Prayer or Medication: How Should Christians Seek Healing?

Prayer or medication. How should Christians seek healing.

That's is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi, I'm Bill Meyer along with pastor in real Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us with your question.

At 833. The core our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so 833-843-2673 that you can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can also join a drill live in the studio on YouTube. We have a YouTube channel and you can send him a question that way course are always welcome to email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first step today. Here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Kevin driver works 70 hours a week. Groups are demanding fully on board as far as Christ's end of my Bible every day, just soaking the veins but I come back to over and over again.

The fact that I can't get church because my profession and proactive on what I could do about that of the washing sermon.

Bottom line, I know that God's will for me church, why balance letter reconcile that what I do for a living. Anyway anything insight might have on that evening prayer on it would be wonderful. Thank you so much. Yeah, let's do this first calluses. Pray that the Lord opens up the door somehow even even given your profession for you to be able to get real Christian fellowship in the local church and so far that I lifted Kevin up to you and II.

Thank you Lord that as he said he's he sold out for you that he's reading the word that he that he loves you Jesus that he wants to grow in you and and we know how important that the body of Christ you your people is for that Lord. And so I pray for him. God, that you would sustain him that he would strengthen them in his faith, and Lord, that you would open the doors, by the grace of your spirit providentially to allow him to to go to church and to be part of a church, a member of the church Lord so that he could be built up and that he could encourage others and build them up in their faith as well with the gifts that you've given to him and so please bless our brother be with him in Jesus name, amen. But let me just say I I think that for so many Christians we have the wrong set of priorities when it comes to work and church and I'm just grateful that you're asking this question. I think most Christians would would never just you, you would just not go to to work on a Monday morning and yeah and you know why I can't.

I gotta make money. Yeah, I got I got to do these things is you go, but so many people would just not go to church and and miss church and I think we have these misplaced priorities. As believers we really ought to prioritize, gathering together with the Saints because it really made it it's it's a central part of the central part of our growth in grace and sanctification.

It is what were all called to is not an optional thing. Now I recognize I understand that different people have jobs that sometimes prohibit them from coming to church and so I don't I don't know entirely what your work schedule is like to know if you can talk to your supervisor and say you know what, as I as I grow in my faith and I'm realizing that this is something that I want to prioritize that I need to prioritize the Christian.

And so, is there a way for me to to be in church on Sunday. Whether that's through traveling you can I can I stop and join a local congregation for worship or just or just that again.

I don't know if there's a way to be flexible here but it's certainly something that you need to and want to prioritize it's one of the ways we get to share the faith with the people around us, showing them that for us worshiping with the people of God is important.

It is a priority and then again it's not just because God calls us to is something that we need. I think about what with the apostle Paul said in first Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12 where he talks about that. The body of Christ and how were each members in the body we need one another for just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say because I'm not a hand, I do not belong to the body that would not make it any less a part of the body if the ear should say because I'm not and I do not belong to the body that would not make it any less a part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be if the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be, but as it is, God is arranged, the members of the members in the body. Each one of them as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be as it is. There are many parts, yet one body you are one part of the body and in order to have a healthy spirituality. We need to come together with the entire body as each part brings its gifts together for the building up of the body and let this what Paul says in Ephesians chapter 4.

So in the meantime, are there are there no other think you can do.

You watching you sermons or live streaming worship services and an end getting as much of that is you can while yeah and probably just because of your job. You're able to do that more listening to to solid Christian content, but you need that that real community people you need accountability elders who are watching over your soul so that even if you're not ever able to be there every Sunday they know you and can check in on you and can encourage you and so I would just say whatever you have to do whatever you can do to try to to to remedy this dictate to make gathered worship a priority in your life and and to participate in.

It is much as radio say I would say pursue that if you can and if you can. If this is just something that you know I I can never ever go to church because of my job. I think that's actually worth single.

Maybe this this means I should change my career.

I know that sounds crazy, but again it's prioritizing God and his people, and in his worship and say that that's the main thing for me, even before making money in it and of course that might come off as strange to you but I did. I just think so often authority said we have a priorities misplaced here so God bless you brother and be with you and give you wisdom and provide for all of your needs Kevin and thank you for that call Kevin. We will continue to pray for you and your situation that God will direct you to make the right to the choices down the line. This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez. Our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life. Maybe something in the culture that is causing conflict with your Christian walk.

Let us know about that as well. 833.

The core is the number 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Andre in Longview, Texas, Andre, what's your question for Israel and let you know what you you hear about election charges that were not the most popular romance, but typically nine you know I hated their line, neither good nor bad, and read a great deal more about most is when more mercy upon it hard to understand barely think like basically like how you know God and hell.

I believe God gives a person every opportunity to come to Christ. But election seems to be clear, to be God have mercy upon you, have mercy upon and we do believe that God is sovereign and the only thing we deserve damnation in a graceful bit. Even some of us are even allowed know your thoughts on yeah, thank you for your bringing up some really important discussions about the Bible and that ultimately that's we want to talk a long time about the Scripture so we can drop you know labels like Calvinism and whatnot. But look, let's go to the word.

And of course the Bible talks about things like election, the doctrine of election.

This is where there are there differences of opinion. You know some Christians will say God chooses us on the basis of the fact that he foresees that we will believe in him and embrace him and so it's really were choosing God and he's choosing us in light of that, there are others who say based on text like the ones you reference Romans chapter 9 I would but I would be among those who feel compelled by these passages as well say no it's not on the basis of anything that we do.

It's purely on the basis of God's grace and the responses will does does that mean that were no longer responsible for our actions that God just condemns us sort of willy-nilly will know that's also not true because the Bible is very clear that we are responsible that were held to to account for it. For the things that we do for the fact that we reject Christ, and so that that the key text, you're gonna want to go to our places like Romans 9 to 11 were you where you do see both the sovereignty of God and human responsibility placed side-by-side in a very real sense of meaning in chapter 10. For example, verse 14, Paul says, how will they call on him in whom they have not believed to call upon Jesus if they have believed in him and and how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard and how are they to hear without someone preaching and how are they to preach unless they are sent.

As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us, so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

In other words, the way in which God draws his people to himself is through the preaching of the gospel.

So all of us. Whatever your persuasion is that we need to be committed to preaching the gospel faithfully because God uses his word, by the power the Holy Spirit to transform the hearts and lives in the minds of people and and so I think we can we can hold these things together. The fact God is Apsley sovereign, and that that we can say Lord. It was all of your grace. It's all of your grace and bike by grace we have been saved through faith. This is not of ourselves the gift of God and yet at the same time that that you know that the free offer. The gospel really does go out and there's this genuine call to repentance and that people are held to account for for rejecting that if they do as a text goes on to say in verse 20 there in Romans chapter 10 Isaiah's bold as to say I have been found by those who did not seek me, I have shown myself to those who do not ask for me but of Israel. He says all day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people as God with the free offer. The gospel holding his hands out and that's how we should be with the world as well, knowing that it's all of grace that God is sovereign and that we are accountable for our decisions and so Andre thank you for your question.

God bless you and I think you're on the right track. Some major issues there, and as you said some major differences to be upon different denominations. Different Christian traditions how they view that so thanks for that. A girl this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez you know we get a lot of calls on this program asking about worship, such as what exactly is worship and what should it look like and I've been to a church and I'm not sure about this type worship will today would like to offer you a free resource on that topic that I me that opening call from our dear brother Kevin who was asking about penal church attendance and the difficulty with you having a job that keeps you from going to church and wanting to be there me. I think part of the reason why and I and I said this bill. I think I think for many of us are priorities or art or misplace nothing that about her brother who called and I just effort for many believers where our priorities are misplaced. I think the reason is because we don't understand the significance of worship in Sparta that is is is you know our fault as pastors, not not doing a good job communicating that to our people, helping them understand why it's so important for us to gather together and what God is doing. When we do, and so I think that's why this resources and be really helpful for you and in terms of helping you to understand the significance of worship. Again, it's called nine things everyone should know about worship and you can access it as a downloadable resource he just downloaded over it. Core, Christianity.com it's excellent to really help you understand the whole purpose of worship and how we are to worship again.

It's called nine things everyone should know about worship. You can find by going to core Christianity.com/offers course you can always call us for that resource for anyone of our resources at 833.

The core wears a question from one of our listeners name Sheila in Tennessee and she says if you judge others, you will be judged. If you see someone sitting where does the line cross between criticism and being able to criticize them. Yeah, great, great question, sometimes Jesus's words in Matthew chapter 7 are taking taken out of context and you hear people say will go God.

God says don't judge you who are you to judge. We have to be careful, God makes all sorts of judgments and is in his word about right and wrong and when we hold fast to those things we don't want to judge like hypocrites do, and did, and in particular there in Matthew chapter some part of you know what Jesus is doing is rebuking the the false religious teachers, but there is a sense in which we as believers are very much so called to judge again not hypocritically holding fast to what God has revealed in his word and holding one another accountable.

This is really clear Sheila in in Scripture and places like first Corinthian chapter 5 verse nine Ripoll is right in the Corinthians, because they failed to make proper judgments within the church and it was leading to more sin in the church, he says. I wrote you in my letter. This is verse nine of first printing chapter 5 I wrote to my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people nodded all meaning the sexually immoral of this world or the greedier swindlers or idolaters since then you would need to go out of the world is amazing look at. I told you don't associate with the sexually immoral, but I wasn't talking about nonbelievers.

You can't just start teleport yourself out of the world we we engage with people on an everyday basis who reject the gospel, who live lives that are contrary to what the Bible teaches and I and I didn't mean to avoid them.

Paul says, but now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of a brother and his so-called Christian if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed. How interesting that there is an agreed or is an idolater revival or drunkard or swindler, not even to eat with such a one thinks is his first 12 for what have I to do with judging outsiders is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge God judges those outside purge the evil person from among you know what does this mean does this mean that we need to be looking at each other within the church. Just if you know what we are for recording quote fruit inspectors.

You know how how how faithful are you do you know being in your devotions in and out by the I don't like the watch that on on the television. You know the no I don't think it's it's it's word being like that is, is when you see a brother or sister. That's living in ways that are totally contrary to the word of God.

We do, we do judge, we come alongside of them not not as a way of just criticizing them Sheila but but in love calling them to live in line with what they profess to believe and so this is something that we need within the body of Christ brothers and sisters that live this is one of the ways we can love each other is innocent as we can have these blind spots with sin and and we can't see, but the people around us can see it in it, and if if you're one of those people around who sees it in a brother or sister and you just remain silent will. That's not loving and so it's a coming alongside of one another within the church and saying hey, this is something that concerns me. This is a habit or you know the thing that you do that I've noticed and I just want to ask you about it because I'm legally right that I look at what Scripture says and it seems like there's there's a contradiction here again in love and so so we do, we do judge and are called to make judgments into holdfast with the word of God says but I think of a way of distinguishing between you and are we just been critics just out there to criticize and point the finger or are we looking to help each other is is you know what's the ultimate purpose. Are you just trying to point it out and and then leave a person there or are you really coming alongside of somebody in love and and wanting to work together for honoring the Lord glorifying the Lord and in having their best interest in mind.

Some part of it is is the motivation Sheila, thanks for your question and and God bless some good counselor thanks Pedro, this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, we do receive voicemails here at the core and this one came in from one of our listeners named Justin I have a question that is very serious because I have been studying the Bible about the child but I can't find it anywhere in the Bible that the medical field, or should I say taking medication or counting on any other substance other than divine healing metaphysics prayer with faith is okay at the Christian. I don't see anywhere in the Bible that Jesus said this and I really would like to be informed and aunt taught in the Bible where it is scripturally that it is okay for us to count on other gods for healing account on mortal and for healing by those I so do appreciate you you but I have a blessed and wonderful day.

That question but I mean if you're going to these things as other gods older, there's a real problem. I think that's what you said, you know the other gods but but were just talking about you know in God's common grace can he use means like medicine doctors to help us if we have an injury break a bone.

There's an issue of mental health and and I think of the answer is is yes, certainly we pray for healing.

Nothing wrong with that and in in in and we should know of James chapter 5 you know if anybody sick and call the elders of the church, you have the elders lay hands on them, anointing them with oil in a will or praying for healing, but so often I think I think it's also true that God uses means God uses medicine and then there's nothing wrong with that. After looking for one Bible verse and think.

I think they're probably different places we could go… Give you 11 versus sort of interesting is what the apostle Paul says to Timothy in first Timothy chapter 5 verse 23 no longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments using look to have a little bit of wine to settle your subunit you have the stomach issues and it know what you think. There is the apostle Paul is not saying hey, why haven't you been healed by God. Yet, don't you know you're giving you gear associated with all these apostles have one of lay hands on you see could just be cured of your your frequent ailments.

But Timothy had simply had some medical issues and impulses, then in no doubt that they be. Certainly, I'm sure, prayed for his healing and prayed. You know for his comfort and and and and whatnot but but but also it's practically Paul says to him, have a little wine to help sell your snow just drink water but have little wine to help settle your stomach and so I think I think just just right there you see this this principle that can be carried out and saying yeah we we pray for healing, but it's okay. Also, just to use assertive natural remedies to did think about medicine as well. In God's common grace how God often will use these means for our good and to bless us and so we don't need to demonize them. Certainly, I think, in bill you would you would know better than than I do believe that I think they can be abused right meets you telling Timothy here have a liberal want to settle your stomach if Timothy said well the couple bottles sounds about right. Right out of the initiative. The same thing with with the medical field and I think prescription drugs think that having that that's something that is an and can very well be abused. So we have to watch out for that which they bill yeah that's really good counsel and Roland certainly talked about God's common grace and we read in Proverbs and over and over again that if we observe how God created the world and what he is made and the things that are good and we can no avail ourselves of those things such as you know a physicians guidance or research that tells us that a particular medication will help someone who's schizophrenic or whatnot. Yeah, that's I think for all falls under God's are common grace.

A good very good answer. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez we have time to go to one more call us go to bill in southern Illinois bill.

What's your question for atrial and why like living in a rain forest never hearing my guide never and I will go to heaven or hell, and to me that's similar to like a five-year-old or six-year-old who doesn't have a decision if they would like and I will what your thought.

Did you did you come sorry Bill, did you want to follow the go head. What was that holding him-year-old I think 118 1920 yeah, I well well so I don't see that there was a text that III was good to go to and that's the one that I go to and when this question is asked is it limited the point there in Romans one is everyone has a sense of God right all all humanity just by virtue of creation. The created world around us. Does tell us something about God, about his his power so that mankind is without excuse that is justly judge now, does that mean that there judged as severely as everyone else know where we can say that God is a perfectly just judge when when when each person stands before the Lord on the day of judgment.nobody is can it know we can be able to make an argument you know when when God renders his verdict and it's it's good to be very clear that his judgment is perfect and just and good. So there can be any any arguments with God and and so even if if somebody doesn't hear the gospel.

We know that there still judged justly on the basis of what God is revealed in nature. The limit is numb to say this God does.

I think when there are people who are longing for his grace and so he sends missionaries to those. You think about the book of acts you think about an individual like Cornelius seeking God even though he had limited understanding God sending to him Peter to preach the gospel and so God is merciful and right now me this is this is one of the reasons why we need to hear what Jesus said where he was talking about the harvest that the fields being white with harvest, but we need to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers out to gather in his people. That's that's what we need because God God is at work and he justly judging the entire world but he's calling the entire world also to repentance and faith that he does that through you and me to missionaries who are sent and so we pray for that and I trust that the Lord is can it perfectly handle everything. The end godless. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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