Part 4 – Jesus the Coming King

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Relationship Between the Imminence of Christ’s Coming and World Missions
The imminence of Christ’s coming should enhance the need for missionaries and servants of God to proclaim the gospel and save the lost for Christ’s return is always at hand.
John Soper says:
“History is not just an endless recycling of meaningless events and actions. What happens in a country or a nation has importance because history is going somewhere. It’s moving towards a goal (a culmination) and that culmination is an event, the return to the earth of Jesus Christ.
My personal choices ought to be made and my personal actions ought to be taken in the reality of Jesus Christ is coming back.
Linked to the fact of the return of Jesus Christ in the Bible’s teaching is when He returns every human being will face what the Bible describes as the judgement seat of Christ. We will be accountable to Him for every thought, every word and every action
Summarization: The whole focus of the New testaments teaching about the return of Christ can be summed up in two simply propositions
1. Because Christ is coming we need to be ready. (living our lives pure, steadfast, prayerful, holy and reverent).
2. Because Christ is coming we need to finish the task that He gave us to do. “The preaching of the gospel to all the nations.”
A.B. Simpson was asked by a reporter when Jesus Christ would return? His reply was from Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (KJV). Here is one relationship between the imminence of Christ’s coming and world missions – the fulfillment of preaching the gospel to all nations, and the end of the age.
World missions can start from your local church, to your neighborhood, to your town to your city, to your county to your state,… and to the world. As the apostles were told by Jesus in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8 KJV).
Jesus also commanded us through the great commission in Matthew 28:18 – 20; to go and teach all nations whatsoever I have commanded you. We are to go out and preach the gospel to the lost and dying souls that they too may be reconciled back to God even as we are. Missions then become an integral part of Christ’s second coming as our ruling and reigning King in a physical and tangible way. The burden should be the willingness to proclaim the gospel of Christ because we long to see the “blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:13 KJV).
In Christ,
Greg

54 Pithy and Profound

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Double dose of spirituality

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33 KJV).
Sometimes we think God supplies all our needs. We even claim “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 KJV). Even in Philippians 4:13 it says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So there is a relying on God first just like in Matthew 6:33 where we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness before all things will be added unto us. What are all these things?
In the prior verses 25-32 Jesus was talking about clothing, food and drink. Material necessities which we need as our basic needs. A good father will ensure that his child has their basic necessities. How much more will God the Father give to us our basic needs? We need to seek God first. If you are lacking these things seek God get a double dose of spiritual living. Pray, do a Bible study, spend time with God every day and see how God our loving Father will take care of you.
In Christ,
Greg

Part 3 Jesus the Coming King

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Part 3 Jesus the Coming King

The events that surround the rapture of the church are: a falling away, a departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, many having a form of godliness but denying the power of God, and wickedness shall abound, perils times shall be. The signs of the times from Christ our Coming King can be seen in these verses.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

This week we are looking why we are saved from the tribulation period and a defense on the pre-millennial coming of Christ.

Saved from the Wrath to Come

We shall be saved from the wrath of God for He has not appointed us to wrath, but we are saved from wrath through Him. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV). This is a picture of Christ coming to save His saints from the tribulation period. He is not coming down for His millennial reign as depicted in Revelation 19:11-16 and 20:1-6. The difference being in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; Jesus comes in the clouds to rapture the believers and in the book of Revelation He comes down to earth and He will rule and reign at that time for a thousand years.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9 KJV)

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:9 KJV)

There is still another event that surrounds the rapture of the church and precedes the Millennial reign of Christ. It is the tribulation period spoken of in Daniel which also includes the abomination of desolation (Danial 2:36-45; 9:24-27 and 12; Revelation 11). These scriptures tell us about the empires or kingdoms decay from Babylon till the present day structure of mixed clay and iron (fragile kingdoms ready to crumble). The events are the signing of the covenant which happens before the seven years of tribulation. The next event happens in the midst of the seven years of tribulation which is called the abominations of desolation (the anti-christ sitting on the throne in temple of God).

Defend the Pre-Millennial Coming of Christ

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-6 KJV)

Kingship defined when He comes to rule and reign for a thousand years, but Jesus is exemplified as King in:

Psalms 2 declares Jesus as King, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” (Psalms 2:6-7 KJV) The Magi in Matthew 2:2 declares the child Jesus as king. “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” When Jesus rode into Jerusalem the multitudes greeted Him as a king by spreading out palm branches and their clothes on the ground, and when Pontus Pilate nailed the sign on the cross it read “This is the king of the Jews.” These all point to Jesus as our King. At His first coming, He was a suffering Servant as described in Isaiah 53. So, when will His Kingship be revealed?

The Kingdom of God comes without observation. One may say that the Kingdom of God is the church because the Spirit of God; the Spirit of Christ or the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer. But the physical manifestation of Christ is spoken of because Jesus tells us to “Watch”. We are to watch for He comes as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10 and He comes quickly in Rev 22:12; Mat 24:36; 25:13). Therefore, Jesus will return in a personal and visible state to rule and reign as King. We can see in Revelation 20:1-6 that Jesus binds and casts Satan into a bottomless pit and sets a seal on it for a thousand years while He rules and reigns. This is all after the tribulation period and the pre-tribulation rapture of those who believe in Christ as our Saviour and coming King.

A time line from the ascension of Jesus in Acts 1:8 until the physical coming of Jesus Christ and His Millennial reign looks like this:

  1. The preaching to all the nations, (Matthew 24:14)
  2. The time of the gentiles and God’s grace, (Luke 21:24; Romans 11:25)
  3. The pretribulation rapture, (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:52)
    • 1.1 Our glorified bodies, (Romans 8:18; 1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:4)
    • 1.2 Judgement of the believer, (Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10)
    • 1.3 Marriage super of the Lamb, (Revelations 19:7-10)
  4. The seven years of tribulation, (Daniel 9:26,27; 12; Revelation 6-11, 13-18)
  5. The 75 days after the tribulation period, (Daniel 12:11-13)
  6. Our Coming King Jesus Christ with His saints, (Revelation 19:11)
  7. Satan bound for a thousand years
  8. The Millennial Reign of Christ, (Revelation 20:1-6)

Christ’s coming is not the invisible spirit kingdom where He lives and abides in our hearts but the actual visual coming Revelation 1:7 says, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” Every eye shall see Him which is a physical manifestation. In 1 John 3:2 it says “When He shall appear;” this is another physical sighting and proclamation of the physical coming of Jesus Christ.

Let us remember these truths and while we are watching for the blessed hope, the return of Jesus Christ, let us also be diligent to be well pleasing in word thought and deed to God the Father.

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:12-14 KJV)

In Christ,

Greg

 

53 Pithy and Profound

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Sanctification
Reflecting on (51 Pithy and Profound) part 1’s thought on “The abiding characteristic of a spiritual man or woman, is the interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ to him or herself, and the interpretation to others of the purposes of God. Paraphrased from “’My utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers’” What about your sanctification? Jesus said in John 17:17-19
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. (John 17:17-19 KJV)
First it’s through God’s Word that we can be sanctified. Second we are sent as Christ was sent by God the Father. Lastly, Jesus is the exemplifier as He sanctifies Himself. How do you interpret these truths into your Christian character? Soak them in so they may abide in you. Think about it… If Jesus sanctified Himself. We need to sanctify ourselves by following God’s word, by being in the world but not of the world, and through His word we need to become more like Christ. If we are to continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of God, then we need to Sanctify ourselves through the word of God and go and be ambassadors for Christ so others may desire to be like Christ too. Christ is counting on you.
In Christ,
Greg

Part 2 Jesus the Coming King

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Part 2 Jesus the Coming King
The events that surround the rapture of the church are: a falling away, a departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, many having a form of godliness but denying the power of God, and wickedness shall abound, perils times shall be. The signs of the times from Christ our Coming King can be seen in these verses.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
This week we are looking at Seducing spirits and iniquity unto iniquity as the church gets closer to the rapture.
Seducing spirits
Watch craft, pharmaceuticals, divination, Ouija boards, and séances seem to be well accepted today as a means to gain knowledge and power. Some may be introduced to these at a very young or even out of curiosity. Some  may even find the immediate power they think they are looking for. As they fall into these practices it becomes harder to escape and the seducing spirits have won another soul to the dark side. O it is only a palm reading or it’s just a game. Without a firm foundation many are walking on shifting sand and can be tossed to and fro into the wiles of the devil.
Other seducing spirits may be the desires of the flesh. James 1:14 says, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” These types of seducing spirits are the temptations of the flesh and have been around since the Garden of Eden. John lists these lusts in 1 John 2:15 – 17.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15-17 KJV)
First we can see the lusts of the flesh. Here the desires of our flesh have been perverted by worldly notions of sexually, psychological, or even psychosomatic pleasures.
It all starts from within. Thomas Goodwin puts it this way;
Our thoughts are the first movers of all the evil that is in us. For they make the motion, bringing the heart and the object together; they are panderers to our lusts, holding up the object until the heart has played the adulterer with it. So in speculative uncleanness, and in other lusts, the thoughts hold up the images of those gods which they create, which the heart falls down and worships. Our thoughts present praise, riches, beauty to the heart until it has worshipped them and this even when the things themselves are absent! (The Vanity of Thoughts by Thomas Goodwin 1600–1680).
These desires can even be absent and only a memory. When we ponder on past desires, pleasures, and feelings we bring back with them the emotional pleasures which cause us to continue to reason on why we should do them. They are in fact seducing us from our purpose, God and a relationship with Him.
Maybe your seducing spirit is the shopping mall, buying things makes you feel better or happy and therefore the pleasure fills a void of being unhappy. Maybe it the movies or television programs from sports and action to romance and fiction. There are other ways to amuse yourself and escape reality like the internet or video games. The list can go on and on.
We must guard ourselves from falling away from our faith, thinking we are godly yet denying the power thereof and seducing spirits which all lead to wickedness and the iniquities of this world.
Iniquity unto iniquity
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is still omnipotent, able to heal, save, comfort, and convict the body, soul, and spirit of His creation as the Divine creator and designer of everything. If you deny the power of God you deny His immutable being and characteristics. This is just another sign of iniquity taking over the culture and has an outward symptom of wickedness.
Truly, wickedness is abounding today. Murders, shootings, human trafficking, stealing, and police bashing, which does not include the immoral sexuality of the day to day life of this culture and are now proclaimed to be normal. Iniquity abounds today and influences the culture to turn to self and not to God. Just do it because it feels good is there cry. But the consequences of disobedience are as simple as, what you sow you will reap. When the consequences come the wicked blame God and therefore iniquity abounds unto iniquity as stated in Romans, “because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity;” (Romans 6:19 KJV). Thus perilous times abound due to the circle of iniquity and the consequences thereof. Many grow cold because of the iniquity of this world. They feel as if the world is beyond saving and say, “The end is near I hope the Lord comes soon.”
These are some of the signs of the times surrounding the events of the rapture. Yet no man knows the day or the time.
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:27-31 KJV)
This verse along with John 14:1 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 tell us Jesus will come back for us in a personal and visual and pre-millennial time but also before the seven years of tribulation.

52 Pithy and Profound

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Today is the national day of prayer. May we learn how to pray for our nation and world from Biblical prayers like Nehemiah’s. Look at his prayer and model after it today when you are praying.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer. (Nehemiah 1:4-11 KJV)
Nehemiah was a cup bearer and was not supposed to go before the king and inquire of him. Yet Nehemiah prayed by confessing his and his nations sins, He asked God to remember His word and if we turn from our sins and keep His commandments God would hearken to his prayer. If you are a Christian, then you are one of God’s redeemed and we are praying today as a nation which must confess our sins, and turn from them. Then ask God but quoting His word for answered prayer. Lord here the prayers of Your saints this day and always. Let this nation serve You once again. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
In Christ,
Greg

The C & MA Statement of Faith and Jesus the Coming King

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The C & MA Statement of Faith and Jesus the Coming King
From the statement of faith The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer’s hope and is a vital truth that is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. (Hebrews 10:37; Luke 21:27; Titus 2:11-14)
Notice that the Statement of Faith also says that “The second coming will be personal, visible, and pre-millennial.” Pre-millennialism is the belief that Jesus will literally and physically be on the earth for his millennial reign, at his second coming. The primary scriptural basis for it comes from Revelation 20:1-6.
Christ our coming King
The Christian and Missionary Alliance Statement of Faith supports a basic belief in the undeniable, biblical assertions of a bodily resurrection and judgment (Section J) and declares that Christ’s return is “imminent and will be personal, visible and premillennial” (Section K).
What better incentive to “holy living and faithful service” (Section K) than to keep our eyes on Christ our Coming King?
Trace the events surrounding the rapture of the Church
The events that surround the rapture of the church are: a falling away, a departing from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, many having a form of godliness but denying the power of God, and wickedness shall abound, perils times shall be. The signs of the times from Christ our Coming King can be seen in these verses.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Mt 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
The falling away
In today’s world people are falling away from the church. 80% of Americans may say they are Christians but they do not go to church much less know the doctrinal truths of the Holy Bible. Out of that 80% there may be 10% going to church and out of that 10% only 10% are truly involved and only 1% know or are studying God’s word. That is to say only about 1% of those actually going to church on a regular basis are following Christ. The only reason the churches are full today is the baby boomer generation is still around. The future of the church is looking grim. The next generation may turn out to be like England where the down fall of Christianity is now being overwhelmed by the Muslim faith and soon the churches will be empty and the name of Jesus will not be allowed to be spoken. There is a falling away from the true Christian faith for many reasons. One of which is a lack of discipleship. It would seem to suffice most to fed the flock with the milk of the word in a seeker friendly atmosphere. Let us not offend anyone with the truth from God’s word or teach them what the book of Romans says that is just too difficult, so let us stick with James it is much easier to teach. Therefore, we have church goers who cannot defend the reason for their hope (1 Peter 3:15). The Church has been pastoring the flock and has not been reaching out to those outside the church and those who have not heard the word go on what they hear in the streets; mostly notions seducing spirits to keep them of track. You only have to be one degree off to miss the mark.
Departing from the faith and a form of godliness
Many denominations today are one degree off. Maybe they believe in monotheism where Jesus is not God. But if Jesus is not God how could there be an eternal sacrifice. (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12,15,26; 10:12). Man is finite only God incarnate can make a propitiation that was eternal. Or maybe they have listened to Madonna, the singer, when she said to the Catholic church, you need to get with the times. So many people see the church as old fashion or out dated. Yet the word is living and powerful because it is ageless when it comes to human nature and the relationships of God and mankind. But people use the excuses of old fashion or out dated terms, so they can continue to live the way they want to live in unwed homes, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
As we go through the end time events we may appreciate the need to tell others of Jesus the coming King and our need to usher in the Kingdom of God as we also reflect on Matthew 24:14.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14 KJV)
The end shall come when we proclaim to all nations the gospel of the kingdom. Then we will see Jesus Christ our coming King.

Christ Our Healer

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THE RELATIONSHIP OF DIVINE HEALING AND THE ATONEMENT
Divine Healing from Isaiah 53:4 & 5.
Divine healing of Christ’s atoning sacrifice is witnessed in the following verses:
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. {wounded: or, tormented} {stripes: Heb. bruise} (Isaiah 53:4-5 KJV)
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17 KJV).
These two verses support and prove the truth of divine healing and the atonement of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These verses are further linked together in Acts 8:26-35, where the Holy Spirit led Phillip to the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading Isaiah 53. In verse 35, Phillip began preaching Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch solidifying the fact that Isaiah’s prophecy is about Jesus Christ our Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer and coming King. A closer look at these verses will show the substitutionary relationship of Jesus Christ’s atonement and Divine healing for us.
In Isaiah 53:4 the verbs borne and carried, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” are used especially in reference to the bearing of guilt or punishment. In Genesis 4:13, Cain could not bear (nasa) his punishment and in Leviticus 5:1 the soul that sins will bear (nasa) their iniquity. Who shall bear this punishment in Isaiah 53? He shall and He is Christ our Saviour. In verse 12 we see bare (nasa) again where Christ has borne our sin and made intercession for the transgressors,
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12 KJV)
This signifies that Christ interceded for the transgressors, the sinners, and all mankind certainly falls in this category. He also took upon the sin of many. He borne the sins of the guilty which also signifies a substitutionary bearing of one person’s guilt by another. Therefore, the covering or atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ takes upon Himself the sinners consequences. In the case of Isaiah 53:4 it is our grief and sorrows. Grief is the Hebrew word choliy S.C. 2483 and is translated disease, grief and sickness. Sorrow is translated as grief, sorrows and pain (2 Chronicles 6:29, Exodus 3:7, Jeremiah 51:8).
These can be emotional, physical or spiritual. Without Christ we certainly are spiritual sick for our spirit would be dead. Emotional sickness can be seen as mental or even a chemical imbalance; and physical sickness comes in all forms of viruses and diseases.
Also every sickness, and every plague, which [is] not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. Deuteronomy 28:3
The best part of knowing about every sickness even those not listed in the Bible is that God can take them away. “And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness” (Deuteronomy 7:15 KJV). God is the same yesterday, today and forever He is Jehovah Raphe, the Lord our healer.
He carried our sorrows. Carried is the Hebrew word sabal S.C. 5445, which also means to bear something as a penalty or chastisement. He took on again our emotional, physical and spiritual despondencies. Grief is emotional, pain is physical and sorrows can be a malady of all the above. But God has sent Jesus our Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer and coming King to be the atonement for our sorrows and to bare our griefs through His divine healing power even for today. This is confirmed in Matthew 8:17 “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
“That it might be fulfilled” is referring to the preceding verses which say, “And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:” (Matthew 8:14-16 KJV). The Greek word here for sick is kakos S.C. 2560. Kakos means (physically or morally) – diseased, evil, grievously, miserably, sick, and sore. Verses 14 -16 reference the physical, emotional and spiritual healing of sicknesses Christ our healer performed. Peter’s mother had a fever, she was physically sick. Those who were possessed were spiritually sick and those Jesus healed that were sick, were both physically or morally sick.
Another congruent scripture concerning healing is 1 Peter 2:24. Where Peter also quotes Isaiah 53:5.
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (1 Peter 2:24 KJV).
Christ our Healer bare our sins and by His stripes we are healed. Some may say it is a spiritually healing but truly it is a divine healing of the body soul and spirit.  The word healed is the Greek word iaomai S.C. 2390 meaning to cure, make whole, to heal. To cure is to restore to health. Jesus can restore us wholly, that is to say physically, spiritually and emotionally (our soul).
Physically e.g. Matthew 8:13, in this case the centurion’s son was sick of a palsy, paralyzed. (Also see Acts 9:34). Spiritually Matthew 15:28 the Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter was vexed with a devil, she was demonized.  (Also see Luke 9:42; Acts 10:38).
In Luke 4:18 we saw the healing of the soul, spirit and body. Jesus came to heal us and to preach the kingdom of God; “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15 KJV) Through the gospel we can be saved from the dominion of Satan. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil and restore us to His kingdom. The devil has come to steal, kill and destroy but Christ has come to give us an abundant life by restoring our whole being body, soul and spirit, (Luke 5:17; Matthew 13:15).
In Christ,
Greg

51 Pithy and Profound

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Abiding Character
The abiding characteristic of a spiritual man or woman, is the interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ to him or herself, and the interpretation to others of the purposes of God. Paraphrased from “My utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers” Think about it… What is your interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ and what are you relaying to others as God’s purposes in this life and eternity?
Here is just one example:
2Corinthians 5:20 & 21, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (KJV)
As an ambassador are the characteristics of Christ Jesus abiding in you and are others seeing or interpreting the purpose of God through your words and actions?
In Christ,
Greg

Christ our Healer Part 2

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The ministry of healing in the local church

Part 2 of 2

I believe the local church or the body of believers still have the ministry of healing. The CMA has divided healing into two groups: Signs and wonders, and the Lord for the body. Jesus also sends us out through His commands in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-18.

Signs and wonders can be exemplified in Luke chapters 9 and 10 where Jesus first sent the twelve and then the seventy out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Also in Acts chapter 3, 4 and 19 where Peter healed a lame man and Paul did special miracles.

The Holy Spirit also gives gifts as He wills. Some of which are faith, the gifts of healing and the working of miracles. Certainly we need an increase in our faith if we are to be a conduit for God to work healings and miracles through us, (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

James 5:13-16, as previously mentioned, is a model for the Lord for the body. I can only add that this is part of the ministry in the local church and if the healing ministry is to be operational in the local body of believers than the pastor must teach the fullness of the scripture to include intercessory prayer amongst church members along with calling for the elders to anoint them with oil in the name of Jesus and praying for them. As James 5:16 says “and pray for one another that you may be healed.” Some may even need the laying on of hands, (Mark 16:18).

My personal experience of Christ as Healer

Christ is our divine healer of body, soul and spirit.

My most profound experiences of Jesus Christ my healer came after a fatal car accident. I began to question myself, “Why am I alive? What is my purpose?” I had always said I was a Christian but I would only pray over my meals when I remembered and that was not too often. Yet God had a plan for me. I started asking God What is my purpose? And why am I alive? What am I supposed to do? “Be prepared,” is the only answer I have really understood.

God did take the addiction of alcohol from me. He healed my spirit, soul and body some immediately and some over time. Salvation, addiction, bad habits, hurts and hang-ups have been taking away. Not that I am perfect or sinless but I do sin less.

As I read the Bible I began to question myself was I ever really saved. My life reflected the world and its values. Alter calls would come and I would pray the sinner’s prayer and accept Jesus as both my Lord and Saviour until I had the confidence that I was saved. The ultimate healing than is being born again as it makes us whole. Without a regenerated spirit we are not what God created us to be body, soul and spirit.

As I began my journey for answer in God’s word, He revealed to me in His word, the things I needed to get through trials and tribulation. Going to court was a high anxiety and stressful situation. I would open the Bible up and read His word for support, which I would bring with me in a brief case. God would always give me a word of comfort to make it through, (soul healing). When I learned verses such as 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV). I knew that anxiety, fear and doubt was not of God and He would strengthen my puny soul and spirit through His word. This of course effected my body.

I was healed from alcoholism.  God took the psychosomatic addiction from me and healed me from the bondage it once had on me. This also freed my spirit to worship God instead of the people, places and things which involved and fellowshipped around alcohol.

When giving blood in 1992 I found out I had Hepatitis C. After the accident I went into severe depression and my viral count went up, around 800,000. I did not want to live and therefore my body was reflecting my thought life. I came across “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 KJV). What that verse really meant to me was, I just want to die. I wanted to be put out of my misery, guilt and shame. God continued to mold me through His word and fellowship as I joined a church, men’s Bible study and other Christian fellowship groups. I started looking up to God so when I looked in He could heal my battered, contrite soul and spirit. I would take each verse I saw with meaning and say Lord help me be like that, or help me understand Your word. I began to go through the procedures to take the Hepatitis C treatment. They did different tests and even a liver biopsy and said I have stage 3 fibrosis of the liver. I was put on a waiting list and eventual had the treatment and to this day I am virus free. Jesus is my healer.

Jesus continues to work on my body, soul and spirit. For I still war against the devil, my flesh, and the world as each of them try and gain a foot hold on me; God’s word, the sword of the Spirit, comes to mind to defeat their subtilty. Thus placing me in a state of repentance and healing for my body, soul and spirit as they are intricately woven together.

Some personal experiences involving others seem to be countless. Cooperate prayer in churches, individuals praying over the sick and injured, even personal prayer for others have seemed to have healed more than not.

 

Personally once while in a church service I felt the urge to pray for a brother’s back. He had told me that he wanted to boat up the Mississippi River to bring the gospel to those along the rivers coast, but his spine would probably prevent him from doing so. He was going to go get another x-ray or MRI in the upcoming week to see about surgery. When I felt the unction I reached over the pew and touched the middle his back with both my hands on either side of his spine and asked God to heal him for You know his heart’s desire to serve You. He left without saying a word to me or questioning me placing my hands on his back. Well, a couple of weeks later I saw him and asked him about his results because I was praying for him and he said that I know didn’t you feel my back move that day in church. I said no, I thought that it was your lower back like most people have problems with. But he said no, it was right where you touched me and the tested showed that it was now normal. Christ the Healer.

I have been with others and prayed over them with the elders of the church and have experienced healings of high sugar levels drop to normal, cancer become benign spots, health issues being solved by medical assistance. The last one I would like to talk about, but I was not personally there, is when a group including a pastor prayed over a guy in hospice and within two weeks he was moved out and become known as the walking Lazarus. I had the privilege of meeting him and even walked with him twice on his 41.3 day (4 hour and 13 minute a day) journey to bring awareness to the power of pray, God’s healing power and the need to help others in recovery. The power of Christ our healer with the purpose of glorifying God works today. I have both heard and seen such results of Christ our healer for the glory of God in action.

http://www.villages-news.com/parents-greet-son-at-end-of-remarkable-journey-in-walk-back-from-near-death/

http://www.villages-news.com/thankful-for-a-second-chance-man-embarks-on-daily-lazarus-walk/

In Christ,

Greg