There’s healing, and then there’s HEALING

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

Hi Folks! Long time no see. My sincere apologies for not writing on the schedule I said I would. But – LIFE happens!! So here I am today and this time I make no promises for a future writing schedule.

Part of life that has happened recently is an eight day medical mission trip to war torn eastern Ukraine. I met up, in Atlanta, with a group from western Pennsylvania and we went to Ukraine to heal people. And it was amazing.

We thought we were going to in war and care for people hurt in a battle. One of the team members is a trauma surgeon, and we were ready. But that wasn’t the case. In fact, the only surgery the trauma surgeon performed was removing an ingrown toenail.

And yet, the healing we did went so much deeper than a surgeons knife usually goes. Each member of the team, including us non-medical types, did multiple heart surgeries every day. A smile, a touch, a hug, a prayer. Those go a long way for people who have lost everything, homes, jobs, books, clothes, photos, family heirlooms, and especially family and friends. Their home towns have been invaded and blown up in the fighting. Many were lucky to escape with the clothes on their backs.

Everywhere we went we encountered military checkpoints. You’ve seen it in the movies, riding along on a bus and all of a sudden there are roadblocks and bunkers and tanks along the roadway. And then there are soldiers flagging down the bus and pulling it over. They talk to the driver, then demand the door be opened and a very nervous, very heavily armed young soldier climbs on the bus and demands to see everyone’s passport. Well, I have now lived it. The only thing that I found to be different than in the movies is the reaction of the soldiers when they were told we were American medical missionaries come to help them. The first reaction was a very puzzled question, “Do they realize that we are at WAR?” And when we would smile and nod, they would relax, smile back and say thank you.

And that was a healing. As was the emotional healing such as came to a little boy and his mother as we prayed over them at a camp for displaced persons. We called it a refugee camp, but they were still in their own country so they don’t even count as refugees. We saw healing miracles of the heart, of the mind, of the soul and of the body. Souls were won to the LORD, hearts were softened, blind eyes opened, deaf ears opened, the lame walked sinus infections melted away to nothingness.

It was amazing to see. And even more amazing to be used by God in such a way, to be an active participant. And on our final day, when one of our interpreters once again expressed confusion and disbelief that we, from the super power of the United States of America, would come to the little country of Ukraine in the middle of a dangerous war, one of the doctors stood and forcefully explained. He told this confused young man that each and every one of us knew what we were getting into, that we had each searched our hearts and decided that, if it became necessary, yes, we would give our lives for Jesus in this place. God said go and we said yes. It wasn’t about Ukraine, per se. It was about obedience to God. And he also told this young man that, while it had started out as strictly obedience, that we had come to truly love the people that we encountered, and that we would, each and every one of us, be leave a piece of our hearts there.

And I would do it again. I will go anywhere, do anything that Father God calls me to do. It’s up to Him. Here am I, LORD, send me.

Time Lapse

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

Time lapse, or simply life intervening? Which do you think it might be? Could it be both, or neither?

So, I’ve been involved with several things, lately, but it has drawn me away from other important things. My church has started forming small groups, people of like mind, or sometimes not so like mind, doing life together. We call them life groups for this reason. We get together periodically and share ourselves. I’ve joined one of these groups, meeting monthly, sharing a meal and simply enjoying each others company.

But I’ve also started a group. I have a small group of teens who meet every other week to study the Bible together. This is something I’ve been throwing myself into recently. It’s been incredibly rewarding so far, as I’ve seen their awareness open up. My goal with them is that they develop their relationship with the WORD on their own. Relationship with the WORD is not something that can be taught. You have to find your own way to it, or through it. And so, my goal is simply to facilitate their journey. And I have been on my own journey through it as well. It’s been incredible to watch them as they have begun to realize the relationship between the Old and New Testament, and how they fit together. To see the dawning in their eyes when they finally get how a certain phrase, that has new meaning today, was meant to be defined by the original author, and how it brings new and special meaning to the WORD within them.

There has been a lot of other stuff that has intervened as well. An incredibly, ridiculously good price on entire seasons of “The Gilmore Girls.” Unfortunately, there has been a LOT of time wasted there! And most recently, the discovery of Angry Birds Transformers! How cool is that!?!

But that all comes to an end this week. – Thank you, Pastor Tim, for reminding me of Daniel and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were able to stand for God in the time of testing BECAUSE they stood for Him all the time. They were faithful with God before they were taken to Babylon (before anyone was watching), which gave them the power and faith to stand with Him in the time of testing, when everyone was watching. They stood strong together in their decision to not defile themselves with the king’s food. Was it really a food issue? Or was it the principle? A decision not to bow down to the king’s authority, but to stand up for the KING’s authority!?

And so…. Next week, Monday, November 10th, I will be boarding a plane for Slavyansk, Ukraine, to join a team of doctors on a medical mission. I’ve never been on a medical mission before. I don’t know what I’m doing. Except,… I know I’m following the will of God. And I know that I should have been faithful in the secret place with God for a long time now. But I also know that it’s okay. As long as I repent, and do not bow now. Gilmore Girls, no more, not this week. Angry Birds Transformers, no more, not this week. “This kind can not be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 11:29).

I covet the prayers of the faithful as I go on this trip. We will be gone from November 10th through the 17th. I know that the LORD has incredible things for us. Blessings to all.

Born Again?

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

What does that really mean? Born Again. To the one who is, it is a term of love and affection for the One and Only True God who reached down from His throne in the Heavenlies to save us from the pit of Hell. To those who have not been Born Again, the true meaning is hidden. It’s something that really can’t be understood until you take that leap of Faith and make the commitment, claiming The LORD Jesus as your very own LORD and Savior, committing to follow Him all of the rest of your days, and even beyond. It’s something that has puzzled people since Jesus first discussed it with Nicodemus in the Gospel of John. Nicodemus asked how one can be put back in their mother’s womb, thinking the Jesus meant a literal second birth. It seems strange coming from an obviously well educated man. But that is the kind of confusion it causes.

I remember the first time I ever heard the sinner’s prayer. I had only been going to church for a few months. I distinctly remember thinking, “If I’m going to give this ‘Christian thing’ a fair shot, I have to pray this prayer. I can always change my mind later.” I didn’t realize at the time that it was the prayer of salvation. I didn’t know that by praying that prayer I was joining the ranks of the Born Agains that I used to make fun of. All I knew was that my life was messed up and something had to change, and the quicker the better. Nothing else had worked, so just about anything was worth a shot. And so I prayed, silently, just me talking to God.

And that’s all He really wants, relationship, talking with Him, spending time listening to Him, just being together. And the more time you spend with Him, the better you are able to hear Him. The better you are able to hear Him, the more you will listen to Him. It’s an ever increasing, upward spiral. It’s been a wonderful walk with Him, 9 1/2 years, so far. Of course, I have my days, and sometimes even weeks, when I don’t have time, or I just don’t want to talk. While these times of non-communication make Him sad, He doesn’t go away. He just waits for me to come back to Him. It’s NEVER Him who walks away.

So, if you want to change your life, if you have been traveling a path that you know is not good for you, or even if you’ve been living a “pretty good” life, but have not dedicated yourself to God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, you too can join the ranks of the Born Agains. All you have to do is tell God that you love Him, you are sorry for the things you have done that hurt Him or disappoint Him, tell Him that you will strive to do better, to live for Him, and that you want Jesus, His One and Only begotten Son to come to you, to lead and to guide you in following Him. That’s all there is to it. You don’t have to tell anyone if you don’t want to because the most important One will already know!

While it’s a good idea to get connected with other believers because we are able to strengthen and encourage each other, it’s not an absolute requirement. I think you will find, though, that you will begin to seek out relationship with others in order to learn more and get connected. If you pray this prayer, PLEASE, let me know. Comment back to me. I will keep your comment private if you wish. But if you do respond, I’d like to know so I can be one of your connections. If we live in the same area, I can direct you to churches to check out, or websites to start studying the Word of God, or just stay in touch and be an encourager. That’s one of the best parts, growing the family of God. I have more brothers and sisters around the world than I know what to do with! And the family keeps on growing!! Come, join us!!

All For the Glory of God

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

Well, I’ve completed the textbook portion of my class on the Synoptic Gospels. I should have had several posts by now on the material that I’ve been learning in this class. But, as often happens, life has gotten in the way. There has been fun, discord, illness and just plain laziness. There have been other topics that, while quite valid and of good content, were still not on topic. And so, today I write again.

When I really throw myself into study, even though my eyes get so very tired from reading, my relief and my way of coming down from the pinnacle of the study mountain is to read some more. The book that I’ve been coming down on has simply taken me higher this time. I’m reading “Radical” by David Platt. And radical he is in his thinking. And I LOVE IT!! He is unapologetic about how we, as Americans, in general, have warped the message of Jesus to our American Dream point of view. And he calls us to live radical lives for God, just as Jesus did.

The course work that I have been studying has been laid out to detail the Good News of Jesus by giving the general background of the time he came into, the cultural, religious, political, and geographic area into which He was thrust. Then some information about the man himself, and then His message. And the upshot of His message is — the title of this post, and this blog — ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD! And that is the message of “Radical” as well. And even now, as I write, the worship music I’m listening to is singing, “Glory to God, in the highest. Glory to God, in the highest.”

When it really comes down to it, it really doesn’t matter if I know that one of Jesus’ primary teaching methods was the parable and that as He moved on in His ministry and opposition increased, His use of parables increased in order to keep the truth from the opposition and yet get it to those who had ears to hear. All that really matters is that God be Glorified in everything I say and do.

The Weekend of Mixed Emotions

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

My apologies. This post was written on Memorial Day, but I was unwell and not able to get my tablet to a wifi area until today. Hope you all had a good, thoughtful and thankful day.

Welcome to Memorial Day, a day of picnicking and fun, frolicking in the beautiful spring weather. But is that what this holiday is all about?

I pray that you all spent at least a short period of time contemplating those who gave their very lives to give you the freedom to enjoy this day. I find it interesting that even those who oppose war, think that it’s wrong and so very horrific (and it is, don’t get me wrong), don’t seem to care that if these fine young men and women had not been willing to sacrifice for us all, we would not be in a position to enjoy the day like this.

In the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus tells us that both a priest and a Levite pass by a man seriously injured by robbers and left laying in the road. It is the Samaritan, the one thought to be less than the Jews because they were of mixed heritage, who cared for the man, tended his wounds and paid for a place for him to rest and recuperate. He is one who took care of his neighbor, his fellow human being. I don’t care about your politics, how you may feel about our government, the individuals in office, their motives for what they do, whether what they do is legal or illegal, when it comes down to it, the United States cares for neighbors all over the world.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if Hitler had won World War II? I can’t. It hurts my brain to even try. Did we delay until it got personal? Perhaps. Did the entire world ignore the plight of the Jews in the Nazi death camps? Yeah, pretty much. I don’t know for sure, but I believe it’s against the nature of most to believe that such horrible things can really be conceived of and perpetrated upon fellow human beings. We don’t want to think the worst of our brothers and sisters until the truth of it comes up and smacks us upside the head. And whether you agree or not, it is against this general backdrop that the U.S. gets involved in conflicts around the world. As a country we are pretty much in a damned if we do and damned if we don’t situation. If we get involved, we’re meddling, and if we don’t, we are allowing innocent people to be persecuted, sometimes to the point of near extinction.

So, this forms the base of my weekend of mixed emotions. Add to it the military tradition of my family, a relative in every war fought by the U.S., even to the point of wars that were before the U.S. existed, (yes, back tot the French-Indian war), the nearer history of Grand-Uncle Everette who was a POW in Burma during WW II, my brother who passed away 7 years ago due to complications that stemmed from a disease attributed to Agent Orange, inflicted in Vietnam, the upcoming retirement of my nephew from 20+ years of service to the United States Marine Corps, and a wonderful time of fellowship with a newly formed small group from my church at Cantingy, a wonderful place of recreation and education at the First Division Museum. Oh, and yesterday would have been my parents 65th wedding anniversary were they still alive.

I have a tough time every year on Memorial Day weekend. I’ve always considered myself a war mongering peacenik. I tried, multiple times, to join the military, only to be rejected due to hearing loss. Finally, I simply minored in Military Science when I went to college. I got some of the training, but did not get to serve. And yet, there is a part of me, grown stronger since I came to know and love Jesus, that does not understand how we can allow ourselves to be driven to kill for the sake of land, or gold, or oil. Part of me says that it’s okay in order to save another, as Jesus did, or to liberate the Nazi death camps. And yet, God says, “Thou shalt not kill,” and that we should turn the other cheek, or go two miles when only one is demanded of us. Men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr died adhering to their non-violent ways. So how do we justify a nearly non-stop history of war? And my family’s been involved in them all.

So this is my weekend of pride in a family history that has protected this country’s freedom from the very beginning, thankfulness for those fought and died to keep me free, and massive confusion, wondering if it’s right to be proud. (I know it’s right to be thankful. THAT is not an issue!!)

Thank you to all who fought for my freedom and the freedom of so many others around the world. Thank you especially to those who paid the supreme price. You are not forgotten.

God’s Not Dead

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

Wow. Finally saw the movie. There’s not much to say but, LOVED IT! Well, I guess there’s a whole lot more to say, I’m just not sure how to go about it. I laughed, I cried, I prayed, I worshipped, I prayed some more. A part of me was glad that I was nearly alone (there were only about a dozen people at the afternoon showing) in a dark theater, and another part of me wished that there had been people everywhere and that we had gasped and cried together and leaped and cheered together at the appropriate points.

One of the points of the movie, I believe, is that many of the staunch atheists used to be christian, but were somehow deeply disappointed or hurt by God. Instead of simply venting that disappointment in a rant of some sort the way David did in the Psalms, they decide to flip the switch and turn God off. But God can’t be turned on and off. He’s always on, everywhere, all the time. In the case of the character in the movie, he finally admits that his believing Mom was not healed of cancer and died when he was 12. And so he blames cancer on God.

That’s actually a question that many ask, “If God made everything, why did He make cancer?” God didn’t make cancer. That’s the short answer. The longer answer gets a bit more involved. And it starts at the beginning, in Genesis. I won’t detail it all out, if you want to check it out, pull your Bible off the shelf and crack it open. There’s some really good stuff in there. So, when God made everything, He looked at it, and it was good. And when He made us in His image He said that it was very good. And He set Adam and Eve to tend the Garden and commune with Him. That was the original plan. But…

God did not create us to be automaton replicas of Himself, He made us in His IMAGE. (Father, Son, Holy Spirit – body, mind, spirit). Bill Johnson says it very well in his book Hosting The Presence when he says, “God did not create us to be robots. We were made in His image as co-laborers, working with Him to demonstrate His goodness over all that He made.” (pg. 33) He gave us free will, a choice to say yes to Him or not. He would love for each and every one of us to say yes, but He will never force us to do so. He gave Adam and Eve the Garden to tend, and to eat from, everything in the Garden but the fruit of one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Yes, much as my omnivorous self does not want to acknowledge it, the ORIGINAL plan was that we all be vegetarians! It was not until after the fall and sin entered the world that He gave us meat.) The instruction was originally given to Adam, but when Eve was deceived by the serpent, Adam didn’t stop her. He willingly went along with it, even though he knew God said not to, and he ate of the fruit as well. And that was sin, open rebellion against God. It’s like when your Mom says don’t and you look right at her and you DO. Rebellion!

But where did the serpent come from? If everything God made was good, how did this evil, lying snake get there?

Open Doors – Part 2

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

So, what about the part of the Scripture that says, “I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places”? What does that mean?

It is said that there were 25 gates on each side of the city of Babylon for a total of 100 gates entering into the city. On the night in question, the night of the attack on the city, a normally flowing river was dried up and the gates that provided that river access were not shut up. So, the “break in pieces” part here is figurative, but some translations say “open doors,” so that is what happened. God left the doors open for Cyrus and his troops to walk right in and capture the city.

It was also common practice at the time to bury treasure in dark and secret places. It is said that Cyrus took 34,000 pounds of gold alone from his campaign through Asia. And that’s not to mention the tons of silver and other treasures as well. And all this was done is such a way that it was unmistakable to Cyrus that God, the One True God, Jehovah, was the One guiding and directing his steps in order to accomplish these things.

And that is how things will be, again, in this year of the Open Door. When God opens the door, there will be no way to mistake it for anything else but His work. It is the One True God telling us, “Here, I’m opening this door for you. You have but to walk through it into your destiny.”

Open Doors – Part 1

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

I went to a conference earlier this year, the “Come Away” conference for women, put on by the HUB Chicago.(His United Body). It was an amazing time of fellowship and communing with the LORD. I was refreshed and re-invigorated. I met wonderful people, and heard some absolutely amazing teaching.

One of the speakers was Bonnie Chavda. She and her husband Mahesh pastor All Nations Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina. They created a beautiful metal card (credit card sized) as a reminder of the prophetic word that this is the year of the Open Door. The Hebrew symbols for the current year, AM 5774, are the same symbols for the words, “Open Door.” (AM stands for Anno Mundi – year of the world). On the card, the Chavda Ministry uses only Isaiah 45:2-3, but I prefer to add verse 1 as well. In the English Standard Version (ESV) it says, “Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.” “(Italic emphasis added by me!)

“Wow,” you say, “What does THAT mean?”

Well, one of the things I learned in Old Testament Survey (Yes, I know I’ve moved on to the next class, but I need to write about this.) is that many prophecies in the Bible are “now but not yet.” They were fulfilled, in part, at the time they were written or shortly thereafter, but there is a future aspect to them as well. In this case, there is a fulfilling of the prophecy that Cyrus would open the door to the people of Israel to come back from exile in Babylon and rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. But there is a future promise of the return of Messiah at the end of the age. And that makes me feel like a little kid in the back seat of the car on a long road trip. “Are we there yet, Daddy?” I ask over and over, “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Not yet, but soon.” (Or, according to Bishop Joseph Garlington at the Mighty Sound, Eagles’ Wings Conference in November of 2013, “There is no there.” Now that’s a good word right there!)

But there can be other aspects of this “now but not yet.” Hence, this year of open doors. Open doors of opportunity, open doors for ministry, open doors for advancement, open doors for …. What are you waiting for an open door for? Is this your year?

Matthew 16:17

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

“And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.””

So I recently wrote on Matthew 16:16 and my history with that verse. I’m proud of what I wrote, and I believe that what I wrote really was pretty good. BUT… The same evening that I posted that entry, my pastor spoke about that very same verse in a class I’m taking at church. As he spoke more in depth about the verse, and the verses following, I thought, “Wow. How shallow is my writing? Will I ever be able to go deeper with God, plumbing the depths of His wisdom in the Scriptures?” Then I thought, “Well, maybe I’m not supposed to do that here. Maybe I’m supposed to keep this in the lighter side and simply reveal the truth of MY life and my experiences with God. I can make that deep enough. (Or at least pile it higher and drier than most. lol!).”

So you folks tell me, do you want me going deeper, fluffier, or do you like my posts just the way they are? I’ll listen to what you have to say. I may or may not end up doing it, but I’ll surely give you a listen.

Matthew 16:16

Posted by Me-n-Jesus

When I was a kid, about 10 years old, as far as I can remember, my neighbor and best friend Linda was going to a group at a church. While I thought I would never forget, I find that the ravages of time are proving me wrong on that, and I don’t remember what the group was called. I do remember that we often had the childhood version of an highly intellectual debate over which group was better, her group or Girl Scouts. (“My group is better.” “No, mine is.” “No, mine is.” No, MINE is.” “NO, MINE is.”)

Anyway, I went with her one time as a visitor. I was reluctant as it was held in a church, but went because she was my best friend. Many of the activities were similar to Girl Scouts, until… “Okay everyone, get out your Bibles…” What? Bible? I don’t have a Bible. What do we have to do with a Bible? “It’s time for Scripture memorization.” WHAT!? What do you mean I have to memorize something from the Bible!?

Yep, that’s right. Everyone had to memorize a verse – right then and there – and recite it to the group. Wow. Right there, I knew Girl Scouts was better!!! But I was stuck. I had no choice but to comply. So, someone loaned me a Bible and I flipped through the pages. I sort of remember my thought process, looking for something short and easy to remember, but not embarrassingly short. I was, after all, a guest, representing my friend Linda. And so, I memorized a verse.

Thirty five years later, as a new seeker, not yet committed in my heart to follow Jesus, not really sure of anything going on in my life at the time, but knowing that I’m at a breaking point and something’s got to change ‘cuz life as I know it is NOT working. So, I start reading the Bible. And I get to Matthew 16:16, memorized, but long since forgotten, planted, laying dormant in the ground for decades, ’til one day it bursts forth, having been watered and tended beneath the surface for all this time.

“And Simon Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.””

As I read that morning, some 35 years or so after memorizing that verse, it all came back to me. I remembered the frustration of having to do the memorization. I remembered the oddly satisfied feeling that I didn’t understand while I was doing it. And I remembered the thrilling rush when I accomplished the task that I did not want to do. And I realized the Glory of God, that day, as I thought about the planning to get me set up for just this point in time, when I would do all this remembering. And I realized that God really does think about me and care for me, and work for my good at all times, even in the games of ten year olds, and the debate about Girl Scouts or whatever.