Deliberations 2016(4): Emergency Numbers.

Whom do you call, or where do you go, when you are in need? Do you call a 911 number or a 919 number? Or is it dialing 112 on your cell phone – even when it is locked, or with no SIM card? Do you call a husband, wife, mother, father, sister, brother, best friend, or your pastor??

Persons who experience unexpected illnesses or accidents generally visit emergency rooms, with the full expectation that they can be helped – and most times they are. It would be good if we were to regard our Bibles in the same way—a place we can go to for help with all the trials we encounter in life.

Here are some passages that can be a virtual “emergency kit” for addressing our needs when we are upset, worried, dealing with loss, etc. Won’t you make them part of your personal first aid kit during your daily struggles? 

[N.B. These suggestions were taken from different sources, including the Internet]

A favorite Bible story for me has always been the account of the Israelites exodus from Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land. The lack of faith exhibited in the face of God’s constant presence and leading is astounding—although in retrospect we might have behaved exactly the same! I also like the reassurance of Psalm 73:21-26, as I seek new direction in my life.

Won’t you share your favorite personal passages to help to strengthen someone else when they are in need, or feeling lost on their life’s journey?

Deliberations 2016(3): #Men vs Women in Church

Is this an anomaly? Church leaders are usually men, but most churches are comprised primarily of women and children. Sooooo…. Is the church not benefited by the presence of men in the congregation? Should special efforts be made to evangelize them?

Consider the following excerpt from Pastor Nikita Thompson’s article in the Logos – a publication of the South Bahamas Conference of SDA – 11/14/2015:

            “A survey done a few years ago by “Focus on the Family Publishing shows:

·      If a child is the first person in the household to become a Christian, there is a 4% probability that everyone else in the household will follow.

·      If wife/mother is the first to accept Christ, there’s a 17% chance the rest of the household will follow.

·      But if the man—the husband, the father, God’s Point Man—is the first person in a home to become a Christian, there’s a 93% probability that the rest of the family will follow.

      When God's appointed, spiritual head of the household accepts and grows in Christ, his family is most likely to follow. If we can reach the men we will reach the family. As our world seems to be going from bad to worse, men desperately need, and are looking for, a ministry uniquely designed to reach them."

Hmmmm…… Much food for thought……

Can we continue to merely sit back and wring our hands while men are being lost? And sadly, so many of them are found in prisons—which is certainly not an equal opportunity institution— since men outnumber women here about 10 to 1.

What plans do we have in our churches and civic organizations to reach men spiritually, and then mobilize them towards evangelism in their families and in the wider community…..

An old African proverb reiterates the need for focusing on men: “When the root is strong, there is no need to fear the wind”.

[By the way - for those persons who thought they missed a post last week - not true. I'm trying to post fortnightly rather than weekly]

Deliberations 2016(2): The Great Physician

Research informs us that there is a specific type of doctor for almost every major system in the human body.  But becoming a specialist in a particular area can be a daunting task. Doctors can spend from 3-6 years in specialized training – after already spending 4 years as an undergraduate, and 4 years in medical school. A newly certified physician is usually about 30 years of age; and must continually seek professional development to remain current in his/her field.

Yet after spending a comparatively short 40 days in the wilderness, and undergoing no medical training that we know of, Jesus embarked at the age of 30 on a ministry in which he demonstrated competency in a number of medical specialties and compassion for our human condition, as he healed a multitude of illnesses. For example:

·      A Surgeon – He replaced the soldier’s ear. Moreover he used minimally invasive techniques and no tools! Luke 22:50-53

·      A Hematologist – he healed the woman with the issue of blood – Luke 8:43-48

·      A Psychiatrist/Psychologist – He healed deranged minds – Luke 4:33-35

·      An Audiologist & Speech Pathologist – He made the deaf hear and the dumb speak – Mark 7:31-35

·      An Orthopedist – He straightened bones and made the lame walk – John 5:1-9

·      A Dermatologist – He healed 10 men of leprosy – Luke 17:11-19

·      A cryogenic engineer – He raised the dead – John 11:38-44; Luke 7:11-15

·      A Cardiologist & Neurosurgeon – He operates on our hearts and our minds, making us worthy to be called His sisters and brothers, and children of God – John 1:12 

Jesus is undoubtedly the only physician who is specialized to heal all ills, and His patient rapport is so good you will feel like His only patient. He is available 24/7; there is no charge for visits or prescriptions; and His cure is guaranteed!! There is even a bonus – He offers you a better life after this one! Won’t you make Him your personal physician today?

Deliberations 2016(1): #Back to Work! 

           (Developed out of a reading from a devotional for women: www.CTAinc.com)

How do you normally dress? Most of us put on comfortable, casual clothes while at home, but we generally choose more professional clothes for work in a classroom or office. Sometimes this is a uniform, like those worn by police officers, or nurses and doctors.

But here’s an interesting thought. On the day Jesus was betrayed, He did not dress for work. In fact, he undressed – removing his outer clothing in front of His disciples. Then, just as a lowly servant might have done, he took a towel and a basin of water and washed His disciples feet – including the feet of the one who would betray him! Here the disciples learned a lesson in humility as their Lord and Master washed their feet, (John 13).

Jesus asks us also to clothe ourselves in humility. This often requires that we remove some of the traits in which we clothe ourselves. For example we must lay aside pride and selfishness – replacing those outfits with a focus on the needs of others. We might need to roll up our sleeves and do the tasks others find distasteful or demeaning. Often we must volunteer for assignments that will probably go unnoticed and unrewarded. However as we labor at these tasks, we emulate our Savior’s humility, and as He works in us, His humble heart becomes our own. Moreover, scriptures remind us that happiness does not come from focusing on our own desires, but in looking outward and ministering to others.

Won’t you try on the clothes Jesus offers – remembering that His undeserved death in our place effectively covers our old sinful clothing?

You might just be surprised at the difference you will make in someone else’s life….