San Diego Clairemont Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Developing a loving relationship with Christ and our community

A Word to The Little Flock Part Nine

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Dare we talk a little about sickness at such a time as this? The Black Death ravaged Europe from 1347 to 1351, killing some quarter of the population, around 25 million. The British Isles lost about 800,000, the world as much as 75 million! This terrible plague was the worst in history. It was a particularly vicious form of bubonic plague which covered the body in a black rash. It was not known at the time that it was transmitted to humans by fleas from rats.

The Saturday Evening Post gave this report of the influenza epidemic at the close of WWI:
"No recorded pestilence before or since has equaled the 1918-1919 death toll in total numbers. In those years, an estimated 21,000,000 died of influenza-pneumonia throughout the world, some 850,000 in the United States alone." More lives were lost in the flu epidemic than on the battlefields of World War I.

During this pandemic, some may be getting agitated with worry. There is no disputing the fact that, nine times out of ten, worrying about a thing does more damage to those who worry than the actual thing itself.
Modern medical research has proved that worry breaks down resistance to disease. More than that, it actually diseases the nervous system—particularly that of the digestive organs and of the heart. Add to this the toll in unhappiness of sleepless nights and days void of internal sunshine, and you have a glimpse of the work this monster does in destroying the effectiveness of the human body.
It is plain common sense that worry has no rightful place in the lives of most of us.

What makes all this more concerning is the contagious nature of COVID-19. Mary Mallon worked as a cook for various wealthy families in New York City. Not until 1907, six years after her first job, did disease sleuths from the New York City Department of Health trace her movements from one typhoid-stricken home to another. The newspapers headlined the discovery that "Typhoid Mary" was a walking container of deadly typhoid.
The woman was confined and treated for three years. Then she signed a pledge not to work as a cook again, to watch her hygiene, and to report to the Department of Health every three months.
Mary however, vanished for five years. In 1915 typhoid struck several members of the kitchen staff in a New York Hospital. A check of the employees turned up "Typhoid Mary" again. This time she was put in an institution and remained there until her death in 1938.

Please, no matter what is going on around us, live in hope. God’s Word says:
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18 KJV)
Porque tengo por cierto que lo que en este tiempo se padece, no es de comparar con la gloria venidera que en nosotros ha de ser manifestada. (Romanos 8:18 SRV)

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV)
Porque lo que al presente es momentáneo y leve de nuestra tribulación, nos obra un sobremanera alto y eterno peso de gloria; (2 Corintios 4:17 SRV)

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1 Peter 5:10 KJV)
Mas el Dios de toda gracia, que nos ha llamado á su gloria eterna por Jesucristo, después que hubiereis un poco de tiempo padecido, él mismo os perfeccione, coforme, corrobore y establezca. (1 Pedro 5:10 SRV)

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:14-17 KJV)
Y yo le dije: Señor, tú lo sabes. Y él me dijo: Estos son los que han venido de grande tribulación, y han lavado sus ropas, y las han blanqueado en la sangre del Cordero. Por esto están delante del trono de Dios, y le sirven día y noche en su templo: y el que está sentado en el trono tenderá su pabellón sobre ellos. No tendrán más hambre, ni sed, y el sol no caerá más sobre ellos, ni otro ningún calor. Porque el Cordero que está en medio del trono los pastoreará, y los guiará á fuentes vivas de aguas: y Dios limpiará toda lágrima de los ojos de ellos. (Apocalipsis 7:14-17 SRV)

God’s Messenger adds these insights:
“Our Lord has given us definite instruction, through the apostle James, as to our duty in case of sickness. When human help fails, God will be the helper of His people. "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: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." James 5:14, 15.” {Counsels on Health, 457}

“Christ is the same compassionate physician now that He was during His earthly ministry. In Him there is healing balm for every disease, restoring power for every infirmity. His disciples in this time are to pray for the sick as verily as the disciples of old prayed. And recoveries will follow; for "the prayer of faith shall save the sick." We have the Holy Spirit's power, the calm assurance of faith, that can claim God's promises. The Lord's promise, "They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:18), is just as trustworthy now as in the days of the apostles. It presents the privilege of God's children, and our faith should lay hold of all that it embraces. Christ's servants are the channel of His working, and through them He desires to exercise His healing power. It is our work to present the sick and suffering to God in the arms of our faith. We should teach them to believe in the Great Healer.” {The Ministry of Healing, 226}  
“The Saviour would have us encourage the sick, the hopeless, the afflicted, to take hold upon His strength. Through faith and prayer the sickroom may be transformed into a Bethel. In word and deed, physicians and nurses may say, so plainly that it cannot be misunderstood, "God is in this place" to save, and not to destroy.... And God hears prayer. Christ has said, "If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it." Again He says, "If any man serve Me, him will My Father honor." John 14:14; 12:26. If we live according to His word, every precious promise He has given will be fulfilled to us. We are undeserving of His mercy, but as we give ourselves to Him, He receives us. He will work for and through those who follow Him. But only as we live in obedience to His word can we claim the fulfillment of His promises. The psalmist says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18. If we render to Him only a partial, halfhearted obedience, His promises will not be fulfilled to us.” {The Ministry of Healing, 226, 227}

“The Lord has given me light that when the Israel of today humble themselves before Him, and cleanse the soul-temple from all defilement, He will hear their prayers in behalf of the sick and will bless in the use of His remedies for disease. When in faith the human agent does all he can to combat disease, using the simple methods of treatment that God has provided, his efforts will be blessed of God.” {Testimonies for the Church 9:164}  

“When human strength fails, men feel their need of divine help. And never does our merciful God turn from the soul that in sincerity seeks Him for help. He is our refuge in sickness as in health.” {The Ministry of Healing, 225}

“What a wonderful thought it is that Jesus knows all about the pains and griefs we bear. In all our afflictions He was afflicted. Some among our friends know nothing of human woe or physical pain. They are never sick, and therefore they cannot enter fully into the feelings of those who are sick. But Jesus is touched with the feeling of our infirmity. He is the great medical missionary.”-- Manuscript 19, 1892.  {Selected Messages, 2:237}

“Now do not worry yourself out of the arms of the dear Saviour, but rest trustingly in faith. He loves you; He cares for you. He is blessing you and will give you His peace and grace. He is saying to you, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." You may be depressed with bodily infirmities, but that is not evidence that the Lord is not working in your behalf every day. He will pardon you, and that abundantly. Gather to your soul the sweet promises of God. Jesus is our constant, unfailing friend, and He wants you to trust in Him. . . . Look away from yourself to the perfection of Christ.” {That I May Know Him, 285}  

“The same power that Christ exercised when He walked visibly among men is in His word. It was by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons; by His word He stilled the sea and raised the dead, and the people bore witness that His word was with power. He spoke the word of God, as He had spoken to all the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament. The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ....
     So with all the promises of God's word. In them He is speaking to us individually, speaking as directly as if we could listen to His voice. It is in these promises that Christ communicates to us His grace and power. They are leaves from that tree which is "for the healing of the nations." Revelation 22:2. Received, assimilated, they are to be the strength of the character, the inspiration and sustenance of the life. Nothing else can have such healing power. Nothing besides can impart the courage and faith which give vital energy to the whole being.” {The Ministry of Healing, 122}  
 
Let us use our words carefully:
A careless word may kindle strife.
A cruel word may wreck a life,
A bitter word may hate instill;
A brutal word may smite and kill,

A gracious word may smooth the way;
A joyous word may light the day.
A timely word may lessen stress;
A loving word may heal and bless.

Please continue to take good care, keep safe, and continue to draw from the springs of life, from God’s Word where we find true healing powers.
Pastor Richard Parent

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