1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:02,920 You can ignore that, it's just the podcast. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:05,280 You can be seated. Thank you. 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:20,110 I want to say first thing, I'm. I'm really pleased that some of 4 00:00:20,110 --> 00:00:24,670 your men went to my church yesterday, the Christian center. 5 00:00:25,470 --> 00:00:27,430 I didn't. I didn't make the event because 6 00:00:27,430 --> 00:00:29,350 you didn't even go to your. I didn't even go. 7 00:00:29,830 --> 00:00:35,480 So confession's good for the soul but not I knew it was going 8 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:40,280 to be a great event And my wife if you don't know her name is 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:42,000 Trisha. You want to leave her my name 10 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,880 and our youngest son is Anthony. Anthony can you wave? 11 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,120 Anthony, you want to stand up and testify that this morning. 12 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:53,960 Take that as a no. All right. 13 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:57,600 It's good to be with you. It's. 14 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,160 I'm excited to be with you because I know what God's doing 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:09,080 here and every time we come here I see growth and and I know, I 16 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,320 know sometimes it looks like numerically it's slow but slow 17 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:18,280 growth is healthy. You don't overgrow and 18 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,000 overextend and maybe make bad decisions. 19 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,840 And I want to say that you've got a godly pastor and and and 20 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:26,960 wife. I'm. 21 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:30,600 I'm extremely proud of him. I have another son at Stafford 22 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,280 who's preaching this morning as well. 23 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:38,960 He's all right. But as I arrived this morning, 24 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,040 the the team was here. Dylan was here with the team 25 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,360 setting up and there's my grandson's helping. 26 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:49,480 So God is using them even at an early age, and it just thrills 27 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,920 my heart. But I did the same thing to your 28 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,640 brother when I preached in the Freedom Church. 29 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,520 So I'm going to do the same thing to do. 30 00:01:57,520 --> 00:01:59,760 I'm going to tell a story on you. 31 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:07,680 As you know John Michael is is a pretty good communicator I 32 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,960 think. And when he was in the third 33 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:17,040 grade he had a, we had a parent teacher PTA association meeting 34 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,280 and I go in and I'm like, well, how's John Michael doing, you 35 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,880 know, and and his teacher was was Becky Liverman. 36 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:29,000 And Becky said he's he's doing, he's doing really good. 37 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,280 I said OK. She said the only thing I would 38 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:39,960 say is he won't stop talking. And I said, well, I will deal 39 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,840 with that When I get home. She goes, no, you can't do that. 40 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,440 I said, Becky, you just told me he's interrupting the class. 41 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:49,800 She said you can't stop him from talking. 42 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:55,920 He's got to talk and I'm like, OK, I don't know as a parent how 43 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:00,440 how you win with that one. But anyway, he turned out. 44 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,880 It turned out just fine. But she was my favorite teacher, 45 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,640 obviously. Obviously if you have your 46 00:03:07,640 --> 00:03:11,680 Bibles This morning turned with me to the book of Matthew and I 47 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:16,600 understand that's where you all have been for for a few few 48 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,320 weeks, I guess months. OK. 49 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:23,960 And we're going to begin in Matthew Chapter 8, verse one 50 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:28,680 through 4. And I'll tell you this morning 51 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:33,600 as we were worshipping, I really sense a strong anointing and and 52 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,560 and I'm, I'm telling you, don't take that for granted. 53 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,360 The anointing is what every church needs. 54 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:46,920 It's it breaks the yoke. It breaks the bondage. 55 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,280 And I sensed that in Middlesex, in the Middle Peninsula and 56 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,320 certainly in the Northern Neck years ago I ministered there. 57 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:00,840 There are strongholds and and it's the anointing that breaks 58 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:05,160 those strongholds. So be excited about what God's 59 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,800 doing. Listen to to the word of God is 60 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:13,680 being preached and and as as John is endeavoring to do making 61 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:18,240 disciples, love each other. Take care of each other the way 62 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,000 you're doing and I really believe you're poised for God to 63 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,600 do great things. I'm excited. 64 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,680 I'm excited by what I'm hearing, what I'm seeing. 65 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,240 If you if you're taking notes this morning I've just titled 66 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:35,480 this healing touch and Matthew 8 verse one. 67 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,360 When he came down from the mountain, the large crowds 68 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,840 followed him and then a leper came and worshipped him, saying, 69 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:51,520 Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean and I love verse 70 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,480 3. Jesus reached out his hand and 71 00:04:53,480 --> 00:05:02,680 touched him, saying I will be clean and immediately his 72 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:07,640 leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, See that 73 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:12,480 you tell no one but go your way. Show yourself to the priest, and 74 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,880 offer the gift that Moses commanded as a testimony to 75 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,280 them. Father, we honor you this 76 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:23,760 morning. We recognize your leadership, 77 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:28,680 your anointing. Lord, apart from you, we can do 78 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:33,120 nothing. But Lord, with you we can run 79 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,320 through a troop. We can leap over a wall. 80 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:40,320 Father, I ask that you would anoint and touch every person 81 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:45,840 here this morning to receive what you have in all your 82 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:48,040 goodness in Jesus name. Amen. 83 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,960 I can't overemphasize the fact that Jesus was willing to touch 84 00:05:54,960 --> 00:06:00,480 the unclean, get a little emotional. 85 00:06:06,910 --> 00:06:12,670 In August of 2017, one of my best friends was dying of bone 86 00:06:12,670 --> 00:06:17,840 cancer. And I I'll tell you, I prayed 87 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:20,440 for people and they've died. I prayed for healing and he 88 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,680 died. So I'll get that out of the way 89 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:27,880 first. But I'm a retired police officer 90 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:33,000 from Hiraico County and he was my field training officer. 91 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,840 So if you know anything about your FTO, he's like, God, when 92 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:39,520 you're first starting, you know nothing. 93 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,080 He knows everything. And he was born and raised right 94 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:48,680 here in Middlesex County. His family owned a dock 95 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,240 business, Jesse Docks. They build Piers and stuff like 96 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:57,600 that. And and Jim was a little fella, 97 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:03,320 about 6 foot five, 260 lbs. So he was a man's man. 98 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,080 And I've seen him do things to people that I couldn't believe 99 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,560 you could do, but I didn't know you could literally rip somebody 100 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,360 out of a car seat that's buckled in and pulled them through the 101 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,000 window. Not a child, not a car seat, he. 102 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,560 Meant the yes, not a child. I'm talking about the driver. 103 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,840 Let me clarify. One of our friends at his at his 104 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,120 funeral gave the eulogy and he he. 105 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,480 I'll tell this quick story. He said Jim was on the left side 106 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,520 of the car talking to the guy and said you need to unbuckle 107 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,920 and step out of the car. And the guy didn't want to do it 108 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:42,160 because he knew he was going to jail. 109 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:45,880 And the other officer went on the other side and said you 110 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,680 really ought to unbuckle. He goes. 111 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:49,040 Why? He said, because it's going to 112 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:58,520 hurt a lot less anyway. Went to the hospital at MCV in 113 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,520 Richmond. There he lays in palliative 114 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:06,960 care. And I was just holding his hand, 115 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:11,640 touching him, loving on him. And he said, I'm glad you're 116 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:13,760 here. And he, he told me a year before 117 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,680 he said, if I die, I want you to preach my funeral, which I 118 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,840 didn't want to do. I said, well, you got a pastor, 119 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,000 He said, but he don't know me like you know me. 120 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,520 How do you tell your best friend you're not going to preach your 121 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:28,120 funeral? Right. 122 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:33,200 So obviously I did. But what he said to me really 123 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,200 disturbed me about a minister who came to pray with him. 124 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,440 He said he acted like he was afraid to touch me. 125 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:47,600 And where I'm going with that is we cannot be afraid to pray and 126 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,960 lay hands on people. He said it was like he thought 127 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,080 that my cancer was going to jump on him. 128 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,200 And let me tell you, if God has anointed you to pray and lay 129 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,880 hands on people, he's anointed to keep you from any any harm 130 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:07,200 effect. So the burning question today 131 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:08,800 continues. Does God heal? 132 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,960 Is it his will? Who does he heal? 133 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,400 Leprosy looked was looked at in the scriptures as God's 134 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,720 displeasure. You remember Miriam and and 135 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:28,320 Numbers, Chapter 12. Miriam and and Aaron had 136 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:34,400 murmured against Moses and it infuriated the Lord and he 137 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:39,840 struck her with leprosy. So if you had leprosy, you were 138 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,440 unclean and you literally had to walk through the street 139 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:51,960 declaring unclean, unclean, unclean humiliation afflicted. 140 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,360 Follow those that were afflicted with this disease. 141 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,600 Imagine walking through your daily walk and you've got this 142 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,440 disease and you're walking down the street and you see people 143 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,440 cross the street, so they don't have to confront you don't want 144 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:05,880 to, don't want to be associated with it. 145 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,480 But this is exactly the kind of people Jesus came for. 146 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:15,720 Amen. At the end of Matthew 7/28/29, 147 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,080 it says it came to pass. When he had ended these sayings, 148 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,240 the people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them 149 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,640 as one having authority and not as the scribes. 150 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,120 This is following the what's known as the Sermon on the 151 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:28,560 Mouth. And they were astonished. 152 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:32,520 And if you got your Bible and you got a word you're not 153 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,120 familiar with or maybe you think you know what it means, 154 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,080 sometimes it's good to look it up anyway, right? 155 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,680 I looked up the word and it for. And Webster says for 156 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:42,800 astonishment, great surprise or wonder. 157 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:48,960 So this is, this is how this man was looking at at at Jesus. 158 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:50,880 And the crowds were looking at Jesus. 159 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,440 We're going to be, as I say, we're talking about healing. 160 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,520 This morning I have a friend of mine. 161 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,520 He was an evangelist from Virginia Beach. 162 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:04,160 He's now in heaven. He was in a service one time and 163 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,840 he had gone to the service because they had advertised it 164 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:10,440 healing service. And he went there and he had 165 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:15,560 gone to Dallas Theological Seminary and he went there to 166 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:19,160 take notes about everything they were wrong about regarding the 167 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:24,200 Bible and healing. And he was sitting about 3 rows 168 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,840 back. He's a pastor and he's writing 169 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,760 down everything the preacher's saying wrong, he said. 170 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,240 Until he turned around and said brother so and so I curse that 171 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:36,880 Gordon that's hanging on your neck. 172 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,120 He said that thing. I turned around, that thing fell 173 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:45,480 off and was gone. He just ripped up his notes. 174 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,360 His name was Dallas Clemons and he said something to me I'll 175 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:58,720 never forget with regarding miracles, he said. 176 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:02,280 A man with experience with God is never at the mercy of a man 177 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:08,280 with an argument. So we can argue with the word or 178 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,120 we can agree with the Word. It's up to us. 179 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:15,800 God gives us that choice. Now we all know people that have 180 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,480 been prayed for that maybe didn't get well. 181 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,280 We all know that. We all know people we pray for 182 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,320 to get saved that didn't get saved. 183 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,040 Am I right? Is that fair? 184 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,640 So I submit this morning, the problem is not with what God's 185 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:37,360 done. The problem is where we are and 186 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:42,760 what we're ready to receive. So today I want and I want to 187 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,640 endeavor to promote a spirit of expectation. 188 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,320 And I know you're growing. I can see it numerically, 189 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:55,680 obviously, but I also know that you let the miraculous start 190 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:58,720 happening at Salt Church and you're going to be out of this 191 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,600 building pretty quick. You won't. 192 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:06,600 You won't have enough room when people get healed because God 193 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,280 showed up. God is honored. 194 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:15,640 He's revered. So we want to follow the pattern 195 00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:18,360 of this, Leper. And the first thing I want to 196 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:23,040 talk about this Leper be a follower of Jesus. 197 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,400 You're taking notes. This is .1. 198 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:33,840 It's a normal process for people to follow men who are operating 199 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,800 in the power of God. There's an attraction there. 200 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,600 God obviously cared about the needs of the people. 201 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,760 Psalm one O 7. Now I'm going to go back and 202 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,880 forth because I want you to see healing was part of the Old 203 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,720 Testament and healing is also part of the New Testament. 204 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:58,440 Psalm One O 719 through 20 says, then they cry unto the Lord in 205 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,920 their trouble, and he saved them from their distresses. 206 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,920 He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their 207 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,120 destruction. So there we have in the Old 208 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,520 Testament, and there's many more scriptures that we're going to 209 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:15,960 be talking about a few more. Where God wants to heal, He 210 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:19,440 healed Israel. He kept them in health. 211 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:23,040 In the 40 years they were in the desert, their clothes didn't 212 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,960 wear out. Now I've got a 12 year old and 213 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:32,160 it's like every time I look, his pant legs is getting higher and 214 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,240 higher and you know, it's got to buy new new pants or whatever. 215 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,480 So their clothes didn't wear out and they fit. 216 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:42,080 The shoes didn't wear out. God provides the second thing I 217 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,680 want you to see about this, and this is so key. 218 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:49,360 I believe be a worshipper of Jesus in verse 2. 219 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,960 The first thing I noticed is Jesus did not rebuke this man 220 00:14:55,960 --> 00:15:00,960 for being a worshipper. The Jews that were around him 221 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:02,040 probably thought, who is this guy? 222 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:06,120 Think he is receiving worship so that the you may know the Son of 223 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:10,840 Man is to receive worship. He's worthy of our worship and I 224 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,560 would encourage you and I and I know it's a little awkward 225 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,240 watching a video and worshiping, but you know what? 226 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,480 Lose yourself. Lose yourself. 227 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:25,520 Lift your hands. Would have lifted hands. 228 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:27,720 A sign of. It's a sign of surrender. 229 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:30,200 Lord. I I give up. 230 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,320 This week I made a mess of this. I give up. 231 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,800 I'm trusting you. I'm leaning on you, Lord. 232 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:42,120 The word worship here is in the imperfect tense, which means 233 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,320 it's a past action. But this guy was continually 234 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:47,080 worship. I worship you, Lord. 235 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,800 I worship you, Lord. He's following Jesus. 236 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,360 He's following. I worship you. 237 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,440 I worship you. This man was not going to be 238 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:59,760 denied. And when you have, when you have 239 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:04,560 that kind of unction and you know this man is not like any 240 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:10,280 other man I've ever seen. This man teaches like nobody 241 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:14,600 I've ever heard. This man has power and 242 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,320 anointing. This is different. 243 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:25,480 Worship also gets our hearts and our minds off of our problem. 244 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:34,560 And it gets it on the answer it. When you worship God, you make 245 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:41,680 him bigger than your problem. When you worship God, you begin 246 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,120 to see things from his perspective instead of your own, 247 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:51,280 which are very narrowly focused. And there are going to be times 248 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,560 in your life that you're going to need to just understand this 249 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,320 is what I have to do. I've got to I don't care what's 250 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:59,040 going on. I don't care how I feel. 251 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:07,520 I'm going to worship God. Years ago I I went to AI 252 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,079 wouldn't call it a conference, but it was just like a meeting. 253 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,000 And we had a guy who's teaching us teaching preachers how to 254 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,880 preach. You know it's like trying to 255 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:19,520 teach a general how to be a leader, right. 256 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:21,680 So we all, we all know what we're doing. 257 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,680 We thought, but he said something interesting and I the 258 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,160 only that this is what I took away from that meeting. 259 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,680 He said worship is the anesthesia that prepares us for 260 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,720 the surgery of the Word. Think about that. 261 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:40,720 Worship is the anesthesia because sometimes the Word can 262 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,720 cut, but worship helps us understand. 263 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:49,120 This is for my good. It acts as a numbing agent 264 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:53,600 because what's getting cut away right now needs to leave so 265 00:17:53,600 --> 00:18:00,080 God's best can come. Is he worshiped Jesus? 266 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,320 He said, If thou will, thou can make me clean. 267 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,040 He didn't doubt Jesus could do it. 268 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,360 He doubted if he had doubts about if it's his will. 269 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,800 And he presented that doubt to Jesus, if you will. 270 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:25,000 And it's just like today. I doubt you could go to any 271 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:30,400 church in this community and somebody would say God can't 272 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,560 heal. No one would say God can't heal. 273 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,960 They wouldn't dare say that. Well, you just never know what 274 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,840 God's will is. You do if you're reading this, 275 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:46,480 if you're meditating on the word. 276 00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:53,680 Thirdly this morning, be a believer in Jesus. 277 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,440 This leper had confidence in Jesus. 278 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,280 Words. Hallelujah. 279 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:06,040 Jesus instructed him to fulfill God's will by fulfilling 280 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:11,200 Leviticus 14 verses 2 through 7 where there were he was required 281 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,640 to go back in front of the priest. 282 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:17,440 All for the all for a sacrifice for the he was clean and be 283 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:24,400 brought back into fellowship. I want to say also this morning 284 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:31,000 not all sickness is due to sin. John 9/1 through four says. 285 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,360 And as Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his 286 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:39,080 birth and his disciples asked him, saying, Master who did sin, 287 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:43,920 this man or his parents that he was born blind. 288 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:46,920 Jesus answered, I love this answer. 289 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:54,200 Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works 290 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:58,120 of God should be made manifest in him. 291 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,000 Verse four I must work the works of him that sent me. 292 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:08,560 While it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. 293 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:13,800 Now I don't know, but that gets me excited because in John, 294 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:18,880 chapter 14, verses 12 and 13, Jesus says, I assure you that 295 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,320 whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. 296 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,800 They will do even greater works than these because I am going to 297 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:28,880 the Father. Hallelujah. 298 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,920 If that don't excite you, your exciter is broke. 299 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:41,200 Jesus said I came to do the works and then he said notice 300 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,720 the word works. Healing is part of the works of 301 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,640 God. So it's part of the plan of God 302 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:50,600 for people to be physically healed. 303 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:59,840 Does God still heal? Big question. 2019, I had 304 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:02,120 rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder. 305 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:03,640 Anybody had rotator cuff surgery? 306 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:08,080 It's fun. I had rotator cuff surgery to 307 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:13,360 repair torn rotator and and I'm I'm, I'm just sharing this to 308 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,720 talk about healing. Trust me. 309 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:20,680 I'll go down a rabbit hole and I'll bring you back out and 310 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,760 after after surgery you have to go to physical therapy. 311 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:26,840 If you've ever been to physical therapy, you know what I'm 312 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,680 talking about. And after about a month of 313 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,120 physical therapy, I still wasn't getting the rotation that I 314 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:37,920 should be getting the movement. So my doctor says, well, we we 315 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,920 need to do a manipulation on your shoulder. 316 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,520 And I'm like, what's that? He goes, well, I'll put you back 317 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,800 in the hospital, knock you out, and I literally just take your 318 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:53,680 arm and just move it around until we get the movement that 319 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:58,320 we feel like we need to get. Well, he did that. 320 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:06,200 The nerve block did not work. I woke up way too early and I'm 321 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:07,800 just being honest. I'm in church. 322 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,480 I probably, since I know I said some things I shouldn't have 323 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:15,160 said. But I was in severe pain and 324 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:18,560 another month went by, still didn't have it. 325 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,720 He goes, we got to have another manipulation. 326 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:29,880 So did the second one still, And then he goes, still not getting 327 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:31,960 the movement. We need to do another surgery. 328 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,280 I said I need a second opinion. Hallelujah. 329 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:39,280 So I went and had a second opinion done in Richmond and had 330 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,080 a doctor. He said you've got scar tissue, 331 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:45,760 it's binding your shoulder up. He went in arthroscopically and 332 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:52,920 cut it out and I had my movement so long story longer back in 333 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,640 2022 and I woke up and this shoulder starts hurting me. 334 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,280 It's like somebody has just stuck a ice pick down in it and 335 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,520 I'm like this is, this is a familiar pain. 336 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:12,640 And I said to my wife, I cannot go through that again And I 337 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,560 started praying and I had been working out so I had to stop 338 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,520 doing that because that aggravated it. 339 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:25,360 But I'll tell you, I trusted God and now I can move my arm. 340 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,640 I couldn't even do this. It hurts so bad. 341 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,560 So I know. I know from other people's 342 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:38,000 testimonies. I know from God healing me that 343 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,680 he still heals. Amen. 344 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,760 Jesus was dealing with scribes and those that read the word, 345 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:51,600 but they denied the power. Let's don't be that way in in 346 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,920 Matthew 9 and I'm not trying to steal your sermon in a few 347 00:23:54,920 --> 00:24:03,320 weeks, but a man was presented to Jesus who was sick of the 348 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,840 palsy. And Jesus said, son, be a good 349 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,520 cheer your sins, be forgiving now. 350 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,000 Yes, spiritually. What's most important? 351 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,760 That you spend eternity in heaven with Jesus, right? 352 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:15,720 That is the first thing. Absolutely. 353 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,040 So then the scribes and Pharisees start complaining of 354 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:21,800 that. He's got to think he is 355 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:26,600 forgiving sins and I want you, I want you to understand this, 356 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,840 that Jesus ties physical healing in with salvation right here. 357 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:35,880 He said, is it easier to say son, your sins are forgiven or 358 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:39,040 to say arise and take your take up your bed and walk into your 359 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,320 own house? He said. 360 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,000 But so that you will know that the Son of man has power to 361 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,720 forgive. Son, get up, take up your bed 362 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:52,920 and let's go. So now we know that it is God's 363 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,200 will to heal. We know that it is part of 364 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:59,240 salvation. It's not spiritual healing. 365 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,320 This guy was sick with the palsy. 366 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:07,600 We've seen people who had palsy. We know what that is. 367 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,240 The challenge we have is to believe. 368 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:18,040 Amen, Jesus said in Mark 1122 through 26. 369 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:20,560 Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that 370 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,800 who serves, say to this mountain, be removed, be thou 371 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,760 cast in the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall 372 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:31,960 believe everybody say, shall believe, that what he says will 373 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,160 happen, It shall be done unto him. 374 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:39,600 Therefore I say unto you, whatever things you desire, when 375 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,720 you pray, it's important to pray. 376 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:46,560 Believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. 377 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,080 Now this is a part that sometimes gets forgotten. 378 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:56,000 And when you stand praying, forgive if you have ought 379 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,000 against any. That's a word we don't use a 380 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:03,080 lot, but ought is basically one commentary I wrote, Read said. 381 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,280 The point is the petty way in which we as sinners assume we 382 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:12,680 have such a strong relationship with God that we often won't 383 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,920 forgive comparatively minor offenses that have been 384 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,360 committed against us. I've done that. 385 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:24,960 And you know, I never looked at that as a hindrance to maybe 386 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:30,600 getting healed. Somebody cut you off on II64. 387 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:38,720 That will cut you off on 33. Do they stay off I64? 388 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:44,160 It will test your faith. Romans 10/17. 389 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,360 So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. 390 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:51,760 And this is an act of faith. It's not something you can hear 391 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,280 one time. It's something you hear and you 392 00:26:54,280 --> 00:27:00,960 hear and you hear. How did you learn to talk when 393 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,600 you were a baby? You were blurting out stuff. 394 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,400 Oh, that's good, that's good. You know, Mom and daddy cheering 395 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:09,880 you on. And Saints, when you got new 396 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:14,480 believers, cheer them on, Encourage them in their faith. 397 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,240 They may say things that are absolutely ridiculous and you 398 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:20,080 may think, are they ever going to grow up? 399 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:23,240 They will, but we're not going to criticize. 400 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,160 We're going to bless him and say, OK, here's maybe another 401 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,560 way of thinking of this. Here's a way to do that, to 402 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:36,520 believe for this Isaiah 53, verse 3 through 5, speaking 403 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,960 prophetically of Jesus, he was despised and avoided by others. 404 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:45,000 A man who suffered who knew sickness well, like someone from 405 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,040 whom people hid their faces. He was despised, and we didn't 406 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:51,640 think about him. It was certainly our sicknesses 407 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:55,680 that He carried and our suffering that He bore. 408 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:59,160 But we thought him afflicted, struck down by God, and 409 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,840 tormented. He was pierced because of our 410 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:06,320 rebellions and crushed because of our crimes. 411 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,160 He bore the punishment that made us whole. 412 00:28:10,360 --> 00:28:15,680 By his wounds we are healed. Hallelujah. 413 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:24,240 And then in the New Testament, Peter referring back to Isaiah 414 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:29,720 in chapter 2, verse 2320 through 24, who when he was reviled, 415 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:33,880 reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened 416 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:37,080 not. Can you imagine threatening the 417 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,840 God of the universe? What you what you going to do to 418 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,920 him? He's like, I can squash you like 419 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:50,040 a bug. He didn't, he didn't even he 420 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:54,120 didn't revile back. But he committed himself to him 421 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:59,080 that judges righteously who his own self bear our sins in his 422 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:04,120 own body on the tree. That we, being dead to sins, 423 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:11,800 should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed. 424 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:19,480 There's a lot of people that will talk try to talk you out of 425 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,400 healing. There's a lot of ministers that 426 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,240 will try to talk you out of believing for healing. 427 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,720 But if you take healing out of the gospel, you've taken about 428 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,360 1/3 of it out. Because everywhere Jesus went he 429 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:36,920 was healing people. I heard a long time ago, healing 430 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:41,120 is the dinner bell that brings sinners in and people start 431 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,200 seeing individuals coming here and getting healed. 432 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,640 It's it's attractive, right? Is this better than being in any 433 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:52,120 hospital bed? You know, I don't care how fine 434 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,520 of a hospital is. It's not as good as being here. 435 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:59,360 Amen. John Bevere in his book called 436 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:02,240 The Awe of God, made a statement I want to read to you. 437 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,960 He says we have been given authority on earth to speak out 438 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:09,840 of our mouths, to establish God's will in the earth. 439 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:11,520 We said the Lord's Prayer, right? 440 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,920 Our Father guard in heaven, hallowed be your name. 441 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:21,960 Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done. 442 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:25,440 So we're speaking God's will in the earth. 443 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:31,480 God will not force his way into our least earth. 444 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:32,840 This is what Bevere said. I'm. 445 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,000 I'm going to start over. We have been given authority on 446 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,000 earth to speak out of our mouths to establish God's will in the 447 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,240 earth. He will not force His way into 448 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:49,280 our least earth unless we ask for His will to be done. 449 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,360 He gave Adam authority and dominion. 450 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,280 Jesus restored our rights to be able to do that. 451 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:07,240 Now it's up to us to enforce His will, but He will not supersede 452 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:12,360 you if you don't ask. While Jesus was here on earth, 453 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:15,600 he offered prayers and pleadings with loud cries and tears to the 454 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:17,000 one who could rescue him from death. 455 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:23,680 And God heard his prayer. Note this because of his deep 456 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:30,800 reverence for God. Hebrews 5 seven And this 457 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,320 morning, as we are concluding, I want to say this to you. 458 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,960 We're going to be praying for you. 459 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:42,760 If you got any sickness, any sickness, we're going to ask you 460 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:47,840 to come up in just a few minutes and we're going to practice the 461 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:49,000 word of God. Amen. 462 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:53,160 Because it does you no good to walk out of here going, you 463 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:57,840 know, that was a decent sermon. Yeah, but we want it. 464 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:02,920 We want to apply it to our life. We want it to work in our life. 465 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:08,520 And plus we're commanded in James the 5th chapter, verses 14 466 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:13,000 through 16. If any of you are sick, they 467 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,200 should call for the elders of the church and the elders should 468 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:20,960 pray over them. Now as your church grows 469 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:24,640 numerically, I'm telling you if you get sick you need to call 470 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:29,040 your pastor and as God establishes elders to assist 471 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,200 him, you need to call the elders. 472 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,920 Don't get mad at your preacher if you're in the hospital and 473 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:39,920 you nobody ever called him and told him, that's a sidebar. 474 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,800 My dad was a preacher and that would frustrate him so much. 475 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:47,160 People go to the hospital and get mad because he didn't come 476 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:48,360 see him. I didn't know. 477 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:54,000 So let's be reasonable call for the elders of church. 478 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,440 They should pray over them anointing them with oil in the 479 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:01,560 name of the Lord. Prayer that comes from faith 480 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:06,360 will heal the sick, for the Lord will restore them to health and 481 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:09,440 if they have sinned. Remember earlier we talked about 482 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:13,760 the connection. You can have anything you ask, 483 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:16,680 but if you're standing praying, forgive. 484 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,200 There's a there. James is alluding to that as 485 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,400 well. They will be forgiven. 486 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:26,480 And for this reason, confess your sins to each other and pray 487 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:28,640 for each other so that you may be healed. 488 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,560 Hallelujah. Bow your heads. 489 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:48,520 Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. 490 00:33:53,160 --> 00:34:02,680 Father, we pray right now that your word has gone forward and 491 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,280 we know apart from you we can do nothing. 492 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:18,120 But with you, Lord, we have weapons that are not carnal, but 493 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:24,480 they're mighty through God to the pulling down strongholds, 494 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:31,440 allowing us to cast down any imagination that would hinder us 495 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:38,320 from receiving from you. It doesn't matter, Lord, what we 496 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:42,080 believed before. What matters is what we believe. 497 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:48,840 And we say now and that we continue to say, and we say, 498 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:53,280 Lord, you are good. You are a good God. 499 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:57,040 You are a good God. You're not willing that any 500 00:34:57,040 --> 00:35:00,520 perish you're not in. You're not willing that any be 501 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:01,000 sick. There's. 502 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:03,040 Nothing. God cannot. 503 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:05,440 Do so, Lord, right now we just worship you. 504 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:06,920 There's nothing. God cannot. 505 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:10,600 Do we worship you, Lord? Like the leper? 506 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:14,880 Lord, we worship you. We praise you. 507 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:17,320 We thank you. Thank you, Lord. 508 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:21,160 For your word. Your word says You sent your 509 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:27,160 word and healed their diseases. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and 510 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:31,520 forget not always benefits. Who forgives our sins and heals 511 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:44,960 all our diseases, Lord, as the passage in your word says, Lord, 512 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:51,240 I believe, help my unbelief. Get me beyond myself. 513 00:35:52,720 --> 00:35:57,280 Get me to the place of faith and trust. 514 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:05,080 Lord, we just thank you, and you hear the earnest please, of your 515 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:10,040 people. Let us be like Jesus, with loud, 516 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:15,000 with prayers and loud pleadings, and because of a deep reverence 517 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:20,360 for you. You hear us, but you're not just 518 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:23,840 a God who hears. You're a God who acts.