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FELLOWSHIP CHAPEL THE LAST DAY MESSENGER By Pastor Ona Bogart IS THERE NO BALM IN GILEAD? December 10, 2006 Study # 15 In the 73rd Chapter of Psalms, David is writing and complaining to God that even though God is good to Israel, He, David, was having some problems understanding why it seemed to Him, that everything was going better for others than it was for Him. Psalms 73: 2 “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped, 3. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” David was in a similar state that we as Christians find ourselves in at different times in our lives. When we first come to Salvation and realize that the only way to obtain Salvation is through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are given a space of time that we are free from most severe trials and problems. The trials that the Lord allows the Devil to afflict a new Christian with, are usually not as severe as we are tried with as we grow older in the Lord, and when we have gained more understanding in the Word of God. I hear Ministers say frequently, that when we make a commitment to the Lord (or are saved), we just have to hold on, until we are taken up, in what they refer to as the Rapture, and all of the terrible things that are referred to in the Scriptures, will not affect us. But according to many different Authors of the Bible, We are given instructions on how to overcome these trials. Most of the Patriots of the Bible suffered agonies untold. Paul writes in 2 nd Timothy 2:12 “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:” Romans 8:18 “If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Jesus speaking in John 16: 1-2 “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” Why should we think that trials will not come our way and cause us to suffer for the Lord? All of the Old Patriots had much harder trials than we have in this hour of time. Paul speaks of all the hard times that He endured for the sake of the Gospel, Read from 2nd Corinthians 11: 1930. So David was having some anxious moments because he was envious of those that He considered wicked. In Psalms 73:13 David begins speaking of his own trials. “Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14. For all the daylong have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15. If I say, I will speak thus: behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17. UNTIL I went into the sanctuary of God; THEN understood I their end.” David was afraid to speak of things that might offend some. Many of us today that minister the 1 Gospel, have the same fears when we speak on things that we may feel that our congregation needs to know. Through years of teaching, and reading some of the hard exhortations that are in the Bible, we find that when we minister on things that may be hard for our people to accept, they become offended. But should we neglect to preach and teach on these things. The Apostle Paul writing in Hebrews 5, was explaining the office of the High Priest. He spoke of Mel-chis ed ec, which we know was in reference to Jesus, and explaining in verse 7, and I quote, “Who In the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong CRYING and TEARS unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8. THOUGH HE WERE A SON, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him’ 10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Mel chis ed ec. 11. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13. For every one that useth mild is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14. But STRONG meat belongeth to them that are of FULL AGE, even those who by reason of USE have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” This is exactly what David was fearful of, when he made the statement, “If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.” Most of this generation that is living in the world today, are not used to the hardships of days gone by. Some become offended at almost anything and they don’t feel convicted at all. Jeremiah had some of the same trials that David had and was troubled by them. In Jeremiah 8:18 he says, “When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.” 19. Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? 20. The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22. IS THERE NO BALM IN GILEAD; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” Jeremiah was prophesying of a time when Judah would be taken captive by the king of Babylon. He had knowledge of the captivity of the other 10 tribes, which were called Israel, and they had been taken captive by the king of Assyria, and were carried away to Assyria, 2 Kings 17: 6. In almost all of the Chapters of the Book of Jeremiah, he is warning the Jews that they too are going to be taken captive by the king of Babylon. He is trying to make them understand the consequences of their captivity if they didn’t return to their old Paths, Jeremiah 6:16, “But they said, We will not walk therein.” 2 If we are not well read in the Bible, this instruction to Judah by the prophet Jeremiah, may not make much sense to us. Gilead was a land of beauty, lush forests, and all kinds of balm, and medicines, that is why Jeremiah is asking, Is there no healing help in Gilead. He was not speaking of a natural balm or medicine, but He was asking God why there was no help for the People of Judah. Yet Jeremiah knew that they were rebellious. Later Jeremiah says in 46: 11 “Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured. 12. The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.” There is no natural help for the Christians that are refusing to return to the Old Paths that God has laid out before us in His Word. When we observe worldly conditions in this day, we can see the warnings of God for His People coming to pass before our eyes. The prophesy of Jesus is being fulfilled in the world today. Jesus said that the time would come when those that killed us would think that they did God service. If we have not heard this remark today made by the Nations that are Muslim, then we certainly have our eyes closed and do not believe the words of Jesus Himself. Sometimes we find ourselves in a strait with God, and we just can’t understand why we are not being relieved of our afflictions, but God has set forth conditions that we must meet. The 10 Commandments are only a part of the laws that God has laid down for us, and sometimes we feel that this Way is too STRAIT FOR us. The Sons of the Prophets felt the same way when they were following Elisha. In 2nd Kings 6: 1, we read, “The sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too STRAIT for us. 2. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 3.And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servant. And he said, I will go.” Elisha went with them and almost immediately when the work began trouble came. The place where they dwelt had been too STRAIT for them. Elisha lived a holy life before the Lord and the way was too narrow for them, Jesus said in Matthew 7:13 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14. BECAUSE STRAIT is the gate, and NARROW is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” This word STRAIT does not mean straight. The definition of Strait is NARROW. This WAY that God had laid out for the Christians is certainly a NARROW Way. Through the years that I have lived and served the Lord, there have been many changes in the way that the Full Gospel People worship the Lord. It has been many years since I have witnessed any one tarrying to be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Have we forgotten the admonition of Jesus when He departed this world? He said, “tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24: 49. When we are really pressed for the BALM of Gilead, We can find the Way to Gilead, and the 3 CURE for our afflictions. In Joel we will find the answer to the Balm of Gilead. In chapter 2: 15 we read, “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 16. Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: (EVERYBODY) let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. 17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, WEEP between the porch and the altar, and let them say, SPARE THY PEOPLE, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, WHERE IS THEIR GOD?” This Scripture says, Spare thy people O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Have we not already heard the boasting of the Nations in the Middle East, and hear them say that the Muslims will rule the whole world, and sit in our White House. We certainly need the Christian World to rise up out of our stagnation and begin the FIGHT for our lives. The Apostle Paul says in 1st Timothy 6:12 “FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE;” This is the only way that we Christians will survive in the near future. We must fight with every thing that is within us!