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2008年01月05日
Good Books: Divine Healing by Andrew Murray
A Happy New Year to you all! I am now about half way through the book, "Divine Healing" by Andrew Murray. I thought I had read most of his books when I was a student at Bethany but I don't recall this one and I can't find any record of Bethany publishing it either. The copy I am now reading is published by CLC.
I was especially challenged by the 19th chapter where Murray speaks about Jesus BEARING our sickness in the same way that He bears our sins. Let me quote a few lines from page 82.
"The human nature of Jesus could not be touched by sickness because it remained holy. We never find in the account of His life any mention of sickness. Participating in all the weaknesses of our human nature-hunger, thirst, fatigue and sleep, because these things are not the consequence of sin-He still had no trace of sickness."
"Thus it is not IN Him but ON Him that we see sickness as well as sin; He took them upon Him and bore them of His own free will."
After reading the chapter I was reading Galatians and was struck by Galatians 4:13.
"As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you."
Paul, being a sinner, like we all are, got sick at times. However, see here Romans 8:28 at work in that God used his sickness to enable him to meet with the Galatians and preach the gospel to them.
So, even though sickness comes upon the himan race because of sin, yet, as Christians we can rejoice that Christ has born not only our sins but also our sickness and that God in His love and power can and will use even sickness for good and for his glory. PTL
If you have a chance, do pick up and read "Divine Healing" by Andrew Murray.
投稿者 bethany : 2008年01月05日 13:51
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A very nice post, Paul-sensei.
It find it quite chalenging that Jesus had no trace of sickness in his account and he not only bore our sins,but he also bore our sickness, in order that God might use it for good.
Yes, Paul had a whole lot of sufferings in his time, but God used his sufferings to enable him to carry out his work.
I might add that for some people, sickness is that which starts their belief. Without their sickness,nothing would have happened on their part. PTL
peace always
osamu
投稿者 osamu : 2008年01月05日 19:18
I was encouraged again, Osamu San, by reading your comments. I am always glad to hear that someone has been challenged in their own life and thinking by something I have shared.
I trust we will both go forward in our lives believing that Jesus bore not only our sins but our sicknesses and also that God can and will use even sickness for GOOD in our lives. PTL
Paul
投稿者 Paul Sunde : 2008年01月06日 07:56
Greetins! Guess what I've found on the web, Paul-sensei.
http://www.victoryoversin.com/murray/healing/index.htm
I really enjoyed reading Ch.19-Jesus bore our sickness. This made me read Isaiah-53 again, and thought it is no wonder that it has been called the fifth Gospel.
The folloing line, which was left out in the quote in the initial post, also caught my attention.
"As He was without sin, sickness had no hold on Him, and He could die only a violent death and that by His voluntary consent."
The whole thing comes down to......."In the same way as soon as he has fully taken in and believed for himself that Jesus has borne our sicknesses, he does not fear to say: “I need no longer bear my sickness; Jesus in bearing sin bore also sickness which is its consequence; for both He has made propitiation, and He delivers me from both". Nice!
I also read CH.28-Job’s Sickness and Healing, another great read. I feel like reading Job for the first time in a couple of months.
Peace always
osamu
投稿者 osamu : 2008年01月09日 17:26
Osamu San,
You are so good at finding things on the net! That is amazing! I am glad that you have been reading "Divine Healing" for yourself and that you are being challenged by it.
Actually, you are ahead of me. I have been reading one chapter a day during my morning devotions. Thus, I have not yet read chapter 28 which speaks about Job-I think I will be getting to that chapter in a few days-based on your comments I am looking forward to reading that chapter already.
I am looking forward again to seeing you in church on Sunday.
May God bless,
Paul
投稿者 Paul Sunde : 2008年01月10日 06:45