Life can be a roller coaster. In an instant your highest peaks can cascade into disease, anxiety, or mental illness. Your teenager gets involved with the wrong crowd. Your best friend is diagnosed with cancer. Or someone you love walks away from their family. There can be so much brokenness.
Yet there is also so much hope. Jesus is our healer. The Word of God has the answer to every problem we will ever encounter. There is no problem too big for the Lord.
Some people are afraid to seek help. They feel that they will be considered an outcast if anyone discovers they have a problem. Some are so deep into the problem they feel there is no way out. They believe it’s the only way. Addictions can have devastating consequences on the family. Sometimes people need to hit rock bottom before they can even see there is a problem. And, in an effort to deal with their problems on their own, some people make poor choices and decisions with no understanding of the affect it will have on their life or the family.
Jesus is the answer. Jesus’s healing ministry consisted of delivering people from demonic spirits and healing people from physical disease (Luke 9:2; 10:8-9). And it wasn’t just a few sprinkled healings through the crowd. The Bible says he healed multitudes. All the illnesses that he healed are not mentioned, but all those with illness he healed (Mt. 8:16). He commanded the dead to rise, blind to see, lame to walk, the ears of the deaf to open and the leper to be cleansed. Healings increased faith in people and they found deliverance. Jesus never inflicted disease or sickness on anyone (Ephesians 3:20).
People need a safe place to heal. A place where there is no rejection, an environment of love and acceptance. Jesus’ ministry was for the lost. He accepts everyone right where they are.
What does the Bible say about God's love? It will never falter or fail, no matter what. God loves us unconditionally; we may make mistakes in the eyes of our friends and family but, God will give us grace and forgiveness. We don’t have to earn his love. His love is about believing and receiving.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13 (King James Version)
Charity (love) suffers long (refers to patience), and is kind; charity (the God kind of love) envies not (does not want that which belongs to another); charity vaunts not itself (is never a braggart), is not puffed up (is not prideful). It does not behave itself unseemly (is forgetful of self and thoughtful of others), seeks not her own (is unselfish), is not easily provoked (is not embittered by abuse, insult, or injury), thinks no evil (takes no account of evil); Rejoices not in iniquity (never gossips about the misdeeds of others), but rejoices in the Truth (proclaims that which the Word of God identifies as Truth);
Bears all things (never complains), believes all things (takes the kindest views of all men), hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails (because love cannot fail)
And now abides Faith, Hope, Love, these three (all three will abide forever); but the greatest of these is Love.
Take a moment to read Ephesians 3:17,19. From these verses we learn that we are responsible for building up the church. Each believer supplies something to the body of Christ which—is the church. Everyone is significant in making up the body of Christ. We are a community of believers united, many parts but one body. We are responsible for reaching people and building them up.
Galatians 6:1-2
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Which is love)
Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Some other helpful passages for your devotions this week can be found in Ephesians 4:15-16, Romans12:4-21, Philippians 2:1-15.
When a person comes to Petra Church the journey to wholeness begins. There is a spirit of acceptance and love; it is a safe place; a place to discover forgiveness and the unconditional love of the Father. Petra is a place to heal and a place to connect!
To checkout some of Petra’s healing ministries you can go to https://petra.church/lifespring/.
Tags: jesus, healing, connection, ephesians 3
