Tag: leprosy
Prayer for Healing
Scripture reading for July 21: Numbers 12:10-13 “When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her–please.”
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Sometimes sin brings disease. Miriam and Aaron, Moses’ sister and brother, had spoken foolishly against Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. This was spoken from jealousy of Moses’ authority and friendship with God. Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant and chosen by God for that position. He was not sinning at that time in marrying the Cushite woman Zipporah.
God summoned Moses, Miriam and Aaron to come meet with Him at the tent of meeting. He came down in a pillar of cloud radiating His glory. He reprimanded Aaron and Miriam for their jealousy and confirmed His selection of Moses to be His spokesman. As He and the glory cloud departed, Miriam was left with leprosy, a skin disease that was painful and often fatal. She must be removed from the camp as it made her unclean.
Aaron saw his sister and cried out in confession of their sin, asking for mercy through his brother Moses. Moses immediately cried out to the Lord a humble prayer: “O God, please heal her, please.” God heard and answered. In seven days outside the camp, Miriam would be healed and restored. This is an Old Testament example of James 5:16 where believers are told to confess their sins to the elders and the prayer and anointing with oil would heal the sick person and they would also be forgiven.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for showing mercy to those who sin. How often we speak with our mouths sinfully out of jealousy or envy. Some of our wasting diseases require us to confess and humbly ask those who are mature to pray for us that we may be forgiven and healed. Give me wisdom today. Amen.
Serious heart issues!
Scripture reading for February 16th: Numbers 4-6, Mark 7
Key Scriptures: Mark 7:14-15 “And He called the people to Him again and said to them, “Hear Me, all you, and understand: ‘There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. . . . For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Jesus taught the crowd and religious leaders the source of real defilement was not something external, but came from the inner heart of man. True defilement is a heart condition. All sin and law-breaking comes from rebellion in the heart and results in separation from the family of God and death. This truth helps us to understand our own lost condition and the ‘leprosy’ of our soul.
Numbers 5:1-2 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead.””
Prayer: Lord, thank You for cleansing my heart by faith in the blood sacrifice of Your own Son, Jesus. I confess my need for Your continued work of cleansing of this inner defilement that I might have a pure heart and mouth. Amen.
“I am willing!”
Scripture reading for March 10th: Luke 5
Jesus had announced His ministry of preaching Good News and releasing the prisoners and the oppressed in His home town of Nazareth. (Luke 4:18-19) The people there refused to receive the message and even sought to kill Him. But Jesus was not deterred and began to minister in other towns in the region. He called disciples and invited them to join Him in preaching and healing the oppressed and sick.
“While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged Him, “Lord, if You are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.” (Luke 5:12-13) Jesus made good on the announcement of His ministry and astounded people as well. Lepers were considered ‘unclean’ and under God’s curse. Religious people would not touch them! This hurting man came humbly to Jesus with a plea for mercy. He wasn’t sure that Jesus was willing to help Him, but asked in faith that Jesus had the ability. Jesus honored his request and touched him. The leprosy departed immediately!
We learn from this incident, that Jesus is willing to help anyone in any situation. When approached humbly, Jesus responds positively! He has ‘good news’ for all of us! He cares about us and our ‘uncleanness!’ He is able and willing to bring healing and deliverance! Take your burden by faith to Jesus today for a quick response!
Faith can help your friends!
Scripture reading for October 15th: Mark 1-3
Mark’s Gospel is concise and alive with the Good News of God with us and in love with us! Mark proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Son of Man! Mark wasted little time with preliminaries of the Jewish history of the Christ and prophesies of His birth. He told the story of Jesus living among His people and loving and serving them by teaching, healing, and casting out devils. Jesus’ stories that revealed the kingdom of heaven and their own need for a relationship with the Father.
Crowds gathered wherever Jesus went. He returned to Capernaum where he had done miracles and a crowd quickly gathered around a house where He was teaching. A group of men brought a friend who was paralyzed to Jesus for healing. Because of the crowd, there was no way to get him inside, so they carried him up on the roof. They opened a hole big enough to let the man down and lowered him into the room.
When Jesus saw the faith of the friends, He immediately responded to the man by saying: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5) This caused some religious leaders who were present to begin to question this statement. After all, only God could forgive sins! (Mark 2:7)
Jesus knew their thoughts and sought to help them believe. He asked them which was easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or “Get up, take up your bed and walk”? In order to remove their objection, he told the man to get up, take up his bed, and walk. The man got up, amazing the crowd and inspiring faith!
This story should motivate us to seek Jesus for answers to whatever problems we face. Jesus honors faith and those who press through to Him for their needs! Believing friends can also be a great blessing by taking the hurting to Jesus. What friend do you know that may need your help today to get to Jesus? Take a few minutes of your day to pray for him. As the Lord leads, get another friend or two and go and lift him to Jesus together! Miracles are waiting for those who break through!
Jesus, Man of Prayer
Scripture reading for March 22nd: Luke 5:12-28
Luke is interested in prayer and makes many notes of Jesus praying. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16) Jesus felt it necessary that He get away from people, even His disciples, and spend time with His Father. He would go to a ‘lonely place’ where He could be alone and unhindered by noise and demands from others. It is not that people are bad, but what is most important must be prioritized. In order for Jesus to be effective and follow Father’s instruction, He must have confidence that He knew what the Father wanted to do with each person and in each situation. This confidence came through a relationship of prayer.
One prior encounter involved a leper who came trembling before Jesus begging for Him to make him clean. The man wondered out loud if Jesus was willing to heal him. Jesus knew the Father’s heart through prayer and relationship and could respond to this need in the affirmative. “Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” Immediately the Leprosy left him.” (Luke 5:13)
The rule for religious leaders was that they could not touch anything ‘unclean’ or they would be defiled themselves. Jesus did not operate with the religious rules of the day, but rather was free to respond as His Father directed. The results spoke for themselves to those willing to listen. These miracles caused quite a stir and drew crowds of people with needs to hear Jesus as He preached the good news!
A second occasion is also recorded by Luke of a man who was paralyzed being let down through a roof for Jesus to heal him. Luke records that the power of the Lord to heal the sick was present. (Luke 5:17) Jesus, seeing the friend’s faith, spoke a word, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 5:20) The man was healed and restored in front of a crowd of people. This was the result of prayer in the lonely place!
Could it be that we aren’t being used for the miraculous because we are not spending enough time in the ‘lonely place’, alone with our Lord? Is faith present to bring people to Jesus for healing prayer? God wants to do so much more to bring people to wholeness! Lord, may I be a man (or woman) of prayer!