Preaching with a purpose

I am not charismatic but I do know that God has healed you over and over again.  I have recently had major surgery.  When the surgeon had done his work there was nothing more he could do for me.  Healing comes from God alone and what a wonderful healer He is. I think it is amazing that after just one week stitches for most wounds are taken out and already the wound has knit together.  We are wonderfully and fearfully made.  Every illness you have ever had and recovered from is another demonstration of God's healing power. So just think back over your life and rejoice that God has healed you so many, many times.

If you want to follow Jesus, you can't just pick the cozy things, you have to take all of His teachings. Last time on my blog I was talking about family.  Jesus said some difficult things about family. In Matthew 10 He says,"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Then He quoted from the prophet Micah.  "For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own household."  Then He says that we must love Him more than we love our family members.   Always Jesus must come first in our lives.  If we have family members who do not believe they will not be able to understand our loyalty to Jesus and there will be an inevitable distance between us.  We should, of course, do all we can to tell them of their need to believe in Jesus but we should not allow ourselves to be drawn away f...

  The Bible tells us Jesus had four brothers, which it names and at least two sisters.  He, of course was the eldest and their half brother, having the same mother. So when we have problems with our family we can be assured he knew what it was like to have such problems.  During his years of ministry we hear his family thought he was mad. But later after the ascension his brother James became a believer and the leader of the church in Jerusalem whom Paul consulted with.  He also wrote the book in the Bible named after him.    Jesus showed great care for His mother when He was suffering on the cross.  He directed His disciple John to look after her. Jesus understood family, He understands yours. When you have problems go to Him for advice.

Most of us have been fortunate enough to have been brought up in a family with caring parents and siblings.  When one member of the family is in need the others gather around to help out.  This is my experience at the moment as I am convalescing after major surgery.  I am so grateful to God for giving me back the family I nearly lost through my own foolishness.  Never undervalue your family.  If there are disagreements do your best to overcome them, you never know when you will need your family. There will come a time when you can return the compliment when another member of the family is in need.  This also applies to the family that is the church.  In the church there may well be people who do not have a genetic family.  They need our help even more. Families should stick together and help one another.