"More Than We Need"

"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;" (Psalms 103:3)
Maybe things are not perfect, and maybe this world can be really ugly sometimes; but that does not mean that God has somehow stepped away, or that God does not care. This world is what it is because of sin; sin grows and grows like a cancer upon the face of this world, and it destroys all that it touches. I know that might sound like something from a Frank Peretti novel, but Paul gives us a better view in Ephesians 6:12, saying, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Speaking of diseases, we could get healed of all sorts of diseases, but any such healing is only temporary and is not the real healing that we need. The first part of this verse is the real healing that we need, because it will last beyond this life. Whatever happens here stays here; you don't take any of your sickness and disease with you into heaven! I don't know if I mentioned it, but Pastor Bryan mentioned something else on Sunday, saying, "What we call cruel, God calls cleansing." That might sound pretty harsh and not very soothing, but every time that there is disaster or even death, there is spiritual cleansing that takes place to those in or around what ever has happened. There is something that really matters more than safety and security on this world, our eternal security! Our life here is but a flicker, but eternity is forever and ever. We really don't know how long we have left here, so we had better make it count towards our eternity. It is a lot like the parable Jesus gave in Luke 16:1-13, the steward that paid ahead for assurance that he might be well taken care of after being discharged by his current employer. It is much the same with us, as we are living and working in a place governed by Satan and his demons, called the rulers of this fallen world. The things that we do are very unpleasing to the rulers of this world, so to ensure are next life is as good as it can be, we do all that we can to ensure those we know can be released from the grip that the devil has upon them. Much along that same line, is how we reclaim the day; by taking all that is used for unrighteousness and evil, and turn it into a chance to minister righteousness and good. It's called, "Being about our Father's business," and it pays so much more than anything else...
"Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, and they began to speak against God and Moses. "Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" they complained. "There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!" So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes." So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told him, "Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!" So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!" (Numbers 21:4-9) NLT