Tag: Matthew

Posted on

Visiting the sick

Notes from Pr Deane Clee

General comments.

Physical Sickness

Sickness is a part of life, which comes to us all at times. In the 1930s, a Swiss physician named Tournier proposed the concept that when a person is sick, the whole being is affected – the physical, the psychological and the spiritual.

We read in the scriptures that Jesus when he saw the sick, he was moved with compassion. Likewise, we should have the same approach if we are to help others. We need to have ‘Compassionate Care’. The Gospels devote a number of references tot he topic of healing the sick. The disciples were expected to carry out this healing ministry. For instance, Mark 16 describes, as one of the signs of a believer, that “they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover”. Jesus did not set up a clinic in the temple, rather, he went to the people who were sick.

Old Age

The Bible says that Christians are commanded to honour their parents – “that it may go well with you, and that you may enjoy long life upon the earth”.

Older people are to be respected, cared for, and loved in Christ, along with all age groups. As one gets older our body runs down. We experience declining health and strength, no longer working, limited income, declining ability to think or act quickly, rejection, more vulnerable, get more depressed or frustrated, etc. This group are sick more often, and therefore need understanding by those that are visiting, and each must examine their own attitude towards the elderly to be really effective. It is hard when you are younger to relate to the things which affect the elderly. Try to be empathetic.

Pointer for visiting the sick

Visit frequently, but keep the visits brief (depending on the medical condition of the patient).

Let the patient take the lead in shaking hands, unless you know them well.

Stand up or sit where the patient can see you easily.

Give the patient freedom to talk freely, and listen carefully to there comments. Some want to discuss their feelings and concerns, others like to talk about something else.

Use the spiritual recourses at your disposal, be positive, or build up their faith, about what God can do, and has done for others. Make encouraging comments, share the testimonies of others. Quote and read the scriptures. Leave a small list of scriptures. Check if they have a Bible with them.

It is best to suggest prayer. Be aware of how the patient feels. For example, in a public ward some prefer the curtains closed. The prayer in such a case should be of low volume and kept short.

At a hospital visit, if the door is closed or with a ‘no visitors’ sign, check at the nurses station or reception.

If the sick is at home, then phone before the visit and make sure your visit is at a convenient time.

A phone call between visits helps to check on the patient’s progress or needs.

Do try and call when there are not a number of other visitors present.

Dos ad Don’ts

Dos

  • Be friendly, cheerful, reassuring and comforting.
  • Help the patient feel at ease as much as possible
  • Recognise that anxieties, discouragement, guilt, frustrations and uncertainties may be present.
  • Give reassurance of God’s love, promises and care. He never leaves nor forsakes His people.
  • Give reassurance that you, and others, are upholding the patient in prayer.

Don’ts

  • Talk about your past illnesses, unless it is a real testimony to the Lord.
  • Force the patient to talk, something, your silent presence is reassuring.
  • Visit when you are sick.
  • Talk loudly.
  • Criticise the hospital, treatment or the doctors.

Scriptures:

James 5:14-15
14. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Psalms 34:15,17,19
15. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
17. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Matthew 9:29-30
29. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

Posted on

The Holy Spirit

The ONLY way to receive the Holy Spirit, is to ‘speak in other tongues.’

Isaiah 28:11-12
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Zephaniah 3:9
9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.

Mark 16:17
17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Acts 2
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Acts 8
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Acts 10
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Acts19
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

1 Corinthians 12
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

1 Corinthians 13
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

1 Corinthians 14
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Romans 8:9-11
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Ephesians 1:11-14
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:29-30
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

2 Timothy 1:7
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:25
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

John 14:26
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Matthew 21:22
22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

James 4:5

James 4:5 (AMP)
5 Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?

2 Corinthians 9:7-8
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Posted on

Psalms 15

Psalms 15

  1. Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?
    who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
  2. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,
    and speaketh the truth in his heart.
  3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue,
    nor doeth evil to his neighbour,
    nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
  4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned;
    but he honoureth them that fear the Lord.
    He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
  5. He that putteth not out his money to usury,
    nor taketh reward against the innocent.
    He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Continue reading “Psalms 15”

Posted on

Divorce

https://www.bible.com/search/bible?q=divorce

Matthew 19:3-9
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Romans 7:1-4
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Continue reading “Divorce”

Posted on

Communion

THE COMMUNION

Its importance. As differing from ‘The Mass – Transubstantiation,’ etc

  • John 6:48-65
    48. I am that bread of life.
    49. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
    50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
    51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
    52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
    53. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
    54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
    55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
    56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
    57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
    58. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
    59. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
    60. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
    61. When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
    62. What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
    63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
    64. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
    65. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
  • Matthew 26:26
    And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
  • 1 Corinthians 11
    Especially verses 23 to 29

Blood of Christ

  • Ephesians 2:13
    But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:16
    The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
  • Hebrews 9:12
    Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
  • Hebrews 9:14
    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
  • Hebrews 10
  • 1 Peter 1:2
    Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
  • 1 John 1:7
    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Thoughts

  • 1 Peter 1:18-19
    18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
    19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
  • Titus 2:11-15
    11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
    12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
    13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
    14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
    15. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.