Divine Healing

DO NOT FALTER IN TRIAL

  I once took charge of a missionary home, by request of the brethren. The home was to be run by faith. My wife was afflicted just as we were preparing to move. I left her at a brother's home, and moved my family; but I received a telegram to come back at once, as she was very low. I went and prayed for her, and she got better. I then went back to see after the children, but wife got worse, and they sent for me again. That time I determined to take her home with me. The Lord wonderfully touched her body and I started. I had to take her on a cot in the baggage-car.

The car was very hot and we had to leave the door open. The cold wind blowing through chilled her till I had to put my overcoat over her. I worked very hard to keep the baggage that was piled up around from falling on her, and I became wet with sweat. The cold wind blowing through the car chilled me through. The morning after reaching home, I had rheumatism so bad that I could not walk.

The time for an assembly meeting was set, and several ministers came to hold the meeting. My wife had sixteen ulcers on her limbs between her knees and toes. They would put us in rocking chairs in the front room before meeting; the hall was upstairs and the steps went up in front of my door. People from town passing up the steps to meeting, would look in and laugh at us. My wife began to cry. I said, "What is the matter, mama?" She answered, "We will have to leave here. We cannot stay here claiming to run this by faith, when neither of us can walk; the people are making fun of us." I said, "Cheer up; God is on the throne. He said we should be purified, made white, and tried. We are now in the crucible; God is taking us through a trial. There are but two pans for us to come out in: one is the gold pan and the other is the dross. He has no use for dross. It is the gold he wants, and, by the grace of God, I am coming out in the gold pan." Thank God, I did. I came out without a stiff joint or a crooked limb, for which I give God all the glory. I am fifty-six years old and have good use of myself.

You must not get discouraged because of the tests. Do not think that because you have trials you have backslidden, and do not backslide because you are tried. Do all you know to do; stand on God's word, claim the promises, and God will bring you out victorious. You can be a light to the world, a living witness for God, and an instrument in God's hands for helping others. If you falter and fail, give way to the persuasions of the devil, and are not healed, you often become a stumbling block to the cause, and weaken the faith of others. God's power is the same that it was on the day of Pentecost. On that day one hundred and twenty that had tarried before him for nine days and nights were calling for that one thing that Jesus prayed for in the 17th chapter of John. They tarried till they got it. God's power was so manifested through them that three thousand were converted. They were all together, and had all things common, and they stood steadfast in the apostle's doctrine. They Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

He wants us to be the same today. The Lord does not want part of us trusting him for healing, and part of us clamoring for remedies. He wants us to be of one mind and of one accord, with our whole trust in him. When Peter and John met the lame man at the gate of the temple, they did not say, 'Sir, look on us. We will give you and electric shock with a battery; we will poultice your limbs; we will wrap you in hot cloth and pray the Lord to heal you.' They said, 'Look on us. Silver and gold we have none, but such as we have we give unto thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.' Instantly the man's anklebones became strong, and he was healed. It was the power of God; it was faith in Christ, and nothing else. If you try remedies, you must have faith in them, and this hinders your faith in God. Jesus said, "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed." It is not the size, it is not the quantity, but it is the quality. Mustard seed will not mix with anythi ng. Unmixed faith touches the hem of His garment and brings the healing to you.

Peter and John would not take honor to themselves; if they had done so, they could have had the applause of the people. Because they did not, they were put into jail. But the Spirit of God continued to preach the Word, moved on the hearts of five thousand men, and brought them to salvation. When Peter and John were turned out of jail, they told what had happened. They did not complain and murmur and seek sympathy, but they prayed for God to send the Holy Ghost, to stretch forth his hand to heal and to give them power that they might preach the Word of God with boldness. The place was shaken where they were and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost led the people to consecrate, giving them to understand that what they owned belonged to God; they began to sell their possessions and to throw them down at the apostle's feet. Ananias and Sapphira lied to God and he killed them. The fear of God came on the church. Hypocrites and hangers-on were knocked loose. God had a clean church, the church for which he prayed in the 17th chapter of John, and his power was manifested through them as it was when Jesus Christ walked on earth. All manner of sickness and disease were healed. Multitudes of men and women were added to the Lord.

CONSECRATION OF EARTHLY GOODS

God wants us today to be consecrated as they were. There are many people that are shorn of their power today because they withhold their means from God, hoard up their money, spend it to satisfy themselves and let God's cause suffer. There are many who are not healed today because they rob God, laying up for the future and piling up money for their children. They go on suffering through this world, a stumbling block to Christianity, failing to be a light for their children, and causing others to doubt God because they are not healed. God exhorts us through Jude to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. You can see in the fifth chapter of Acts what was once delivered to the saints. You can see how they got it: by giving all that they possessed to God. This does not mean that you should do as some are teaching: give all your means away and trust God for support; but it means that your life, your time, your talents, and your means be consecrated to God, that you live close enough to him that he can show you what you must give to carry the gospel to other souls. Think of the darkened sin-cursed souls that are perishing without God; souls that do not know anything about God and the privileges granted them through the blood of his Son. You rob God and then think you will get healed. You cannot do it. If you want anything from God, pay the price. Give what you promised God you would give.

A certain man was impressed to give me a horse. He had plenty of horses, but would not give me one. Lightning struck the horse. I wrote a certain individual to send the pastor of a certain church to the camp meeting at Moundsville, that it was his duty, and he was plenty able to do so. I wrote to the pastor and told her to start by faith. The individual to whom I had written gave the minister fifty cents when she started. Before she reached the meeting, lightning killed the man's fifty-dollar cow. The next time I was in that community that individual who had withheld his means was down at the altar trying to get salvation. If there are any such persons here this morning who desire healing from God, covenant with him that you will do what you have promised to do, that you and all you have belong to him, and he will do what he has promised. May the fear of God rest upon you and enable you to come to him the Bible way.