Monday, April 13, 2009

Excerpts from Notebooks - July 1983

Mark 1:25 'And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of Him.'

Jesus knew that evil spirit possession is real. He told the evil spirit to come out of the man. If spirit possession was real enough then it is more than likely real now. Jesus, not man, has the necessary power to remove unclean spirits. We can use Jesus' power, if we are connected right to Him.

Mark 1:31 'And, He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up by the hand and immediately the fever left her and she ministered unto them.'

Jesus could easily have said 'fever be gone', or some such thing yet He knew the contact of love is important. Jesus took her by the hand. Picture it, His hand in hers, the strength, the gentleness, the power, and the love in that hand merging into the sick woman's giving her the healing she needed. The lifting her up so tenderly with compassion, can you imagine the awe, the wonderment and sense of gratitude the woman must have felt!

She ministered unto them and probably so happily that her face radiated a glow of love, and all Jesus needed to do was take her hand and lift her, He didn't say a word, it was His touch that healed her.

(Casting out evil spirits, healings, Jesus came into His own and the healings were many. He came and did what no other had ever done. There may have been magicians of sorts, those good at tending the sick, but none were ever like Jesus, none. When He performed the miracles one after the other, healing countless number of people it was for a reason. It was proof undeniably so of His divinity. The Pharisees and all others could say whatever they wanted to say but truthfully they could not explain away the healings could they? Not really. Their hands were tied, they were limited because the word of Jesus spread and spread, people were coming from all around wanting to be healed, wanting to hear Jesus speak. They knew He was special, they knew He was different.

While the apostles, the disciples, the followers of Jesus continued on after Jesus died and was raised to life again, none were ever like Him, they were shadows of what He was and that too was as it should be. Gradually over time the healings, the casting out of devils, all of that seemed to fade away and become mostly mythical.

Today we have healings and what are called exorcisms but they exist on the realm of the skeptical. Were people skeptical in Jesus' day? Yes, very much so. But there isn't a whole village of people being healed now. There isn't anyone going about casting out devils with a word- in fact today if there is casting out it's a dramatic process much like those depicted in various movies without the sensationalized gore.

We want to believe in miracles, but we can't expect them, true Godly miracles, now in the end days. Why? Because we know in the last days devils will be working miracles.

Rev. {16:14}' For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world.'

Rev. {19:20} 'And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast'

Matt. {24:23} 'Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not. {24:24} For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.'

There is a big danger in counting on miracles today. With Jesus coming again soon, very soon, the greatest miracle we should be looking for is the miracle of His arrival and the changing of our bodies from corruptible to incorruptible. Not the miracles of healing, not the casting out of devils. We need only look for Christ. Satan is ready to deceive all. He has his plans set, his agenda made. He will work in such away that only the very elect of God will not be deceived. Such knowledge we can all have and we must all use. We must not trust our own eyes or ears, but rely on the knowledge God has given us in His Holy Word. The whole world will marvel at the miracle Satan will perform and it will be those who refuse to be deceived who will be saved.

By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ now and forever! May we have our eyes ever upon Him! Amen.)

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