God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets, sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
(Ps. 47:5-6)
Barb went around telling everyone that God had healed her. Everyone knew she had cancer. Her test results were gloomy and the doctors were pessimistic about the effectiveness of any treatment.
Still, Barb went around singing and thanking God for her healing. Some friends thought she had lost it. Others felt that she was denying reality. But most thought it was just a way to reassure and comfort herself.
What gave her the motivation to be so up in such a down situation? Could it be that she simply believed that the same Jesus who healed the sick 2,000 years ago was still alive? Could it be that Jesus was worthy of praise in spite of her circumstances?
Could it be that faith gives rise to praise before we can clearly see the outcome of a situation? Could it be? Yes, it could! And yes, it should!
Next time you face a battle with your physical body, spit victory into the face of the devil. Next time you’re dealt a lousy hand, throw away the cards and refuse to play the game.
Next time you’ve got a question without an answer in sight, believe the God of answers instead of Satan’s world of fright. Instead of speaking doom and gloom, speak God’s Word that defeats every temptation, attach and fearful doubt.
Could it be that Barb was healed? Yes, it could—believe, don’t doubt!
The Bible says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 1:20).
There is no doubt that God’s alive today, and He’s the same healing God he was thousands of years ago. Shout, “YEAH!” today! He’s alive, and He wants you healed!
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
Carman Domenic Licciardello is an enigma in Christian music, often described as part evangelist, part Vegas Showman. His concerts were more like a rock and roll Billy Graham Crusade than a Christian music event. After all the singing, dancing, clapping, and preaching, crowds of people would stream down to the counseling area to accept Christ-many times as many as 5,000 in an evening.
Admission was usually free; a simple offering was taken, similar to 30,000 churches on Sunday mornings. And he filled the largest stadiums the world over. Carman held the record for the largest Christian concert ever in Dallas, Texas. But it even goes beyond that. Take the Mega Stadium acts that played the famed landmark such as Pink Floyd, U 2, Madonna, The Jackson Five, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and even Metallic. As the newspapers noted, you'll see that the one-act that drew the highest attendance in Texas Stadium was Carman, with 71,132.
Carman (1956-2021) was a popular contemporary Christian singer and songwriter.
Born Carman Licciardello, he began recording under his first name and released his debut album in 1980. Carman began charting contemporary Christian hits in 1984 with "Sunday's on the Way," reaching No. 1 with "The Champion" (1986) and "Radically Saved" (1988). His other hit songs include "Lord of All," "Jesus Is the Light," and "Satan, Bite the Dust!" Carman reportedly holds the world record for the largest audience at a Christian concert. His popularity was at its height in the 1980s and early '90s, but he continued releasing albums for years, including his most recent release, 2014's "No Plan B." In 2018, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
