“God Heals”

Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:13-18

On the second Sunday of the month following communion, people are invited to come forward and have the elders and I anoint them with oil and pray for their healing. The reason we do this is in response to what James wrote to the church in chapter 5. We are called to pray for healing and then leave the results up to God.

I have seen God heal people physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I have seen God heal broken relationships. I have seen God heal institutions such as churches, schools, and businesses. God will answer our prayers for healing according to His will.

When my mother was struggling with cancer, the elders and the pastor of our church came to our home, anointed her with oil, and prayed over her. She wasn’t healed as I expected-by having God remove the cancer from her body. However, God did bring about healing in my family. And God did bring my mother closer to Him. Eventually, God took my mother home and gave her a cancer free body in heaven.

I know people who have been healed of cancer here on earth. I don’t know why God does this for some but not for others. But I do know that we are called to ask God to heal and then leave the results up to Him. I also know that God always does what is best.

Please let me know if you would like the elders and I to anoint you with oil and pray over you. This doesn’t have to wait for the second Sunday of the month. We would be glad to do this.

In Christ,

Pastor David