When I was very young I had a strange habit. I often recall pulling up a chair to our ice box, climbing up, swinging the freezer door open and scooping handfuls of soft ice from the sides of the freezer.
The shavings were similar to a snow cone and so refreshing so I guess it just felt good on a hot summer day. Well, my mother wanted to curb this habit for many reasons so she told me that the freezer ice was made from toilet water. I remember challenging this and asking her, “How?” I don’t recall the explanation but apparently it was good enough because I stopped cold. Lol.
To this day, I still have an unpleasant image that comes to mind at times of toilet water chilling in our fridge.
You know, it’s hard shaking off things we’ve heard and come to believe over the years. I especially struggled with some Biblical instructions and explanations of who God is and His character.
For example, when it comes to the sufferings of Christ I had heard it taught that Christians were to suffer like Christ. They would go on to say that sickness, poverty and emotional turmoil are all part of the sufferings of Christ.
But then I read the Bible for myself and studied the New Testament and not once does scripture say that Jesus suffered sickness or poverty. Not once.
He got hungry. He got tired. He got beaten. He got bruised. He got spat on. He got ridiculed. He got mocked. He got stripped naked. He got lied about. He got shunned. He got abandoned.
But not once did He get sick.
Except when He “Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses,” and by “whose stripes we WERE healed.” Matt: 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24.
Nor was Jesus poor. (Remember the wise men who delivered gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus and His family?)
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich.” 2 Cor. 8:9
You know, you can’t give away what you don’t have. I know, I was taught that wealth is a sin. Well, if you use it out of a selfish heart then yes, I believe it becomes an idol. But if a person looks at wealth as just a tool for good, then that is the heart of God. He knows we need/use money on this earth and He said, “Seek ye first, the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.” Matt. 6:33
If we don’t love money then it cannot be a root of evil in our lives, instead it will be a blessing for us, and for others we share it with. Jesus was rich, He even had a treasurer to manage the funds. Judas.
We also see in scripture that Jesus “had no place to lay His head” but that is not because He was homeless but because He was constantly on the move from town to town ministering to people.
You know Jesus had only three years to usher in the good news of redemption, repentance, renewal and reconciliation.
He had to counter two thousand years of commandments, traditions of men, man’s laws, rules and harsh punishments for any infractions.
Jesus introduced a strange new teaching that had been unheard of.
Grace. Getting what you don’t deserve. And mercy, not getting what you do deserve.
Throughout His ministry Jesus was administering both when He “went around doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil because God was with Him.” Acts 10:38
Jesus Himself never suffered sickness. So neither should we.
He did in fact suffer persecution, and so will we.
And the word of God does promise that “all those who live Godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 1 Tim. 3:12
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20
The sufferings of Christ were at the hands of men.
Sickness and poverty are curses, (Deut. 28:20-68), in the Old Testament under the law, but in the New Testament and under the New Covenant Jesus became accursed for us.
“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” Gal. 3:13
Jesus never suffered sickness, in truth He “who knew no sin, became sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21.
Sickness is a result of the fall of man where death entered the world.
When we hear teachings that we must suffer illnesses like Jesus we should go to the word of God.
We can learn to submit to God (His word) and resist the devil (John 10:10) and he will flee from us.
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4: 6-7
Interesting that pride is mentioned in relation to yielding to the word of God. I had a lot of pride working for me because I was holding onto the doctrines of men I grew up with, instead of allowing the word of God to become truth. Even if the Bible came against my previous beliefs and experiences.
The result?
The Word of God/His promises became effective in my life and I began to see healing manifested in my own body and others I prayed for who believed.
This It is not a “fake it until you make it” theology, but rather it is “believe and receive, or doubt and do without.”
So because of my belief and practice of God’s word in my life I (and many others who believe in divine healing, miracles, signs and wonders for today) have suffered the sufferings of Christ which is persecution.
Believing God’s best will make you stand out like a healed thumb and some won’t like it. But it’s not their body, their future, their life.
What sacred cows do you need killing? So that you can live.
Praise Jesus His word endures forever.
PS. Dear Readers, I am opening up a discussion, with no condemnation as we are all learning and growing in the knowledge of Him, to anyone who wants to write to me with questions about sacred cows lurking in your pasture. Or freezer. Lol. Please feel free to address your questions to bkgroves1996@yahoo.com. Thank you for your continued support of this column all these years. God Bless you and your family in Jesus name.
