Is God interested in our health?

[Gary K]

Since Israel was formed at Mount Sinai, sickness and disease was always punishment due to disobedience and unbelief but that was under the Law

Under the Law, God literally promised Israel that if they obey him, they will never fall sick (Deuteronomy 7:15, Exodus 15:26)

Under the promised kingdom of heaven on Earth, no one in Israel will be maim or sick too (Isaiah 33:24, Psalms 103:1-5).

Israel broke their covenant of Law that was given at Mount Sinai. They killed or ignored all the prophets that God repeatedly sent to them when they were separated into 2 kingdoms and went into captivity under Babylon, and then under Persia. (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19).

Thus, at the time of Jesus's first coming to Israel, many people in Israel are sick, demon possessed, precisely because they have forsaken that Law covenant. (Luke 13:11, Acts 3:2)

Jesus thus healed all of them to give them a sign that he was indeed their promised Messiah (John 20:30-31, Luke 7:19-23. Luke 4:27).

Acts 10:38 is an especially beautiful summary by Peter to show that
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

But now, God no longer relates to us under the Law (Romans 6:14, 1 Timothy 1:9).

So when we believers are sick nowadays, we can be rest assured that it is not because we have disobeyed God in anyway.

Conversely, if we find ourselves getting better, it is NOT because we are currently doing something that pleases God.

That is what I believe Paul is teaching us now when he shared with us Romans 8:18-25 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, and when he gave Timothy common sense advice regarding his frequent stomach ailments.

I don't buy that. I go to a small church, most of whom are vegans and vegetarians and there are 7 people right now that have cancer. That's out of a normal weekly attendance of 100 to 150. That's 3.5% to 7% of the congregation.

I forgot to count myself so that's 8. That's 5.3% to 8% of the congregation.

 

[Guojing]

I don't buy that. I go to a small church, most of whom are vegans and vegetarians and there are 7 people right now that have cancer. That's out of a normal weekly attendance of 100 to 150. That's 3.5% to 7% of the congregation.

I forgot to count myself so that's 8. That's 5.3% to 8% of the congregation.

That is the conclusion of my reply to you, so you are agreeing with me?

But now, God no longer relates to us under the Law (Romans 6:14, 1 Timothy 1:9).

So when we believers are sick nowadays, we can be rest assured that it is not because we have disobeyed God in anyway.

Conversely, if we find ourselves getting better, it is NOT because we are currently doing something that pleases God.

That is what I believe Paul is teaching us now when he shared with us Romans 8:18-25 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, and when he gave Timothy common sense advice regarding his frequent stomach ailments.

 

[Gary K]

Since Israel was formed at Mount Sinai, sickness and disease was always punishment due to disobedience and unbelief but that was under the Law

Under the Law, God literally promised Israel that if they obey him, they will never fall sick (Deuteronomy 7:15, Exodus 15:26)

Under the promised kingdom of heaven on Earth, no one in Israel will be maim or sick too (Isaiah 33:24, Psalms 103:1-5).

Israel broke their covenant of Law that was given at Mount Sinai. They killed or ignored all the prophets that God repeatedly sent to them when they were separated into 2 kingdoms and went into captivity under Babylon, and then under Persia. (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19).

Thus, at the time of Jesus's first coming to Israel, many people in Israel are sick, demon possessed, precisely because they have forsaken that Law covenant. (Luke 13:11, Acts 3:2)

Jesus thus healed all of them to give them a sign that he was indeed their promised Messiah (John 20:30-31, Luke 7:19-23. Luke 4:27).

Acts 10:38 is an especially beautiful summary by Peter to show that
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

But now, God no longer relates to us under the Law (Romans 6:14, 1 Timothy 1:9).

So when we believers are sick nowadays, we can be rest assured that it is not because we have disobeyed God in anyway.

Conversely, if we find ourselves getting better, it is NOT because we are currently doing something that pleases God.

That is what I believe Paul is teaching us now when he shared with us Romans 8:18-25 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, and when he gave Timothy common sense advice regarding his frequent stomach ailments.

So only Gentiles will get sick in heaven?

 

[Guojing]

So only Gentiles will get sick in heaven?

We are not in heaven now.

In heaven there is no sickness.

 

[Gary K]

We are not in heaven now.

In heaven there is no sickness.

Then what was the point of saying specifically the Israelites would not get sick in heaven?
Seems to me it's almost a compulsion with dispensationalists to make a difference between Jews and Gentiles. I truly don't understand it.

 

[Guojing]

Then what was the point of saying specifically the Israelites would not get sick in heaven?
Seems to me it's almost a compulsion with dispensationalists to make a difference between Jews and Gentiles. I truly don't understand it.

Are you referring to this statement of mine?

Under the promised kingdom of heaven on Earth, no one in Israel will be maim or sick too (Isaiah 33:24, Psalms 103:1-5).

The point is to explain why Jesus healed so much during his first coming

Thus, at the time of Jesus's first coming to Israel, many people in Israel are sick, demon possessed, precisely because they have forsaken that Law covenant. (Luke 13:11, Acts 3:2)

Jesus thus healed all of them to give them a sign that he was indeed their promised Messiah (John 20:30-31, Luke 7:19-23. Luke 4:27).

The scripture is clear there correct? Which passage do you disagree with?

 

[Gary K]

Are you referring to this statement of mine?

Under the promised kingdom of heaven on Earth, no one in Israel will be maim or sick too (Isaiah 33:24, Psalms 103:1-5).

The point is to explain why Jesus healed so much during his first coming



The scripture is clear there correct? Which passage do you disagree with?

Neither of them, It's just that my experience with dispensationalists is that they think nothing Jesus said, applies to them and neither does John, Peter, Mathew, Mark, Luke and nothing from the OT. To me dispensationalists have a very small Bible as it seems the only thing they accept are Paul's writings yet he's a Jew too.

Hyper dispensationalists are even worse as they don't believe in miracles and think intellect is the only thing that matters in Bible study as the HS isn't for them.

 

[Guojing]

Neither of them, It's just that my experience with dispensationalists is that they think nothing Jesus said, applies to them and neither does John, Peter, Mathew, Mark, Luke and nothing from the OT. To me dispensationalists have a very small Bible as it seems the only thing they accept are Paul's writings yet he's a Jew too.

Hyper dispensationalists are even worse as they don't believe in miracles and think intellect is the only thing that matters in Bible study as the HS isn't for them.

Why do you think Jesus healed so much when he was preaching the gospel of the kingdom then?

 

[Gary K]

Why do you think Jesus healed so much when he was preaching the gospel of the kingdom then?

He healed people from other nations too. Remember the Canaanite woman?

Matthew 15: 22 and lo, a woman, a Canaanitess, from those borders having come forth, did call to him, saying, 'Deal kindly with me, Sir — Son of David; my daughter is miserably demonized.'
23 And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying — 'Let her away, because she crieth after us;'
24 and he answering said, 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'
25 And having come, she was bowing to him, saying, 'Sir, help me;'
26 and he answering said, 'It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast to the little dogs.'
27 And she said, 'Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords' table;'
28 then answering, Jesus said to her, 'O woman, great [is] thy faith, let it be to thee as thou wilt;' and her daughter was healed from that hour.

Jesus also healed the Samaritans of their spiritual maladies, i.e. the woman at the well.

 

[Guojing]

He healed people from other nations too. Remember the Canaanite woman?

Matthew 15: 22 and lo, a woman, a Canaanitess, from those borders having come forth, did call to him, saying, 'Deal kindly with me, Sir — Son of David; my daughter is miserably demonized.'
23 And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying — 'Let her away, because she crieth after us;'
24 and he answering said, 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'
25 And having come, she was bowing to him, saying, 'Sir, help me;'
26 and he answering said, 'It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast to the little dogs.'
27 And she said, 'Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords' table;'
28 then answering, Jesus said to her, 'O woman, great [is] thy faith, let it be to thee as thou wilt;' and her daughter was healed from that hour.

Jesus also healed the Samaritans of their spiritual maladies, i.e. the woman at the well.

That is not answering my question, I was not asking "who he healed", I was asking what was the purpose of those numerous healings he did?

But yes, that woman got her blessing thru the nation of Israel Mark 7:29
" 'Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords' table".

 

[Gary K]

That is not answering my question, I was not asking "who he healed", I was asking what was the purpose of those numerous healings he did?

But yes, that woman got her blessing thru the nation of Israel Mark 7:29
" 'Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords' table".

To glorify His Father and show us who He is.

Mark 14: 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

 

[Guojing]

To glorify His Father and show us who He is.

Mark 14: 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

Alright, that was similar to my point as well (John 20:30-31)

So if you believe you are also part of the audience of the gospel of the kingdom, then you have to ask "Where are all the healings now?"

 

[Gary K]

Alright, that was similar to my point as well (John 20:30-31)

So if you believe you are also part of the audience of the gospel of the kingdom, then you have to ask "Where are all the healings now?"

Lack of faith on our part. I'm not a cessationist.

 

[Gary K]

Alright, that was similar to my point as well (John 20:30-31)

So if you believe you are also part of the audience of the gospel of the kingdom, then you have to ask "Where are all the healings now?"

You want to hear about miracles? I can tell you about many miracles in my life. Interested in hearing about them?

 

[Guojing]

Lack of faith on our part. I'm not a cessationist.

You are not comforted by my conclusion when I said the following?

So when we believers are sick nowadays, we can be rest assured that it is not because we have disobeyed God in anyway.

Conversely, if we find ourselves getting better, it is NOT because we are currently doing something that pleases God.

 

[Gary K]

You are not comforted by my conclusion when I said the following?

So when we believers are sick nowadays, we can be rest assured that it is not because we have disobeyed God in anyway.

Conversely, if we find ourselves getting better, it is NOT because we are currently doing something that pleases God.

I don't believe that in the least. One guy is curing himself from cancer by drinking Kangan water. It has a ph of 9.5. Cancer treatments by the medical establishment are all carcinogenic.

Meat eating causes cancer. among many other things, and it's been shown that vegetarians live an average of 8 years longer by eating the diet God gave us in the garden of Eden. Did you know cancer cases are going through the roof now? In the first six months of 2023 there were 600,000 cases of cancer in the US. Think that has anything to do with the state of morality and the lack of love for God in this nation?

Tell me how many times a day do you pray? How's your relationship with God? Mine is improving daily because of God's goodness. love, and justice. And He loves everyone of us just as much as He loves me. The only reason we're not seeing more miracles is the lack of faith in our lives. I consider mine to still be weak.

I also have a question for you. Why ignore my offer to tell you about the many miracles God has performed in my life?

I think I'll tell you about some of them anyway.

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
.
The moon rose on the snow covered landscape flooding my world with
bright moonlight. I finished my reading for the evening, turned the Iight off, and
leaned back against the couch thinking while I watched the scattered clouds drift
by under the full moon. The clouds made moving patches of darkness across an
otherwise brilliantly white landscape, as they slid under the moon.
My mind wandered back to a few weeks before when I had been baptized
and committed my life to Christ. I relived again that wonderfu! feeling I
experienced as I came up out of the watery grave of baptism into a new life. I
had never before known the peace and happiness in my life that I had
experienced since I had met Jesus and committed my life to Him. My days and
nights were spent in prayer, praise, and study of the Word of God. The
depression I had known for years seemed to have vanished into thin air.
As I lay there counting my blessings, my heart overflowed with gratitude
towards my Creator. He had rescued me from the life of self-destruction that I
had led since t graduated from high school. Because of this I could relate to the
words of David very well, when he said, "He brought me up out of an horrible pit,
out of the miry clay, set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Psalm
4O:2. I felt Iike nothing that I could offer Him was good enough, for my life up till
then had been one great failure.
I came out of my reverie, thanked God once again for my new life, and
looked back out the window at the magnificent view that I felt God had provided
just for me that night.
Suddenly, t was not where I had been the moment before. I was no
longer looking out the picture window of my parent's living room at Montana's
Yaak River Valley.
I was now standing in a large room with no windows. The building was a
large one of log construction, and at one end of the room was a Iarge, river-rock
fireplace with mantel and hearth. A large fire burned in the fireplace and there
was someone standing in front of the fireplace, back towards me, looking into the
fire. A large, very long table capable of seating maybe a hundred people filled
most of the room. I stood at one end of the table, facing down its length, to the
person in front of fireplace at the opposite end. On either side of the table were
people facing away from me wearing !ong, black, hooded robes, and I slowly
became aware of the sounds of chanting coming from the hooded figures.
I stood wondering where I was, but for some reason feeling no fear, even
though I had never experienced anything like this before. I looked back down to
the other end of the long table, and the person standing there slowly turned
around and walked up to his end of the table without looking up at me. I couldn't
see his face because this person too was wearing a hood, and the light coming
from the fire behind him was only light source in the room. He Iooked up when
he got to the end of the table, threw the hood back and then ! could see his face
and eyes. He locked eyes with me, raised his arm, and pointing at me began to
beckon with his index finger.
"You're mine, you're mine, you're mine," he said, still beckoning me
towards him with his index finger. Slowly I began to float down the length of that
massive table. His eyes were locked on mine and I could not tear mine away.
He seemed to be willing me on down the table, causing me to come ever closer
to him.
I had come to within a couple of inches of his face and felt I was about to
be sucked right into him, when the realization struck me who this was. This was
a one-way trip from which I was never to return. The devil had come to try take
over my mind.
Suddenly the spell was broken as I realized all this and my hearts cry
burst out of my lips. "No!" was all I could scream, but it was enough.
lwas once again lying on the couch in my parent's home in Yaak,
Montana. The goose bumps stood out all over me and my heart was beating like
a jackhammer on steroids. The hair on my arms and the back of my neck stood
on end. I knew fear as I had never known it before, and have never known it like
that since
I rolled over on the couch and began to pray, but as I did a scene from my
past came before me with lifelike clarity. I remembered telling the devil I was his.
A long forgotten deed had come back to haunt me.
I had been willing to squander my soul for a momentary pleasure, and
thus had come to the point of telling the devil I was his. I had made a bargain
with the devil and now he had come to claim what was rightfully his.
With desperation I began to pray again. I told the Lord that I knew I had
done this. I told Him I had gotten into this through my own stupidity, and I
confessed just how wrong I had been and told God that I was in over my head. I
told Him I had no chance to win fighting with the devil, and with that I began to
claim the promises I had learned in the Bible. I claimed the promise of 2nd
Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in
weakness." I claimed Psalm 91:11, "For He shall give his angels charge over
thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." I claimed the promise that ma,il. extremity is
God's opportunity and every other promise that I could think of. I prayed as
Jacob must have prayed at the Brook Jabbok the night he thought he was
wrestling for his life with his brother Esau.
As I prayed and claimed the promises of God I could feel the struggle in
the room. There was an actual physical struggle in that room that night for I
could feel wing tips brush against my back as I Iay face down and prayed for help.
I would feel warm ones and cold ones, sometimes lightly brushing against me
and sometimes forcefully hitting me. I don't know how long I prayed. lt might
have been hours, or it might have been only a few minutes. I just do not know.
All I know is I have never been so afraid.
Finally the struggle was over, and a warmth and peace filled that living
room that I have not the words to describe. I lay there and told God how thankful
I was for His loving care and slowly drifted off to sleep. I was at peace, and my
heart was filled with gratitude.
Do I believe in angels? Oh yes, definitely yes. ls God real? Oh yes, definitely yes.
When I am told that the Bible is just my "guide" and that I should not take it
literally, I know different. When I am told that the Bible does not apply today, I
know different. The promises of God's Word are as true today as they were the
day they were given. When He says, "Come now, and let us reason together,
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red
like crimson, they shall be as wool believe Him. He has always kept His word
with me, and He will with you too.

OK. There is one spectacular miracle God has performed in my life. He did this for me not because I'm something special but because He is. He is far more loving than any of us can imagine can imagine.

He has performed many miracles in my life. My guardian angel has spoken to me twice. He has saved my life multiple times. And for the last 18 months He has performed miracles in my life on a daily basis along with all the miracles He performed when I was a drug addict and alcoholic while in my twenties and thirties. Cessationists are absolutely wrong in their belief and I believe God has worked all these miracles in my life partly so I can testify to His power and glory. Also, the small church I attend has a praise service every time there are five Sabbaths in a month and it sometimes goes longer than any sermon. People are testifying to God's power, love and goodness on a regular basis.

 

[Guojing]

I don't believe that in the least.

I see, so when you disagree with that statement of mine, you are saying you believe healing is a reward for you doing something that pleases God?

 

[Gary K]

I see, so when you disagree with that statement of mine, you are saying you believe healing is a reward for you doing something that pleases God?

Absolutely. God always rewards those who follow His instructions.

I see you're going to studiously keep on ignoring the countless miracles God has worked in my life. Is your belief system that important to you that anything that conflicts with it you can't deal with? How do you ever expect to learn anything further in the spiritual realm that way? As far as I'm concerned the day I stop learning is the day I die. If I had your attitude I'd have died long ago from the self destructive life style I was living.

 

[Guojing]

Absolutely. God always rewards those who follow His instructions.

I see, no wonder you prefer to live under the Law, like the nation of Israel.

Alright then.

 

[Gary K]

I see, no wonder you prefer to live under the Law, like the nation of Israel.

Alright then.

I don't live "under the law". I live a joyful life with my heavenly Father and Jesus.

Jesus said:

John 17: 1 THESE words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

He also said:

John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Do you live with calmness and patience no matter how stressful life gets? I've been under pressure for the last 18 months that most people can't imagine and yet I grow calmer and more peaceful every day. It's not me that's doing it. It's having Jesus in my life.

Jesus said something else about knowing Him too.

Matthew 7: 21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

So the difference between eternal life and the lake of fire is whether or not we know Jesus, personally. Knowing about Him isn't enough. Intellectual knowledge about Jesus will never save us. We must spend time with Him every day in Bible study and prayer, the more the better.