Where are the NINE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Luke 17:17---19: and JESUS ANSWERING SAID, WERE THERE NOT TEN CLEANSED? BUT WHERE ARE THE NINE? 18. There are not found that returned to GIVE GLORY TO GOD, save this stranger. 19. And he said unto him, ARISE, GO THY WAY: THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE.
2 Timothy 3: 2 says: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, UNTHANKFUL, unholy.
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, TO VISIT THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOWS IN THEIR AFFLICTION, AND TO KEEP HIMSELF UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD.
Today I must ponder, Where are the nine?
A history of unthankfulness?
But to more clearly understand this we also need to ponder, what is sin? Let’s make a real broad brush stroke and define sin this way: James 4:7, Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
We thus identify two kinds of sin:
1) The sins of commission. These are sins by willfully choosing the wrong behavior. This is a sin of immaturity and lack of respect for God’s word.
2) The sins of omission, we often forget that we can do wrong by not doing something right. We should pray and we don’t? We should read and study the Bible and we don’t? We should have visited the widows and we didn’t?
I often hear people say religion is bad and they will have nothing to do with that. That smacks the Bible with a lack of respect.
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, TO VISIT THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOWS IN THEIR AFFLICTION, AND TO KEEP HIMSELF UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD.
This kind of religion should be our goal setting purpose. I hear what they are saying, but we should establish habits and ministries that focus to the needs of these areas. We need pure and undefiled religion.
Very few will honestly abuse the word of God. No, but rather we neglect the word. Is neglect a type of abuse?
Hebrews 2:3 HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE, IF WE NEGLECT so great salvation....?
I think I see a truth that religion could come in the way of those seeking to please God, if it becomes habitual and mechanical.
A good case study for this is in
Luke 17:17---19: and JESUS ANSWERING SAID, WERE THERE NOT TEN CLEANSED? BUT WHERE ARE THE NINE? 18. There are not found that returned to GIVE GLORY TO GOD, save this stranger. 19. And he said unto him, ARISE, GO THY WAY: THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE.
I ask you one question, please answer it: WHERE ARE THE NINE? You know where they were? They were off doing their religious duty!
They had to show their self to the high priest and bring a special offering. There was a religious process. But this religious process became a yoke that hid God’s real plan! Praise and thanksgiving are due.
This running away "to do" showed a root of bad attitudes and ungratefulness. I ponder in how many of God’s houses are so busy doing the work of God, we miss the beauty of the reason of God’s word?
Let me make one observation, there were 10 healed!
BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE MADE WHOLE. Nine were made physically whole, one was physically, mentally and emotionally entire.
The difference was "AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE."
WHY DID THE WHOLENESS COME TO A STRANGER?
Maybe his religious habits never dictated a lack of thankfulness?
We that love God sometimes expect His move and then we proceed to the next step?
We omit the weightier things. Praise has a purpose, praise is the conductor that brings us to God, as copper is to electricity so go praise before His Holy Presence.
2 Timothy 3 identifies many attitudes and spirits that will thrive in the last days. Verse 2 says: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, UNTHANKFUL, unholy.
Unthankfulness can be a killer and unthankfulness can grow on the altar. A quick look here at the things listed all spawn out of ’UNTHANKFUL SPIRIT.’’
What is the reason of healing? Is the reason of healing to alleviate pain? If this were true, God could just pass out pain shots?
When Peter’s mother-in-law was healed, -- demonstrates the real purpose of healing. She got up and ministered!
The reason for healing is to raise thanksgiving and praise and work to the THRONE ROOM.
We have a demanding attitude then we forget to fall at Jesus’ feet in true worship.
There is power in praise, for a testimony releases a fuller experience than just healing. Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY; AND THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES....
A thankful heart redirects the focus off you and yours, to GOD. Could healing flow and develop greater overcoming power, to overcome the enemy, if we PAID THE OVERDUE BILL OF PRAISE?
Many good Christians will have turkey and cranberry sauce and God will not be invited. Thanks is an attitude, then the attitude gives birth to words, then the words give birth to love and thanksgiving.
Perhaps there would be more in it if it were THANKS-TAKING, it is not. It is THANKSGIVING!
Often thanksgiving is based on what tangible things we have. We must discipline the flesh that people are what matters. Jesus loved bad people with bad problems, His love changed them.
WHERE ARE THE NINE? ARE YOU THE NINE OR THE ONE?
Please help me, pass this on to others?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
