Gò0dNews for Everyone
His Grace is Sufficient
T
by Brent Goodge
oday, the world looks a whole lot like Matthew 24:7,
Paul to ask in frustration like Esau, “Bless me—me also, O
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
my Father!” (Genesis 27:34).
against kingdom. And there will be famines,
In response to Paul’s prayer for healing, Christ gave him
pestilences, and earthquakes in various places” (NKJV).
something infinitely better. Christ assured Paul that He was
The passage continues to prophesy religious persecution
in control, that He would never withhold anything from
and deception.
Paul that would be for his ultimate good, and that He could
Does any of this sound like our world today? How
best work for the salvation of souls, including Paul’s, by not
many millions will die of Covid? How many floods, fires, hurricanes and earthquakes can we take? How many Christians will be tortured and killed because they refuse to renounce the blood of Christ as their only Hope of salvation? You can almost hear the cry, “How long, O Lord?” (Revelation 6:10). “How long will the wicked triumph?” (Psalm 94:3). The apostle Paul dealt with some sort of physical malady. What that was, the Bible does not say. Some have guessed poor vision after Jesus restored Paul’s sight through Ananias (Acts 9:17-18). We do not know for sure. Whatever Paul suffered, it truly bothered him. There is no record of his praying for his back to be healed after the severe beating he received at Philippi (Acts 16:22-23). The Bible never says Paul prayed for God to remove the effects of the head injuries after
granting healing of this malady. “My grace is sufficient for
being stoned in Lystra (Acts 14:19). But this “thorn in the
you, for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness” (2
flesh” led Paul to plead with God three times to remove it (2
Corinthians 12:9).
Corinthians 12:7-8). Remember that Paul was used by God to perform
Matthew 24 predicts terrible religious persecution, but it results in taking the gospel everywhere. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness
sick or their families would send handkerchiefs to Paul to
to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
touch and upon their return home, these objects would be
“The earth was illuminated with His glory” (Revelation
used to heal the sick (Acts 19:12). Shipwrecked on Malta,
18:1). “Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord
Christ worked through Paul to every single disease on
Jesus Christ be with you all” (Revelation 22:20-21). His grace
the entire island (Acts 28:9). Imagine seeing Jesus not just
is sufficient for us!
working all around you, but through you, and yet you could not receive healing for your disease. It would be so easy for
40 // October 2021
About The Author
miraculous healings of all sorts of diseases (Acts 19:11). The
Brent Goodge lives in Whitfield County and is so thankful for the sufficiency of the grace of Christ.
