God's Guidance Today #2

Why is it that you don't have faith healers from prior generations alive and with us today. Why don't you have faith healers are hundred and 2000 and 4060 years old doesn't die. That's why thanks for joining us on the truth with gone green founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio high on bill right today. Don continues teaching God's people. God's word as he moves further into our series, the Holy Spirit today with part two of a message titled a look at healing last time Don explored the nature of biblical healing.

We saw that when Jesus or the apostles healed someone. The person being healed had a lifelong disability well known to all in attendance. There could be no doubt today.

He'll cover the limitations of biblical healing before turning to the dangers of over fascination with science.

Have your Bible open and ready as we join our teacher now in the truth. We saw the nature of biblical healing point number one. Point number two.

The limitation of biblical healing. First of all we what we find is that the apostle Paul himself suffered a bodily illness during his own ministry. Look at Galatians chapter 4 Galatians chapter 4 Galatians chapter 4 verse 12 Paul says I beg of you, brethren become as I am for. I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong and look at this in verse 13, but you know that it was because of a bodily illness weakness of the flesh, it could literally be translated. It was because of a bodily illness that I preach the gospel to you the first time and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or load but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself. Here is the apostle Paul describing a bodily infirmity that was that was attending him that was with him that was afflicting him even in the midst of his ministry. If anybody would've had the faith to receive healing in that condition it would've been the apostle Paul wouldn't. And yet, he went on. He did his ministry suffering from the bodily affliction without any hint of suggestion here that that bodily illness was contrary to the will of God for his life. This was just part of what happened in the early years of his ministry as you go on and as you read Paul's letters you'll find the Paul did not perform healings, even on close associates in his ministry.

He did not perform healings on close associates in his ministry. Without exception, look at first Timothy chapter 5 verse 23 as he gives what some would consider to be by modern standards. Most unspiritual earthly advice in first Timothy chapter 5 verse 23 he says no longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. Now, how could it be if it is always God's will for a man to be healed and that it's somehow sinful. If you're not healed. How could Paul gives such standard ordinary advised take line in its medicinal purposes for your stomach because Timothy I know you have frequent ailments as a pattern alive for you Timothy both.

This was an indication of sin.

Paul should've been rebuking him for his sin and calling them to faith and repentance and do anything like that, says Timothy, in effect, take a little medicine for your stomach so that you will feel better and be able to do what you need to do said so ordinary well yeah see. It seems ordinary to us only when we view it from the false and mistaken presuppositions of the charismatic movement that would tell people that you should never be sick. You should always be healed. You know I have your edger healing is just waiting for you. You're right on the verge of it. If you'll just have enough faith.

I love the way they always place conditions on conditions on this in the sick people so that they've always got an out like you know you could've had healing but you just didn't have enough faith in my flesh I wish for the return of Jesus bodily just long enough to go into places like that and for third time over turntables and rejection of those abominations and the cruel spiritual affliction that it puts on people who are suffering through no sin of their own. In second Timothy chapter 4 verse 22nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 20.

These verses that we sometimes considered to be so incidental.

Why is that and why is that in Scripture even then you start to realize or something important here that's embedded in the word second Timothy chapter 4 verse 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but trophy mess I left sick at Miletus.

Paul you left them sick. I thought it was God's will for everyone to be healed. Why did you just say the word and healed him. Why didn't you just make him better so that he could join you in ministry. Well, it's because there was a limitation on the biblical healings. They were not indiscriminately practice it obviously wasn't always God's will for everybody to be healed instantly from every affliction that they never came so that we just simply lived in the midst of of outer complete perfect health, indefinitely, forever and ever. Amen. Now, going further expanding out a little bit to talk about signs a little bit more broadly speaking, even in the words of Jesus. The ministry of Jesus recorded in the Gospels. The signs were not indiscriminately practiced in biblical days and Jesus made a point of pointing that out. Look at Matthew chapter 12 were building a collective case and where were not even into the total fullness of it yet.

Matthew chapter 12 verse 38 in Matthew chapter 12 verse 38. Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, teacher, we want to see a sign from you but he answered and said to them, an evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet you want to sign the answers no, I'm not giving it to you now how how can you explain that if the ideas that we just have healing on demand whenever we have enough faith's nonsense. It's it's a wicked distortion of Scripture that leads to even greater deception, as will see in a few more moments look at the gospel of Luke chapter 4 Luke four verse 23 Jesus said to them, no doubt you will quote this proverb to me, physician heal yourself. Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well and he said truly I say to you know profit is welcome in his hometown but I say to you. Verse 25 I say to you, in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months when a great famine came over all the land and yet Elijah was sent to.

None of them, but only to Sarah fast in the land of Sidon to a woman who was a widow here was pressing need distributed throughout the land because of famine and fallen on the land three years and six months, and there is a prophet of God. Jesus says he only got sent to 1.everyone indiscriminately.

Somehow it was God's will in the outworking of his purposes for his nation at that time for everyone save want to experience the onslaught and the difficulty and the suffering of that famine you can't explain that with an attitude that says everybody should be healed.

Everybody should be healthy. Everybody should be prosperous. Jesus says it in his own words points to biblical history and affirms it is the will of God. To the contrary. Now we could look at other things should I remind you that God actually authorized affliction for his servant Job Satan came and demanded permission God gave them permission said you go afflict Joe. Just spare his life for 35 chapters that 42 chapter book 37 chapters you find people wrestling with the suffering that Job was afflicted with so much so that he lost 10 children, he lost his health lost his fortune.

Let's think about it. Let's let's bring it down is bring it down and and apply the vice seat to the faith healers today do I need to remind you that even the charismatic faith healers today age look at these older guys have been doing the faith healing stuff for 3040 5060 years with the wrinkles in the face.

Look at the evident process of aging that is taking hold on them. Why don't they reverse it.

Why don't they command their sagging face to become fresh like a baby's bottom. No I don't do it another listen. It's not because they wouldn't sell because they don't want to.

These vein men would love nothing more than to carry around. The look of vigor that belongs to a 20-year-old man they don't do it because I can't. What is some of them wear eyeglasses and find pictures of Benny hand wearing eyeglasses, why not just wave your hand over yourself and heal your eyes are, you have perfect 2020 vision, why don't you do that because you can't. Why is it that you don't have faith healers from prior generations alive and with us today.

Why don't you have faith healers or hundred and 2000 and 4060 years old is a dyed. That's why, why did they die. Apparently some disease took hold of them of some kind or another Google the names of Catherine Kuhlman or Smith Wigglesworth, Kenneth Hagan or Oral Roberts and you will find the location of where they are buried just after a short synopsis of their faith healing ministry itself refuting. Indeed, Scripture says it is appointed for all men to die there all going to die and so sooner or later.

All of this. All of these promises of healing run out. You see it in the pages of Scripture that not everyone was healed. You see it in the pages of history today of these men who claim to have the gift of healing that are now dead and buried. You wait around five, 10, 20 years will be a lot more to add to that list because Scripture says in the Scriptures cannot be broken that it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, just work it out to its logical land, even if you did get healed today, something's going to take it tomorrow. Apparently there's some limitation on it, even in their experience and look at what I'm about to say.

I say knowing that there are people suffering in the room grievously suffering from physical affliction and I say this to support you to help you to encourage you to strengthen you in Christ. As I make this polemic against the those who would comment.

Criticize your lack of faith.

It is ignorant know it is cruel for these faith healers to tell people that God wills their healing.

Scripture gives us no such promise may we ask God for healing in the midst of our affliction and prayer. Yes we make and we guarantee can we promise it in advance. No we may not. We pray to him with a sense of submission and dependence God, not my will but thine be done. God help me in my affliction, but nevertheless not my will but thine be done. Whatever Paul's affliction was in second Corinthians 12, he asked three times for the Lord to take it away from them in three times the Lord said no, what are we to make of this. Are we suddenly men of greater faith in Paul Paul's failing was Paul's lack of faith that the Lord responded that way know quite to the contrary in what God said to Paul, is the same thing the same comforting words that he would breathe to those in the midst of dire affliction today that he would speak to you, even in the midst of your affliction now not a promise of earthly bodily healing immediately, but rather the promise, my grace is sufficient for you all perfect. My power in your weakness, and so we see the limitations on biblical healing from the life of Paul from the life of those around him. In the words of Jesus we see the limitations on it, even in the realm of those who practice and proclaim these things.

Thirdly, this gets even more compelling. Even more compelling as I want to take just a few moments to talk about number three, the present danger of miracles. The present danger. The danger of miracles.

The danger of it. First of all, let's ask this question do signs help people to believe they help people to genuinely believe. Well, Matthew 24 verse 24. Listen as I read false Christ's and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Jesus says behold, I have told you in advance wall will oh you mean to tell me that since the close of the Canon that we should view signs and wonders is a possibility that which brings deception, not truth to us. Jesus has well I told you in advance. I warned you about this.

If that was the only verse maybe I wouldn't even make the point, but signs the desire for signs of this takes my breath away the desire for signs and visible wonders in now that Scripture is completed is contrasted with the true preaching of the cross look at first Corinthians chapter 1 with me first Corinthians chapter 1 first Corinthians chapter 1 Paul is describing his ministry.

The word of the cross says in verse 21. Since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God.

God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe he appointed preaching that seems foolish to the world as being the instrument by which the gospel is brought in souls are saved from sin and he goes on in verse 22 and he says. Indeed, Jews asked for what answer me, what does it say Jews are asking for signs they wanted the same thing, then the people want today show us a sign great search for wisdom.

Paul says, verse 23. But, by contrast, we preach Christ crucified to Jews a stumbling block into Gentiles foolishness. But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God know what born-again believers. Like many of you in here. You don't need signs you're not attracted to signs because you understand that in Christ crucified, proclaim from the Scriptures you have what you need. You have what the you have what God has truly given and it satisfies your soul to know that your sins are forgiven and you haven't a hope of an eternal life on what you see here is that Paul contrasted his ministry of apostolic preaching of Christ with what the Jews wanted which was signs the Bible warns us against the coming Antichrist. Look at second Thessalonians chapter 2 second thought.

Thessalonians chapter 2. What were starting to see here is that signs now that Scripture is completed are not a reliable indication of the true God being at work. In fact, they are indications of deception of this passage is looking toward the end of time.

Second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse nine Paul talking about the coming Antichrist. He says, verse nine.

That is the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan what's going to be accompanied by all power and signs and false wonders, how are you kidding me in with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false in order that they may all be judged. You did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness, the coming Antichrist is going to be marked by miraculous signs.

Things that seem supernatural and people will follow Sam look at that that that's proof that this is a man to be followed in Scripture says the exact opposite. That is a mark of delusion that is a mark of not loving the truth of people hunker and hanker after that. It's not a good sign. It's a danger sign of with with eternal consequence to not try to win an argument here. I'm pleading for the help of souls. These things lead people to deception to make them think that they are saved when they are not in the end they will go to hell. Shocked at the fact that the Lord did not receive them in the common theme is signs and wonders today after the completion of the Canon today.

Scripture teaches that the pursuit of signs only invites deception with great eternal consequence. As a result, the charismatic movement today hundreds of millions of people may be a billion. I don't know what the current numbers are the charismatic movement today is not healthy.

It is a cause for grief and it grieves my heart to have to say that we realize that there are some who are within the round of that who don't know any better who need to be taught instructed though come out of it. If the genuinely saved the world will lead them out of it but not talking about ordinary individual believers that are kinda sucked into that in over talking about is the movement the theology the drives that the primary teachers that ring disciples around them and we would say this, we don't think much. Don't think much of the men and women who take advantage of sick and desperate people making false promises to them in exchange for money. We don't think much of so-called people who proclaim to be Christians who proclaim to be leaders who have big television shows with big goofy hair, male and female alike will offer false promises of hope to parents with suffering children who just desperately want their child to be well and to leverage their desperation to your financial gain against the word of God, the judgment will be just that leaves us with the question as we closed and I do like the fact that enclosing with this that I'm closing with the police question.

As I worked my way all the way through a deadline leaves a really important question. A fair question to be asked a guy like me after you set all these things okay what do we say to sick and desperate people. What do we say to those with irreversible conditions like cerebral palsy or dementia or terminal cancer, multiple sclerosis, or a thousand others.

What would we say to a weeping parent at the side of their child as they watch the life of that loved little one slip away.

What would we say if we don't offer them promises of healing. What do we say to you when you're healing doesn't come for some of you having suffered like the woman in the Gospels having suffered at the hands of physicians for many a year. We say to you, will try to answer the question when the healing doesn't come from answer that next. I hope you can be with us. Indeed, as pastor Don Greene has just asked what happens when the healing doesn't come that'll be our focus next time. As we continue our series, the Holy Spirit today. Be sure to join us then you're on the truth pulpit but done whether healings come or don't trials in this life or a virtual certainty that some pastoral encouragement for anyone facing one now we know, my friend. One of the things that is a special blessing to me in pastoral ministry is the opportunity to talk with people. It may be at a hospital bedside or when there discourage going through a really difficult life trials. Let me speak to you somewhat as a pastor I know it's through radio and not in a personal relationship like we normally think about that. But let me just encourage you that that even though you're going through a dark valley now. Perhaps the Jesus Christ is with you in the valley and even though you may be afraid of what the next doctor's report has for you or or where the next mortgage payment is going to come from and you don't know and there's a lot of pressure on your life. Let me just remind those of you who are Christians of a wonderful passage from Psalm 23. David could say I fear no evil for you are with me.

Do you know Christ and my friend, there's no cause for fear he will keep you and you'll find in the end that goodness and lovingkindness of followed you all the days of your life.

Look to your gracious Savior for help for comfort, my friend.

I know that he'll prove himself faithful to Pineville right inviting you back next time. As Don Greene continues teaching God's people. God's word here on the truthful