Faith, Healing and God's Will

By Allen White

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:14-20

I’ve prayed for people to be healed, and I’ve seen them healed. I’ve prayed for others to be healed, and they weren’t healed. Once, I even prayed for someone to die, and she died. My prayer didn’t kill her. It was her time to go.

Some teach that prayers aren’t answered because of a lack of faith. I can assure you, I had just as much faith when I prayed for those who were healed as I did for those who weren’t.

It’s not up to me to decide who should be healed, who should wait, and who shouldn’t be healed. That’s God’s determination. When I get to Heaven, though, God and I are going to have a big talk about why He does what He does. Or else I will become so enamored with His presence that I will forget all of my questions.

The disciples had prayed before with great success (Luke 10:17). Why didn’t it work this time? Faith doesn’t come from us. Often we resort to having faith in faith, when we really need faith in God.

This time around, when the disciples prayed for the boy and flipped the big “God switch” to turn on a miracle, they discovered God isn’t attached to a switch. They were caught up in a method when they should have been caught up with their Master.

Many of us believe if we do [fill in the blank], God will bless us, and if we avoid [fill in the blank], God will also bless us. The problem is we get so fixated on our performance and what worked last time, we forget to focus on the One who blesses us.

Have you ever given someone a gift they didn’t appreciate? Flowers, candy, love songs and dinners out can’t replace romance that comes from the heart. A jerk with a box of candy is still a jerk.

Yes, God requires our obedience, but He wants obedience from our hearts not just from our works. What if our children obeyed us, but didn’t love us? They did what we said, but they didn’t want a relationship with us. Is that what parents really want? Well, some days we might settle for that, but that’s not what we really want.

One evening I was driving through Black Mountain, North Carolina. I needed something from CVS. The speed limit in downtown Black Mountain is 20 mph. I’m not sure that my car can even coast at 20 mph.

A police officer about half my age escorted me into the parking lot of CVS. His emergency lights screamed through the darkness, “Your next customer has arrived.”

The officer asked the usual questions: “Good evening, sir. Do you know what the speed limit is in downtown Black Mountain? Do you know how fast you were going? Could you provide me with your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance?”

I very respectfully replied,  “I don’t know, sir. About 30 mph (I had no idea). And, here you are, sir” in that order to his questions. It’s strange calling someone who could potentially be my son “sir.” Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling a great deal of love for this person in my life. But, I was very motivated to treat him kindly and with respect.

My motivation wasn’t love. My motivation was lack of punishment, i.e. a donation to the Black Mountain city government. On my way out of town, I didn’t touch the gas pedal. I used the brake both up hill and down. Who knew my car could drive at 18.5 mph?

Healing requires a willing recipient, a faith-filled pray-er, and a willing God. God won’t do anything outside of His plan no matter how many times we ask.

When the epileptic boy’s father asked the disciples to heal him, they said, “Sure, we can do that.” They couldn’t, and neither can you or I. Only God can heal.

How do we know when God wants to do something? He tells us and then He gives us the faith to do it. Faith is not a product of human will. Faith is a gift from God. Even the tiniest amount of faith can produce profound miracles. But, no mountain is moving anywhere without God’s consent.

Where have you tried and failed to perform God’s will? Was it God’s will or did you just feel strongly about it? Do you find yourself seeking after God or seeking after what He can do for you?

God desires a relationship with you over and above anything else. I have found that God will often delay answering a prayer because He knows that once I have the answer I might not talk to Him as much. As in any other relationship, God wants to be with us “just because.” He delights in us. He wants to use us to do great things. But, most of all, He wants us.

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Where Have All the Miracles Gone?

By Allen White

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:1-13

The same sequence of events leading up to the Transfiguration is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke. While the Gospel writers other material to suit the themes of their writing, these events are identical in all three. The clear message here is “This is the way it actually happened.”

The Transfiguration follows Peter’s declaration, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16) and Jesus’ prediction of His death (Matthew 16:21-28). A profound revelation is followed by heartbreaking news, but then is confirmed by a glorious, once in a lifetime, divine endorsement.

To say Jesus’ announcement about His death rocked the disciples’ world is an understatement. They had given away all they had to follow him. They dedicated three and a half years of their lives to His work and His teaching. How could so many victories end in such tragedy?

The explanation wasn’t a brilliant exposition of Scripture. The Truth revealed is something better felt than “telt.”

Much of Jesus’ ministry masked His Deity. He often healed people then instructed them not to say anything. The newly healed still had trouble keeping their mouths closed. It’s a good thing Twitter or Facebook weren’t invented yet.

But, on this day, Peter, James and John witnessed something they only viewed through eyes of faith previously. They believed Jesus was the Messiah as much as they could. They believed He was God’s Son. But, on this day, they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt.

God reveals Himself when we need it. Peter, James and John would soon lead the newly formed Church. They would face persecution and eventually die for their faith. They needed the assurance that “I know that I know that I know” In order to fulfill God’s calling on their lives.

So, why doesn’t this happen to us? First of all, we have more revelation in God’s Word, the Bible, than any of the disciples dreamed of having. If you want God to reveal Himself to you, the Bible is a great place to start.

Secondly, you and I haven’t been given the apostles’ mission. Few of us will be persecuted. Very few us will be called to die for our faith. God gives us all we need to successfully live our lives for Him.

Lastly, if we asked God for a revelation like the Transfiguration, we really don’t know what we would be asking for. When I was in Bible college, I used to hear prayers like this: “God reveal Your Mighty power to me. Let me see Your glory.”

I thought, “What are they praying?” In order to see God’s power in action, we need to be in a situation that demands it. God doesn’t display His power just for the excitement of it. We need God’s Mighty power when we find ourselves in a powerless place.

To me, the prayer these students were praying was “Bring it on. Let me see persecution and suffering. Put me in a dark place that demands a miracle. Show me Your power by making me powerless and weak and desperate.” When we’re at the end of ourselves that’s when God’s power shows up.

I would daresay in Western culture, we don’t have a need for God’s mighty power. He won’t perform miracles simply to comfort the comfortable. If we were charging the gates of hell, then certainly God would show up in a big way. But, God’s glory is rarely revealed in a La-Z-Boy recliner.

We need to experience God’s glory. We also need to fulfill God’s calling on each of our lives. We need to get in over our heads. We need to tackle problems too big for us to solve. When we are overwhelmed, when we are thoroughly depleted, when we have exhausted our resources, then God will show up. And, not a second too soon.

What obstacle in your life needs a miracle? Who has God called you to serve? How do you need God’s power to work in you and through you to meet the needs around you? When you ask for God’s power, be ready to face things you’ve never faced before. But, as Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid.”

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Practical Satanism - What?

By Allen White

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Matthew 16:21-28

Jesus rebuked Peter for thinking like a human. It’s easy for humans to think that way.

Jesus’ mission was never one of comfort and ease. He was born in a stable. Jesus had no place to lay his head. He and the disciples had no security, no income and no pantry. All of this sacrifice led to the fulfillment of His mission -- false accusation, ridicule, torture and death – so our sins would be forgiven. By all human measures, Jesus’ life was not up and to the right.

The conditions Jesus and His disciples lived in were not terribly different from other people at the time. This wasn’t Fifth Avenue penthouses compared to the Occupy Wall Street camp (and the Occupiers all have homes somewhere). Jesus and His disciples lived on less than the average person did, but not noticeably so.

Peter wanted a better outcome for the “Son of the Living God.” He didn’t want to see his friend, his teacher, and his leader suffer and die. Peter wanted a Messiah to rescue him, but he didn’t want a Savior. He didn’t understand the path to glory. His perspective was quite human.

Standing in the way of God’s plan, according to Jesus’ terms, is satanic. Granted Peter wasn’t offering animal sacrifices or getting pentagram tats, but his resistance to God’s plan landed him in opposition to Jesus. If you’re not on Christ’s side, you become anti-Christ.

How could Peter go from such a brilliant epiphany (Matthew 16:16) to a satanic confession (Matthew 16:22) in the same conversation? Consider the source. The proclamation about Jesus’ deity couldn’t have come from Peter. It was revealed by God. The “Never, Lord!” was all Peter -- Peter’s perspective, his attitude, and his words.

Peter didn’t have a divine perspective on Jesus’ mission. Jesus gave him that: “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done” (Matthew 16:27). But, Jesus also gave some Kingdom principles for all of His disciples (including us) to follow:

• Deny yourself.
• Take up your cross. (Read a little on cross-bearing here).
• Follow Jesus.
• Lose your life to save it.
• But, Gain the world and you forfeit your soul.

Humility is not thinking less about yourself. True humility requires thinking of yourself less. Jesus doesn’t want you to have a terrible life. But, the good life you think you ought to have falls short of the glorious life He has planned for you.

None of us would ever want to stand in God’s way let alone be considered “satanic.” Where do your plans conflict with God’s plans? Where do your hopes and dreams interfere with what God wants? How often do you think about what God wants for your life? I’m not saying these things to discourage you.

God has promised us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Jesus said He would give beyond what we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Maybe we’ve lost a little of our imagination. Maybe we’ve overly focused on our human perspective. Have we settled for less than what God has for us?

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What Is God Saying About You?

By Allen White

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Matthew 16:13-20

Jesus was a great small group leader. He started the discussion with an objective, less personal question that anybody could answer, “Who do other people say that I am?” He got the group talking – John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, another prophet. Then the conversation turned more personal.

“But, who do you say that I am?” If Jesus was leading my small group, someone would have replied, “Jesus.” That’s just how we roll.

Peter had a revelation, an epiphany. He opened his mouth and produced a brilliant answer. I would imagine his next thought was “Where did that come from?”

The impulsive Peter received a direct revelation from God. But, this time instead of asking, “Can I walk on the water too?” he came up with a profound insight: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

Then, Jesus spoke something into Peter’s life. Jesus cast the vision for who Peter would become. “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Peter? Seriously? Peter who would cut off Malchus’ ear? Peter who would deny Jesus three times? Peter was the rock Jesus would build the church on?

Yet, on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter stood up and preached the Gospel to the multitude and 3,000 people were saved in one day. Whoa. Jesus saw something in Peter that no one else saw. Peter might not have even believed it about himself.

What has God spoken to you about yourself? He speaks through the Bible, prayer, other believers, circumstances – what is He saying about you? If you’re not sure, then ask Him and pay attention to what He says.

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The Yeast of Backmasking?

Writer's Note: WE DID IT! Thanks to all of you who donated to my Give Fresh Water campaign to provide a water well to the Untouchables in India. So far we've collected $2520. You have made a life-long difference for an entire village in India. The well will be drilled near an Indian church. We've found that every time a new well is drilled, the church doubles in size. They will have clean drinking water and the Living Water of Christ. Often these are people who have never heard Jesus' Name.

Now, if you didn't get a chance to give, you still can. It's a big need, so we can drill two if we want. Go here to learn more: https://my.givefreshwater.org/fundraisers/touch-the-untouchables/

Thanks for an awesome birthday gift!

Allen

The Yeast of Backmasking?

By Allen White

When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:5-12

You’ve gotta love the disciples. They’re just so normal. They forgot to bring bread. If the events follow the sequence of the chapters, there were seven baskets collected after the 4,000+ were fed. And, they forgot to bring bread. They also forgot how all of that bread multiplied.

While the disciples were focused on finding the next harbor with a bakery, Jesus gave them a more significant concern: “Watch out for the Pharisees’ yeast.”

The disciples were probably thinking, “Great. We need bread but we can’t buy it from Pharisees or Sadducees. Where are we going to find a good Jewish deli now?”

Jesus chided them to get bread out of their heads. If they needed bread, He could provide bread. The bigger concern was the expansion of false teaching. The multiplication of words bore an exponential power like yeast in bread dough.

Thoughts multiply. Whether they originate with Billy Graham or Adolf Hitler, the yeasty teaching applied to the dough of human minds expands – some for good; some for evil.

The saying goes “You are what you eat.” Apparently, some of us have eaten a lot of pears to gain this shape. The reality is “You are what you believe.” If you believe you’re a failure, you will fail. If you believe you can make a significant contribution, you will. What you listen to has a great effect on who you believe you are.

When I was a teenager, youth evangelists would cruise through town educating us on the subversive, subconscious messages of rock and roll music called backmasking.

If you played Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” backwards, it’s supposed to say, “It’s fun to smoke marijuana.” I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard that song in all of my now, 47 years. I’ve never smoked marijuana. I’ve also never regretted missing out on the alleged fun.

Now, given in junior high, there were plenty of kids smoking marijuana. I’m not sure that Queen had as much to do with this as the availability. In Kansas, it grew like a weed, so to speak. Looking back backmasking probably wasn’t the problem.

Once physical media disappeared, I believe the backmasking exposé is now passé. Can you play an mp3 backwards? I’m not sure that I want to know.

Backmasking never harmed me. What harmed me was the belief that I was a Christian nerd who wasn’t allowed to listen to rock music because it might entice me to smoke pot. I didn’t need any more don’ts. I needed more Jesus. Why didn’t the youth evangelists bring Jesus to us?

Who are you listening to? What yeast are they multiplying? What is this teaching causing you to believe about yourself? Does it measure up to what God says about you?

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[Monthly Digest] Top Posts for November 2011

The following are the most popular posts for November 2011, just in case you missed one:


#5: You Are What You Speak

By Allen White   

Dieticians might take exception with Jesus’ words. They would tell us that what goes into our bodies matters a great deal. Of course, Jesus and the disciples weren’t taking their camels through the drive thru window either. Their diet was healthier than ours. Mac and cheese was probably not considered a vegetable back then. Read more...

#4: The Most Repeated Command in Scripture

By Allen White   

Often the line that stands out in this passage is “You of little faith,” yet the most used command in all of Scripture is “fear not.” Starting with the Lord telling Abraham not to fear (Genesis 15:1, KJV) to Jesus’ words to John in the Revelation, “Fear not; I am the first and the last” (Revelation 1:17, KJV), God tells us to “fear not” more than any other command in the Bible. We are only commanded to “not kill” three times. Read more...

#3: Christmas is Not Your Birthday

By Allen White   

Black Friday starts at 10 pm on Thanksgiving Day at Wal-mart. What better reason to get away from the family than by buying their Christmas gifts. But, let me ask you a question: what did you give and get for Christmas last year? Are your kids still playing with those toys? Are the clothes still worn? How much is in your garage or attic? Read more...

#2: God Doesn’t Want You to Worry

By Allen White   

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:27

We can’t add anything to our life by worrying. We might even shorten our lives by worrying.

When we worry about something, we put ourselves through the same physiological state as if the event was actually happening. Our brain knows the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined, but our nervous system does not. Worry puts our bodies in a state of emergency – fight or flight. Read more...

#1: Almost Giving Up on Prayer

By Allen White   

Today is my son Sam’s tenth birthday. Ten years ago today, I got to hold him for an hour in intensive care before any IV’s or tubes or surgical scars. 

He was brand new in the world. All he knew was the uncertainty of new surroundings and the arms of his parents who loved him.

Sam was born a month premature with an esophagus that wasn’t fully formed. But, in those first 60 minutes, he was perfect.

There was a time during his hospitalization when we didn’t know if he’d ever make it to Kindergarten. Today, he’s in fourth grade. Read more...

Some Fights Are Not Worth Having

By Allen White

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.

He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. Matthew 16:1-4

The last time the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign, they came with the teachers of the Law (Matthew 12:38-50). This time the Pharisees came with the Sadducees. These two groups disagreed on quite a few things. But, they were united on one issue: they didn’t care for Jesus, to put it mildly.

They came with the same question about a sign from Heaven. Apparently, they didn’t understand the definition of insanity.

Jesus challenged them. He observed how accurately they could predict the weather, but they couldn’t predict the signs of the times. So, Jesus gave them a sign, the same sign He had given them last time, the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:39-42). (Read “Killing Ourselves Over Things that Don’t Matter.”) Then, Jesus left.

Jesus offered less explanation this time than He did last time. He knew better than to cast His pearls before swine. The Pharisees had the answer. While others asked for a sign to meet their need, the Pharisees and Sadducees didn’t have a need. In fact, from their study of Scripture, they already had the answer Jesus gave. Jesus had better things to do.

Over the years I’ve had people call my office to lecture me on the heretical teaching of one television evangelist or another. I didn’t particularly follow these evangelists. (Remember, I’m an advocate for the separation of church and television).

I didn’t study their teaching. I didn’t teach their teaching. I guess I was just the closest person our church members could reach out to.

There were considerable degrees of separation between these evangelists and me. I couldn’t pick up the phone and call Benny or Jimmy or whoever else. We weren’t on a first name basis.

No, these members just wanted to be heard. They wanted me to understand what they understood. I let them talk. Agreed where I could agree, then wished them a good day.

Some fights are not worth having. Some points are not worth making. If folks have chosen to be disagreeable or to approach life with their own agendas, they’re not really helping us, and there’s probably not much we could do to help them.

Now, we could get all tied up in knots. We could study and explore all of the areas of their concern. We could fill our arsenal with all of the right answers the next time they called. But, they’re not interested in hearing our answers. They’re interested in informing us.

I’ve found that a little courtesy, a listening ear, a patient disposition go a long way in “helping” these folks. If you lack those things, I’ve found a headset and a laptop with a wireless connection help you to make the most of your time until they’re done talking (on the phone, not inperson).

Your expertise probably won’t turn them around. But, sooner or later, life will confront them with something that will make their concerns go away. Then, they need your help. Not your answers, but your help. Your relationship with them will speak far more than your convincing words ever could.

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