THE BRAZEN SERPENT

Everything in the Old Testament has its fulfillment in the New. And everything in the New Testament has its forerunner in the Old.

So let's look at the Brazen Serpent today. Remember the story in Numbers 21:4-9 where the Children of Israel complained to Moses and blamed him for bringing them out to the wilderness to die? The Lord punished them by sending fiery snakes to bite them. The Lord had Moses erect a brazen serpent so everyone could see it. And whenever someone was bitten by a snake, he/she could look at that serpent and be forgiven AND healed. Everyone! No one was excluded.

And is healing not found in the brazen serpent of the New Testament today? In John 3:14, 15, Jesus said, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." Did you catch that "whosoever"? Again, no one was excluded.

The book of Hebrews tells us that the New Covenant, or the New Testament, is a BETTER covenant than the Old. If everyone who looked on the brazen serpent in the Old Testament was healed, doesn't it make sense that under the BETTER covenant, we, too, can be both forgiven and healed by looking at Jesus, our present-day brazen serpent?

The benefits of the Old Testament brazen serpent are the same benefits of Christ, the New Testament brazen serpent.

I Peter 2:24 says that "by whose stripes" --- that's the stripes that Jesus bore --- "we WERE healed!" If we WERE healed, we ARE healed!

Don't believe it because I said it. Believe it because the Word of God says it!

Preacher's Kid

HEBREWS 11:1 FAITH

You can probably recite Hebrews 11:1 without looking it up in your Bible "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

When I told our Sunday School class Sunday about the group discussion my husband and I hope to start the last of next month, I made it very clear that the study of healing would NOT be based on theology. Nor would it be based on denominational teaching. Above all, it would NOT be based on tradition, nor on another person's experiences or thoughts. We were going to base it on one thing, and one thing only: The Word of God.

Do you know why many people are not healed? The minute they are prayed for, they begin to examine themselves and see if they FEEL healed. Whoa! Let's stop right there. Faith has nothing to do with feeling. Feeling has nothing to do with faith. You can't find one Scripture that promises if you have faith, you'll have feeling. Nor can you find one Scripture that assures you that if you have feeling, you have faith.

In the natural realm we say, "When I see it, I'll believe it." And too many people carry that erroneous idea over into the spiritual realm. But true faith says, "If I believe it, I'll see it."

Are you wondering where I got that idea? Does the Bible really say that? It sure does. Try Mark 11:24, which says, "Whatever things ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Can't get any plainer than that.

So I can honestly say that based on the Word of God, I BEIEVE I have my healing. I didn't say I AM healed -- I said I BELIEVE I'm healed.

What is belief, anyway? Belief is faith. And what is faith? Faith is the EVIDENCE of things not seen. So the evidence of my healing is in my faith, or my belief. Belief, or faith must come first. And that prepares the way for the manifestation of the healing.

You know, there's a time period between our believing and our receiving the manifestation of whatever it is we have prayed for. Some people receive instantaneous healing; but, remember, we are not basing our faith on others' experiences. If we received instantaneous healing, we wouldn't need faith. Why? Because we already have what we prayed for! We no longer need faith. We have the real thing. But in Mark 11:24, there is a time for faith to work, for believing to come into play.

So, remember that faith accepts the Word of God regardless of pain, symptoms or feelings! Rest assured, true faith disregards everything but the Word of God. If you stand by the Word of God in every situation, God will stand by you.

Don't just read what I've written. Think about it. Meditate on it. Go over it again and again and see if God doesn't make these truths real to your heart as never before.

Preacher's Kid

HI Y'ALL

I fully intended to send a blog last evening -- even had something in mind! But when I finished cleaning the supper dishes, I decided to sit in my La-Z-Boy and rest just for a couple of minutes. The next thing I knew, I got awake and it was 10:00 PM! I was still sleepy so decided to go to bed. That's when I discovered I had accidentally taken my sleeping pill along with my evening meal meds!!!! Oh, the joys of being a Senior Citizen!

My husband and I have been studying Divine Healing during our daily devotions for nearly two years. And beginning in late October, we are starting a discussion group on the subject in our Wed. night church family night gatherings. So I'm sure that for a while, my blogs will consist of all kinds of information I've discovered along that line. Much of the info, of course, can pertain to other areas of our spiritual lives, too.

You're probably asking yourself why I'm getting involved in such a discussion when I have my own physical problems. I'll let you in on a secret, one you can mull over until the next blog!

According to the Word of God, I believe I'm healed. Notice I didn't say I AM healed. I said I BELIEVE I'm healed. There's a difference. BELIEF is FAITH, is it not? And doesn't Heb. 11:1 tell us that Faith is the evidence of things not seen? So my belief is the evidence of my healing! And I say "Praise the Lord" for that! My faith is based on Mark 11:24: "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." I desire healing, and I believe I receive healing. Now it's God's Word that's at stake -- not mine!

Did you ever stop to think that if a person has his/her healing, he/she doesn't need faith any longer. Why? Because they have the manifestation of their healing. Often we expect instantaneous healing the moment we pray just like we've seen happen in big crusades where the person ministering has a gift of healing. And we forget that usually there is a lapse of time between faith and its results when we're praying on our own. Scripture tells us to stand fast in the faith.

So that's what I'm doing. How about you?

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL SUNSCREEN

Are you by any chance one of those unfortunate people who are allergic to the sun? If so, you know all about the itchy red rash that appears on the "V" of the neck, the arms and the legs when exposed to too much sun. You've learned to wear long sleeves and big, floppy hats to keep your face shaded. And even in hot weather you wear tight-fitting clothing around the neck. When outdoors, you stay in the shade as much as you can. And, of course, you use the strongest possible sunscreen you can get your hands on for maximum protection.

Did you know that Christians need spiritual protection? I call it "Spiritual Sunscreen." Satan, the ruler of this world, bombards us continually with temptations of all kinds. John 10:10(a) warns us that Satan, or "The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." When that happens, we'd better have our trusty, spiritual sunscreen handy, and plenty of it, too.

Maybe you're wondering what spiritual sunscreen is? Where do we get it? The Christian's sunscreen, or protection, is the Lord. We must apply that spiritual sunscreen, that spiritual protection, as diligently as we apply the natural sunscreen to our physical bodies.

Our most important spiritual sunscreen, of course, is the Blood of Jesus. I never tire of talking about the Blood and its benefits. Bible reading and prayer also serve as spiritual sunscreen. How about faith? Meditation? The Holy Spirit? Even spiritual fellowship!

We're surrounded with all kinds of spiritual sunscreen. Let's be sure to avail ourselves of God's marvelous protection in every area of our lives. And the best part is, spiritual sunscreen doesn't cost us a cent! It's free for the taking!

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL STARVATION

Most, if not all of us, have food in abundance (superabundance, for that matter), and are so well-fed that we're not familiar with the symptoms of starvation. At the outset of starvation, victims have an insatiable craving for nourishment. As time passes, however, the body weakens, the mind is dulled, and the desire for something to eat wanes. They tell me that starving people actually reach a point where they don't even want food that is placed before them.

Spiritual starvation follows much the same course. If we have been feeding daily on God's Word, it's only natural to feel "hungry" when we skip our quiet time. And if we continue to neglect it, we can lose all desire to study the Scriptures. What happens? We starve ourselves spiritually.

How much time do you spend reading the Bible and meditating on its truths? Do you miss the Word when you neglect it?

Psalm 119:103 says, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth."

Thomas Guthrie, a Scottish preacher in the 1800's wrote: "If you find yourself loving any pleasure better than your prayers, any book better than the Bible, any persons better than Christ, or any indulgence better than the hope of heaven -- take alarm!

How do you rate according to that statement?

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL POWER FAILURE

We've all experienced power failures at one time or another. And when they occur at night, it is nearly impossible to do anything! Can't see to read. No TV to watch. No computer to play around with (unless you have a battery operated laptop). Can't get your evening meal if you have an electric stove, as we do. Can't use the microwave. You need a lamp, a candle, or maybe a match to get fixin's out of the fridge for a cold sandwich! My husband recently bought two nice lanterns for such emergencies -- one for the house and one for the motor home. Fortunately we haven't had opportunity to try them out yet.

In our spiritual walk we sometimes suffer from spiritual power failure when plagued with fears, doubts, and problems. Our faith is weak and flickers like the wavering light of a candle. We may feel numb and even depressed.

That's when we need to pour our hearts out to God in prayer, telling Him how we feel. He knows, anyway. We need to call upon Him for strength and courage and rest in the assurance of His love, His care and His watchfulness over us. When the power of your faith goes, you're left to grope in confusion, fear and uncertainty.

But once you make contact with your Heavenly Father, His love will flow into you and cause the sputtering candle-flame of your faith to flicker stronger and stronger until it lights your way completely and returns the full power of faith to your soul.

So don't let yourself be caught without a strong and active faith. Don't live in the uncertainty of a fluttering, candlelight faith. Shine each day with a full and illuminating brilliance!

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL PACK RATS

Would I be amiss to suggest that most people are pack rats? They save this; they save that; they save anything and everything. After all, they might find use for it some day. Or they might even need it some day!

My husband is in charge of the Prime Timers at our church. (That's what we call our senior citizens.) We never have to plan for our monthly meetings, for they're all the same. The one thing, and the only thing, for that matter, that our group turns out in full force for is our monthly buffet luncheon. Last month we had 28 people show up. Not bad for a church of around 100 in attendance! We used to have programs with special speakers, games, etc. At those times we were lucky if 9 people showed up! But they really look forward to eating and fellowshipping each month at the buffet!

As seniors, we're all on limited incomes -- some more than others. So for those seniors who are unable to attend our monthly buffets because of limited finances, we give them gift certificates to cover their meals. At approximately $10 per meal, it doesn't take long for our bank balance to look pretty pathetic.

So - - - last Saturday we sponsored a rummage sale. Talk about donations for the sale! I think every member of the church must be pack rats and decided to clean house! We thank the Lord that we were able to increase our budget by over $600!

Then I got to thinking about "Spiritual Pack Rats." Maybe you'll be surprised at what my thoughts conjured up this time. The "Spiritual Pack Rats" I'm thinking about don't stash junk -- no, they stash away their God-given gifts and talents! One has a gift of music; another a gift of teaching; still another a gift of hospitality. Some have a special ability to help others, whether with transportation, or baby sitting, or taking food in times of sickness and sorrow, etc., etc. There's just no limit to the type of gifts people are not using. Kinda like stashing their talents away, hoarding them, if you please, instead of using them for the glory of God. You get the idea, I'm sure. So, now . . .

. . .what God-given abilities are YOU hoarding?

Are you a spiritual pack rat? Just wondering!

Preacher's Kid

WHO DOES THE GIVING?

Yesterday we blogged about who does the taking. Let's reverse it and talk about who does the giving. Yesterday it was Job - today it's Paul and his controversial thorn in the flesh!

In II Corinthians 12:7, Paul writes, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure."

Nowhere in that Scripture does Paul say that the Lord is the One Who gave him his thorn in the flesh. To the contrary, he plainly states is was a "messenger of Satan." God is not in the business of sending Satan's messengers to do His work! So whenever anyone claims that God gave Paul his thorn in the flesh, they are not reading the Scripture correctly!

As long as we're on the subject, I might add that Paul's thorn in the flesh was not an illness. Space prohibits me from giving you many Scriptures to substantiate this in detail. Just let me point out two things. The New Testament was written in Greek, and the Greek word for "messenger" (which is what Paul says it was) is "angelos." "Angelos" is used 188 times in the New Testament; 181 of those times it means "messenger," and the other 7 times it means "angel." NOWHERE does it mean sickness!

Paul also says that his thorn was to "buffet" him. Do you know what the word "buffet" means? It means over and over and over again, like buffeting someone with your fist, or hitting that person repeatedly. If Paul's thorn was a sickness or disease, then that sickness struck him time after time after time. And how could a man that sick write the majority of the New Testament in addition to establishing numerous churches and making arduous missionary journeys?

If space permitted, I could give you many more reasons to believe that Paul's thorn was not a sickness or disease. But this is enough information to chew on for now!

Preacher's Kid

WHO DOES THE TAKING?

In offering comfort to those who've lost a loved one, I'm sure you've heard people quote Job 1:21(b): "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Maybe you've quoted it, too. Or maybe even the bereaved person has tried to cling to that verse for comfort. Worse yet, preachers will use that verse at funerals!

But did you ever stop to realize that that is not a correct statement? Yes, it's a statement found in the Word of God. "Isn't everything in the Word true?" you're wondering? Of course it is; but that doesn't mean every statement is applicable to us or is quoted under the proper circumstances.

(Facetiously speaking, you've no doubt heard how someone once quoted the Scripture that says, "Judas went out and hanged himself" and combined it with "Go thou and do likewise!")

Let's go back to Job 1:21. Were the words "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away" spoken by the Lord? Were they God's words? No, they were Job's words after his misfortune of losing his servants, his flocks and herds, and even his children. He assumed the Lord had taken away and destroyed all his possessions.

But was God to blame? No, He wasn't. God didn't take anything away from Job. SATAN was the responsible party! God knew what was going on, of course; and God had also put Job in Satan's hands for testing his loyalty to Him, but with the condition, of course, that he touch not his life.

Based on that explanation, God was NOT the one who took away! As I read my Bible, what God takes away is our sins!

If you recall the rest of the story, it was only after Job repented for his "know-it-all" attitude, that God blessed him and restored him twice as much as he had before!

Isn't this a neat insight into something you probably hadn't realized before? Let's not be guilty of making the Bible say something it really doesn't say!

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL GIGO

Remember the term from years gone by of "Gigo?" Garbage in, garbage out!" I haven't heard that for years. That's just another way of stating Galatians 6:7b: "(W)hatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Let's stretch our imaginations a bit. Suppose we plant some tomato seeds. We pray over those seeds and even anoint them; then expect them to produce beautiful roses. No one believes us when we tell them what we expect those seeds to produce, because everyone knows it is impossible to grow roses from tomato seed!

Now let's turn to the spiritual realm. Do you know anyone who sits for endless hours on end in front of the TV and watches every "soap" that comes along? (I'm sure YOU don't!!!) And the trash that television produces is getting raunchier by the day! Some people watch the TV trash all week long and then are frustrated and puzzled when they go to church on Sunday and don't experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in their midst.

Don't turn me off, now. I'm not saying it's a sin to watch television. I watch it, too. What I'm concerned about is this. Do you spend more time in front of the TV than you do with the Lord? Where do you turn for your pleasure -- the TV or the Word of God? Which is more important to you -- the TV or God's Word? Television can be addictive, and can rob us of time we should be spending with the Lord and His Word, in both communication and meditation.

What are you putting into your heart, mind and spirit -- trash or the Word? Only you can answer that question.

Remember: Gigo -- garbage in, garbage out!

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL GALL BLADDER ATTACKS

Have you ever had a gall bladder attack? No? Lucky You!

Years ago I used to have what I thought was heartburn. Until the day I got a taste of bile! Boy, was it ever bitter! No one had to tell me my heartburn, in reality, was a gall bladder attack! After surgery, I was told the gallstone the doctor removed was the largest ever removed at either of the two hospitals in our city. Somewhere I have a photo of that gallstone and a large hen egg, side by side. To this day I can't tell you which is which!!!

In Acts 8:23, Peter and John speak about "the gall of bitterness" -- and from my experience, the word "bitter" is a most appropriate description of "gall!" The only other time "gall" is used in the New Testament is when Christ, on the cross, was offered a drink of vinegar mixed with gall. It was a stupefying drink, and Matthew 27:34 tells us that when He had tasted it, He refused to drink it.

But speaking of gall, did you know that gall still exists in many churches today? I'm speaking now of spiritual gall, or bitterness. And the church of God will never operate effectively if plagued with bitterness. It's so easy to look around and notice how bitter this person is against so-and-so. And how bitter that person is against another person. What's the problem? They're having spiritual gall bladder attacks, and bitterness is running rampant.

But instead of looking at others, I challenge you to look in your own heart. Are you bitter at all toward anyone else? If we're not careful, bitterness can be hidden in the innermost recesses of our hearts. We may think we have it hidden so well that no one knows it is there. But, as I Samuel 16:7 says, "(M)an looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

Do you have spiritual gall bladder attacks? I sincerely hope not.

Preacher's Kid

P.S. If you do, surgery by the Chief surgeon, God Himself, is the only cure!

SPIRITUAL FREEBIES

I love getting something for free, don't you? I even enjoy the free food samples the super markets hand out now and then -- especially in the bakery department! I also enjoy "couponing" whether it results in a free product or cents off on various items.

I recall my mother telling how she played store as a child and offered one of her products "Free for 5 cents!"

As adults, we sometimes make promises to do this, that or the other -- all free, of course. And then we inadvertently (at least I hope it's inadvertently) break those promises by not keeping them. How betrayed we feel when someone we trusted doesn't follow through on a promise we assumed was made to us in good faith. Of course, when we're the ones who forget to keep a promise we made to another, we can always blame it on a "senior moment." Old age does have its perks, you know!

When it comes to "Spiritual Freebies," there's no end to the delights God offers us free: free salvation, free love, free mercy, free grace, free guidance, etc., etc. And the best part of spiritual freebies, of course, is that we never need worry about those promises being broken. We never need to be concerned that God will forget His Word.

One of my favorite spiritual freebies is, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Another says, ""I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely" (Rev. 21:6b).

And remember, not only are we the recipients of spiritual freebies, but we can also be the givers of spiritual freebies. Matthew 10:8 clearly points out, "(F)reely ye have received, freely give."

So when we count our blessings -- and I hope you do that often -- don't forget to count your spiritual freebies.

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL FAST FOOD

Fast Food stores and snack bars are found on almost every corner in town these days. They are convenient when one is in a hurry, I'll admit. But oh, the calories available at such places--the kind that pack on the fat, I must add!

Someone once said, "To be a healthy Christian, don't treat the Bible as snack food."

To some people, reading the Bible regularly is taking a promise out of a "promise box" kept in the middle of the table -- grabbing a verse of Scripture on the run, so to speak, and expecting to get your spiritual nourishment for the day from that one verse. Now, there's nothing wrong with having a promise box sitting around so long as you don't rely on that promise box for your daily sustenance of spiritual food.

Proper spiritual nourishment takes time. It's like a cow chewing her cud. They say that a dairy cow spends about 8 hours a day chewing its cud. That's around 3,000 chews daily! A contented cow is one that is seen chewing her cud. It aids in her digestion which, in turn, helps her produce more and richer milk.

The same thing can be said of meditation for the child of God. The Psalmist David learned this lesson early in life. Read Psalm 119 (I know that's the longest chapter in the Bible!!!) and see how often the Psalmist refers to meditating upon God and His laws. Start with verse 97, which says, "Oh, how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day." Keep on reading and note in the following verses the result of meditation.

You'll never feel spiritually satisfied or have a well-rounded spiritual meal eating spiritual fast food all the time. Try David's method of meditation and see how your soul will thrive!

Preacher's Kid

SPIRITUAL ECHOES

Which is the most important -- a voice (sound, if you please) or an echo? A voice, of course, for you can't have an echo until you first have a sound! Then, too, echoes fade away while sounds keep producing.

In the spiritual realm, we often confuse echoes and voices. There are many of both, of course; but only one Voice we need to learn to recognize -- that of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Remember the teaching that Jesus gave in John, chapter 5, where He says He is the Shepherd? He tells how the sheep hear and know HIS voice; they come when HE calls, for they are familiar with HIS voice. But they pay no attention to a strange voice.

We need to be well acquainted not only with the Voice of our heavenly Shepherd, but also make sure we are not hearing echoes of other voices. "So-and-so says this," or "So-and-so believes that," etc. But the important thing is, what does THE VOICE say?

We dare not base our religious beliefs upon theology, denominational teachings, tradition, what other people think, or the experience of others. The only safe thing to base our faith upon is God's Word! What does HE say?

I challenge you to carefully examine your beliefs and make sure they rest on God's Word and God's Word alone.

Preacher's Kid