A Healing Balm for America

A Healing Balm for America
By Pastor Michael Eaton
Bethlehem Baptist Church
Pauls Valley, Oklahoma


A Healing Balm for America

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people? Jeremiah 8:22 (NIV)

There has been much controversy over health care in America. On Thursday, December 24, 2009, the U.S. Senate passed a landmark health-care reform legislation. The final Senate vote passed 60-39 along strict party lines. This followed the (3) three procedural votes that passed this week, which needed a 60-vote win. The Democrats needed all 58 members and (2) two Independents to pass the legislative hurdles against unanimous Republican opposition and a threatened filibuster.

Earlier, President Barack Obama said that if the bill is passed, it will be the most important piece of social legislation since the Social Security Act passed in the 1930’s. An Ohio Republican said, “Not even Ebenezer Scrooge himself could devise a scheme as cruel and greedy as the Democrats' government takeover of health care,"

The bill still needs to go through the process of reconciliation in which legislation passed in the House of Representatives is harmonized with the Senate's bill. Negotiations could extend until at least February.

I do not know why health care is so controversial in America. I do not know why the Ohio Republican would depict anyone trying to give health care to those who need it as a Scrooge. I guess the Republicans think it is a vast left wing conspiracy for healing in America. Maybe, they believe that health care reform is socialism. Socialism is now being associated with the plans of our newly elected African American president.
However, I know it has more to do with the gigantic health care pharmaceutical conglomerate which like the banking industry may be too big to fail. I will pray for God’s will in this bill, especially for the poor, the terminal and the disenfranchised. Health care is for healing not killing. Regardless of the benefits of the outcome of this bill passing, I am so glad that my God is too big to fail in health care.
Therefore, my question for the church today, “Is there no balm in Gilead?”

The Balm
Many of you will remember the well-known traditional African-American spiritual, “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” The refrain of this song says:


There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul.


After the captivity, Moses give Gilead to the tribe of Gad. Gilead was on the West side of the Jordan. It was occupied long before the East side of the Jordan was conquered under Joshua leadership. The tribe of Gad settled in Gilead. This balm of Gilead was already a great resource in Gilead. This balm of Gilead had a rich history in the lives of the people of God. By conquering Gilead they were in control of the balm that people sought after for years.

The balm was a medical salve that had the power to heal wounds. The reason for this balm was that one of the trees in Gilead secreted turpentine like resin that was highly sought after. It was said this balm was worth twice its weight in silver, because of its healing power. The caravan that Joseph was sold to was taking balm from Gilead to Egypt (Gen.37:25). After Joseph was elevated to second in command in Egypt, there was a food shortage. The famine that Joseph had warned was in full effect.
Many years after they sold Joseph into slavery, his brothers had come to Egypt in search of food due to the famine. The brothers not knowing that Joseph was their brother were given a test. Joseph placed Simeon in jail and sent them back to their homeland to retrieve his younger brother Benjamin. Jacob under much distress over losing Joseph, Simeon and now Benjamin told Judah to take some balm back to Joseph. (Gen. 43:11)
During the contemporary era of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the nation of Israel was still known for this great resource, the balm of Gilead. (Ezekiel 27:17) However, during thier ministry, many of the people were wounded, due to their sin of idolatry. Their sins were making them sick. There was a health care crisis amongst the people of God. They needed to look back to God for the healing balm in Gilead.
Today, we as a people are wounded, became of our sins of the idolatry of materialism. Our sin is making us sick. There is a health care crisis in America. The people of God need to look back for the healing balm of Gilead. As we look to our government for the answers to health care, I can hear God clearly posing the question. Where is the balm in my church? Why isn’t the Christians physician there? Why aren’t the wounds of my people healed in the church? Why are you placing all of your hope in the limited power of the government?
Look to me to heal your wounded body, mind and soul. There is a balm in American’s churches.


The Belief

Christian healing is not charismatic chaos. It is a Baptist belief or should I say, it was the Baptist belief. The Baptist believer use to trust what the Word of God said about healing. We believe in healing. We believe in healing even though there are and have been many false examples of Christian healing. We believe in healing even though God does not heal every person or disease. We believe in miraculous healing through prayer. We believe in miraculous healing through doctors. This is why this and any other health care bills need to be passed for the poor and the disenfranchised. Some Christians only believe in miraculous healing and they will not see a doctor. This belief will lead you open to false healer. Some Christians only believe in doctors and medications. This belief will lead you to the limit power of doctors and medications. We believe that ultimate healing is from God. Jeremiah 30:17 says, “For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds.”


The Bible

God is my health care plan. This is the first thing that Christian must believe to be in good health. When we become sick, we must believe God for healing. There is a healing balm in the church. The church is a hospital. The church is a place where you can go for health care or healing.

The bible says in James 5:14-16, “ 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be or given. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Is there a healing balm in America? America’s healing balm is in the church. If I am sick, the first thing that I will do is go to church. I will ask the pastor and the deacons to pray for me. If I am healed then, I will come back the next Sunday and praise God for my healing. If I do not have health care or can not see a doctor I will have to solely depend upon God’s healing power. If I am not healed an have health care then, I will go to the doctor and follow his instructions. I will take the prescribed medications and adjust my lifestyle choices. If this does not heal my condition, then I will pray to God. I will ask him to give me the power to serve Him regardless of my sickness for His glory. Thanks you God for your healing balm in America’ churches!

Size of Your God

You can tell the size of your God by the size of your worry list. The longer your list, the smaller your God. http://tinyurl.com/mxcp4d

Share
|

The Running Back, The Police Officer and The Compassion of Jesus

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" John 8:3-5 NIV

This month, many were outraged by the actions of Officer Robert Powell (video below on this story). Officer Powell of the Dallas Police Department made a traffic stop involving Houston Texans running back Ryan Moat in Dallas, Texas. Ryan and family had received a call from the Baylor Regional Medical Center letting them know that his wife’s mother was on her death bed.

In an attempt to make it to the Medical Center before his mother-in-law died. Moats having looked both ways drove through a red light. Officer Powell pulled him over in the Medical Center parking lot. Officer Robert Powell drew his gun as family member got out of the car to rush to the bedside. As Moat's was rightly upset, he tried to explain what was go on. Officer Powell says, “Shut your mouth. You can either settle down and cooperate or I can just take you to jail for running a red light.” Office Powell also says at some point, “I can screw you over.” Another officer came with word that Moats’ mother-in-law was really dying. Officer Powell said, “All right. I’m almost done.” However, thirteen minutes had passed away. Moat’s mother-in-law Jonetta Collinsworth 45-year-old dies before they could make it to her bed side.

Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle apologized to the Moat/Collinsworth family. Chief Kunkle says of Officer Powell’s behavior, “His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, the discretion nor the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit.”

As we look that our text today, we will see how Jesus uses his common sense, carefulness, discretion and compassion to teach us some valuable lessons.

Common Sense

In John 8:3, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus. However in order to trap Jesus it seem that they trapped a woman. It appeared to be a trap, because it takes two people to be caught in the act of adultery. They had the woman, but where was the man? Using my sanctify imagination, I believe they had conspired with the man to entrap the woman while both committed the act of adultery.

These same group of people paid Judas to betray Jesus. Now as the story is told, the woman is brought before the Pharisees and the woman is used as bait to trap Jesus.
Now, where is her partner, the man who committed this offensive act of adultery with this woman? It is apparent that he was allowed to go free.

As a teacher of the law surely Jesus was to say stone the woman to death. If Jesus allowed her go free, he could be accused of being disobedience to the Law of Moses. However, Jesus being God had good spiritual common sense. He knew that the Pharisees were trying to trap Him. We at times need to pray that God will give us common sense to see through the snares of the devil.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT, “ The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

Carefulness

Ryan Moat was guilty of running the red light. Officer Powell should have used his discretion and let him off with a warning. As a public servant, he should have escorted the Moat's family to the bedside of Jonetta Collinsworth.

It is the law, police officers can take you to jail for running a red light. However, they must use their discretion to determine whether you are a risk to society once you have ran a red light. Most of the time, a police officer will not take you to jail for running a red light. There are two more options that are at the discretion of an officer. He can write you a ticket or let you off with a warning. Officer Powell wrote Ryan Moat a ticket and also threaten him with going to jail.

Jesus had to interpret the law in the same manner that police officers are allowed to do. He uses His discretion and decided to let the woman caught in the act of adultery leave with a warning. Praise is to God for His grace!

Roman 5:20-21 (NIV)
“The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Compassion

Many people all over the world were outraged by Officer Powell reaction to NFL Player Ryan Moat. Due to Moat's NFL player status, we heard about this story. It could have been one of the countless stories of racial profiling. However, people of all races were outraged at Officer Powell's lack of compassion. Jesus in the text displayed compassion to the woman caught in the act of adultery.

Jesus said, “He who is without sin let him cast the first stone.” The Pharisees knew that they had sin in their own lives. Some may have committed the act of adultery with this same woman. Since she wasn't stone, we will just leave you with your imagination. They did not stone her and all of them walked away. After they left, Jesus let her off with a warning and said, “Go and sin no more.”

Compassion List 2009

1. Officer Robert Powell
2. Michael Phelps
3. AIG Employees
4. President Barak Obama
5. Jason Mesnick
6. Rihanna
7. Michael Vick
8. TI
9. Wall Street
10. Hulk Hogan

True Faith In God

True Faith In God

The Alps is the name of one of the greatest mountain range systems of Europe. Alps come from the Latin words albus or altus. Albus means white. Altus means high. The Alps stretch from Austria and Slovenia in the east. It goes through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, German and France in the West.

It said that the tracks were built over the Alps between Vienna, Austria and Venice, Italy before there was a train to make the trip. The people built it any way, because they knew that one-day the train would come.

They built the tracks over those high White Mountains by faith. This is the greatest illustration on faith that I have every heard out of James Chapter Two. This must have been what James was taking about when he said faith without works is dead.

James in Chapter Two had to deal with some very unspiritual mature behaviors. James was someone who the young folk would say who, “Kept it Real.” James kept it real by let the people know that favoritism is folly not faith. He kept it real by letting the people know that faith encompassed forgiveness and forbearing. He kept it real by letting the people know that faith will be fruitful! Let’s look at the lesson titled, “ The Favoritism of the Folly.”


The Favoritism of the Folly
(James 2: 1-9) NIV

1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

James shares in the above text something that was very disputing in the church. This disputing practice was show favoritism to what we in our day would call “Big Ballers” The King James calls this favoritism – respect of person. Other translations calls this prejudice or partiality. People in this church would see people who had material blessing as some one who had more intrinsic merits than poor people. This is not so with God. The rich, high born or powerful in the house of God does not have more inherent value than the poor.

.They were treating the church house like it was a club with a VIP section. If you showed up wearing “bling-bling” and FUBU, they would place you on the front row. If you show up wearing something you bought from Pay-Less, K-mart or Goodwill, you would just be lucky to get any seat. James in the text called favoritism discrimination. He calls these men judges with evil thoughts. A judge with an evil thought is worse than an average “Joe.” Judges are supposed to administer justice. Without justice, there wouldn’t be any peace in the church.

We as African Americans have experienced prejudice and discrimination at least once in our lifetime. February is Black History month. During this month, we are reminded that we have come very far as a race of people in America. We came from slavery to the discrimination of Jim Crow. We had to sit in back of the bus, drink from colored only water fountain and enter restaurants through the back door. However, God brought us though. The old folks used to sing the word of this song, “We’ve come this far by faith. Leaning on the Lord. Trusting in His Holy word. He never felt me yet.”

James was trying to get the people in the church of our Lord Jesus Christ to come this far by faith. People who discriminate do not have true faith in God. Discrimination causes a spiritual cancer in the church. That is why today many African American believe Christianity is a white man’s religion. Many prominent leaders in history claimed to be Christian but they owned slaves. That is why many African American Christians cannot divorce theology from social action. We essentially are saying, “Faith without works is dead.” God condemns the thoughts and the practice of racistism.

God condemns racisms or any kinds of favoritism. Discrimination should not be in our churches!

The Forgiveness of the Forbearing
(James 2:10-13) NIV
10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery,"also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
People how are judgmental do not have true faith in God. The word mercy in James 2:13 means kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them. The word judgment mean a sentence of condemnation, damnatory judgment, condemnation and punishment. James says in the above text. Mercy should triumph over judgment. It is better to want to help someone in a difficult situation than to judge them because they are in the situation.

I was asked once as to how I would handle a situation. The church wanted to give a baby shower for young couple who was married and were expecting a child. There was also a young teenage girl in the church that was pregnant outside of wedlock. They both were due about the some time. The people want to give the couple a baby shower, but they did not want to give the teenage girl a baby shower. They asked, “Pastor Eaton what would you do?” I responded that since this was a baby shower it seems to me that the baby that needs the most help was with the teen mother. This is a good example of how mercy should triumph over judgment. The church was trying to judge the teen mother and curse the baby. However, mercy should triumph over judgment. Here is another instance of how mercy triumph over judgment in the life of Billy Graham.


Billy Graham, the great evangelist, tells of driving through a small southern town and being stopped by a policeman and being charged with speeding. Graham admitted his quilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court. The judge asked, "Guilty, or not guilty?" When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, "That’ll be ten dollars -- a dollar for every mile you went over the limit." Suddenly the judge recognized the famous minister. "You have violated the law," he said. "The fine must be paid, but I am going to pay it for you." The judge took a ten dollar bill from his own wallet, attached it to the ticket, and then took Graham out and bought him a steak dinner!

Billy Graham used that illustration in his sermons to explain God’s grace. That is how God treats us as repentant sinners! He paid for our sins with his son and now we get to dine with him in heaven.

People who are judgmental think they are righteous. However, they are self-righteous. James had to let the self-righteous people know if they keep the whole law and stumbles at one point they are guilty of breaking all of the law. Therefore, they should let mercy triumph over judgment.

The people in this church were judging the poor for being poor. They were buying into what we call today the Prosperity Gospel. Its central doctrine is to promote that health and prosperity are promised to all believers, and are available through faith. This is faith that is folly. In Matthews 8:20, Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Peter said in Acts 3:6, “…Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Could Peter have gotten a sit in this church? Could Jesus get a sit in this church James was addressing? They would have judged wrongly and miss the savior. Mercy should have triumph over judgment.

The Faith of the Fruitful
(James 2: 14-26)

14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

People who have no works do not have true faith in God.

If you are judging me because I am poor and do not help me your faith is dead. A person is justified by what he does and not by a faith in theory. They say they built the tracks over the Alps between Vienna, Austria and Venice, Italy before there was a train to make the trip. They built it any way. They knew that the train would come one day. They did not judge that it was ludicrous to do so. They had true faith to build.

Faith in this text is the conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God. We must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We diligently seek Him by true faith. True faith will move you to action. Abraham believed God and he moved to were God lead him to go. Abraham is known for going without knowing. He had to give up his homeland, people, and idiot gods to find a city whose foundation was God. Are you willing to give up your life as you know it and go to a place without knowing all of the details? I always like to say, “If God tells you to go you better went!” A question for you, “Where is God trying to get you to go?” (ministry? marriage? In business? In South Dakota?)

In the same way Rahab the prostitute was considered righteous for what she did. She risked her life and the life of her family by lodging to the spies. Rahab also sent them off in a different direction so they could get away. Are you willing to risk your life as a Christian for what you believe? We in America do not have to risk our life for our faith. However, there are many Christian in our world today who risks their lives just to go to church. This is something that we take for granted.

Faith always involves a practical element of risk. What is God trying to get you to risk? What is God trying to get you to do? If God is trying to send you a train you better start building the tracks by faith. If God is trying to send a plane you better start building the runway by faith. If God wants you to go, you better leave by faith. If God wants you to be an author you better write by faith. Mark Beaird said, "Faith enables us to understand what God does. Faith enables us to see what others cannot see. As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do." James says to close this chapter, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”


Points to Ponder

1. People who discriminate do not have true faith in God.
2. People who are judgmental do not have true faith in God.
3.People who have no works do not have true faith in God.

Pastor Michael Eaton wrote the lesson of James Chapter 2. Pastor Eaton is the Senior Pastor of the Holiday Hills Baptist Church. Michael and his wife, Kimberly lives in Abilene, Texas.