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The battle of the mind is fierce. Empty pleasure and money and stuff versus restraint and discipline and prayer and His Word. We can't win by our efforts, but only through surrendering to God. The battle is the Lord's.
- dr joe
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Links
Food for Thought...
I believe our nation is headed for very hard, even disastrous times. I do not believe politics will fix our economy - it's too far gone - too much debt to ever pay back. We depend completely on our fragile technological infrastructure for food, water, shelter, transportation, and entertainment. Any number of events could cause a sudden collapse of our system e.g., electric grid collapse from terrorism, natural event like solar flare, simple breakdown from lack of modernization, or Israel attacks Iran and the price of oil skyrockets, or China stops buying our treasury bonds. I am feeling called to prepare for such disaster by working to be less dependent and more self-sufficient. If you have interest in or questions about this line of thinking, please e-mail me by replying to this e-mail. Below are some of my favorite links:
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Proverbs 19:25 25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.
There is a great difference between the person who learns from criticism and the person who refuses to accept correction. How we respond to criticism determines whether or not we grow in wisdom. The next time someone criticizes you, listen carefully to all that is said. You might learn something.
Verse and commentary above is copied from the Life Application Study Bible Reading Plan on YouVersion. Check it out at: http://www.youversion.com/ .
Any Dr JOE comments will be in BLUE :0)
John 9:1-12
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned,this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked.
11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
12 "Where is this man?" they asked him.
"I don't know," he said.
Being blind from birth was such a tragedy. Jewish thought was that someone's sin had to be to blame. Jesus taught that no one is to blame. This whole messed up world - caused by our own disobedience in the garden - is full of opportunity to see God's Work in action. Healing, mercy, justice, love, peace, truth, are available when we allow Jesus to work on our situations of suffering. Just remember He does what is best from His perspective, often not what we expect.
I also remember this verse when my patients question why God would use a pill to heal them. For some reason He used mud and spit and a dunk in the river to heal this guy. I think that means that God heals to the extent and in the way He wants to. Sometimes it is by laying on of hands, but sometimes He uses doctors and pills. If you figure out His formula, let me know. Meanwhile, we need to depend on His Spirit to guide us in all we do. In a way, I love the fact that I can't figure Him out.
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Questions?
Please e-mail me with any questions about today's scripture message or anything related to the Bible or Christianity.
I might not know the answer but I'll try real hard to find it. | |
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