Authentic Conversations with Andy Mason

189 If God is All Powerful Where is the Power?

This podcast is an interview with scientific researchers, Dr Joshua and Dr Candy Brown. Joshua was diagnosed with brain tumor and Candy had a dream in which God gave her the key to deliverance and healing of her husband. What happened over the next five months was a wild and crazy journey learning about healing and deliverance and then experiencing their own miracle. 

This then led to the formation of Global Medical Research Institute which researches then publishes evidence of healing miracles, in scientific journals! Find out more at GlobalMRI.org.

In this session, Dr Joshua and Dr Candy refer resources on healing and deliverance:

- Book: Free in Christ by Pablo Battari 

- Global Awakening Dr Randy Clark Healing

- Christian Healing Ministries Judith MacNutt

- Orbis Ministries Ken Fish Healing and Deliverance

- Chavda Ministries

- Bethel Church and Healing Rooms

- HUB Ministries Chicago

- Scientific Papers Documenting Healing

Who are Dr's Joshua and Candy Brown?

Joshua Brown (PhD, Boston University) is a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience at Indiana University. He serves as director of the graduate Program in Neuroscience, director of the Cognitive Control lab at Indiana University, where he uses a combination of functional brain imaging and computational neuroscience methods to understand higher brain function in healthy individuals as well as clinical populations. His research has been featured on NPR, the Discovery channel, and numerous other media outlets. Dr. Brown has published over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications and is an internationally recognized expert on the neural bases of higher cognitive function.  He also serves as director of the Global Medical Research Institute (GMRI, www.globalmri.org), a separate 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to medical and scientific investigations of claimed miraculous healings through prayer. Since his experience of a life threatening brain tumor in 2003 and subsequent healing, he has traveled the world with various healing ministries, and he works with GMRI to research and publish peer-reviewed reports of remarkable healing through prayer.

Candy Gunther Brown (Ph.D. Harvard University) is Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University. Dr. Brown writes, speaks, and teaches about Global Christianity, with a focus on prayer for healing and deliverance from evil spirits. She is currently writing a biography of the Catholic Charismatic Francis MacNutt (1925-2020) and a book on Demonology and Deliverance for which she is traveling to observe and compare practices in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Ghana, and Brazil.

Dr. Brown’s unique perspective is that of an academically trained researcher who also has personal experience with healing prayer. It all started in 2003 when her husband—a neuroscience professor—was diagnosed with a brain tumor, delivered from demons, and miraculously healed. Ever since then, the couple has been praying for others, observing dramatic recoveries, using scientific methods to document results, and publishing their findings.

Candy Brown is author of The Word in the World: Evangelical Writing, Publishing, and Reading in America, 1789-1880 (University of North Carolina Press, 2004); Testing Prayer: Science and Healing (Harvard University Press, 2012); The Healing Gods: Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Christian America(Oxford University Press, 2013); and Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools: Reforming Secular Education or Reestablishing Religion? (University of North Carolina Press, 2019). She is editor of Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing (Oxford University Press, 2011), and co-editor (with Mark Silk) of The Future of Evangelicalism in America (Columbia University Press, 2016).

Media coverage includes The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Interfaith Voices, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, National Catholic Register, Charisma, and Christianity Today.  

188 Asbury and Revival FOMO

Have you ever been concerned you could miss out on revival or what God may be doing? Be encouraged as you listen or watch as Andy and Janine unpack what is happening, what you can do about it (wherever you are) and they are personally doing to lean into what God is doing around the world right now.

 

#asbury #revival #renewal #fomo #faithandwork #fearoffailure

187 Are You Grace-ing Or Grinding? Shae Bynes

This interview was recorded on the day Shae Bynes launched her updated and expanded edition of Grace Over Grind - how grace will take your business where grinding can't. In this conversation we go behind the story of the book, what Shae had to overcome in learning how to walk with God at work and the results.

Shae Bynes is a passionate storyteller, teacher, and mentor whose life and business was completely transformed through the power of encountering the unrelenting love of God. Her heart is to see marketplace leaders and families that are courageous, connected, and aligned with Kingdom purpose.
   
Shae is the Founder and Chief Fire Igniter of Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur where she inspires, teaches, and mentors Christian entrepreneurs to be led by God in their businesses so they can experience His best and have a greater Kingdom impact in the marketplace. 

Together with her husband and high school sweetheart Phil, Shae helps couples strengthen their marriages by cultivating true intimacy through the power and love of God. Shae is the proud mother of 3 beautiful daughters and lives in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area.

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186 What Is God Saying Right Now?

We don't live by best practice or a business plan alone, we live by the word of God that we are listening for day by day (see Matthew 4:4). Here's Andy AND Janine sharing HOW we hear, WHAT we are hearing and how we are applying that to all that we do.

1. How do we hear?

We have a daily spiritual discipline of engaging with God in the Scriptures. This is one of the primary places and times God speaks (we are fully listening!). I then journal what I am hearing and often we discuss that as we walk the dogs around our neighborhood. This often results in more questions and interaction, such as Janine suggesting I was believing lies about "the crowd." That immediately resulted in a dialogue with the Holy Spirit, as we were walking, in which I repented of believing lies and got a new mandate which you can listen to on podcast episode #166. 

We also regularly engage with our local church, listen to podcasts and intentionally go to conferences and events that expose us to what God may be speaking on a regional or national basis. Recently we got to experience our first conference at Life Center in Harrisburg and I was greatly impacted by the messages from Todd White and Bishop Joseph Garlington. This was a wonderful time of listening, receiving and connecting with like-minded believers that encourage and inspire us in faith, love and good deeds!

In addition to the above, we are talking with business people around the world on a daily basis and each week have a live call with the Heaven in Business community where there are themes of what God is saying and doing, that become apparent.

2. What are we Hearing? 

Get going! God is with us. It's time to move on from here and advance, grow, expand, influence, take risk BECAUSE God is with us.

Exodus 33:1 and 14 - Get going and I will go with you

It's no longer business as usual. Don't just continue with what you were doing before, even if that was working. Pause and listen to the Holy Spirit and ask for new insight or strategy or focus or favor!

The time for favor is now. 2 Corinthians 6 and Ruth 2 - Ask for favor in the time of favor and the time of favor is now.

You've got nothing to prove and nothing to lose. Stop comparing. YOU BE YOU and get going with what is inside YOU!

3. How are we Applying what we are Hearing?

We are intentionally leaning in, learning, refining strategy and taking risk to expand. We started videoing our weekly podcast and you can subscribe to the youtube channel (See below). We were GIVEN brand new video camera and microphone and took this last weekend to paint the office, setting it up as a working studio.

We are asking Holy Spirit regarding all our weekly activities (live Heaven in Business call for example) and our upcoming events to listen for specific strategies and insights. For the Birmingham workshop coming up, we leaned in for speicific strategy how to do our marketing - the result was a significant jump in registrations in one weekend. 

We are testing our favor by reaching out to old and new contacts and exploring new possibilities. One of these is the Africa Adventure Missions trip in September. Another is a possible workshop in the UK and Germany in October. We are reviewing favor in connections we have had in the (recent) past and making sure those relationships are strong and valued. 

We are catching ourselves where we are making excuses or fear-based statements and remembering 'we have nothing to prove and nothing to lose' and GOING FOR IT.

So watch this space! 

If you want to join us in the momentum, try out seven days for free on HeaveninBusiness.com/free-trial

AND if you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to email andy@heaveninbusiness.com

 

 

 

185. The Power of Love or the Love of Power with Leif Hetland

How could a viking, addict and infidel be embraced as the friend of hostile Muslim leaders and eventually win the International Peace Award in 2022? Listen to the story as Andy interviews Leif Hetland. Make sure you watch to the end to receive a powerful spiritual blessing from Leif.

Find out more about Leif at https://globalmissionawareness.com/

Find out more about the April event at https://www.heaveninbusiness.com/events

You are invited to join us in-person at the 2023 Heaven in Business conference in Atlanta, GA, April 20-22nd. See link above to find out more.

184. How to Find Wise Counsel

A couple episodes back we talked about having and listening to wise counsel. This is the best strategy to keep you from doing or being stupid. If you keep wise counsel close you will make better decisions, stay focused, have more joy and finish strong. So... how do you FIND wise counsel?

Story 1 - New to country finding wise counsel - good and bad experience

Story 2 - New to location finding wise counsel - slow(?) experience

When I refer to wise counsel I am looking for practical wisdom with eternity in mind. In other words, I'm not simply looking for the best principles of the world; I'm looking for godly wisdom. With this in mind I am looking for three things:

1. Excellent at what is good

Do they have a reputation (which has nothing to do with platform or 'likes') for being really good at what they do? Have they invested in their own growth? Are they still growing? Would you buy goods or services from them? Are they good at their craft?

2. Innocent of evil

Do they have godly character, proven over time? What is their relationship like with those closest to them (spouse, children, parents..). How do they treat the people around them and around you - the personal assistant, your spouse or children, the janitor, the server...? Do they leave you feeling more or less energized? Do they leave you feeling more or less built up? Do they make you feel stronger or weaker?

3. Evidence of a walk with God

What is the current evidence of their authentic walk with God? What are they hearing Him say? Are they engaged with a community of believers? 

4. Do they have wrinkles?

Wrinkles are evidence of life experience: Don't ask an 18 year old for relationship advice. Generally speaking, the more mature people are, the more perspective they have on life because they have been around long enough to see fads and fashions come and go. They have observed life. As long as they are secure in themselves, and anchored in the fear of the Lord, they will have some great perspective for you.

5. Do they have body scars?

Are the scars septic or clean? If they still ooze toxic offense and bitterness then stay far far away. And if they don't have any body scars, they are not a guide - they haven't overcome their own challenges and are not qualified to guide you in yours. Anyone that has built anything significant - a marriage, a family, a business... WILL have body scars. These are difficulties or challenges they have had to overcome in order to build. And in doing so they have gained wisdom and perseverance and patience and perspective. Listen to those people!

So where can you find wise counsel?

1. Proven professionals - these are the ones you pay for. Their reputation and reviews, follow them. You find them by asking around your community... "Who do you know that is excellent at... can give me advice on...." And be prepared to pay for it. 

2. Business network and development groups

3. City fathers and mothers (not the position or title... the function)

4. Seasoned AND joyful church members

5. Heaven in Business and other like-minded organizations

Finally - ALWAYS Check - "You are going out as lambs amongst wolves. So be as innocent as a dove and innocent as a dove." DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. Don't assume. Check the references and reputation. 

And if you would like to work with one of the Heaven in Business advisory team, contact them out by scrolling down on the https://www.heaveninbusiness.com/about page.

183. No More Excuses

Last week I visited Asbury University in Kentucky where a student chapel service that started on Wednesday has continued, non-stop. I’m going to tell you my experience there, plus what else is happening and how you can engage.

In addition to Asbury KY, Janine and I did a Heaven in business workshop in Washington, DC and joined our first Bethel Leaders Network regional call, hearing testimonies from the upper north east of America. On top of all that I was in Indianapolis participating in a healing and deliverance conference with Ken Fish. Here’s what is happening, what I am hearing and what you need to do as a result.

You are invited to be part of this awakening and there are no exceptions. All you need do is say “YES” and put on the daily life that Jesus gave you access to (read Galatians 5). No excuses.

See full show notes what to stop doing, start doing and keep doing at Heaveninbusiness.com/blog/no-more-excuses

Access these resources to help:

There are many resources to help you grow in your walk with God. Here’s two sources that I know and trust personally because I have personally used them.

Orbis Ministries (Ken Fish)

• Weekly podcast (free) where Ken interviews people all around the world who are walking in the power of God. God is Not a Theory
• Online resources to identify and grow in spiritual gifts: hearing God, healing the sick, prophecy and deliverance

Mike Connell Ministries (New Zealand)

Even after being at Bethel Church in Redding, CA for over a decade and experiencing countless world-renowned ministers I still come back to Mike Connell as an outstandingly gifted teacher to ground you in scripture and impartation to operate in the Kingdom of God. Not only that but all Mike’s resources are FREE. Here’s a few that you can download, read and listen to…

• The Kingdom of God
• Healing the sick
• Deliverance

Heaven in Business - practical tools to partner with God at work and engage in the wellbeing of your city

And if you are in a profession or business and want to grow all of this in the context of your assignment in the workplace, join Heaven in business online (check it out for free) or in-person. We also work with a small number of highly committed people as part of a mastermind group or individual advisory. EMAIL ME if you want to know more. andy@heaveninbusiness.com

No more excuses.

182. Are You Listening?

Last episode I made a confession to live up to who God says I am rather than making excuses or hiding or deferring to others. That's all false humility and is not helping anyone. On the other side, how do you keep yourself from getting too full of yourself and ending up in failure?

I believe we are on the cusp of another great awakening that is happening all over the world, right now! So as we step and into more of what God does on and through us, beyond our own ability, how do we stay humble and finish strong?

Step one - if you are in business or lead any organization, read this:

I highly recommend you read the Jim Collins book, How The Mighty Fall, to see the evidential pathway to failure (THAT WE CAN AVOID!) At least read the summary HERE: 

1. Hubris born of success - "We are awesome. Look at me." Overinflated view of self.
2. Undisciplined pursuit of more - "We can succeed at anything, so we will..." Take on multiple tasks, objectives outside core strength and vision (or lack thereof).
3. Denial of Risk and Peril - "We don't have a problem." Blaming others or ignoring the feedback. External momentum has pushed company to great height(s).
4. Grasping for salvation - "This new product/leader/market/culture... will turn this around." Refusing to own the problem and return to core competency(ies).
5. Capitulation to irrelevance or death - The end

So what's the solution? 

Some of my Christian friends would say "stay connected to Christ" or "stay in the Presence." Only problem is, I have read about Judas who couldn't have been more connected Christ, yet failed monumentally. 

Then there's Lucifer who was the arch-angel of worship; literally surrounding the throne and directing praise and worship in Heaven. I cannot see how anyone could be closer to the Presence of God - the wonder and awe and amazement as angels and heavenly beings cry holy, holy, holy... Yet he still succumbed to the hubris born of success and failed eternally.

Another solution is to pursue wisdom and understanding. The only problem there is that the wisest person in the world - Solomon, failed to heed his own instruction and failed miserably.

Hmmmm....

So I need to have someone who will adjust me?

Great idea! Yet Judas was an example of having the best discipleship on the planet, yet still chose to profit himself first, and ended terminally...

Solomon looked so successful on the outside and was the wisest person in the world, and the entire nation was prospering ridiculously under his leadership.... He would have been very difficult to confront/adjust in the momentum of his success.

And confronting Lucifer... or the most seemingly successful worship leader in history, would have been interesting. How many gifted or anointed leaders (in ministry or in business or in government...) have been easy to confront in the midst of their success?

So should I stay small and avoid success? 

NO!!!! Unacceptable. That is partnering with fear and robbing the world and your friends of who you are. Go back and listen to last episode to deal with that thought.

So what is the solution?

How do I ensure I step up fully in who I am called to be and knock it out of the park (ie. do awesome) and not allow awesome to sabotage my finish?

The story of David is a great lesson to help us. He was incredibly anointed and gifted. He had epic success after years of wilderness discipleship. Then, at the heights of his success, when nothing he did looked like it could fail, David failed more than most people in a lifetime. He lusted after the wife of one of his most loyal and skilled mighty men. While his mighty man was fighting the King's battle, David took his wife, got her pregnant and then tried to manipulate the circumstances to cover it up. When the fiercely loyal soldier refused to be manipulated, David had him murdered. If that's not all, he failed to confront the poor character of his sons and his military leaders, resulting in murder, rape, treason and a divided kingdom. Ouch.

Yet history records David as a friend of God and that Jesus is the son of David? Acts reports that he fulfilled the purpose of God in his generation. Hmmm.... I'd give him a 'B' at best.

So what can we learn from David?

David didn't just have people around him to speak up. He listened. He was confront-able.  He adjusted. Not at first. Sometimes he needed a metaphoric story to get the message, or a lot of pain before he could understand his error. But he responded. And God credited that to him. And he finished... mostly strong. HIs story is right there in all its unedited mess to teach us something.

WILL. YOU. LISTEN?

David had Samuel and Nathan. They were prophets and Nathan was considered to have studied under Samuel and become King David's court appointed prophet - advisor to the King on personal and national issues.

But I think the best kept secret is will you listen to your spouse? At the end of David's life, he is about to choose stupid again by avoiding to confront one of his son's who is usurping the Kings succession plan. Then Nathan AND BATHSHEBA confront David.... and David listened. 

So do we have a solution to stay strong and avoid failure? 

Yes we do. Is it foolproof? No, regardless of how many powerful voices you are listening to and how close you are to the Presence of God you still have within you the power to choose stupid. The only guaranteed pathway is to stay tenderhearted in the process. How do you do that? Ask me in ten years time.

Here's what I know:

1. Stay close to God... and constantly growing. When was the last time you were convicted of living less than what He has called you to? How are you responding? When was the last time you were humbled by HIs greatness, goodness or power? Stay in awe of Him.

• Daily word and prayer (no excuses)
• Fasting...???!
• Worship, and especially engaging in corporate worship experiences
• Journal what you are hearing Him say 
• Reflect on what you have heard and what you are doing differently

2. Choose to have wise counselor(s) in your 'court'

• Give them power to speak, anytime... and to your stakeholders
• Be intentionally vulnerable and consistently regular in connecting with them
• Listen in next week as we talk about how to find and walk with wise counselors and/or a band of brothers (or sisters) 

3. Listen to your spouse (or your closest leader/parent-figure)

• Ask for feedback, listen and ponder it before responding
• Beware your expertise or success doesn't make you deaf and render them dumb... or you will suffer the consequences
• Ask yourself:
  • Who can give me feedback?
  • Who can disagree with me and change the way I see things?
  • How easy is it for those around me to speak up?
  • When was the last time someone confronted me? Would they do it again?
  • AM.I.LISTENING?

Congratulations on reading to the end of this blog! Please add your comments and share this with others who would find it valuable. And, as always, don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments to andy@HeaveninBusiness.com

 

 

 

 

181. Full Confession... and Upgrades!

Last week I got my first speeding ticket in a long time and it was a big one. But that's not what I want to talk about. Something has changed in January 2023 and I am convinced it's God-time. Here's what's happening, how God is convicting me and how it applies to you.

1. What's happening - Upgrades

In the last month we are seeing the 'lid' come off. We are not doing anything differently of ourselves but something has changed. This podcast is up 40% on the best month last year. We have travelled to two influential cities meeting and ministering to business leaders of leaders. We have some new connections that automatically upgraded our platform and favor (including sending us high quality audio visual equipment to upgrade the recording of this podcast!) And yesterday I was in a studio recording some Kingdom Business sessions that will be heading to Brazil....

On top of that, in-person events have opened right up with Washington DC, Birmingham AL, Atlanta GA, Portland OR, Destin FL, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia all saying "YES!"

And then the last couple weeks of our live calls with the Heaven in Business membership community have highlighted phrases such as Exodus 33:1 and 33:14:

"Get going!"

"I will go with you."

So what's happening? The lid has come off, nations are opening up, we are growing on every side. 

2. What's the Problem - Self-Sabotage

So in all of this am I not simply rejoicing and scrambling to meet the growing demand? Well, sort of! I was talking with a friend last week telling him what was happening and he caught me minimizing, deflecting and using humor to hide from what is unfolding. When I remember where I have come from or focus on my inadequacies I feel way out of my depth. I feel uncomfortable with the level of favor that God is pouring out. I feel scared that I might screw it up by saying or doing something stupid. 

Where did that come from? I could blame what others have done or said or justify it by my upbringing... "I a small town country boy from a small country at the bottom of the world..."

And what hit me was that all this fear and false humility and self-protecting was DISHONORING and DESPISING the goodness and grace (and glory) of God on my life.

I will never step into all He has for me if I will not fully embrace who He says I am. 

It's all about identity. 

One of my life verses is Isaiah 55:5 that the Lord re-emphasized at the end of 2022:

"Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the LORD your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;
For He has glorified you.”

What's the point? The increase is because God has glorified me (upgraded, elevated, granted me favor and access and increase...). That still feels awkward saying it. And... if I don't get ok with it, I will reject what He is wanting to clothe me with in order to step into what He has assigned for me. In other words, it's not about me! 

So I was behaving like the guy in the parable that Jesus told of a wedding feast... 

In Matthew 22 Jesus tells a parable illustrating the Kingdom of Heaven. A King holds a wedding feast for his son. He sent out invitations but all those initially invited ignored or rejected the invitation, even killing some of the messengers. The King was furious and destroyed the murderers and their town. Then the King sent out his servants to simply invite everyone they could see (on the street corners and the highways). The wedding feast was now full and the only condition was that each guest had to leave behind their own garment and put on the wedding garment that was a gift from the King. When the King came in, one man wasn't wearing the proper clothes for the wedding (doesn't say why). That guest was bound hand and foot and thrown out where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus then summarizes saying "For many are called, but few and chosen." (see Matthew 22:1-14)

What's the point? I was/am like the guy invited to the wedding feast but refusing to wear the wedding garments because I don't feel adequate or worthy or comfortable or... 

What's the risk? If I don't get over myself (note - self is the problem: when you focus on your SELF rather that what Christ has done) I will find myself weeping and gnashing having missed out on what I was called and clothed to be part of.

What's the solution? Repent - change my thinking. God chose me, called me and clothes me; so who I am to refuse? If God says this about me, who am I to question it? I must simply align myself with what He says (continually) and humbly say "Yes Lord, be it to me according to your word." I must fill the gap of inadequacy with worship and grattitude then boldly and confident walk in the clothes, calling and commission that He has given me.

And better yet, I got to confess to my friend who is walking through the same, and we can keep one another accountable to never shrink back or make excuses or minimize or defer or dishonor the glory of God on our lives again.

3. What about you?

You will never step into the upgrades the Lord has for you if you don't embrace who He says you are. 

It's not about you! It's about Him and His kindness and His goodness and His grace alone. So say 'Thankyou!" 

Likewise, if you step into the upgrades and believe it is because of your efforts or ability or works (pride, religion...) you will find yourself being opposed by God Himself. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

So where are you holding back or hiding or making light of what the Lord is laying out for you? 

Where has He called or commissioned or clothed you with favor and grace? Are you walking into that? 

What will you do about it? 

If you want to fully walk into a partnership with God in all of life and do this in community with a like-minded business community, join us online at HeaveninBusiness.com/free-trial

Finally, if you ever see me making light (joking) or deferring inappropriately or holding back from what the Lord is calling and commissioning me to walk in, I give you permission to call me out! Let's commit to one another to building one another up until we ALL reach the fullness of the stature of the measure of Christ that is what He died for!

If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to contact me andy@heaveninbusiness.com

180. Case Study: Generosity, with Aaron Christopherson

What happens when God tells a 16 year old to give away his favorite clothes... or his car when he is 18... or his house deposit????!!!! Listen in as Aaron Christopherson of Pinnacle Wealth shares his story and unpacks radical generosity.