ICU

(By Lois Robinson)

When I was a teenager, I lived on a 25 acre farm and raised African Pygmy goats, as well as an assortment of dairy goats. I would travel for hours with my mom to buy good stock, breed them responsibly, then sell them to responsible owners. I loved it! I still love to watch those crazy videos that come over social media, namely Facebook, with baby goats hopping wildly all over the place. It just cracks me up! 

Well, one afternoon, while my mom and I were out in the yard mowing or some such thing, my goat Alfalfa began to holler in a typical “goat stress” manner! He was a 100 lb. Toggenburg with big horns. I typically dehorned all of my goat kids when they were only 2 weeks old (kid is the name of a goat baby) so children would not get hurt, but Alfalfa was an adult when I got him. He had fallen into the septic tank! Actually, it was a homemade septic tank that my grandfather made 100 years ago on the farm. It was hand dug with an old wooden lid on it with an old wooden fence around it. Alfalfa had successfully gotten through the fence and fell into this gross mess. Both my mother and I dropped what we were doing and fled to the scene. Here was Alfalfa, thrashing about in this nasty, stinky, bacteria-filled septic pool. Remember, he was about 100 lbs. I will never forget it. My mom, who weighed about 130 at the time, grabbed that goat by one horn. The scene looked like something right out of the movie Hercules. She lifted that 100 lb. goat out of that septic tank with one full upward motion. I can still see it today, 45 years later. I then rushed in and used my index finger to swipe any nastiness out of his mouth. In the process, he bit me. Goats grind their food sideways so it was not a straight down bite. It was a shredding type so I had to go to the doctor. He did declare my presenting issue his first goat bite! 

This blog, entitled ICU, is actually  not about the goat bite, but I use this true story as an analogy illustrating some of the important steps in our own healing journey. 

Step 1. The I stands for Identify In many cases (not all, but most) in order to have healing in your life, you must Identify the specific issue and state with your mouth what  you need healing from. From the above story, we identified that Alfalfa was hollering because he had fallen in the septic tank, a place he did not belong. If he stayed there he would die. When I go a restaurant and the waiter says, “Can I take your order?” I need to identify and state out of my mouth what I want to eat off the menu. In the bible, people approached Jesus to heal them. He would ask, “What is it that you want me to heal?” They would have to identify the issue and state out of their mouths what they wanted healing for. Notice, this is not a passive response but a proactive one. 

Step 2. The C stands for Confront-  Identifying the issue is not enough. If mom and I just saw Alfalfa in the septic tank and did nothing proactive, he would have died. We had to step up and deal with the situation. Praying the whole time, I knew neither my mom nor I would be strong enough to lift that goat with mess all over him, out of that  deep hole. But God! God gave my mom the strength not her own to accomplish something good. When we are willing to identify our problem, our sin, our issue and desire healing in that area, we must call out to God to give us a strength not our own to proceed in the confrontation, the battle ahead. With the goat, it stunk, it was ugly, it was scary, it required more than either of us had to give. But God. We were not afraid to confront the situation. We didn’t run from it nor did we deny it.  We did recognize our limitations and cried out the the Almighty One, our God, and we won the victory. 

Step 3- Notice in the last step I used the word WE a lot.  The U stands for Unite. When desiring transformative healing in your life, you cannot do it alone. You must identify it and state it out of your mouth.  You must confront it with others and unite with others to face the battle ahead. You must also recognize you are created to live in community, meaning with others around you. Even if God has made you to be an introvert and crowds exhaust you, you still need to live in community in the way God leads. In the goat illustration, my mom needed to be the one grabbing him up out of that septic tank. I was right there, as her teenage daughter, praying for her and my goat! I witnessed something that my Mighty God did that I will never forget. I was there to swipe his mouth clean. I got bit in the process, but that happens!  For any of you wondering, Alfalfa lived for many years after that, and I have learned that my God has lifted me out of some deep septic tanks I jumped into. I had to learn to recognize that I couldn’t stay in them or else I would die. I praise my God for my Savior Jesus who died for all my septic tanks and yours.  Check out John 3:16 in the bible. 

Blessings, Friends- Lois

What the Resurrection of Jesus Does (Part II)

(By Thor Knutstad)

We recently looked at the resurrection of Lazarus in part one.  In the plot of the Gospel story, the Scriptures in John 11 begin to unfold this great conflict between Jesus and the Sanhedrin.  Like the hammer and nails, these leaders become the very tools of our Lord’s death in His suffering and crucifixion.  In today’s blog, it is not my goal to sideswipe the power of Good Friday and King Jesus’ sacrificial death for our sin.  If you want to read more about that, I would suggest that you go to Isaiah 53, the Gospels of Matthew/Mark/Luke/John (latter chapter narratives), Philippians 2:1-11 (which is one of Pastor Nate’s favorite passages where the “Deity-humility” of King Jesus is explained and on which is preached and repeated often at LFA – and I love this because it’s one of my absolute favorites as well); or maybe you can read the various epistles of Paul where the death of Christ and those benefits are explained (the Pauline epistles, especially Romans 1-6, but it is also explicitly mentioned in Hebrews).  Again, it is not my heart to bypass the centrality of Jesus’ death as our substitute for sin.  He gave His life for us.  He died for sin.  He who had no sin became sin for us in our place.  There is no atonement for sin without the shedding of His precious blood.  He is the Lamb slain for the world.  Enough said.  You get the picture.  At least I hope you do.  His death on the cross for sin means everything.  But like my previous article, I want to focus on the resurrection.  His resurrection changes everything.  And I mean it – everything.

The second half of the Gospel of the book of John (chapter 11-end) starts with the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  It was a miracle of Christ’s Power, Deity and glory.  It propelled the Jewish leaders to hate King Jesus all the more.  But it set the table for His own resurrection.  To feel the full power of Good Friday and His sacrifice, I have encouraged you to open your Bible.  Gospel fluency becomes easier when we, like the Bereans in Acts 17, become eager to search the Scriptures to see if what someone says is true.  Right now, I want you to put down your smartphone/laptop/tablet and read the greatest passage on the resurrection of King Jesus:  1 Corinthians chapter 15.  You don’t have to read the whole book of 1 Corinthians (I know that some of you who read this will want to read it all and put that chapter in its proper context – that’s fine.  But this chapter stands alone and can be isolated as a treatise concerning the theology and the doctrine and the first importance of Christ’s resurrection as Gospel central significant).  So please stop and read 1 Corinthians right now two times – Not once, but twice.  If you think this would benefit a friend or your spouse or your children or grandchildren, read this aloud to them sometime between Friday and Sunday this coming Easter weekend.  It is the core of the Gospel and it is why we are all on mission to have Gospel conversations with our neighbors and friends and family and with anyone who would listen.  Yes, I am asking you to read the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 15 - twice.  This is probably Paul’s greatest summary in all of his New Testament writings concerning the first importance facts of the Gospel.  I love how we celebrate the Birth “Incarnation”, ‘in flesh’) appearing of our LORD Jesus during Christmastime.  There is so much joy in knowing that our God King stepped off of the eternal throne and in humility became human flesh.  But maybe Good Friday and Easter are actually greater than His birth?  Maybe we should see this Gospel of His death and resurrection as the greatest gift ever?  Did you stop and read 1 Corinthians 15 at least two times yet?  You will have to forgive the teacher and pastoral counselor in me.  Anyone who knows me knows that I am not afraid to repeat myself.  I need the gift of repetition in learning.  We all do ☺ - that was two times.  Yes, you got it!

As I ponder what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 15, I find many effects of the resurrection of Christ Jesus.  Some of these are derived logically from Scriptural truths, and others can be directly cited with biblical chapter and verse.  But the facts remain – there are many effects and benefits of the resurrection.  All of eternity hinges on this great and forever resurrection.  In other words, the resurrection of King Jesus the Christ does, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Testifies to the Deity of Christ that Jesus is God; he is a third of the equal and triune God-head.  Period.
2. Testifies to His power over death as the author of life (Creator) and that death has no power over Him. 
3. Guarantees our future resurrection; we will rise.  Death will not hold us and has no hold on us. Forever. Guaranteed.  I love it!
4. Pronounces Jesus as Prince and King at the highest level of worship; He is on the throne.
5. Perpetuates hope over sin and death; this hope is an anchor to soul, firm and secure.
6. Creates a witness for Gospel fluency; it makes Gospel conversations easier (not harder).  Why? What other belief system serves or believes in a risen Savior?  What God has died for and risen for His people?  None.  Period.  All other religions are straw arguments. Period.
7. Heals all grief and sadness from death and unites us to others who have died (and are risen) before us.  This gives us a greater hope as death surrounds us often and puts this temporary life in eternal perspective.
8. Centralizes the most important part of the entire Gospel of Good News – it is of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and the whole chapter).  Paul never says this in all of his other writings.  It serves us well to pay careful attention to the resurrection of King Jesus (see Romans 10 as well).
9. Guarantees that we will be liberated from the bondage of weakness, sickness, sin, decay, and even death.  This gives us freedom to move and live through things that are very difficult – hurt, pain, broken relationships, and suffering that eventually lead us to this greater hope.  The burdens of life are a bit easier to bear.  But they are still hard, for sure!
10. Brings the reality of faith and hope to the crux of loving well.  The resurrection as followed by Jesus’ death shows us how much He loves us as it secures our eternal dwelling with Him and in His presence forever.
11. Puts Jesus in position to intercede on our behalf at the Father’s right hand throne.
12. Fulfills all (and I mean all) Messianic prophecies from the Old Testament Scriptures and the writings of the true prophets who spoke toward a future Savior who would redeem His people (note the phrase “according to the Scriptures” in 1 Cor. 15).
13. Closes the parallel gap between Adam (sin and death) to Christ (righteousness, life and resurrection).
14. Jesus’ new body guarantees our new bodies as believing Christ-followers – new resurrected bodies raised imperishable, raised in glory, raised in power, and raised as a spiritual body that bears His finished likeness.  What a finished work He makes of us!
15. Swallows death up in victory by our warrior Lion of Judah, King Jesus the Christ and Messiah.  You see, my King is a death killer.  He is God the gladiator and the true Braveheart.  He is that lion who charges to the front of the battle to face the enemy Satan without hesitation.  Have you ever noticed how the real drama of this battle and war cannot really fully be captured on the movie big screen?  There’s just too much going on in the unseen world.  Too much is happening. His resurrection ultimately swallows death in victory.  It is the deciding blow to Satan’s kingdom attempt.  And the sword of our King cuts deep into the enemy.  Victory is sealed.  We win the war.  And winning the war will be seen in real life as the consequences of the Gospel unfold.  Judgment is pending and the medals of valor as crowns will be the blessings of the saints.  Does the crown of life await you?
16. Reveals Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life.  He is King over all aspects of life and a “death-destroying God.”  This sin and death conquering King wins because He is life.
17. Causes us to not lose hope in our hearts during tremendous affliction.  The resurrection is a sustaining power to our hearts because though life tries to make us addicted to circumstances, our God calls us to focus on the unseen.  We rise above situations because Jesus did just that – in His death and His life, and in His life resurrected.  
18. Makes His death make sense to us and completes the Gospel by making Jesus supreme and superior and better than all other religious systems, doctrines, teachings, and philosophies of life, etc. (see Hebrews for more on this).
19. Causes our message to others not to be in vain.  Christianity would be pointless without the resurrection.  No resurrection means no Christian faith.  But our message is true!
20. Invites conversation because no one besides Jesus has conquered death in eternal form and eternal fashion.  Death is an unstoppable force as a result of sin and the curse.  But the death of Christ and His resurrection stops the unstoppable force of death and reverses that very curse.  What a gracious, merciful and benevolent God we have!  He so loves us!

Christ’s resurrection rolls away the heavy stone of death and buries death forever.  As we celebrate Easter, pick one of the 20 things listed above that most impacts your heart, and read it before you pray over a weekend celebration meal with your family, friends, and neighbors.  Testify to this Gospel.  Do not be ashamed of this Gospel, dear brothers and dear sisters.  For it is the cornerstone foundation of our very faith.  Resurrected Jesus means resurrected you and much more!  Praise Him, our resurrected King Jesus! 

And Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be made well?” John 5:6 (NKJV)

(By Lois Robinson)

 Years ago, I had a friend make a wall hanging for my office that had the above words on it. They are powerful words that Jesus spoke to one man, only one, at a Pool called Bethesda in the story found in John 5:6. They are words that I never understood very well before I became a counselor.

It always confused me why Jesus only interacted with one man at this pool, a pool that the Bible says many people laid around who were lame, paralyzed, blind or suffering from some sort of brokenness. They were all waiting for the key to their healing that took place at this pool. You see, the Bible says that during a certain season an angel would come down and stir the waters. The first person that entered the pool would be made well of their diseases. On this particular day, Jesus goes over to this certain man and asks him the above question, “Do you want to be made well?”. The man goes into an explanation of why he can’t get into the water, but Jesus doesn’t get caught up in the “why he can’t” reasons. He goes to the heart of the matter. Jesus asks the guy if he wants to be made well, tells him get up and the man does! He just does what he is told to do! Let me say that again: The man does what Jesus tells him to do! He was healed. Later, as the story unfolds, we find something interesting in verse 14. The man encounters Jesus in the temple. The identity of Jesus is made known to the man, and this is what happens:

"A little later Jesus found him in the Temple and said, “You look wonderful! You’re well! Don’t return to a sinning life or something worse might happen.” (The Message)

Whoa! That’s pretty heavy! Interesting, huh? Here are some of my thoughts and questions this passage has evoked over the years, as well as other questions I get from quite a few people. Maybe they echo some of yours:  

1. Why did Jesus only talk to the one man?

2. The story also says later on that the man didn’t even know it was Jesus!

3. Practically speaking, this man had been an invalid for 38 years. 38 years would cause his legs to be atrophied, bones fragile, etc, and he didn’t question this guy who says, “Get up!”?

4. Does verse 14 mean that our sin issues can contribute to our diseases?

5. Does God make us sick as punishment for our sins?

6. The invalid must have believed the man who told him to get up off his mat.

I always say I get 3 kinds of people in the counseling room: 

1. The Yes People- When asked the same question Jesus asked the man, they answer a wholehearted YES! I want healing and believe Jesus can do it.

2. The I Don’t Know People- They are usually silent for a minute or so, having to weigh their answer according to what the cost will be, what the responsibility will be, how hard it is going to be and the exhaustive list goes on and on.

3. The I Don’t Deserve It People- They step into the role of God and judge themselves, using their veto power to reject the work that Jesus already did on the cross for them. The Bible says we are healed by His stripes. Amen. This group of people doesn’t understand that verse yet.

In working with folks, including myself, I think I have part of the answer for my number one question: Why did Jesus go to the one man? I think it’s because he desperately wanted to be healed, had no excuses and was willing to GET UP! He believed he could be healed, and he wanted to be healed. Plus, he was willing to do the hard work of walking out that healing without excuse. What is Jesus telling you to do regarding your brokenness??

As far as the other questions go, a big resounding Yes to the question #4. Our sin issues can perpetuate our diseases. We can be lazy about doing exercise, eating right and establishing good sleep patterns in order to help in our healing process. On the other hand, a big resounding NO to question #5. God does not punish us with sickness. All of the punishment we deserved for our sins was put onto Jesus Christ when He died on the cross and came back from the dead on the third day, so we too can have eternal life with Him when we say YES to Jesus! That is the good news, folks!

The big point I want to end with is this. It is absolutely, absolutely imperative that you believe Jesus can and desires to heal you. Jesus heals in many ways, three of which I have listed:

1. Instantaneously

2. In a process

3. When we see Him face to face.

I pray for the grace to accept His answer to my healing. I am always wanting an instantaneous healing and will do my part in the process of healing, but will still praise Him if it won’t be until Glory. In Scripture, I find Jesus asking people all the time, “Do you believe?” They respond ‘Yes, I believe,” and then He says, “Your faith has made you well.” Folks, there is something very important about believing Jesus can do it! He can BREAK EVERY CHAIN! Check out this video: Tasha Cobbs ; Break Every Chain. Worship with it; watch the expressions of worship in the video. Ask yourself, “Do I believe that Jesus can really break every chain off my life?”. I would encourage you to check out John 5 for yourselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what He wants you to understand in the passage.

Be blessed friends.

In Dealing with Sin

(By Diego Cuartas)

I think it is important that we look at our personal sin in a way that we consider the Gospel and its benefits. Two initial thoughts come together in my mind about this:

1. If I don't look at my sin through the lenses of the gospel I will be tempted or prone to rely on a false gospel to deal with my sin. A false gospel can be a person, an experience, or a specific resource whether cognitive or material. The goal here is to come under the benefits of the Gospel rather than pursuing a strategy that could give me a sense of "righteousness" apart from Christ and what He has secured on my behalf (Ro 10:3-4, 2 Cor 5:21, Gal 2:21, Phil 3:9, Titus 3:5, 1 Pe 2:24, 2 Pe 1:1). One danger in dealing with our sin is to put ourselves again under the curse of the law (Gal 3:10) or the curse of trusting our own flesh (Jer 17). Either approach will place us under bondage.

2. It is important that I seek the grace of God for my life in my sin so that I don't look for grace substitutes else where (Gal 2:21, 1 Cor 1:4, Titus 2:11, 1 Pe 5:5). What we lose when we seek grace substitutes includes things like true repentance, personal growth, true humility, and the experience of what Jesus provides to us through specific grace.

When dealing with our sin, we should consider looking at few important things:

My reaction to my sin, my responsibility to others, and my response to God. These three groups are important because sin does not happen in a vacuum, sin happens in the context of God--as my reference point to any holiness and righteousness--others--as the ones impacted by my actions--and me--as the one where sin originated at.

Here are a few questions to process our own sin:

1. how am I dealing with my sin and it's impact in my own life?

2. what grace is God providing me? what promises can I lean on for the future?

3. what wisdom do I need in dealing with how my sin has impacted others?

4. where is obedience being hindered? how can I grow in repentance and faith?

5. how is my knowledge and love for God increasing? how is my identity being shaped by my experience of God and His revelation? what provisions can I count on in God?

My hope is that we can grow in dealing with our sin without missing the Gospel or the Grace God can only provide for each one of us. I am convinced that grace is not a generic reality--it is specific and it is more than capable to address the details and needs of our real time moments.

For further reflection: 2 Peter 1:3-4

" His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

Free to Love

(By Thor Knutstad)

Being free to love provides the power to appeal to strong satisfactions. Focus more on loving others well rather than resisting temptation. The fruits of holiness are visible with more freedom to love, so make every effort to love more, not sin less. You are free to love. Gospel freedom means that I neither indulge my whims nor keep my rules. Whim - indulgers and rule keepers are slaves to the corruption within them that demands a kind of self-satisfaction [unto works and performance]. Christ has, through the cross, set us free to love.

The world's compulsive need to feel whole and complete is a lie. It screams of a preoccupation with satisfaction and makes you want relief from feelings of pain and brokenness. We were designed for purity and for the peace of Shalom. The cross and resurrection are leading us there. But it is not yet realized. In the meantime, walk in the freedom to love. Yes, walk holy - but an over focus on sin and struggles will reduce the power of the Gospel in your life. Yes, confess. Repent. And make loving others
well your only deep satisfaction. For it is there that truth will set you free.

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