But they who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
President's Day weekend, Helen and I flew to California to help celebrate daughter Rebecca's, son-in-law Kirk's and grandson Parker's February birthdays. Even though the California weather was on the gloomy side, we had a great time together! Flying is not one of my favorite things to do, but if we allow our fears and dislikes to dictate our lives we will never eat of the best fruit!
One of my dealing-with-anxiety strategies is to say the 23rd Psalm as the big jet engines begin to roar and the plane begins it ascent into the heavens. Knowing the one who cares for me and provides for me is very reassuring. Actually, the flying part of the trip was without a problem this year as compared with other years when we flew another airline--I do think that some are better than others! But, the driving part of the trip did have its perils. Helen and I had to be on the road at 2 in the morning to be ready for a 6:40 departure in Omaha. It was a foggy morning and I was driving a little faster than I should have been driving given the conditions. Suddenly a small herd of deer appeared on the road. I'm still not sure how we made it through them without damage, but we did, passing between the 2nd and 3rd ones with only a hard brush.
The other driving incident was in Stockton, CA when our son-in-law, absorbed in conversation, ran a red light. Wow! In California traffic, to not have a bad collision was something almost miraculous! Before I begin a trip, I always ask the Lord for traveling mercies and I am certainly glad I did on this trip!
Helen and I are glad to be at home, back in our routines, but we are certainly thankful for the wonderful weekend with which our Heavenly Father blessed us!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
AN UNEXPECTED BLESSING
The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity, he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness (Isaiah 57:1-2).
The building where my counseling office is located has been sold so I have to move my office. I have to be moved by March 1st. As a result I have been weeding through old files and books and am confronted by the age-old dilemma, "What should I keep and what should I throw away?" I found a devotional book by Max Lucado that a friend had given to me when I graduated from seminary. The book fell open to a devotional on Isaiah 57:1-2 from the Living Bible. The Living Bible says it this way: The good men perish; the godly die before their time and no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to realize that God is taking them away from the evil days ahead. For the godly who die shall rest in peace. This scripture helped me come to terms with my own personal questions and grief.
I've seen it happen several times in the course of my pastoral ministry where a family member will die and the "wheels" seem to come off the family. The family will fall into immorality, alcohol, substance abuse and estrangement, rejecting the very values by which the family apparently lived. It has often been my question to God, "If that person wouldn't have died, his family would still be functional. Why did you let him die?" In many cases, family unity on family values is only apparent. It wouldn't have made any difference if the family member lived or died, eventually the family would have come apart. The death of the righteous one spares him from the heart ache and sorrows of the evil days ahead. It might be that the grave is God's protection from a terrible future.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
The building where my counseling office is located has been sold so I have to move my office. I have to be moved by March 1st. As a result I have been weeding through old files and books and am confronted by the age-old dilemma, "What should I keep and what should I throw away?" I found a devotional book by Max Lucado that a friend had given to me when I graduated from seminary. The book fell open to a devotional on Isaiah 57:1-2 from the Living Bible. The Living Bible says it this way: The good men perish; the godly die before their time and no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to realize that God is taking them away from the evil days ahead. For the godly who die shall rest in peace. This scripture helped me come to terms with my own personal questions and grief.
I've seen it happen several times in the course of my pastoral ministry where a family member will die and the "wheels" seem to come off the family. The family will fall into immorality, alcohol, substance abuse and estrangement, rejecting the very values by which the family apparently lived. It has often been my question to God, "If that person wouldn't have died, his family would still be functional. Why did you let him die?" In many cases, family unity on family values is only apparent. It wouldn't have made any difference if the family member lived or died, eventually the family would have come apart. The death of the righteous one spares him from the heart ache and sorrows of the evil days ahead. It might be that the grave is God's protection from a terrible future.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Monday, February 14, 2011
A ROMANTIC THOUGHT FROM THE BIBLE
My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of Engedi (Song of Solomon 1:14).
I thought that short verse might inspire some one to use the remaining hours of Valentine's Day in a romantic fashion. So get to it, the time is short!!!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
AN ADDENDUM: Seriously, there is nothing more romantic than a husband and wife working together to achieve the same goal and purpose. The reason so many marriages fail is that the couple has differing expectations that are often unspoken, and no unifying purpose as to what they want to accomplish in marriage. Real romance is not feeling in love, but is knowing why you are together and appreciating each other for it. Feeling in love is not enough.
I've been to the Engedi--it is an oasis in the desert. That may be a clue as to the meaning of the verse.
I thought that short verse might inspire some one to use the remaining hours of Valentine's Day in a romantic fashion. So get to it, the time is short!!!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
AN ADDENDUM: Seriously, there is nothing more romantic than a husband and wife working together to achieve the same goal and purpose. The reason so many marriages fail is that the couple has differing expectations that are often unspoken, and no unifying purpose as to what they want to accomplish in marriage. Real romance is not feeling in love, but is knowing why you are together and appreciating each other for it. Feeling in love is not enough.
I've been to the Engedi--it is an oasis in the desert. That may be a clue as to the meaning of the verse.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
YOUR PERSONAL APOCALYPTIC MOMENT
It is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgement (Hebrews 9:27).
If you are a prophecy enthusiast you are probably looking for signs of the coming apocalypse. Personally, I believe there are some general signs, but no specific signs indicating the decade, year, month, day or hour. That is why the apocalypse is spoken of by Jesus and the Apostles as coming as a "thief in the night." There are no prophecies yet to be fulfilled, the Lord could return at any moment. Though the Lord Jesus' return could be today or in a hundred years, we forget that our personal apocalypse could be at any moment as well; death could come calling today!
Russell Boatman, in his book What the Bible Says About the End Times, tells a story about a salesman's personal apocalypse. While sleeping a salesman dreamed that he had an encounter with death. The dream was so real that he thought it to be a Divine warning to change his ways. He could not bear the thought of dying so he thought he might outwit death. Instead of changing his ways he thought he would change his work routine. In his dream he had seen the time and place of his death, and so he thought, "If I get another salesman to take this route and I take his there should be no problem." It was not a problem to trade routes with another salesman because more money could be made on his route. As the day ended on the different sales route he decided to quit a little early to avoid the traffic rush and the risk that went with it--he didn't want to push his luck. When he parked his car in the hotel parking garage and stepped out the car door he felt a rush of cold air, just as he had felt in his dream just before an out-of-control car hit him and killed him. Just before the out-of-control vehicle rammed into him he found himself looking into the surprised face of death. "What are you doing here?" Death asked, "I had scheduled an appointment with you in Boston later this afternoon, and was wondering how I was going to keep it."
The whole story was a dream, but it was a dream with an important point--we cannot escape death! No matter how one connives, how good of a diet one has or how much exercise one does, unless the Lord comes first, Death will have his due and you will have your personal apocalyptic moment. Is Jesus Christ your Savior?
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
If you are a prophecy enthusiast you are probably looking for signs of the coming apocalypse. Personally, I believe there are some general signs, but no specific signs indicating the decade, year, month, day or hour. That is why the apocalypse is spoken of by Jesus and the Apostles as coming as a "thief in the night." There are no prophecies yet to be fulfilled, the Lord could return at any moment. Though the Lord Jesus' return could be today or in a hundred years, we forget that our personal apocalypse could be at any moment as well; death could come calling today!
Russell Boatman, in his book What the Bible Says About the End Times, tells a story about a salesman's personal apocalypse. While sleeping a salesman dreamed that he had an encounter with death. The dream was so real that he thought it to be a Divine warning to change his ways. He could not bear the thought of dying so he thought he might outwit death. Instead of changing his ways he thought he would change his work routine. In his dream he had seen the time and place of his death, and so he thought, "If I get another salesman to take this route and I take his there should be no problem." It was not a problem to trade routes with another salesman because more money could be made on his route. As the day ended on the different sales route he decided to quit a little early to avoid the traffic rush and the risk that went with it--he didn't want to push his luck. When he parked his car in the hotel parking garage and stepped out the car door he felt a rush of cold air, just as he had felt in his dream just before an out-of-control car hit him and killed him. Just before the out-of-control vehicle rammed into him he found himself looking into the surprised face of death. "What are you doing here?" Death asked, "I had scheduled an appointment with you in Boston later this afternoon, and was wondering how I was going to keep it."
The whole story was a dream, but it was a dream with an important point--we cannot escape death! No matter how one connives, how good of a diet one has or how much exercise one does, unless the Lord comes first, Death will have his due and you will have your personal apocalyptic moment. Is Jesus Christ your Savior?
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
DEFINING MENTAL ILLNESS
Then the people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind . . . (Luke 8:35).
In my copy of the American Psychological Association's DSM-IV there is no classification of a mental illness due to demon possession, but that is exactly what afflicted the Gerasene demoniac. He did suffer from mental illness because he was not in his right mind. Jesus healed him by casting out the legion of demons that inhabited this man. This case presented by Dr. Luke is not intended to suggest that every case of mental illness has a demonic cause, but one cannot escape reading the gospels and come to the understanding that whatever the cause of any illness, Jesus has power over it.
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, defines mental illness this way: Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. True mental illness is a result of a bodily dysfunction, and some of those bodily dysfunctions we bring upon ourselves because of the mistaken and sinful choices that we make. For some mental illnesses we bear personal responsibility--addictions come most readily to mind in this regard.
Dr. David Bean, M.D. is a professor of psychiatry in the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Bean presented some interesting statistics to our class on Ministering to the Mentally Ill at Sioux Falls Seminary: 1. 45 million Americans, age 12 or older, will experience mental illness over a year's time. 2. Only 38 % of them will receive mental health services. 3. The uunemployed have an elevated risk with 28% of them suffering with mental illness as compared to 17% of the employed. 4. In 2009, 11 million adults experienced mental illness serious enough to interfere with major life activities. 5. 8.4 million adults thought seriously about committing suicide, thinking of plans for it. 6. 26% of those with serious mental illnesses are also substance abusers.
These statistics help me make two points: 1. People can move in and out of mental illness like one catches a cold and gets over it. My mother tells a story about my grandmother. Grandma was having hallucinations of ants crawling up and down her arms. Mom took her to see Dr. Koser, our family doctor, and he said, "She's having a psychosis (this took place back in the 1950's) but she will get over it," and she did, without medication. That doesn't mean that every mentally ill person will get better, however. 2. YOU HAVE IN YOUR CHURCH SOMEONE WHO IS DEALING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. Do you pray for them? Do you watch for them? Do you make your church a welcoming and safe place for them? Do you understand that just having a healthy relationship with them is one of the best treatments there is? Do you understand that they need to feel loved and respected? Oh, I think these are things we all need aren't they?!?
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
In my copy of the American Psychological Association's DSM-IV there is no classification of a mental illness due to demon possession, but that is exactly what afflicted the Gerasene demoniac. He did suffer from mental illness because he was not in his right mind. Jesus healed him by casting out the legion of demons that inhabited this man. This case presented by Dr. Luke is not intended to suggest that every case of mental illness has a demonic cause, but one cannot escape reading the gospels and come to the understanding that whatever the cause of any illness, Jesus has power over it.
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, defines mental illness this way: Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. True mental illness is a result of a bodily dysfunction, and some of those bodily dysfunctions we bring upon ourselves because of the mistaken and sinful choices that we make. For some mental illnesses we bear personal responsibility--addictions come most readily to mind in this regard.
Dr. David Bean, M.D. is a professor of psychiatry in the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Dr. Bean presented some interesting statistics to our class on Ministering to the Mentally Ill at Sioux Falls Seminary: 1. 45 million Americans, age 12 or older, will experience mental illness over a year's time. 2. Only 38 % of them will receive mental health services. 3. The uunemployed have an elevated risk with 28% of them suffering with mental illness as compared to 17% of the employed. 4. In 2009, 11 million adults experienced mental illness serious enough to interfere with major life activities. 5. 8.4 million adults thought seriously about committing suicide, thinking of plans for it. 6. 26% of those with serious mental illnesses are also substance abusers.
These statistics help me make two points: 1. People can move in and out of mental illness like one catches a cold and gets over it. My mother tells a story about my grandmother. Grandma was having hallucinations of ants crawling up and down her arms. Mom took her to see Dr. Koser, our family doctor, and he said, "She's having a psychosis (this took place back in the 1950's) but she will get over it," and she did, without medication. That doesn't mean that every mentally ill person will get better, however. 2. YOU HAVE IN YOUR CHURCH SOMEONE WHO IS DEALING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. Do you pray for them? Do you watch for them? Do you make your church a welcoming and safe place for them? Do you understand that just having a healthy relationship with them is one of the best treatments there is? Do you understand that they need to feel loved and respected? Oh, I think these are things we all need aren't they?!?
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
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