Yes, You can be Healed!

Many people when they hear the word "Healing" in relationship to the Church, their thoughts turn to Preachers on TV placing thier hands on folks and then seeing those in wheelchairs walk, the blind see and those with cancer made clean. Yes it can happen that way, but all too many times it does not. So is there a healthy way to view Healing in the life of the Church? I encourage you to read James 5:13-19. In this passage we find what I believe to be the Christian way to view healing. It begins and ends with lots and lots of prayer. James tells us that if anyone is sick that they should call upon the elders of the church to pray over them. Now elders does not mean older people. It means those that are mature in thier Christian faith. Those who are looked up to in the Church. And then it says that we are to Confess our sins to God. Not to any man or woman but to God. To cleanse ourselves of anything that would inhibit God from blessing us. Then next we are to have those elders Anoint you with oil. Why oil? Well, for one God tells us to do it this way. It has been the practice of priests for hundreds of years to use oil to anoint a new King, to use oil when a new priest who is installed. And so now God tells us to put oil on the forehead of the one seeking anointing. A Ritual where we are calling upon God our Father to bless the one who has come to be anointed. Then we are to lay hands upon that person and pray for thier healing. Now we put ourselves into God's hands. He can heal us of whatever it is that ails us. But you might simply be healed with a calm or Peace of Mind as you go through a painful situation. That is healing as well, the peace of God. You might be told "No" like Paul was and that God will use you mightily through your painful situation. You might come to experience a healing by simply knowing that your Church stands with. You could be healed of a bad attitude or habit. You could be healed of a broken heart from a relationship gone bad. Anyway, this coming Sunday as a part of worship we will be having an Anointing Service, an altar call for those of you who are in need of Christ's healing touch. I invite to this special to give to Christ your aches and pains, your worries and sorrows, your brokenness. And then leave it up to Christ how He decides to heal you. May Christ's blessing be upon you all and may you know His power this coming Sunday. See you all in Church, Pastor Rick