A Christian Viewpoint

That may not be the problem.

Jesus said of the pharisees… They will take up this proverb against me, “Physician heal thyself.” On the third day the Father, through the power of the Spirit, raised him up.

If I have faith the size of a grain of mustard seed I can say to this mountain be uprooted and tossed into the sea and it would be done. It is such a small, little, tiny seed, isn’t everyone capable of manifesting this least amount of faith? Yet I haven’t seen any mountains thrown into the sea unless done through great and powerful machines.

The will of the Lord is key.
Walking in the Spirit is key.
The church manifesting the Spirit is key.
Each one doing what God asks,
In His timing and at His direction,
then as a whole, miracles happen.

A physician never heals himself,
his colleagues do when they work together,
each working his specialty,
for the good of the one.

As the Father with the Spirit,
And the physicians above,
Same goes for the church.

😉

It was troubling to see a little girl crying at the side of the road. Her tear stained face caused my heart to open up in sympathy for her unknown plight.

“What’s wrong little girl?”

She turned her face to me and stared for a moment. Her lower lip began to quiver. Mustering up some courage she said, “I lost my mommy.”

I thought it over for a few seconds trying to understand what she meant by that statement. Was she out with her mom and got separated from her? Did the little girl’s mother die?

“Where is your mommy?”

“At home,” she said.

“Is she all right?”

“She is ok,” she said. Her head bent down and hands came to her face. A little whine escaped from her. The familiar sound of soulful desperation as her thoughts played the loss in her mind once more.

“Aw now, don’t cry, if your mommy is at home, why do you think you lost her?”

“I heard my mommy say to my daddy that she is going to have another baby.” The girl looked to me hoping I would understand. That somehow I would be able to set things right. A knight come to rescue the damsel in distress.

I suppressed a smile that tried to make its way to my face.

“Why is that a bad thing, your mommy having another baby?”

“Because,” she said, “my mommy doesn’t like me anymore. I must have done something awfully wrong. She wants to get rid of me. She doesn’t need another baby. I’m her baby.”

Now it became clear to me what her problem was. Relief started to fill my mind. The problem was just a misunderstanding. “I think you got things mixed up a little. I am sure that your mommy loves you. A whole lot.”

She looked up to me with pleading eyes. “Then why does she want another baby?”

I smiled at the little girl. Using as soothing a voice as I could muster, I said, “Your mommy loves you a whole bunch. She wanted to get you a present. Something so special it would last a lifetime. She could think of nothing better, nothing prettier, nothing as wonderful, as giving you a friend. Someone just like you. Someone you could play with. Someone with whom you can share stories.”

Her mind tried to grasp this new possibility. You could see the struggle on her face.

After some moments she asked, “Do you really think that is the truth?”

“I have just met you. I think you are a wonderful little girl. I am certain that the new baby is a special gift for you. Your daddy and mommy will do what they can for the new baby. You will have to help with the new baby. Imagine, a little brother or sister. Wow, that is a special present, for a special girl.”

“Gee, I never thought of that,” as she sniffled one last time.

Her mother came out on the porch and called out her name. Quickly the little girl got up and ran to her mother. She threw herself into her dress and clasped her legs with all her strength.

The mother bent down and said, “My Oh My, what is that all about?”

The little girl looked into her eyes and with renewed understanding said, “I love you mommy!”

She replied, “Well I love you baby.”

At those words the little girl put her arms about her mother’s neck and kissed her cheek. The two held each other in a warming embrace.

“Does my special little girl want some lemonade?”

“Oh yes I do,” she said.

The two got up and went into the house.

I stood up, shook my head, and walked away with a little smile.

🙂

author: Joseph Raymond
May 31, 2006

BB… that was her name. She was a bundle of energy and had attitude. A unique little creature unlike most cats that we have owned in the past. My wife would have a shower and then BB would go in and lay in the puddle that was left for her bath. My wife would eat breakfast and BB would wait for her treat at her feet. I would lay on the floor for my daily back exercises and BB would come lay beside me and do her stretches. BB was always at the door waiting for Linda or I to come home. Then when we came through the door she would walk away and sit in another doorway with her back to us, ignoring our call to her. If I were to sit up in my easy chair she would come to get her ear scatched. During the evening BB would climb up onto my wife’s chair so she could get her chin scratched. Never would she sit on my wife’s lap… but she would climbed onto the back of her chair and lay around my wife’s head. And lastly, late at night, BB would come up to the bedroom and lay next to my wife so she could get lovingly stroked. This has been going on for seventeen years. She was about two when we got her.

Last thursday BB died. Old age… Cancer… and a tender vet exame that was too much for her frail body. She died at home unable to leave her carrying cage.

Those of you with pets of many years will know of the heartbreak that follows their death. The need to go through the grief stages. The house seems a little emptier now. What we have done everyday for close to two decades is now no longer needed to be done. We put away the toys and the dishes. We clean up the litter box and put it away. A tear wells up in the corner of the eye as we do this. As the days pass we are reminded time and again of our loss by the stray toy under the couch or a tuft of hair left on a pillow. A tear appears at each discovery. In time we will heal. For now…

🙁

Greater is he that is in me,
Greater is he that is in me,
Greater is he that is in me,
Than he that is in the world.

May this song/scripture become more of a reality for you and I. 😎

It hasn’t been a very good year so far. 🙁 A very bad cold that lasted weeks. Back that went bad on me and still getting therapy for it. There is more but what the heck, you don’t need a whole listing. Inspite of the problems I did participate in a special night service. A bit of acting portraying Jesus in Luke 14. It was a 15 minute skit and it went well. I thank Crossfire Assembly for opening the door for ministry oportunities.

Today I am writing a skit for a group in my church. Tomorow I have an important Dr.’s appointment. If you read this today, could you pray for me that the skit is well wrtitten and that the Dr will have wisdom and insight during the discussion.

I cannot stand alone. I am one of those people who needs people of prayer to lift me up in prayer. Not for some great work but to get through the day, each day. I truly appreciate those of you who take the time to pray for me.

God bless… 😉

The moment has come. I have taken responsibility and gone to do my duty. My ballot is cast. I encourage anyone who reads this today to go to the polls and do your duty as well. Ahem, specially if you are going to vote conservative. That being said… even of you would vote for another party… vote.

😉

The last day of the year. Do you have your new year’s resolutions already chosen? I have four.

🙂 To let God cleanse me of my sin.
😎 To allow his Spirit greater control.
😉 To walk in peace with others.
:satisfied: The personal outworking my salvation.

Guess we all want do that. Everyday is a time for repentance. May your resolutions be given new birth each day of the new year. God bless…

😀

🙂 :rolleyes: 😉 😀 :laugh: :hehe:

My gosh, has it been a month since my last post. I guess it is a reflection of how I have been doing over the past little while. Every once in a while you come up against a spiritual obstacle. It stops you in your tracks. Over the past few days it appears to be turning around. I can’t explain what it was, I don’t know, but I do feel a niggling from the Spirit of God to get back on track. He is faithful even when I am not. For that I thank God…

🙂

I guess the bottom line is how you view faith. Is it really faith when you practice positive thinking. In many cases I have heard people confessing a positive outcome based on the scriptures. I wonder if God had witnessed with their spirit that what they are thinking is going to come to pass. With positive thinking you take hope and speak. Yet if there is no witness it may be simply presumption, faith’s dangerous cousin.
Again,
is faith the substance of things hoped for…
or
is faith the assurance of things hoped for…
Positive thinking is based on the substance.
I believe true confession comes from the assurance.
🙂