Published by admin on 09 May 2007 at 09:08 pm
BECAUSE I SAID SO!
When I was a kid and my parents wanted me to do something I didn’t want to do, just like you, I said “Why?” And just like you, sometimes I heard the reply “Because I said so…” Well, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but that was pretty much end of discussion. Today, I want to help you with something, and that is settling in your heart and mind what God’s Word says, so you can get down to enjoying the benefits thereof.
You and I are not terribly different. Sometimes we think alike, and want to question what we read in the Bible. That’s just human nature to be curious. If we were not curious, there would be no discoveries or inventions, and certainly no quest to make things better than they are. And sometimes in our quest for understanding, we want to disregard what God says in His Word and do things our own way. It’s somewhat like inventing a recipe. Thus, when things don’t turn out the way we would like, we go on to question God as to why those things did or did not happen, as if it was His fault. Big mistake. More about that later.
One particular thing that has happened to me by heeding God’s Word is the perfect health I have enjoyed now for nearly fourteen years. My joy is to praise and thank God for healing me, and that perfect health comes only because of the Word of God, not really anything I did. Really.
Looking back on these years of absolutely perfect health, I marvel at the simplicity of how it came about. How would YOU like to be able to say you’ve never had a sick day since believing God for your healing? Let me tell you, I LOVE IT! And it’s wonderful waking up in the morning, thanking God for being healed, knowing that EVERY time I wake up, I’ll still be healed, not because of anything I’ve done, but rather, what HE has done. How I love teaching people about it!
Lately, the Lord has been putting it on my heart to call and minister to people who have been believing God for their healing, yet, somehow it has escaped them. You may be one of them. It’s my deepest desire that YOU be healed. Why? Because it’s the heavenly Father’s will. And what He wants, I want. There have been people I’ve taught from God’s word recently that have said, “I have never heard healing taught like that.” POW! And just then the light came on, and they received their healing. Because of me? No! Because of what God has done!
Now, getting back to why we say “WHY?” You know, it’s just our nature to want to know why things are the way they are. I remember being 9 years old and my curiosity got the best of me one day, and I just had to take my Mickey Mouse watch apart to see what makes it tick. I was good at taking things apart. Thankfully, I was almost as good at putting them back together again. Dad worked on watches in his spare time, so I liked to watch him. He had all the tools I needed. So I went to work and had that thing scattered all over the kitchen table. Dad came home as I was putting it back together. I was putting a particular gear back in, and Dad said, No, Son, you need to put that larger gear in first. Well, Dad, that isn’t how I took it apart. He said, Just do it. I said “Why?” (my favorite line) He said, “Because I said so…” (his favorite line). Yes, he could have explained why, but he knew I probably wouldn’t have understood right then, so my job was to simply obey. Well, he knew something I didn’t, can you believe that? It could have been put together “my way”, but it was much simpler and quicker by following the instruction of one older and wiser than myself.
I said all that to say this. Often people have been prayed for numerous times by every healing teacher that has come down the pike, yet there is no manifest result. And every time, their hope of actually receiving dwindles a little more. I have prayed for many such people myself, and have gone to the Lord with my favorite line, “Why, Lord? Why aren’t they seeing their healing??”
It seems everyone is looking for a recipe these days. Maybe I haven’t prayed long enough to “pray through”. Maybe my tithe isn’t paid up. Maybe I haven’t forgiven someone. Maybe God doesn’t heal everyone. Maybe I’m not holding my mouth right. Maybe it’s something I’m doing, or not doing. Maybe I’m out of His perfect will. Maybe this, maybe that. You see, when we don’t see the manifestation of healing, then it’s easy to reason our way out of it with an excuse. But there is no excuse for unbelief. Right about here, I’m gonna lose some of you, because you have said, “I BELIEVE!!” and yet you still haven’t seen it, so it must not be your fault. I’m going to help you here if you’ll pay attention…..
Remember the “big mistake” I mentioned earlier? One popular mindset is to blame God for not keeping His word if we aren’t seeing the manifestation of our healing. There are people who have prayed for healing and when it didn’t come as they perceived, they got an attitude against God. Oh, they wouldn’t come out and say so, but it’s there, and it’s pretty hard to hide. When I pray for people’s healing, there is no pressure on me at all to “perform”. Why? Because I didn’t make those promises in the Bible, God did, and therefore it’s God’s responsibility to back them up, not mine. And He does, believe me.
But here’s where the problem arises. We try to mix God’s word with “our” word. Spell that “Religion” and “Reasoning”. To the degree God’s word is “diluted” is the degree you won’t see God back it up. So someone gets egg on their face, so to speak. Too many times, the person with egg on their face is that person who is believing something God didn’t say in His word. BUT….if it’s preached just like Jesus preached it, it works every time. Let’s just get to the point here. If what you are believing isn’t working, it’s time for you to change what you believe. Did you get that? IF WHAT YOU ARE BELIEVING ISN’T WORKING, IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO CHANGE WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
I’m working my way back to the title of this teaching. But first, let’s do a little study on history. Tell me, when were you saved? When you believed? Nope, sorry, wrong answer. It is written in Revelation 13:7 that the Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world. That was before mankind ever existed, and certainly before sin existed on earth. Yet, God, in His infinite wisdom, chose to save us, preparing the Lord Jesus to take away our sin, before we thought we even needed a Savior, and even slightly before that day you and I were born. Imagine that! He knows something we don’t! And at that time before time was, Jesus prepared Himself to take all our sicknesses and diseases (and calamities) upon His own body, therefore becoming our Healer. The physical manifestation of that salvation and healing took place around the events of the crucifixion of Jesus.
I don’t fully understand everything that happened concerning salvation and healing. And maybe I never will. Maybe I don’t need to. Perhaps you don’t either. There are things that went on beyond our feeble understanding that only God knows. But that doesn’t make them any less valid, does it? I can’t begin to tell you how many hours I have spent teaching some of you about healing. And some of you still don’t get it. I believe God is patient concerning all our questions, and teaching us, because He wants us to be wise. But sometimes, when we insist on knowing “why?” His answer is simply, BECAUSE I SAID SO!
You know, we can make this simple, or we can make this hard. Simple is better. God made it easy for us, if you really think about it. He provided our life and breath. He provided the perfect Lamb for the sacrifice for our sins, so we could escape hell. He provided healing for our bodies, so we could live our lives healthy, to the full. He provided “the measure of faith” by which we can believe for all His promises. Yes, HE provided it all. We bring nothing to the table, in reality. He did it all. Plain and simple. He did it, so you and I couldn’t screw it up. He knew we’d surely try to, and succeed for the most part, in putting our twist on things Divine and Holy. But we need to keep our hands off this, my friends. It is God’s doing, nothing of ours. How long will we try to reason out why our healing isn’t working? How long will we keep letting religious people dilute God’s word into none effect? Aren’t you sick and tired of being sick and tired?
I believe that if you aren’t seeing the Hand of God at work in your church meetings healing and saving people, then the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being misrepresented there. Yes, that’s a bold statement, but I have the Word of God to back that up. You simply have to look in the New Testament and follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus, and look in the book of Acts and see what the early church people were doing. God was showing up there, folks, and turning their world upside down. There were signs and wonders and miracles taking place on such a magnitude, that thousands were being added to the church. Are we seeing that today? No. Why not?
Simple, really. Like I said, we’re trying too hard to reason things out. Instead we need to just take God at His Word and run with it. Stop trying to make a recipe out of it. Just settle it in your heart and mind. Receive it. Pleasing God is a lot simpler than you think. He isn’t hard, harsh and selfish and judgmental. HE LOVES YOU ! Think of this, what if you told your mate or loved one, I love you with all my heart, but I don’t believe a thing you tell me! What kind of relationship could you really have? If they say to you, I love you, and you in as many words tell them, I don’t believe you, then you could spend your life thinking you aren’t loved, when the truth is, you could have enjoyed being loved if you had simply believed their words. This is for some of you out there, I’m going to help you here…..your life will be a lot easier and more pleasant if you will just take God at His Word right now, and stop saying “why?”.
A famous man of God used to say, “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.” The Lord told me one day, “That isn’t entirely correct. I said it, and that settles it.” We need to heed that word from God. And I mean right now!!! He said it, that settles it. Period. Actually, whether or not you believe God’s word doesn’t change it. His word is still settled, regardless of anything you do or don’t do. You can’t change God’s word, but His word can sure change YOU! Sort of like when Jesus told Paul, It’s hard to kick against the pricks. Sure is. Life sure gets better when you get in agreement with God. That’s when salvation and healing comes, along with all His other benefits.
God said you are healed by the stripes of Jesus. So you are, period. Your church Board doesn’t have to take a vote on it. Quit arguing with God or doubting Him. Simply praise Him and thank Him for it and enjoy it. It’s yours for you to enjoy. Take it! He said He forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases. So He did. Period. Thank Him for your eternal life with Him. Celebrate with Him and the angels. When was the last time God lied to you? Hmmmm??? Stop looking for another answer. There isn’t one, believe me. He gave you the right answer the first time. A clue: Religion looks for another answer when the right one doesn’t work. (Think about that)
Jesus told people truth from His Father, and demonstrated it to them. Religious people gave reasons and recipes, but no demonstration. So which would you rather have? I’d rather just have what God says I can have, and be who He says I can be, and do what He says I can do. Don’t worry. Be happy! (sorry, I couldn’t resist that one)
By the way, I finally learned to stop asking “Why?” Why? Because one too many times He told me, “BECAUSE I SAID SO !!” I finally got it. Now it’s YOUR turn.