asked God to "teach me how to worship  Him. Teach me whatever I need to be taught Lord." He said, "How do you feel when your children run to you and want to sit in your lap and be held by your strong arms? How does it make you feel when your grandchildren do the same thkng? That's all I desire, the same thing, run to me, FIRST. Let me assure you. I originated that intimacy you feel with your little ones."  I said, Yes Lord!

     That morning began 40 days of intimacy that I pray, by the grace of God never ends. 

   it's amazing each morning how habits and routines can distract us from making Him first when our eyes open each day.   Matthew 6:33  gave me a new revelation, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."

   Every day, while I laid in that hospital bed, I would wake up at various times during the night, look at the clock to see how much longer I had to sleep. The Lord would say, "you want to sleep some more or spend time with me?" I would think, "but God, I need my rest." He would remind me in Proverbs of the ant, to not be a sluggard, a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands...." He is more than capable and willing to give me whatever strength I need during the day. Besides, I was in the hospital, what else did I have to do with all the time I now had? Sleep a little spend time with Him, take a nap, study His word, rest in Him, surround myself with praise and worship. What a life, maybe thats the norm, the standard for us?

  I can't reach for my Blackberry first thing in the morning to check emails. I can't check the sports scores for my favorite teams in Dallas. I can't pick up my favorite book and read it first. There are lot's of little things each morning that I find myself starting to do before I sit at His feet to receive the intimacy He has for me and that He desires from me.  I have His promise that if I will seek HIM first, then my day will be filled with His provision.  God is faithful, never changing, never failing, the same yesterday, today and forever. His mercies are new, EVERY MORNING. Great is HIS faithfulnes!

 ^"Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place." I Chronicles16:27

Lord, may your grace be the greatest strength in my life,

Jack

 

As I mentioned to you in the previous blog, I have been reading and totally enlightened by the writing of Charles S. Price's book, "The Real Faith."
Here's another 'nugget;
"We interpret the scripture, "Have faith in God," Mark 11:22 to mean that we have confidence in God's power to move a mountain. We say in our hearts, "If only I have enough faith in God...if only I can believe hard enough...and if only I can get doubt out of my heart, then God will move that mountain."
You are trying to do the impossible. Your faith would never be strong enough or pure enough for that, though you were to struggle for a million years. What a mistake to take our 'belief' in God and to call it "faith."
There is a big difference between the 'faith of man in God', and the 'faith of God that is imparted to man.' Such faith is not the child of effort, neither is it born out of struggle.
If it is 'faith of God,' then we get it 'from' Him, and not from our mental attitudes or affirmations. "Have the faith OF God." In other words, get some of God's faith, then when you have that, you will have the only power that can move mountains.
The second part of Jesus' statement ta;ls about believing with the 'heart' and having no doubts. The second is impossible without the first.You simply 'cannot' believe without until you have the "faith of God.
"It takes God's 'faith' to clean up these human hearts of all the debris, fears, misgivings and doubts.
At the end of His statement He says to be sure to 'forgive' everybody!
I will share more about forgiveness in the our next time together.
Until then, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you."

Jack King
Founder
Faithful Men Ministries

On Feb 4th when I saw how much of my left foot the surgeons had surgically removed, I knew it was going to take more faith than ever before to believe for the miracle healing I needed.
The next day I was given a book by Charles S.Price, "Real Faith for Healing. " Since then, I have spent almost every spare moment readng about his incredible ministry during the early 1900's. It has literally been life changing for me. Thank you Father for your word.
Brother Price reminds me so much of the late Edwin Louis Cole with the wisdom and revelation that pours from this book. I am still amazed that after traveling with and working for Dr Cole for 15 years, that God is still revealing so much through his books and workbooks. God is inexhaustible!
I want to spend the next few weeks sharing some "nuggets" of truth that opened my eyes to so many things spiritually that I needed to walk this journey we are on now. I pray it will be a blessing to each of you also.
Here's one:
"Fundamentally, "faith" is born in the heart. The heart will accept the "unreasonable." The mind will not. The heart believes what the mind says is impossible. It counts the things that are, as though they were not, and the things that are not as though they were.
Do you not see how foolish we are to struggle, and to try believe "mentally", when we ought-according to the word-to believe "spiritually. There will be "head belief", for the "mind: will assent. But the "renewed" mind will say "AMEN" to all the works of grace, by faith." Charles S. Price

As I read this, I realized I not only needed "faith in God but the "faith of God." It's a gift.

Stay with me for a few weeks, it's just going to get better.

That's God's way.

Jack C. King
Founder/President

Just Building Steam for 2011

A medical update on Jack King:

Faithful Men Ministries Board of Directors,

Senior Pastor Michael Tenpenny, recently retired from Lamb of God Church, Flagstaff, AZ. ,

Senior Pastor Doug Clarke, New Day Ministries, Frederick, MD,

Joseph Guy Donohue, business owner, Tulsa, Ok.

AND

Jack & Betty’s pastor & home church in Arlington, TX, Pastor Steve Reynolds, New Beginnings.

Longtime friend and adviser, Pastor GF Watkins, Senior Pastor GF Watkins, Powerhouse Christian Center, Katy, TX

A dear friend , Senior Pastor David Frech, Church of the Harvest, Kansas City, KS

   The above men have agreed to send out a letter containing a medical update on Jack and the exciting things for 2011 in the ministry.
     This report is being written in behalf of Jack C King, Founder of Faithful Men Ministries, founded February 1, 2003 after faithfully serving the late Edwin Louis Cole and Christian Men’s Network for 15 years as an Associate Minister.

     You have either been a part of the late Edwin Louis Cole Ministries and known Jack King through his time serving Dr Cole or you have been directly involved with him since he founded Faithful Men Ministries. Jack has continued working with churches to “make disciples of men”, helping pastors with their men’s ministries using Edwin Cole’s, Majoring in Men™ Curriculum. In these last seven years, The Lord has touched over 112,000 men to answer the “Great Commission” to be discipled. We rejoice in that glorious moment when God’s gift of grace to “study to show yourselves approved unto God…… (II Timothy 2:15) consumes a man’s heart.
    Since 1987, Jack traveled around the world with Dr Cole into 57 countries and has only been sick one time & that was food poisoning in South America. Thank God for His protection.

     Many of you may or may not be aware of the medical challenges Jack has been facing. The first one was Nov 23, 2010 when he got an ulcer on his cornea and consequently got a sight threatening bacterial infection, (pseudomonas aeruginosa). His optometrist sent him to Parkland Hospital emergency room and the examining ophthalmologist said his cornea had already been damaged and scarred in just a few days. Consequently he lost his sight in his left eye. He was admitted for aggressive treatment with antibiotics being administered in his left eye every 30minutes for 36 hours. Jack was released the day before Thanksgiving with daily visits to the cornea specialist to monitor the control of infection. This same regimen of antibiotics every 30 minutes, 24/7 continued for 2 weeks. Finally in December this regimen was reduced to every four hours so he could finally get some uninterrupted sleep. This continued through January. The cornea specialist informed Jack the only chance of sight again in that eye will be a cornea transplant. We are believing Gods word and standing on every healing scripture.

      Jack was able to begin his 2011 event schedule, January 29th with commissioning at 3 different churches on two consecutive weekends in Michigan. What a powerful time it is when men receive their ‘commission’ to become “spiritually employed.”
    Unfortunately Jack got a stone bruise on his left heel and somehow the skin dried, cracked open & bled. He put aloe ointment on it and over a couple of days it swelled and somehow got infected with a severe staph infection. This was Tuesday & Wednesday, Feb 1st and 2nd during the severe winter storm Dallas suffered. Consequently shutting down schools, businesses and doctors offices as Jack continued to call his doctor to no avail. They were closed due to the snow and ice.

     On Thursday, Feb 3 Betty took Jack to the emergency room at Baylor Hospital, Irving TX. The emergency room podiatrist examined him, and “blood cultures” revealed the infection had developed into what they called “gaseous gangrene.” Yes, in just a few days what seemed like just a swollen foot with dried skin on the heel with a little blood spot had a dark area around the heel and bottom of the foot?.
    What further complicated the surgery was the fact that Jack is diabetic. They explained the first problem of diabetics in their feet is poor circulation of blood into the small capillaries, thus reducing good chances of recovery. They took him to surgery that night to remove the dead tissue. With aggressive treatment of several strong antibiotics they realized on Saturday the infection was destroying additional tissue faster than the antibiotics could slow it down.
     Sunday morning Feb 6 a second surgery removed more dead tissue. A “wound vac” was attached to help draw the bad stuff that needed to drain from the foot. Two days of this and Tues they removed the wound bandage and there was additional dead tissue.
They weren’t sure if the infection would spread to the bone, if so then amputation would be necessary..
      A third surgery was done on Wed night, Feb 9.. The surgeons told us they were gravely concerned of not being able to save Jacks foot and questioned whether it would have any functionality even if they could save it. . And if amputation was necessary it would have to be removed right below the knee for best results of recovery with a prosthetic device. The paperwork was signed and heaven continued to be bombarded with prayers.
     The surgeons came out of surgery and said they had to remove most of the tissue that was left around the heel bone and around the Achilles tendon. There were several tendons that had already died and were separating themselves from the other good tendons so they had to be cut out.
They felt like they had saved his foot but weren’t sure of much else. The “wound vac bandage” was put back on and a 72 hour waiting period to see if they had finally gotten it all. If so then the long recovery process would begin and evidence of new tissue development would be a good sign.
They explained the process of how new tissue could begin to grow would be over a period of several weeks and even months if poor circulation existed. The first sign would be healthy pink tissue inside around the tendons and heel bone. There would first be small granular looking mass. They would be a creamy color first, and then begin to turn pink, (indicating blood flow in the capillaries). Next step would be several skin grafts to accelerate tissue growth.

    Monday morning, February 14th was the telling moment.

     The team of doctors, surgeons and wound care specialists gathered to see the wound bandage removed.
    Jack said they were astounded and made exclamations at what they saw. WOW, INCREDIBLE, AMAZING, UNBELIEVABLE! One by one they commented about how pink and healthy it looked. And the miracle was the pink, granular tissue already forming. Yes pink, meaning blood flowing into newly formed capillaries.
    Jacks exclamation? “That’s my Healer. That’s my King. That’s my Lord.”
    Yes, God gave Jack his miracle, heard the prayers bombarding heaven, answered them and astounded the medical team.
Just to document it, Jack had one doctor, take the calendar page from the wall that said, “February 14, 2011, Happy Valentine’s Day” and asked each doctor and surgeon to sign what their exclamation word was and sign their name.
   Glory, honor and praise to Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior and Healer.
     What a miracle working God we serve. Jack will be writing a detailed story of what took place every day as God brought doctor after doctor, nurse after nurse, blood tech after blood tech to share the good news of Christ & His unending love & the testimony of forgiveness when Jack found his father murdered.   Forty seven different people in 19 days at the hospital, heard all about Gods unconditional love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. Amazing what God continues to do when your flat on your back in a hospital bed, if you don't stay focused on what you're going through but stay focused on your Fathr in heaven and where you're going to!

   Be sure to stay tuned to Jack’s blog at www.fm318.com , Facebook or Twitter to hear what God has revealed to Jack in the last 40 days.

    Now we need another miracle, financial miracle. We believe God will speak to your heart and others you may pass this communiqué to that may want to help.
    His medical costs have already soared to almost $100,000 in the hospital. Not counting months of outpatient care, home health care, physical therapy, additional surgeries, skin graphs and a cornea transplant this year to restore his sight in his left eye.
    We estimate from what surgeons have told us, (ie, cornea transplants, $10,000-12,000)close to $200,000 when all the bills are received in the next six-twelve months.
   We will make full access of bills to all contributors and in accordance as a 501c3 non-profit, IRS approved, tax deductible corporation.
   A link will be set up where you can go to make contributions and send others to read the medical update as God continues his healing.
There will be a shorter letter sent out about Jacks medical condition & explaining different ways you can contribute.
I know this correspondence is extremely long but we felt necessary in order to save time for our office staff trying to explain everything and update every one and not be able to carry out their daily ministry responsibility.
   You can call the 0ffice and ask for Ginger or Cheryle and they will be glad to give you or anyone you know the links and information as we pursue Gods calling to make disciples of all men.

  By the way, Powerhouse Christian Center(www.powerhousechurch.tv)has asked Jack to open  the "Intense Men" Conference April 7-9, 2011 at Jordan Ranch, Schulenburg, TX (www.intensemen.com for more info), Lord willing he will be there, even if he has to crawl there from Dallas. He will have a medical team with him and a really cool “knee walker“especially designed for “foot wounds.”

  May God continue to richly bless each of you as you continue to further the cause of Christ in men’s lives around the world.

In behalf of Jack & Betty King,
Six men that love Jesus & Jack & Betty.