Healing Edema

Luke 14:1 One Sabbath day Jesus was in the home of a leader of the Pharisees. The people were watching him closely,

2 because there was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen.

3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, "Well, is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?"

4 When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. (NLT)

 

This probably was a condition called edema, swelling of the legs or arms. I do not know of any natural cure for this other than exercise  diet and compression bandages. Jesus is master over our illnesses. By his stripes we were healed and by faith we receive complete healing and deliverance. Just speak to it my Lord and it is healed. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. In him is our restoration and rest. He moves by faith and I trust in him.

 

 

That fox

Luk 13:31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Certain Pharisees warned Jesus to depart because "Herod will kill you." Was that a warning or a threat? Many of the Scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus to be killed. It was nearing the time that Jesus would finish his reason for coming, he would soon be crucified, shedding his blood for our sins. When the end of this age draws near, the Herod's of the world will seek to kill those who serve the Living God. Persecution is a promise for the godly.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

Jesus would continue his work. Go tell that fox, behold I cast out demons. He had the power to deliver people from satan's captivity. "I do cures to day and tomorrow". Cures, iasis: the act of healing and curing the sick. Jesus cured the entire body and he would bring salvation "on the third day", referring to his resurrection from the grave. On the cross Jesus would say "It is finished". Our salvation was paid for and his work at that time was done. His resurrection showed us the proof that he had power to give eternal life to those who believe on his name. Jesus is the way of salvation.

The Herod's today are controlled by that fox, the devil. He is sly and subtle, sneaking around to terrorize the hens in the chicken coop. Get out of the chicken coup and soar like an eagle.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

We are to use our Spiritual power from on high and remain faithful until Jesus returns for us. 

The Ebenezer Stone

When the ark was in captivity, it brought plagues to the Philistine people. The false images bowed and were broken in the presence of the ark. For fear of the God of Israel the ark was returned to a place in Israel called Bethshemesh, and from there to Kirjathjearim.

1Sa 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
1Sa 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
1Sa 7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
1Sa 7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
1Sa 7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
1Sa 7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
1Sa 7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
1Sa 7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
1Sa 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
1Sa 7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.
1Sa 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

Israel missed having the Ark in the temple and by Samuel's counsel, they repented and put away their foreign idols. Satan doesn't give up easy, he always tries to disrupt the moving of God; the Philistines were coming to fight. The people cried out to Samuel, their prophet and Judge. He offered a burnt offering of a baby lamb and prayed. His prayer was answered with a voice of a great thunder that so upset the Philistines that Israel was able defeat and drive them away. The Ebenezer stone memorialized this victory. Ebenezer : God is our help (the stone of help).

If we are children of God, through faith in Jesus Christ we may call out to God ourselves, with the Lamb of God as our intercessor. Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb. God's spirit in us prays to the Father and he helps us. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and helper. He is God with us and we are as priests to God and son's of the most high God. We are the Spirit filled family of God. May I suggest that you find an Ebenezer stone of any size to remind you that God helps us? Jesus is the Rock of my salvation. I had a custom of going to a rapid place on the river for prayer. I would find a white stone and pray for a certain person and throw the stone into the living waters. These were as Ebenezer stones for God to help those that I prayed for. There was a large Ebenezer stone in Israel, but we can make our own to remember God is our help.

Ichabod

1Sa 4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 

1Sa 4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

1Sa 4:18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he (Eli) fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 
1Sa 4:19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
1Sa 4:20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
1Sa 4:21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
1Sa 4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

The ark of the covenant was the presence of God in Israel. Some loosely say that it was like God in a box. The ark was a point of contact with the presence of God, as was the temple that it was housed in. The temple had been defiled by the two son's of Eli and was taken by them into battle. Israel lost the battle, the ark was taken captive and judgement and death fell on the family of Eli the high priest.

Applying this to our nation, the flag may be a symbol to many of God who blessed America and fought with us. The flag alone cannot guarantee a victory. The people must be committed to God. In Israel part of the problem was the lack of respect for God in the house of God. The priests were whoring around like the worst in the world. Some of the blame for the removing of all references to God in our nation is that the church was like the world, letting anything happen. God is not gone. He lives in the hearts of the Remnant who follow him faithfully. Israel had the prophet Samuel and the ark was eventually returned. God will return to America when America turns to God. It starts with the church.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.  

Servant and Prophet

The story of Hannah is a beautiful story. She had not been able to bear a child and was being tormented by her husband's second wife. She vowed to the LORD that if she could bear a son that she would give him to the LORD as his servant. Samuel was born to Hannah and when he was weaned she brought him to the house of the LORD to be raised by the high priest who was named Eli. Eli had two son's who were priests in name only. They stole from the offerings and seduced the young women who served in the temple. Eli did not discipline his son's and everyone knew they were evil. This is the place Samuel was brought to be in the presence of God and to live for him. The ark of the covenant was in the temple. Samuel began to hear the LORD calling to him. At first he thought it was Eli. Eli told him to respond by saying, yes LORD, speak for I am your servant and I hear you.

1Sa 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
1Sa 3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
1Sa 3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
1Sa 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
1Sa 3:14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
1Sa 3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
1Sa 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
1Sa 3:17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
1Sa 3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

The young prophet Samuel had heard from the LORD. A prophet hears from the LORD and is to deliver the true message of God. Eli wanted to hear the truth and told Samuel to speak the truth. This is important for a prophet and a man of God. Samuel spoke what the LORD said to him, that Eli's son's would be killed and his family would be cursed because he did not restrain his sons.

There are many lessons here. One is that a man of God is to speak the truth of God. Too many are not speaking to discipline those in the house of God. They only allow sin and speak as if God will bless them anyways. I am not speaking this to the Pastors I know and love, but the churches are in danger of slack leadership. We are to speak the truth in concern for the family of God. We are also to live separated lives unto the LORD. Eli's son's had it all, but it was all of the flesh and God cursed them.

Last night I met a man in an Internet Bible chat who has stage 4 renal cancer. He was a blessing to all of us with his positive heart full of love and faith. He said that everyday was an opportunity to bless and to be led by the LORD. We prayed for his healing, and his soul is already healed. He is a man of faith with the spiritual presence of God. This was a truly blessed adopted son of the Father. Pray for John that he will be healed in body as well.  

Ruth and Naomi

Naomi a Jewish mother and wife, had found herself in a foreign land having lost her husband and her two married sons. She had two widowed daughter in laws who were Moabites. Naomi told them to go and return to their own people, remarry and to make new lives for themselves. She kissed them and they both wept. Naomi must have shown her love to them and they loved her in retrurn. One daughter, Orphah, meaning "gazelle", kissed Naomi again and departed, but Ruth, meaning "friendship" clave unto Naomi. Naomi means "my delight." Well, she no longer felt blessed. She spoke her concern for them : "for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me." She wanted the best for her daughters in her time of grief.

Rth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Rth 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
Rth 1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
Rth 1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
Rth 1:20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
Rth 1:21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Naomi like many of us had suffered a great loss. "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath afflicted me. Mara means "bitterness", but although her sweet life in which she was a delight to others had turned upside down, still she had love for Ruth who wanted to follow her and be like her and to have her God. Naomi could have turned bitter towards others in her time of suffering, but instead she showed love and encouragement. Ruth was won over by Naomi's example. Ruth returned to Israel with Naomi and with the wise counsel from Naomi; she would marry Boaz, a kinsman redeemer and have a son who would inherit the land of Naomi's husband and sons. The son born to Ruth and Boaz would be named Obed, meaning "serving". He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. Ruth had become a mother in the lineage of the Messiah.

Through faith in Jesus our redeemer we enter the family of God and are called to be servants, to bring others to the God of Ruth and Naomi. There is a lesson here for all who suffer loss; do not turn bitter towards others around you. Remain faithful and loving and by this your life will serve a great purpose for God's glory. He has not left you, but is preparing you for something greater.

Ask, seek, knock

I was not happy in the work I was doing, and was making plans for beginning my own business. I knew I could not succeed on my own, it was a step of faith and I needed God's help. I had been away from the Lord for a number of years, but he had not left me, so one February day in 1977 after making plans I decided to begin a new business and also came back to the Lord in a Bible believing church. I had been the only one in my family to go through college but I had ended up in a barren place. When I came back to Jesus I rededicated my life to him and began to grow in his truth. I was free at last. I had asked him for help, I sought him, knocked on the door of a church and began a new life and business. I also had a new wife and son, a blessed man indeed.

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luke 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

God knows our heart, yet he wants us to ask him for our needs and desires. This is faith in action. We ask, believing he will answer. We seek, we look, to him to where the answer may be coming from. Thirdly we knock on the door of opportunity, to see if it will open to us, just as he knocks on the door of our heart seeking to come in and to be our Lord and helper. There are many applications to these three action steps but God is the supplier, the opportunity maker.

Apply these to finding work. Ask God, seek direction from job sources and then knock to see if their is an opportunity for you. God opens doors for us but we need to be actively involved as well. Passive prayer with a passive attitude does not make an opportunity.

Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 

Pray by the Holy Spirit in the will of God.

Luk 13:23  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 
Luk 13:24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 
Luk 13:25  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 

Pray in the Spirit and Jesus will be your helper and Lord giving you access to the throne of the Father. You can't get there on your own. Ask, seek and knock. I still am a blessed man because He is faithful.