If God Heals, Why Hospitals Full Of Christians?

Okay, calm down. This is a case of don't kill/shoot the messenger. This is NOT my QUESTION at all, but a meme posted on Facebook. I said to myself, "What the hay. Answer the question as I believe." I know. Who would even engage? A person who loves answering questions, lol. 

The meme said, " If Christians say that God can heal, why are the hospitals filled with suffering Christians?" What a question!  Many Christians would become offended and walk away or rebuke such a nasty meme even if it was on a hilarious things page. "No Christian likes for God to be mocked," they would say. The truth may be they cannot answer the question with sound reasoning. So offense shows up instead of ANSWERING A QUESTION. I know nobobdy was expecting seriousnees on a hilarious site.

1 Peter 3:15: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (NIV).

I try not to run and PRAY to be GENTLE and RESPECTFUL. I'd be honored if you prayed that for me too. So, I hope every Christian is prepared to answer some TOUGH questions about God, religion, Christianity, and Jesus during these chaotic times in America and abroad. Many are getting baptized and coming to Christ and the kindom. They have questions. Tough questions. So practice on Facebook pages lol.

As I wrote my reasons, I began to notice, the Christian faith is really Philosophy. Meditating and finding answers. My Master Degree in Religion is under, PHILOSOPHY. I was shocked too. But my answers were more philosophical than FACTUAL. Here we go. 

Christians are examples of God's word lived out on Earth. Through us, he tries to get us to examine the condition of our souls daily. People dislike God for how he has wrath and kills innocents in wars. Human suffering also makes people question God. How can there be a rational answer? It is when you look as man as an instrument of God's who willingly signed up for the assignment to be CHRISTLIKE. People see people through the Christian. Philosophical, but that's wher faith and hope live.

The primary verses for imitating Christ and acting as His ambassadors are found in the letters of the Apostle Paul. They define the Christian identity, calling believers to represent heaven's Kingdom and embody Christ's love. The Main Verses:

• Imitating Christ: 1 Corinthians 11:1 states, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (NIV). Similarly, Ephesians 5:1 urges believers to, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children" (NIV). This concept involves living a life that reflects the character, love, and righteousness of Jesus. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Ambassadors for Christ: 2 Corinthians 5:20 declares, "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God" (NIV). An ambassador serves as an official representative sent by a higher authority to a foreign land, tasked with delivering the King's message of peace and reconciliation.
  
  
  The ENTIRE BIBLE reflects this and Christians are PUNISHED for WRONG ambassordorship. Back to sick and Christians dying painful death. We all have the promise of death regardless of religion or non religion. Death matters. It changes the person, the more suffering either there is more blame or self reflection. Death shows the heart of the family, friends, community. Maybe the unanswered pray of healing is because viewing suffering changes people and the seemingly MARTYRED Christian whose prayers went unanswered for healing changed more lives in their death for the kingdom than while alive. Onlookers may choose the opposite and began doing things out of pain agaist God and Christianity.

Suffering also allows those who say they hate suffering to HELP end it. Christians should be all over it. But, sadly more churches show the opposite and now say vile things about them and advocate to let them die. God's grace is always saying CHANGE, follow the Bible's command of love. He gives a chance to be better constantly sometimes close, right in our faces, and we mostly fail. The instrument malfunctions at times. 

So, the meme asked something PROFOUND. Something Philosophers meditate about day and night, search for answers no matter how many years, knowing there IS an answer. If God said it, why doesn't it happen for EVERY Christian? Can there be a logical reason for the belief found in the Bible? They would meditate day and night for an answer, search for years. Luckily, it's ALL in the pages of the Bible, but people CHOOSE what they read and INTERPRET it by personal experience as we do all other things in life. God isn't confusing. People are. They LAY the Bible on THEMSELVES, instead of layig the Bible on themselves. YOU on GOD, not God on you. This is an one on one growth in Christianity. Not OUTSIDE of Christianity.

The Book of Job explains that God gets a person's attention primarily through dreams and adversity. When people ignore subtle guidance, God uses these methods to warn them, correct their pride, and save them from making destructive mistakes. The specific ways God speaks are outlined mainly by Job’s friend Elihu in chapters 33 and 36.

In Job 33, a young man named Elihu explains that God speaks "once, yes twice" to get a person's attention and keep them from pride. The specific "three ways" he outlines—including literally putting a person on their back with sickness—are detailed below: 

1. Dreams and Night Visions. God speaks when a person is resting and less distracted. 

• The Bible says: "In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men... Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction" (Job 33:15–16).
• The Purpose: To turn people away from bad behavior and hide pride from them. 

2. Physical Affliction (Putting Them on Their Back)

If the first method fails, God uses severe illness—pain that keeps a person "chastened... on his bed"—to force them to stop and consider their ways.

• The Purpose: To humble individuals and prevent their souls from going to the "pit" (death). 

3. A Divine Messenger (Mediator)

Finally, God may use an angel or messenger to guide a person toward righteousness, leading to restoration and grace, as noted in Job 33:29-30. Ths may be the ULTIMATE answer, a biblical ANSWER, not philosophically.

I know the person probably didn't want any SERIOUSNESS on his FUN page. I guess I'm that person, but I did laugh. I can't help I'm serious. I didn't write Scriptures or anything this long. That's why I'm writting about it here. But that is a LOGICAL question many people have. That's why "healing" is funny to non Christians, new in Christ, and the babes in Christ no matter how long they have been saved. I hope people at least do like the philosophers do. Meditate, seek truth, and go to the source of the BELIEF, the BIBLE and search how can any one believe in praying for healing. Not selected verses, but the Bible.

FAITH is one part of the armor of God Christians put on for battle which we are i every day where God asks us to TRUST him with EVERYTHING because he WANTS GOOD for Christians. It is the SHEILD, it PROTECTS from the enemies arrows. Enemies are those in Satan's army. We don't get to say who they are, but we have faith in God that they are real and our FAITH in Him and His word, unseen are TRUE. 

 

Do You Know Your Credit Score With God?

Most people know the importance of a good CREDIT score. Did you know God gives credit? In Romans 4, the word credit is used 9 times. How do we get credit with God and what is credited?

In secular terms, a credit score is a number that estimates how likely you are to pay back a loan or credit card. It's calculated from information in your credit report, which is a record of your credit activity.  Creditors use your credit score to decide whether to lend you money, and what interest rate to charge. Landlords may use your credit score to decide whether to rent you an apartment. Utility companies may use your credit score to decide what deposit you need to make to get service. A score of 670–739 is considered good. A score of 740–799 is considered very good. A score of 800–850 is considered excellent. As of April 2024, the average credit score in the United States was 715. 

The White and Hispanic communities had the highest median scores, while the Black and Native American communities had the lowest. Credit score disparities among racial and ethnic groups exist, but they are largely the result of external factors—such as differences in homeownership, debt levels, and access to credit—not race itself. These disparities reflect broader societal and financial inequalities and addressing them will require changes both to credit scoring models and broader economic policies.

My own state, Mississippi, has the lowest credit score of all the states. Mississippi has the lowest average FICO credit score, with an average FICO score of 672, barely considered good. Minnesota has the highest average FICO credit score, with an average FICO score of 728, only in the good range. According to recent reports, around 22-23% of Americans have a credit score of 800 or higher, which is considered "exceptional" by FICO standards.

So, what does CREDIT have to do with God and our religious faith?

Our FAITH earns CREDIT giving/adding to us RIGHTOUSNESS. What is righteousness? The quality of living in a way that is just, honest, and faithful to God. We as Christians strive, or at least should be striving, to be righteous. Having faith helps us to be just, honest, and faithful to God.

David explained it best in Psalms 32:1-2, “Blessed are THEY whose transgressions (sins) are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will NEVER count against him.”

The credit you receive from faith in God, is God recognizing, even if you slip up, you are striving to do what is just and honest. Your credit has stored up forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

In Romans 4, Abraham, our forefather, is used as an example of a person with faith. It was not what Abraham DID that pleased God, but his faith. Romans 4:3; "...Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was CREDITED to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS." It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. Abraham believed and trusted God to fulfill his promise to him and it would not be based solely on his works.

As we know in the secular world, you pay your bills on time and don't default on bills, your credit score rises. With God your currency or payment is FAITH. It EARNS you a standing with God. We all know we can REPENT for our sins, and they will be forgiven. In the secular world, credit earns you favor/access beforehand. The same is true with the Christian faith, you earn FAVOR/ACCESS with God. You have more and easier access to things you may have never considered or are aware of. Abraham's faith allowed for the favor for him to become the father of a nation along with his offspring.

How is your faith credit? Do you strive to make sure it is the highest it can be? Paying your bills on time takes intention and discipline, earning you good credit. In the same way, faith takes intention and discipline. It's not easy to believe in things not seen, but it is possible, earning you credit with God

Many people do not understand the importance of a good credit score, until they need credit. The same is true with the credit of faith which aids you in being righteous. We are unaware of how our faith affects our lives, until we need it to be in use. As the saying goes, "God is good all the time." But it seems God is even better to those who have faith.