Sanctus Real - Whatever You're Doing (Something H…: http://youtu.be/iN9J8eqKovY

When Healing Feels Eons Away

When healing is our need, whether physical, spiritual, or emotional; John 5 provides a tool set designed to get us well on our way to savoring God's healing, when he chooses to bequeath it to us.

A lame man virtually lived at a pool Bethesda in search of healing, which would be the portion of the first to breach the pool, when an angel troubled the waters. He cared to live life untroubled by paralysis, which bound him. From him we learn the virtue of actively staying on path so that when he chooses to heal us, we are walking the anticipation, belief, and gratitude becoming of his children.

His Healing Was Unordinary

John 5:6, 8 NIV

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

God's healing comes to us in his time and way. For some his healing comes quickly: for others it takes times.

His hand of healing is always guided by a perfect purpose greater than our minds and hearts can grasp.

His Healing Was Unorthodox

John 5:9-10, 17 NIV

At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”   In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

He healed the crippled man on the most unexpected of days.

Christ underscored the purpose of the law; it was to serve a greater purpose.

The law was meant to benefit man not deprive him of his needs, it was to help man, not hurt him by making for missed opportunities.

No time is not a right time for God to further his work of healing in us. Our best interest is Important to him as he call us his children. From the heart, every day, he is compelled to meet our needs.

Charles Finney's conversion experience bears witness to this; it's always a great day to stumble on healing as we, like the man by the pool, live in a frame of mind, where God truly benefit us through his healing work. 

His Healing Was Unprecedented

John 5:16-19 NIV

So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”  For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

He went against Mishnah laws 39 strong and broke the Sabbath, demonstrating his lordship over it.

Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath. It was was a means to a greater end.

Knowing this lame man had waited on his healing for 38 years, Christ saw the trade off of breaking the Sabbath as less than the loss to be incurred in not healing this man in his desperation.

Christ knows and sympathizes with us in our broken state and stands willing to use his place of power with the Father to show us the love and strength his in his Father to help us.

He moves to heal in his purposed time and way in ways that are incomparable and beyond explanation.

He moves to heal us with a healing that always bears his stamp.

Our healing was meant to be multifaceted -enriching us, expanding his kingdom, and empowering others to more actively wait on him in trust in their path of duty (as they would on a spear to their death, Biblical trust) for his timely healing.

Riding the Edge of Our Potential

Victimized by a mock court intent on labeling him a false upstart, bent on misleading others; he stood his ground before the religious council, knowing he was very God. Later as Pilate gave into the cries for Barabbas, looking past the pleas of his discerning wife; Christ could only despair at the dastardly crave for his death by the howling masses. As he was beaten to a bloody pulp, paraded as king, and shamed by having his beard plucked and being coronated with a crown of thorns; his heart was twice broken over the evil in human hearts. Isaiah put his plight best,

Isaiah 53:3-5, 7, 9-11 NIV

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.   Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.   But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.   He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.   He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.   Yet it was the Lord ’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.   After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

As a man, the death most despaired was in his horizon, he was being pushed to the edge of his potential as man. He would have to somehow bear and embrace the thing he feared most as man-death. Wrongfully punished as a criminal; his portion would be death on a cross.

Allow me to liken his fate to the race to the finish of a row crew of four or eight. His was no easy task. As our lead oar man and Captain of our salvation, his was to carry a heavy cross with help up the hill called Skull, where he would be nail-pierced at wrists and feet and raised for all to see, while he bore invisibly the sin saturation of mankind.

Stroke! Stroke!
Ease your forward slide!
A fair league still
To old Cock Hill,
Where Spuyten Duyvil roars.
No time for play;
Give Œway; give Œway!
And bend the driven oars!
When breezes blow
Then feather low
With level blades and true.
Stroke! Stroke!
Stroke! Stroke!
Steady! Pull it thr-o-o-ough!
-Arthur Guiterman

As the weight of sin's sour scourge saddled his bent frame "pull it through" was the cry of his soul. It seemed heaven abandoned him as well, for he cried to God, who had all but forsaken him. Earth had misread him. How could God dwell with man as man? As he tapped deep to the heart of his strength as man; his heart for man as God and reliance on the Spirit of God helped him  "pull it through." He rode to the edge of his potential.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

He'd push up to gain every breath only to be berated on the cross. They'd satire him as one, who came to save others but couldn't save himself.  His death race was something he alone could fathom and be faithful to in spite of the insult, injury, and injustice he would suffer till his last, chosen breath. "Stroke, stroke" he'd continue silent but belligerent in the race, he'd set out to trusting his Father's strength - he would finish the way he'd started. 

Virgil parallels the commitment he'd entered his race to Calvary with well by giving a snapshot of oar men at the starting line of their boat race.

The Boat Race

They are at their places, straining,
Arms stretched to the oars, waiting the word, and their chests
Heave, and their hearts are pumping fast; ambition
And nervousness take hold of them. The signal!
They shoot away; the noise goes up to the heavens,
The arms pull back to the chests, the water is churned

-Virgil

The faith that heaved in the broken heart of Christ from angels strengthening him in Gethsemane would continue to help him to plumb deep to focus on the needy
thief beside him. Riding the wave of his potential, he stroked on saving this sin-laden man, assuring him a place in Paradise. Were it not for his willingness to pull through his own piercing darkness to see through to the potential destiny of the criminal next to him, opportunity would be lost in that moment.

The thief beside him experienced a kingdom come or kairos moment as he was afforded safe harbor on his transition through death's door. While his wellbeing was secured through the words of promise Christ granted him; his avoiding a cavernous plunge in eternity beyond was a credit to the empowering work of angels and Spirit, who partnered to enable Christ to bring this dying thief words of life from the jaws of suffering. The glory of this man's salvation was in the team as it were as it is in rowing.

Reflect on your experiences and accomplishments. Remember the dedication, the pain, the jubilation, the camaraderie -- your family. Remember the feel of the oar in your hand, the swing, the perfect catch, the pull, the drive and the run of the boat beneath you. But most importantly, never forget that the glory is not in you or any individual. Instead, remember that the glory is always in the team." -- Joe Blasko, Novice Coach, Saint Ignatius HS (Cleveland) 1996-97

Christ could picture the open tomb at the end of his race and submitted relyingly to the enabling work of the Spirit to "pull it through" Calvary's dire straits.

Christ rode the edge of his potential. Though they set out to murder him, no one would take his life from him; he would give his life. When he said "it is finished," no Roman soldier would break his bones in attempt to take his life - he'd already given his life. He was no pretender but one devoted to the race he'd committed to on coming to earth. As there is no room for pretense in an oar man, Christ knew that calling down angels to save him on that tree would only serve to undermine his purpose and ruin the eternal hopes of broken men. His unsullied character showed itself in his tapping the limitless potential he had to be faithful till death.

"Physical preparation is, and should be foused on, with fanatic devotion by all good coaches. The practice of racing at true maximal and getting yourself comfortable mentally with riding the edge of your potential, it takes an excellent coach to recognize the importance of that. I know that our coach knows this, and I cannot wait until winter, when he bears down on us and separates the varsity rowers from the pretenders." -- Jeff Lindy, 2000 Tufts Coxwain

I'm so glad Christ was willing to "stroke, stroke," "to ride the edge of his potential" to "pull it through" to the finish, so that our eternity could be secured by his selfless giving of himself in our place to bring us to God.

Parenting as Values Transmission

I've been thinking about how my kids will remember me or if they'll remember me at all lately. It's striking how many seek to leave their mark on their children. Some act as of they'll be remembered for their fame and achievements. Others seek to lay out a code by which their family will operate-compelling their children to live by it or fail as if life were that simple. Still many drive their children to follow after their own pre-chosen interests, not realizing the reverse effect will more than likely be the case.
Personally, I believe Biblically our call isn't to be super-parents but rather nurturers, who transmit what God cherishes to our children. With God permeating their hearts and minds; our children are more than likely to hold dearly to the values we've lived.
As we transmit values, it is so important that we steer clear of telling our children what to believe and how to live. A safe way to ensure we walk carefully is to use the Bible as our roadmap for values transmission.

And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then] You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets (forehead bands) between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 AMP)

Values for transmission

The sanctity of life

It's a gift to be cherished and used wisely. It's a lease that is given and taken by God at will.

The nobility of marriage

It's a place where interpersonal growth is heightened and sexual release is attained. It's not every one's calling but the calling of most.

The import of purity

We're to be holy as he is holy. Holiness embraces and emulates, who God is-beautiful, holy, blameless (no stick).

The primacy of relationship with God

Our time in GOD'S word and persistence in prayer should direct in how perceive and relate to others.

The benefit of hard work

Work isn't sinful or not noble but beneficial to us and others. We will work in the kingdom to come.

The duty of personal responsibility

We're to filter the things we do, think, and say through our relationship with God. It helps us prevent crash landings.

The joy of living

Life was not only designed for duty but for personal fulfillment and enjoyment too. We're to work well but enjoy within limits life for the beautiful thing it is.

The onus of selflessness

Keep the needs of the kingdom and others primary. Don't neglect your own needs though, managing our own post keeps us real and exemplary to others.

The opportunity of love

Loving others helps moves us into the humble life, training us to better accept, cherish, and relate to others not for what they have to give but who they are-fearfully, wonderfully made individuals.


I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it. ~Harry S. Truman

Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands. ~Anne Frank

Having eyes, may we see

The Pharisees (religious leaders) couldn't know the liberty or soul prosperity of practicing Christ's teachings because they had no room for Christ's words (crowded hearts yearning for men's praise, filled with their own ways); they were plain unable to hear what Christ had to say-God help this not be said of us.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." I know that you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. (John 8:12, 31, 32, 37, 43 NIV)

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? (1 Corinthians 4:5, 7 NLT)

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1 MSG)