healing

Hope of Healing

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

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

Did you know that God is so intimately concerned with our physical needs that He has even counted the number of hairs on our head? We have a great hope that whether in this life or in the next; God will heal every disease, restore all that is broken and renew our youth like the eagles!
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Whether sitting in a wheel chair in a nursing home or confined to a bed with a tracheotomy tube in order to breathe, Jesus offers the hope of complete and entire healing as one part of His promise of eternal life. That promise may be overlooked or forgotten by those in perfect health, but God does not forget. The same Jesus who was moved with compassion for lepers, the blind and the lame has promised to wipe every tear from our eyes. He not only has compassion for our aches, pains and disabilities but the Bible tells us that He took all of these onto his shoulders and carried them. If we continue reading in the chapter of Isaiah that Matthew quotes we see in the very next verse that it is by His stripes that we are healed. God is so very concerned for every one of our pains and infirmities that He allowed a whip to fall across the shoulders of Jesus. As He was wounded again and again we were being healed. Weak arms will be lifted, failing voices will sing again and deaf ears will hear the shepherd’s voice! When the things of earth have passed we will stand strong and eternally young in the presence of our ageless King!

Excerpt from 50 Days of Hope – A special devotional for residents, workers and family members of the long term care community.

50 Days of Hope

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Jesus knows where we are

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” John 5:5-6

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Recently I started a part-time job at a large store in our city. Since I know so many from my church, neighborhood and work I thought that I would see people I knew regularly. But day after day, week after week it is a rare delight to see a familiar face. There are just so many! That may have been the feeling of this lame man lost in the crowd. The pool of Bethesda was jam packed with strangers. There was no one there to help him. Jesus came at a time when he felt abandoned and forgotten. He came not just to wave His hand and perform a miracle, but to ask about his needs and to listen to his response.

Jesus is right here I the middle of our small and forgotten situation. Jesus is bending down to ask us what we need. Because even with all the knowledge and all the power in the universe He will not begin His work until we ask. Are there years of bitterness and frustration holding you back? Do you feel forgotten in the crowd? Jesus has not forgotten! Jesus knows exactly where we are! He is passing by us, whether at the pool of Bethesda or on a busy city street. He is listening so we can fearlessly tell Him exactly what we need!

Only Believe!

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 14:24

During a recent snow storm our friend’s son told his dad that since God had sent the snow then he would just wait for God to take it away. In the morning I sent the father this short message, “Let your son know that I waited a few hours for God, but finally I had to shovel the snow myself!”
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Jesus cannot be hurried or pressed into doing our part. The father in Mark’s gospel story had done all he knew to do. He had asked everyone he could think of for help. Now at last he stood before Jesus and pleaded for help for his son. But Jesus was not concerned only about the problem that this man could see. Jesus was at work, beneath the surface. He tenderly pressed this dad till he touched on the core issue of his struggle. He was willing to sacrifice. He was willing to humbly ask for help. Could he now be brave enough to believe?

It seems almost hard-hearted of Jesus to push this person to his limit, but Jesus saw something within him that he didn’t even know he had. He had faith! Listen closely to his prayer, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” That is a prayer God always answers!

First we believe, and then He gladly helps us with our unbelief. Drawing out this father’s faith is the great miracle.  When the miracle of faith drawn out to action in our lives is accomplished there is nothing that God cannot do!

 

“All things are possible, only believe!” Mark 14:23b