Saturday, June 6, 2009

Stepping Stones: Healing: God's the Physician, You're the Nurse?

Transformational Tip
Don't we all need some form of healing? How healthy is your Mind? Body? Spirit? God's word tells us that He will restore our health and heal our wounds. The scripture tells us this eternal healing does not come to us because of what we "do", rather it comes to us free of charge and in perfect abundance through Jesus Christ through faith. On the flip side, our temporal healing, the healing for the time period represented by the dash on our tombstone...1963 - 20?...starts with receiving Christ's gift, then the Holy Spirit, but then we have a some responsibility for the ongoing sanctification or healing process to continue in this lifetime.
Intentional decisions to not conform, but to be transformed, to put off the old self and put on the new, to act boldly based on our faith in God's character, promises, and His teachings in the Bible...that is what we control and need to master. Just like becoming good at a sport, music, academics, art....daily practice of specific fundamentals is essential. Putting on the Armor of God, regular prayer and confession, and being in the Bible....God's instruction manual...are ways to engage in spiritual training. For training to work, you have to have intentionality, self-assessment, perseverance, and strategy to get to your goal...the Mind of Christ.
What is your strategy?..... and your commitment to these things?...this will determine whether your dash will be filled with healing and peace or further injury and pain.

Prayer
Dear Father,
I know that I cannot earn my way to salvation; that I and all those who believe in You and have received You have already become children of God. It is with this power, which You have granted me that I ask, through faith, for the healing of my body, mind and spirit. You tell me in Jer.30:17 "I will restore health unto you and I will heal thy wounds..." I believe Your word. I trust You God. I pray with humble confidence that You restore me to full spiritual, mental and physical health. Show me what I need to do to receive the healing in this lifetime, the renewing of my mind spiritually, psychologically, and even physiologically in my brain chemistry. Help me to understand what Your Holy Spirit is trying to show me and tell me so I can grow and glorify You.
I pray today that You protect and lift the burdens of the entire Stepping Stones community according to Your will. If it is not Your will, then show them more clearly today how to access Your peace and comfort during their struggles. You know our every need Lord. Let us all remember that once we have trusted You as our Savior, You never distance Yourself from us. Let the assurance of Your presence fill us with joy and peace...regardless of our circumstances and our daily trials.
In Jesus steadfast name - AMEN

The Truth
For I will restore health unto you and I will heal you of thy wounds saith the Lord.
Jer. 30:17
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior
Titus 3:5-6
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
Hebrews 12:1,8-13