|
 ABRAHAM
LINCOLN
Abraham
Lincoln's Devotional & Creed
When
asked about his faith on CNN'S 'Larry King Live', Christopher
Reeves answered by saying that his religion was similar to that of
Abraham Lincoln who stated, "When I do good, I feel good and
when I do bad, I feel bad."
That
of course, is only a sound bite of what President Lincoln really
believed and practiced: What he was referring to was the
spiritual state of having a healthy conscience.
I
have access to many of the statements that the great American
president Abraham Lincoln made and committed
to paper. In April 1974, while conducting a Gospel Crusade
in Yellowknife, NWT, I had the privilege of spending some quality
time with the Baileys at the Pentecostal Church. As a
parting gift, they very graciously presented me with a book called
'Lincoln's Devotional'.
It
is a reproduction of the devotional book which President Abraham
Lincoln carried in his pocket and read from on a daily basis.
It has photos of the original Devotional book titled, 'The
Believer's Daily Treasure', as well as the page bearing Abraham
Lincoln's signature.
'Lincoln's'
Devotional book, printed by Channel Press, Great Neck, NY in 1957,
carries an introduction by Carl Sandburg. He reported that
in 1849 when Lincoln's second son Edward Blake died - after 52
days of illness - the officiating minister, Rev. James Smith of
the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield, Illinois, began a
friendship with the Lincoln family.
Smith
had been a rather wild fellow growing up in Scotland and a scoffer
of religion, but was later converted to Christ and entered the
Ministry in Kentucky.
Sandburg
writes: "It wasn't long after Eddy's death that the Lincolns
rented a pew in the church. In 1852 Mrs. Lincoln took the
sacrament and joined in membership. Pastor Smith presented
Lincoln with a copy of his book, 'The Christian's Defense', a
reply to infidels and atheists. Lincoln read the book, said
he was interested, later attended revival meetings held in the
church and served in several capacities, but when asked to join
the church, said he 'couldn't quite see it.'
"In
the same year, the Religious Tract Society of London, England,
published a daily devotional booklet titled 'The Believers' Daily
Treasure' or, 'Texts of Scripture Arranged for Every Day in the
Year'. On the title page appeared this verse from Psalm
CX1X72:
"The
law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and
silver."
"How
Abraham Lincoln acquired his copy of the devotional we do not
know. In 1852 he received as a gift at least one other book
concerned with religion, but there is no word to be found of the
'Believer's Daily Treasure'. It could have been a gift from
Mary Lincoln, sometime after 1847. Lincoln gave her a large
family Bible, and perhaps this handy, vest-pocket book was a
present from her in return, one he could carry with him for
occasional reading on the Old Eight Circuit.
"We
do know that on the inside corner of the tiny book of Scripture
and verse, Lincoln signed his name with typical abbreviation.
And from this we can surmise that either the volume itself or the
person who presented it to him was held in deep regard, for
throughout his life Lincoln was sparing in the numbers of books in
which he wrote his name. His signature, it would seem, was
inscribed more as an expression of strong interest or affection
than as a precaution against a book's becoming lost, strayed, or
stolen."
"From
his earliest reading days as a boy, Lincoln turned to the pages of
the Bible, and over all the years of his life he went on with his
reading of it, often quoting from it in private conversation and
public addresses. He and his family owned several Bibles.
Writing
to Mary, the sister of his best friend, Joshua Speed, he said,
"Tell your mother than I have not got her present with me,
but I intend to read it regularly when I return home.'" The
gift was an Oxford Bible. In 1864 he received a beautiful
Bible from a group of Negroes from Baltimore. In
acknowledging it, Lincoln said, 'In regard to this great book, I
have but to say it is the best gift given to man."
In
proclamations, in recommendations of thanksgiving or of fasting
and prayer, and in numerous references to God, Providence, the
Almighty, the Common Father, Lincoln gave the impression to the
multitude that he had a creed.
A
clergyman - William E. Barton - sought to formulate such a
statement of faith from Lincoln's own words, changing the text
merely to the extent of transposing pronouns from plural to
singular, making the other slight modifications, and prefixing the
words, 'I believe'. The result was almost liturgical,
containing expressions such as these:
"I
believe in
penitential and pious sentiments, in devotional designs and
purposes, in homage's and confessions, in supplications to the
Almighty, solemnly, earnestly, reverently."
"I
believe in blessings and comfort
from the Father of Mercies to the sick, the wounded, the
prisoners, and to the orphans and widows. I
believe it pleases Almighty God
to prolong our national life, defending us with His guardian care.
I believe
in His eternal truth and justice."
"I
believe the will of God prevails,
without Him all human reliance is vain; without the assistance of
that Divine Being I cannot succeed, with that assistance I cannot
fail."
"I
believe I am a humble instrument
in the lands of our Heavenly Father; I desire that all my works
and acts may be according to His will, and that it may be so, I
give thanks to the Almighty and seek His aid.
I believe in praise to Almighty
God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe."
When
Lincoln was asked by Henry C. Deming, Congressman from
Connecticut, the reason he had not joined a church, 'with his
obvious interest in religious matters and his familiarity with the
Bible', the President replied: "When any church will inscribe
over its altars, as its sole qualification for membership, the Savior's
condensed statement for the substance of both law and gospel, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind, and thy neighbor as thyself', that church will I join with
all my heart and soul."
His
law partner, William H. Herndon, quoted Lincoln as saying that his
religion was like that of an old man he once heard at a church
meeting: "When I do good", the old man had said, "I
feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad; and that's my
religion."
About
80 years after his death, a printed statement was recovered in
which Lincoln answered campaign charges that he was 'an open
scoffer at Christianity' by saying, it part, "I have never
denied the truth of the Scripture' and "I do not think
I could myself, be brought to support a man for office whom I knew
to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion."
Carl
Sandburg states: "John Jay, grandson of the great Chief
Justice and a notable Civil War figure himself, was reported by
Frank D. Carpenter as saying that he had seen Lincoln reading a
pocket edition of the New Testament."
Speaking
to his friend, Joshua Speed in 1864, Lincoln said: "Take all
this book (the Bible) upon reason that you can, and the balance on
faith, and you will live and die a better man."
On
another occasion President Abraham Lincoln declared: "I want
my preacher to act like he's fighting a swarm of bees when he
preaches!" Making a point about dishonesty the
President said: "How many legs does a dog have if you call
the tail a leg? Four! Counting the tail a leg doesn't
make it a leg."
GOD'S
GIFT: A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
An
old French proverb states: "There is no pillow as soft as a
clear conscience." The old man that Abraham Lincoln was
referring to was testifying about the peace and contentment one
receives when doing good in contrast to the guilt and condemnation
that nags on the conscience of the wrong doer.
The
Bible gives us the solution! St. John states: "For it
our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and God
knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not,
then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask,
we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those
things that are pleasing in His sight." (1 John 3:20-22)
The
questions arise: "What makes our hearts condemn us, and
steals away our faith or confidence toward God?"
ANSWER: Sin! What then, is the solution? The
forgiveness of sin that we receive through Christ's vicarious
death for us on the cross and the shedding of His precious blood
for our salvation.
The
Bible states: "If we walk in the light as He is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus
Christ God's Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)
Again the Holy Scripture says, "How much more shall the blood
of Christ, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without
spot to God. PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE from dead works to serve
the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)
St.
Paul who had been a fanatic and enemy of the Christians, with the
blood of martyrs on his hands, declared: "There is therefore
now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)
My
friend, my the Lord bless you and keep you in His love, grace and
peace both now and forevermore! Amen.
Links
to Abraham Lincoln USA President
Abraham
Lincoln - history of USA president Abraham Lincoln
Abraham
Lincoln - Biography of Abraham Lincoln - White House
Abraham
Lincoln - Speeches, writings and news
Assassination
of Abraham Lincoln - history
Abraham
Lincoln - Papers at the Library of Congress
WHOSE
SIDE ARE
YOU ON?
by: Rev. Max
Solbrekken, D.D.
CHAPTER
1: TWO ROADS
Millions
today are groping in the darkness of despair as they journey down
life's road toward eternity!
Multitudes
have not found the way of true happiness and joy and are searching
for peace and an answer to life’s problems, heartaches and ills.
Many others have known the true essence of life but somehow
have gone astray, lost the way and are haphazardly adrift on the
sea of life.
The
saying goes, “When in Rome do as the Romans do”,
or “Follow the crowd”.
The great bulk of humanity are doing just that.
They are following the crowd.
Take the easy way out or the path of least resistance.
The sad part is that the crowd is not always right, and the
path of least resistance is often the wrong path which becomes a
rut into which the journeyer finds himself bogged down.
Chained by bad habits and inability to say “No”
to evil suggestions and fettered by wicked companions, such a
person becomes an easy mark for Satan.
My
dear friend, perhaps you are one of the restless multitudes in
this rut, the broad road that the Bible speaks of which will
eventually take you to doom and damnation in Hell, unless you
repent of your sins and get off this road.
The
Bible says: “There
is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are
the ways of death”. (Proverbs 16:25)
It
seems natural to do what others are doing, however, the natural
man is often motivated by the lusts, greed and prides of this
wicked world. The
Carnal man is sinful and out of fellowship with the righteousness
of God. Therefore, the
natural man is at enmity with God.
God's
word states: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can
be.” (Romans 8:7); “Ye
adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the
enemy of God,” (James 4:4) Sinful man cannot do good unless God
intervenes and changes his nature through the process of new
birth: “Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say
unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.” (John 3:3)
Look
around and follow the current events in the news media to realize
that this world is corrupt and continually getting worse with
wars, social and political upheavals, increases in the crime rate,
immorality, sex perversion and broken homes.
FOLLOWING
THE CROWD: A BAD IDEA!
In
other words, the CROWD is corrupt and getting worse. If you follow
this crowd you will find yourself in bad company and serious
trouble spiritually! The
Bible says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate:
for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”. (Matthew
7:13-14) Jesus urged, “Strive to enter in at the strait
gate: for many, I say
unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able”. (Luke
13:24). To strive means to “put some effort” into finding the
right way.
It
must be very important to enter the straight gate or Jesus would
not have admonished us to STRIVE TO ENTER IN.
The reason is that the wrong road leads to an eternal hell,
and the right one takes you to Heaven.
The Bible says: “Wide
is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction and
many there be which go in thereat”.
Many
are on this broad road because the gate is wide enough to take in
everyone, regardless of a person’s wickedness, evil habits or
unrighteous companions. There
is plenty of room, and no questions asked - that is of course,
until it is too late to get off.
The murderer travels this road together with the gambler,
drunkard, liar and thief.
It
is the broad road and is easy travelling because this road has a
slight downward grade, although not very noticeable at the start.
The self-righteous Church member who has never been saved
together with the modernistic theologian, the atheist and the
communist, all have plenty of room to travel without even rubbing
shoulders, because the road is so wide.
The
alcoholic, drug user, the unfaithful, deceptive wife or husband,
rich and poor, well and sick, young and old, respected and
despised, educated and illiterate, bond and free, all may travel.
Caution
is thrown to the winds and off you go merrily on your way - the
music blares and you sail along!
TRAVEL
NOW - PAY LATER, SEEMS TO BE THE SLOGAN
- Yes, this is the broad road to destruction.
JESUS warns you to get off it NOW. Don't stay on it a
minute longer. Jump off it immediately and enter the Straight Gate
onto the NARROW Road that leads to LIFE and Eternal Bliss!
DO
YOU KNOW WHICH ROAD YOU ARE ON?
You
may ask, “How do I know which road I am on?”
I am glad you ask that question, because I have the answer
for you. The Bible
says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”.
(Romans 3:23) “There
is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 2:10)
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me”. (Psalms 51:5)
The
Scripture tells us that through Adam’s transgression the whole
human race was plunged into sin.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned.” (Romans
5:12) Through the
Scripture we see that everyone is born in sin and because of the
fall, the human race inherited the stigma of sin.
Secondly,
we learn that man’s nature is sinful and he is a sinner by
choice. The Bible
says: “All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned
every one to his own way; the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity
of us all.”( Isaiah 53:6) ; “The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
“The
fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is
none that doeth good. The
Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if
there were any that did understand, and seek God.
They are all gone aside, they are all together become
filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalms
14:1-3)
We
have now established the fact that all human beings are sinners,
not only by birth and nature, but also by choice.
Jesus exhorts everyone to, “Enter into the strait
gate”, because everyone naturally is on the broad road to start
with, and must turn off to get on the right road.
ALL
A SINNER MUST DO TO GO TO HELL IS TO CONTINUE WHAT HE IS DOING,
but there is a way of escape. There is a way out and salvation is
available for everyone who believes and turns to the Lord. Jesus
Christ came to redeem us and save us from our sins, the power of
Satan and the broad road.
Lost
souls must call out to God for mercy, receive His wonderful
salvation - purchased by Christ’s blood and get on the narrow
road and enter the straight gate which takes us to Heaven.
Jesus said: “Except a man be born of water and the
Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God”. (John 3: 5)
Here
is your answer - All those who have not had a personal encounter
with Jesus Christ, been born again by the incorruptible Word of
God and by the Spirit of God and had their sins washed away by
“the precious blood”, is on the broad road and lost in their
sins!
NOT
VERY MANY ARE GOING TO BE SAVED!
The
Bible states that because, “Wide is the gate and broad is the
road”, many will go in thereat.
The broad road is crowded with journeyers travelling toward
their doom and destruction. In
Matthew 7:14, the Bible declares, “Because strait is the gate
and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be
that find it”. He
asked how many would be saved? He answered: “Strive to enter in
at the strait gate: for
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be
able”. (Luke 13:24)
The
Gate to Heaven is straight - no crookedness can enter there.
Foolish pride must be swept away.
There is no room for human reasoning because the gate will
not move, be enlarged or slanted to take in the new ideology,
theories or curricula of sinful, carnal humanity.
Some preach that there are many ways to be saved and gain
admittance into the Kingdom of God.
This
is utterly false.
“Jesus saith unto
him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John
14:6)
Jesus
did not say, I am one of the ways, but He said I AM THE WAY.
No wonder our Lord said, “Strait is the gate”, for that
gate will not bend or expand to accept any other doctrines or
beliefs except the words, teachings and doctrine of Jesus Christ,
the Son of the living God. The
gate that Jesus spoke of will not conform or change to fit the
traditions or customs of a changing world and a carnal, secular
society. NO, THANK
GOD! The Gate that
leads to God and Heaven is FIXED forever and is as unchanging as
God Himself.
Anyone
entering this gate must humble himself, and in order to enter the
straight gate must do so on his knees
leaving behind him all his unbelief, pride, lust and greed.
There is no room for excess baggage as the individual
passes through this gate. Webster’s
Dictionary defines the word “straight” as Jesus used it here
as, “Being in a right line”.
That right line is God’s way - none other will do!
The
hymn writer penned the words
“Just
as I am without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God I come, I come.”
Without
exception, everyone must come the same way, and there is no
respect of persons - rich and poor, educated and illiterate, wise
and foolish - all must come in through the same gate and conform
to the straightness of this gate.
There is no favoritism or partiality.
There
is only one way to God, Heaven and eternal life.
It is a definite, certain and fixed way, and that way is
Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Jesus said, “I am the door:
by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved”. (John
10:9). Here Jesus
emphasizes that there is only one door, and to be saved we must
come through Him.
There
are not many doors to God’s Kingdom, but one only - the Lord
Jesus Christ. Jesus
says, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me”. (John 14:6)
There it is! Mohammed,
Buddha, Confucius, Shiva or the Pope
will not do - the Virgin Mary, St. Peter or the angel
Moroni cannot save you. There
is no other way to be saved than by and through God’s Divine
Resurrected Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
St. Peter declared, “There is none other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved”. (Acts
4:12)
THERE
ARE MILLIONS OF GODS!
The
heathen have millions of gods and false Christ's, but there is only
ONE TRUE CHRIST and His Name is the Lord Jesus Christ - the
only one who is able to save you.
The Bible says, “There is one mediator between God and
men, the Man Christ Jesus”. (1 Timothy 2:5)
Jesus Christ the resurrected Saviour is the mediator
between Almighty God and sinful man.
Millions
of people seek peace and forgiveness by bathing in some river or
by having holy water - supposedly blessed by a religious person -
sprinkled upon them. Others,
by making pilgrimages to shrines, reciting repetitious prayers
continually, counting beads or doing penance by lying on spikes,
walking on coals of fire, beating themselves and even carrying a
cross on their back or abstaining from food.
BUT,
OH, HOW FUTILE! WHAT A
WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY WHEN WE KNOW THE TRUTH - when Jesus
Christ has paid the penalty for our sins and has shed His blood;
suffered and died so that we can be forgiven, healed and blessed;
and that He rose again from the dead and lives forevermore!
There
is only ONE Who can give peace to troubled minds, joy to tortured
hearts, new life to the lost and forgiveness to the sinful, and I
must shout it out loud and clear, His Name is Jesus.
He alone is the Saviour of the world.
The
hymn writer stated:
“What
can wash away my sin,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me pure within
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh! Precious is the
flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
God's
Word says, "Without shedding of blood is no remission."
(Hebrews 9:22); "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth
us from all sin." (1 John 1:7). Many ask, "Why
could not Buddha, Mohammed or the Pope be saviours as well as
Jesus? The answer is very simple!
The
Bible declares, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16).
God had only One Son, and His only begotten Son’s name
was not Buddha, Mohammed, Shiva or Pope Pius. The name of God’s
Son is JESUS.
The
angel said to Joseph: “Thou
shalt call His name Jesus: for
He shall save His people from their sins”.
(Matthew 1: 23); Jesus said, “As My Father
hath sent Me, even so send I you”. (John 20:21);
“As Thou hast sent Me into this world, even so have I
also sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)
Jesus
repeatedly stated that He is the Son of God. (John 5:18; 10:30 -
33; Mark 14: 61,62) And don’t forget that Jesus Christ was the
only One Who died on the cross for our sins, fulfilling the Old
Testament prophesies (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:16,17; 1 Peter
2:24), and we read that
Jesus was, “declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the
dead”. (Romans 1:4) Praise
the Lord!
So
we see that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead sets
Him apart from all other men of all ages and gives final proof to
the fact that He was, is and always will be the Divine, Holy Son
of God and the only Saviour of the world.
Jesus Christ stands completely and altogether above
everyone else because He was the only one who had power to rise
from the dead.
A
dead man cannot help you and all of those other people who have
been mentioned are dead and gone, but Jesus Christ lives on in
power and greatness; resurrected and alive; able to save and
deliver all who come unto God by Him. (Hebrews 7:25)
ON
WHICH ROAD ARE YOU TRAVELLING?
Now
I want to ask you a pointed question:
Who's Side are you on?
On
which road are you travelling? As you read these lines I must
remind you that you are on one of these roads, either the broad
road with the wide gate which will take you to an eternal hell, or
the narrow road with the straight gate that brings you to Heaven
and Eternity with God. There
is NO middle road and NO neutral ground. You are either on one
road or the other. We
are all travelers into Eternity.
Every person living today is on one of these roads.
If you have not given your heart and life to God and
accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, Lord and Master, then you
are a lost soul on the road to hell, and will never have peace,
joy or happiness in this life or the one to come, if you continue
in the way you are going.
TODAY,
AS YOU READ THESE LINES YOU CAN COME TO JESUS AND BY FAITH TURN
YOUR LIFE OVER TO GOD; GET OFF THE BROAD ROAD AND GET ON THE ONE
THAT LEADS TO GLORY. “By
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God: not
of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
As
the Holy Spirit moves upon you, will you not surrender your entire
life to the Lord; slip down on your knees in prayer to God; cry
out for mercy as the publican did in the Bible, “God, be
merciful to me a sinner”; (Luke 18:10-14)
Accept the full and free salvation that God offers you now,
and you will enter the straight gate and be on the narrow road of
Christian living. Jesus
said, “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest”. (Matthew 11:28)
Amen.
MAX
SOLBREKKEN WORLD MISSION
Box 44220
RPO Garside, Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6 www.mswm.org
email: max@maxsolbrekken
FOUR
ESSENTIAL TRUTHS
that must not be
diminished,
downgraded or dismissed!
by:
Pastor Max Solbrekken
THE
WORD OF GOD has power to free you from bondage, sin, fear and
sickness. The Bible says, "He hath sent His Word and
healed them, and delivered them from all their destructions."
(Psalms 107:20)
THE
BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST is so powerful that it cleanses us from
all our sin and purges the conscience. The Bible says,
"If we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have
fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son cleanses us from all sins." (1 John 1:7)
THE
HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD baptizes us into the Body of Christ at
conversion and as we totally surrender to God, He fills us with
His presence (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Bible says:
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein in excess; but be filled
with the Spirit; (Ephesians 5:18, 19)
THE
NAME OF JESUS CHRIST is the greatest weapon to drive Satan
away from us. Jesus said: "Go ye into all the world and
preach the Gospel unto every creature, He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be
damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe.
In My Name, shall they cast out devils..." (Mark 16:15-20;
Luke 10:17-20)
HEALING
FOR
SPIRIT, SOUL & BODY
by:
Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
The
Greek word SOZO means to 'protect, deliver, heal, preserve, save
and make well.' In reality it means the 'Salvation of God'.
Seven hundred years before Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, the Prophet
Isaiah declared, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a
sign, Behold a VIRGIN shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall
call His name Emmanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)
The
Angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph saying, "....Fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her
is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and
thou shalt call His name JESUS for He shall save His people from
their sins."
"Now
all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of
the Lord by the prophet saying, Behold a 'virgin' shall be with
child, and shalt bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US."
(Matthew 1:20-23)
The
name of 'Jesus' in Hebrew is 'Yeshua' which means 'the Salvation
of God'. God's salvation for mankind is 'forgiveness,
healing, protection, wellness and deliverance' from the power of
the Devil and His evil work.
The
name of 'JESUS' means: 'Saviour, the salvation of God; the God who
saves, heals, protects, delivers and makes well."
Everywhere
our Lord went, he preached the Gospel and confirmed His message by
healing the sick and casting out evil spirits from those who were
bound: "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that
He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)
The
Bible states: "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Ghost and power who went about doing good and healing all who
were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts
10:38)
"...Jesus
of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and
wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye
yourselves also know." (Acts 2:22)
"How
shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the
first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by
them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with
signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy
Ghost, according to His own will." (Hebrews 2:3,4)
GOD'S
WORD says: "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the
elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him
with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall
'SAVE' the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:14,15)
The
word SOZO used here means to heal the sick and make them well, is
used interchangeably for forgiveness and healing for body or soul
in the following Scriptures: Mark 5:23, Mark 5:34, Mark
6:56, Mark 16:16, Luke 8:36, Luke 17:19, Luke 18:42, Acts 2:21,
Acts 14:9, Acts 4:12 and Ephesians 2:8.
THE
HOLY RECORD states: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget
not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who
healeth all thy diseases." (Psalms 103:2,3); "He was
wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our
iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with
his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4,5)
"And
when the even was come, they brought unto Him (JESUS) many that
were possessed with devils; and He cast out the spirits with His
Word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, "Himself took
our infirmities and bare our sicknesses." (Matthew 8:16,17);
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by
Whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)
The
BIBLE says, "He hath sent His Word and healed them and
delivered them from their destructions." (Psalms 107:20);
"He brought them forth with silver and with gold' and there
was not one feeble person among their tribes." (Psalms
105:37)
"I
am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything to hard
for Me?" (Jeremiah 32:27); "And ye shall serve the Lord
your God, and He shall bless thy bread and thy water, and I will
take sickness away from the midst of thee." (Exodus 23:24,25)
GOD'S
HEALING COVENANT WITH ISRAEL
In
His great love and concern for His people, Israel, Almighty God
made a 'Healing covenant with Moses' on their behalf. Here
it is:
"If
thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God and
wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His
commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these
diseases upon thee, which i have brought upon the Egyptians, for I
am the Lord that healeth thee." (Exodus 15:26)
The
ten plagues which Jehovah the Covenant God of Israel released upon
the Egyptians that finally forced Pharaoh to allow the Hebrew
slaves leave their bondage did not adversely affect God's people.
The
promise of divine healing and health was reserved for the Hebrews
and by extension to all who trust in Christ our Great physician
Who fulfilled all the types of the coming Messiah.
"He
brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not
one feeble person among their tribes." (Psalms 105:37)
"Then they cried unto the lord God in their trouble, and He
saveth them out of their distresses. He sent His Word and
healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."
(Psalms 107:20)
"God
is a very present help in time of trouble." (Psalms 46:1);
"The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life: of whom shall I be
afraid?" (Psalms 27:1)
"No
good thing will God withhold from them who walk uprightly."
(Psalms 84:11); "There shall no evil befall thee, neither
shall any plague come nigh unto thy dwelling." (Psalms
91:10); "Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee
the desires of thine heart." (Psalms 37:4); "Unto you
that fear My name shall the Son of righteousness arise with
healing in His wings." (Malachi 4:2)
"No
weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue
that shall rise against thee shalt thou condemn. This is the
heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is
of Me sayeth the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17)
Divine
Healing is promised for those who fast and pray and seek the Lord:
"Is not the fast that I have chosen? To lose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go
free, and that ye break every yoke?"
"Is
it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the
poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the
naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from
thine own flesh?
"Then
shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall
spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee,
the glory of the Lord shall be thy rear guard. Then shalt
thou call and the Lord shall answer: thou shall cry, and He shall
say, Here am I..." (Isaiah 58:6-8)
THIS
IS THE REASON JESUS CAME
"For
this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the enemy." (1 John 3:8); "The thief
(Satan) cometh not but for to steal, kill and destroy. I am
come that you might have life and more abundantly." (John
10:10)
"Now
unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."
(Ephesians 3:20); "And He said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the Gospel unto every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth
not shall be damned."
"And
these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they
cast out devils...they shall lay their hands on the sick, and they
shall recover." (Mark 16:15-20)
Jesus
said: "Come unto Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and
I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28); "All that the
Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I
will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)
He
invites us to fellowship with Him through prayer, praise and
meditation. He said, "Ask and it shall be given you;
seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For everyone that asketh receiveth; he that seeketh findeth; and
to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7,8)
Then
He shared this great analogy: "And what man is there of you,
whom if his son asks bread, will he give him a stone?" Something
useless! "Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a
serpent?" Something dangerous!
"If
ye then, being evil, know to give god gifts unto your children,
HOW MUCH MORE shall your Father in Heaven give good things to them
that ask Him? (Matthew 7:9-11) He stated: "I will never
leave thee nor forsake thee. I will be with thee unto the
end of the world." (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5)
In
this PROMISE our precious Lord Jesus used a 'double imperative' to
drive home a very important truth. He actually said: I will
never, NO NEVER leave thee. I will never, NO NEVER forsake
thee, I will be with thee until the end of the world.
Of
all the promises our Lord gave us, I think this is the most
touching. Jesus was so concerned that we know the truth of
His presence and nearness to us at all times!
"The
promises of God in Christ Jesus is Yea and Amen." The Bible
states: "If God be FOR US, who then can be against us?"
(Romans 8:31) "Greater is He that in IN US that he that is in
the world." (1 John 4:4) His promises are 'YES'...and
not NO.
"God
hath delivered us from the power of DARKNESS, and hath translated
us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, in Whom we have REDEMPTION
through HIS BLOOD." (Colossians 1:13, 14)
When
Satan's power was defeated in our lives and we were translated
into Christ's KINGDOM, Satan's power to harass us was finished.
We can tell him to remove his sickness and disease from us for we
are God's PROPERTY.
We
have been purchased by His blood: "Ye are BOUGHT WITH A
PRICE: therefore glorify God in your BODY, and in your SPIRIT,
which are GOD'S." (2 Corinthians 6:20)
My
Friend: In the NAME of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and upon the
authority of God's Word and by the BLOOD of the everlasting
covenant, I command the pain to LEAVE YOUR BODY and the power of
Satan to be broken off your entire being.
We
can legally say: "SATAN: IT'S OVER! YOU HAVE LOST
and WE HAVE WON through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! Amen.
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Abraham
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