Health, Wealth?

One of the things I have not missed in my time away from the Presbyterian church was the seeming need to be argumentative. One would think that a woman could give a personal testimony on a personal blog without folks feeling the need to pick a fight. Well okay then ... but before you get out the big guns please read both my blogs in their entirety.

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Today's issue; Do bad things happen to "good" people .... am I preaching health and wealth? And, do Christians who take medication have less faith.

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Bad things do happen to everybody. We live in a fallen world. It is generally not our place to judge why another person is suffering. The individual who is suffering may come to their own conclusions as to why something dreadful has occurred in their life. If they ask our opinion we certainly may offer it with the goal of bringing that person closer to the God of all comfort.

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The problem with the so called "health & wealth gospel" is that the good news of the death and atonement of Jesus Christ is secondary to what God can do for you materially speaking. We do not love the Giver but the gifts. Health and wealth gospel promises us the good life if we will just come to Jesus .... we want the good life but not necessarily Jesus. This is a skewed approach to a relationship with God but one that is common to man .... it is called idolatry. We are not grafted into the vine .... we are grafted into some other barren desire. Yet when God penetrates our hearts with his love and with a desire for more of him and for kingdom come our lives cannot help but be affected for the better.

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Finally, I addressed this whole topic of whether Christians should take medication in my Bird House Blog under the topic title O Yes They Call It The Blues. In this article I stated that medication was a personal decision (You lose the ability to chose for yourself if you cannot control yourself). Medication has it's value and it's place but it is not a substitute for eating right, exercise or God. Too often it has functioned as a substitute for what we actually need.

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So I will repeat again what has brought me improved health; singing praise songs to God, eating organic, less gluten and sugar, bio natural hormones, and excercise. I am not on any medications and I no longer even take vitamins. I do eat omega rich fish about five times a week (Trader Joe's has batter dipped fish nuggets that are great for lunch .... snacking on almonds or walnuts is good too). I am currently in the best health that I have ever had but it has been a two year process and I have not made all my goals ..... I am thankful to God for this improvement .... I could serve him healthy or sick ..... I believe he has called me to be whole.

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* Christ Healing The Sick, Rembrandt

Then There Were Two

Sandy (Sensie) was always borrowing my camera. She was a pretty good little photographer and a happy, unassuming type. I gave her my water bottle the last day in Chambrun. She looked surprised but pleased.

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Sandy is not numbered among the orphans but I got the feeling a couple of weeks back that she and Samura both needed some serious prayer. So I did and have since inquired as to her availability for adoption .... she might not have parents. I am still waiting for details on the adoption request but Pastor Pierre of Chambrun is scheduled to have dinner in our home the end of October while he is visiting in the states. He plans to update us on the adoption situation then.

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I began this adoption proceeding expecting that it would take awhile and I didn't want to be anxious about it. But then God ... he placed a compelling love in my heart for Samura & Sandy ... he coupled that with a deep concern for their situation. It is hard to wait when I know that I could help them ... I think it's called godliness with contentment. Being ready to do something good .... but obligated to wait.

Parenting

They are a blessing and a trust. Children. God gives us all good things to enjoy but also to care for. Usually the mother is first to fall in love with the child. She is the one most impacted with the reality of a new life. The father comes on board later with the first helpless cry or crooked grin. That child is a blessing but also a trust. In order to take care of something properly we need some knowledge and experience. I was handed my first baby boy at the age of 19 and had neither. Now as a grandmother I know so much more. .... and this is what I know;

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Our children, as precious as they are, are sinners. Jesus loves sinners. Jesus loves us and our children. We both need to know Jesus to live a truly wholesome and good life. As parents the job falls to moms and dads to prepare the way for Christ in a child's heart. That means that the child must first see Christ in us. We need to live a life empowered by the Holy Spirit that loves God and others including our children. We need to pray and tell them about Jesus and that he is the reason that we are able to live in the supernatural. Our children need love and structure. But we will fall short.

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God loves us and is there to help us with our responsibilities. We can access that assistance in raising children but parents may be dealing with their own problematic past .... a lack of knowledge and experience or even abuse. Here is the warning label that comes with your child; If anyone causes one of these little ones to stumble it would be better for him to have a mill stone tied around his neck and to be dropped into the depths of the sea. Raising a child is a serious business ... we need to apply ourselves. We need to seek God's face. There are eternal consequences at stake. This is a priority.

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What causes little ones to stumble? An offense .... Father's do not embitter your children ... abuse, criticism, molestation, lack of training or loving discipline, perpetuated folly of any sort. Children are not so resilient as we have heard ... no one is. Look at the soldier returning from war or prison camp ... how many issues are there? We all bear scars from living in this place with folks that have sinned against us. We have believed lies .... we have absorbed the example of others and mistakenly thought that God did not care for us .. that we were not worth much ... or that God even hates us. We have owned and perpetuated these lies.

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In these lies we stumble and even go astray with hearts that have hardened against God and man. How serious it is to raise up a child with a little heart that has grown a hard protective shell against God and others? What kind of life will they live in this world? Is there eternal salvation at stake? We have been entrusted as parents with a compelling responsibility. It may be that heart surgery is needed on us before we pass on that hard heart to our children. Jesus knows and he can help. It is never too late.

A Prayer For The Lost

A Prayer
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As my thoughts in restless turning,
Thru deep sigh express the yearning,
All my heart and keen desire,
Rescue sinner from the fire.
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Chilling sweat and labored pain,
And all hopes that I might gain.
On my tears compassion take,
And mercy grant for Jesus sake.
~Melanie R Bird
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No one prays for a person like a mother or father. There is no wondering; "Is this person elect ... is this God's will?" There is just the bottomless cry from a deep seated need to see a precious child own all that God has for them. We may pray earnestly for the lost in every place and expect that God will do all his holy will but when it comes to our child we are on our face before God refusing to take no for an answer. This earnest desire may often extend beyond our biological children to others. God places a parental call and concern on our heart for some individual.

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And yet, God may not answer right away. He may seem to reject our request. He may allow us to wrestle with him, beg, reason and insist. Finally he will drop to his knees, cup our face in his hands and say, "Child, great is your faith... let it be done as you have asked." ... time may pass while we wait for the promised fruition but in heaven it is as good as done. We do not pray to own something .... this is a catch and release. Like Hannah we have begged God for something with the understanding that we are giving it back to him. No individual will be truly happy apart from the heavenly Father. We may remain an agent of blessing as Christ's love and peace and joy overflows our hearts to others but we can never replace God in any one's life.

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Giving someone to the Father may mean that he takes them far away or it may be that they live right next door. Regardless, If you love that person you have a responsibility to them. God has placed that love in your heart. We all need a few people who truly care for us ... it is a gift from God. Caring for someone does not mean giving them up and walking away. Caring for someone means standing by whether near or far and continuing to love and pray for them. You are a force for good in their life. You have stewardship of that relationship. You are someone who loves them with the love of the Lord. If you leave your post who will care for them?

The Scape Goat

There are times when an individual may feel that their actions are of such a heinous nature that they do not want to own up. Forgiveness and atonement are contingent upon repentance. Judas was one who could not bring himself to repent. He had betrayed the innocent ... he had betrayed the Christ. Instead he ended his life and is numbered amongst the reprobate. He took upon himself a curse and carried it to the grave and beyond.

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His counterpart, Peter, repented for his denial of Christ. Judas acted in greed. I've heard it said that he probably thought that Christ would be able to sidestep trouble as he had so many times before. But then he saw how things were going ... and he couldn't take it back .... he couldn't give the blood money back. Nothing he did could change the course of events set off by his betrayal; that kiss that delivered Christ up to his death. Full of shame and regret he ends his life unable to face up to and repent of what he had done. A scape goat.

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And Peter, frightened Peter. Following at a distance to see what would happen to his Lord. Someone fingered Peter. He stumbles back denying and cussing, frightened not once but three times. Turn back the clock to Peter telling Christ he would never deny him ..... if all else were to leave ... not Peter. And Peter knew shame. Till Christ found him and reconciled him and Peter repented and continued a new man. Not a scape goat but one washed in the blood of the lamb.

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Folks appreciate a scape goat. When things go wrong we'd like to hang it around some one's neck and send them packing. Some folks are honest and willing to own up to sin ..... now here is a patsy .... why they have admitted to something. Let us just shift all the blame onto them. Serving as a scape goat is no service. People do not need someone to shift their blame onto. They need to own up, repent and have their sins forgiven.

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King David tried to cover up heinous sin by setting up Uriah to take a hit for the team. Taking out Uriah solved a lot of problems for David. But Uriah was a righteous man. Uriah was the salt of the earth. Salt is a preservative. When a preservative is not in effect things begin to rot and decay. The world was not a better place without Uriah. But sometimes God removes the righteous as an act of judgement on a situation and as protection for the righteous. Yet God saw what was done and was not pleased. David did finally repent and is numbered among the righteous. He left his life of sin and became salt again.

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My point is that we do not need to worry when we have a little or a lot to confess. It is hard to deal with shame. But there is only one wholesome way to deal with sin and that is to confess and forsake. If something needs to be made right we first get right with God. Then he walks us through the rest. We do not have to worry about what to say. The Spirit will give it to us. There are no scape goats under the blood of the lamb.

Privates

There are many subjects we deem inappropriate for general conversation .... politics and religion .... personal finance or personal anything. But now and then there comes along someone who thinks they are entitled to know what your personal something is. Maybe they are ... maybe they aren't ... depending.

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Some information we keep private because it will incite riot. Toss out some bit of information and instantly people are polarized over an issue ..... there is a place for debate but not necessarily in your general day to day conversations. There also is a place of peace ... it is found in Christ but that is a topic for another day. Any way I am rather free with my opinions here.

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Now anyone may read my blog. This is my forum to state my views. And I have not run into any argument. Perhaps because I am well with in my boundaries and my blog is marked "personal". If someone were to come to my blog and leave rude or controversial comments they would be the one crossing boundaries. I do not mind disagreement but I will not stand to be bullied on my own turf. To retreat would just simply be milk toast.

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But even though this blog carries my personal opinions on the spiritual life and personal testimony there is much that is not said. One of the problems made when an individual gives a personal testimony is too much detail. Sometimes I watch these Curb Appeal and Home Stagier TV programs. One of the common bits of advice given by the realtor to the seller is that the home must not be too personal .... so family photos are taken down .... bathroom toiletries are cleared from counters .... toys and clutter are put away. The home is then staged to look "move in ready". The buyers can more easily imagine themselves moving into this space because all personal trace of the actual owners has been removed.

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This is much like how a personal testimony functions. If it carries too much detail the listener or buyer is distracted or even repelled. They cannot own or relate to your story .... either they think you have done unspeakable things that you should forever feel guilty or ostracised for or they think that your conscience is much too sensitive and your testimony a bit ridiculous. You, the teller or seller are setting out a stumbling block that keeps the listener from being able to relate to your story. They cannot place themselves into your space .... they cannot connect with your God through your testimony.

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Or perhaps your story is widely known and anyone may find out about it. The Apostle Paul dealt with both types of testimony. It was widely known that Paul once Saul had persecuted the church. People died and he was responsible. It was while he was on the road to Damascus, a mission to arrest early Christians, that the risen Christ knocked him off his horse and changed his course forever. Of his former life, Paul says he was forgiven on account of his ignorance and repentance. He thought by persecuting the Christians he was doing the work of God. Once he realized his error he worked harder then anyone to pursue the right course. Paul was saved by the grace of God but his repentance was proved genuine by his actions.

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On another occasion Paul writes of his "thorn in the flesh". He testifies to the purpose of some great trial in his life but does not specify. There is wide speculation about what exactly this thorn was. The most commonly held opinion was that it was an eye disease. But because it is ambiguous nearly anyone can move into his testimony and own it. It has brought comfort and instruction to many.

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Refraining from giving too much detail in a personal testimony is also an act of self protection. We are not called to bring up our sins over and over for repeated review or judgement. If Christ has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more then all that is left to say is that we are cleared in the eyes of God ... we bear our sins no more and we are free of guilt. I once heard the testimony of a former communist and persecutor who had become a Christian. Since I was the editor of the church news paper Cross Culture it was suggested that I interview him for the next publication. So I did. His response was to say that he did not wish to dwell on his past and his greatest shame .... he would rather talk about what God was doing with him now. Rehashing past failures can encourage spiritual depression. Even if those failures have been forgiven we may still carry a deep sense of shame.

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This air of privacy is completely valid and appropriate. For others to invade that privacy is just wrong. And here I am not speaking of legal issues. Legalities have to do with the facts and what was actually said and done and if laws have been broken. Intention is taken into consideration in the legal realm when sentence is being handed down. But I am speaking to the spirit and to moral law which includes the obedience to world government in most situations.

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Yet sometimes privacy is not about the past but the present. We are in the middle of a terrible grief or struggle and we have not yet arrived on the other side. We do not yet have perspective or testimony. This is where events are unfolding and we should not be going it alone. We need godly and private counsel. Certainly we have God but he brings others alongside to help us. Is everyone involved? It's not generally a good idea .... too many cooks. But perhaps one or two wise individuals who are concerned enough to pray for us, tell us the truth and help us remove anything that is hindering us from reaching our full potential. And don't think that the one in trouble is the only one benefiting from this "help" ... we are all learning ... we are all in need of correction. He will clothe the contrite. Do not fear shame or disgrace.

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Privacy is however an inadequate cloak for continued sin. There is nothing that will not be made known. And God has a way of ripping the covers off hypocrisy. Confessing sin is a big step toward forsaking that sin. As a general rule we should be confessing our own sins ... there is nothing more annoying then someone confessing our sins before we have a chance ... I think it's called accusation, deflection or maybe gossip. There is a process for rebuking a brother or sister which is too often ignored. The first step is to speak to the offender privately and directly. If there is not resolution the next step is to have a witness or two present. If there is still no resolution then it is brought up before the church. If even yet there is not a resolution the guilty party is put out of the church membership. Yet so many people do this backwards. This is no light matter. To be outside the church is to be numbered among the disobedient and unbelievers ... it is the realm of Satan. It is not a healthy or happy place. Working this system backwards can also arouse great hostility and chaos.

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Can just anyone approach us about anything? No. There is such a thing as a busy body. In the church, however we have shepherds or elders. These are wise men recognized and appointed by the church to have spiritual supervision over the flock. Usually a shepherd/pastor/elder oversees a smaller group within the congregation. This group and their elder are encouraged to know one another so that if the need arises the people have a "go to guy". There are also those with in the church who are gifted with the ability to counsel. Even in these instances their are checks and balances and accountability to avoid the pitfalls of too much intimacy.

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Most of us go for regular check ups to a doctor where we may bring up any little symptoms we may be experiencing. Usually a nurse is present to assist the doctor and patient and to ensure that everything is done properly. She is also a witness in case of criminal accusation. This doctor is usually knowledgeable enough to understand the root cause of the patients symptoms. So it is with a wise and godly counsellor. They will be able to help you finger the cause of your problem and work with you compassionately and respectfully towards a cure. Going it alone with our problems is a significant risk with significant consequences. Even the Lone Ranger had Silver and Tonto.