Does God Have Your Attention?

How do you learn from God? By the things that happen in your daily life? By reading the Word? Through the advice of friends? A combo? How does God want us to learn from Him?

He wants us to learn through the Holy Spirit. In I John 2:27, it says, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” The “anointing” and “Him” refer to the Holy Spirit.

Often we go through trials that we think are from God but really aren’t. There’s a very real enemy in our world and in the heavenlies who is determined to “kill, steal and destroy” us. He causes all kinds of bad things to happen…things we wrongfully attribute to God. For example, I heard someone say that she thought God “needed” her loved one in heaven and therefore took him. That’s so wrong. The Bible clearly states in I Corinthians 15:26, that “the last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” So how can death be from God if it is an enemy of God? It can’t be. Neither can illness. God won’t “use” illness to teach you something. God will use the Holy Spirit to teach you.

The problem lies when we do get sick or hurt and turn to God in the midst of it. Sometimes we turn to Him so quickly and discover Him to be right there that we somehow feel that He brought the situation to us. But He didn’t. It’s not His style. All good things come from God. The enemy is the deceiver and would have us believe that he’s the innocent one and that God is the guilty one. But it’s not true.

Insurance or Assurance?

Sickness in America. Much of it is self-induced, but like I’ve always said, even if you shoot yourself in the foot, it hurts just as much! But whatever.

Just go to the doctor, get a bad report, stand up in church and say you believe the “good report” and then go to another doctor and get a second opinion a/k/a another bad report and continue on in this cycle until you wind up in the hospital having surgery believing that God will guide the surgeon’s hands. Give me a break!

Where in the Bible did we hear Jesus say, “Well, you’d better check with a physician first before you believe for your healing”? Nowhere! He IS the Great Physician. You CAN trust Him. He WILL heal you. So why are you still sick? Let me explain why our assurance is in Him.

Many times we read the word and think to ourselves, “That’s really great” but we don’t actually have the faith…real faith…to stand firmly and believe what He said. You either believe Him or you don’t. There is no middle ground. We can’t ask God to heal us because He already sent Jesus to receive many stripes for our healings. We have to believe God at His word that “By His stripes you ARE healed.” Can you do that?

Imagine how much money the average business and its employees would save on insurance costs if they really, truly believed God.

And a word for you pastors and ministers who always add a “disclaimer” to your prayers (you know what I mean: “I’m not telling you to stop taking your medicine, but only believe…” or “I’m not telling you to not get a second opinion, but only believe…” or “I’m believing God with you that surgery is the answer or medicine will cure you or whatever.” That’s bunk! Believe God. Believe His Word. Declare His Word! What else is there?