–Pastor Ward Clinton
–Pastor Ward Clinton
–Pastor Ward Clinton
Excerpt from “The Holy One Called Isa,” by Pastor Ward Clinton:
In the Injil (New Testament) there is no disease regarded with more terror and pity than leprosy. When Jesus sent out the Twelve he commanded them “Heal the sick, cleanse lepers.” (Matt 18:8) The fate of the leper in that day was truly hard. There were some other skin diseases which were mistakenly classified as leprosy such as ringworm or psoriasis and when they went away there was a prescribed ritual to go through to be declared “clean.”
The leprous person could not come closer than a stone’s throw to a non-leprous person and if they did people would typically react in fear and drive them back with stones. From Peter’s recorded perspective it appears the leper came closer than allowed but it is also likely he actually did not, only coming as close as he could before falling to his knees and making his plea. Whether he came closer than allowed by law or stopped short isn’t important; what is important is that Jesus cared enough to reach out and tenderly touch the untouchable one as well as completely cure. It was a demonstration of the one true God’s compassion; if we will only approach and humbly request He will bridge the remaining gap because He longs to establish/restore the fellowship that has been broken by the barrier of sin between an unholy being and the thrice Holy God.
Many a man on the face of this planet ignorantly and arrogantly thinks he will be able to approach God and plead the case that he himself is not so bad as some of his fellows and for that reason alone he must be allowed into heaven. Many a man thinks that so long as his good deeds outweigh his bad deeds then he must be accepted but that also is a corrupt teaching from sinful man. Sadly, he will be met with justice rather than mercy because he has chosen to act in pride rather than humility. It is only those who by faith apply to Christ Jesus for mercy and grace who will find that He is quite willing and capable of providing the mercy and grace they need and seek and he will bring them into the presence of the one true God.
Jesus then sent the man to go fulfill the prescribed ritual. We need not see this man as failing to obey, for he probably completed the task assigned except that he simply could not keep silent for the joy of deliverance. How can a sin-sick soul that comprehends the cure which has been effected by the power of such a gracious, loving God (yes, the one true God really does have compassion on us) be silent regarding the cure?
That ain’t allah…Don’t like it? Tell it to the God of Father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…or are you afraid to because you are afraid to know the truth?
–Pastor Ward Clinton
–Pastor Ward Clinton
–Pastor Ward Clinton
Excerpt from “The Holy One Called Isa,” by Pastor Ward Clinton
1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.
1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
They knew and understood Him to be the Messiah, the one true and holy Messiah; Isa, Al-Masih, is kalimat-Allah and wadjih according to the Quran and for that reason they were powerless against Isa.
Many that were possessed with devils – Dr. Lightfoot gives two sound reasons why Judea, in our Lord’s time, abounded with demoniacs. First, Because they were then advanced to the very height of impiety. See what Josephus, their own historian, says of them: There was not (said he) a nation under heaven more wicked than they were. See on Rom_1:1 (note). Secondly, Because they were then strongly addicted to magic, and so, as it were, invited evil spirits to be familiar with them. It seems strange to find men at this distance of time questioning the truth of that which neither scribes nor Pharisees then doubted; nor did they ever object against the pretensions of Christ and his apostles to cast them out. And, if the whole business of demonism had been only a vulgar error, (as “wise” men now tell us), what a fine opportunity had the “wise” men then, to unmask the whole matter, and thus pour contempt on the pretensions of our blessed Lord and his followers, who held it to be one proof of their Divine mission, that demons were subject to them! – Adam Clarke
It has been said, “Build a better mousetrap and the public will beat a path to your doorstep even if you live in the wilderness.” Unfortunately the crowds were only coming because they wanted something; unfortunately the crowds only thought they were coming to see a wondrous physician; fortunately the crowds were coming.
Sadly, for one prayer that goes up to God in days of prosperity ten thousand go up in times of adversity. Many a man who has never prayed when the sun was shining begins to pray when the cold winds come. So many people regard religion as belonging “to the ambulance corps and not to the firing-line of life.” Therefore religion, to them, is merely a crisis affair. Only when life has got into a mess do they begin to remember God but it is in the sunshine that we need to polish the communication lines so that when the darkness settles over us we don’t find ourselves trying to figure out how to establish a connection. God is not someone to be sought only in the day of misfortune; He is someone to be loved and remembered every day of our lives. Although the recognition of one’s failure to come to Him during the sunny time should not be allowed to hinder the seeking of Him in the dark time – it is just so much better, so much wiser, and so much safer to remember Him in the sunny time when one may be assured of finding Him.
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