If God Does Not Heal (by Marty Fish)

Those of you who have read here for a while know the name Lisa Fish as a young mother of four who has battled an aggressive leukemia. During her illness all of the healing suggestions in the Bible have been followed, from laying on the hands of elders to praying without ceasing. The prayer request now is for comfort for this family that has been such a blessing to us. Wednesday, her beloved husband wrote the following and posted it to share with those who accompanied them in prayer. He has kindly given permission to share it with others who have prayed with them. Your prayers have been and are greatly appreciated.

If God Does Not Heal

by Marty Fish

on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 4:43pm.

What does it mean, when one adheres to the Scripture, and follows it to the letter in promises of healing, and yet no healing occurs? If one believes with all his heart - and we know the Holy Bible says if you have faith, whatever you ask will happen - yet if it does not, what does it all mean?

It means God is sovereign.

We pray, we fast, we cry out to God, we plead, and beg for him to do what WE want. When he does not, we become disillusioned, disheartened, upset, and even angry. Some become furious and angry with God, even cursing him. Many lose faith, and even reject God, because he does not DO what they WANT. It can be very upsetting and confusing. I know, because I have been through all these emotions myself.

The reality is, however, God is sovereign. This means he is not a puppet. He cannot be controlled. You cannot “name it, and claim it,” to manipulate him. If God healed every single person who cried out to him to be healed, there would be no one sick or diseased. It would be a “magic formula” that everyone would use. If he saved every person from death, who pleaded with him, there would be no one dead, yet we know everyone dies. Consider everyone in the New Testament who Jesus healed. Did they not die eventually? Yes, even Lazarus, who God raised from the dead, again had to die. We all die. God is sovereign.

In my recent anger and hurt, the Lord taught me this. In Luke 4:25 Jesus tells us, “I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

What this means is that in the day of Elijah, when there was a deadly drought, there were many widows dying of starvation, and the reality is, they died. God was acutely aware of that. Did God send Elijah to save them all? No, just one, and her son. Why? Because God is sovereign. This is the reality. Jesus tells us that there were many lepers in Elisha’s day, yet he healed only one. Why? Because God is sovereign. It is his choice, and we, as mere mortals, must honor and respect that.

Miracles are called “miracles,” because they are, in fact, rare. They never occur, or at least they don’t seem to. This is why, if a miracle does happen, we are able to call it a miracle. This is how God receives great glory. Quite honestly, in my lifetime, I have never seen a miracle. Do I believe they happen? Absolutely! This is what faith is for, believing the unbelievable.

These things are the reason Job said those great words, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21b) We love to think that God gives, but we hate to accept that he also takes away. We have to accept that, trust him anyway, and bless the name of the Lord.

I know many who are sick, dying, crippled, and hurting. Does God know all this? Yes, he is acutely aware of it. Does he hear their pleas and cries? Yes, he does. Will he heal them all? No, he will not, or at least that is what it seems, based on his historical track record. Why? It is because we will all die anyway. It is not a matter of how, when, where, or why we will die. It is a matter of the heart. Will we die cursing God, or will we die blessing his name, as Job was prepared to do? This is what proves our character. Life is simply… a test.

Some of the best Christians I know are crippled, or infirmed and they love the Lord. They are godly, and amazing people. They are living miracles, or what I would call enigmas. The world looks at them and sees their mortal curse, yet they marvel at their great love, faith, and wisdom. The world cannot understand how these souls can “bless the name of the Lord,” in such great suffering and travail. This is what God does, because their mystery of suffering brings him greater glory. Yes, even greater than healing.

The book of Daniel teaches us a great lesson. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were about to be burned alive, for not bowing down to an idol. They answered and said to the king, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

“But if not…” Those are three powerful words. They knew God could save them, if he wanted to, but they were wise and knew that he might not, just as well. Either way, they were prepared to live for him, no matter the consequences. That is what God wants from each of us as well.

So dear friends, I write these words with a heavy heart, knowing that my dear wife Lisa is in her final hour. I have been broken hearted beyond explanation. She is barely breathing, and holding on for dear life, and we are all hurting. Yet, I know that God is able to deliver her. But if not, bless the name of the Lord, because in all things, God is, and will always be, sovereign

The World Is Not Perfect

I was reading in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy when I ran across this:

“There is also a famous problem casting doubt on the existence of God: Why, if God is an omniscient, omnipotent, and benevolent being, is there evil in the world?”

Guess I’m not a very good philosophy student, for this question has an answer:

God is as described, (within our limited abilities) omniscient, omnipotent and benevolent. There is evil in this world. Therefore, there is something about evil that God knows and we do not, for no man has evidenced omniscience, omnipotence nor benevolence. Why would we expect this world to be nothing but good?

There is not only evil in this world, there is pain and suffering. And, in the natural course of life, there is death. We’ve all been touched by it. A friend’s baby lost to a wrapped umbilical cord just days before his due date, all the way up to an uncle who celebrated his 102^nd birthday. My husband had three aunts in their 90’s, quite capable of living in their own, separate, homes while a five-year-old nephew died in his sleep from an unknown, undiscoverable birth defect.

Recently a mother died from complications after a surgery for cancer, only two months after her initial diagnosis. Another fights a year later, and we may lose her before you read this. Others retain their bodies, while their minds slowly die, taking all knowledge of their loved ones. There is pain.

Why? I do not know. I don’t believe we are supposed to know, now.

However, my faith is not dependent on the unearned blessings of a far off deity that cannot be comprehended. It is dependent upon the deity that cared enough to speak to His creation through thousands of years. One who inspired their writings. One who came in flesh to provide not only the propitiation for our errors, but to show us that we, too, can live as His examples.

It is in small verses such as this that my curiosity is piqued.

Know ye not that we shall judge angels? (1 Corinthians 6:3a KJV)

What does He have in store for us after this life?

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. (Isaiah 64:4 KJV)

Some will say there is nothing after this life. Death brings only cessation of the body, which holds nothing more.

I will not bet my life they are right. I will search for answers, daily, through His word, prayer – and even hear the words of the naysayer – though to this point there has been nothing to convince me otherwise. I believe His Son said:

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matthew 22:31-32 KJV)

Some will call our religion vain.

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14 KJV)

The center core of my belief resides in the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (1 Corinthians 15:20 KJV)

And that He rose after being the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29b.)

What’s yours?

The Church

Philip Bassham's 'Project Thailand' website

Earlier this weekend I had read Nick Baines’ blog regarding an “academic ecumenical conference” that was held and included an “explication of ecclesiological heterogeneity inherent in Fresh Expressions, Emerging Church.”

That prepared me a bit for Sunday evening’s service. How I wish Bishop Baines could have been at our old-fashioned then to hear Philip Bassham, missionary on deputation give an enthusiastic, very spiritual, view of the church he’s serving.

He started with:

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22 KJV)

Nope, we didn’t get the almost-expected “submission” sermon. Verifying we knew them, he skipped another ten verses to introduce an explanation of the church:

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32 KJV)

He then described the Bride of Christ, cared for by Him in the same manner He requires an earthly husband to care for his wife. He moved on to another of Paul’s descriptions of the church and how it is made up of so many different parts, all working together to accomplish God’s will through Christ:

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12 KJV)

How could this be? A bride? A body? How does it all come together? Ah, that is the beauty of the mystery – we’ve been told how to build this church:

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22 KJV)

So, we’ve come to understand how Christ protects and cares for those who make up the body of the church that is built on the strength of Himself as it’s chief corner stone. What’s next? We’re to tell others, who are to tell still others:

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2 KJV)

Are we committing our faith to those who will teach others?

Bethany

Jesus, Mary and Martha at Bethany by James Tissot 1836-1902

Preacher’s sermon Sunday morning was about a family in Bethany. The earlier stop in Bethany told how Mary sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha spent her time being hospitable to her guests. She spoke to our Lord about her feelings:

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. (Luke 10:40 KJV)

At the later meeting, the roles reversed slightly. Both sisters knew Jesus was coming. Mary stayed at home, Martha went out to meet Jesus.

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. (John 11:20 KJV)

She also poured out her heart to our Lord:

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. (John 11:21-22 KJV)

We know the rest of that story, but have you thought about how non-believers looked at this? We’re told the religious leaders met and said:

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. (John 11:48 KJV)

Selfishness at its greatest. There’s a great deal of Sodom’s sin here, too – can you compare these men with Ezekiel’s vision of Sodom?

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. (Ezekiel 16:49-50 KJV)

Caiaphas, among those leaders, prophesied so much more than what he understood. He spoke the truth for all mankind.

Ye know nothing at all. Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; (John 11:49b-51 KJV)

Now, we know. We know Jesus is all powerful, quite capable of raising Lazarus from the dead and just as capable of being the one man who would die, not just for a nation, but for all mankind.

In Bethany, roles were reversed. Not only between sisters, but between men of God and their God who became man. Now Jesus asks that we reverse our roles, leaving behind our old sinful natures and grow in a new relationship with Him:

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24 KJV)

My Shepherd

”Good Shepherd” Stained glass at St. John the Baptist, Ashfield, NSW Australia

Isaiah spoke of Him:

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11 KJV)

He told us of Himself:

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11 KJV)

There is so much beauty in Christ’s relating to us His role as the good shepherd.

David knew of His protection, His provision, His role in our lives when he wrote the 23^rd Psalm.

(1) A Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

(2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

(3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

(4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

(5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

(6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalms 23:1-6 KJV

He provides for me abundantly. He tends to my hunger and thirst. I love that He restoreth my soul, and for that I am eternally grateful. The most important to my life, though is that I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. He made provision for that, too – recognized by Isaiah, who may not have understood why he wrote of two separate descriptions of the coming Messiah. In one He is the conquering king, in the other the meek and mild shepherd.

Moses asked for such a leader:

And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd. (Numbers 27:15-17 KJV)

The word pastor is used often as a minister of a Christian church. It fits – it originally meant a shepherd, one who tends to a flock. And most of our pastors do a good job, but they must answer to the Great Shepherd. It is to these men that Peter wrote:

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (1 Peter 5:2-4 KJV)

Pastors are accountable to God for watching over our souls:

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17 KJV)

Micki Harjo

I never met her in person, but I will some day. She had an impact on my life here and she shared Jesus Christ as her Lord and savior with many others.

I met her first through The Harjo Tribe blogspot. I followed her from there to Micki Harjo Memoirs. She also maintained their church’s website, To Every Native, though that one has but one post, there is a very in-depth introduction on the right.

Each one of these tells her story from a different viewpoint. The Harjo Tribe one-liners stick with us. To Every Native speaks of their mission.

It is Micki’s Memoirs that build pictures of this child of God. Her last post was the morning of her surgery for cancer:

The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. (Psalms 145:17-20 KJV)

Early morning of her surgery she posted on FB that the surgery had been moved up and how she was confident. I wrote, “We will be praying -- for you, the family, the doctor -- everyone involved,” and added a small anecdotal surgical story that made her laugh.

I did pray. So did hundreds of others. Somewhere in each of those prayers we echoed Jesus in Matthew 26:39: Not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Micki failed to return home from her surgery. Not a full week later, Micki was home with our Lord. It is a shock to all of us who came to know her love and hospitality. It saddened those of us who celebrated with her as she praised God as people came to Him as savior. It comforted us to know that His will is accomplished.

We pray for the Comforter to be with her family in their loneliness and grief, though they are surrounded with love. We pray for Bro. Bobby Harjo who misses his helpmeet in ways we cannot imagine nor change.

We also rejoice, as Christ explained:

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. (John 14:28 KJV)

Upon such is our faith built – the solid rock.

… and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4b KJV)

Psalm 46

I’ve read President Obama’s speech. The third paragraph in his speech is a quote from Psalm 46. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see the connection between the scripture quoted and the remainder of his speech:

'There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.' Psalm 46:4-5 New International Version copyright 2010.

I cannot understand this context to mean that Tucson is the “city of God”. Surely he could not have seen the United States as he quoted “God is within her, she will not fall”? Or was the reference to Representative Gifford as he continued, “God will help her at break of day”?

In other words, I do not see the usefulness of including these verses in his memorial speech.

Personally, I would have found comfort in the first verse, which speaks directly to times of trouble:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalms 46:1 KJV)

Verses two and three describe those troubles as catastrophic events:

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. (Psalms 46:2-3 KJV)

Verses six through nine appear to describe a rebelliousness that is summed up in verse 8:

Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. (Psalms 46:8 KJV)

Where’s our hope, then? I find a verse just below this that might be applicable when we are afraid, lonely and feel bereft:

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalms 46:10 KJV)

This Psalm is incomplete without the beginning verse, and it’s ending verse:

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. (Psalms 46:11 KJV)

The Lord of hosts, and nothing more, truly is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Perhaps it was our president’s desire was to share his belief in the Lord described in this Psalm, and to send us to read His word. Under any circumstances, may God bless the reading of His word and fulfill His promise:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)