Grace Church Sermon Notes - Teachings That Hinder Health

Teachings That Hinder Healing

Grace Church

Pastor Bob Yandian

Wednesday Feb. 7, 2007

All scripture King James Version. These notes are what I got from sermon, not necessarily what was preached. Sermons are available to view/listen to at Grace Church website for approximately 1 month from time sermon preached.

Paul was one of the greatest proponents of divine healing. One of the teachings that we have heard is Paul's thorn in the flesh. It was supposed to be given to him to keep him from being proud. The problem is the more word you get the less proud you get. If what they say is true, then God should be really sick because He has the most Word in Him. (Joke)

Gal 4:15 KJV

15. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

People have said that this supports the thorn in the flesh was an eye disease. The words 'pluck out your own eyes' is just an expression, much like the one that Jesus used when he said 'do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing.' Do your hands have their own brains?

Gal 6:11 KJV

(11) Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

This was also supposed to be another proof of eye problems. Galatians and Hebrews were possibly written at the same time. Where Galatians ends, Hebrews picks up. This would make it the largest letter that Paul had written. Both books talk about the same things, one to the gentiles and the other to the Jewish people. Both talk about grace and law.

Jesus said he would be with us through all troubles, not that we will not go through trouble. He can be an opportunity for you to use your faith and grow.

2Co 11:20 KJVR

(20) For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

These people were letting people come in and put them back into bondage by putting them under the law. Paul would not do this. Though these people were probably one of the richest of the groups he preaches to. He will not take an offering from them. The poor Philippians take an offering and provide it to Paul so he can quit making tents. Though he would not take an offering from them, the ones trying to put them under the law took what they have. Exalt in Greek is epairō (ep-ahee'-ro). It means to exalt and is in the present middle indicative meaning: present – happening right now; middle – done to self; indicative – it really is happening. They were doing it to your self and receiving it.

2Co 11:30 KJV

(30) If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

Paul wants to testify of what God has brought them through. He does not want to talk about what he had to give up to serve God.

2Co 12:7-10 KJVR

(7) And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

(8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

(9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

(10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul says that the revelation that he had gotten from God, Satan tried to come and defeat him. Exalted above measure. The exalted here is huperairomai (hoop-er-ah'ee-rom-ahee) a derivative of the word we just looked at. It is in the present passive subjunctive. Something that could happen so this was not happening. He was getting to a point that the ministry was going to take off so Satan had to do what he could to stop it. If studying scriptures brought thorns (sickness and disease) from God, why would we want to study the Word. God said that Paul could handle it. The thorn was greater persecution in his life. God was going to bring Paul through it.

Thorn in flesh in scripture:

Numbers 33: 5, Joshua 23:15, Judges 2:3,

The thorn was people that were going to come against him.

The messenger from Satan comes from the same word we get from angel. If we follow the logic of the thorn in the flesh people we would be saying obedience to God means we will get demons sent to us. God does not work with the devil. Paul knew it was satanic, so he went to God. Satan is really attacking God when he attacks us. We will go though problems but God will deliver us from them all.

Podcast Sermon Notes - River Church Mall of America - Growing Bigger Hearts

Growing Bigger Hearts 1
Giants in our lives

Jan 1, 2006 sermon recorded

River Church of the Mall of America Podcast
These are my notes from the Podcast. All scriptures are King James Version.

The God of the Bible is a communicating God. He wants to talk with us and relate to us.

We need to grow bigger hearts. We need to grow spiritually so we can hear him on a daily basis. We need to look at a man who was like this and see what he was like. To see how he got to be a man after God's heart.

David was told by his father to see how his brothers were doings during a war they were in. When he gets there he sees Israel and the Philistines were in a stalemate. No one wanted to go into the others person's area to fight. The Philistines did not want to fight in the hills of the Hebrews and the Hebrews in the open plains. They agree to send one champion from each side. Goliath who double major in assault and battery and minored in smack talk was chosen by the Philistines. He was so big that he scarred the Hebrews. Then he started to smack talk the God of the Hebrews. This gets David angry.

His brother tries to stop thin but David will not listen. He is taken to Saul who should have been fighting this battle but is too scared. Saul tries to give David his armor but David will not use it. As David faces Goliath, he taunts David. And David replies that God will get him through all of this and defeat Goliath.

And then David slings the stone and taker him out with one blow. So what does this have to do with us today? We face giants in our lives every day. Giants of relationships, jobs, medial reports. They smack talk us in our minds much like Goliath did to the Hebrews. How did David face his giants? Here are four sequential ways;

• We can prepare in private.
  
  1Sa 17:34-35 KJV
  (34) And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
  (35) And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
  
  David took care of preparations by his care of the sheep. He did it physically with the lion and the bear, but spiritually in times of worship to God.
  
  
• Fight the right foe.
  
  1Sa 17:28 KJV
  (28) And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
  
  Would we face the Eliabs or focus on the giant foe? David made sure that his focus on Goliath. We need to fight the devil not the people on our own team. We do not need to fight each other.
  
  
• Recognize the resources
  
  1Sa 17:40 KJV
  And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
  
  David realized he needed spiritual help and God led him to the five smooth stones. When we face our giants look for the tools that will help us.
  
  
• Value your victories
  
  1Sa 17:54 KJV
• And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.
  
  He took the head and weapons to display them. Write down when God puts a victory in your life. These events need to be celebrated.

Someone has way too much time on their hands...

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