MINISTRY NOTES

Week of August 2, 2009

Hi Everyone,

The concern for health care is in the news frequently. Yes, I know people with no health coverage that get excellent care and I praise God for it. Unfortunately, I also encounter people who get no or substandard health care. I personally get excellent health care through the VA, thanks to being in the military years ago. I prefer to avoid politics although I see the need for better health care (I wish everyone could have access to the care I have without the risk of being in the military). The solution is to pray that our health care will be in God's will. In our current system, some people with plenty of money think they have access to excellent health care, but I have noticed that even the very rich still die. Excellent health care will not protect you from dying or determine where you will spend eternity.

Message Notes:

What Does God Want?

The simple reason we want to know what God wants us to do is that Jesus tells us that it is crucial to getting to heaven1. Within the teachings of people and institutions that call themselves Christians, we can find people saying you will get to heaven if you come forward and shake the preachers hand to telling you to say some special words. Jesus tells us there is only one God2, and that He is God's son3 and that everything Jesus says is what God told Him to say4. Therefore it is a no brainier to follow what Jesus says. If you believe Jesus tells the truth, it is the same as following what God says.

The obvious things that God wants us to do are things like not to sin and to obey Him5. Also, God wants us to not worry about eating, drinking or what to wear6. Jesus then tells us that if we seek God and do what He wants, God will give us these things7. If we look back in history, when God provided food for the children of Israel, God told them to pick up what they needed8. Which means they had to make some effort to get what God gave them. (note: for you Bible scholars who are wondering how to know when it is God talking or Moses talking, in this passage in Exodus it is pretty obvious, when it is not obvious, a Rainbow study Bible has the words of God underlined)

How do you start turning the basics of eating, drinking and clothing over to God? You may start by asking God which clothes to wear. If God tells you that you need more clothes, ask where to get them. Ask God what to eat and when to eat. For those who are uncertain or strongly negative and say "I can't hear God", you may lose some weight or be more motivated to listen to God . As you depend more on God, you may seek His guidance on everything, which means you would be doing everything God wants1. God may guide you on all your needs. In addition to eating and drinking and clothing, this may include other areas such as exercise and sleep time, etc. With God guiding you, you may become so healthy you are not concerned about health care. Until you are at that point, when you are sick, pray for healing first9 and then use the health care system10. Apparently, sin can affect you health sometimes11. What a novel thought to let God guide you on when to sin . If everyone trusted God for health care, we might have a surplus of Doctors and hospital beds and mal practice lawyers might need to find other occupations. Then health care cost would be less expensive, if we needed it.

What is your motivation? If you try to lose weight or exercise, for personal reasons you may regain the weight and give up the exercise the first time you feel pain. If you forget your self centered thoughts like Jesus recommends12 and in the process of being obedient to God happen to become more healthy, then persevering is part of being obedient to God. And if you are exercising and feel pain, you ask God what to do, like stop, slow down or go to a Doctor. As a side benefit, you may discover that our bodies are made to enjoy the benefits of being healthy.

Let's pray, "God please help us to trust You and do what You want us to do. Help us to have confidence in You and not worry about anything, that You can take care of. Thank You for helping us, in Jesus name, Amen."

1. Matthew 7:21

2. Mark 12:29

3. John 10:36

4. John 12:49

5. John 8:11; Matthew 19:17

6. Matthew 6:30-31

7. Matthew 6:33

8. Exodus 15:15-16

9. Mark 16:17-18

10. Mark 2:17

11. Matthew 5:14

12. Luke 9:23