healing Archives – Sonshine's Journal

November 5, 2024November 5, 2024

Give God Praise!

John 5 One on One

It is interesting to me, the reader, to see the travels of Jesus. We saw him in Cana, then in Samaria, and now back in Jerusalem. Each place his foot trod, he found the needy and met those needs practically be it water or by healing a cripple. He never tired or quit looking. His eyes were everywhere looking for that one person who needed something to make their life full. He continues to do that even today through His Word. What do you need today? Jesus is right there beside you to meet your needs.

Are you like Jesus looking for the needy in your community? Or are you satisfied it just let others do it? Take for example the story of when Jesus heals a lame man on the Sabbath. The man didn’t know who Jesus was but he complied with his instructions to take up his bed and walk. It seems he never looked back and never said thank you. Instead he meandered all through Jerusalem with his old mat signifying his before status. In the meantime the religious leaders found him and were quick to judge the healed man. Imagine being accosted by the religious “police” and you have no response to their queries! But, Jesus finds him and warns him to not sin again and he quickly tells the authorities about him. Do you find that strange? What does this say about this man and about us?

Put yourself in the position of the healed man and ask yourself, am I the person who receives that special gift from the Lord and fail to stop and thank Him? Do I tattle on the one who made me well? Do I make judgments about another’s work and even more so if it is the work of God? The Pharisees were quick to make judgments but not praise for a work done by God. Jesus reminded them that Moses wrote about Him and if they were students of Moses they would be doing as he did—-obeying and honoring God. They had the false idea that their salvation was in his words, not the words of God.

What need do you have today? Are you quick to receive but slow to give thanks? Do you seek salvation in the words of Moses or the words of God?

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023

Are you Rule Oriented or God Oriented?

Mark 3, Luke 6, Matt 12:1-21 As Jesus went through Israel, he met those who were seeking help in many areas: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Some who followed Jesus were without hope, but some who followed Him were seeking to destroy Him for this reason: he “worked” on the Sabbath. As he entered the synagogue, he was confronted with a man with a withered hand. Would he heal, their definition of work was the question in the minds of the religious leaders, so they asked Him pointedly, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’ Being the legalists of the day, they had the Torah memorized and checked every jot and tittle to be sure people were obeying to keep the Sabbath holy. Is this what God desired?

So Jesus tested them to see if they could or would put aside rules to do God’s work, which was to help another on the Sabbath just as they would help a donkey who had fallen into the ditch. Which was more important, the man or the donkey? The religious leaders had misconstrued the most important thing. Healing of a man then, constituted “work,” according to their rule book. How about us, do we cling so tightly to the rule book that we miss the importance of meeting the needs of the moment?

Today, let us seek the kingdom needs that God presents to us, regardless of the day of the week.

October 7, 2023October 7, 2023

True Friends are Hard to Find

Mark 2 Jesus has been about His Father’s business as he walked about Galilee. One thing is certain, Jesus made friends easily and not only listened but then acted if there was a need. How often do we listen but not meet the needs of others?

A sign of a true friend is one who goes beyond the normal to the extraordinary, as we see in the story of the paralytic. Here are four young men whose love for a friend would take them to find a way to meet Jesus. They tried the normal entrance, but it was impossible because of the crowd, so they climbed the house to the top and removed the roof! How extraordinary! How clever! They did not let the problem stop them until they found a solution to help their friend. Do we move heaven and earth to help a friend, or do we come and say we tried, but it is impossible? What kind of friends are we to the ones in need?

Jesus saw not just a need for physical healing but a need for spiritual healing, and so he pronounces: “Your sins are forgiven!” Yet, the naysayers who had a front-row seat scoffed and said he was blaspheming. It is no different today. We meet the naysayers who scoff. Do we press on or let their words deter us from bringing others to the Healer?

June 8, 2022June 8, 2022

Let God be the Healer

Ps 43 Self Talk when Troubled

Today many are what we call the “walking wounded.” They are wounded by others, by illness, by tragedies beyond our ability to understand the “why’s.” These are those whose hearts are shattered. The psalmist falls into that category. Some may turn to outside sources for escape or healing, but the psalmist shows us the true healing path. It lies in turning to God. He is the source of our strength, He is the light that illuminates our understanding, and He is the true faithful Father who will not abandon us.

Satan has his minions that work for him to send his arrows of hurt into our souls, and we, like the psalmist, ask why. If God is, as he says, the source of his strength, why is he mourning, why is he upset, why is he depressed. Sometimes, like Job, there is no answer. But, one thing we can be sure of God is the light source that will illuminate understanding. So, the psalmist turns to God with songs of praise.

Today if your heart is shattered and you wonder why, take a page out of the psalmist’s diary and turn to God in praise…even if you do NOT understand the reason. Let God do the healing.

January 31, 2022January 31, 2022

Spiritual Healing for Spiritual Leprosy

Lev 13, Matt 8 “Unclean and Clean”

Over the last year and a half, we have experienced the stigma of being “unclean” regarding the pandemic. There has been a public outcry to be vaccinated and how to handle this to protect others. In some way, this scenario is much like what Hansen’s disease or leprosy was to the Israelite community. When leprosy broke out, those who had contracted it were separated from the rest lest it infects the community. The “in house DR.” or the high priest was to determine what the infection was, but the only treatment was isolation. Just as physical leprosy separates the people, spiritual leprosy isolates us from a holy God.

Perhaps that is why we see the full impact in the leper’s story, who was bold and yet fearful as he approached Jesus. He came with one question: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” [Matt 8:2] God has provided Jesus as our “in house Dr.” He is willing to reach out, touch us and cleanse us of our sin.

There are two questions before us: (1) Are we still walking around with our spiritual leprosy, and (2) Are we willing to approach Jesus and seek His cleansing? Where are you today?

October 9, 2021October 9, 2021

What is Mercy?

Mark 3; Luke 6; Matthew 12:1-21

Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted, bind up their wounds, and not condemn the guiltless. Mercy is reaching out to a man who has lived with a withered hand, thus hindering his ability to do manual work and restoring it no matter what day it is and even more so on the Sabbath. Mercy is looking at those who seek your life and choosing to walk away from their taunts. You decide not to engage them because that is a fruitless endeavor. Mercy is your broken heart, yet you choose to pray because conversations are unproductive until the Holy Spirit pricks their heart. Mercy recognizes that they may hate you, mock and scorn you, yet you are blessed as you face this day after day, moment after moment. Know this truth: your reward is great in heaven.

God knows you, He sees you, He chooses to bless you for your responses to these whose heart is hard. Continue, that means do not give up, to be merciful that those who are blind may one day see.

January 22, 2014

Forgiveness Heals Two Wounds

I am sure you have met people who report their lack of attendance at the house of God on worship days because “there are hypocrites there.” Welcome to the neighborhood, we are all hypocrites in one shape or other. We offend because we fail to think, we judge because we feel we are superior in our spiritual understanding, we respond with forked tongue more often than not. Jesus remarked that if we are to be found faithful we must be faithful in much as well as trustworthy. We must be honest in all of our relationships and demonstrate to the world God’s way of responding. Jesus had just taught about Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had every opportunity to forgive and respond in kindness but he chose not to do so and now Jesus follows up that in chapter 17.

The rich man’s problem was that he chose to offend, he chose to be a stumbling block, and he chose to ignore Lazarus’ need. Jesus begins by saying, yes offenses will come, but WOE to the one that is the cause. And so he bridges from this parable to teach his disciples about kingdom life. He said “watch/guard yourself” in how you respond as the true test of kingdom living is forgiveness even if someone offends or abuses us 7 times in a day and returns to seek forgiveness OR even if they do not accept our forgiveness or respond to it. It was common in that day for the Pharisees to keep a record of offenses—-Jesus says that is not God’s way. Instead look at it this way. You are the servant, the slave in the kingdom. When we offer forgiveness to another we have a choice to respond in one of two ways:

We can say pridefully that it was hard to do but it had to be done. OR
We say as the servant in this story: ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’” In other words, we were obedient as that is the model of God’s forgiveness.

Now Jesus uses the story of the 10 lepers to teach even more about this principle: we are not only to forgive but also when forgiven we are to thank the forgiver and healer of our soul. Only one leper returned to Jesus to thank him. He was saying to the disciples, you see this leper; that is true kingdom living. He was saying you are the blessed receivers but often fail to thank God for it. The other lepers went on their way healed but they did not return. That is how forgiveness often works. Some are accepting of our gift and others just take it for granted. Also, some choose to keep a record of those times they forgave. You have failed to see that you are to be like the servants “we have done our duty;” obedient to the teaching of Christ. Mat 6:14 “For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Jesus says, no matter the response, it is our attitude and our obedience as servants in the kingdom. It is our duty as God’s servants.

To all of this the disciples respond with this statement: Increase our faith. Jesus said it doesn’t need to be increased; you already have the faith you need, you just need to exercise it, plant it and watch the results.

So the questions before us are many but here are a few: Where are you holding an unforgiving spirit within? Where are you judging without mercy? Where are you like the 9 lepers who have failed to thank God for His forgiveness of your sin?

July 22, 2013

A Day in the Life of Jesus.

Ever wonder what a day was like for Jesus? Matthew 14 gives us a glimpse. First he received some news that caused him to change plans and move on across the Sea of Galilee due to Herod’s suspicions regarding Him. Also, Jesus needed time to grieve at hearing the news of John’s death. But, then a crowd of the hurting called for an impromptu picnic lunch for just a few—5000+ courtesy of a little boy whose Mama prepared a paper sack of fishes and loaves of bread. He willingly shared what he had and there were 12 baskets left over! Imagine his story when he returned home! Sensing the people wished to make him the “bread king” Jesus sends the disciples away and climbs the near mountain to converse with His Father. On the 4^th watch, between 3 and 6 a.m., Jesus descends the mountain and walks on the water to his disciples who are rowing for their life and getting nowhere. As he arrives near the boat their fears surface and they think they have seen a ghost. Impetuous Peter’s faith is tested and Jesus rescues him from the stormy sea. And lastly, Jesus goes to Gennesaret and his healing ministry resumes.

When I look at my day and His day I wonder where he got the energy to meet each and every need!

Jesus used every opportunity in His day to meet the needs of others, and through each one teaches us important biblical principles. Jesus was teaching his disciples and us to see every interruption as a divine opportunity to serve others and in turn serve God. Think of every interruption as God’s test to see if we are ready, willing and able to do His work. Being alone with God teaches us that if Jesus needed to spend time in prayer we need to do it all the more! Also, Jesus was teaching the disciples that faith overcomes fear therefore we should be stop being afraid, He has promised to be with us and never to leave us.

Guess I need to get busy…what is next on Your agenda for me Jesus?

July 15, 2013

I Would See Jesus…..Matthew 9

Matthew has us walk with him as the “Son of Man” encounters those who are in need of healing (disease-death-demon possession). Not only does the “Son of Man” encounter those who need physical healing but those who are in need of spiritual healing. One of the keys that is noted in this chapter is the word “faith.” We read in Luke: “Your faith has saved you;” It is this faith that God sees as He observes our actions, our countenance and our words. This brings us to the first of the healing miracles in Matt 9.

Having been sent from the presence of the Gadarenes, Jesus returns to Capernaum. It is there that we are brought face to face with the first of many healings. Note the circumstance: a paralytic lying on a stretcher. We know from the other gospels that 4 friends of his have taken it upon themselves to bring him to Jesus. This is a first important lesson for us. We too have “paralyzed” friends and we must bring them to Jesus who is the great healer. Secondly, Jesus “saw their faith.” Question to ask: Does Jesus see my faith?

In contrast the experts in the law who came as observers saw not with eyes of faith but eyes of criticism. We too will face those who will say we do not need to bring our paralyzed friends to Jesus. Satan would have us leave them paralyzed and destitute of their needs. But, James notes that we prove our faith by what we do and these 5 men stood apart from the religious leaders bound by legalism. Note the words of Jesus: have courage. The paralyzed friend needed words to persevere in times when he stepped out in the arena of living faith in the sight of the religious leaders. They took a step of faith towards the Master. Question to ask: Are we willing to stand apart from those who do not think we need to speak or do? Jesus added that his sins were forgiven. Jesus sees our hearts and needs and this man had a sin problem along with his physical problem.

Jesus noted the reaction of the experts in the law, these who knew the jots and tittles of each and every verse. What they said in their hearts, “he is blaspheming” registered upon their countenance. Again Jesus “saw” their lack of faith; in fact it was null and void.

The crowd of observers “saw” and were afraid, amazed, and honored God unlike the experts in the law. When we “see” the transformation of a life are we amazed? Do we honor God?

Lastly the Master told the paralytic to take up his bed and walk as a testimony to all that the “Son of Man” has authority. He is the True Messiah. When we meet the Messiah, do we then take up our bed and walk? Matthew now has provided concrete evidence that Jesus is the promised Messiah, he is the
Son of Man and he is the Son of David. Will you accept Him?