Is special knowledge needed? Part 1

    In a time of need or urgent situations, we Christians have the upper hand because we can call out to an almighty and merciful God whom loves us and watches over us. There is not enough room to go into details about what that all encompasses but suffice it to say that Greater is He that is in us (Gal 2:20) than he that is in the world (1 John 2:16). As I go on in my walk, you hear things that other Christians say or advise. Some things are right on the money and others kind of leave you wondering a bit. It amazes me that I can speak to a non Christian friend and gain more advice than from someone who claims Christ. Or, at least, worries me less than the Christian fellow. But a lot of it is in the details of what they say. This post is about the sufficiency of Christ. You would be amazed at the amount of Christians that say they believe that (orthodoxy) but who do things totally contrary (orthopraxy). I have learned a lot over the years, but thanks to a certain few men in my Christian walk I have come to believe in the simplicity of the cross. The total sufficiency of Christ. One is Michael Pearl and the other is Ed Medders. I guess you could throw in the only radio preacher who could discern this truth also, and that would be the late and great James V. Mcgee. The audacity to believe in such a thing, in practice, no less. What do I mean? Let me give you a couple recent examples.

    When in a situation that calls for the need to help a sick person (how general is that). People will say this "you need to pray in the name of Jehovah-Rophe (or Rapha, or Ropha, I found them all in different commentaries and Hebrew dictionaries)". This is in reference to that name meaning "a God who heals". There are 7-10 different names of God, again, depending on where you look. Now I say again, to learn these names is not wrong at all. As a matter of fact it is good. It gives a full picture of the different aspects of God that are fulfilled with Christ. Now the key is that we keep in perspective the meanings of these things. They all point to Jesus. They explain the O.T. God, but only in the context of how Jesus is that in whole now. To go from knowing that God is a God of healing, to understanding Jesus is that great physician (Col 2:10-15). Jesus is the completed picture that God had been drawing. He is the culmination of the end product. He consists of all the attributes and character qualities that went into knowing God. This couldn't be said any better than this, (Col 2:8-9) "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Can we really imagine that last part? You take all the different aspects of God given in the old testament. All the "what's the Hebrew language really mean" statements and apply this verse. "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." You want to know what the real meaning of Jehovah Rophe means? Jesus. How about Jehovah-Nissi? Jesus. I ask for now that we just take the time to consider that verse. I will post part 2 in a bit.