Category Archives: Jesus

Jesus as the Master Healer

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Jesus heals! Jesus is my Healer! Whether it has been in my physical body or an emotional problem He has been my Healer. It may have been fast or slowly over time but He has always been faithful to make Himself real to me in the area of healing.

Jesus heals now and when He was on the earth for the same reason; it is a way of proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven is now. People will argue theology but when you can say, “ This has been healed in my life because of Jesus” it is really hard to argue that. The testimony of someone who has been truly healed can be a real faith builder and a witness for those that knew about the illness, like Lazarus in John 12:10. The chief priest found it easier to try and kill Lazarus than argue/believe his healing. In Luke 7:14 (the young man on the stretcher) and in Matthew 9:18 (the ruler’s daughter) Jesus also “healed” them from death. Jesus did these to fulfill prophecy and to be a testimony to John the Baptist in Matthew 11:5.

As the Master Example of a Healer He used many different methods and even had to pray twice (Mark 8:24) for someone to get the job finished: He used mud made out of spit (John 9), laying on of hands (Luke22: 51), someone just touched Him (Matt. 9:20) and He spoke the word and it was done over a long distance (Matt. 8: 13). In the healing meetings when He had also taught not a lot is said how He did it but if He laid His hands on hundreds of people you know He had to be tired (like Brother Oral Roberts sitting in his revival meetings) or maybe it was like what happened at the Brownsville Revival when the anointing would just go out over the people and they would just start being healed. But in one-on-one healing situations, Jesus questioned them for exactly what they wanted (Matthew 20:32).

Jesus did not always do all of the healings that could have been done. The people in His hometown were offended and He could only do a few miracles there (Matt. 13: 58). I think this story also shows that He had a harder time with “lack of faith” than with sin. He did not ask about the ten lepers (Luke 17:12) spiritual status before He healed them and He was amazed that a “Samaritan” came back and thanked Him and not the nine “Jews” and I don’t remember the Demoniac of the Gerasenes (Mark 5) repenting before Jesus cast the demons out of him and healed him.

The demoniac in Mark 5 (clothed and in his right mind), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3) and even His disciples are examples of Jesus healing emotions. Can you imagine how that woman felt when she looked up and no one was there and Jesus did not condemn her? And Simon the Zealot putting away his radical ideas and conforming to Jesus message of peace or Peter, the workman, being able to get along with Matthew, the tax collector.

Jesus made sure that His disciples knew how to carry on this aspect of the Good News because He sent them out to heal and preach and Peter and John certainly made a commotion when they healed the lame man in the book of Acts.

The artwork is from http://clipart.christiansunite.com/Pictures_of_Jesus_Clipart/Healing_the_Sick_Clipart/

Miracles and Storms

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Miracles, miracles, and miracles.

Matthew 21:21! Killing trees and removing mountains, ok how many of you as baby Christians went outside after reading that and tried to kill a tree? How long did you wait to see if it was dead before you decided that you did not have enough faith? Ok, did you ever do the James and John act and tried to call down lightning on something or someone? Remember they got rebuked. All of this resurfaced after listening to a great sermon on Elijah by Steven Furtick of Elevation Church. His main point was not the rain or “fire of God” but they made me think again about miracles. Yes, I believe in miracles and that God still does them today.

Father God in the Old Testament certainly handled things differently than in the New Testament. Jonah’s storm, Elijah’s drought, lightning, and rainstorm and don’t forget Moses’ plagues He certainly stepped in and used weather and “supernatural happenings” to make a point to/for His kids. That maybe is the key right there, God used His nature to make a point to/for His kids. (Forgive me, I don’t do well with “Mother Nature” anymore; please make mine Father God.) The only New Testament figures that I could find who would have that sort of power are the two witnesses in Revelations 11.

As I thought about Jesus as our example and His miracles this simple truth hit me hard. Jesus never called down lightning, asked for an earthquake, or created a violent wind. Jesus calmed storms He did not start them. He calmed storms to prove His Lordship over them. Jesus healed, fed, and comforted people. Well, what about when He said you would do “greater things” in John 14: 11-13. That phrase may also mean “more.” Jesus used the same phrase here as He did about sending the Holy Spirit – when I go to my Father. Doing better than raising the dead, don’t think so, but how about more often than He did. Smith Wigglesworth had quite a few documented cases. What if every believer raised someone!

Ok, what about Matthew 21, He promised, well I guess the next time you are hungry and are about to be crucified expect that fig tree to die. But until then do miracles like Jesus; focus on healing, feeding, and freeing that will be a lot better than a dead bunch of trees and no mountains.

Paths and Ways

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Jesus is the Path – no that’s not right, Jesus is the Way!

In modern English we think of a “way” and a “path” as being almost the same thing and translators frequently interchange the words but there is a difference in meanings in Hebrew.  In the Greek the ideas are similar but I have always thought that many New Testament writers just express Hebrew thoughts with Greek words. (I will be using NIV scriptures and be referencing my KJV Strong’s Concordance with Vine’s Dictionary)

Orach is the main word used for both path and way it means well-trodden road, caravan route. The word derek (synonymously parallels orach) means a road or course of life, mode of action. Other words for path are: nethibah – to tramp, a beaten path, magalah – a track (circle), rampart.  I like the thought with magalah in Psalm 23:3, that path of righteousness that may lead into the dark valley has the image of a running track that has walls on its side – your protected!

Back to orach and derek.  The best way I figured out how to explain this is if you ask some one where a city in your area is they may point and say it is that way; you now have the general idea where it is. Now if you ask the same person how to get there they may give you a specific path, like take Road 123 and turn left at Route 66. Then some one says no take Road 456 and then a right on Road 21. So you study a map and you find out both of those “paths” will take you to that town. As a kid growing up in Boy Scouts we would go “that way” using a compass and a topographic map; if there was a path great if not we made our own.

Proverbs 3:17 “Her (wisdom) ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. (NIV)” Like many Proverbs this one uses way and path together and I think it illustrates the point well. As long as you are going the right direction the actual road will be good.

Jesus is the Way! I won’t waver on that idea but I know that within Him each of us has our own path.  Our paths may cross similar places in the Way and may even join for a season but it is still my path. For things you can do on a path see “Follow Me.”

Power in The Name

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I know you have heard it, someone gets mad and says, “Jesus Christ!” or to be funny as you walk into the room you hear “O Lord.”  I am sure that these get to you, so try these comebacks and maybe you can witness at the same time.  For the loud exclamation of “Jesus Christ” bounce back a “where!”  I have often thanked my students and others who release an “O Lord” when I walk into the room with, “I really look like Jesus” or “See they think I am God.”

These are quaint comebacks but the underlying thought is interesting. People are using the name of Jesus by calling on His name.  Now I will grant that many times it is not edifying, but they are unconsciously acknowledging Jesus as a power.

They could be using any name, like their favorite singer or band if they just wanted to make a flashy statement.  Could you image someone getting mad and blurting out, “O bomb ma!” But as you know they don’t.

I have heard that there is a God-shaped hole in every person, maybe people using/misusing His name is an attempt to work at that void.