Today, I share some points (below) on faith healing, and recent media reports on what is being called a second “prayer death.” (A Pennsylvania couple worshiping as Pentecostal believers, who are the parents of seven remaining children, were already serving out their sentence in a 10-year probation for the death of their two-year old. They now have been sentenced as guilty of third degree murder regarding the death from treatable pneumonia in their eight-month old child.) Additionally, there is more on doing GOD’s plan. As my regular readers should now know, I operate in no formal role as clergy, have no ambition to start a new church, no desire to be a “religious celebrity,” or any intention of exercising authority over other believers. Christ is sufficient for all; and it is the force of truth that establishes all sovereignty. In the conviction of a disciple and an ordinary believer, then, I minister from the truths acquired from my own experiences of healing, continuous study, and duty as a joint-heir with Christ—as all other responsible believers are challenged to do.
THE BATTLE AXE: Doing GOD’s Plan (02/20/2014)—Believers are all given a new and better way to “think about it,” where judgment against Judas is the natural consequence of sin within his makeup, and the love, power and eternal purposes of GOD are clarified, and revealed to be righteousness. Foreknowledge and intellect within created beings and living creatures may derive from operations of their appetite (e.g., hunger, thirst, craving for sexual contact), their senses (e.g., hearing, seeing, tasting, touching), and their mental functions (e.g. fantasy, imagination, recall). The many events in nature appear as predictable, because they regularly occur as part of a familiar cycle or series. Awareness and information on sacred events and divine operations all come as aspects of divinity, life essence (we say, Spirit) and utterance (we say, the word). Included are praise, prayer, proclamations, promises, and prophecy. Judas did not obey (i.e., put aside ones own will to carry out the will of another, the will of the community expressed in law, or the will of GOD incarnate as Jesus Christ); nor did he make an unselfish sacrifice of himself for others. At best, Judas offered himself to an idol, a human tradition of covetousness, error, and presumption. See again Matthew 15: 1-14, Colossians 2: 6-9 and Acts 1: 12-26, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. (Mark 10: 47-52, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Why Christians Pray for Others (01/12/2014); GOD is Jesus? (01/13/2014); Miracles are Sacred Events (12/20/2013); Resisting Sin (12/21/2013); Naaman the Leper (12/21/2012); Did Jesus Know? (12/22/2012)
(1.) Nothing is Impossible. For GOD, nothing is impossible; yet all things are in accordance with sacred law, in agreement with eternal purpose, in keeping of divine order, and upon condition. For created beings and living creatures, all things of their existence are in accordance with divine imperatives, finite limits, and the operations of spiritual truth. See Matthew 19: 23-30 and Mark 14: 32-39, KJV.
(2.) Defiance of Civil Law. The Gospel of Jesus Christ does not instruct believers to behave as a “law unto themselves;” to be hostile toward, ignore, or neglect the demands of civil government, the bond and entity whereby an aggregate of people may operate as a legal corporation and commonwealth. In fact, government is upheld as a mechanism from GOD for the benefit of all who must be comforted, corrected, instructed, nourished and protected. Included are children, spouses, the members within congregations and communities of faith. See Romans 13: 1-10, KJV.
(3.) Intercession by the Body. Even where everyone assembled in the crowds who came to Jesus did not offer prayers for healing while Jesus was ministering, we may assume all the disciples and apostles did so. Following the example of the world, believers often hold that decisions about, diet, foods and health are personal, and private. As a result, they deny their obligation to the body, the community of faith, and the community at large. They do not properly apply the truth that blessings and divine interventions are supplied to address the needs of all in covenant; to continue and complete divine operations; and to fulfill divine promise, establish prophecy, and implement eternal purpose. Members are not to be cut off, or isolated as though their need is merely one of me-myself-and-I. Therefore, the Scriptures command that, believers request anointing, intercessory prayers, laying on of hands, and other support that comes from the elders and leaders of their assembly. Accountability is to be corporate. See James 5: 13-16, KJV.
(4.) Knowledge of the Right Way. Healings and miracles appeared as operations of divinity (the Scriptures say, virtue, and we say, the Holy Spirit) that resided within Jesus. Many, who in fact have received gifts from the Holy Spirit, mistakenly assume they have all the same virtue that was in the Lord. However, like the disciples and apostles, they may still be ignorant of divine operations. Saying this another way: Childlike and simple faith is not the same as collective, experienced, mature faith, and the faith that results by long practice and repeated confirmation. Many believers are unaware of the sacramental practices associated with healing, and have been provided little formal instruction on how to obtain relief by prayer. There is no fixed formula, or single prayer that may be relied upon to always result in immediate healing. In this sense, each case is unique; and, alone, every believer goes about to “reinvent the wheel.” There can be no certainty or confidence in what believers are able to do; the certainty is primarily that GOD is able to hear, and answer. See Numbers 15: 30, Psalms 19: 12-13 and Mark 9: 14-29, KJV.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5.) Outcomes of Sin. Healing is not provided to continue and fortify sin. Focused upon the flesh, many miss the connections and subtleties (barely visible differences; hidden truths) of judgment that also appear with sickness. The Scriptures report that King David—who wore the ephod offering sacrifice as a priest, and uttered proclamations and prophecy as a spokesperson for GOD—fasted and prayed that the life of his sick child be spared. The best doctors within the household of the king were most likely consulted. However, the child would have been an offspring from David’s adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Despite David’s personal fasting, tears, and humiliation by sackcloth and ashes, the child was taken away; and the house of David would endure the wrath of GOD against sin for many generations. See 2nd Samuel 12: 1-23, KJV.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion. (Job 32: 7-10, KJV)
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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