By His Stripes
By Dan Betzer

No matter -- healed or not -- I maintain an unshakable faith in God and His power.

Last week was pretty normal for my friend Kevin. But his leg was hurting. Understandably so, for he'd fallen several months earlier and broken it.

But the limb appeared to be on the mend -- 'til last week. He went to the doctor who sent him to Moffit Cancer Hospital in Tampa, Fla.

There a specialist gave him all the tests and the news: "There is a huge, malignant tumor on your leg," he said. "When you broke your leg, you broke open the tumor and the cancer cells are now spread throughout your entire body. You have no hope."

When Kevin called me a few minutes ago, it was to ask for prayer. I believe that God still heals the sick, that by the stripes put on Jesus' back we are healed.

I don't know why everyone isn't healed, but I've seen enough folks healed of terminal sickness that I know He does truly answer prayer. I have had members of my own family miraculously delivered from sicknesses physicians termed "lethal."

It's pretty easy for us healthy folks to say, "Well, that person would be healed if he or she had more faith."

Or, "That person isn't healed because he or she has hidden sin." Well, now, how in the world would we know that? And didn't Jesus say something or other about judging other folks?

My cousin Faye was healed of terminal cancer -- healed while in the death coma, by the way, and lived another 46 years.

My mom, on the other hand, died of the same sickness. Both believed in God, both were prayed for. Go figure.

But no matter -- healed or not -- I maintain an unshakeable faith in God and His power. I still believe that God heals the sick -- yes even now, 2000 years after Calvary.

Now I'm praying for Kevin. Hope you will, too.

cbn