Sheep Food

  Day 4 – Sickness and disease, and what does the Bible have to say about these things that nobody ever wants to talk about, let alone experience, but sadly...do. How often do we hear today about a growing ‘health-care crisis’ in our country? Man certainly has not come up with a solution or ‘fix’ for it so why not go back and re-examine scriptures with the hopes we might learn some new truths that maybe we skipped over and missed the first time around? I mean, how often do we start ‘googling’ symptoms that pop up in our bodies, or those of our loved ones, and begin doing intensive ‘research’ to investigate? Why not examine scripture with the same fervency while we are at it?  And don’t forget the agreement we made on day 1 of this series: We need not fear what God’s word has to say, and... we are going to lay aside (for the time being) things we may have been taught previously on this subject, accompanied by our own personal experiences with sickness and disease. And as us...

  Welcome back to Day 3 of a Bible study where we are examining scriptures that deal with an unpleasant topic that has affected all of us at some point in time: ‘sickness and disease’. We finished up yesterday with an interesting promise God made to the several million folks whom He had just delivered from the bondage of Egypt, using Moses to lead them out and towards a better place He had reserved for them; a.k.a. ‘The Promise Land’. You can read Ex. 15:26 and please note the ‘condition’ that followed the word ‘if’. Not long after that promise was made, God led them to Mt. Sinai where He gave them the Ten Commandments (the Law) to which He wanted them to live by. When the people were informed of this law and taught what was expected of them, they all affirmed that they would “do and be obedient to the words God had spoken to them.’ (Ex. 24:3-7) If you would now, please look at Exodus, chapter 23 and take a moment as you read vs. 20-33. God is filling them in on some more details...

  A question we use to hear whispered frequently among ‘faith-filled-believers’ after people we prayed for did not show signs of improvement...was: “Why did they not get healed after we prayed for them?” (and if it wasn’t actually asked aloud, we all certainly thought it.) But the question you rarely ever hear asked is: “Why is there so much sickness?” Welcome back to Day 2 of exploring further the subject of sickness and disease from a Biblical point of view; so if you missed yesterday’s post, may I encourage you to read it first? (3 John 2) The first recorded instance of the word sickness in the Bible is found in Gen. 48:1 where Joseph is told his father, Jacob, is sick. We read in 47:29 that the ‘time drew near that Jacob (Israel) must die.” The Hebrew word there means “to become weak, ill, or sick”. We would later learn that the prophet, Elisha, would expire from a sickness when it was his time to die. (2 Kings 13:14). King Hezekiah faced a similar fate but then begged God ...

  “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”(3 John 2)   Over the years, if/when I came across this verse, I would scoff internally, and roll my eyes, mainly in part because years ago, I heard that scripture tossed out frequently to promote a ‘wealth and health gospel’ that was popular back in the day. The problem was, most, if not all, of the emphasis was placed on the first two parts of that verse while neglecting the ‘conditional’ part about one’s ‘soul prospering’. That probably happens to most of us at one time or another if you have been around church life for any length of time, like with Rom.8:28, maybe and others? So can we begin an honest discussion about ‘health and sickness and disease’ today, and maybe examine a little bit more about what the Bible actually teaches in regards to it? And if you are up for it, can we just agree on these two points – 1) We need not fear what the Bible has to say, and 2)...

  If you did not read yesterday’s post, I’d highly encourage you to do so before proceeding on here today. We are continuing on with our short study from the first two chapters of Job. We established the fact that Satan can do nothing without God’s permission; so if you think he and his minions are running rogue to and fro throughout the earth able to just come and go and attack ‘believers’ at their own discretion while God is not around to intervene... then you might need to sit up and take note of what we are studying here. Satan was unable to even touch Job, until God removed His ‘hedge’ of protection that was around him. (Job 1:10). God is known to protect those who walk in covenant with Him, in both the OT and NT. He is also on record as to removing that hedge when He wants to bring judgment and/or 'correction' on His people as well. (Isa. 5; 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:20) So let’s wade into a specific subject that will undoubtedly cause some discomfort. I pointed out a few da...

  I’d like for us to revisit the book of Job, once again. I find it interesting how often this book, and story, is used by so many sincere Christians to explain the confusion and lack of answers they have as to why so many professing believers endure horrific pain and suffering in this life. There is this concluding assessment we arrive at which says we are just not meant to really understand why ‘bad things happen to good people’ ...and Job is singled out to explain that theory. All the while, we might just be missing the more important take-away from that book, especially with what we learn in the first two chapters. We are told that Job was “blameless, upright, one who feared God and shunned evil...and that he was the greatest of all the people of the East.” (Job 1:1-3,8). A ‘type of Christ’, perhaps? Oh, and how are we supposed to be living,...like Christ, the Bible says? (1 Pet. 1:14-16; Eph. 5:3-4,27; 2 Cor. 7:1; Heb. 12:14; Matt. 5:48; 1 John 2:6, 3:6) I mentioned yeste...

  “Give no place to the devil!”, Paul wrote. (Eph. 4:27) “Resist the devil and he will flee from you,” James advised. (James 4:7) “Be alert and on watch for your enemy, the devil, roams about like a roaring lion seeking to devour...” Peter cautioned us. (1 Pet. 5:8). (You might scroll back and read yesterday’s post if you missed it before moving on with this one; just saying.) Contrary to popular thinking today, Satan and his minions are not out running wild and uncontrolled like wild hogs in an attempt to be a source of aggravation to God and His followers. God has no problem with them given He keeps them on a tight ‘leash’, if I may use that term. It’s when God ‘lets them off the leash’ that they become a serious problem for those who are not walking in covenant with Jesus. (1 John. 5:18) In fact, you may be surprised to learn this, but God actually appears to ‘collaborate’ with them on occasion it seems. I know that will not land well for some of you, but again, I can only of...