WHEN GOD DOESN’T HEAL

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

WHEN GOD DOESN’T HEAL

Does God heal today?  Oh yes!  Here are some scriptures that declare it to be so:

- (Exo 15:26)... I am the LORD who heals you."

- (Psa 103:3) Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.

- (3 John 1:2) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

If God’s Word gives us these promises we should diligently seek the Lord for His healing touch when we have need of it.  

But here’s the next question:  Does God heal everybody and at all times?  Some teach in the affirmative but the weight of Scripture says there are times when God would choose not to heal for a purpose He would have in mind.  Take Paul for instance.  He had an apparent physical malady that He asked God to heal and God didn’t.  Read this clip from Corinthians:  

(2 Cor 12:7-10) And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. {8} Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. {9} And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. {10} Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Sometimes there’s a lesson for us to learn before God heals us.  Until then, we can rely on His grace and claim His promise that He is our strength in weakness.  And if He still doesn’t heal us we are to remain true to Him and trust that it’s all part of His plan that will someday be revealed. (1 Cor. 13:12)

So bottom line:

- The ultimate healing is spiritual, the forgiveness of sins (Isaiah 53:5).

- We are to claim His promises of physical healing.

- We are to trust His purposes when our healing is delayed or denied. (Rom 8:28)

- And we are to remember the ultimate of healing and health is when we are in His presence forever as His redeemed saints, praising Him in our glorified bodies that will never know sickness, pain, disease, or death again.  Hallelujah!

Louie

FAMILY DEVOTIONS

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP 

FAMILY DEVOTIONS 

(Deu 6:7)  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.   

It’s the Mormons that have a saying, “The family that prays together, stays together.”  And that is so true.  But why should families of a cult be a better example of godliness and togetherness than those from the true Christian faith?   

The goal is to get the family together on a daily basis to read the Bible together and pray.  When this happens you grow spiritually together and will also experience unity and harmony that brings peace and joy to your household.  This is because as you get closer to Jesus you get closer to each other.  Your family exists to serve God and be a witness to the world. No wonder the enemy seeks to keep Christian families from this spiritual discipline!   So what are some reasons Christian families are so negligent or inconsistent in having family devotions?

LAZINESS.  We just get lazy as families.  We are so hang loose that we fail to set goals as families.  We so often lack discipline when it comes to schedules and objectives and no wonder not much gets done in a real sense of accomplishment that your family can be proud of.  It’s time to put God back in first in our families!  (Mat 6:33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  

BUSYNESS.  The typical family in our society operates non-stop throughout the day.  Our culture thrives on going, going, going.  So no wonder we are “gone” when it comes to getting home at the end of a busy work/school day.  Families hurriedly eat dinner and then basically watch TV or view their personal devices for hours on end.  Then people start passing out one by one and off to bed they go.  Families get wired and then they get tired.  (Mat 13:22)… the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  

So how do you do family devotions?  Suggestion:  When your kids are young read and pray with them as you tuck them into bed at night.  Kids love those Bible story books with the great pictures.  Then they drift off to sleep in the arms of Jesus.  As your children get older then after dinner is a great time around the table or out in the living room.  Maybe go through a gospel like Matthew and take one parable or story at a time to read, discuss, and then pray. (There might even be an app for that!) The family is integrated and the rest of the evening has that spiritual focus and charm like you get when you leave church.  There will be times when you miss but make sure you have family devotions the next evening.   

When you have a family altar, watch your family get altered in the right way that glorifies God and brings family unity! 

Louie

GRACE

                        SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

GRACE

(Rev 22:21) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Grace.  That word we all love but sometimes have a difficult time explaining.  That which we need the most but have a difficult time attaining.  It can change our lives and also be sustaining.  Grace is defined as “unmerited favor.”  You can’t earn it…it’s the free gift of God.  Some explain it with an acronym: God’s Richest At Christ’s Expense.  I like it spelled out like this: Justice is getting what you deserve…Mercy is not getting what you deserve…Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.  

The Bible says we are saved by grace: (Eph 2:8-9) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation.  We are helpless sinners from birth and bound for eternal destruction.  We have violated the law of God and stand judged for condemnation.  But God saw our fallen condition and interposed.  He sent Jesus His Son to die on our behalf.  He was the spotless Lamb who died as our substitute.  Now those who put their trust in the work Jesus did on the cross and in His resurrection will be saved by God’s grace.   

The Bible says we also grow in our faith by grace.  (2 Pet 3:18) but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…  There is that tendency in us as believers to think it’s up to us to continue on by our own merits.  How wrong!  Just as we are saved by grace we also grow in grace.  We can’t do a thing without the Lord.  How we desperately try to work for our sanctification but end up failing so pitifully.  Every Christian has to learn this valuable lesson.  Jesus said: …for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)  We will never measure up to that perfect standard.  We all fall short.  Thank God we are under grace and not the law!

Grace is something that is also transferable to others.  You can give to others what they don’t deserve.  You can offer them that free gift of forgiveness and overlook their faults because you know God’s grace has done that for you!  It sets your offender free and keeps your heart free from the hardness of bitterness and unforgiveness.  (Mat 10:8)…Freely you have received, freely give. (See also Mat 18:21-35)

Grace has changed my life.  I had always struggled with that condemnation the devil puts upon you that you’re not good enough.   I thought if I worked harder and became more dedicated God would reward my efforts.  Then the Lord taught me that everything is a free gift from Him. (Jms 1:17)  It has also taken judgmentalism from my heart.  I have more grace for others that I never used to have because I was holding them to a standard.  Now I can just love people and accept them for who they are.  Instead of elbowing them I give them more elbow room.  And you know what’s funny?  I then see changes in their lives!  Grace…what a great way to live!!

Louie

THE MYSTERIOUS MELCHIZEDEK

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP 

THE MYSTERIOUS MELCHIZEDEK 

A mystery man.  Who is he?  Where did he come from?  Where did he go?  And yet his life foreshadowed the coming of the Messiah thousands of years before He came to earth.  Was he a real human being?  Was he an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament?  Let’s look into this enigmatic figure of the Old Testament and try to solve the mystery of MELCHIZEKEK.   

The story of Melchizedek is found in only three places in the Bible (Genesis, Psalms, and Hebrews): (Gen 14:18-20) Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.  And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.  The background is that after Abraham rescued Lot from being kidnapped by a coalition of kings, Melchizedek, a king and a priest, came to greet Abraham and offered him bread and wine.  He then blessed Abraham and afterward Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek.   

Then over in Psalm 110 there is the second mention of Melchizedek.  (Psa 110:4) The Lord has sworn and will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”  David predicts here that in the future the people of the Messiah will have an eternal High Priest. Melchizedek was a king and priest and in the coming Kingdom the ancient unity of priest and king in one person will be reunited in the Messiah.  Finally in Hebrews the writer exercises a brilliant stroke in combining the Genesis and Psalm references concerning Melchizedek and relating them to the Messiah, Jesus Christ (Heb 7:1-25). 

Now let’s try to pull it all together.  The author of Hebrews brings out the similarities of Melchizedek and Jesus to argue that Jesus is eternal and superior to the Old Testament Aaronic priesthood.  These similarities include:  1) Their dual roles:  They were both priest and king.  (Heb 7:1; Psa 110:4). 2) Their eternal nature: (Heb 7:3; Psa 110:4). 3) Their description of character: King of righteousness (Heb 7:2; Jer 23:6) and king of Salem, or peace (Heb 7:2; Isa 9:6). 4) Their free gift of grace: Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to Abraham (Gen 14:18).  Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper (communion) with the elements of bread and wine (1 Cor 11:23-26).    

Was Melchizedek a real person?  Or was he a preincarnate appearance of Christ in the Old Testament?  One cannot be certain but consider some other Christophanies in the Bible: Gen 18:1, Gen 32:24, Josh 5:13-15, and Daniel 3:24-25.   

I hope the figure of MELCHIZEDEK is less of a mystery to you and more of a reality as seen in Christ.  If you ask Him He will walk off the Bible pages and right into your heart.  Let Jesus be your priest and king today!   

Louie