God has invited you to PARTICIPATE in the mission to
Offering Every Person the Know-How for Communing with God
Have you ever heard of someone ‘coming to their senses’? This phrase describes someone who comes to realize that they are in a bad situation that needs a solution. When the prodigal son ran out of money and realized his fathers servants were better off is a good example. Wouldn’t it be better to say that he came to his conscience or to an awareness of transcendent reality? Yet you live in a real world, and if your awareness is engaged in unreality, then coming to see your true current situation is a first step to recovery. I can give you spiritual guidance from what you see with your own eyes.
Do you ever suffer from boredom? Yet you have more connections and opportunities available to you than ever before. Has the world grown dull and commonplace to you in spite of the intense competition for your attention? The problem lies with you rather than the world around you. I promised to be with you always. Are you aware that I am present with you? How do you see the world? Is it mundane, or do you see it full of divine connections, filled with mystery and wonder? This is available to you and I want it to be your normal experience. Ask me for this vision and you will not be bored in any situation.
Do you make an effort to put on a good appearance, not speaking every thought that comes into your mind, and not volunteering information about your flaws, shortcomings, and sins? Do you suppose that everyone else does the same thing? From this do you conclude that the world is worse than it appears, even when it appears bad enough, and that there really is evil hiding in the darkness? It is possible to underestimate the evil in this world, but don’t underestimate my redeeming power. Though things may be worse than they appear, I am better than you can imagine. The contest between good and evil is greater than you know, but I will still win.
Do you observe old churches and those more recent? Do you see more life and growth in newer churches? I told a parable about old and new wineskins and you are correct in seeing the symbolism applied to churches. Yet everything that is old was once new, and in the passage of time things that are new now will become old. This is not a reason to reject established movements and continually jump to the latest thing, for this too has drawbacks. My lesson for you in this is one of continual renewal. On the cross I said that I make all things new. This is an ongoing principle. Ask me how it should be applied in your life and in your church.
Even though the following three Greek words have all been translated "healing" in the New Testament, they have three distinct and different meanings. That is a bit shocking and challenging to come to grips with. So let's explore the basic Greek meanings of each of these words, and then we will explore the two major words in depth, by providing you a list of each time they show up.
On a recent long drive to Findlay Ohio, I was reflecting on John 3 and the meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus. To be sure, many sermons and books have been offered on this well known passage.
Have you noticed that for some people, the deeper they are involved in the faith the more difficult they are to be around? Certainty of doctrine is an admirable goal, but zeal can be without understanding. Wouldn’t you expect those who walk closest to me to be more loving, accepting, and forgiving rather than less? The world hated me and I taught my followers that no student was better than his master, so they could expect the same treatment. Yet I was not hated for being self-righteous, critical, narrow-minded, and mean. If you are to follow in my footsteps and be hated by the world, let it be for the right reasons.
David Rocha, a Christian Leadership University graduate, brought our attention to Pete Cabrera Jr, a man that travels all over laying hands on people that need healing and they are healed. David actually contacted him to pray for his wife who was in pain with kidney stones and scheduled for surgery and the surgery was cancelled because of the healing. Praise God!
Do you follow my teaching to support your church financially? Does it bother you to do this if the pastor has a higher standard of living than you do? I also teach you to help the poor. Do you think these should be the same thing? Both are worthy activities, but do not confuse the support of my servants with aid to the poor. In Old Testament times these were separate offerings. To link these concepts implies that the pastor should be the poorest person in church. I want you to be a cheerful giver, and to understand that you are really giving to me. You should definitely link these concepts together, and give generously.
I have posted these messages for years without much reference to myself. Reading a blog posting from a friend made me realize that I should issue a disclaimer. I hope that you don’t get the impression that my life is a living expression of these words I hear from Jesus. I wish it were but in reality I too am in tension between the righteousness I affirm and the reality of my life which includes weakness, selfishness, thoughtlessness, lust, and greed. I can identify with Paul when he says the good that I would I do not and the evil I would not I do. Through this I trust in Jesus who is in the process of delivering me and completing the good work he has begun in me.
