Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis,
cancer, and a multitude of other maladies plague
our modern world.
Why?
And what can you personally do about it?
Sadly, many of you watching this program are afflicted
with chronic medical issues from which you are suffering--
perhaps for years.
A television ad for a new drug shows happy vibrant actors,
giving great promise, yet telling you in a pleasant
voice all the side effects that may create greater problems.
Then comes the next ad from a law firm looking for victims
of the side effects to sue big pharma over the last
miracle potion.
Is there not a better way?
The Bible tells us that healing was a major part
of Jesus' ministry.
People flocked to Him to be relieved of every kind of
sickness and infirmity.
So, here are some serious questions.
Were those accounts genuine miracles?
Or were they made-up stories?
Did Jesus and His apostles really bring about
such miracles?
Do you, dear friends, believe those accounts of the blind,
the lame, and the deaf being healed to see, walk, and hear--
in some cases for the first time in their lives?
Can these biblical accounts be relied upon?
And if not, what else can you discard from the pages
of the Bible?
On today's program, I'm going to show you that you too can be
healed by the same One who performed such mighty miracles
nearly 2,000 years ago.
So, stay with me as I have some good news for you.
♪
A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at
Tomorrow's World, where my subject today is divine healing.
Are you one who has suffered from an affliction for years?
Have you gone to doctors and not found lasting relief?
Are the drugs you are taking helping with one problem,
but creating another?
If so, you're hardly alone.
Now, I could give you a litany of statistics, but the fact
that millions of others suffer from a similar problem does
nothing to solve your problem.
If you've lost hope, I'm here to say there is hope, and today
I'm going to give you seven points that can restore hope.
So let's get started.
1. The gospel Christ preached was accompanied by healing.
The four gospels [that is Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John]
record many instances of miraculous healing--
far too many to cover here.
And that's why I'm offering an informative resource titled,
Does God Heal Today?
It can be yours, absolutely free for the asking, so be
sure to take down our contact information that will be shown
during this program.
However, notice this account in Matthew 4:23-24...
"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all
kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to
Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases
and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and
paralytics; and He healed them."
Here's another example-- this time found in Luke 4...
"Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house.
But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever,
and they made request of Him concerning her.
So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.
And immediately she arose and served them.
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."
But, was Jesus the only One to heal the sick?
The answer is not at all, and that brings us to,
2. Jesus commanded others to preach the gospel and
to heal the sick.
It's evidence from Jesus command to His disciples in Luke 9,
beginning in verse 1, that preaching the good news of
the Kingdom of God was to be accompanied by healing...
"Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them
power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal
the sick....
So they departed and went through the towns,
preaching the gospel and healing everywhere."
But was it Jesus and His Apostles only who were
sent to heal the sick?
Not at all.
Note this little referenced passage found in Luke
the 10th chapter, beginning in verse 1...
"After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also,
and sent them two by two before His face into every
city and place where He Himself was about to go.
Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great,
but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the
harvest to send out laborers into His harvest....
And heal the sick there, and say to them,
'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'"
Yes, healing was a major part of first-century Christianity.
So far I've given you two points that give us hope
for divine healing.
In the remainder of this program, I'll give you five
more points you need to understand about Christ's
healing ministry-- both then and now.
However, this is too large a topic to cover in this short
program and that's why we're offering you our free resource--
Does God Heal Today?
I know that there are many of you suffering from one
malady or another and you need assurance that God
does hear our prayers when we are in pain.
Our free resource-- Does God Heal Today?--
can give you that assurance.
It explains the biblical principles involved in divine
healing, and you do not have to show up at a hand waving,
happy-clappy tent revival meeting for God to heal you.
In fact, I would advise against that kind of public display.
We never read in the scriptures of that kind of emotional,
"working up" of the spirit for healing.
Does God Heal Today? gives you the biblical doctrine
of divine healing and shows you what your part in it is.
So, call the toll-free number, or go to our website at
TWTV.org/Heal and discover how central healing is to Christ's
ministry, both then and now.
And when I come back, I'll give you five more points that you
need to understand about Christ's healing ministry.
♪
For today's free offer call...
Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource will help you
understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages
of the Bible.
If you're calling for the first time, you will also
receive a free annual subscription to
Tomorrow's World magazine.
Six inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern
culture will help you make sense of your world from a
biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world who are
turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in
these confusing times.
Call now!
Or go to...
♪
Welcome back.
The subject of this Tomorrow's World program is divine healing.
Prior to the break I said I would give you five
additional points that you need to understand about
Christ's healing ministry.
But first, let's review the first two:
1. The gospel Christ proclaimed was accompanied by healing.
And 2. Jesus commanded others to preach the gospel
and heal the sick.
But did divine healing cease upon the crucifixion?
Or was it to continue?
Following His resurrection, Jesus told His Apostles to
preach the gospel to all the world, and that miraculous
signs would follow those who believe.
Note it in Mark 16, beginning in verse 15...
"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does
not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will follow those who believe:
In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak
with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if
they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;
they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Was Jesus promoting snake handling and drinking poison
as some unbalanced and deceived individuals have
taken this commission?
Not at all.
He never intended His followers to tempt God in this manner,
but don't take my word for it.
Prove it for yourself out of your own Bible.
Jesus Himself never tempted God.
It was the adversary, Satan the Devil, who challenged Christ to
show His faith by tempting Him.
Matthew the 4th chapter, verses 5 and 6...
"Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him
on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him,
"If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down.
For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over
you,' and, 'In their they hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"
But what was His response to this challenge?
Jesus said to him, "It is written again,
'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"
So, what did Jesus mean by taking up snakes or
drinking poison and not being harmed?
The Bible explains itself, sometimes by examples,
and we have an example of precisely what Christ meant
in Acts the 28th chapter, we'll begin in verse 3...
"But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them
on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and
fastened on his hand.
So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand,
they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer,
whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not
allow to live."
But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered
no harm."
Paul was not going about tempting God to prove his faith.
So, again:
1. The gospel Christ proclaimed was accompanied by healing.
2. Jesus commanded others to preach the gospel and
heal the sick.
And now for Point #3-- let's read it straight from
the Bible--Hebrews 13:8...
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Yes, the same Jesus Christ who walked this earth 2,000 years
ago and performed mighty miracles is alive today
and He has not changed.
When I entered Ambassador College in the fall of 1965,
I learned about a faculty member who had been a quadriplegic
as a result of injuries sustained in the Korean War.
But he had been miraculously healed, not in a tent meeting
with cameras running and a lot of hoopla, but in
private with a faithful minister of Jesus Christ
anointing and praying for him.
The college only had 550 students, and everyone knew
everyone, and everyone knew of his miraculous healing.
I often saw him dripping with sweat, coming out of
the handball court after a vigorous game of handball.
In 1974, he visited us in our home in Monroe, LA.
Yes, I knew him well, and I knew men and women
who knew him prior to his healing.
No one disputed that this paralyzed man was healed
by the same Jesus Christ who performed miracles
of healing nearly 2,000 years ago.
And, I've seen many others since that time who have
been miraculously healed.
Yes, Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday.
This is a large subject, too large to cover fully on this
short program, and that is why I want to give you, absolutely
free of charge, our resource-- Does God Heal Today?
If you truly want to know what the Bible says about
this important subject, go to the phone, or go to our
website at TWTV.org/Heal to receive your free resource,
Does God Heal Today?
It's just that simple.
And seriously friends, what have you got to lose?
This easy-to-read booklet-- Does God Heal Today?--
points you to the scriptures relevant to this subject
so that you can look them up in your own Bible.
Do it today, and when I come back after this short 15-second
break, I'll give you four additional points regarding
Christ's healing ministry and what it can mean for you.
♪
This clear and straight-forward resource will help you
understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of
the Bible.
Call now!
Or go to...
♪
On this Tomorrow's World program, I'm discussing a
subject that has relevance for everyone--divine healing.
Before the break I said I would share with you four
additional points regarding Christ's healing ministry,
and most importantly, what it can mean for you.
So, why do we not see more genuine divine healings today?
The answers are found in our next four points.
4. Faith is a factor in healing.
I understand that one can point to a handful of situations
where faith by the one being healed may not be certain,
but in most cases, faith is a definite factor in healings.
Jesus was confronted by two blind men seeking that their
sight would be given them.
Matthew 9:28-29...
"And when He had come into the house, the blind men
came to Him.
And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that
I am able to do this?"
They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."
Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your
faith let it be to you."
Then again He was confronted by another blind man--
Mark 10:51-52...
"So Jesus answered and said to him,
"What do you want Me to do for you?"
The blind man said to Him,
"Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
Then Jesus said to him,
"Go your way; [notice this] your faith has made you well."
And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus
on the road."
Then there was the case of the man in Lystra who was
crippled from birth.
We read of this miraculous healing at the command of the
Apostle Paul in Acts 14:9-10...
"This man heard Paul speaking.
Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith
to be healed, said with a loud voice,
"Stand up straight on your feet!"
And he leaped and walked."
On the flip side, when Jesus visited His hometown of
Nazareth, those who grew up with Him, could not get past
the fact that Jesus was a local and therefore could
not be the Savior.
We read in Mark 6:3-6...
"Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of
James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?
And are not His sisters here with us?"
And they were offended at Him.
But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his own country,
among his own relatives, and in his own house."
Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid
His hands on a few sick people and healed them.
And He marveled because of their unbelief."
So why are there not more healings today?
Is it in part, because of the question that Jesus
asked in Luke 18:8 where He said...
"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really
find faith on the earth?"
Except in unusual cases where another lesson is taught,
faith in Christ is a prerequisite for healing,
but it's not the only prerequisite.
And that brings me to Point #5:
God hears the prayers of those who obey and do those things
that are pleasing in His sight.
Here it is in 1 John 3:22...
"And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His
commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."
Consider how many sicknesses are clearly linked to the
violation of biblical laws and principles: cancers and
other maladies related to smoking and vaping, damaged
minds and bodies linked to the use of "recreational drugs,"
and sexually transmitted diseases as a result of
promiscuous behaviors.
God tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit,
but how many do not take care of their bodies and overeat,
eat too many refined foods, and move their bodies too little?
Additionally, there are laws spelled out in scripture that
tell us we should not eat certain meats, but people
rationalize, and even take scriptures out of context,
to get around God's clear instructions.
The result?
Swine flu, Ebola, SARS, MERS, Nipah Virus, and more.
All these diseases involve animals God warned
against eating.
And the 1918 pandemic that killed between 50-100 million
people worldwide was a swine flu.
Our Creator gave us life and He knows what is good
for us and what is not.
Faith and obedience must be considered when seeking God's
intervention in our lives, but there's more that we need
to understand on this subject.
And this leads me to a critical key regarding healing, which
I'll give you in a moment.
But let me remind you of today's free offer--
Does God Heal Today?
This informative booklet explains why you can have
hope for God's intervention in your life.
Does God Heal Today? explains the missing dimension in
divine healing.
And, as with all our resources, it is sent free of charge.
What have you got to lose, except maybe some
nagging illness?
So, order your free copy of Does God Heal Today,
and do it today.
Just call our toll-free number or go to our website at
TWTV.org/Heal.
And when I come back, I'll give you a missing key
regarding divine healing.
♪
For today's free offer call...
Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource will help you
understand this vital truth-- straight from the pages of
the Bible.
If you're calling for the first time, you will also
receive a free annual subscription to
Tomorrow's World magazine.
Six inspiring issues discussing news, science, and modern
culture will help you make sense of your world from a
biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world who are
turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in
these confusing times.
Call now!
Or go to...
♪
On this Tomorrow's World program, I'm addressing
the question: "Does God Heal Today?"
And the answer is: "Yes He does," but how?
If you're a reader of the Bible, perhaps you remember this famous
account found in Luke 5, beginning in verse 18...
"Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed,
whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him....
When He saw their faith, He said to him,
"Man, your sins are forgiven you."
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason,
saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered
and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,'
or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?"
This brings me to point #6:
Healing is the forgiveness of sin through Christ's sacrifice.
It's widely recognized that Isaiah 53 is a
Messianic prophecy.
Sadly, the translators of the King James and other versions of
the Bible did not translate some words literally, as they should
have in the following passage.
However, the literal meanings are found in the margins,
Isaiah 53...
"Surely He [Christ] has borne our griefs [literally
sicknesses], and carried our sorrows [literally pains];
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."
Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty of sin for us,
but why did He have to suffer such a terrible death?
Why was He beaten mercilessly?
Peter confirms what Isaiah wrote, 1 Peter 2:21...
"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
"who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth";
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He
suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him
who judges righteously....
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."
Our sins bring about pain and suffering, both physically and
spiritually, and sin leads to sickness and death.
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice experiencing
sin's full penalty for us.
And as I've shown, healing is tied to faith and obedience,
but perfect faith and obedience do not automatically bring
healing, and that brings us to our seventh and last point.
Healing must fit into God's great plan for each of us.
The Apostle Paul was facing many trials, and God,
out of His great mercy, gave him a most realistic vision
of heavenly things.
It's in this context that we read that God did not heal him
of a grievous affliction.
We pick up the story in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9....
"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance
of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that
it might depart from me.
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,
for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
God does not always heal us in this physical life.
He worked many mighty miracles through the prophet Elisha, but
as we read in 2 Kings 13:14...
"Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die."
Jesus Christ came with a message about a coming kingdom that
will rule on earth.
That message tells us He is working out a great plan
that you can be part of, and sometimes we only
learn important lessons through suffering.
Here's what the Apostle Paul wrote to the people in Rome...
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God....
and if children, then heirs-- heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may
also be glorified together.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us."
Before closing, let me say that nothing in this program
is meant to say that you should not see a doctor.
However, that does not mean that you should not
go to God for healing.
I personally have known of many absolutely miraculous
healings that defied doctors' predictions.
I've seen people miraculously healed of one painful condition,
but not another.
I've also known many people who asked God to heal them,
but they died.
The reality is that there comes a time for each of us to go to
sleep until the resurrection.
If we know God, we realize His plan transcends
physical existence.
God does heal today.
I know that.
I've seen it.
I've experienced it.
But God heals according to His wisdom and His plan for each
of us, and in the end, it is up to Him as to how and when.
I've only scratched the surface of this topic in this program
and that's why I hope you pick up the phone or go to our
website to order our free resource--Does God Heal Today?
It gives much more vital information on this subject.
So, call right now, and if the line's busy, wait 5 or 10
minutes and call again.
And join us next week, and every week, when Wallace Smith,
Rod McNair, and I will bring you more plain truth from the pages
of the Bible.
See you next week.
♪
For today's free offer call...
Or go to...
Call today and join millions around the world who are
turning to Tomorrow's World for truth, prophecy, and hope in
these confusing times.
The preceding program is produced by the
Living Church of God.
♪