Acts 8:1-25 KJV
1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

If I could stress one thing is beware of magicians that will try and deceive you. There many false teachers and ministers out there. Many people have seen a magic show, but have you seen one in a church world? Most can identify a magic show, some can even identify how it was done. For others it not so simple to see the slightness of hand. What identifies a witch doctor and regular doctor. A witch doctor might treat an ailment only have success because it worked before, but a regular doctor can often treat ailments not seen to the naked eye because of years of study and learning about how the body works. Though they can not physically touch someone and caused them to be well unless setting a broken bone or surgery, there is medicine that is almost full proof because of study and not just shaking a little black magic over a person to try and make them well.

Does God heal, yes and that will puts any known sorcer out of business. Looking at this story this morning, I wondering to myself was Simeon some type of doctor that had knowledge of the body that maybe others that came before him did not. Had healings occured more then once by Simeon that they did not understand the power of Philip's God was different. Philip demonstrated the power of God and people believed, it took them away from their religious heritage of sorcery. We can not imagine what they had witness and in their attitude of what they did see in regards to magical incantations, some may of been done with the knowledge of medicine.

There are pastors that will not even go to modern medical doctor because they believe that it a form of witchcraft. There is a difference in medical field of knowing something should work because of what medicine or surgery will cure a known ailment, to not knowing and providing only a sugar pill in hopes of a cure. Some ministers and church groups do recognize science for certain ailments but not others, because research is not there to prove the ability if something will work. It like vaccines for covid, corona, and every new illness that come along. No one knows how long this vaccine may or may not even work. It puts medical science in a place of destruction or victory. Yet the church world found there own destruction by not applying social rules to keep one from being ill. People remember despite how strong your faith is your body still succums to the ailments of this world, but no weapon formed against you will harm you permanently.

When a believer, apostle, ministers prays for someone and they are healed and it be miraclous healing, it is not the miraclous/witchcraft of the sorcery. When I say my healing from myelofibrosis, I know it might return, my body healing itself, or what occurred to cause healing still is being research. No clue if it is a treat all. It like being sick receiving medicine, and then sick again a year later, being treated with same known cure and becoming well again. It like taking Tums only to know when it reoccurs a tums will probably work again, unless it something else. Myelofibrosis had no known cure back in 1996, today there is more research and more information on the disease and ways of treating symptoms but no real cure.

It is the miracle that comes with treatment but the treatment repeated in the medical field that baffles doctors because it works no more. No prayer, no command of God, not really positive it was miracle or something in the body decided to work properly or something given cause the body to get well. Sorcer with knowledge of tums could solve the problem of tummy ache caused from gas in five minutes. Yet a miracle of God occurs instanteously when prayed for and the person is delivered from disease that might not have a known cure yet. When I talk of miracles there two types one from God, and one that comes with knowledge of how the body works. And knowledge of how to keep the body alive.

Sorcers Simeon wanted the power that came from the laying on of hands by the Holy Spirit. He seen the power and thought it was something man could control. Miraclous done there is a reason if nothing but to help build faith, glorify God, or to proclaim God's power to forgive. Evidence of the reality of God in the mist of the heathens. People are not dumb they going to look at this power and say is it treatable by science, if answer is no and miracle still comes with laying on of hands, the ability to speak in tongues and being interpreted by another seeking knowledge of faith or needing evidence of the power of God. Philip was in an area that need evidence that God was all powerful for Simon was thought to know God, though he knew not God just how to deceive people with medical world, he had knowledge about.

Why is this information important when dealing with miracles, signs and wonders, because perhaps to know there is sorcery out there that even believer in God perhaps could fail to see as not being real. No doubt Simon the sorcers had trade secrets of magic from others, but this one gift he could not buy from another in his field, because of the reality of God, is not something to buy or purchase or use at whim, it must come by the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus according to the will of God the Father.

Simeon repented for asking to buy this gift and his repentance was a sign to those around this was power that Simeon could not possess and own. When my pain left me on the day of my healing, a minister prayed for me. It was not his power but the power of God I was healed. No doctor for forteen years had been able to remove my pain. It has been almost 20 years since my healing. And though I have aches and pains related to age, none like I use to experience. God did not remove my ability to not feel pain, only remove the problem that hindering my ability to share my faith because of the extreme pain I was in.

What I have learned in that time period is faith is something God increases when you believe Christ died and rose again, and receive him into your heart. Our prayers may take time to be answer and sometimes the answer comes in the form of a miracle, and sometimes it comes in the form of science. God knows why he allows doctors to heal, because of the need for even the heathens to be cured of some diseases, while living on this earth. However God delivers you, whether miraclously through prayer, or through medicine, know God is in control and loves you. God wonders happen by his power, and some by the power of man. To know God gives man knowledge in different areas of our world helps us know the difference between God miracles and a work of man. God, however should be given the credit for the healing or wonder. The power owned by man can be given to anyone, but the power given by God is only possessed by God's people, and not owned by them, but is used by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit. The blessings of the early church was the ability to combat even sorcery. To prove God is not buyable but believable.

Dear Heavenly Father, give us grace and your mercy to believe not only in your Son, but the miracle works by the Holy Spirit that no man can own. That you get all the credit and the glory for. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Mark 2:17 KJV
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

James 5:13-16 KJV
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 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:
15 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.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.