Faith and Health

I have often noted that people do a lot of praying for healing. In most cases this prayer is for some kind of physical healing from some sort of ailment or condition. At the church I attend, there is always a portion of the service dedicated toward praying for others and much of that is praying for healing in others.

We know that Our Heavenly Father hears all our prayers. But, I have often observed that some people believe that those prayers have not yet been answered, and that they are waiting to get an answer. In many cases people who continue to suffer wait and pray patiently hoping for a resolution to their health problem.

It has always been my belief that God answers all prayers immediately, and continually. The problem is that we are sometimes unwilling, or unable to hear or accept the answer.

Many of you have probably heard the old story of a man who was stranded on his rooftop in the midst of a rising flood. He prayed to God to save him. While he was praying, a rescue boat pulled up to his house and the people in the boat called to him. He refused to get in the boat saying that God would rescue him. He then continued to pray as the waters continue to get higher. Then, a helicopter came over the house and a line was dropped down. Again, the man refused to accept help, saying he was waiting for God. Shortly after this, he drowned.

Upon arriving in heaven, he asked the Lord why he was allowed to drown even though he had prayed continuously for help. The Lord answered, “I did answer. I sent you a boat and a helicopter.”

Many people act very much the same way when it comes to their health. They pray for healing, yet they ignore an answer that is readily available. I can remember a young man and his wife coming in to see me years ago. He was suffering from terrible pain and was scheduled for spinal surgery in just a few days. In looking him over I determined that he had a problem that was commonly seen in my office, and I felt that he could be helped. When I told him this he said he and his wife would need to pray on this. He then began to pray right there in my office. He asked God to direct him on where he needed to go Unfortunately, after the prayer he left the office.

It struck me that he was already in my office, and that maybe God answered this prayer already by having him find his way to our clinic. Yet somehow, his skepticism about chiropractic care, coupled with his faith in the medical model of care prevented him from seeing that God had, figuratively, sent him a boat and a helicopter. A day later, he returned, started care, was able to cancel surgery, and eventually have a full recovery.

All healing comes from God. And since with God, everything is possible, then all healing is possible. There is no disease entity known to man that has not at some time undergone “spontaneous remission”. Even the most hopeless of cases has healed in certain people. We need to see that God has given us a magnificent body with all the things needed to be healthy. What is needed is that we listen to what he is saying and stop being stuck on the rooftop while refusing to see the help that is available.

I believe that the answer to our prayers for healing has been given to us before we even uttered the words. The problem is that we are sometimes unwilling or unable to hear, or accept that answer. The God-given power that made the body, heals the body, and it doesn’t happen any other way.

Did you know that the word “drug” does not appear in the Bible?

Additionally, only in certain translations does the word “medicine” appear.

Most of the translations that use the word medicine do so in a common language way such as “a taste of his own medicine”. In contrast, Young’s Literal Translation of Proverbs 17:22: says, “A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, and a smitten spirit drieth the bone.”

The word, “Pharmacology” does not appear in the bible. Or does it?

Galatians 5:19-21 says;
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Did you know that the word “witchcraft” as used above actually comes from the Greek word pharmakeia? According to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, “Pharmakeia is a Greek word that appears several times in the New Testament, including the Epistle to the Galatians and the Book of Revelation. It is frequently translated as "witchcraft" or "sorcery."

In a published interview on September 8, 1972, Billy Graham was asked the question, “What part can organized religion play in combating the growing drug problem?” He answered. “The word "pharmacia," which is a Greek word that we translate in the Bible "witchcraft" is the root word that we get the word drug from. And, there is a relationship of some sort.”

There is much discussion as to medicines being either good or bad for us as a society. But we must couch this discussion in several facts. Americans take more drugs than any other society. In fact we take more drugs than any society in the entire history of mankind! Unfortunately, America is far down the list of healthiest nations according to the World Health Organization.

We could continue both a biblical and scientific argument on the usage of drugs and their effects forever. But the one overlying question that I believe is never answered is this. Did God really make us so poorly that we should need all the chemicals we artificially put into our bodies just to experience the health He gave us?   Did God make a mistake and forget to give us things we need to resist disease, or feel good?

My answer to this question is what has continually driven me in my chosen profession of chiropractic. I believe that we have health inside of each and every one of us. All we need to do is to remove man-made interference to experience that God given gift of health. As a doctor, I do not claim to have all the answers. But I do know where the answers are!

Dependant upon which translation you read, Genesis 1: 26 starts off by saying one of the following:

• Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
• Then God said, Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.
• And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
• Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;

The key phrase here is at the end of this where each of the translations say, “our likeness” or “to be like us”. Unless you believe that God was only speaking about physical appearances, we can assume that God meant that we should be like Him in both form and structure.

In case you are wondering about the picture in this article I'll explain what this is. I was given the wooden hand as a new office gift by a Christian Chiropractor who was attending a talk I was giving. One of the themes of my talks is always, "The Power that made the Body, Heals the Body". When I was given this wooden hand the index finger was pointing up. It immediately inspired me to think that this little "sign" could be used to keep my practice members focused on Who Heals. This sign and hand proudly sits on the mantle in our clinic's education room for all to see.
 

Welcome to the Faith and Health  blog.  I am Dr. Bob Braile and  I am a Christian, Husband, Father, and Chiropractor (in that order), who has been greatly blessed by our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. I, and many of my colleagues who also feel their lives have been blessed by Christ, have decided to not hide our beliefs behind some man-made unwritten rule that says that you can not express your beliefs in a professional healthcare setting.

This blog, and the newsletter that coincides with it are designed to put the science of healthcare to the test of biblical truths. In future issues we will discuss what is real science and what is pseudo-science. We will look to see if there are biblical confirmations, or contradictions for the health care practices of today.

We believe Genesis 1-26 when it says, “Then God said, Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.” We believe that God made us in his image, not to be sick and suffer through a life less than He intended for us.

We also believe that science should not be in conflict with our faith. The fact that a process is scientific does not mean that it is not from God, as it is He who set the universe up to work the way it does. However, in man’s own arrogance, we sometimes use pseudo-science to think that we know better than the creator how to care for our bodies.

Some, if not many of the health care views I hold, you may not agree with. That is alright with me. You need to follow the path that you believe you are led to follow. As for me, this is the path l will follow.

I can suggest for starters, that you read something I was inspired to write many hears ago when I first was lead to the Lord. It is called " The Power That Made the Body, Heals the Bod y". The sub-title is, " For all Those Who Consider Themselves Christians and Don't Believe that God Creates Junk ." I believe you will find this of interest, and it will give you a good insight as to where I am coming from. 

All I ask is that you keep an open mind.