Is anyone sick among you? Let THEM call.

A thought came to me while I was reading about healing. The Bible says to pray for those who are sick. It also says in Matthew 10:1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. The power and authority was given to these disciples to extend the character of God's intentions by commissioning them to an assignment given from Jesus himself.

This is the very assignment of the church. The assignment is to do "WHATEVER THE FATHER SAYS to do! I believe as the extention of Christ himself -we His BODY are to fulfill the intentions of the FATHERS DESIRES FOR HIS PEOPLE. It could be that some people are confused or ignorant of what the Father's desires are.

I also like what James 5:14 says, Is anyone among you sick? "Let him call" for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. If there is a person who is sick "let them call" this is the point. God deals with each one of us on a personal level....certainly the initiative lies with the sick person.

If you think about most of the accounts of people in the New Testatment they called for Jesus when they needed healing. But there is another aspect to look at; we (those that would receive healing) must know that He (God) is willing and it is His desire to see us healed. We sometimes run into trouble with healing when we attempt to project God's will onto another individual's life who may not have this same understanding of God's will.

Look at Matthew 8:2-3 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out [His] hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

This scripture says, it was the leper's idea that he should COME to Jesus (as was the same with many other accounts in the bible). It also says that the leper needed to know if it was the Lord's will to heal him.
Food for thought!
Barbara

I was thinking yesterday that we sometimes go through the motions of “going to church” ……….it reminded me of the words Jesus spoke in Matthew 13:13-15

This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:" `You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

It’s like JESUS is saying “they don’t take me seriously” so they don’t hear.

Seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not understand. It reminds me of when we went to the see the Philadelphia Orchestra, I’m sure that some of the audience who heard the performance of Handel’s Messiah and they listened to the music and the words which are right out of the Bible, and left very impressed with the music but no more.

Or when you come to a children’s Christmas performance and all you remember is whether your daughter or grandson said his part right, but you really didn’t pay attention to the meaning of the part or the words in the play.

We must ask “do I go home from worshipping the Lord and all I think about is the conversation I had with someone or the style of music – or who was there and who wasn’t there, well then we have missed the message! You clearly can see it in people who read the Bible and all they get out of it is that “Jesus was a nice guy” who taught some good moral values, and that’s it. Instead of looking at God’s Word as a call to repentance and faith, it is just a story about how to live a good life. This would be seeing and they do not see; though hearing they do not hear or understand. Don’t let your hearts grow calloused to the truth and the purpose of God’s Word. It can impair your hearing and perception.

Oh great! I post my first blog, and after I post it I read it and start laughing! I didn't know I was going to have a comical blog! I typed stewartship instead of stewardship on line 5! At any rate, I want you to know the interesting thing about the name "stewart".... It means "guardian of the house." Another meaning was: "An estate manager." So anyway you look at it "stewart or steward" is a guardian, keeper, or manager! Have a great week! Your humble stewart! Barbara

This is my first blog, it's all so new. To think that you are writing to "someone" but not knowing exactly who it is feels very different. However, my prayer that God will be glorified and that relationships will grow from these blogs. Well, this month we have been learning about stewartship. We are humbled when we think about what God has given us -WOW, we have life and family to love, the beautiful earth, we have our gifts and talents and the joy of fellowship with God! All this and then there is so much more.....understanding why it is so important to be good stewards is part of God's plans for His church. Being good stewards over our families, our time, finances, gifts from God, our physical bodies - helps us to live the "Blessed Life" that Jesus Christ purchased for all of us on the Cross. The church is moving forward to become the Bride of Christ without spot or wrinkle. As we all continue to walk with God becoming better and better stewards the "Light of the World" will shine through us and His love, His Lordship and His goodness shall been evident to others. This excites me! When the love of God is working in and through His church (even by how we manage our lives through good stewardship) many will see and want to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior! Thinking about the church manifesting the love of God to the world - can it get any better than that! Yes it does, I'll answer my own question. It gets better because truly Jesus Christ is coming back for us!!! And that day is getting closer and closer and it is going to be glorious! Come Lord Jesus Come!