God's will for you is to heal you! No question about it!
Old Testament or New Testament, the Bible is full with examples of healing from God, for everyone who believes, from all sorts of diseases. Being sick does not bring glory to God, but being healed by God, does! Let us start with our salvation first! Did you know, that the original Greek word for 'save' also means 'heal'? In other words, when Jesus died on the cross for us, he provided not only salvation for us and forgiveness of sins, but also a healing for us. God does not care what it is called, if it is called Covid 19, Covid 20 or 2000! God who created the heaven and earth is not only willing to heal from Covid 19, but is also able to do so! The question if God wants to heal or not, simply evaporates, when we read the Bible and especially the New Testament and all the healing which Jesus performed all the time. How can we wonder if God wants to heal us, when Jesus was healing all the time, wherever he went. All the four Gospels are full with healing examples from Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever! So God does not change and he does not change his mind about healing neither. When we read the 3 John verse 2, we can very clearly see, that John prayed for a brother called Gaius. It says that Gaius was prospering spiritually in his soul. What that does mean? Well, it means that he was doing what God requires of him, and was living a devoted Christian life, and that is what made him prosper spiritually. But John wanted Gaius to know, that God wanted Gaius to prosper physically, in his body too. John actually prayed for Gaius to be healthy in his body. That is healing, that is the will of God for us his children, to be healed and healthy! Perhaps Gaius was thinking that all that God has for him, is to be spiritually blessed, but not materially. John wanted Gaius to know, that God cares that we are healed and prosper materially as well as spiritually. God does not want us to be well spiritually and suffer materially, either by sickness or lack of what we need. Why should God want us to prosper only spiritually? That is why John had to pray for the physical health of Gaius, that God will keep Gaius in a good health, not only in his soul or spirit, but in his body too! It is 100 % for God to want to heal us! Otherwise, why would John pray that Gaius be healthy if it was not God's will for us to be healed? How many earthly father are there, who want their children sick? A normal father wants his children to be healthy! That is much more with us Christians, who are his children. We Christians are called blessed by God. How can you be blessed and sick at the same time? Part of the expressing the Kingdom of God in our life, is about healing from God. When Jesus was manifesting the Kingdom of God on earth, one part of that was healing. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is in us. So, if it is in us, then we can also express that Kingdom of God in us by praying for healing either for us or others. God heals today, just as was healing thousands of years ago, because he does not change his mind, and he remains the same forever.
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Can we really say 'Goodbye' to the lack of money in our life as Christians? Well, if we look at the Word of God, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, we surely can! In Hebrews chapter 13, it talks about God never leaving us and never forsaking us. Often, we would think it talks about God being present with us, just as Jesus has promised us, that he will be always with us. But here, in Hebrews 13:5, it talks about God never leaving us without what we need. In fact, it talks about us, being content with what we have. But the fact is, very often we are not content with what we have. Why is that? Is it because we get bored sometimes with the things we have, and therefore, what something new and exiting? Well, that is not God has said, in Hebrews 13. He did not say that we should look for new things, if we get bored with what we have already. No, what he said is that we should be content, that our needs are met. That is what God wants us to be content, despite the fact, that often, we are not content with the stuff we have. In Hebrew 13:5, talks about us being free from the love of money. Why is that? Because having more money is not the point, according to God. According to him, I am surely convinced, that he sees money as the means for us to get things we need, and not the final goal or destination. The love of money is when we are not satisfied with the amount we have. But Hebrews 13:5 tells us to be satisfied with what we have. We seem to never have enough. And God knows it, that is why he says to us to be content with what we have. We tend to want more money, even when we really do not need them, and that is what the love of money is. Money in itself, is not good or bad, but the question is, how we use it, for what purpose we use it, that makes it good or bad. He said in Hebrews 13:5, 6, that he will not leave us, and that he is our helper. That is talking about God not leaving us without what we need. That is what it is talking here, in Hebrews 13:5, 6. It is not talking about God always being with us, and never leaving us, but about God never leaving us without what we need. Although, that fact that he is always with as, as he has promised, also remains. During these difficult time of the Covid 19 pandemic, many of us, find ourselves concerned and worried of where will get money to pay our bills, or buy food and other things we need. But if we look at Hebrews 13:6, we can see that God wants us to be confident in what he says, that he will provide for us, and not leave us without what we need. Read verse 6. It says that we can say with confidence that God is our helper, and that we will not be afraid. Afraid of what? Afraid that Covid 19 pandemic seems too strong, to curb our ability to get what we need, for our daily life, like food, cars, clothes, paying bills, etc.. The level of our confidence that God will not leave us without what we need, depends on what we believe about the God we believe in, and how much we know him. At the level of our knowledge of who God is, and what we believe about his Word and promises, will determine, how worried or confident we are, that he will supply our needs. Our confidence in what God has promised, depends on what level is our personal relationship with him. It is like two best friends. The more they know each other, and the more time they spend together, the more they can trust each other, that if any of them needs something or is falling into a difficulty, the other friend is always there for them, when they need them. The bigger the knowledge and trust of each friend about the other, the bigger the confidence for help from each other, when they need it. Our God comes in, when the whole world has left us. A friend is recognised in need, and Jesus called us friends. That was a lesson from Jesus for us. To learn to relax, during the storms of life. The disciples were looking for a solution, how to find a way, to escape the storm. Jesus on the other hand, decided to sleep during the storm. He got up, calmed the storm, and asked them, where is their faith. It was like Jesus was asking them, ‘why you just do not relax?’
The disciples were looking fir solution, and the only thing they could see, was the storm, death and destruction. Them seeing only the storm, was spiritually blinding them to see the solution. But the solution was just next to them in the same boat. Jesus with them was the solution for them, but they could not see it, and could not perceive it in the Spirit. It is often just like us, in our storms of life, all we could see is the darkness around us. We often fail to see the solution, either because of a lack of faith, or lack of growth. And we have the solution with us all the time, because Jesus said that he is with us always, and that he will never leave us or forsake us. In Matthew 5:23, 24, Jesus is clearly saying that we Christians, must first of all, make sure, that our relationships with other people, are sorted and on a good level spiritually, before we think, of doing anything for God, working for God, serving him in the church, evangelism, worshipping God, or any other service we do for God.
God seems to emphasize the importance of how our relationship is with people, in order to approach and serve him. We may think that if we spend enough time in prayer and fellowship with God, read his Word the Bible, or do any other work for God enough, then we are pleasing God, and serve him properly. But if we look at chapter 13 of first Corinthians, we can clearly see, that not matter what things we do, even if we give to the poor to help them, or have the gifts of the Holy Spirit manifested in us, or have great faith in God to do miracles, if we are not patient, if we are full with envy, if we do not forgive but keep records of the wrong things done to us by others, then we are nothing. The chapter 13 of the first Corinthians, is about our relationship with other people, and Paul says that if we do not have love, and that is love for people, we are nothing. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 5:24, 25 that we must sort out our relationship with other people first, before we come to God, to serve him, worship him, and do things for the Kingdom of God on earth. That is why apostle John also said that we can not love God whom we do not see, if we do not love people who we see. And that if we have love for others, God lives in us. No matter how much time we spend praying and worshiping God, not matter how much we fast, not matter how many passages from the Bible we quote, not matter, we are not close to God, if our relationship to others is not sorted out, and is not in a good shape. That is why the second command after the first command to love God with all our hearts, minds and strength, is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Basically doing to others what we do to ourselves. The Scripture is very clear, you will have all needs met by God. There are no ifs and buts if you read Psalm 128:1,2!
He has said that, and it will be done! It is a wonder to figure out, how can some Christians fight against the prosperity of their needs met by God, and have leftovers, when it is very clear in many passages of the Bible, that God is our God of more than enough. Do not we see, that twice when Jesus provided food for thousands of people, as recorded in the Gospels, there were baskets left, full with leftovers. God could provide exactly the amount of food they needed, but instead, on both occasions, he provided them with baskets full with leftovers. What is even more, there is even one occasion in the Gospels recorded, when the disciples forgot to take bread with them, and when Jesus warned them to be careful about the yeast of the Pharisees. In that case, they thought that he is warning them about not having enough bread. But Jesus asked them, if they do not remember the thousands of people he had miraculously fed, and how many baskets of leftovers were there. That is what Jesus asked them. Mark 8:19-21 Why did Jesus ask them that question about the baskets full with leftovers? Because he wanted them to know, that we are with him, there is always a basket provided for us with leftovers. He is not satisfied to provide us with just enough to survive. No, that is why he gave them twice baskets full with leftovers. Are you finding yourself in a need for money to pay your bills, or for food to feed your family? Then do not forget what God has promised particularly for you, in Psalm 128:2, that blessing and prosperity will be yours! That is what God has said! Do we want to believe him, or do we want to believe the empty bank account more? Believing in the empty bank account, will give you worry and no miracle or provision, but believing the Word of God, will fulfil what it has promised! Which one you want to carry on believing? Is the hand of God too short to provide? No, he will for those who want to trust in him. He finds difficult to provide for those who doubt his Word and promises, although he wants to provide. The reason is, that if he continues to provide for the doubting, he will encourage them to continue living in doubt, because they will learn, that he provides even if you doubt. And yes, he does, but that is not what he wants. God wants us to grow in faith and trust in him, and although he will provide what we need, he is unwilling to provide just because we need something. He wants to be trusted and believed, because it surely grieves him, if we doubt what he has promised us in his Word. In the mind of God there is no scarcity or lack for us.
That is why Jesus attracted their attention to the leftovers and the basket full with them, when he fed the thousands of people twice. He is trying to show them, that when they go with him, and listen to him, he is mindful of their needs. Because the thousands of people cared enough to go and follow Jesus, and be with him, listen to him, therefore, he fed them twice, by performing a miracle. All that is needed is to be with Jesus, listen to him, and he will take the few fish and bread that we have, and multiply it for us. Another reason why Jesus was asking the disciples how many baskets with leftovers they had, when he fed the thousands by a miracle, is because he wants to show them that he is the God of leftovers, the God of more than enough. We could be satisfied to have God give us enough each day, just what we need, but God is not satisfied with that, because he wants us to have more than enough, he is the God of leftovers. He wants his children to have more than enough, because there is always an abundance with him. God wants us to grow in our faith in him, but we can do certain things in our life, which will hinder or prevent that growth, or the level of that growth.
One of the things which will slow down our growth in the things of God, is our daily worries and cares, for the many things which are in our life, and which often are very important. When a seed is sown into the ground, if there are good conditions in the soil, and if the soil is good, it will die and produce a plant. But, that plant needs to grow. If there are no thorns around that seed, that plant will grow no problem. But if there are thorns close to that seed, the pant will be overshadowed by the thorns, and they will slow down the growth of that plant. In a similar way, when there are many cares in our life, and many worries, we can let them overshadow the function and the purpose of the Word of God in our life. Of course we need to take care of many vital and important things in our life, on a daily basis, perhaps, we need to sort out or sift, which things are not necessary, even if we think that they are. It is up to us, if we will let various spiritual ‘thorns’ to overshadow the work of God in our life. We can be like Mary, which chose to be with Jesus, and to listen to him, sitting at his feet. Or we can be like Martha, which was listening to noise of all the preparations going on in the kitchen, instead of listening to Jesus (Luke 10:41). It is all about choice. Jesus recommended Mary, instead of Martha, because Mary chose to be with Jesus when he came to them, instead to be with all the cooks and chefs in the busy kitchen. Martha let the worries about the cakes and chicken in the oven, take over, and overshadow, what Jesus was talking to those listening and sitting around him. Martha let the worries of the kitchen overshadow the Word of God for her life, and she missed the vital lessons from heaven, coming from the lips of Jesus. So, in that sense, in that particular moment, Mary grew spiritually, but Marta just grew in body weight, by circulating around the cakes in the kitchen. Mary became ‘fatter’ in her spirit, by feeding on the words of Jesus, and Martha by feeding in the kitchen. Sometimes the worry about the chicken in the oven or the cakes in the kitchen, can shrink our spiritual growth, and increase our circumference and waist line. Doing things for God, like Martha did, when she prepared the meal for Jesus, is not enough to be closer to God, and to grow spiritually. We need to be with Jesus because that is what our relationship with God is all about, first of all. To be with God. Doing things for God is important, but being with God is more important. That is why Jesus said that Mary has chosen the better part. That is forgiving without limit. That is why Jesus used a big number, to show us that we must always forgive.
Ho many times God forgives us when we sin? Up to seven times? Up to seventy seven times? No he forgives us number of times without limit. That is why, he wants us to forgive without limit. We may think think that for some of the worse situations in our life, when people sin against us, we can not forgive, because it hurts too much to forgive those who sin against us. But forgiving is not forgetting. It is not about how we feel. It is about a choice made from us, based on our desire to forgive, because we have been commanded to by God. God has commanded us to forgive others, because he has forgiven us. He wants us to be like him. Forgiveness is a part of the image of God in us. The more we forgive, the more we look and act like God, and the brighter his image shines in us. It is about how much we want to be like him. Pray or perish. The more we press the snooze button, the less we pray, and the more we are tempted. The less we pray, the more we sin. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is a command, not an option. How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit if we do not pray? Jesus said in another place that we are in error, because we do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. How can we know the power of God, if we do not pray? Knowing and even acting on the Word of God is not enough. If we do not pray, we lose communication with heaven, and when we do, the communication we are left with is this world and what it has to offer. The image of God shines brighter and is shaped more and more in our life, when we pray. Less prayer, less image from heaven in us, and more from the fallen human nature in us and this world. Surely Jesus prayed more intensively, the closer he came to the cross. That is why he urged the disciples to do the same, shortly before he was captured and crucified. In the most crucial time in the garden of temptation, they pressed the snooze button. I am sure God wanted them to press the prayer button instead of the snooze button. The less we pray, the more we sleep. The more we sleep, the less we have what heaven has to offer. When we press the spiritual snooze button, we drop the Sword, and lose the battle. The less we pray, the more we sin. The more we sin, the less we grow in maturity in Christ. The less we mature in Christ, the more of the solid food for us God has we miss. We carry on drinking only milk and stay like a spiritual infant. The enemy knows that the less we pray, the more we can be tempted, so he is watching for an opportunity we give him, when we press the snooze button. Why did he go away sad? Because he realised that he had to possibly give up his possessions.
Jesus has just told him that one of the ways in the eyes of God to be perfect is to give to the poor. To be like God, who is the giver of every blessing. It is possible that the rich man did not reslise, what he would get from God, if he decided to give up his riches and follow Jesus. Perhaps he thought that he has achieved already, the purpose of his life, to become rich. Just like many people in the world today, who think that is the purpose of their life. But that is because they do not know, what God has for them, if they decide to give their life to him. The rich man probably thought that he will be left with nothing, if he decided to follow Jesus. Many people today, think in the similar way. But that is because they do not know that if they seek first the Kingdom of God, everything else will be added to them. The rich man surely did not realise it, that is why he thought that he will be counted as a loser, if he became a Christian. Are you struggling at the moment to get a job? There are so many people now in the world, who need employment, because of the Covid 19 pandemic. Perhaps you have been looking to find a new job for a long time. Be sure of the fact of the promise of God, that he cares for you and will provide you with an employment. But how can you be sure? Well, let us look at Psalm 112. In verse 2 the Word of God says that if you are a Christian, and serve God, you will be blessed. How can you be blessed, if you do not have a job? The two just do not go together. It is all down to what we want to believe more. The circumstances of unemployment we see, and our empty pocket, or the Word of God, and what God says about it. Think about it. God created the whole universe and the earth, and all the gold and diamonds in the earth just by his Word, by what God spoke. He created the universe by his spoken words out of nothing. Now, do not you think, that God will surely provide you with a job by commanding a job to be given to you? He even gave job to Adam and Eve from the very beginning. And now, you are his beloved child. He was willing to give up for you and me, the most precious he ever had, his Son Jesus to suffer a horrible death on the cross, for my and your sins. God the Father did not refuse to let Jesus go on the cross for you and me. And will he be unwilling to give a job to you? No way! He promised to give good gifts to those who ask him. So, do not wonder anymore, if God will provide you with a job, because he will! God said in Psalm 112:3 that wealth and riches will be in your house, if you believe in him and follow him. That wealth and riches surely includes an employment! Why should God want to give you wealth and riches, and not want to give you a job? God wants not just to pay your bills, but for you to have more than enough. That is what he said, that wealth and riches are yours! That is much more than just having a job! He wants you to have more than a salary! God wants you to be rich! Read verse 3 again! That is the opinion of God, not a man. God wants you prosperous! That is God’s own idea, not man’s! Wealth and riches means only one thing, wealth and riches, and there are no ifs, no buts, and all the other stuff, which does not come from heaven. |
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