The Gift of Healing.

It's important to note that the gift of healing is healing through human agency. It's not when God sometimes answers faithful prayer, even sometimes miraculously. That would be a redefinition of the gift of healing and is unbiblical. Everyone has the right to cry out in prayer and ask for anything. Sometimes God answers those prayers and sometimes, though very rarely, it can be answered in a miraculous manner. But mostly those prayers are answered through providence. That being non miraculous means. God providentially governs everything. It doesn't need to be a miracle for it to be from God.

Here is the Biblical gift of healing...

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Luke 4:40 When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.

Jesus healed them all.

Acts 5:12-16 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Peter healed them all.

Acts 28:9 So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.

Paul healed them all.

That's the Biblical standard for the gift of healing.

The gift of healing was limited to Jesus, the Apostles, the seventy, and a few close associates like Phillip. It was never meant for the purpose that is wrongly being taught today. It was meant to confirm the message and the messenger. We now have the faith once for all delivered. People are quick to point out that healing and miracles are listed as gifts for the Church in some books from the Bible, but what they fail to realize is that Apostles are among those listed as the gifted because they were part of God's plan at that time and therefore also part of His Church.

Of the whole history of man in scripture, miracles through human agency were performed in three brief periods of time, each being about one hundred years. You can confirm this in your Bible if you do a study about when the miracles were happening. With the exception of a very few miracles like Samson's, the rest of them are clustered together in three one hundred year periods. In each of those one hundred year periods God was speaking to His people and that always resulted in what He said being recorded (His written Word). But now we have the faith that was once for all delivered.

Healing in the atonement.

Many charismatics claim that Isaiah 53 is proof that there is healing in the atonement, and therefore that results in the gift of healing for today. Let's take a closer look at Isaiah 53 and see what God was saying. The correct context of that chapter must be considered.

Isaiah1:4-6 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment.

In Isaiah 1, God was using physical sickness as a analogy for spiritual sickness from sin when speaking of Israel. Considering that context, Isaiah 53 makes perfect sense.

Isaiah 53:3-6 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

The right context doesn't allow modern charismatic interpretations of Isaiah 53.

Now...still not convinced?

1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

The apostle Peter applies Isaiah 53:5 to salvation from sin.

Again, lets look further into the context,

1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The expression healed (In 1 Peter 2:24) Means "to be forgiven." The phrase "but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." shows what Peter means by "healed" in verse 24.

Now, to the question "Is there healing in the atonement"?

There is a sense in which physical healing took place in the atoning work of Christ, but that healing waits to be realized in the future. The physical part of salvation (a physical wholeness) is something we look forward to, not something we possess today.

Rev. 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

The healing ministry of Jesus...

Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,

8:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses."

Now, you say that this means we're to claim healing in the atonement, and in a sense that is correct. Other than the authentication of the message and the messenger, Jesus healed people to illustrate the healing in the glory to come. But that's not yet realized. If the healing of the atonement were fully realized now, no Christian would ever be sick or die. The atoning work of Christ spiritually transforms us now and will physically transform us in the future.

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Note: This is not to say that God cannot and does not heal today, even miraculously if He so desires. What it does mean is that He heals according to His will in answer to faithful prayer and no longer heals through the gift of healing (through human agency). It is not God's purpose that all Christians live in perfect health and many times God has a purpose in sickness. Never the less, it is all from God.

Miracle in the Biblical sense of the word...."a miracle is an extraordinary work of God that involves His immediate and unmistakable intervention in the physical realm in a way that contravenes natural processes.

Providence....."Providence is Gods faithful, moment-by-moment control over everything He has made to ensure that everything He has created achieves the end He has chosen."

Many people today confuse providence with miracles (In the Biblical sense of the word). I believe what is happening today is that people are being taught to see Him only in miracles, and as a result, they are trying to make everything into a miracle. But God does not need for us to try to make everything into a miracle to be glorified. He did not create the universe and wind it up like a top just let go, occasionally intervening with a miracle here and there. He created the universe and governs it by His providence. He is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives. All of it. We will glorify God most if we see this. God is sovereign over all things, not just in miracles.

The gift of healing is not for today. The Bible, and the [lack of] evidences prove this overwhelmingly.

Dave

President Donald Trump at a Dec. 19 rally threw his support behind "My Pillow Guy" Mike Lindell, touting him as his favorite to be the next governor of Minnesota.

A former crack addict, Lindell and his company came to national attention for his offbeat, mostly late-night TV commercials pitching his pillows. In recent years, he’s become known for backing Trump's claims of fraud after the 2020 presidential election.

Israeli officials have grown increasingly concerned that Iran is expanding production of its ballistic missile program, which was damaged by Israeli military strikes earlier this year, and are preparing to brief President Donald Trump about options for attacking it again, according to a person with direct knowledge of the plans and four former U.S. officials briefed on the plans.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to meet later this month in Florida at the president’s Mar-a-Lago estate. At that meeting, the sources said, Netanyahu is expected to make the case to Trump that Iran’s expansion of its ballistic missile program poses a threat that could necessitate swift action.

The federal government has now filed lawsuits against 21 states, plus D.C., demanding registrants’ unredacted private information — including driver license numbers, social security numbers and dates of birth — in a campaign decried by local officials and legal experts as an unconstitutional attack on states’ authority to run elections and an illegal attempt to create an unprecedented national voter database.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon heralded the lawsuit against Georgia in recent interviews, complaining that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) had told her to “pound sand” in response to her voter data demands.

...In refusing the DOJ’s demands, states say the agency lacks the authority to compel production of the data and has failed to ensure compliance with federal and state privacy laws.

Dhillon has promised to sue every state that does not comply with the DOJ’s demands.

The complaint filed by the DOJ in D.C. included drafting comments from voting section trial attorney Brittany E. Bennett, who represented the Georgia GOP in a failed lawsuit that sought to ban the state from using Dominion voting machines.

Evangelicals, non-denominational Christians and people who identify with no religion are the leading religious groups among the majority of Americans who oppose the rapid increase in the number of artificial intelligence-generated videos on social media, according to findings from a new study that has surprised researchers.

Continued below.

January 1, 2026: I first posted this video about the Trump Prophecy in the News section of the forum since I wanted to be able to give others the opportunity to think for themselves and hopefully support what God Wills for their lives (FreeforChrist moved the original post here so I'm editing it). And I think that that is important since I've witnessed how God saves from satan's deception (In my case, I was saved from what I call an "alien or strange" invasion from satan that it was able to execute by manipulating an unsuspecting person who didn't know God. From what I could tell, this person thought she could make me need her in some way if she followed what satan wanted her to do. We were in 5th Grade. The whole class was present even the teacher. I'm not sure exactly who God sent or how many but back then I thought it was Jesus. Right now I think it was Michael but It could have been Jesus and a whole host of angels since I don't know the severity of the invasion).
People should know that God is serving justice by making it clear who is accepting His Love or not. I personally call this "news." I consider a "conspiracy" a detailing of what kind of lie/plan satan is using to get people to think they can deal with satan without God or support others in that.

Historical context

Isaiah 7 describes a national crisis in Judah around 735 BC when King Ahaz is threatened by an alliance between Aram and Israel that seeks to overthrow him. God sends Isaiah to assure Ahaz that the attack will fail and calls him to trust the Lord rather than foreign powers, warning that without faith he will not stand. God offers Ahaz any sign, from the depths to the heights, to confirm His promise, but Ahaz refuses out of unbelief while planning to rely on Assyria. In response, God gives His own sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” In the immediate context, this sign assures that God is present with Judah and that the hostile kings will be removed before the child reaches maturity, while also warning that Judah will later face judgment because of Ahaz’s lack of faith

Both kings were dead within a few years of that prophecy meaning God had done what he said meaning a virgin gave birth within a very short time after this prophecy was given.


Isaiah 7:14 — virgin birth, timing, and double fulfillment
1. The prophecy is anchored in Isaiah’s own time

In Isaiah 7, Isaiah is speaking to King Ahaz during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis.

Isaiah explicitly says the sign is for Ahaz and his generation

The two enemy kings (Rezin of Aram and Pekah of Israel) are said to be dead within a short, defined timeframe

Isaiah defines that timeframe as before the child knows good from evil — a period of only a few years

So the prophecy must have an initial fulfillment within Isaiah’s lifetime, not centuries later.

2. “The virgin” implies a known figure

The Hebrew text says ha-‘almah (“the virgin”), not “a virgin.”

This implies:

A specific, identifiable virgin

Likely well known to the royal court or the people

Someone whose pregnancy would be recognizable as a sign

A random young woman giving birth would not function as a sign.

3. A sign from God must be miraculous

Earlier in the same book, Isaiah defines what a true sign from God looks like:

In Isaiah 38, God makes the shadow move backward, not forward

The sign is supernatural, not ordinary

The whole point of a “sign” is that it cannot be explained naturally

Therefore:

A non-virgin birth would not qualify as a divine sign
especially when God explicitly offers Ahaz a sign “as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven” (Isa 7:11).

4. Isaiah 8 does NOT fulfill Isaiah 7:14

Some argue that Isaiah 8 fulfills the prophecy, but this fails on multiple levels:

Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah 8
Virgin Prophetess (not a virgin)
Child named Immanuel Child named Maher-shalal-hash-baz
Sign from God Ordinary conception
Emphasized miracle No miracle
God-given name Different God-given name

These cannot be the same child.

Isaiah 8 is a separate prophetic sign, not the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.

5. The prophecy was fulfilled once — and then revealed fully

Your key insight is this:

First fulfillment:
A real virgin birth in Isaiah’s time, within ~3 years, confirming the immediate political prophecy (the fall of the two kings).

Second, greater fulfillment:
The New Testament reveals that this same prophecy pointed forward to Jesus, the ultimate Immanuel (“God with us”).

This is classic biblical double prophecy:

One fulfillment near

One fulfillment ultimate

Both real

Both miraculous

6. Why Matthew is not “reinterpreting” Isaiah

Matthew does not invent a new meaning.

He:

Recognizes that Isaiah 7:14 already referred to a virgin birth

Understands Jesus as the true, final Immanuel

Sees the pattern completed, not replaced

If Isaiah 7:14 were about an ordinary birth, Matthew’s argument collapses — but it doesn’t.

Conclusion (your position, distilled)

Isaiah 7:14 was a real, miraculous virgin birth in Isaiah’s own time, fulfilling the immediate prophecy within a few years, and it was intentionally written to also point forward to Jesus as the ultimate Immanuel. Isaiah 8 is a separate sign with a different child and name. A “sign from God” in Isaiah cannot be a non-miraculous event.

That reading:

Respects the historical context

Preserves the meaning of “sign”

Explains the time limit

Makes sense of Matthew

Avoids contradictions

Year D is an attempt by Rev. Dr. Timothy Matthew Slemmons to fix the deficiencies of the Revised Common Lectionary, and I would argue he somewhat succeeded, albeit in some cases the chosen pericopdes are a bit odd (in order to avoid duplicating lessons from from years A, B and C). Back in 2022-2023 I intended to post Year D in its entirety, once each Sunday, but conditions did not permit this, alas, so here we are, although i shall be posting these lections periodically.

Before beginning I should note that while Year D is corrective of many of the faults with the Revised Common Lectionary, it is not a panacea; a much better option is simply to revert to the traditional one year lectionary common, with minor variations, to most of the Western Church, which also has substantial commonality with the lectionaries used by the rest of the Western Church (chiefly, the Ambrosian Rite in Milan, which has always had an Old Testament lection in addition to an Epistle and Gospel and a Gradual Psalm and Alleluia, among other propers, in the Eucharistic liturgy, a trait shared with the other ancient Western liturgies of Gallican heritage such as the disused Gallican Rite and the Mozarabic RIte, which is celebrated in Toledo, Spain, in one chapel of the cathedral and a nearby monastery and which has also seen some use by Anglicans, Old Catholics and Western Rite Orthodox(, and also those of the East (the Byzantine Rite lectionary of the Eastern Orthodox, the East Syriac lectionary, with its substantial parallels to the primary Jewish lectionary, used by the persecuted Assyrian Church of the East, Ancient Church of the East and Chaldean Catholics of Iraq and the increasingly persecuted Syro-Malabar Catholics of India, and the Oriental Orthodox liturgies of the persecuted Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Indian Orthodox, Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox and Eritrean Tewahedo Orthodox churches. All of these ancient churches use one year lectionaries; prior to the mid 20th century the idea of a three year lectionary was unheard of in Christianity (with only some Jewish synagogues in the Holy Land using such an approach, but we have no evidence to confirm the antiquity of this practice).

Perhaps this may be the reason?

Christians in Qatar are either workers from non-Muslim countries, or people from Muslim backgrounds – and the two rarely interact. There are many migrant workers in Qatar who are allowed to practise the Christian faith – as long as they stick to Qatar's rules. There is an official religious complex outside the capital, Doha, where a select number of churches have been allowed to meet. Qatari citizens are not allowed to enter, and migrant Christians must not speak about Christianity to Muslims. If they do, they may be arrested or deported.

Qataris and migrants from Muslim families who have faith in Jesus cannot openly practise Christianity and can face discrimination, harassment and police monitoring. Changing one’s faith from Islam is not officially recognised, which can cause legal problems around marriage and property ownership.

Qatar is increasingly using advanced technology to monitor both citizens and immigrants. This has caused Christians in Qatar to become increasingly careful about their activities. There are few reports of Christians being physically harmed for their faith, because believers from Muslim backgrounds keep their faith secret.

Who is most vulnerable to persecution?​

Qatari believers and others from Muslim backgrounds are most at risk of persecution. Christian migrant workers face danger if they are seen to be sharing their faith with local people.

Meet 'Nadia'​

The risks are very real not just for the individual but also the extended family who are shamed by association. It’s very challenging to find a church and other believers. There’s a lot of fear and mistrust. You could be talking to someone who’s not a believer but is just pretending.
NADIA, CHRISTIAN CONVERT, ARABIAN PENINSULA.

Click to expand...

What has changed this year?​

Little has changed for Christians in Qatar, with pressure on believers from Muslim backgrounds remaining high. Christians continue to face restrictions and persecution from the government, society and their own families.

What does Open Doors do to help Christians in Qatar?​

Open Doors supports the body of Christ on the Arabian Peninsula by organising prayer, distributing Scripture resources and training believers and pastors.

How can you pray for Qatar?​

• Thank God that so many migrant Christians in Qatar can worship Him in freedom.
• Pray that native Qataris will be permitted to convert from Islam without repercussion.
• Pray for native converts in Qatar, many of whom are secret Christians. Ask God to protect their faith and help them find other believers.

# 1 AND ///. KAI. is a CONJUNCATION

#2. DAVID. ///. DABID

#3. SAITH /// LEGO. in. the PRESENT TENSE , in. the ACTIVE VOICE. in. the INDICATIVE MOOD , means you better believe

in. the SINGULAR

#4 LET. ///. GINMAI. in. the AORIST TENSE. inv v the PASSIVE VOICE , in the IMPERAITIVE MOOD is a COMMAND. in. the SINGULAR

#5 THEIR. /// AUTOS. is a PERSONAL PROSSESSETIVE PRONOUN. in the GENITIVE CASE in. the PLURAL

#6 TABLE. //. TRAPEZA. is. in. the NOMINAIVE CASE. in v the SINGULAR

#7 BE MADE. ///. GINOMAI. in. the AORIST TENSE in. the PASSIVE VOICE in. the INPERATIVE MOOD is a COMMAND

#8. A SNARE. ///. POGIS. in. the ACCUSAIVE CASE in. the SINGULAR

#9 AND /// KAI is a CONJUNCTION

#10. A TRAP. /// THERA. in. the ACCUSATIVE CASE in. the SINGULAR

#11 AND ///. KAI. is a CONJUNCATION

#12. A RECCOMPENSE. ///. ANTAPODOMA. in v the ACCUSAIVE CASE. in. the SINGULAR in. the NEUTER , meaning MALE an FEMALE

AND ALL TENSE AND CASES can be googled !!

dan p

An environment with a lack of discipline is cited as the cause by many of the students.

Certain mainstream media outlets, pundits, and lawmakers have been suggesting that theories about Epstein having ties to intelligence communities are mere "conspiracy theories".

Why are National Security and counterintelligence personnel involved with the redactions?

CNN decided to bite the bullet and at least acknowledge it (even if it was just a mere blip in the article)
It’s surprising to many national security law specialists that that’s who’s doing the work, given the division’s historical emphasis on classified matters

The national security lawyers aren’t among the Justice Department division that classically handles document processing, or even sex crimes or conspiracies, as had been alleged of the late Epstein and his convicted paramour Ghislaine Maxwell.

Yeah, it sure is "surprising"

Typically, redaction tasks on case files like these might fall to civil divisions, FOIA legal experts, or records management teams — not primarily National Security or counterintelligence personnel.


I don't recall National Security personnel and counterintelligence teams getting roped into the Harvey Weinstein or Diddy cases.

I have a friend that I known for 15 years or so. He has cerebral palsy, which means that he has to have crutches to walk. He is in his mid 60's, living alone in an apartment, no children or wife, and works a minimum wage job. Over the years, he helped someone out and acquired a tremendous amount of debt. He is trying to pay it off as best as he can.

Lately, he went to the hospital due to his back. He says that he cannot walk and his back is hurting him. After a while, it seems to be better, but the doctors cannot find anything really wrong with him. He says that he has to get back to his apartment and back to his job, but he feels like he might lose either one or both because he has been away for a month. He keeps saying that the church or the people around him don't help him, and he feels that God has abandoned him. Please keep him in your prayers. His name is Richard. Thank you.

My sisters' pastor says that Satan wants them to marry someone who isn't on fire for God: (4:25 video)

Login to view embedded media
My unmarried sister is 45 and is taking that message seriously - if she didn't it is more likely she would have been married.

Do you think it is ok if the husband just was a regular Christian rather than being a very strong Christian?

Ok so here I am five days before Christmas trying to shop for a white elephant exchange my family decided to do this year. My sister's calling it a "your favorite things" exchange (kinda like Oprah) where we gift something we have that we really like (not the one we have but buy another one like it to give). Problem is I don't do small things or knick knacks really, so I got nothing. I was hoping to find something Catholic but unconventional (as in, NOT a rosary, statue, icon, devotional book, etc) since my wife, kids and I are the only Catholics.

That said I'm trying to reel my family into the faith by exposing them to more Catholic stuff so I wanna find something that's useful and applicable to them but also might pique their curiosity about the faith.

If ya have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it!

Also, a Blessed Advent!

20 December 2025 – Lebanon

Pray for the successful completion of our partners’ building project to improve the school where they teach Syrian refugee children; and ask for God’s blessing on the education programme itself.

19 December 2025 – Lebanon

Ask for God’s blessing on a couple who fled to Lebanon after severe persecution in Egypt and whose young son has many complex medical needs. Pray that his forthcoming treatment will be successful and that the family can live in peace and safety and resume its ministry.

18 December 2025 – Lebanon

‘Michael’, a Syrian refugee who leads Bible study groups for new believers in Lebanon, ministers with energy and joy despite his relatives trying to kill him for having changed his faith. Pray for protection for him and his family.

17 December 2025 – Lebanon

Pray for members of the Lebanese military and police who have become Christians but cannot reveal their faith. May God bless and protect them as they help to rebuild their shattered country and constrain the activities of Islamist terrorist groups.

16 December 2025 – Lebanon

Pray for ‘Fatima’, a Syrian refugee who lives in fear because her family back home have threatened to kill her for becoming a Christian.

15 December 2025 – Lebanon

Pray for our partner church and give thanks for its flourishing ministry among both Lebanese and Syrians. Pray for God’s blessing and protection on the pastor and his growing ministry team.

14 December 2025 – Algeria

Give thanks for the technology that allows Algerian believers to have fellowship and to spread God’s word even while their church buildings are closed. Pray for all those encountering the gospel for the first time through such media.

In Daniel 7 we have 4 main empires (as almost any study Bible will show) , starting with Babylon as the first and the Roman empire as the last empire in the focus of the Vision.

Then Rome splits into 10 division according to Dan 7, and then an 11th horn follows that persecutes the saints for 1260 years (using the same day for year model that is used in Dan 9 where 70 weeks in 490 years instead of just 490 days).

The protestant reformers viewed themselves as being persecuted by that little horn. So then from the rise of the little horn in 508 AD when Clovis converts from paganism to Catholicism or in 538 AD when the last of the three arian groups are defeated and the Catholic Church is dominant ,, until 1798 there is 1260 years of protestant persecution.

"
Key Protestant Reformers like
Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and John Wycliffe interpreted the "little horn" in Daniel 7 as representing the Papacy and the persecuting power of the Catholic Church, viewing the Pope as the Antichrist and the Church's history as fulfilling prophecy of oppression against true believers, a view known as Historicist interpretation"

So then the question is, do Dispensationalists reject the teaching in Dan 7 that Protestant Reformers were promoting?

Hello all,
How many of you use a VPN on your phone or computer? I use Proton VPN through WireGuard on all my computers. Works just fine for me to access CF here. I am just curious is all. Have a great holiday week next week everyone!

We speak often of Mary’s Fiat, and rightly so. Her yes stands at the center of salvation history. But Scripture gives us another yes, one that is quieter and almost hidden in the background. It is the yes of a man who receives no annunciation from an angel in broad daylight, who hears God not through a message addressed to him by name but through a dream.

Joseph wakes from that dream and obeys.