Devotional for June 2009
June 1
Party Hat
I have always been a dog lover and during the years of owning a dog,
there are situations that arise which surprise us and sometimes we aren’t
prepared for. Such the case is an accident or circumstance that arises when a
pet is injured.
Janet’s dog, Gracie was bit by another dog at the park last week
requiring stitches and a drain tube put in her chest. Gracie is now walking
around with one of those medical collar/cones on her neck.
It is to keep
her from licking the wound.
A vet I once new called it a “party hat” but Gracie doesn't seem all
that impressed with it.
Of course, the cone blocks her view and limits her mobility. She gets
around pretty well, all things considered, but life isn't the same with the
“party hat” on.
You and I may not have these cones or "party hats" on us physically, but
there are things that hinder us in our faith walk.
We can be hindered by our sin. Rebellion keeps us distant from the Lord
in our relationship.
We can be hindered by a lack of faith. We must not only believe "in" God
but we must believe that He is who He says He is and that he will do what He
promises. We can be wounded or have wounds that we have not allowed to heal.
We can be encumbered by the lures of the world. Satan will draw us
towards anything that might keep our eyes off of God.
We're called to recognize those things and remove them from our lives.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us
fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful
men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
We have a course that God has set out for our lives and things that He
wants us to accomplish. Often times the only thing that holds us back are the
things that we have permitted to ensnare us and hold us back.
Cut free those snares, let loose the hindrances and remove the "party
hats". Pursue God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength. The
journey will be better than whatever you are permitting to hold you back.
Until next time may you run the race unencumbered and free of all
hindrances.
Blessings to all,
Darrel Mason
Stay tuned tomorrow for Janet’s Devotional on
“Licking the Wounds!”
Licking Wounds
There is debate about whether it is profitable to
lick one’s wounds as an animal to promote healing. Animals instinctively lick
their wounds after being injured. There is scientific evidence of the healing
nature of saliva; however there is equal evidence that there are harmful
bacteria present that can cause worse infection. Licking one’s wounds is a form
of self-medication.
The phrase “to lick one’s wounds” means to “to
recuperate after a defeat.” We have all suffered emotional wounds in this life.
Some are deeper than others, but none the less, all are painful and need
healing. Many adults continue to suffer from childhood wounds that have never
been properly treated. Before we know the Lord, we have few resources to turn to
except to self-medicate. We want the pain to stop. We want to quit bleeding. We
want the throbbing to cease.
Some try to self-medicate through distractive
pleasures: sex, eating, shopping, or excessive working. Some try to
self-medicate by covering up their wounds with drugs, alcohol, sleeping, anger,
or humor bandages. Still others try to self-medicate their wounds by protecting
them and keeping what they perceive as contaminations out by building emotional
walls, isolating themselves from others, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, or
suicide. These are all forms of licking our wounds—trying desperately to
recuperate after a defeat.
The problem is that these methods may temporarily
stop the bleeding and the initial pain, but they usually create a deeper
infection. Once we come to know the Lord, we have an alternative: Christ, the
Great Physician, Jehovah Rapha, my healer! He knows the surgery technique needed
to clean out all infection and cleanse all wounds. He shed His cleansing blood,
so we could be healed. His word washes us clean of all debris and instructs us
how to live, so we are kept pure.
As I write this devotion, I wish I could give you a
formula for receiving your healing. The truth is there is NO formula. Christ is
your answer. He alone knows what you need to be healed. Healing is found in a
relationship with Him alone. In the word, Jesus healed through two means: His
word and His touch. However, each person was healed differently.
Some He spoke to:
Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
John 5:8
"I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to
your house."
Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the
presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God.
Mark 2:11-12
Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives."
John 4:50
Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has
made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the
road. Mark 10:52
Some He touched:
He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva;
and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him,
"Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" John 9:6-7
And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on
him, Mark 8:23
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying,
"I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:3
And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for
twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. Matthew 9:20
Our healing is personal. It is between us and the
Lord. I do know that Jesus heals, and as He heals, He strengthens our
relationship with Him at the same time. We need not resort to our instinctive
behavior of our old nature. Rather than licking our own wounds, let us turn to
the willing, available, and highly effective physician. We will find that the
best use for our mouths is
to call out for His help!
Surely
He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But
He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was
upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All
we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own
way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the
iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6
In the name of Jesus, I speak healing
to your body, soul, spirit!
Janet Fairbrother
God’s Goodness
I stood on the water front of Dumaguete City watching the morning light
slowly glide over the ocean and begin to chase away the shadows where I was
standing. It was an incredible moment.
As I was standing there, I felt as if I could have been the only person
for miles. Of course, I wasn't but for a few powerful minutes, I felt that way.
I felt like there was just God and me alone on the waterfront.
The waves crashed in on the rocks nearby, singing a rhythmic chorus to
God. The last of the early morning stars was fading, giving the sun its moment.
Other than the surf, and the nearly audible pounding of my own heart, there
wasn't a sound to be heard.
I offered some quiet prayers of thanksgiving and praised God for the
incredible blessing He allowed me to have that Philippine morning. For just a
moment I felt like I had the tiniest taste of what Adam must have known in the
Garden of Eden.
Before long there were other people around and the moment was gone
forever except in my memory. Soon I was having breakfast and then it was time to
be packing and preparing to leave.
We can never quite know exactly what it must have been for Adam and Eve
to walk in the Garden before the fall. We know from the Genesis account that
after the fall, God was walking in the Garden in the cool of the day. >From the
Lord's earlier interactions with Adam, it seems quite logical that that would
have been a normal daily event.
We know from John's Revelation of Jesus Christ that in time believers
will walk in the Lord's presence along the River of Life down the way of the
trees of life. What an incredible moment that will be. Unlike my ocean sunrise,
it won't end in a matter of minutes, but will continue on.
Some people think of the Bible as a handbook of sins and a list of do-nots,
but they have missed the point. God's Word is a chronicle of redemption. He
takes us from a taste of life before the fall to the promised glory after the
end times. He reveals Himself and His redemptive plan throughout. He's written
the most incredible piece of non-fiction ever devised. It's no wonder that He's
referred to as "the author" in Scripture.
Acts 3:15-16 NIV
You killed the author
of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
Hebrews 2:10 NIV
In bringing many sons
to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,
should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Hebrews 12:2-3 NIV
Let us fix our eyes
on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that
you will not grow weary and lose heart.
The author of faith, salvation and life is the same author who gave me
the moment on the beach. He's the same author who knew you before you were born
and has plans for all of eternity laid out just for you.
Until next time rejoice because the great author has a unique and
wonderful script for your life. A life He gave for you to live.
Darrel Mason
June 4
Speaking Truth
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall
reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good
to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galations 6:9-10
Recently we received a reply from a subscriber to a devotion and how it
encouraged him. I have included the following portion of his response as I felt
compelled to answer his plea through another devotion.
As I discuss the word and try to witness, I get a lot of resistance.
Sadly, much of the resistance and desire to “meet the world part way” comes from
our own Christian community. The battle to resist the pull of the world goes
on. Please continue to encourage through the scriptures and if I might be so
bold as to suggest, give the readers some points of discussion when confronted
with a compromising world.
As I read this cry from a reader asking for reinforcements to a
resistant world which includes many Christian brethren, I empathize and recall
the many times God’s truth wasn’t received, and those I spoke to continued to
walk in rebellion and bondage. Many times I have cried out to the Lord and shed
tears for those I have ministered to asking Him why they refuse the truth that
can set them free. One particular time He responded, “A rebellious house.”
Now this is something the Lord said to Ezekiel in chapter 3 verse 27 and
throughout Ezekiel. “He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him
refuse; for they are a rebellious house.” I have also felt as Jeremiah when he
proclaimed, "I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name." But
His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of
holding it back, And I could not. Jeremiah 20:9
It is impossible to have the answer to someone’s need and keep quiet.
Keeping quiet would hold me responsible to God. If they refuse to listen then
God holds them responsible. Sometimes this is painful to watch. Part of the pain
is the grieving of the Holy Spirit within you who loves them and wants to see
them walk in victory. It is similar to Paul who wanted the people to know that
what he told them was not to bring condemnation but his motives were out of love
for them. “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with
many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love
which I have so abundantly for you. 2 Corinthians 2:4
The truth is that many refused and still refuse Christ and what He
offers.
Jesus told us in John 3:19-20, “And this is the condemnation, that the
light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil.” Jesus offered encouragement to his disciples in John
15:19-20, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because
you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world
hates you.”
If a person rejects the truth, no argument will convince him otherwise.
Until one is willing to hear and accept the truth, they will stay ensnared and
captive. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able
to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God
perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that
they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been
taken captive by him to do his will.” 2 Tim 2:24-26 Being patient is the most
difficult part of the job for the one sharing the truth. Having experienced
God’s life changing power causes one to possess an overpowering urge to share it
with others. For once one has drunk of the living water and believes, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)
When others want to compromise or have one foot in the world and one
foot in the kingdom, they will fail to experience the full victory bought for
them on the cross at Calvary. Only to the extent one is willing to lay down
their life, will they be able to gain eternal blessings even on Earth. In John
4:24 Jesus tells us, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth."
We must walk in spirit and truth to relate to God and
His kingdom. That means ridding ourselves of carnality and “…all that is in the
world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”(1
John 2:16) Many are not ready or willing to do this.
Continue to speak the truth in love. There will be those who reject your
message, and there will be those who hear and respond to your message although
they may not be the ones you thought you were speaking to. For some you are
planting a seed, for some you are watering, but be confident in this: You are
doing the will of your Father in heaven. Be bold and be strong for the Lord your
God is with you!
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God
to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the
Greek. Romans 1:16-17
Laboring with you,
Janet Fairbrother
SHADOWS...
Growing up, we often experienced regular brown outs (a loss of electricity)
during the night. This meant no TV, no light, and no fan. The only
source of light was a candle in the middle of the living room. The whole
living room was full of our shadows – my two siblings, mine, plus my
grandmother’s who looked after us.
Often Grandma, which we fondly called Nanay, would make shapes using her two
hands. She would be able to create a rabbit; ears popped up, two hind
feet, and jumping gleefully. Nanay sometimes would put her two thumbs
together, spread her palms and move it like an eagle soaring! We kids would put
our hands together and also try to make some funny creatures. Soon our
imaginations had us forgetting about the hot, dark night.
Then as I grew older, I began to fear shadows, dark places, and dimly lit
spaces.
Where did my fun, happy imagination go?
Often the dark shadows that loom around me are just that – shadows from a poorly
lit place.
Right now, what you are afraid of? There are some who are afraid of the shadow
of death. Some are running from the shadows of their past. Some are
hiding under the covers, because they believe a shadow prowls around and is
ready to pounce on them at any moment. Others are hiding from the shadows
of uncertainty of growing old and lonely. The shadow of despair may be
looming to some who see no hope for the future.
Could it be that the shadows we are running from are just a figment of our
imagination? Is it possible that because we lack the Light we are now in a
place where there are plenty of shadows?
Shadows cannot hurt us. In
fact, they can’t move from where we see or we think we see them. When we
move from a dimly lit place to a well-lit area, we can see clearly. We can
see where the shadow is coming from. We can relax and know that it is just
a distorted view of something else. We now not only have Light, we have plenty
of Light!
Light-John
8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the
world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light
of life."
Plenty of Light-Word of God-Psalm
119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
We can face the shadows. There is no need to run from them.
“Even though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” (Psalm 23:4)
It is time to exchange your fear for the power, love and sound mind that God
offers.
Bathe in the rays of the Light. Stay in the Light of His word. Then you
don’t need to fear the shadows.
Beth Mason
June 9
Special
One of my breakfasts sometimes is a coke and a slice of pizza. Pizza is
one of those foods that I believe are good the night before and great the
following day cold. Probably not the healthiest breakfast in the world, but
occasionally it is on the menu.
Some of you are thinking "gross" and others are thinking that it sounds
like a good breakfast to you. You see God didn't create us all alike. Each one
of us is an individual, and while we might have similar likes and dislikes, or
similar backgrounds, no two of us is exactly alike. Each of us is special to
God.
Kind of like snowflakes or fingerprints. Out of all the billions of
people who have been born, or all the innumerable that will come, no one is
exactly like you or me.
God's fine hand of craftsmanship created each of us for a different
purpose. He's given all of us a special purpose in life, a special ministry, a
contribution to be made for all eternity. None of us here by accident. None of
us is without a divine purpose.
Ephesians 2:10 NIV
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Think about what a blessing that is. God made YOU unique because He has
something that only YOU can do in mind. That means that every person, young or
old, rich or poor, Christian or not, has value beyond measure.
Ephesians 2:10 is a great scripture. The word workmanship is the Greek
word poema from which we derive our
word poem. Each of us is God's personally handcrafted, individually designed
poems.
We go to great lengths to see the treasures and wonders of the world,
when the real treasures are all around us.
The person you love is a treasure in God's eyes.
The person at work who makes your day a challenge has value beyond
measure.
The street person, the criminal, the person who you disdain, because of
their lifestyle or skin color all are valuable in God's eyes.
They too are God's wonderfully wrought poems. When you look down on them
or treat them unfairly, you look down and mistreat the wonders and personal
workmanship of God almighty.
It's no wonder Jesus said:
Matthew 25:31-45 NIV
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he
will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered
before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the
goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are
blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since
the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I
was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited
me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me,
I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry
and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see
you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those
on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared
for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I
was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not
invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in
prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or
a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one
of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Each of us is special to Him and He wants us to appreciate and care for
one another the way He does. The more we are able to love and appreciate others
for who they are, the more we are like Jesus.
Until next time, I pray God give you the eyes to see how unique and
wonderful you are and how valuable ALL the people around you are in His sight
(even those who like coke and left over pizza for breakfast).
Blessings to you, yours no matter what you’re eating for breakfast!
Darrel Mason
Cylinders
Today was
one of those days...I woke up feeling really awful but was trying to pull it
together to get in to work; while I was driving to work listening to the motor
in my beloved Dora click-click-clicking along and thinking about the different
things in my very limited car knowledge that
it could be, and then trying to get my brain geared-up for work, the thought
occurred to me that Dora & I were a lot alike today--neither of us seemed to be
'hitting on all cylinders'.
That thought then led to another train of thought...I
started thinking about how very much like cars we human beings are. Now bear
with me here, ok...I'm going to make a point
Some cars have 4 cylinders, some
6, and some 8--right?
Well,
people are like that too...There are your 4-cylinder models that don't make such
a bold roar or leap forward with great power--but still they move & function
just fine.
Then there
are the 6-cylinder people...a little more power, a little more boldness & pep.
Then, you have the 8-cylinder folks! These are the high-energy folks who have
lots of roar, lots of boldness and zip.
Now think
about how each car, though different, is functional in its own way--yet some
people just aren't tolerant of those little 4-cylinder
models--they'd rather drive the big 8-cylinder car. And some people think
driving the 8-cylinder is a bad thing--uses too much gas, goes too fast etc.
Some decide to go with the 6-cylinder...the happy medium.
But many
folks, if they see/hear a car going down the road that doesn't seem to be
'hitting on all cylinders’; they scowl and frown and scoff. Some, who have been
there and driven the cars that weren't quite right, may be a little
more
sympathetic or understanding.
Cars, like
people, often don't fall apart overnight--it's a process of many events over the
course of the car's life, just like it's a process of many events over the
course of a person's life.
My point? Just like some people aren't tolerant of the different engine types,
models, styles, or imperfections in cars, they also aren't very tolerant of the
different people types either. Oh maybe we're fine with the crowd where everyone
seems to be 'hitting on all cylinders' and chugging right along--we really like
hanging out with the ones who have the snazzy paint jobs!...but that 'other
group'...the group of folks who maybe aren't quite as functional, maybe just
don't seem quite right and might not be 'hitting on all cylinders'--those folks
are the ones some just don't want to be around. We as a society just don't seem
to be able to handle it if people aren't what we think they should be.
Now
before all of us who are Christians begin to shake our heads and say 'tsk, tsk,
tsk,'...let's stop and evaluate for a minute--be real, ok? How many of us do the
very same thing? Someone walks into service and they just don't seem to be
running quite right? Maybe they aren't as fuel-efficient in ministry, maybe
their paint job is a little dull and they have some rust spots and signs of wear
& tear, maybe they are banged up and their windshields are even cracked from the
force of the traffic of life through which they have travelled...what do we do?
Do we welcome them into our midst, or do we look away and sneer in scorn, or try
to pretend we don't even see them? And, oh my....what if they should come in to
our midst and actually want to park themselves beside us during service?
Honestly, what would Jesus do? You know, sometimes
that is a difficult question to answer--or should I say sometimes I think that's
an uncomfortable question for us to answer--because I think most of us know what
Jesus would do based on what Jesus has already done! Jesus came into this world
for all of us--for the bright new & shiny ones, the old, dull & abused ones...He
loved us all, and loves us all still...
He came
into the world for the least among us--and for the best among us. He doesn't see
dysfunction & failure & inadequacy; he sees possibilities & hope & beauty.
He
takes the one who 'isn't hitting on all cylinders' and draws them close and
loves them and nurtures them and restores them...Check the Book--read
the
stories...the leper, the woman at the well, the woman taken in adultery, the
woman with the issue of blood, the crippled man......David...and modern-day
stories like that of people such as myself...
So, the
next time we see someone who isn't running quite right, think before you judge.
Maybe you feel like you aren't hitting on all
cylinders lately...does your engine need work?
Do you need to check yourself in for a tune up? Are
you feeling all used up and worn out? Maybe you are stuck in the ditch and can't
get out?
Maybe you don't even care if you ever run
again...There's no shame in talking to someone you trust...there's no shame in
seeking advice from a trusted physician, family member, or pastor...and
remember,
HE loves
you no matter what kind of shape you're in...He will renew you so that you will
run and not be weary, walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31).
Angia
West Virginia, USA
Trials
Last year I had to take the truck over to the glass shop for a
windshield replacement. A stone chip had spread out in several directions
leaving large cracks in its wake. I thought about that cracked windshield and
its significance.
It reminded me of the lives of many people. They take a blow in the form
of trauma, rejection or any of life's many trials. If the "chip in their
windshield" (so to speak) isn't tended to soon, their lives begin to crack and
can eventually fall apart.
One of the biggest unfixed chips comes in the form of holding on to
woundedness and unforgiveness. It soon turns to deeper anger and bitterness and
not only cracks the person but spreads to the lives of those around them causing
untold devastation.
Bitterness is not only an emotion; it is a debilitating spiritual root
that can bring many more destructive influences in with it. Bitterness destroys
friendships, marriages and families. It can lead to loss of employment,
addictions and a plethora of self destructive behaviors.
We need to head of bitterness by making the choice to forgive.
Forgiveness is not about whether or not someone deserves forgiveness. Christ
forgives you and me and we certainly don't deserve it.
Forgiveness is about obedience to Christ and strong mental and spiritual
health. When we choose not to forgive we give the enemy legal ground to work in
our life. That's never a good thing.
Colossians 3:12-17 NIV
Therefore, as God's
chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive
whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord
forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all
together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as
members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your
hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
For the sake of our impact on others, our own witness and our own well
being we must learn to bear with one another, be slow to take offense and quick
to forgive.
We all know that. What I have said is nothing new, it has been the
teaching of the church for years. Yet, even though we know it we are quite often
the exact opposite. We are easily offended and not quick to forgive.
The reality is that we are quick to want to be forgiven but really tight
about giving it to others. That is an attitude that we must change in our lives.
Until next time, whatever it is that has chipped your viewpoint may you
get the chips fixed before they crack you up.
Darrel Mason
Head Banging
I confess that sometimes I shake my head at the "stunning" new things
that scientists and doctors "discover". This week I heard a news report about a
new study published in a Medical Journal.
It pertains to “head banging” to heavy metal music. According to the
news report, "thrashing about like an electro-shocked rabbit may cause similar
effects to whiplash. A typical death-metal rhythm of 146 beats-per-minute or
faster, combined with head-banging arcs of at least 45 degrees, is "predicted to
cause mild head and neck injury," they say. With faster tempos and a wider arc,
"there are definite risks of mild traumatic brain injury." Anecdotal evidence
also points to the potential health hazards of thrash rock, the paper says."
Amazing (please note slight tone of sarcasm), who would have thought
that repeated violent slamming of the neck could cause whiplash and closed head
injuries? Actually the results aren't what surprise me. I'm surprised by the
fact that simple common sense wasn't enough to tell us this; we needed a peer
reviewed medical journal article to tell us.
God created us in His image which includes the ability to reason and
learn. Yet it seems that we aren't comfortable doing that. We seem to love
tabloid theology, folk medicine and urban myths. Our school systems seem more
interested in indoctrinating children into a secular worldview than educating
them. Even "Christian" schools seem more interested in indoctrination than
education.
Please note that I am not against medical or scientific research. I'm
not against education either public or Christian. It's just that sometimes I'm
frustrated by the end product.
God gave us brains for a reason. They are to be used to being Him glory.
God calls us to use our reasoning power.
Isaiah 1:18 NIV
"Come now, let us
reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool
God called the wisest man who ever lived to use His mind in worship.
1
Chronicles 28:9 NIV
"And you, my son
Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted
devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and
understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found
by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
Jesus commands the same thing of us.
Matthew 22:37-38 NIV
Jesus replied: “`Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.
We are to think!
That doesn't mean our faith is to be simply cold reasoning and without
emotion. We are to live our faith, we are to experience emotion and use emotion.
Often Christians seem afraid of reason. We seek emotional highs as the
benchmark as our worship. As long as the "feelings" are good we think we're
worshipping and the spirit is moving. We have this strange idea that applying
reason and sound doctrine somehow quenches the spirit. Nothing could be farther
from the truth.
All reason and nothing else is an inadequate worship of God but all
emotion and no reason falls short to.
Until next time ... "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind."
Darrel Mason