Healing: What Saith the Scripture?

• 11 min. read • grade level: 10

As the end approaches, the power of the enemy is increasing, and he often seeks to display such by imitation. We are warned of this in 2 Tim. 3:8⁸Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (2 Timothy 3:8), where we are told of how the magicians of Egypt, under Satan's power, withstood Moses by imitation. This is the character of the last days.

The Christian who would be kept in an evil day, must learn the importance of meeting all the attacks of the enemy by the written Word of God. "By the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Psalm 17:4⁴Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. (Psalm 17:4).

There is much false teaching around us about healing, and many dear children of God have been caught in this snare, and then led to wonder why they were not healed.

These lines have been written to bring out the teaching of the Word of God on the subject, so that we may be kept from making false claims. May we be like the men of Issachar of old who "had understanding of the times" (1 Chron. 12:32³²And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. (1 Chronicles 12:32)). Soon we shall be with and like Christ above, having glorified bodies like His, and meanwhile may we learn submission to all His ways with us, even in sickness.

It is well to remember that sickness and death came into the world through sin (Rom. 5:12¹²Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)).

The first mention in the Bible of disease is in Exod. 15:26²⁶And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26). There it is stated that God had put such upon the Egyptians, but that such would not be put upon the children of Israel provided they walked in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

Blessing on the earth was the distinctive promise to Israel (Deut. 7:13-15¹³And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. ¹⁴Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. ¹⁵And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. (Deuteronomy 7:13‑15)). When they walked in disobedience and forsook the Lord, then the government of God brought upon them all the diseases of Egypt of which they had been afraid (Deut. 28:58-61⁵⁸If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; ⁵⁹Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. ⁶⁰Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. ⁶¹Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:58‑61)). Their promised blessings were earthly (Deut. 28:1-14¹And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: ²And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. ³Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. ⁴Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. ⁵Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. ⁶Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. ⁷The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. ⁸The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. ⁹The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. ¹⁰And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. ¹¹And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. ¹²The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. ¹³And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: ¹⁴And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. (Deuteronomy 28:1‑14)).

God took knowledge of their ways, for under law every transgression and disobedience must receive a just recompense of reward (Heb. 2:2²For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; (Hebrews 2:2)). We see this principle strikingly in the case of Jehoram

the son of Jehoshaphat, recorded in 2 Chron. 21:18, 19¹⁸And after all this the Lord smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. ¹⁹And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. (2 Chronicles 21:18‑19).

Satan may be the instrument to afflict, or bring disease, but it is God who has allowed it, yea, even sent it, in the wisdom of His ways, whether it be to awaken the sinner to his need of salvation, to correct that which His watchful eye sees needful in the child of God, or for some other reason. These principles of the ways of God are strikingly brought before us in the book of Job. This book is very precious instruction for us, and gives us these moral ways of God which are true at all times. May we be exercised by all that His wisdom and love may send to do us good at our latter end.

Man tested and tried (Israel is just a sample of man in the flesh) has failed so completely that he has forfeited every claim to blessing on the ground of faithful obedience. No one can claim freedom from sickness on the ground of his own faithfulness. Grace alone is the ground of all blessing to ruined man. The first time the election of grace is mentioned in the Bible is on this principle (see Exod. 33:19¹⁹And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (Exodus 33:19); Isa. 1:9⁹Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)). It is of this election of grace that Paul speaks in Rom. 11:5⁵Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (Romans 11:5).

Now God is never frustrated in His purposes, and all the counsels of God will have a full and blessed fruition; and so in the Millennium it is said, "There shall be no more curse" (Rev. 22:3³And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (Revelation 22:3)). The healing waters will come from the south side of the altar (Eze. 47:1¹Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. (Ezekiel 47:1)). The redeemed of the Lord will then be forgiven all their iniquities, and healed of all their diseases (Psalm 103:3³Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Psalm 103:3)). Then "the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick" (Isa. 33:24²⁴And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. (Isaiah 33:24)). They will enjoy the sabbath of rest according to the mind of God, for the sabbath is God's pledge of rest to the redeemed of the Lord on the earth (Eze. 46:1-3¹Thus saith the Lord God; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. ²And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. ³Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord in the sabbaths and in the new moons. (Ezekiel 46:1‑3)).

When the Lord Jesus presented Himself to Israel as their true Messiah and King, He showed them how He, "the LORD that healeth thee," could bring the promised blessing. He healed the diseases of all who came to Him, and, had the nation accepted Him, the kingdom would have been set up then. It is precious at this point to notice how He felt for those He healed with a perfect sympathy, entering into their sicknesses and sorrows in matchless grace. In this way it could be said of Him, "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses" (Matt. 8:17¹⁷That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. (Matthew 8:17)). He even wept at the grave of Lazarus with the sorrowing sisters, Martha and Mary, before displaying His power as the resurrection and the life (John 11), in raising Lazarus from the dead. Truly He was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isa. 53:3³He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)), and it was the compassion of His blessed heart that made Him so. But Israel rejected their King, saying, "We have no king but Caesar." They chose their sins, sickness, and death instead of Him; for the world did not and does not want Christ on any terms whatever.

Now we see this same power to heal manifested in Christ's name after His resurrection from the dead. This is in the book of The Acts (see Acts 4:26-30²⁶The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. ²⁷For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, ²⁸For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. ²⁹And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, ³⁰By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. (Acts 4:26‑30)). Israel were given the opportunity as a nation of acknowledging their guilt; and Peter told them that, if they would, God would send Jesus and bring in the kingdom then (Acts 3:19-26¹⁹Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; ²⁰And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: ²¹Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. ²²For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. ²³And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. ²⁴Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. ²⁵Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. ²⁶Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. (Acts 3:19‑26)). The gospel was therefore accompanied by signs and wonders in the name of the One whom they rejected, and thus the powers of the age to come were manifested (Heb. 6:5⁵And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (Hebrews 6:5)); but even this testimony was refused. Stephen was stoned, and thus they sent a message after Christ, saying, "We will not have this man to reign over us" (Luke 19:14¹⁴But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14)). Once again they chose their sickness and sorrows, refusing the Holy Spirit's testimony to Christ's death, resurrection, and glory at God's right h a n d. Nevertheless, since "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Rom. 11:29²⁹For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (Romans 11:29)), we see that the power to heal remained during the life of the apostles.

The blessings of the Church, however, in this present period, are expressed by the Apostle in Eph. 1:3³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3), wherein he says that we are "blessed... with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Heb. 3:1¹Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1) contrasts this with Israel's earthly blessings by saying that we are now "partakers of the heavenly calling."

Christianity is a calling out of the world of a people whose "conversation [citizenship] is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20²⁰For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20)). The trial of man is completely over (John 12:31³¹Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. (John 12:31)). The Christian is not called upon to build a better world, nor to interfere in its government, but to live Christ and to preach Christ while waiting for God's Son from heaven (1 Thess. 1:5-10⁵For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. ⁶And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: ⁷So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. ⁹For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; ¹⁰And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:5‑10)).

God is now training His children for the coming day of glory when all will manifest the wisdom of His ways, which perfect love ordered with a view to that coming day of manifestation. Infirmity, sickness, and trial are often used of Him to this end, as we shall see in what follows.

First of all, He chose us in Christ "before the foundation of the world," that we should be to the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:4-6⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:4‑6)). Israel's blessings are "from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34)). The precious secret of the Church's blessing was hid in God, and revealed through the Apostle Paul by a special revelation from Christ in glory. Baptized by one Spirit into one body, we can now enjoy in blessed nearness all the affections of His heart, with a nature given of God. This nature will enable us to enjoy what the heart of God enjoys, forever. How precious! We shall also be the temple of God, reflecting His glory in all its moral excellence; for every glory is ours, except that which cannot be communicated; that is, deity itself.

God is preparing us now, by skillful training, for the place His grace has purposed for us in the building of God. He may pick up the most unlikely stone, one that entered the world physically deformed or deficient, and with such, display His marvelous skill as the Builder, in fitting it into the building of God (Eph. 2:18-22¹⁸For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. ¹⁹Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; ²⁰And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; ²¹In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: ²²In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18‑22)).

As the husbandman He must prune each branch of the vine of His planting with a view to fruit bearing. This is that we might in the communion of love bear fruit through the manifestation of the true nature of God as His children. How His heart rejoices when anything is done just to please Him, having learned what is pleasing through this communion in love (John 15:7, 8⁷If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. ⁸Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:7‑8)). His watchful eye that seeks this communion, sees when the old root of self has not been judged, and in the wisdom of love prunes each branch that it may produce fruit to His praise.

We also learn that grace may have communicated to some servant much of His mind, and of the largeness of His counsels, enabling such to communicate this to the beloved flock of God; but then with it He must give that which is a thorn in the flesh to keep "the pride of life" in the place of death (2 Cor. 12:7-10⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. ⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. ⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7‑10)).

Then we have chastening, which may take the form of sickness, and this has the thought of child-training (Heb. 12:5-8⁵And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: ⁶For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. ⁷If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? ⁸But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5‑8)). The same word is translated "nurture" in Eph. 6:4⁴And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4). This is for the correction of our ways, and may call for "scourging," which is the wise and gracious voice of the Lord, "that we may be partakers of His holiness" (Heb. 12:10¹⁰For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)).

We also learn from Paul's comment regarding Epaphroditus, that sickness may be the result of devotedness. This dear man of God did not regard his life, that he might supply Paul's need, in the Philippians' lack of service toward him (Phil. 2:25-30²⁵Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. ²⁶For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. ²⁷For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. ²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: ³⁰Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. (Philippians 2:25‑30)).

It is evident from reading 1 Tim. 5:23²³Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. (1 Timothy 5:23), that Timothy had infirmities that remained with him, in the wisdom of God, and that Trophimus was left at Miletum sick (2 Tim. 4:20²⁰Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. (2 Timothy 4:20)), so that the gift of healing which Paul possessed was not used on behalf of these two brethren, beloved in the Lord.

In all these various dealings of God with His children, we know that the same One who once entered into the sorrows of those He healed here upon earth, is now living, a glorified Man, as our Great High Priest above. Although our promised blessings are heavenly, and not earthly, yet He sympathizes with us in our physical infirmities, and ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:14-16¹⁷Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:17‑18)
¹⁴Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14‑16)). When tried in sickness and pain, we can look up to Him for comfort and understanding, and for strength to bear up so that we do not become irritated and dishonor Him in the trial. The blessed Holy Spirit too, whose testimony the world rejects, as we have noticed, now indwells the bodies of all believers as the Comforter, to occupy our hearts with those heavenly glories that await us with Christ (John 14:26²⁶But 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. (John 14:26)). He helps our infirmities too, and makes "intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom. 8:26²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)). He, with us, is waiting for the day when He shall quicken our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11¹¹But 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. (Romans 8:11)); and then, freed forever from this groaning tabernacle, we shall enjoy in fullness our heavenly blessings. This will be when the Lord comes for His own. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come." "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Rev. 22:17, 20¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)
²⁰He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20).

The subject of healing again comes before us in Jas. 5:14, 15¹⁴Is 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: ¹⁵And 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. (James 5:14‑15). Here it is a soul exercised about the sickness; and, where there has been failure, it is owned (v. 16). Then the prayer of faith on the part of the elders who are called (there are none officially now), suggests their communion with the mind of the Lord, for confidence in prayer is the fruit of "abiding in Christ" (John 15:7⁷If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)). It is evident here that the sufferer owns the hand of God in his sickness, judges the failure there may have been, and then seeks healing through communion with the mind of the Lord that it is His will to raise him up. Such faith honors God, for it is from Him; but to claim healing today in every case, as a Christian blessing, is to fail to understand true Christian position. God can and does answer the prayer of faith, and we ought to be exercised by every trial He passes us through, but let us not confuse our blessings in Christianity with Israel's as an earthly people.

It must never be forgotten that the child of God is now called to an inheritance reserved in heaven (1 Pet. 1:4⁴To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:4)). The work of Christ has given the believer a perfect standing before God (Heb. 10:14¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)). The wilderness life of the child of God is to put Christ practically in the heart, so that He may be seen in our ways (2 Cor. 4:11¹¹For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4:11)). Every child of God needs this training, whereof all are partakers (Heb. 12:8⁸But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (Hebrews 12:8)). Let us seek to profit by all through which the wisdom of God may pass us, for there will never be a trial without a "needs be" on our part, and without a purpose of love on His part.

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