This weekend we were part of two Get-Togethers: on Saturday we were blessed to assemble with spiritual "family" as the Body of Christ from around 2:30 -11 pm.  We talked, ate, prayed, discussed the Bible, testified, and shared what the Lord is doing in our lives. 

We were blessed, encouraged, challenged, our faith in the Lord edified, and felt excited about Jesus. The next morning, Sunday, we awoke with the sense of God's Presence and thankfulness, and a desire to share the Word and faith of Jesus Christ with others.

On Sunday we met with family to celebrate the graduation of our niece from High School.
We ate, talked about sports, people, gardening, politics, personal stuff, and medical issues.  In the group of relatives, one was in a wheelchair, one could not use his right arm and was in pain, another with back pain and other unhealed health issues, another has been wearing either a cast or brace for so long, I cannot remember when he was not lame.  Everyone in this group was either Catholic or professed some kind of belief in God.

The second gathering left me spiritualy drained, saddened, and grieved for their unbelief.  We had hoped to have an open door to minister faith and healing according to the scripture, but instead we marveled at their unbelief.  Like the woman with "an issue of blood" in Luke 8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any (of the doctors),  several of these relatives have run out of medical options and treatments and now they are stuck with pain and infirmity. 

One year ago the Lord brought me into physical brokeness and pain (broken ribs, wrist bones, leg and hip a shattered hip socket).  After leaving the hospital June 24th after 9 days (see "My Walk Thru The Valley of Death")   by God's grace, I have not returned once to see any of the doctors as God has healed my body.

How sad it is today that the many have more faith in "doctors' and "pharmacists" rather than in the Living God.  One of the many reasons Christians need to LEAVE their "church" is because there is no faith and there are no role models that talk the talk and walk the walk of faith.

And so it was in Jesus' day, among the "church" people of Israel. Mark 6:6 And He marvelled because of their unbelief.

unbelief is defined:
unfaithfulness, faithless
want of faith, unbelief
weakness of faith unfaithful, faithless, (not to be trusted, perfidious)
incredible of things, unbelieving, incredulous, without trust (in God)

Why did Jesus "wonder" at their UNBELIEF? I am convinced that it was because the people that had a salvation covenant with God did not walk in or believe the promises they had been given.

The evidence of that was the woman with the issue of blood. Despite the efforts of physicians and treatments she was unhealed. (Just like the church with our Doctors of Divinity, etc.).  Remember she was  an Israelite to whom the promises of God were given. 

 (When we left "church", we realized there was little to no faith in our works driven assembly.  Faith was exercised in the pastor's sermon, his/her prayer, his/her counseling, church "faithfulness" in tithing and attendence, and participation in church activities. Sickness and even death were all around our assembly.)

Psalms 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psalms 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save (heal) the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Matthew 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

The GOSPEL is the GOOD NEWS! -God has freely given a wonderful salvation to them that will believe, trust in, rely upon, and put their faith in "what is written" in the scriptures. 

The real problem with sickness and infirmity is that in most cases it is because of sin: 
Micah 6:13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

And God requires us to repent, forgive others, and exercise faith in His Word and promises. He called unbelief "evil".  Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

How good it is to know that when we suffer affliction, Jesus Christ took it from us upon Himself and that we may appropriate the promises through faith in what God says in scripture.  God made provision for us that if we keep our part (faith and repentence), He keeps His part, (healing and salvation).  That is Good News!

May He also grant us repentence from our unbelief and may our afflictions drive us to the foot of the cross to be delivered. May He forgive us for our unbelief.
May those who suffer find the reason and cause for their affliction and turn to Jesus.
May we come to maturity in the "faith once delivered to the saints".
May we understand that  "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst! All things are possible to him that believeth."
May God raise up role models who live the faith that they claim to represent.
May God take away the idols of Egypt: the reliance upon the gods of this world who cannot heal, save, or deliver.
May we become the "believers" that You have called us to be:  Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.

The Promise of God to "SAVE" as in Jesus saves:
gr. "sozo"  Strongs 4982. Definition:

to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
one (from injury or peril)
to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health
to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue

and here are some of the 103 verses that use "sozo":

Mt 18:11    For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Mr 5:23    And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

Mr 16:16    He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Ac 14:9    The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

Ac 2:21    And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1Co 1:18    For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Eph 2:8    For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

1Ti 4:16    Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee

Jas 5:15    And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him

Mr 5:28    For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

Mr 5:23   ... My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

Lu 8:36    They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
Lu 8:48    And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
Lu 8:50    But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

These are words from God that are forever true and are from our Covenant. 

 "Heaven and earth shall pass away but MY Words shall not pass away".