The e-devotional to help keep you on track with God’s plans for your
life.
GodTracker is published at surereality.net
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“May we take up our crosses
and suffer for the sake of righteousness but, in the name of Jesus the Healer,
refuse the suffering of sickness and physical harm. For by his wounds, we have
been healed!”
Romans 8:17
…and if children, then
heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him,
that we may also be glorified together.
Jesus is God incarnate. One of God’s names is Jehovah Rapha. Directly translated this name means the LORD our Healer. So, as the Son of God, Jesus is Jehovah Rafa and Jesus healed many people of natural suffering while he walked on earth. In fact, more than 2 thirds of all the miracles that Jesus performed were miracles of healing. Therefore, I think it’s safe to say since Jesus removed natural suffering from people, natural suffering is not the type of suffering implied that we need to endure in order to be glorified in Christ.
Jesus did say, however, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” The cross was a symbol of intense suffering at the hands of man. By this statement, Jesus was implying that if we desire to be his followers, we need to be ready to suffer. Indeed. However, the suffering of crucifixion (the cross) was not natural suffering, such as with sickness or disease, it was suffering imposed by the hand of man. That is, crucifixion and the suffering that Jesus endured was persecution. Jesus was persecuted by the religious people of his day to the point of death. Jesus did not resist or retaliate against this type of suffering. Jesus welcomed it because he knew that, after he had suffered for a little while, he would be glorified to the right hand of God in majesty. Therefore, willingly suffering persecution is taking up your cross to the glory of God. But willingly suffering natural pain, disease or physical harm violates the ethics of the nature and ministry of Christ.
So, may we take up our crosses and suffer for the sake of righteousness but, in the name of Jesus the Healer, refuse the suffering of sickness and physical harm. For by his wounds, we have been healed!
God-tracking is taking up your cross to follow Christ.
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Get into the word of God and get the word of God into you.
Romans 8:15-18
Matthew 16:24
Hebrews 12:2-3
1 Peter 2:24
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Don’t Give Up, Look Up & Pray
“I make a choice today to pick up my cross when people persecute me for your sake and suffer with Christ that I may be glorified in him.”
“Dear God I have been suffering this illness for too long. I realise now that natural suffering does not glorify you. Therefore, I reject this suffering and claim the physical healing promised by your word. However, dear Lord, I am willing to suffer for the sake of righteousness. I make a choice today to pick up my cross when people persecute me for your sake and suffer with Christ so that I may be glorified in him. Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer today email me now at dudley@godtracker.co.uk
HELP keep
GodTracker free.
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What is GodTracker?
GodTracker is a weekly e-mail Christian motivational thought, written by
Dudley Anderson, based on the premise that God has a plan for our lives. His
Word calls us to seek his plan by acknowledging him in all our ways and by
tracking his purposes, in faith. Most of what you’ll read is based upon the
author’s personal experience of tracking the plans of God.
Listen to GodTracker podcasts by Dudley Anderson at, https://www.surereality.net/podcasts/
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture taken
from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
