God’s Healing Miracles

God’s Healing Miracles                       7-28-19

Bottom Line: God still heals but it’s not about being a sign or affirmation of His messengers.

Introduction:

 A. Two of the most godly people I have ever known…

   1. Dean & Glenave were examples of love and serving.

   2. Godly people get sick and they die (cancer & heart)

 B. Why didn’t God intervene and heal them?

   1. Maybe he did – multiple times over the years?

   2. Why did they get decades of healthy living?

   3. Why were they allowed to live so long?

   4. Are they where God planned for them to be?

 C. Does God heal people today?  Why? When? Prove it!

   1. I can’t.  God’s existence and His work are a matter of faith!

   2. Why would we possibly think that He stopped?

   3. Acts 8 teaches the limits of man’s involvement not God’s!

 D. Three major principles we must begin with:

   1. God can and does do everything He did in the Bible!

   2. His healing is about Him not us!

   3. His healing is about what He wants not what we want!

     * What God wants?  2 Peter 3:9

 E. Three revealing questions:

1. Why did Jesus/God heal people?

 A. The Gospels record 17 different miracles of Jesus:

   1. The noble man’s son, Jn.4 – Faith & Compassion

   2. Peter’s mother in-law, Mt.8, Mk.1, Lk.4 – Faith

   3. First leper, Mt.8, Mk.1, Lk.5 – Faith

   4. Paralytic Man, Mt.9, Mk.2, Lk.5 – Others faith

   5. 38 Yr invalid at pool of Bethesda, Jn.5 – Comp & teach

   6. Man w/ withered hand, Mt.12, Mk.3, Lk 6, – Teach

   7. Palsied servant of Centurion, Mt.8, Lk.7 – Faith

   8. Woman w/ issue of Blood, Mt.9, Mk.5, Lk.8 – Faith

   9. Two blind men, Mt.9 – Faith

   10. Deaf, dumb man, Mt.15, Mk.7 – Compassion

   11. Blind man outside Bethesda, Mk.8 – Others faith

   12. Cleansing of 10 lepers, Lk.17,  – Faith

   13. Man born blind, Jn.9 – Challenge/teach

   14. Woman crippled, Lk.13 – Comp. & teach

   15. Man w/ dropsy (swollen joints), Lk.14 – teach

   16. Two blind men near Jericho, Mt.20, Mk.10 – Comp

   17. Severed ear of Malchus, Lk.22 – teach

2.  Why God heals is also about what changes God’s mind?

 A. God not only answers prayer but He changes His mind because of prayer.

   1. Abraham bargaining with God!

   2. Jesus and Paul requesting but getting ‘no’ as answer.

 B. The gospel accounts tell us some of the reasons why God heals us!

   1. The faith of the one needing healing. James 13-15

   2. The faith of others asking for another. Vs.16

   3. The compassion & love of God touched by need.

   4. God heals to challenge us, teach us, and give us cause to praise Him and sense His presence.

3. What does God call on us to do?

 A. Grow through life’s trials – James 1:1-18

 B. Draw close to Him – 4:7-10, Seek His will, vs.13-16

 C. Be patient – 5:7-11

 D. As a family, seek God’s help – 5:13-16

Conclusion:

A. Even Paul had a difficult time learning to understand God’s healing!

   1. I need this torn taken away!

   2. “Trust me!  My grace is sufficient for you!”

B. REMEMBER THE PRINCIPLE:  HEALING IS ABOUT WHAT GOD WANTS NOT WHAT WE WANT!

   1. It’s not about why or why not!  It’s about “Thy will be done!”

   2. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit eternal life”

C. BUT HE SAID TO ASK & ASK BELIEVING! w/ others!

D. Prayer w/ shepherds for physical healing!

E. Prayer w/ shepherds for spiritual healing!