Saying Thanks

Dr. Marty Baker / November 23, 2009 / Luke 17:11-19

            Good morning and welcome to The Creek. I would like to welcome our Grovetown Campus and all those who are watching on television and StevensCreekChurch.com.

            When I was a kid, my mother made sure that anytime that I received a gift, a compliment or a helping hand that I would always respond with a kind-hearted, “thank you.”  Not only that, but she often encouraged me to write a simple note acknowledging the gift and expressing my appreciation to that person for that gift.  I am sure that most of you had parents that encouraged you to do the same thing.  Saying “thank you” is the right thing to do. It is just good manners.

            Today I want to talk to you about a story in the Bible when an individual went back to Jesus and said, “thank you.”  It’s found in Luke 11:11-17.  This story occurred when Jesus was traveling along the border between the border of Samaria and Galilee.  In those days, it was rare for a Jewish person to step foot in Samaria.  There had been a long and steady feud between these two nations and that produced a lot of tension.

            As Jesus was going into the village, he saw ten men with leprosy standing together near the entrance.  In those days, people who had leprosy were required to keep their distance from the normal population. Leprosy was the most dreaded disease of their day.  In the classic sense, it was a skin disorder that caused permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.  Many people with the disease became disfigured because it auto-amputated parts of their body.

            Leprosy was considered contagious so if you had it, you were required to live apart from your family in a camp outside the city. So people stricken with this disease not only suffering physically, but they were emotionally uprooted from their loved ones and forced to live alone or with a group of fellow sufferers.

            In this story, there were ten men with leprosy standing together.  When they saw Jesus, these men cried out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us.” These guys were desperate and they knew that Jesus was their only hope.

            Maybe some of you feel that way today.  You are not suffering from leprosy, or what we call Hansen’s disease, but you have seen your life deteriorate. You feel as though you have been banished and maybe feel like an outcast. You are alone and suffering by yourself. 

            Is there something inside of you that makes you feel as though you don’t belong? The guilt and shame you wrestle with silently pushes you away from those you love and those who love you.

            Maybe it’s not an inner struggle, but you feel like you like you just can’t get ahead. You feel pushed to the side because of the economy. You’ve have done what you know to do, yet no doors have opened for you. Your nightly routine consists of internet searches on job sites hoping that one of the applications that you have filled out makes it to the right person.  Every day the financial pressure seems to increase. You try to cover it up, but it’s there eating at you.

            Some of you have a different routine.  You put the kids to bed and you scan the internet dating sites wondering if this is the night for that you will find a meaningful relationship. Your biggest fear is that you will grow old alone. Night after night, this routine continues and your loneliness seems to grow. You are starting to feel hopeless.

            These ten lepers standing outside the city gate were hopeless, that is, until they saw Jesus passing by. Once they recognized him, they cried out, “Jesus, have mercy on us.”

Luke 11:4 

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

            This was a test for them. Were they willing to obey the words of Jesus?  Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests. In those days, the priests were responsible to protect the larger community from a contagious disease.  It was his duty to decide if a person was healed or not.  Jesus respected their process and was he ultimately giving the priests the opportunity to be a part of a miracle from God. Look at the rest of the verse.

Luke 11:4 

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 

            Notice the words, “As they went.” These ten lepers had to do something for their situation to change.  They had to go show themselves to the priests. It was in their going; it was in their doing; it was in their obeying that they found healing. They demonstrated their faith in Jesus by doing what he asked them to do. Faith is not only believing; it is doing.

James 2:17

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

            Jesus calls us to take action.  We must do something.  This week … what are you going to do to change the direction of your life?  What steps are you going to take to find the help that you need?

            Jesus said, “Go, show yourselves to the priest.”  These ten lepers obeyed his words and in doing so, they were healed. Look at what happened.

Luke 17:15-16

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him–and he was a Samaritan. 

            Only one out of the ten remembered what his mother taught him: “Always say thank you.”  Only one of the ten, made the effort to come back and express his appreciation for the miracle of life that Jesus had given him.

            We read this in disbelief wondering how could they not say a simple thank you. Their lives were changed.  No longer would they have to live in camps outside the city. No longer would they have to cry out, “unclean, unclean” as they walked along the road. 

            No longer did they have to be alienated from their friends and family. This was a life-changing miracle.  All ten received it, but only one came back and said, “thank you.”

            There is an added twist to this story. In verse sixteen, we see that the one that came back and said “thank you” was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were hated among the Jews. It is hard for us to imagine the feeling of contempt that Jews held for Samaritans in the first century.

            Seldom in the history of the world has there been a racial prejudice that was so extreme in the intensity of its mutual loathing. Jews and Samaritans hated each other for 450 years. Samaritans were only half Jews and that is why pure Jews despised them.

            It’s interesting that the hated Samaritan was the only one to come back and acknowledge the miracle. Jesus responded to him by saying, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?”

            When we hear this story, we are shocked at the lack of gratitude coming from this group of former lepers.  We wonder, “How could they be so insensitive? How could they be so ungrateful?”  Could it be that some of us are just as guilty?

            Let’s bring it closer to home. When you study the Bible you will learn that many events, persons, and objects in the Old Testament were "types" or foreshadowings of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, leprosy is a spiritual picture of sin.

            Here’s what I mean. There is no one in this auditorium today suffering from physical leprosy, but all of us at one point in our lives have be plagued by a spiritual leprosy called sin.

            We are like the ten lepers crying out, “Jesus, have mercy on us.”  We have a spiritual case of leprosy and Jesus is our only hope of healing.

            Sin separates us from a holy God.  Sin places guilt and shame on us. It makes us feel alone, unworthy and unclean. It is a spiritual disease that left untreated will eventually take us to an eternal death.

            But the good news is this: Jesus Christ came to heal us from this dreadful sin disease. Jesus left heaven and came to this earth to save us from our sins. He died on the cross and on the third day he rose from the grave so that we can be forgiven.  He made it possible for us to have a new life, a second chance to be the people that we were meant to be.

            You can be healed today. You can be forgiven, but you must do something. You have to take the next step. Cry out to Him. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Ask Jesus to make you spiritually clean. If you will ask in faith, he will do it.

            Now, I know that scores of you have already done this. You have experienced God’s blessing. You have been healed of your spiritual disease, but have you ever said, “Thank you?” Are you like the one who returned with gratitude or like the other nine that went on about their business?

Luke 17:17-19
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

            Ten were healed, but only one returned to say “thank you.” The message today is simple.  We need to express our appreciation for what Jesus has done for us. We need to say, “Thank You.”     How do you do that? How do you express your gratitude to the Lord?

            Today I want to give you some practical ways to help you say “thank you” to the Lord and possibly to others. How can you express your appreciation? 

Four Ways to be Thankful

1.       Say it.

            You have to speak it.  When was the last time that you said, “Thank you” to the Lord? I know that you may think it. You may even feel a sense of appreciation down inside, but when have you actually mouthed the words, “Thank you Lord.”

            God has been good to you.  There are many here today that have not made a personal decision to follow Jesus. You are not a part of his family, yet He has blessed you in spite of your decisions. God is good.  In the Old Testament says:

1 Chronicles 16:34 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 

King David made it personal. He said…

Psalm 7:17

 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. 

            When was the last time that you said, “Thank you to the Lord for his goodness in your life?”

            Let us take this one step further.  When was the last that you said “thank you” to your family and friends for their kindness that they have shown to you?

            You know we tend to take things for granted. We forget that someone has sacrificed so that we can have the life that we have today.  Maybe it’s our parents, our spouse, a friend, a co-worker?  Have we taken the time to say, “Thank you.”  Not only do we need to say it, but secondly we need to write it.

2.       Write it.

            Like I said, when I was growing up, my parents always insisted that I write a “thank you” note to people who gave me gifts. There have been times that I have been slow to do that and my mother would ask, “Have you sent them a thank you card?”

            On occasion Patty has taken that practice to the next step by saying that you are not going to spend any of the money or use the gift until you write a card.  It’s amazing how that speeds up the process.

            There’s something about a hand-written note. It gives you the opportunity to express your gratitude, mention how it’s going to be used and so forth. The point of writing the note is to express your heart.  

            Have you ever written a note to God?  In today’s vernacular, we call this journaling. This is the practice where we write out our feelings and our prayers to God. 

            There have been times in my life when I would kneel to pray and instead of praying, I was distracted by all of the things that I had to do before the end of the day.

            Have you had that problem?  You want to pray, but instead of praying, you create a grocery list.  How do you conquer this?  Try journaling.  Write out your prayers.  Write out a “thank you” list to God.  Express your appreciation for what He has done.   

            There are several models to follow that will help you pray.  One of the models that many people use is the ACTS model. This stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.  When you write out your prayers, include a “thank you” note to the Lord. He has been good to you. How can we express our thanks? We say it, we write it and thirdly, we show it.

3.       Show it.

            We need to show our appreciation.  To show means to exhibit, to display, to make known. We need to make it known to God that we appreciate what He has done in our lives.  God has given you special gifts, natural talents and abilities. We show our appreciation for those gifts by using them in a way that gives honor to Him.

            Jesus taught us not to hide our light under a bush. In the same way, we should not hide the talents and abilities that he has given us, but use them to help others.  

            How do you show it? Here’s something to think about. We have all made mistakes and God has forgiven us. One way that we can show our appreciation to God is by forgiving those people who have hurt us.

            Some of you are holding a grudge against someone for something that happened months ago.  It’s time to forgive.  God has forgiven you and it’s time for you to forgive them.  It’s time to lay down your weapons. It’s time to make peace.

            How do you show it? Be nice. Be kind to the individual.  This week you may see some family members that you have had a long standing feud with. Be kind to them. Extend grace to them. As you do that, you are saying “thanks to God” for the grace that He has extended to you.

            How do you show it? You can show your appreciation in tangible ways by giving to the Lord.

Proverbs 3:9 

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.

            All throughout the Bible, you will see examples of people expressing their appreciation for what God has done by giving an offering.

            In addition to the tithes that we collect on a weekly basis, we make it a practice here at The Creek to bring a special offering to the Christmas Eve Service each year.  It’s a tangible way that we can say, “Thank You” to God for his blessings in our lives throughout the year.

Exodus 25:1-2

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.

Over the next few weeks, you will hear more about our Christmas Eve Offering.

We encourage you to follow your heart and do what the Lord prompts you to do. How do we say “thanks?” Not only do we show it, but we must live it.

4.       Live it.

            I want you to live a life of thankfulness. God has graciously poured out His blessing on us. We should live in a way that expresses our appreciation for what He has done.  We are to live with a thankful heart in the good times and in the bad. It’s God’s will for us to be grateful.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this.

            We say thanks to God by the way that we choose to live. The choices we make express our appreciation for God’s work in our lives.  Practically speaking, if God has forgiven us of our sins, we must make a conscious effort to turn around and not repeat the same mistakes that we have made in the past. The Bible calls this repentance.

            In other words, when you repent you are declaring that you are going forward and not backwards. It means that you allowing Jesus to lead your life. You are going to walk in his footsteps and use his life as a model for your own.

Colossians 3:17 

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

             Today we are here to give thanks.  We want to be intentional as we express our appreciation for God’s blessing on us. We want to say “thank you” for giving us a second chance. We want to say “thank you” for the forgiveness of our sins. We want to say “thank you” for the families that He has given us.  We want to say “thank you” for the friends that we have.  We want to say “thank you” for our church family. We want to say “thank you” for providing for us.

We want to say “thank you” for allowing us to be a part of what His work in this world. We want to say “thank you” for the hope of a better tomorrow.

            Today we want to say “thank you” to Jesus for what He did on the Cross. Throughout history, Christians have gathered on a regular basis to remember his sacrifice and offer thanks through communion.

            Today we have five different communion stations set up so that as you feel prompted and prepared you can say “thank you” for his grace.

            I realize that some of you are unfamiliar with this ancient practice. Just before Jesus went to the cross, he met with his disciples and shared a meal. Some people call this the Last Supper. Jesus said that in the future when you meet together re-enact this meal and as you do it, remember what it means.

            Communion symbolizes Jesus’ death on the cross. As we take communion, we remember that Jesus, who is always present—at all times and in all places—is present in a special way when we come to the Table.

            On the night before he was crucified, Jesus gathered His friends, and

He took a piece of bread and said:

I want you to do this and eat this bread on a regular basis, and, as you do, I want you to remember My body broken for you, My hands nailed to a cross, My side pierced by a sword, My head torn by a crown of thorns.

He took a cup of wine, and He said:

I want you to drink this cup on a regular basis, and I want you to remember it is My blood poured out for you. I died so you could live.

He said:

Luke 22: 19

Do this in remembrance of me.

YOU CAN HAVE A NEW LIFE

Dr. Marty Baker | John 3 | November 1, 2009
Good morning. I am Marty Baker and I would like to welcome you to Stevens Creek Church. I would also like to welcome those that are watching on television and on the web.
Have you ever needed a second chance…another opportunity to do something right? Yes, all of us have. I will never forget when I made the transition from college to graduate school. I had a good time in college which meant that when I applied to graduate school, I was accepted in the program on academic probation. I felt pressure out of the gate.
When my first exam rolled around, I thought that I was ready for the next level. The night before the exam I was called into work because of a tragic accident. I was up all night and by the time that I sat down to take the exam, I was nervous and very tired. When I looked at the questions on the exam, it was much worse than I expected. I did not know any of the answers to the questions. I could feel my blood-pressure rising as I wondered what this exam was going to do my career.
I realized that I could not bluff my way through this exam so I humbly walked to the front of the class and explained my situation to the professor. He gave me a second chance and allowed me to take the exam later that week. Not only that, but he gave me the same exam so when I arrived to re-take the test I knew all of the questions. What could have been a rough start to graduate school actually became a second chance opportunity that helped me to gain confidence to do what I was there to do.
Today I want to talk to you about second chances. I believe that you not only turn over a new leaf but you can have a new life. You cannot change your past, but you can start over and change your future.
We are in a series called Amazed. It is a group of messages based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Today’s talk is called “You Can Have a New Life.” It is taken from the most famous conversation in the Bible.
In John 3, we meet an individual named Nicodemus. He met Jesus late one night for a conversation that ultimately changed his life. Nick was a noted and highly respected member of the community. He was well-versed in religion and politics and was a member of the Jewish Ruling Council called the Sanhedrin. This meant that he was one of the 70 leaders in the community that regularly met with the high priest. This was a big deal.
Nick had everything that most guys wanted…respect, position, influence and upward mobility, but there was something missing in his life. He was empty inside. This emptiness drove him to risk his entire career. It drove him to have a conversation with Jesus. Let’s look at John 3.
John 3:2-4
2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
Today I want to talk about the most important question that has ever been asked: “How can I be born again?” Being born again is all about having a new start; it’s about having a second chance. Before we leave today, you will have the answer to that question.
Today we have a special guest with us, Ruby Gettinger. She understands what it means to be born again. She has a new life in Jesus Christ. Her life has been changed on the inside and now she is on a journey to change her life on the outside. She is on a journey to health.

VIDEO Introduction for Ruby:
Later on today we are going to have Ruby share her story, but before she comes, I want to share with you some of the principles that she has used in her own transformation.

INTERVIEW with Ruby

Ruby shared with us that she was addicted to food. When I saw her on Oprah, one of the statements that spoke to me was not “what are you eating, but what is eating you?” That’s my question for you today. What’s eating you?
We all have our struggles. Some of us wrestle with food, some of us with work, video games, self-esteem, alcohol … there are so many things that can lead to unhealthy addictions in our lives. This simply means that we lost our freedom and have become enslaved to something outside of our control.
2 Peter 2:19
…for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
What’s mastered you? What’s the area in your life where there is an imbalance? What is the thing that has become an unhealthy obsession?
For Ruby it was obvious, she had a struggle with food. Your struggle may not be so obvious. It may be something that you can hide. Just because it’s not as visible does not mean that you do not have a problem.
So, what is it? What’s that one thing or that one relationship that you are thinking about right now and justifying in your mind that it is okay?
I know that some of you are getting defensive about it. You rationalizing your behavior and have a list of reasons why you are living the way that you are living. Some of you are saying that it’s not a problem. I can quit at any time.
The truth is that you are in bondage. You are enslaved. Every day you are giving up more and more control. You have given up your freedom.
You don’t have to continue to live like this. Today is the day that you get set free. Today is the day that you let Christ do a divine work in your life. I want to share three Biblical principles that have the power to set you free.
Steps to Freedom
The first step is simple.
1. Take it to God.
The “it” maybe different for all of us, but whatever “it” is to you, whatever the baggage is, whatever that problem is, whatever the addiction is, we are taking “it” to God.
Romans 6:12-14
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God…
14 For sin shall not be your master…
Some of you may remember the old cartoon Pop-Eye the Sailor Man. The cartoon revolved around a weak-looking sailor who would break open a can of spinach when faced with great adversity and, after the first bite, he was suddenly endowed with incredible strength.
One episode featured Popeye’s girlfriend, Olive Oyl, being mistreated by Brutus and his friends. Popeye took it all in stride hoping the bullies would leave her alone. However, the situation escalated and the bullies just wouldn’t leave Olive Oyl alone.
Popeye reached his breaking point. He grabbed a can of spinach and uttered his famous line. He said: “I’ve had all I can stand. I can’t stands no more.”
Some of you this morning are at your breaking point. Maybe you’ve had all you can stand and you can’t stand it anymore. Something has to give. Something has to change.
Today is the day for you to come clean. You are going to say, “I am not going to live in darkness anymore. I am not going to let the spirit of darkness control my body.” I am not going to go there. I am not going to worry about what’s going to happen to me. I am not going to be in bondage to something that is not the presence of Christ. That’s all I can stand. I am going to take it to God in prayer.
When you get serious and you take it to God like you have never, ever taken it before, you will find deliverance. I am not talking about some sterile Sunday School prayer. I am talking about getting serious with God. I am talking about on your face, crying out to God saying: God if you don’t come through to me I am not going to get out of this. God I am desperate. God take it away. God take it away.
Today is the day that you will take it to God and He will do a work like He has never done before. Cry out: God set me free. Some of you may look at the addiction and say, “I just cannot overcome it, it’s too big.” What’s bigger? Beer or God? Cigarettes or God?
Do you remember the story of David and Goliath? All of the Israelites looked at Goliath and said, “He’s too big.” David heard them say this time and time again. He finally came to the point where he said, “That’s all I can stand.” Who is this guy to come against the armies of the living God? My God is bigger and He will deliver us. Which is bigger? God or your problem? Scripture says it this way:
2 Corinthians 10:4
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
The weapons we use have the explosive, miraculous power of God. So, what has mastered you? The first thing that we are going to do is Take it to God. Next, take it public.
2. Take it Public.
We are going to confess it publicly.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
The problem is that so many people are afraid of what other people may say. You’ve got to get passed that. You will not be completely free until you take it public. You don’t need to have a news conference. You just need a few trusted friends like the ones in your small group.
Ask your friends for help. Ask them to help you in three ways.
Ask for Help
• Help me with prayer.
Will you pray for me? I believe that prayer is the key that will unlock the door to spiritual blessings in our lives. We need God to move in our lives. The power of God is released through prayer.
• Help me when I fall.
Chances are that you will fall and you need someone to help pick you up and encourage you. We all make mistakes. You must be willing to ask for help when you fall.
• Help me with accountability.
You need a friend to help hold you accountable. Do you have someone that knows you well enough to confront you when it is evident that things are not right?
There are many of you that need to put these steps into action. You need to go public. You need help. You need to confess. Some of you, however, will be on the receiving end of a confession. Some of you may have a spouse come to you and say, “I am addicted to this or to that.”
Some of you have known it for a long time and you will say, “Finally.” Others of you will be shocked and you will say “What?” You will be tempted to take it personally. You may be offended by it. You will be tempted to be hurt and angry.
If you are receiving a confession today, receive it with grace. Don’t get angry. Don’t take it personally. Understand that your response to that confession is critical in the healing process of the one who is making the confession. Love them. Hold them. Pray for them. Help them. Realize that they really want to be free. Take it to God. Take it public.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Today is the day to get free. You are going to take it to God, take it public and finally take it down.
3. Take it down.
How are you going to take it down? It’s time for you to take the first step. Do what you can do. You do the possible. Trust God to do what you cannot do. It’s that simple. You are going to do what you can do and you are going to trust God to do what you cannot do.
If you are addicted to alcohol, then you are going to pour it out because that’s what you can do. In three days when you think that you are going to die without it, God is going to come through for you. If it is cigarettes, today you are going to throw them in the garbage can on your way out. Go straight home … not by a convenience store. That’s what you can do.
If it is Internet pornography, it’s time to take action. Maybe you need to cut your internet subscription and if you cannot do that, then you need some sort of web accountability. Go to www.xxxchurch.com and you can find help.
It’s time for you to walk away from sin. It’s time to say, “That’s all I can stand, I will not stand it anymore.” I will not be in bondage to something. I will not let sin master me.
Today is the day you can be set free. The Bible says:
Philippians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
It’s time to take those things that have mastered you and master them. You can have a new life. How? Take it to God; Take it public and take it down. You can do all things through Christ. Today is your day. You can be free.
We started this message with the story of Nicodemus in John chapter 3. As you remember, Nicodemus had a void in his life. He sought to fill that void with education, prestige, and success, but even with all of that, he knew that something was still missing. He needed a new life. He needed to be born again.
He said, “How can a man at my age be born again?” Jesus responded by saying that he could have a new life from the inside out. He’s not talking about a physical birth, but a spiritual birth. He is calling you to the same thing.
How does that happen? Jesus continued the conversation with the most famous words in the Bible.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
If you believe these words, you can be born again today.
You can experience the joy that Ruby has talked about and that so many people in this room have experienced. You can have a new life. It can all begin right now.
A Call to Prayer
Today we are going to close with two prayers. The first one is for those of you who have never said, “Yes to Jesus.” Today is the day that you are set free from your sin. Now is the time. Surrender your life to Him. I want you to pray this prayer with me:
Heavenly Father. I am ready to give you my whole life just as you gave Jesus for me. I believe that Jesus is your son who died for me. I want to live for you. I want to be born again. Save me. Heal me. Deliver me. Make me into the person that you would have me to be. Fill me with your Spirit today. I pray this believing that you have heard my prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now, the second prayer is for those of you who have struggled with some of the issues that I have mentioned. You need God to break some strongholds in your life. You need a breakthrough.
James 5:14-15
14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
As April leads us in a song, I want you to come down front and there are people here to anoint you with oil and pray over you. We believe that this is your day to be free.