Feb 1 2012

A Chariot Ride Into Teachability

We live out our lives making decisions. Many are like ‘forks’ in the road. They are made and they shunt us in another direction. Some are dramatic, we see very quickly that the road is going to take us in a radically different path.

Sometimes, if we’re honest, we will admit to backtracking, retracing our route back to the point we turned. A lot of time it is too late, and the moment has past.

I think I have been learning to receive correction and rebuke from others. I’m thinking of that Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:30-31,

“So when Philip ran toward the chariot, he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹ He answered, “How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?” Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him.”

There is a humbleness, a teachableness that this eunuch possesses. He is confident enough to acknowledge that he just doesn’t know. He is so eager to be set on the right course that he invites Philip to a Bible study in the chariot.

We are responsible for our receptivity to truth. It is our personal decision to either seek or not seek. No one else can make this decision for us. We come to a decision point and we go the way things seem to direct us. And we learn; God and how we learn!

The book of Proverbs is saturated with ideas on being guided by our humility when it comes in contact with truth. Furthermore, there are many warnings about receiving correction and reproof gracefully. If we believe what we are reading, at that point all of a sudden our stubbornness and rejection become a very bad thing.

I have learned that scriptural truth is almost always negative when it is first encountered. It will not sit well, and I will try to shake it off. But truth can be remarkably persistent. ‘Forgive your brother’, the Holy Spirit says. And you say right away, ‘Not a chance!’ But give it time, and the Word will soften rock. If you respond properly, humbly, you be able to make the right decision.

One more thing, Jesus told us in Matthew 18:3,

” I promise you this. If you don’t change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.”

There will need to be a complete alteration in our hearts if we are to accommodate this command. Becoming a child is more difficult as adults as becoming an adult is for a child. It takes a great amount of brokenness to make the transition.

God fully intends to work with you on this. He doesn’t seem to ever give up. He is wonderfully persistent, and for some reason, He loves you. LOL

The Ethiopian Eunuch and the Body of Christ (smoodock45.wordpress.com)
Be Teachable, Even When Illness Threatens to Make You Feel Ignorant (chronicillnesspaindevotionals.wordpress.com)
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (smoodock45.wordpress.com)
What the Bible Says About Our Being Teachable (verticalviewer.wordpress.com)
The Apostle Philip baptized this black man… (thehandmaid.wordpress.com)

Jan 6 2012

Out of the Blue: The Remarkable Role of the Caregiver

~Dedicated to my lovely wife Lynn, who cares for me so well~

How can I help a friend or relative who has bipolar disorder?

If you know someone who has bipolar disorder, it affects you too. The first and most important thing you can do is help him or her get the right diagnosis and treatment. You may need to make the appointment and go with him or her to see the doctor. Encourage your loved one to stay in treatment.

Your touch can make a big difference

To help a friend or relative, you can:

Offer emotional support, understanding, patience, and encouragement
Learn about bipolar disorder so you can understand what your friend or relative is experiencing
Talk to your friend or relative and listen carefully
Listen to feelings your friend or relative expresses-be understanding about situations that may trigger bipolar symptoms
Invite your friend or relative out for positive distractions, such as walks, outings, and other activities
Remind your friend or relative that, with time and treatment, he or she can get better.

Never ignore comments about your friend or relative harming himself or herself. Always report such comments to his or her therapist or doctor.

Support for caregivers

Like other serious illnesses, bipolar disorder can be difficult for spouses, family members, friends, and other caregivers. Relatives and friends often have to cope with the person’s serious behavioral problems, such as wild spending sprees during mania, extreme withdrawal during depression, poor work or school performance. These behaviors can have lasting consequences.

Caregivers usually take care of the medical needs of their loved ones. The caregivers have to deal with how this affects their own health. The stress that caregivers are under may lead to missed work or lost free time, strained relationships with people who may not understand the situation, and physical and mental exhaustion.

Stress from caregiving can make it hard to cope with a loved one’s bipolar symptoms. One study shows that if a caregiver is under a lot of stress, his or her loved one has more trouble following the treatment plan, which increases the chance for a major bipolar episode. It is important that people caring for those with bipolar disorder also take care of themselves.

Nov 24 2011

Unwell

“Unwell” Lyrics, by Matchbox 20

Acoustic Live

All day staring at the ceiling
Making friends with shadows on my wall
All night hearing voices telling me
That I should get some sleep
Because tomorrow might be good for something, Hold on
Feeling like I’m headed for a breakdown
And I don’t know why

[Chorus]

But I’m not crazy, I’m just a little unwell
I know right now you can’t tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you’ll see
A different side of me
I’m not crazy, I’m just a little impaired
I know right now you don’t care
But soon enough you’re gonna think of me
And how I used to be…me

I’m talking to myself in public
Dodging glances on the train
And I know, I know they’ve all been talking about me
I can hear them whisper
And it makes me think there must be something wrong with me
Out of all the hours thinking
Somehow I’ve lost my mind

[Chorus]

I’ve been talking in my sleep
Pretty soon they’ll come to get me
Yeah, they’re taking me away

[Chorus]

Yeah, how I used to be
How I used to be
Well, I’m just a little unwell
How I used to be
How I used to be
I’m just a little unwell

Jun 17 2011

Hear The Rod

“The LORD’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.” Micah 6:9, KJV

“The voice of the Lord calls to the city, and the wise person honors him. So pay attention to the rod of punishment; pay attention to the One who threatens to punish.” Micah 6:9, NCV

There is necessary train of thought we all must board. It involves that we have to take a destination that we deep-down, absolutely abhor. It is that idea that we are open and vulnerable, especially to his analysis of us–that we are more open than we think to His eyes.

We’ve entered into a spiritual transaction that doesn’t mollify our personal desires. We are confronted by such a personal evil that just seems to percolate out of our hearts. There exists something akin to “Pharaseeism,” where we project righteousness when we are really graves or tombs of the dead.

Micah announces that we must “hear the rod.” Pay attention, become aware, understand deeply– there is a rod (a whip) that pounds everyone who comes to him. Granted, the only thing necessary is to be aware that this difficult process exist. We step up, and enter the grinder, with great fear, not really convinced of its efficency and its capability.

There is no question of his deep and profound love for us. He is fanatically absorbed in you. There is a hungry passion for your attention and focus. You are behind his shield. You’re treasured far, far beyond what you think. He sacrificed His own Son, to save your soul.

“Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.” 1 Cor. 15:23, ESV.

There is a mandatory factor that informs us that we cannot continue moving through life intoxicated. Smashed on the wine of pride, stupifidied on the brandy of selfishness. We are called to sober up, and start living a truly terrific Christian life. In Micah’s words– to listen! Perhaps that is our greatest weakness in the Church today. We have become deaf to the voice of God.

I guess that means we must make some adjustments. To take up our Phillips screwdriver, and start ‘tweaking.’ We need to start the solid work of “tuning in” and becoming aware. There is a rod, and the Father will use it on those who he loves. A few whaps from that rod will usually bring us to an awareness.

Apr 6 2011

Do You Hear Everything?

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.”

Matthew 13:16, ESV

There is a vast ocean that surrounds us. Did you know that in the room where you are reading this, that there are cartoons, music, mysteries, and concerts going on? You just don’t see or hear them unless you have your radio or television tuned in to the right frequency.

There is a frequency that we must lock into, where we can hear important things (or block-out confusing sounds.) God is so into “communicating” and we understand He wants us to communicate with Him. He yearns for a “dialogue” with us, just like He had once a long time ago in the early chapters of Genesis.

Knowing that I’ve been created in imago dei. I ponder the visible, which is a simple shadow of the real world. Mankind in general, creates and communicates–this is what we do–because its how God acts. In a certain sense, you might say we are miniaturized versions of Him.

The attribute of listening is amazingly profound. Often, I listen to my local radio station while I’m driving in my car. When I drive away from the radio tower, the signal gets weaker and weaker. But if I turn the car around and drive back into town, the signal becomes stronger and I can hear it again. In the same way, we stop hearing God when we drift away from Him. But if we will turn around and come back to Him, we’ll hear His voice again. The closer we are to God, the clearer we can hear Him. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

Mar 31 2011

Be Quick About It

"Johnny Quick"

”We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.”

John 9:4, NLT

To be quick means that we move very fast; being slow implies a reluctance or a mental delay. To hesitate while doing God’s will for us suggests a degree of ignorance or stubbornness. Our quickness is to be seen while doing “the tasks assigned to us.”

Urgency should be woven into our hearts. We need to have wings on our feet, a fleetness and an alacrity. A “double-eagerness” as we carry out His work. It should be of no surprise that God sets before us an itinerary of work He wants us to do. So many brothers and sisters sleepwalk through their salvation. They don’t understand spiritual “work,” but they do comprehend slumber and sleep. We often make bold statements of the need of becoming quiet and still before the Lord, and than we take a nap. But our effort isn’t the issue when we’re doing His will for us.

Jesus was on a “spiritual timetable.” He communicated a need of doing. He is in tune with the work of God, and is involved in the urgency of his present moment. Jesus knows this, and he clearly communicates the need to do. This is a cry for urgency to his disciples.

“The night is coming.” It is getting late. In response Jesus issues an order. Work at what the Father has assigned you. It is almost dark now. There is a “principle of spiritual velocity” calling us to an alertness and an awareness of needful things to do before “the time is up.”

In Acts 9 the disciples show a holy zeal in their day’s work. “We can stop speaking what we have seen and heard.” The Old Testament prophets carried this urgency–Jeremiah and Amos both declared to us this avidity placed on the believer. Jesus desires that we factor in this concentrated awareness of the approaching night.

I recently read of an evangelist in the last century. He had a watch made, and on the dial he had a picture of a setting sun. And over it, the words, “the night comes.” Everytime he would look at his watch he would be reminded of the shortness of life and the need of the performance of his duty. That lesson should be transmitted to each zealous believer.

The key word I guess, in all of this, is zeal. And often the older we get the more this word becomes diminished, and distant. (I believe our Father understands this about us. ) No matter what we do, He focuses His love on us. There will never be a condemnation on us. But we can still waste away our lives in a tragic way, which we will later regret. But we have to ask ourselves this, will I just an admirer, or can I become a disciple of Christ?