"A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine ..." (Proverbs 17:22)
And as Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, He came into His own city. And behold, they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, be of good cheer. Thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matthew 9:1-2)
But not everyone would accept the man's healing. Certain of the scribes said within themselves, "This man blasphemes." Jesus, who knew all things, and particularly their inner thoughts said, "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier to say, "Thy sins be forgiven thee" or to say, "Arise and walk?" [Or] that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." (Matthew 9:3-6)
What happens next? Jesus said to the man, "Arise, take up thy bed and go unto thine house."
And the man arose and departed to his house. The multitudes saw the miracle and marvelled. But that wasn't all the people did. The scriptures point out that these very same multitudes "glorified God which had given such power unto men." (Matthew 9:9)
But the Pharisees were not happy with the situation. Indeed, the Pharisees began openly criticizing Jesus. In response, Jesus pointed out the obvious. That is,
"They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick." (Matthew 9:10)
Two important points emerge in this example. The first is the sign of an inward change for the man who was healed. He claimed his healing when Jesus said, "Son, be of good cheer. Thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matthew 9:1-2)
The man's inward heart had changed. Here he was experiencing the kind of "good cheer" that only our Lord God and Saviour can give. The peace and joy on the inside that only those who love Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind and strength can know. The jumping for joy that bubbles up from the inside. A merry heart does good like medicine. (Proverbs 17:22)
But there was more. Jesus told the Pharisees: "But go ye and learn what that means, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice, for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Matthew 9:10-13: Hosea 6:1-3, 6-7; I Timothy 1:15)
Jesus was telling them to go and search the scriptures for had they already done so, these Pharisees would have known the promises that were written in Hosea. That is,
"Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, His going forth is prepared as the morning -- and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hosea 6:1-3)
But instead, the Pharisees were akin to those described in the book of Ezekiel:
"The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up [that which was] broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." (Ezekiel 34:4)
Wow! Rather than seek the goodness and grace of the Lord -- the same Lord God who bore all of our sins and sickness on the cross -- the Pharisees desire was to keep the people broken and sick. The same situation exists today. Rather than believe that the same God who controls the universe is still healing those who are sick, the religious community presents a view that miraculous healings ended with the apostles.
Just like the unbelieving Jews did in Acts 14. Therein the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
Even so, "long time therefore abode the [apostles] speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the Word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands." (Acts 14:3)
Why? Because the apostles had experienced firsthand the joy of the Lord Jesus in their hearts. Jesus -- who forgives all thine iniquities -- Jesus -- who heals all thy diseases. (Psalms 103:3) Jesus -- by whose stripes we were and are healed. Under no circumstance were the apostles going to let satan steal their joy.
"The prayer of faith SHALL save the sick, and the Lord SHALL raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they SHALL be forgiven him." (James 5:15)
"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father .... the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY man to profit withal" (Ephesians 2:18; I Corinthians 12:1-31) How can this be? Because our Lord Jesus is an awesome God who loves us more than we could ever begin to fathom.
"He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered [them] from their destructions." (Psalm 107:19-20)
"He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [He was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)
Don't let the religious culture and false prophets of this day tell you that miracles and healings are no longer valid within the body of Christ. And don't allow those who do not know the peace of Jesus steal your joy.
Because "NOW therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God ... and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone -- in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord -- in whom ye also are builded together an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:18-22)
And unto you and I who worship Him in spirit and in truth, will Jesus -- "with healing in His wings" send us forth rejoicing-- because He will never leave us or forsake us, even in adversity. "Be of good cheer!" Stand in the offering plate.
And as Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, He came into His own city. And behold, they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, be of good cheer. Thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matthew 9:1-2)
But not everyone would accept the man's healing. Certain of the scribes said within themselves, "This man blasphemes." Jesus, who knew all things, and particularly their inner thoughts said, "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier to say, "Thy sins be forgiven thee" or to say, "Arise and walk?" [Or] that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins." (Matthew 9:3-6)
What happens next? Jesus said to the man, "Arise, take up thy bed and go unto thine house."
And the man arose and departed to his house. The multitudes saw the miracle and marvelled. But that wasn't all the people did. The scriptures point out that these very same multitudes "glorified God which had given such power unto men." (Matthew 9:9)
But the Pharisees were not happy with the situation. Indeed, the Pharisees began openly criticizing Jesus. In response, Jesus pointed out the obvious. That is,
"They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick." (Matthew 9:10)
Two important points emerge in this example. The first is the sign of an inward change for the man who was healed. He claimed his healing when Jesus said, "Son, be of good cheer. Thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matthew 9:1-2)
The man's inward heart had changed. Here he was experiencing the kind of "good cheer" that only our Lord God and Saviour can give. The peace and joy on the inside that only those who love Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind and strength can know. The jumping for joy that bubbles up from the inside. A merry heart does good like medicine. (Proverbs 17:22)
But there was more. Jesus told the Pharisees: "But go ye and learn what that means, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice, for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Matthew 9:10-13: Hosea 6:1-3, 6-7; I Timothy 1:15)
Jesus was telling them to go and search the scriptures for had they already done so, these Pharisees would have known the promises that were written in Hosea. That is,
"Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, His going forth is prepared as the morning -- and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hosea 6:1-3)
But instead, the Pharisees were akin to those described in the book of Ezekiel:
"The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up [that which was] broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." (Ezekiel 34:4)
Wow! Rather than seek the goodness and grace of the Lord -- the same Lord God who bore all of our sins and sickness on the cross -- the Pharisees desire was to keep the people broken and sick. The same situation exists today. Rather than believe that the same God who controls the universe is still healing those who are sick, the religious community presents a view that miraculous healings ended with the apostles.
Just like the unbelieving Jews did in Acts 14. Therein the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
Even so, "long time therefore abode the [apostles] speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the Word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands." (Acts 14:3)
Why? Because the apostles had experienced firsthand the joy of the Lord Jesus in their hearts. Jesus -- who forgives all thine iniquities -- Jesus -- who heals all thy diseases. (Psalms 103:3) Jesus -- by whose stripes we were and are healed. Under no circumstance were the apostles going to let satan steal their joy.
There is an interesting scriptural passage in Isaiah that comes to mind.
"I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; "Peace, peace to [him that is] far off, and to [him that is] near," saith the LORD, "and I will heal him." But the wicked [are] like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. "[There is] no peace," saith my God, "to the wicked." (Isaiah 57:18-21)
But it doesn't have to be this way. Now is the time to "take the stumbling block out of the way of [His] people." (Isaiah 57:14)
"The prayer of faith SHALL save the sick, and the Lord SHALL raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they SHALL be forgiven him." (James 5:15)
"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father .... the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY man to profit withal" (Ephesians 2:18; I Corinthians 12:1-31) How can this be? Because our Lord Jesus is an awesome God who loves us more than we could ever begin to fathom.
"He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered [them] from their destructions." (Psalm 107:19-20)
"He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [He was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)
Don't let the religious culture and false prophets of this day tell you that miracles and healings are no longer valid within the body of Christ. And don't allow those who do not know the peace of Jesus steal your joy.
Because "NOW therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God ... and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone -- in whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord -- in whom ye also are builded together an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:18-22)
And unto you and I who worship Him in spirit and in truth, will Jesus -- "with healing in His wings" send us forth rejoicing-- because He will never leave us or forsake us, even in adversity. "Be of good cheer!" Stand in the offering plate.
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