Sacred Cows, Healing and Behaving Badly

Bondage & Lies or Truth & Healing

Many Christians find this a difficult concept, especially when faced with sickness. As Jesus said, "Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you' or to say, 'Arise and walk'?" (Matthew 9.5). 

Is it easier to accept salvation through faith in Christ Jesus' sacrifice, but when faced with an illness in the body faith is just too hard to find?

Romans 6:9-11.....9 For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. RSV

According to this verse 11, we must consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

So ultimately and foremost we are temples of the Holy Spirit and so are swept clean from sin and sickness. Through His work on the Cross, we are reconciled to God. We stand as the free from sin and sickness.

We must touch heaven to change earth. And with that being said,we are made of earth, changes must come in our thinking and hold God at His Word of truth. In that we are freed from the power of that curse over mankind. Jesus must be the Lord over every part of who we are or we will end up looking like something that maybe the cat dragged in.

We can not take only the part that makes us feel good, but also look at where we must be corrected in that which God speaks for our lives. Sickness for some I have seen of late are the ones who are inflicted by inner  hurts. They are so damaged in their thinking and heart, one who really listens will hear their cry of pain. For whatever they are in bondage to from the past hurts will certainly show up in their daily life in every decision they must make. 

An inner healing must take place for the person to live a victorious Christian life. What comes into play in most instances can be the work of demonic powers. Most do not like that word anymore they want to hear the word "pastor". Not sure why, but whatever has come into play, that mechanism operates producing a friction against others.

One of the most favorite of all scriptures to help for both areas of healing is found in Isaiah 53:4-5. It is both for the physical as well as the inner healing.

Isaiah 53:4-5

4 Surely he has borne our griefs 

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted. 

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,

he was bruised for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that made us whole,

and with his stripes we are healed.  RSV

The word 'sorrows' (v4) is from the Hebrew 'makobah' meaning pains or sorrow or grief. And Jesus was chastened (v5) for our well being (mind and body). Jesus started His public ministry by saying:

'He (God........... His Father) has sent Me to proclaim............. release to the captives … to set free those who are downtrodden …seen in....Luke 4:18-19

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives 

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 

19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." RSV

From Isaiah 61:1-2

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me 

to bring good tidings to the afflicted;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,  RSV

He was sent to bind up the broken in heart.

If it is an emotional hurt, we are to pour it all out to Jesus, we hand it over to Him and let Him carry it, we take His free offer of peace and we take His offer of freedom that is only found in Him. It does no good to spill it upon someone just for us to have a shoulder to cry on. No, we must ultimately bring it to Jesus and lean into His goodness and love.

Really expecting by faith, we allow those chains to be removed, and God can do this.........in a moment of time. If you and I can take our salvation by faith in trust of Him, surely the same should come as quick when we keep our eyes of faith on Him. God is supernatural and His promises are true. We are to rest in Him and trust no matter what else is going on at the time, that God Himself will hear and know our cry.

But should a profound hurt be opened up from the demonic, then this must be dealt with first. It will likely need and require prayer and fasting:

'Is this not the fast which I chose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke?' (Isaiah 58.6)

Many times people will not forgive anyone. They start out with un-forgiveness toward one person and then it can lead into not forgiving anyone, till they have to control every situation in their lives, so that they might protect themselves from everything and everyone God is sending to help them. Because of their insecurities they set to assault others in the same or similar manner that they have been assaulted. It can come in words that only hurt others and for their own protection. They desire to regard those who will be on their side. Remember birds of a feather will flock together?

Scripture tells us in 1 Kings 18: 21...."If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him."

20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God." So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."

We have the choice to choose whom we will serve. We must not behave badly before others or allow others to behave badly before us.  If you gossip before me, I will call you on it. 

How can you know if you are dealing with someone with such brokenness? Well it is in the stance they take, and what they speak that is the unreasonable and  is ultimately immune from any opposition. They hold a high regard that the "sacred cow" they have as their custom or their idea is put where they may observe and worship daily. Anyone seeing this will have the desire to pray for them....but we must know God is in it with us to pray for them.

I looked up the synonyms for the "sacred cow"...and the meaning was like this: golden calf, anything that is the object of worship. But I also found these: god, or goddess. Yeah, see those little g's?

Praying for all is paramount and when God gives the direction for us to do so. But if we see someone acting a certain way, and their behavior is not consistent with life to another, but bent on another's destruction, then we must not condone that kind of behavior.

"Well, he acts like that because he had such a terrible childhood!" Or, "she was just having a bad day, so it was okay for her to act like that. Each day we are framing our world and it should be with the Word of God....and not by he said or she said.
It is like seeing children on the playground: one boy of about eight or so has another pinned to the ground while others pour water over him ....making him cough and what .....that he begs them to please stop....but they do not....! That is not boys just being boys....No, they saw that some where and it is a part of them...to act it out in aggression to another boy.

Once heard this man speaking of his son. It seemed every time a meal was prepared, the youngest or what would become the middle child would complain of the food served and  the child would promptly gag at the plate set before them. Now this individual would continue to gag till the parent would coax him into something no one else was having to eat. Ta-dah….another meal being prepared for the “gagger”! Yikes.

Many times, as the parent with more than one child, will try to find an easy solution yet in the long-haul the child will expect the “special “treatment always. This is a destructive pattern for the parent and for the child who would be informed in the year to come another baby was now about to appear.

You can hear the parents cry and the child’s subsequent gagging reflex begin always around the meal time and all are gathered to eat while one is capitalizing on that which “he will not eat”….only to be catered too……while parents are not dealing with this child another smaller baby is now on their way into the same “house”.

The " gagging" child will even venture to speak this: “ mama, why did God make me this way?” or “daddy, why did God do this to me?” YIKES!

Certainly our nature is to become like Jesus. Our born-again man is to resemble Jesus in thought, word and deed. But many time people will resort to that destructive pattern. They receive that “sacred cow”  and believe the child might grow out of it.  But something like this is a deeply embedded thing! And continuing this practice will wear you out!!!!

God has certainly made us and He fashioned us in our mother’s womb. We take the walk of faith daily and obey Him. Now there may some place we might trip, but certainly we get up, dust off the pride thing and know God can help us and our children when we bring these matters to God. Bringing light will dispel the darkness of where you or I may have messed up what God planned for us or for our children. God does not make your child gag!

God can change situations when we allow Him to change them. But pretending our child is just a gagger is like the one who says….”well , boys will be boys”. It is our God who makes the broken new again. He does not approve of boys to participate in water-boarding!

When we allow certain behavior that is not consistent with being righteous before God then we are condoning the false, perpetuating their problems into our lives. We are not to commend the ill bent person for behaving badly and to correct..........for choosing to ignore that bad attitude, then we allow it into our homes and into our children's lives.  God is not mocked, what man sows, he will reap. 

And some men or even women will find themselves in a greater hurt.
Water boarding seen in young boys and never stopped will increase and produce most likely death for another person at a later date!

Jesus gave us authority over sickness.Matthew 10:1-4.

10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb'edee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.   RSV

Jesus healed people because God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power .

Acts 10:38-43............RSV..........8 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."    

Healing for those who are oppressed of the devil is available to us. We have been clothed with power from on high. Hallelujah!

So, if you see some sickness caused by an unclean spirit, it is Christ's authority and power that is vital in healing for the person. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17

What that is of God is a spiritual "thing" is truth, is life and brings healing and much change in our lives. Jesus went to the Cross so all could have all the good of God today. It was and is the most marvelous life-changing and yes, life establishing gift a Father could give us. Let's  receive it by faith!

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Butting and Disturbing

James 3:18............. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. NKJV

Anyone who lives by the Word in the Bible ..........specifically what Jesus spoke and did.......will ultimately see the Word manifest and hold a standard against anything the world tries to bring or throw at you or me. It can come like chaos and even accusations. It can come in the form of those who choose to lie and envy another person.

 How many see that happening today? How many see that which is self-seeking and looking to destroy another with words of hate and violence?

In this day and time, we see the "importance" of relationships. We see how vital they are, not only in the family and with the next door neighbor but also in the work place!

In this verse, James is talking about the social situation. God's purpose is set forth for us to see and learn that the fruit that He wants for us is from His way of life, and the kind of character that He wants in us has to be produced in peace. It is never and will never be produced in war or in any kind of conflict! We are to remain, established and settled in His truth of peace.

Looking at the third chapter of James we find the stumbling a person does, occurs when not bridling the whole body. By verse 6 we see it is the tongue that defiles. And oh, how the little tongue can defile. We are told that it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. By verse 10, we see it bless and curse. And the question to us in verse 11 is "does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening"? No spring can yield both salt water and fresh.

So as we are to be fresh and flourishing and spring water to the those coming to meet with us like scripture states:

John 4:13-14........13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."   NKJV

Should Jesus truly be Lord of our lives, then our character is to be the one who has this living fountain of water springing up and bring it to others to satisfy the thirst for those who need a good "long drink" of life everlasting! It will be in  our character to be the giver of life giving water given in much "peace" to others we come in contact within any social environment.

I thought of this today when viewing the noon news. Actually was checking on the weather for the week, but heard this appalling report and this scripture written above came to my mind.

Yes, you have probably guessed it by now. Some folks were invited to bring their young children to an egg hunt at the capitol of this state. Many children came with their parents and the grounds was packed to an over capacity of the amount of ground needed, and yes, you guessed it right again, some parents jumped in to help "their" kids find the good candy.  There was so many people on that small amount of "green" I was not sure anyone could even spot a colored egg of any kind with all the heads of so many children bobbing up and down.    Oh, my. the carrying on and cursing some adults showered onto other people's children that ensued was total chaos and many, many young children went home crying!

I could not help but think of all those parents wanting their children to get the good candy and the pain that was lashed out over other people's children was terrible.

Was that a display of "good character" in peace? No!

On the opposite side is the news on CBS of the two big churches working together in Texas for the  Passover Week to bring all peoples of every color under the shed Blood of the Risen Savior Jesus Christ. What power when we come together in the peace of God and become one people who have one God!

So is there any butting and disturbance against you? Check out how David handled it!

2 Samuel 16:5-14...........................5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. 6 He pelted David and all the king's officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David's right and left. 7 As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel! 8 The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!"

9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head."

10 But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?'"

11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. 12 It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

13 So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. 14 The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself. NIV

It is amazing how David was cursed by this Shimei who was of the family of Saul.  As we read on about this Shimei, we can see how some people can resent terribly the loss of royalty to their family. They can look on it as an injustice as Shimei was. In this part of the world during David's time, any cloud of dust was significant and was a way to demand public justice on a criminal. (Acts 22:23) The act of even throwing actual stones seems harsh, but likely this Shimei wanted some justice immediately for what he thought was wrong done to the family of Saul.

But in all this, David stayed so patient with this word from Shimei. With many looking on while Shimei displayed his hostile actions, David remained confident God had it and would see him through it. 
In reality people probably did believe and think that Absalom would take the crown and rule over the house. The truth is some probably got together later to discuss it, but David never took sides. David had mercy. He gained his respect for the man Shimei and he could not want or desire for Shimei to die for David knew that righteousness of God serves not the wrath of man.

But we also remember that David had joined himself with the Philistines when leaving the palace. He was not taking anything of what Absalom and his cohorts were doing in the palace at the time. Sin is sin!

David was not provoked. He set himself to remember those who had lost and those who look to getting answers for the reproach done to them. But those humble in spirit will have God lead their way into victory.

David did not react, he waited on the Lord. verse 10............"the Lord hath said told him to do it, Curse David and gain, so let him curse, It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

David had committed some sins that he did repent of,  but he still acted in a way that caused the death of Bathsheba's husband, the death of his son with Bathsheba, and even the causes for Absalom to rise up and take the throne.

But God is to be our justice. Sometimes people just rise up to do some "unthinkable" things to get their say, their way, and  their voice heard for the 15 minutes or such, but we can call on God to hear us when we have some complaint. When we have something going on, then we must take it to God for the answer!

Proverbs 23:29-35..............29 Who has woe?

Who has sorrow?

Who has contentions?

Who has complaints?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

30 Those who linger long at the wine,

Those who go in search of mixed wine.

31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,

When it sparkles in the cup,

When it swirls around smoothly;

32 At the last it bites like a serpent,

And stings like a viper.

33 Your eyes will see strange things,

And your heart will utter perverse things.

34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,

Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:

35 "They have struck me, but I was not hurt;

They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.

When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?" NKJV

What terrible problems that come when we desire or want what we either should not have, or do not need. It is like becoming intoxicated with the thing "we so desire" to have or control, to have "my way", or add to our collection of things we think we need at the time!

And being intoxicated with those desires, our want can cause us to start those quarrels that end no where, but in the place of many wounds JUST because "we want that thing".

In some respect, some will even go searching for those who will join in with them to agree for that "thing desired".   And however good the appearance or thing may sound at the time of our desire, one will certainly know after some time has gone by, that it can come back to bite you in a big way! You can see that from some reports of the news of people wanting their thing done NOW! Certain peril will be evident like not making your payments on bills you owe, or putting yourself in danger to get something that may be wrong from the start for us like doing drugs or even stealing someone else's stuff!  Some people just go and take from their neighbor and think it is okay. Well it means stealing to most people of the civilized world. I heard the other day of a guy throwing ALL his mail away because it had bills in it he had to pay and he did not want to do it! He had charged so much and so much again, that he owed more than what he brought in to his account each month! He wanted to have "fun" and do whatever he fancied and decided he would not pay any bills at all!

But God!

Psalm 72:1-4.........Give the king Your judgments, O God,

And Your righteousness to the king's Son.

2 He will judge Your people with righteousness,

And Your poor with justice.

3 The mountains will bring peace to the people,

And the little hills, by righteousness.

4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people;

He will save the children of the needy,

And will break in pieces the oppressor.   NKJV

Proverbs 21:15..............It is a joy for the just to do justice,

But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.   NKJV

Proverbs 29:4...........4 The king establishes the land by justice,

But he who receives bribes overthrows it.  NKJV

Psalm 11:7.............For the LORD is righteous,

He loves righteousness;

His countenance beholds the upright.  NKJV

Proverbs 29:26........26 Many seek the ruler's favor,

But justice for man comes from the LORD.  NKJV

Dealing in justice might be hard for some to comprehend and actually do as a participant in the kingdom of God. But from the scriptures above, it is God who will judge His people with righteousness and keep us in the safety of justice. He holds the land we stand with justice when we seek His ways and plan for our lives. We too, like David, can walk in justice and expect the right result when we keep our focus to remain patient and look forward to the justice that only God can bring to us. For he loves righteousness and His countenance beholds the upright. It is always His justice that we desire for the right thing when it is to be ours!

Whether it is an Absalom or a Shimei that has come to make some kind of grievance against, it is known that the proud certainly fill their heads with the wants of others. They seek to take what is not theirs. In the end they can certainly find death, but we desire as the righteous that all men would have life and know God as we have known Him as the Father of Light! James 1:17-18...........17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. NKJV

For it is the rebellious that will get a reward they did not count on. And what we, as a people seek to gain and make for our glory will only come up like a heap of stones to dishonor. We certainly do not desire that!

No we must stand and know God is our Father and He is with us!

Let us put James 3:18.................(18) Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. N K J V..........in the forefront of our confession and sow in peace each day that the God Emmanuel is with us and that we surely want HIM on the scene! 

Father, we thank You for the fruit of righteousness that is sown in peace by those who make peace. As we learned today Father, David sowed peace and would not turn on Shimei, but seek Your plan. May we be those men and women who continually seek Your plan in peace with and toward others. I pray that we would be those men and women who will participate with Your plan in the kingdom of God. It is Your justice we seek to prevail in our lives according to Psalm 11:7.............For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness;  His countenance beholds the upright. and Proverbs 29:26........26 Many seek the ruler's favor,  But justice for man comes from the LORD.

It is not about us but about You and Your plan to reach other people and their families with the peace of God. May we seek to know that peace up close and personal.

Your peace has the strength to root out, root up and demolish every single work of darkness that is meant to keep God's kingdom from advancing.   Father thank You for Your peace that is not only our refuge but a weapon. May we be those who will carry Your peace from Your heart and know our trust is in You and we KNOW YOUR NAME...........(Isaiah 26:3) Father we thank You for courage to stand in the face of any enemy whether as of a report of sickness, disease, personal conflict to believers, with those on the outside, or a family situation or trial and know that Your the Father of Light has given us Your knowledge, Your wisdom, and we choose to come into Your place of refuge to find help in time of trouble. Our trust is in You and You alone. Thank You Father for hearing and we receive instruction to move forward when chaos may come, but we expect Your peace to continue in our lives IN JESUS' NAME. We will guard that peace and hold it in our hearts. AMEN.

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