Healing at the Cross Posts

     “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:4 I’ve noticed three different kinds of trials which could describe the work of perfecting Inconvenience: The broke down car-it eventually gets fixed. Disappointment: The car that just doesn’t repair — never  gets fixed. Disillusionment: the car accident that is from hell.-I never want to drive again. All trials challenge every ounce of faith. They destroy natural faith. “Let patience have her perfect work.” “Let your patience endure that you may be stable, mature, and complete when I speak to you, with no defects in your capacity to listen.”Dr. Carl  Stevens “Our patience, as it endures, will always bring forth a vision.” Stevens Isaiah 35:7 is an illustration of what God will do for us in the valley: “I will take the parched ground and make it a pool.”   Dr.Carl…

“Amor fati” fellow fanatics, “amor fati!” translated “The love of fate.” “It is foolishness to oppose a tendency which is obviously a law of history and to take countermeasures against a trend which is a natural law.” Nietzsche.   Really? Does history itself have a personality, does it have a mind? Is that raucous tide able to bend or yield? Where goes it? What are its ends? Can we change history? The fatalists emphatically say “no.” Apparently “history,” the person, is not like the redeemed saints who realize God’s image. The will of the lover of fate is already determined and cannot change. Therefore worshipers at this altar cannot stop the inevitable. They just “go with the flow.”– Whether death or life. What the historo-gods rule, they carry out through forced will.   The Christian perspective is in diametric opposition to these ideas. We say indeed, history, (His story), will take a certain…

On this day 12 years ago our son Joshua went to heaven. Now, what do we want? To see him again soon. You lit up our lives for a short 25 years and we miss you today, Josh, and the wait seems long; but eternity is longer. Can’t wait! St. Augustine says: He that loveth little, prayeth little; he that loveth much, prayeth much. What do you want? Surprisingly we rarely visit this thought. What do I need, what can I eat, what do I need to do and what does God want, are questions more common. Christians say, “I lost my vision when things didn’t work out and now I am just meandering.” “What do you want?” When I dutifully focus on my Savior. He says “what do you want?” Some folks in the Bible got healed because when Jesus asked them “what do you want?” —they had an answer.…

The way of the saint: Forsakes the broad plain for the skinny path. Our way does not circumvent obstacles, but warps us to destinations. Philip was translated (beamed?), to Azotus, so Elijah upward, and so Enoch the same. — So we also, (snatched away) at that trumpet sound. Jesus walked to the dock and took a row boat to the disciples’ fishing craft. Not! He rather skipped on the waves! Joshua asked his priests to step in river Jordan; a whole nation followed step as the waters stood as “Jello.” — Dry ground paved the way. Case after case the magical passageways translate the saint. Through death we go — In fire not burnt, in waters not swallowed. Whether Red Sea or Lions den, the sting of death we scorn – then skate across. Our part and God’s part.     Elijah begged for the storm, wind and earthquake to…

    “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? — to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” Romans 14:4 A man stands or falls before God; with the risk of acceptance or rejection he stands in front of God, his Maker. What does God want from him? To be a winner of souls with wisdom required. To be a fisher of men. This is it? To have a secure philosophy? Not enough. To be a good looker? It can help, but falls short. No, to be a draw to others requires one thing — standing before God. Before God , a man is held up. He stands erect. This enables him to win other men.     So, here he stands, and standing with God’s watchful eye he is guided. Guided where?  — “Into all…

 “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.  For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.” Hebrews 13:9 Windy surmisings must not bear us away.  Ephesians 4:14 1) “…they lie in wait to deceive.” —— Who does this? n  Some men who take a “stab” at life; n  They throw the dice. n  They take a chance at truth. n  They go risky ——– Deceive Who? 2) “…children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine…” ——- How? 3) “… sleight of men, and cunning craftiness.” “To be “free” and self-determined is the temptation to man.” Folks lust to “find” themselves (in themselves) and put off incoming restraints. Psalm 12 “Emancipation” from Christ and conscience however, puts a man in a scary place because Laws, social mores, and influences of religion die. In leaving the old, new precepts will take over.…

Nothing gives more pleasure than disappointment turned to hope.  It’s like the budding of a flower, petals which were shrunken in withdrawal, unraveling and stretching in beaming beatification. There is no blush — Just a brave display of approval by Him; the face-lightener, joy bringer, chin-lifting Christ. The Prize seen, we mirror Him –- reflection as in still water.  Jacob looks upon his once dead son; he is alive, he is alive! Peter looks upon the once dead Christ; He too is alive. The countenance of the two is shining, a fire is lit. A narrow. Many yearn, they’re disenchanted. Others set their hearts on things, to  Disparagement. The world is cruel toward certain dreams. Why? There is no furtherance, no continuance, no story-end. But, there is more to come, my friends; it is too early to quit. Here is the mistake, the hardening center, the darkening of mind. Here is…

  We live through heart-ache to be forever joined with Christ, intimately. Sin represents a dis-jointing, a dis-fellowship; pain sobers a saint toward what is real — our humanness –our unbelief – our disablement – our depravity. in our confrontation of reality, His true nature waxes clear, yet it comes unexpectedly. Mixed in our intensified sedation, comes His intensified compassion. Our little faith, even abject unbelief, renders His with-abiding love most precious. Our unworthiness apparent, compassions’ fire is seen ablaze in heaven’s eyes – our conditions-filled soul is superseded by His unconditional Being. The contrast is striking. Suffering does this: 1 delivers from idealism 2 delivers from law-following 3 delivers from our self-orientation 4 delivers from fear of death and dying 5 delivers from unbelief Idealism says “ideas or thoughts, (in themselves), make up basic truth.” Nevertheless, “if reason, (Idealism) were to say that all its conclusions are determined by…

    “The battle is the Lord’s.” It is alsoHis life, His righteousness, His joy which is our strength. We are kept by His power for it is His salvation. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. Heis our ever present help in times of trouble, born for adversity, He loves at all times. He ministers to us on our bed of languishing. By Himself He purged our sins and is wisdom, sanctification and redemption. There’s much more, but we get the point. Which is? We live in the sphere of God, period. Other spheres are false domains which are invented, yet remain reluctantly in the orb of Christ. Man can imagine another existence, concoct it in his mind’s eye, blueprint it’s issue, expand it’s characteristics. One such world-view goes this way: “I come to the aide of the defenseless, I cannot cold-bloodedly pass by all the horror…and not say a word.” “From…

Indispensable  Some people are indispensable members of Christ’s body. Some get superabundant honor. Others we decorate in bountifulness. The list goes this way: 1) The feeble 2) The less honored 3) The uncomely  These  are strength-less or weak. 4) Unbeautified, shapeless and not elegant. These groups often get kicked to the curb. Matthew 25:40  teaches, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” How? When and why were these acts of kindness done to the least, and accounted as having been done to Jesus Himself? Let us become one of these To discover this, let us become one of these weak, indeed we are already more like them than we admit. With their shoes on our feet, how does it go? a. They have a physical blemish or crooked walk. b. They have failed a lot at vital issues.…