The World Health Organization states, “In 2021, the top 10 causes of death accounted for 39 million deaths, or 57% of the total 68 million deaths worldwide. The top global causes of death, in order of total number of lives lost, are associated with two broad topics: cardiovascular (ischaemic heart disease, stroke) and respiratory (COVID-19, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections), with COVID-19 emerging as the second leading causes of death globally. Causes of death can be grouped into three categories: communicable (infectious and parasitic diseases and maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions), noncommunicable (chronic) and injuries.” This was from the same year “1. Ischaemic heart diseaseNon-infectious disease 9.0M deaths, 13.2%; 2. COVID-19 Infectious disease, 8.7M 12.8%; 3. Stroke Non-infectious disease 7.0M 10.2%; 4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Non-infectious disease, 3.5M 5.2%; 5. Lower respiratory infection, Infectious disease 2.5M 3.6%; 6. Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers, Non-infectious disease 1.9M 2.7%; 7. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias Non-infectious disease 1.8M 2.7%; 8. Diabetes Non-infectious disease 1.6M 2.4%; 9. Kidney diseases Non-infectious disease 1.4M 2.1%; 10. Tuberculosis Infectious disease 1.4M 2.0%” That is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to diseases. In an article from Johns Hopkins Medicine, they talk about emerging infectious diseases such as Coronavirus infections, such as COVID-19, SARS, and MERS and reemerging diseases such as measles. There is even a database that names the thousands of diseases that there are in this world. You also have rare diseases. “Rare diseases collectively aren’t rare. In Canada, an estimated one in twelve people live with a rare disease – with the majority starting in childhood. More than 7,000 rare diseases have been identified, and dozens of new ones are discovered annually. Many are serious, resulting in early mortality or intensive follow-up and care. “About one-third of the patients who come through our doors here at Children’s Hospital have a rare disease, often genetic and often complex,” Rare disease is a public health issue that has long been in the shadows. However, with rapid technological innovation, growing public awareness and increased investment, the future looks brighter.” Does it really?
Obviously, the list is long for all the sickness there are, but to make matters worse there is a health care crisis. There is the lack of care as there are hospital closures and cutbacks, emergency room closures, long wait times, staffing shortages, reduced access to care such as having a family doctor. This number from Stats Canada (2021) is astounding. “New results show that 55% of adults aged 18 to 79 used at least one prescription medication in the past month, while 36% used two or more, and 24% used three or more. The use of prescribed medication increased with age, taking one medication or more: Along with hospital costs, medications constitute one of the major health spending categories in Canada, as reported by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Spending on prescription medication accounted for 13% of total national health expenditures in 2019. At least 1 in 10 Canadian adults are taking medications to treat high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or mood disorders.” One article said the crisis is real when talking about mental health. They said, “According to the World Health Organization, around 450 million people currently struggle with mental illness, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide. Here at home, it affects more than 6.7 million of us. In fact, one in two Canadians have—or have had—a mental illness by the time they reach 40 years of age. Alarming statistics like this only underscore the need for all of us to get involved in one way or another. Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in this country, preventing nearly 500,000 employed Canadians from attending work each week. To make matters worse, the cost of disability leave as a result of mental illness is about double the cost of leave due to physical illness. All in, the economic burden of mental illness in Canada is an estimated $51 billion per year including health care costs, lost productivity and reductions in health-related quality of life.” There is also the rejection of care as seen with the increase of measles because of vaccine hesitancy and the antivax movement on the rise. Thus, measles have made a comeback.
The common cold is a real conundrum as the Mayo clinic said, “nothing can cure a cold, which is caused by germs called viruses. If you catch a cold, expect to be sick for 1 to 2 weeks.” Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was some sort of balm that cured the cold and every disease and sickness in this world. The person who discovered that balm would be like a god and very wealthy. A balm is a “soothing or healing ointment.” Down through the ages there have been those claiming to have found that balm and they are referred to as snake oil salesman. “The term “snake oil salesman” is commonly used to describe someone who peddles fraudulent or ineffective products.” When you look into this, it appears there was a snake oil that came with Chinese railroad workers. As the demand increased, there was an effort to copy it. “So how did a legitimate medicine become a symbol of fraud? The origins of snake oil as a derogatory phrase trace back to the latter half of the 19th century, which saw a dramatic rise in the popularity of "patent medicines." Often sold on the back pages of newspapers, these tonics promised to cure a wide variety of ailments including chronic pain, headaches, "female complaints" and kidney trouble. In time, all of these false "cures" began to be referred to as snake oil.”
Now obviously this blog is not a medical journal by no means as anyone can google this information but what most miss is that there is a balm that can cure everything, and no this balm does not come in a container. Above they said people need to get involved but it is God we need to get involved. So far we have seen the fruitless efforts of man but most still refuse to turn back to God so that His healing power will return. To see this balm that could heal any disease, we go back to the book of Genesis where a caravan of Ishmaelites were coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. The problem with this picture is that this is the point where Joseph’s brothers were trying to decide how to dispose / kill Joseph. Genesis 37:26 “Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.” In their eyes Joseph was as good as dead but this way they didn’t kill him with their own hands. That didn’t work out as later they said, Genesis 42:21 “They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” 22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” 23 They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.” Joseph would be sold but God had a plan for Joseph. As Joseph would later say to his brothers, who basically murdered him, Genesis 50:19 “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” God’s plan was to elevate Joseph from slave / prisoner to being in charge of Pharoah’s palace. Genesis 41:39 “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” So the balm that made its way to Egypt was actually Jospeh who would save God’s people. Genesis 46:26 “All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. 27 With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.” Deuteronomy 10:22 “Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.” Joseph in essence was the balm that saved the people of God.
When you look up the balm of Gilead, most will refer to this balm as Jesus who came to save his people and that would be true, especially when we talk about the Israel putting the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. Exodus 12:12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” Many will “compare the healing balm to the saving power of Jesus—the one true treatment that never fails to heal our spiritual wounds.” For most this basically means that Jesus is only the healer of spiritual wounds but there is one glaring issue with this as most who say this really do not believe there is a balm that heals every disease and sickness, even though scripture states that there is.
I was reading a blog that talked about the disappointment of a person not being healed and then dying. But like many, they drew hope and said “Because of Christ, there is healing.” This song was sung at the funeral. “There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole, there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.” So now the person is dead and made whole? Many will say at a funeral that there is no more sickness or sorrow as the person now dead is free. Thus, the balm is basically only about salvation. I don’t mean to belittle salvation, but scripture shows us that there is more to this balm than just salvation or being made whole have you die. You do have to question whether there was salvation in the midst of unbelief. Most people who talk this way actually don’t believe healing is possible for today. This is a blatant rejection of God’s word. Yes, they will say if God so desires, healing will come. But for the most part, healing does not come. I have a video of the false prophet John MacArthur teaching that cessationism is the belief of the church. It may be the belief of certain groups of those that call themselves the church, but it is not what scripture tells us. MacArthur may have died, but his teaching lives on. He said that since the Apostle Paul, God no longer heals through disciples but that is not at all what scripture states. How sad it is that he in death will continue to teach false doctrines to those who desperately need to be healed.
Scripture does say that when God’s people turn away and rebel, He turns His face from us and there is no longer the power to heal or cast out demons. Zechariah 7:11 “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. 12 They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. 13 “‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty. 14 ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’” This rebellion caused the church to be powerless and the abomination that causes desolation to decimate the church. Sadly, many have adopted this doctrine of demons (cessationism) as truth and do not even seek the power to heal and cast out demons to return to the church. Even those who say they do not believe in cessationism, remain content to be powerless. Most have just accepted the powerless church and only in death will they be made whole. I know, many will say there is some healing in the church but there is also healing outside the church such as those in remission from cancer. The reality is most who get sick end up dying.
When you go back to Jeremiah, we can see clearly why there is no healing in the church. Rebellion always leads to powerlessness. This is similar to Zechariah. Jeremiah 2:11 “Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. 12 Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the Lord. 13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” Jeremiah 8:4 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, do they not get up? When someone turns away, do they not return? 5 Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return. 6 I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle. 7 Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the Lord. 8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely? 9 The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the Lord, what kind of wisdom do they have? From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. 11 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace. 12 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.” Jeremiah 9:6 “You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,” declares the Lord.” 11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals; and I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there.” 12 Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross? 13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law. 14 Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.” 15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water. 16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known, and I will pursue them with the sword until I have made an end of them.”
Jeremiah said Jeremiah 8:21 “Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” Today in the church there is no balm to heal the wound of God’s people. This is not just about being freed from captivity, but actually being healed. So many have spiritualized the passages in scripture that talk about healing to only mean spiritual healing and people continue to die and get sick and believe that only in death are they made whole. King Asa represents the church today. 2 Chronicles 16:11 “The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. 13 Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors.”
I believe most people are frustrated that healing doesn’t come. This frustration comes because there is no way you can read scripture and not see the healing that takes place. Instead of returning to God’s word, they end up accepting that death is the true healing. It is no wonder as this is taught throughout the church. The problem is other gospels are being taught, as is a different Jesus, so salvation is also not happening. False teachers like John MacArthur taught / teach that healing is no longer a gift given to disciples, but scripture doesn’t say that. These false teachers read and believe only portions of scripture that work for their own beliefs. They then formulate doctrines and accept doctrines of demons to make scripture say what they what it to say even though scripture still states very clearly that healing is still possible today. Paul said, Ephesians 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” 2 Corinthians 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” You can’t pick and choose the verses that agree with you beliefs.
If you are following the right Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4 “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.”), you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, therefore Jesus is alive and still calling disciples to carry on His work that He started with power from on High. After Jesus began his ministry, he called disciples as that was God’s plan for the church. Ephesians 4:11 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” Jesus showed the church what His disciples would do. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Matthew 8:14 “When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. 16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Jesus healed every disease and sickness and with a word healed all the sick. Now reread the first few paragraphs of this blog and think about what Jesus did. Matthew 9:6 “So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.” As John said John 21:25 “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
People say if God wanted to heal He would. That really is a ludicrous statement as God does want to heal but it is done through His disciples. Mark 6:6 “Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. 8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Luke 9:1 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Matthew 10:1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” Luke 10:17 “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Acts 5:12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 6:8 “Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 8:6 “When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.” Acts 19:11 “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” Not only were people shocked by the power and authority of Jesus, they were shocked to see the same power in His disciples. Acts 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Today the world should still be astounded by the power and authority of the church and still not that these people must have been with Jesus. Sadly the power and authority from on High has been replaced with a powerless worldly authority that most in the church call success.
The question is how foolish do you have to be not to believe what is written above. Yes, you may have been told, that was Jesus or the disciples or the apostles or the early church, but were you told about waiters of tables like Stephen and Philip? I was foolish at one time and was disillusioned by the charismatics and all the nonsense that is entailed with those beliefs. Yes, I did see a lot of the nonsense in the charismatic movement, so much so I believe the whole movement has been deceived, but what I did not see was what I was reading. There are plenty of snake oil salesmen like Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland and the list is long, but there is no healing to speak of. Remember when Copeland pronounced Covid over right at the beginning and following his prophecy there were a million plus deaths. Paul said to the Galatians, Galatians 3:1 “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” Romans 4:20 “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Jesus showed us what the church would do and the church with power from on High would do as Jesus did. 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” Worldly power and authority, no matter how successful they appear, does not destroy the works of the devil. Jesus told the disciples Luke 24:46 “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Some obeyed and waited and that same power to do as Jesus did came at Pentecost. John 7:37 “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” That presence of the Spirit was not just for those who happened to be there that day. Peter said at Pentecost, Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
That same power that Jesus had, the power that raised Him from the dead, the power the disciples had, and the early church had, was supposed to be available to the church that followed, but very quickly as Paul also said, Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” Most did not accept the words Peter spoke that day and the Jews to this day reject Jesus as their Messiah. Sadly, the church has also rejected the word of God and has submitted to a different Jesus and accepted other gospels and doctrines of demons as truth and became powerless. The church accepted this powerlessness and operated with foolishness and in the flesh and have rejected the word of God and continues to follow evil ways. The church has accepted this pathetic and powerless state as how it is supposed to be, just like a funeral where someone dies and now they are healed. The church does not ask where is the power to heal? Jeremiah 2:5 “This is what the Lord says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. 6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt 8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.”
A few days ago we looked at how the remnant that survived the assault of the Babylonians refused to listen to Jeremiah and went to Egypt anyways. They rejected the word of the Lord but God said (remember this is to the remnant of survivors) Jeremiah 44:2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Today they lie deserted and in ruins 3 because of the evil they have done. They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew. 4 Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!’ 5 But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. 6 Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out; it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins they are today. 7 “Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women, the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant? 8 Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made, burning incense to other gods in Egypt, where you have come to live? You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse and an object of reproach among all the nations on earth. 9 Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors and by the kings and queens of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem? 10 To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed my law and the decrees I set before you and your ancestors. 11 “Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster on you and to destroy all Judah. 12 I will take away the remnant of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine. They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach. 13 I will punish those who live in Egypt with the sword, famine and plague, as I punished Jerusalem. 14 None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives. ‘I swear by my great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign Lord lives.” 27 For I am watching over them for harm, not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all destroyed. 28 Those who escape the sword and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few. Then the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand—mine or theirs. 29 “‘This will be the sign to you that I will punish you in this place,’ declares the Lord, ‘so that you will know that my threats of harm against you will surely stand.’ 30 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am going to deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who want to kill him, just as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who wanted to kill him.’” Egypt was told Jeremiah 46:11 “Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt. But you try many medicines in vain; there is no healing for you. 12 The nations will hear of your shame; your cries will fill the earth. One warrior will stumble over another; both will fall down together.”
Today the church is like the remnant who refuses to listen and like Egypt who turned to many medicines in vain. The church refuses to ask why there is no healing, yet we have a balm that would heal every disease and sickness. We were told Exodus 15:26 “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” Deuteronomy 7:12 “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors. 13 He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and olive oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. 14 You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young. 15 The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. 16 You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you. 17 You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” 18 But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. 19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. 20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. 21 Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. 22 The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. 23 But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. 24 He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them. 25 The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Regard it as vile and utterly detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.”
And we were warned, Deuteronomy 28:15 “However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: 20 The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. 21 The Lord will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. 22 The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. 23 The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. 24 The Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed. 27 The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. 28 The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. 29 At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.” In rebellion the church has chosen curses over blessing and has accepted death as the cure for disease and medication to be administered for whatever ails you.
Having said that, do not just stop taking your medication and believe that you will be healed. That healing power actually has to return before that happens. Just as we saw with Jesus, we will know when that power returns. The Charismatics always blame the person that was supposed to be healed for not having faith instead of blaming themselves for following a false gospel. Scientists are looking for the theory of everything and most are looking for a balm that heals everything. The answer to both is the two go together and as we saw in, Matthew 8:17 “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” When John wanted to know before he died if Jesus really was the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, Matthew 11:3 “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Leprosy was horrible but what are the horrible disease today that could be immediately healed? Matthew 8:3 “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.” Have you stumbled and believed the foolishness of men and women and the many false doctrines of demons that there are? Have you fallen for the words of fools who have rejected the word of the Lord just as those did who went to Egypt in disobedience? There are many false teachers throughout the church, just as there are many false gospels. Make sure you test the spirits as your eternal destination depends on it. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” If you have fallen for the deception, return to the word of God and believe what scriptures states very clearly; Jesus is alive and still can take up our infirmities and bare our diseases. God said, Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
A good question to ask is, why would you want to be part of a church that has rejected the word of the Lord? Why reject the power to heal and cast out demons? Yes, the charismatics have done a real number on people but so have those like Baptists who have accepted the powerless church. Why continue to operate in the flesh? Why spend so much time rebelling against the supernatural power God has designed the church to have. It is crucial that you are not deceived by those who say they have power when the power they present looks nothing like the power Jesus said the church would have. There are only two choices; spend eternity with God or spend eternity with satan. The words you will hear will be Matthew 25:34 “‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” or 41 “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Ezekiel said Ezekiel 18:30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” Jeremiah told the people, Jeremiah 36:2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. 3 Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin.” Jehoiakim burned the scroll. Jeremiah kept speaking Jeremiah 37:2 “Neither he (king Zedekiah) nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.” Jeremiah 18:11 “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’ 12 But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’ 18 They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.” Jeremiah 19:3 “‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and people of Jerusalem. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Listen! I am going to bring a disaster on this place that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. 4 For they have forsaken me and made this a place of foreign gods. 15 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on this city and all the villages around it every disaster I pronounced against them, because they were stiff-necked and would not listen to my words.’”
In the end disaster came just as God’s servants prophesied. 2 Chronicles 36:15 “The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 17 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. 18 He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. 19 They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there. 20 He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. 21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.”
Today the choice for eternity is heaven or hell. We only have our lifetime to choose to listen or not to listen to God’s word. Moses said Deuteronomy 30:1 “When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. 6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. 7 The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. 8 You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 32:47 “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
We have been given the choice to obey or disobey. When we obey, God then turns His face back to the church and power and authority returns. The church will then do as Jesus did and people will be truly saved, healed, and demons cast out. In the Gospels Jesus showed us what the church was supposed to do and the power and authority to do it was seen. In Acts we saw the church acting in that power of which was supposed to continue, but as Paul said, the church began in his lifetime to follow a different Jesus and other gospels and this rebellion has continued to this day. This rebellion led to powerlessness, captivity and desolation but the good news is the church doesn’t have to stay that way nor does the church have to continue to listen to the false teachers. Jesus said Matthew 24:10 “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Jesus then talked about desolation the church is now in and gives us this hope. Matthew 24:22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.” God promised David there would always be a remnant of survivors and thankfully God will never break that promise but because of rebellion even the remnant went into captivity and would return after the seventy years Jeremiah had prophesied.
If you are waiting, do not give up because the word of God is truth. Hebrews 10:35 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” Yes, some say God no longer heals as He did at the beginning of the church and that would be true, but not for the reasons they state. It is only true because as Paul said, they decided to finish in the flesh and rejected the word of the Lord and the power and authority that comes with it. Scripture is very clear that there is power available to do just as Jesus did, but we must return to God’s word and turn from our wicked ways then once again the church will do as Jesus did with the same power and authority. John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
