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Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts

Saturday, January 27, 2024

The Myth of Good People, Dead and Suffering - Purity 1259

The Myth of Good People, Dead and Suffering - Purity 1259

Purity 1259 01/27/2024 Purity 1259 Podcast

Purity 1259 on YouTube: 



Good morning,

Today’s photo of a flock of geese or duck on an unknown lake on what appears to be a frigid sunrise morning comes to us from an unknown FB friend who shared this white, pink, and purple delight on social media back on around January 4th of 2021.  If this beauty is yours give us a heads up and we will give photo credit where photo credit is due by updating the blog after the fact. 

Well, it’s Saturday and even though I rather enjoy the upturn in temperatures and the soggy rain January we have received in upstate NY over the last few days, I can still appreciate the beauty that comes from chiller temperatures and the stillness of the near freezing conditions that seem to be part of the beauty of today’s photo. Those trees seem to be frozen and even the waterfowl in this photo are swimming, the snow on the shoreline of this lake reveals that it's still cold outside.  Today’s photo is a paradox of sorts where the elements seem to contradict one another – cold but not that cold, freezing but not frozen and that contrast has me thinking of the paradox of appearances and reality when man tries to take control over or craft a narrative around life that is more shadows and fog rather than actual facts causing us to question our experience of reality as we are tempted to “believe the lie” of accepting someone’s second hand report.  Sometimes the truth of the details is left out of the story people tell themselves and others causing us to accept an interpretation of reality that is more myth than truth, causing us to live in denial or unwittingly to believe a narrative that is more speculation or spin doctoring than real.

This phenomenon of dealing with the cognitive dissonance that comes from knowing the dirty secrets or actual facts of a situation and seeing people deceived by a sentimentalized or factually modified version of the events that portray people in a certain light  or that gives the impression of things being a certain way when they really weren't that way has really come to bear this week as I have been reading about the dangers of being deceived in Dr. Neil Anderson’s Discipleship Counseling and have seen people “telling tales” about certain people or certain events that aren’t necessarily true. 

The recrafting of reality is more common than you might think.  An example of this can surround when someone dies.  In our grief, the difficult or less than flattering details that surround the deceased are sometimes forgiven or forgotten as the fact of their departure causes us to not want to “speak ill of the dead”.  This can also happen when someone who is less than kind suffers a loss or tragedy that they are partially responsible for.  “Poor Joe” or “Poor Jane”  who have died or who are walking through trials and tribulations may not have been so “poor” – they may have been quite nasty in fact and they may have wittingly or unwittingly sowed the seeds of the bad fruit that has sprouted in their lives.  

While I don’t wish to kick anyone when they are down or to soil the reputation of those who have gone into eternity “too soon” –( it’s always too soon, right? Oh Poor Sam, was 91 years young.. seriously? – anyway..) , I think that we do a huge disservice to ourselves for accepting false images or ignore the facts of the case when suffering comes.  Instead of believing the myth of “only the good die young” or that people suffer the slings and arrows or outrageous fortune, I feel that we would actually be honoring the dead and suffering among us by keeping it real.  

Joe was somewhat of a jerk. He rejected God, did things his way, ignored common sense about life, and died in part by his own poor decisions.  

Jane may be suffering now but she too failed to follow the Lord, failed to do what was right, failed to forgive, ignore facts and common sense, failed to foster her relationships with love, and made selfish or foolish decisions that have led to her current trials and tribulations.  

Poor Joe and Poor Jane are truly poor – not because they are dead or are suffering – but because they were lied to – they believed that they could live according to their own rules and live independently of God – and now the testimony of their lives causes the discerning to realize just how untrue the story of their being “good people” really is.  If all I can say about someone after they have died revolves around their personal preferences, hobbies, and how they were “nice” or the “life of the party”, I shudder to think how they will fair at the judgment seat of Christ. If people’s obituaries fail to mention faith or Jesus as a part of their earthly lives, I fear they will be denied in heaven. 

Where do I get that?  From the words of Jesus.  He said in

Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)
32  "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
33  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Yikes, makes you wonder about people whose obituaries talk about their sports teams, hobbies, and general disposition, or who just give a list of relatives but make no mention of our Heavenly Father or Jesus.  And perhaps more scary is the fact that people will miss that fact and think it was a “good obituary” when in fact it could be all the evidence we need to tell us that this departed person is most likely in hell.

Similarly, those who are suffering now may be more worthy of our critical discernment than of our sympathy. Their story of woe perhaps should be considered as a cautionary tale more than a tragedy.  The adage of choosing to sin, choose to suffer can be true in subtle ways that may not seem apparent to “good people”. 

I am listing a link OpenBilbe.info’s 100 verses about the consequences of sin (https://www.openbible.info/topics/the_consequences_of_sin) , on the blog today to remind us that we should attempt to be right with God, but beyond the verses that tell us that sin leads to death and separation from God, I want to share: 

James 4:17 (NKJV) which says
17  Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

And

Galatians 6:6-9 (NKJV)
6  Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.
7  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9  And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Now while this second passage points to eternal life through sowing to the Spirit, let’s not miss what it says about reaping what we sow in connection with the fact that it is sin to know what is good and choose not to do it.  The corruption we reap from a life in the flesh – a life lived according to our own rules, independently of God, not only has eternal consequences but can also point to the corruption of bad consequences and suffering loss in the world of the living.  While some of us may not be desperately wicked by relative standards, we when fail to obey the Lord’s ways for our lives – those loving, selfless, forgiving, righteous, and holy ways – we may very well reap a harvest of bitterness from our selfish choices. 

Death doesn’t erase the fact that people were sinful, selfish, or separated from God and neither does suffering loss or tribulations excuse the failure to heed God’s word or to walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Poor Joe” or “Poor Jane” should not necessarily be remembered fondly or sympathized with because of their few positive qualities in light of the reality of their lives of abject rebellion to and rejection of God’s plan for redemption and righteous recommendations for living.

I don’t mean to play the “blame game” but the “misfortunes” of those who fail to follow the Lord may not be so outrageous. And portraying worldly selfish people with no regard for the things of God in their lives as “good people”  in their death is not only a lie but is an active campaign against the gospel of Jesus Christ. While only God knows the eternal destinies of those who go into death, if someone’s life doesn’t confess Jesus before men, we can realistically expect that “Poor Joe” or “Poor Jane” are suffering in hell regardless of the sentimental platitudes that family and friends speak on their behalf.  

I know these are really cheery thoughts for a Saturday but deception is the game that Satan plays and when we fail to consider the truth of someone’s life or the suffering that results from a life lived apart from God and His ways, we join in league with the spiritual forces of darkness that would like to lull us to sleep and to believe the lie that “all dogs go to heaven” or that God accepts people based on their merits or through an all inclusive universal grace that puts the evil with the good and the godless with the faithful.

Our lives matter. Our choices matter. And while we shouldn’t accost the grieving with the hard truths regarding those whose dye has been cast, we shouldn’t believe the lie that those who lived without God on earth will be with Him in heaven for eternity.  

And likewise, while we shouldn’t disparage those who are suffering because of their failures to live a life that was blameless, we should encourage them to learn from their mistakes and lean on the Lord to guide them in the way they should go for the road into the future. 

Remember to challenge the “stories” that the world is telling you and to not only reject the lie that are being said, but be ready to tell people the truth and to do it with love.  

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

Today’s Bible verses come to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.

( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )

This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Communication, Gossip, and Lying.

Proverbs 10:19 (NASB)
19  When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

Today’s verse is the third of five passages of scripture that fall under the fifth point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Communication, Gossip, and Lying.

5.     Be quick to listen, slow to speak.

Today’s verse tells us that there is a danger to saying too much. The more words we speak the more likely we are to say something that isn’t necessarily true. We like to tell our side of the story to support what we believe and in our zeal to support our narratives we may embellish certain aspects of a situation to paint things in a different light or we may choose to leave out certain details that aren’t flattering or useful to our agendas.   

So Proverbs tells us to restrain our lips to be wise.  One piece of advice regarding speaking that I recall from my walk through life – in other words I forget the source material for this advice or there are many – is to think before we speak and to ask ourselves some questions about what we are about to say before blurting it out.

Is what I am about to say: 

True? Helpful? Necessary? Or Kind?

If the answer to those questions is “No”, we should probably exercise our right to remain silent or ask ourselves what the consequences will be if we don’t speak and pray to the Lord to guide us in the way we should go.  

Many words may lead us into transgressions so examine what you “need to say” and rely on the Lord to show you when to remain silent or when to proclaim the truth with love.   

-----------------------------------------------------------

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.

MORNING READING: MATTHEW 19

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give
to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and
come, follow Me.” – Matthew 19:21

The Lord's desire for this young man was that he might prove not only the good and acceptable will of God, but also the perfect will of God. “If you want to be perfect.” What then had the young man to do?

William Cowper had to say from a heart experience:

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee.1

What the Lord wanted from this young man was not his riches so much, but the unreserved surrender of his heart and body. Instead, he chose the fleeting treasures of time in place of the pleasures of eternity. He denied himself the possession of eternal life for the temporary enjoyment of earthly riches.

Continue to remind me, Lord,
to strive for Your perfect will in my life.[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Saturday, January 20, 2024

A Response to Sorrow and Grief - Purity 1253

 

A Response to Sorrow and Grief - Purity 1253

Purity 1253 01/20/2024 Purity 1253 Podcast

Purity 1253 on YouTube: Coming Soon!

Good morning,

Today’s photo of the dark silhouettes of trees stripped bare set against green fields and a pleasant post-sunset sky comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene while going the last mile down Waite Road to my countryside home last Saturday.  

Well, It’s Saturday and I commented yesterday on how suddenly those green fields have been transformed into frozen tundra and today that transition has been accompanied by the bitter chill of mourning as a member of my extended family appears to have suffered a second heartbreaking loss to their immediate family in a year’s time. The first year anniversary of a loss is bad enough but to have it marked by another unexpected and tragic loss makes one wonder how to carry on.  

Unfortunately, I know from suffering the loss of my infant son, Holden, in 2022 that there is really nothing that we can say to take away someone’s pain and grief.  The best advice we can offer to help someone who is mourning the loss of a loved one is to offer your presence and whatever help to them that they are willing to accept.  Offering to help with funeral arrangements and providing meals are acts of kindness that are a blessing to the mourning, but just “being there” – physically or by just sending words of condolence and prayers to the grieving is a support that is usually greatly appreciated and not forgotten by the grieving.  And even though I won’t be storming into this situation, I am storming the gates of heaven in prayer this morning for this person’s healing, comfort, and peace.    

And if you don’t know what to pray in situations you can’t imagine or find hard to understand: “Oh LORD, help them!” isn’t a bad place to start.  And even though it is REALLY hard to believe it in times like this, I know that God is there because He is close to the brokenhearted.  

Psalm 34:18 (NLT2) tells us
18  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34 is a Psalm of David, a man who became very familiar with grief.  Ironically these words – that testified to the Lord’s presence with the afflicted – came BEFORE some of the major losses of his life. In hindsight, it could be hypothesized that the Lord was preparing for the trials that he was to face and teaching David to always trust in the Lord and stay in His presence.  

Psalm 34 was written in the context of suffering the rejection of people he loved and being in fear for his life.   David was on the outs with King Saul – who literally had tried to kill him, and in the immediate context of this Psalm David wisely pretended to be insane to avoid being killed by Israel’s enemy, Achish King of Gath.   Psalm 34 is an anthem of praise to the Lord because even though David was in the midst of great trials He knew that the Lord had rescued Him and was with Him always.   

It was a lesson that David took with him throughout his life and comforted him in his greatest pain.  

Later when David was king and the son that he had with Bathsheba became ill he pleaded with God – fasting and praying on his son's behalf that he would be healed. But the child died. Fearing what David might do, his servants were hesitant to tell him that his son was dead.  But when David heard his son was dead, scripture tells us that he arose, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the Lord and worshipped.   

The servants were shocked. Shouldn’t David be sorrowful or even angry at God?  

David explained in

2 Samuel 12:22-23 (NKJV)
22  And he said, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?'
23  But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."  

The text then tells us that he comforted Bathsheba in their loss and from the pain of their grief they were blessed with another son, Solomon.  

But David and Bathsheba’s blessing shouldn’t distract us from what David did and said in response to the pain of his loss.  He rose and worshipped the Lord, even in His pain, because David knew that his departed son was with the Lord – he might be gone from this earth, but he wasn’t dead.  

The word of God tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and David knew that God was gracious and that his child was alive and well in God’s kingdom, and that because of David’s covenant with the Lord – he would see his son again.  David said: “I shall go to him.’ Because he knew the Lord and he knew it was true.  

That may seem like cold comfort in the face of a loss – but that is the truth about our lives we face the Lord at the hour of our death and Jesus told his disciples that He prepares a place for those who trust in him.  As bitter as the pain of loss may be, death has lost its sting for those who have put their faith in Jesus.  

I can’t help take away the pain of the separation of the loss of our loved ones for those who grieve but I can tell you that God is good, He does what is right, and He can help us when we go to Him.    

So yea, that we walk through the shadow of death, keep walking and talking with God because the author of life, the Lord, loves us, is close to us when our hearts break, and takes away our tears and pain forever in His kingdom.  He gives us a new and eternal life when we put our faith in Jesus and He will comfort and guide us all the days of this life when we surrender to His plan for our lives and follow where He leads.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

Today’s Bible verses come to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.

( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )

This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Communication, Gossip, and Lying.

Proverbs 8:6-8 (NKJV)
6  Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7  For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8  All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

Today’s verses fall under the second point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Communication, Gossip, and Lying.

2.     Commit yourself to speaking only what is right and true.

Today’s verses encourage us to speak of “excellent things” that are righteous and true.  There are a lot of hard truths in the Bible. The exclusivity of Jesus Christ to save, the reality of the spiritual forces of darkness, hell for the unbeliever, and the moral guidelines that tell us about sin can all be tough topics of discussion.  It’s a lot easier to lie and tell people it doesn’t matter what you do in life or what you believe in the end, but I can’t do it.    

 

The grief I had over the loss of my infant son made me angry and I basically rejected Christianity because I really didn’t understand it and I certainly didn’t like what it had to say about sin and the possibility that my sins would send me to hell.  My rebel attitude also caused me to prescribe to an atheistic world view where I saw the world as chaos that was destined for extinction and that all forms of religion was merely sentimentality and man’s attempt to control one another.   My loss didn’t help those attitudes.  But in depths of my grief – although I thought I had seen the stark reality that the world was a cold, dangerous, and forbidding place – I felt a presence – that I didn’t quite understand – that somehow told me I wasn’t alone.  I think I thought it was just “stark reality” – where the illusions society and safety are stripped away to see that “this is all there is”   - so I started a searching journey to just look at life itself and to try to discern the meaning of it all.  I looked at creation, and the interconnectedness of everything and although I was denying the God who made it all, my ponderings and experiences – and maybe my hope - caused me to believe that death was not the end and I saw the goodness that lies in the experience of our lives that is that more valuable because of the reality of death.   

 

I thought my insights and wisdom would display that I “got it” and that somehow my understanding would guarantee me a “good place” in whatever was beyond this life.  I never called it God though – I was so angry over my loss that I more or less refused to believe in a personal God and preferred to think of the “agent of creation” – or karma – or whatever as an impersonal force – like spiritual laws – that would reward the good with good and cause the evil to suffer for their ignorance.    

 

Well, I know now that even though I had discovered a lot of “truths” about life in general,  I didn’t know The Truth.  By refusing to believe in God – the Creator of All Things – how could I?   But for reasons I don’t understand and refuse to question, God was gracious to me and even though I was going the wrong way – further into darkness spiritually – He woke me up and used a radio gospel message to show me the truth of Jesus Christ – something I thought knew all about – but something I never really knew in my heart.   

 

The Truth is that the Bible is True – That Jesus really is who He says He is – the Way, The Truth and The Life – and no one comes to the Father – God the Creator – except through Him.   I know this to be true intellectually and experientially in so many ways that I can’t adequately tell you about it – although I will continually write and speak about it to try to encourage others to seek it for themselves. 

 

And so like today’s verses in Proverbs encourage us – I will speak the “excellent things” – I will speak of the truth because it is the truth and the stakes of knowing it are life and death.    I don’t care if it offends you. Sin is sin – but it can be repented of and forgiven. But in order to receive the forgiveness of sin and the power to overcome it, we need to put our faith in Jesus first.  

 

We don’t clean ourselves up to go to God.  That’s what we always get wrong. We don’t earn our salvation. It’s a free gift that comes by faith in Jesus Christ.  

 

After we are saved, after we put our faith in Jesus, we are clean, and we can turn from our sins for good when we believe and follow Him.  So believe, follow Him, and live. And you too, will speak of the excellent things that are true.

 

  

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.

MORNING READING: MATTHEW 13

“He did not do many mighty works there because
of their unbelief.” – Matthew 13:58

What an amazing, yet solemn, verse this is! Purge me, O Lord, that I may never be guilty of such unbelief!

Notice that the verse does not say, “He could not,” but rather that “He did not.” It was not a case that His power was limited on this particular occasion, but rather that Christ does not work in the presence of blatant or open unbelief.

Unbelief is the preeminent fruit of the flesh. It is that which emanates from man's corrupt nature. “The carnal mind is enmity against God” (Rom. 8:7).

 

Give me the grace to crucify the natural man
in me, Lord, until all unbelief is removed.[1]

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship


Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Waiting on Healing – A Mindful of Christ Encouragement - Purity 1220

 


Waiting on Healing – A Mindful of Christ Encouragement - Purity 1220

Purity 1220 12/12/2023 Purity 1220 Podcast

Purity 1220 on YouTube: 



Good morning,

Today’s photo of a painting of an Old Woman with a blank stare being comforted by a young girl comes to us from yours truly as I capture this haunting scene while visiting the American Painting Salon, on the second floor of the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum in Springfield MA on Saturday.  Although there are no information cards in the American Painting Salon to tell us what this painting is called or when it was painted, and I didn’t ask. the artist’s signature reveals that it comes to us from L. Wittich. Even though its name and dates are a mystery to me, Wittich’s haunting work reveals a truth that is timeless, we all grow old and as we do we must come to grips with our own mortality.   The young girl comforting or trying to get the attention of this old woman will one day and look death in the face herself.  

Well, It’s Tuesday and as we move into this week I have death and disease on my mind. Merry Christmas.  Not only was I musing over the issue of mortality because of my visit to the Springfield Museums, as every visit to a museum, anywhere, eventually causes me to ponder the fact that the people who are in these paintings, or owned these antiquities are long dead, only leaving behind their art or possessions and a small information card about who they were – But I also got the news that a dear friend of mine, Bill Hamm, moved onto eternity last Thursday.  

After being diagnosed with brain cancer in 2022, Bill completed six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy and many prayers were said for his healing.  A social media post from June 1st of this year shows Bill smiling with his daughter gardening in the spring sunshine, but now six months later, Bill has graduated to heaven. Sometimes, despite our faithful efforts and the latest medical technology, healing doesn’t come on this earth, but when you have faith in Jesus, like Bill did, death has lost its sting because he lives on in God’s kingdom.   

These are the heavy questions of life and the adequate answers come through faith in Jesus Christ.   Until Jesus comes back though, we will all face those questions of how long do I have and will I be healed.     Recently Mindful of Christ’s Lauren Roskilly shared a blog post about her medical struggles and I sharing it today because it looks at disease honestly but offers hope to those who are “Waiting on Healing”. Lauren Roskilly writes:


"Waiting on Healing  

(https://mindfulofchrist.net/waiting-on-healing/ )

“Are you waiting on healing?

Perhaps you’ve been sick, have a long-term illness, or according to the doctors a ‘non-curable’ disease.

I can certainly relate to that one! My personal journey of 26 years of fainting. In 2018 given the diagnosis of Neurocardiogenic Syncope and being told there isn’t a cure or treatment for it, then dealing with the grief, depression, and mental health difficulties that came with it. To then being told I was healed in 2022, getting my driver's license back, taking the kids on holiday, and going to a speaker conference in Vegas alone.

Then on holiday with friends in August this year, bang! Passed out again, 10 days in hospital, and struggling physically ever since.

Spent the first week cross with God then another few weeks questioning everything and trying to understand. I felt Him say to me that we may not understand certain things and situations but we need to trust Him anyway.

“But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” - Psalms 56:3-4 NLT

Rewind to March 203, the Lord said “Battle Strategies for Spiritual Warfare” I asked Him what He was getting at, His response was, “The next book.” I responded, “NO THANKS!”

I pulled a bit of a Noah for a week or 2 then returned to the Lord telling Him I was ready to step up to the task.

As I began researching and making notes the attacks began; on my family and finances then in August to today my health.

To the world, it looks like the Neurocardiogenic Syncope (NCS) has returned. Am unable to drive again and only venture out with a willing friend & a wheelchair. When people ask about it and how I am my (honest) response is; “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL!”

It is, because I put into action particular strategies both scriptural and Christian Based CBT tools and techniques, in order to wait on my own healing ( and dealing with other attacks too). All of which are included in the book, including the vital point of turning my mind to Christ.

The Spiritual growth journey this last 8 months has taken me on has been awesome! And I thank Jesus every day!

I know that I am healed! I know this is a season and attack.

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9 NLT

Thank You, Lauren, for encouraging us with your life story, where even in the midst of medical setbacks, you show us to keep going and growing with God by directing your thoughts, prayers, and efforts to follow the Lord.    You can get more encouragement and Christian resources from Lauren by going to https://mindfulofchrist.net/ .  

Whether we are healed or not, as long as we live we can experience peace and joy when we trust in and follow the Lord.  So no matter what you may be facing as we move closer to saying goodbye to 2023 and the loved ones who won’t be with us in 2024, keep walking and talking with God because as long as we trust in Jesus and follow the Lord’s call on our lives, we don’t need to fear and can have peace even in times of death and disease.  

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.

( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )

This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Church Discipline.

James 5:19-20 (ESV)
19  My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20  let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Today’s verses fall under the third point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Church Discipline

3. Seek to save an erring sinner.

Today’s verse encourages us to reach out to those who have fallen away because if our efforts cause someone to come back to the Lord, we can rejoice knowing that the Lord used us to save their souls and to put them on the right path to God’s plan for their life.  

Recently, I have received some constructive criticism of how to minister to others compassionately, and I have to be honest that I didn’t receive it well, at first, and I had the immature reaction of just “quitting” and deciding to retire to my room full of books and withdraw from ministering to anyone.  "If what I am doing is going to be subject to criticism, I’ll just stop doing it." I thought. 

 I know, real mature, but it didn’t take me long to realize that the criticism I received was only intended to help me to grow and to be a more effective servant to the body of Christ and that the decision to quit would not only be applauded by the spiritual forces of darkness, it would also leave my purpose in God’s kingdom unfulfilled and take away one more opportunity for people to be encouraged in the truth and to find freedom and healing in Christ.   

Jesus prayed for us to work with Him to help the lost. 

Matthew 9:36-38 (NKJV) tells us  
36  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
37  Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
38  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

So even though we will face opposition from the world, the flesh, and the devil, and might even receive some criticism from some in the body of Christ, we should never give up in trying to reap a harvest of saved souls and healed hearts for Jesus and His kingdom.

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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we are sharing from “God is in the Manger- Reflections on Advent and Christmas” – By Dietrich Bonhoeffer.   

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Bonhoeffer’s books for your own private study and to support his work.  This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.

God is in the Manger – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

ADVENT WEEK THREE -  REDEMPTION

DAY TWO

Taking on Guilt

Because what is at stake for Jesus is not the proclamation and realization of new ethical ideals, and thus also not his own goodness (Matt. 19:17), but solely his love for real human beings, he can enter into the communication of their guilt; he can be loaded down with their guilt.… It is his love alone that lets him become guilty. Out of his selfless love, out of his sinless nature, Jesus enters into the guilt of human beings; he takes it upon himself. A sinless nature and guilt bearing are bound together in him indissolubly. As the sinless one Jesus takes guilt upon himself, and under the burden of this guilt, he shows that he is the sinless one.

Lord Jesus, come yourself, and dwell with us, be human as we are, and overcome what overwhelms us. Come into the midst of my evil, come close to my unfaithfulness. Share my sin, which I hate and which I cannot leave. Be my brother, Thou Holy God. Be my brother in the kingdom of evil and suffering and death.

Sermon for Advent Sunday, December 2, 1928

Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 19:16–19[1]

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Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ),  her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship


[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas, ed. Jana Riess, trans. O. C. Dean Jr., First edition. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 36–37.