Healing Prayer

Max on Life #67

The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.

QUESTION #67:
In my med-school class we discussed the place of prayer in the hospital. As you can imagine, we heard strong opinions on both sides. What are your thoughts? What is the purpose of healing prayer?

We tend toward one of two extremes on this subject: fanaticism or cynicism. Fanatics see the healing of the body as the aim of God and the measure of faith. Cynics consider any connection between prayer and healing as coincidental at best and misleading at worst. A fanatic might seek prayer at the exclusion of medicine; a cynic might seek medicine at the exclusion of prayer.

By His Friendship We Are Healed

by Tiffany Ann Lewis 

"He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

Through God's anointing and the use of modern-day technology, we have been able to experience the fulfillment of this verse almost as if we were right there. Images of the beating, images of the crown of thorns, images of the nails...selah. These images have been burned into my mind and change me every time I ponder the Cross of Christ. I am undone over and over again that Divine Love offered His life for our transgressions and became the source of our salvation and healing.

Yet this year, as I looked at the Hebrew letters of light within this verse, I saw something even more. I saw the friendship of God within the stripes on Jesus' back. Let me explain.

Should we use doctors, or just have faith that God will heal?

by Matt Slick

There is nothing in the Bible that says we cannot use doctors. In fact, Luke is commonly believed to have been a physician. So, God has chosen a doctor to help write the New Testament.

God has gifted believers, as well as unbelievers, with the ability to study medicine and to be used by Him in order to heal people. In fact, God has gifted all kinds of people in all kinds of ways. What about going to the orthodontist to have our teeth straightened? 

As Christians, should we just pray about it and not go? Or what about people with bad vision? Should they pray and ask for healing or go to the ophthalmologist? The answer is simple. Do both. Pray and ask the Lord to heal you. If He doesn't, go to a doctor.

Healing Cry

Written by Julie Cosgrove

 Are you facing a period of suffering in your life? Take this interactive online study: Finding Hope When It Hurts

“O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” (Psalm 30:2)

Recently I was hospitalized for a staph infection that had invaded a simple scrape on my forehead. One side of my temple ballooned into a red, angry mass and the skin around my eye swelled shut. The swelling even spread to my cheek and jaw. The nurses responded by giving me IV antibiotics. However, when the doctor entered the scene he informed me that true healing would not occur unless the wound was lanced and drained.

The moment the wound was lanced I felt excruciating pain. Surprisingly, only a couple days later I was back to normal and the wound healed nicely. Even though I had recovered quite remarkably, the doctor warned me take oral antibiotics for a week to make sure any remnants of the infection were dealt with.

God Wants You Well

"If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee." (Exodus 15:26)

Has the devil ever tried to put you under condemnation by telling you that it's contrary to the principles of faith to use doctors and medicine when you need healing? If so, here are some encouraging words that I believe will help you put your heart at rest.

It is God's will to heal you. That's the first and most important thing for you to understand. If your faith is strong and you can believe the Word without wavering (regardless of what circumstances or symptoms come against you), then you'll be able to receive that healing by faith alone.

But that kind of faith takes more than just hearing a few sermons about healing. It takes a deep personal revelation of God's healing power. So, if you haven't yet developed that kind of faith, the doctor is your best friend.

If you're not certain whether your faith is strong enough or whether you need a doctor's help, follow the instructions of the Apostle Paul (Col. 3:15) and let peace be your umpire.

If fear rises up within you when you think about doing without medical help, then go to a doctor. And go in faith! On the other hand, if you have a sure confidence within you that healing is yours strictly by faith, let your faith do its work and receive your healing directly. Whether or not you go to the doctor is not the issue. It is what you do with your faith.

Either way, you can rejoice knowing God is working with you, meeting you at the level of your faith. 

Thank God for your healing--however it comes!--and do not let Satan put you under condemnation. It is none of his business!

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 7:8-15

R.I.P. modern medicine

When the shutters come down for the final time at your local pharmacy and all the prescription drugs we've come to rely on are labelled 'Not Fit For Purpose', what will you do?

Are we facing the end of modern medicine?

At the risk of provoking howls of derision from regular readers, bear with me for one minute...

Recently, I told you about a leading doctor who risked professional suicide by suggesting that a 10 pence Vitamin B tablet is more effective for treating dementia than the blockbuster drug Aricept...

We also heard the apocalyptic pronouncement from the World Health Organisation that antibiotics have been so over-used that they're now almost completely useless against 'super strains' of bacterial infection. 

S t i g m a

By Lizzie Simon

I've always thought that stigma against people with mental illness came from ignorance. And when I'm confronted with someone who simply doesn't know much about mental health, I can explain myself, my story, and my viewpoints and stay pretty relaxed through the conversation. After all, there's plenty of stuff I'm ignorant about, and I generally like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

But what happens when the person expressing stigma is extremely intelligent? For me, it's far more complex and uneasy.

Her thesis was that mental illnesses didn't really existRecently at a party, I was introduced to a small group of people by someone who praised my book on mental illness. One of the women in the group asked me what it was about, and I told her that it was a cross country memoir in which I interviewed people who had been successfully treated for bipolar disorder. I had written the very book I needed to read when I was seventeen and diagnosed.

Successfully treated? She said, and she pulled me aside to talk further.

She was incredibly articulate and well educated, a university professor. And yet, her thesis was that mental illnesses didn't really exist. That wellness through medical treatment was a conjured fantasy by the marketers of medicine. In her view, the ways in which people are diagnosed and treated for mental illnesses are nothing more than shoddy methods devised by institutions with profit motives. These methods, she said, stripped individuals of their agency, their humanity and their money.

Anointing the Sick

The New Testament's Book of James gives some very unusual instructions on how to treat illness:

"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."

—James 5:14-15

In eras when human knowledge was far less advanced, it's not surprising that people would turn to superstitious practices such as prayer and anointing with oil in an attempt to cure illness. What's far more surprising is how many people still believe in these practices today, despite our far more advanced knowledge of scientific medicine, as well as ample evidence that faith healing does not work.

The Greek Orthodox Church, for example, makes anointing a regular practice, and claims that it offers physical healing:

At the conclusion of the service of the Sacrament, the body is anointed with oil, and the grace of God, which heals infirmities of soul and body, is called down upon each person.

...The Sacrament of the Unction of the sick is the Church's specific prayer for healing. If the faith of the believers is strong enough, and if it is the will of God, there is every reason to believe that the Lord can heal those who are diseased.

The Assemblies of God says the same thing:

In the Assemblies of God we believe neither the laying on of hands nor anointing with oil is indispensable for healing, for often in Scripture healing takes place without either. But at times the touch of a praying person and the application of oil are an encouragement to faith, and such a practice is enjoined by Scripture (James 5:14-16).

And, as Jeffrey Shallit reports, Prof. Clifford Blake of the University of Waterloo is an unabashed believer in faith healing through anointing and other, equally mystical methods:

Some people believe healing was only in the time of the Bible. But he knows it is happening now. When he began to use healing oil, he got more consistent results.

Granted, there are also Christians who believe the anointing is merely symbolic. And the reason they believe that should be obvious: because it is abundantly obvious, to those who know how to think critically, that anointing people with oil is not an effective method of curing illness. If there was any evidence that this was an efficacious treatment, we can be sure it would be universally employed in every Christian church, and would not be explained away as symbolic. But as scientific medicine has progressed and our ability to work real cures has increased, superstitious practices like this have become increasingly superfluous and have gradually faded away (although, as shown, there are still plenty of holdouts).

Certainly, the Bible's description of this does not seem like mere symbolism: it says clearly that "the prayer of faith" will save the sick, and in conjunction with the oil, "the Lord shall raise him up" (the Greek word, egeiro, means "to cause to rise", i.e., from a seat or a bed). My question to modern believers who view this passage symbolically is, if you know this doesn't work, how do you know that - and do you apply that same standard to the rest of the Bible? And to those who still use faith healing and dabs of magical oil, in an age of genetic manipulation, transplant surgery and antibiotics, my question is: Do you really believe that?

http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/do-you-really-believe-that-v.html 

Doctor Of The Future - Thomas Edison

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, But will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." -Thomas Edison
http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/2012/03/another-theory-about-honeybee-deaths.html

Why Laughter is the Best Medicine

ByMatthew D. Della Porta

Tickle your funnybone for stronger relationships, a happier mood and better health.

Laughter is a bold declaration of happiness.

We’re all familiar with its contagious effect, and attempts to stifle it often result in uncontrollable giggles. Professional comedians claim that there is humor to be found in virtually any situation, given enough time. We all know that laughing feels good, but what impact does it have on our daily wellbeing? Let’s turn to the research to find out.

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Recent studies suggest that laughter enhances the quality of romantic relationships. One experiment found that couples instructed to reminisce about occasions where they laughed together reported being more satisfied with their relationships, compared to couples that remembered times when they laughed apart from one another or times when they shared positive (but not funny) experiences¹.

Interestingly, the occasions on which couples laughed together were not always positive. This suggests that the ability to laugh about neutral or even negative experiences together enhances relationship satisfaction, which is highly related to feeling happy.

How can you make this work for your relationship? Next time you and your significant other are caught in traffic or dine at a mediocre restaurant, help each other find the humor in the situation.

Each time you do this, you create one more memory for the both of you to fondly remember.

Research also indicates that laughter is powerful enough to enhance our physical health. A recent experiment found that mothers who watched and laughed at a Charlie Chaplin movie, “Modern Times,” had higher levels of melatonin in their breast milk, which helped reduce allergic responses and promoted better sleep in their infant children. Another group of mothers that watched a video about weather information did not experience this change².

Another experiment revealed that women who watched a humorous movie reported lower stress levels and experienced greater immune system functionality, relative to a control group that watched a tourism video³. Finally, laughing has been associated with decreased levels of prorenin in the blood, which is involved in the onset of diabetic complications⁴.

Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it does seem to have a legitimate medicinal value.

Do you need to laugh more often? Having a lot of responsibilities can make life seem somber and boring. It’s been months since I’ve had a good chuckle paying bills or taking out the garbage! Here are a few tips on how to keep the laughs coming amidst the daily drudgery of life:

• Stand-up comedy. This art form has entertained the masses for decades. Choose a comedian that’s relatable and not offensive to you. Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Cosby, two all-time greats, have clean acts and are truly funny. Listen to their albums or search for them on YouTube. If you’re lucky, you might even catch them on tour.

• Surround yourself with funny people. Determine whether you habitually spend time with others who tend to talk about grim matters. There’s a time and a place for such discussions, but more often than not, hang out with a friend or family member who keeps things light-hearted and makes you laugh.

• Amuse yourself. Consider this wise adage: “Blessed are we who laugh at ourselves, for we will never cease to be amused.” As we mature, it’s easy to take life far too seriously. Whenever you have a moment alone, get in the habit of laughing out loud. Don’t be shy; nobody can hear you! Think of something amusing you saw or heard earlier in the day or imagine a scene from your favorite comedic movie. Whatever it takes to make you laugh, do it! You’ll be glad you took a break from your usual worries.

People often dismiss laughter as a youthful tendency that fades with time. I wholeheartedly disagree with this assumption. Having a good laugh is not just an occasional pleasant experience—it can become a way of life and should be a high priority on any given day.

Indeed, humor has a powerful and unique ability to overshadow virtually any other emotion, even when we feel frightened or sad.  Whether or not you consider yourself “funny,” focus on finding ways to laugh heartily and frequently. You may find that laughter and happiness are a natural pair.

http://www.youbeauty.com/mind/columns/cloud-nine/why-laughter-is-the-best-medicine

Humor: How It Makes You Beautiful

ByAngelica Catalano

A good sense of humor is gorgeous in every sense of the word. See how it helps your relationships and overall wellbeing!

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Woody Allen has snagged some lovely leading ladies, from Diane Keaton to Mia Farrow. And (shocker) it probably had more to do with his undeniable wit than the stereotypical “tall, dark and handsome” qualities.

Whether or not hypochondriac jokes are your style, everyone’s attracted to humor in some way. It’s one reason why “a good sense of humor” tops people’s list of what they look for in a partner. Once you’re in a relationship, humor can help you steer clear of ugly conflicts. It aids your other relationships, too, helping you bond with old friends and make new ones.

Even when you’re alone, appreciating life's comical side can help you cope with more serious issues (some of the best comedians used humor to get through hard times growing up). Here’s a quick list of all the ways humor makes you beautiful.

Humor makes you more attractive. In one study, men who cracked funny jokes received about three times as many phone numbers from women than men who didn’t. Why? Possibly because we view being funny as an important social skill, which moves you up on the social status ladder.

In that same study, the humorous men were not only seen as more attractive, but also more intelligent, funny and sociable. To be quick-witted, you have to be sharp, after all.

So why are women so hot on humor? When something’s funny, certain pleasure centers in the brain are activated more in women than in men—the left prefrontal cortex (which suggests a greater emphasis on language) and the nucleus accumbens (part of the brain’s “reward center”).

The study also found that women had lower expectations that something (in this case, a cartoon) would be funny, so they experienced a bigger mental payoff when the punchlines came. This extra dose of pleasure may be a hint to why women value humor so much.

Bottom line: Whether you’re telling the joke or just laughing, that smile on your face will make you look more approachable. Not to mention, both funny women and men report having more sex.

Humor reflects a happy relationship. By the time you’re actually in a relationship, humor comes in handy when you inevitably hit a disagreement. Recent studies suggest that laughter enhances the quality of romantic relationships. It's especially useful during conflict. Being able to laugh about negative (or neutral) events with your partner boosts relationship satisfaction. COLUMN: Laughter is the Best Medicine Humor boosts your health. When it comes to your relationship with friends and yourself, laughing can enhance your physical and emotional wellbeing. “Humor is an excellent way to create stronger social bonds and cohesion. It relates to whether or not people can ‘get the joke’ or not,” says Kathryn Bouskill a Ph.D. candidate at Emory University. This bonding can help during trying times, as she’s discovered in her study of breast cancer coping. “The data on the benefits of social connection and social support on stress relief is particularly strong among breast cancer patients,” Bouskill says. “Humor is a cognitive way to take something serious and turn it on its head. In this way, humor creates a mental distance from stress.” The deactivation of the stress response that comes from social support can improve immune function, Bouskill says. This immune system boost is seen across contexts. QUIZ: Are You Feeling Stressed? In a lab study, women who watched a funny movie reported less stress and experienced better immune system functioning compared to a control group. For even more evidence that humor can benefit your health: For Type 2 diabetics, laughing is linked with lower blood levels of prorenin, which in turn could lower the chance of kidney-related complications. So we can’t resist thinking that laughter may be our best medicine. You can at least count on it to make you look glowing, no matter what kind of day you’re having. Now that you've read about all the benefits of humor, test yours! Take our Humor Styles Quiz to learn how your own personal sense of humor is affecting your inner and outer beauty. The quiz breaks your humor into four different styles, some good for beauty, some bad. See where your laughter falls!