Say What?

I can recall having a brief conversation with a friend about speaking in tongues.  If I remember correctly she told me that her mother told her one wasn't a true believer unless he spoke in tongues.  It is an often controversial subject and it can be an uncomfortable experience to be around people speaking in tongues when you don't understand what is going on.

My first experience in a church that spoke in tongues was when my mom sent me to one of her friend's church.  I didn't know who her friend was for one thing so the entire experience was awkward.  My mom had a knack for sending me to churches that she was invited to- but that's another story!  I now attend a church where the congregants speak in tongues so God knew what was up back then even if we didn't.  The experience was frightening.  I can't lie.  I thought I wound up in one of those devil movies that always had a church scene with people chanting.  I wondered how I could escape when the people realized that I wasn't one of them and began to turn on me.  I guess I am admitting I had a wild imagination as a child.  Let's just say I was scared.  Of course nothing happened but the experience left me confused.

Fast forward, oh, however many years it was to when my daughter and I decided to join my brother's church.  We were taken into a small room where two beautiful, patient souls were waiting for us to start speaking in tongues as evidence that we had received the Holy Spirit.  Talk about awkward!  We were some babbling fools. I'm surprised I didn't start chanting like Angela Basset did in " What's Love Got to Do With It?"  Afterwards, when we left the room and were alone I asked her if she was really speaking in tongues or just making it up.  We were both just making it up feeling the pressure to perform.  So that was that until I joined my present church.

It was during a Sunday service and to tell you the truth I cannot recall if anyone else was speaking tongues at the time.  I certainly wasn't in a small room with someone looking at me waiting for me to speak in tongues (that came later when I joined).  I simply began to speak the language.  Looking back I can say the experience I had as a child, scary as it was, was the seed being planted.  When I finally arrived at a place where I was comfortable (not that my brother's church wasn't comfortable- I really liked it there) but the place where God called me to be planted and watered, he gave the increase by activating the gift of tongues that was always in me. 

If you can bare with me by going back to a time when you were around babies.  They coo and babble.  It may not sound like much to a person who is not that child's parent but in time the parent will know what that cooing and babbling means for that baby.  By the baby's sounds the parent will know whether the child is happy or beginning to become upset.  Even as I listen to my four month old nephew I have noticed he has the same way of cooing- like the same patterns.  I may not understand them but I know the pattern changes when he is about to get upset.  Even with my two year old nephew who is mostly beyond the cooing and babbling, yes mostly, I look to his mother to interpret what he is saying.  That is how I look at speaking in tongues and explain it to those who are uncomfortable with it.  It is a return to a language that your parent, the Father, knows as interpreted via the Holy Spirit.  It is your own sounds and patterns that only you and He knows that the devil cannot understand.  Just as a child develops and learns to speak, so will you with your heavenly language.  You will become more comfortable with something truly personal and between you and God.  You will speak it and then listen and words will just come across your mind in your natural language; the Holy Spirit speaking to you.  You will get words, sentences, phrases, visions... Like it did for me it will bring you to a new level of relationship with Christ.  Your friendship will develop.  The Holy Spirit will instruct you and teach you.  When you need it He will correct you. 

He will do it anyway if you don't.  What I am saying is that it's nothing to be afraid of but definitely something to seek knowledge and understanding of.  Have you ever gotten mad at someone and just started mumbling about them under your breath?  The next time you have the inclination to do so speak in tongues.  Like the scripture says edify yourself because if your that upset with someone that person is not about to edify you!  You'd be surprised at how quickly an eeyashanamakosha ( or whatever the spirit gives you) will calm your nerves and keep you from going upside someone's head!  If we as believers are returning to our first love, Jesus Christ, why not also return to our first and heavenly language?

Suggested reading:  Mark 16:17, 1 Cor 14:4-5,18, 26; 1 Cor 12:10,

The Prophet and the Prayer

To my knowledge the first recipient of prayer was Abimelech.  His was a life and death situation.  God Almighty Himself spoke to Abimelech saying, “Behold, thou art but a dead man.  Abimelech plead his case to God and God, being just as He is, found Abimelech to have integrity in his heart.  He instructed him thusly:  “Restore to him (Abraham) his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live:  and if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. We have Integrity of heart, life and death, the prophet and the prayer. Genesis 20:17-18  So Abraham prayed unto God:  and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 
 

It took several times of me reading the story about Hannah to even barely begin to understand the power of prayer.  My basic understanding was this.  Hannah desired to have a son after many years of being barren and tormented by Penninah.  She prayed for a son and vowed to the Lord that should He give her a son she would in turn give him back to the Lord for his service.  The Lord accepted her vow, Hannah had a son, she honored her vow and gave her son to serve the Lord, BOOM! End of story.
 

But Hanna’s was not an ordinary prayer.  The scripture says she was in bitterness of soul and wept sore.  She did this without making a sound at that!  The Bible says she “spake in her heart”- which made me think about the integrity of Abimelech’s heart, while only moving her lips.  She was in such a state that Eli, the prophet, thought she was drunk! She plead her case to Eli, just as Abimelech had done with God,  telling him that she had poured out her soul to the Lord out of the abundance of her complaint and grief.  We, in our finite wisdom, think we trouble God with our prayers but Hannah poured out her soul.  She held nothing back.  We strive for abundant living and then we have Hannah whose complaint to God was abundant.  Hannah’s grief was abundant!  The pastor of my church frequently speaks of people being so close to crazy well Hannah was right there.  She was so close to crazy she implored of Eli not to count her as a daughter of Belial!
 

 To back up a bit in 1 Samuel 1 verse 12 it says that Eli marked her mouth while she was praying.  I don’t know if Eli was a lip reader or not but if he was he couldn’t read Hannah’s lips.  He didn’t understand the words that were coming out of her mouth.  In verse 15 Hannah tells him she was a woman of sorrowful spirit, I can’t help but wonder if Hannah was praying in the spirit.  What she did though, since Eli was marking her lips, was enough for him to tell her to “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.”  He didn’t even ask what her petition was!  Talk about the fervent prayer of the righteous availing much.  But there they were again- the prophet and the prayer, life and death, and integrity of heart.  Hannah conceived and bore a son. 

I don’t know who told Hannah to pray.  To my recollection Hannah didn’t have a vision where God told her the prophet would pray for her to have a son.  Hannah prayed and then the prophet prophesied that she would receive her petition.  I got that.  What I didn’t readily get was when the time came for Hannah to take her son to the temple she wasn’t simply fulfilling her vow to the Lord, she was cheerfully offering her first fruit.  She rejoiced to do so.  In fact she prayed another notable prayer. 

1 Sam 2:1-10 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6 The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. 9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. KJV
 

Correct me if I am wrong but this is not a Lord, thank you for my son prayer. It is a prayer of victory and it is a prayer of knowing the Lord intimately through prayer.  Hannah’s prayer is filled with wisdom- proverbs even!  How could Hannah know these things about God unless He revealed them to her through prayer?  She prayed for a son. Not only did she receive a son she also received the God who raises up the poor out of the dust.  She asked for a son and also received the God who brings down to the grave and raises up!  She asked for a son and knew that there was no rock like our God.  Now that’s a prayer and, to me, praying in the spirit.   Come to think of it, since the prophet told Hannah her petition would be answered one can’t help but assume that Hannah didn’t pour out her soul to only ask for a son.  She wept sore asking God for everything that was making her crazy enough to make her appear as drunk!  There’s a song that says “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer”.   People of God every time you pray pour out your soul to God.  Let’s not forget to worship.  Hannah worshipped God before she conceived and then God remembered her.  If your prayers aren’t getting answered check the integrity of your heart.  Every prayer is a life and death matter.  God is concerned about every aspect of your life and wants to preserve you from death be it spiritual or natural.  Worship causes God to remember you- it gets his attention and He dwells in tehillah praise.  Your praise is every bit as important, even more important, than your prays.  When all is said and done rejoice.  Rejoice in the Lord always!

Suggested reading:  Genesis 20, 1 Samuel 1, 2

Seventy Times Seven

Un-forgiveness is such a heavy, unnecessary burden to carry.  Even if you have the right to be angry, do you have the right to withhold forgiveness?  If you know the story of Joseph you know that he had plenty of reasons not to forgive his brothers.  But he forgave them as it shows in the following scriptures:  Gen 50:15-20 15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully requite us all the evil which we did unto him. 16 And they sent a message unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 17 So shall ye say  unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for that they did unto thee evil. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. 18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we are thy servants. 19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass,  as it is this day, to save much people alive. ASV

What would have happened if Joseph not only did not forgive his brothers but allowed what they did to him keep him from fulfilling the purpose God had for him?  Joseph was thrown into a pit and abandoned by his brothers, sold into slavery and later imprisoned.  Those things alone would give anybody the reason to be angry for a lifetime.   Joseph did not let those dire circumstances cause him to become bitter and full of hatred.  In fact, when he saw his brothers again after some years, he was happy to see them.  Can you imagine being happy to see the person that mistreated you and sold you into slavery?

 

How can you, at this day and age be sold into slavery?  The answer is un-forgiveness.  Let’s say, for example, you’re going along with your life just fine and then you see the person that did you wrong or someone says something that triggers a bad memory?  All the hurt and bad feelings that you thought were dealt with come raging back to the surface and you find yourself angry again.  That, my friend, is the bondage of un-forgiveness.  Un-forgiveness has friends, too! One of them is sickness.  In the article Granting Forgiveness or Harboring Grudges: Implications for Emotion, Physiology, and Health by Charlotte van Oyen Witvliet it describes the result of research done on forgiveness.  It states “This study examined the immediate emotional and physiological effects that occurred when participants (35 females, 36 males) rehearsed hurtful memories and nursed grudges (i.e., were unforgiving) compared with when they cultivated empathic perspective taking and imagined granting forgiveness (i.e., were forgiving) toward real-life offenders. Unforgiving thoughts prompted more aversive emotion, and significantly higher corrugator (brow) electromyogram (EMG), skin conductance, heart rate, and blood pressure changes from baseline. The EMG, skin conductance, and heart rate effects persisted after imagery into the recovery periods. Forgiving thoughts prompted greater perceived control and comparatively lower physiological stress responses. The results dovetail with the psychophysiology literature and suggest possible mechanisms through which chronic unforgiving responses may erode health whereas forgiving responses may enhance it.”  It goes on to say this: ‘forgiveness "may free the wounded person from a prison of hurt and vengeful emotion, yielding both emotional and physical benefits, including reduced stress, less negative emotion, fewer cardiovascular problems, and improved immune system performance. . .”

There’s a saying “Forgiveness sets two people free”.  Make a point to set someone free today.  Forgive and cast the sin into the depths of the sea. 

Suggested reading: The story of Joseph Genesis chapters 37, 39-45, Matthew 18:21-35, Micah 7:18-19

Thirty Pieces of Silver

I’ve often wondered about the significance of Judas being offered thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus.  I mean, why not more? Why not less?  Did they haggle over the price?  How about not at all!  You would think he would have negotiated for more money, right? After all he was driven by greed.   Like a used car salesman- can you imagine?  What I am offering you esteemed noblemen is someone who is really not guilty of anything.  He has performed countless miracles: walked on water, fed multitudes, turned water into wine, and began teaching in the synagogues as a youth.  Surely you can do better than thirty pieces of silver.  Since I want to get the best deal for you I will present your offer to my manager, Satan, and see what we can come up with for you.  Today is your lucky day, fine gentlemen.  Not only is your offer acceptable but I will kiss Jesus on the cheek to seal the deal for you at which point He is all yours.  No need to shake hands on it or sign paperwork.  The kiss is our covenant, deal?  Deal!

There is a popular worship song called “Here I Am To Worship” by Chris Tomlin and the lyrics include the phrase “I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin up on that cross”.  One would think thirty pieces of silver is the easy answer.  Well, it is the easy answer but who likes easy answers?  Me for one but I just couldn’t shake the thirty pieces of silver “thing” from my mind.  I did, however, file it away in one of the deep recesses of my mind for use at a later date.  Until one day, oh, about a year or so ago when I was looking through an old Bible dictionary most likely looking for something else but the word slavery caught my eye.  Perhaps because of my presumed national origin and the fact that somewhere in my lineage I can assume someone in  my family history was a slave.  Maybe that was why.  Who knows?  In the description of slavery, as it relates to Hebrew slaves, it states “thirty shekels seems to have been the average price of a slave.”[1] Finally I had my answer! (I didn’t know what to do with it, though).  I thought about it but obviously filed it away with the question of why thirty pieces of silver somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind.  Today, like bad indigestion, the phrase thirty pieces of silver keeps repeating on me and here I am furiously pecking out this post with two fingers and a thumb from each hand running late for class. 

It is common knowledge, I think, (I hope) that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  Not so common knowledge is He was essentially sold into slavery for it prior to dying.  Just as we have been slaves to sin Jesus went through similar bondage in our place.  What is interesting to me is the type of slavery itself.  Hebrew slavery in and of itself in not the institution it was in Egypt.  It also was not like American slavery.  A Hebrew slave owned by a Hebrew master could marry into the master’s family.  In biblical times it was not uncommon for Hebrew slaves to rise into positions of authority during captivity.  Think of Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon.   Not to mention a slave could be set free after six years of service during the year of Jubilee.  Can you imagine a year of Jubilee during American slavery?  Serve six years then freedom in the seventh!  Neither can I. So why, then, did the Jews treat Jesus so poorly?  They were doing as the Romans do.  Oddly enough in Romans 12:2 Paul says “be not conformed to this world”.  What Paul said; they were doing the opposite of.  They were acting like Roman masters and treating Jesus as the Romans did their slaves with contempt and derision.  A perfect example of how satan treats us when we are slaves to sin.  When we continue in the slavery of sin satan is virtually spitting on us and whipping us across our backs just as Jesus was.  Our crown of thorns is a crown of shame. We don’t have to live like that.  Jesus was sold into our bondage to sin, carried the burden of it and then died on the cross for it breaking the bondage and setting us free.  People of God Jubilee is now!

Have you ever wondered how someone can quit a bad habit cold turkey?  One way is to realize, believe, that Jesus did the work on the cross.  Believe it and your deliverance will come immediately.  If you believe your deliverance is a long drawn out process then that’s what it will be.  It is what you believe it is.  It is what the devil tells you it is- a long drawn out process that’s long enough for him to get you to fall off the wagon. It’s long enough for him to chain you to slavery yet again.  Don’t believe the lie!  Get delivered, think on good things and stayed delivered. 

Father God I thank you for sending your one and only begotten and precious Son to die on the cross for our sins.  I thank you for breaking the bonds of our slavery to sin and setting us free.  We have been delivered and we have been set free.  We are now redeemed; reconciled unto You and it feels great!  I pray, Lord, that whoever reads this prayer realize that they have already been set free from whatever holds them in bondage.  They have only to receive the work that was done on the cross.  By your stripes we are healed; by your blood we are cleansed.  Thank you doesn’t seem to be enough but sharing our freedom is a start.  You meant for all of us to be free from sin and if each one could reach one, we will be that much closer to the goal.  We should declare our freedom with boldness and help others do the same.  Thank you, Lord, for your goodness and mercy.  It is a true help in our continued deliverance.  I pray, Father, that all who read this may come to know you by confessing that Jesus is your Son that died on the cross for our sins and rose again three days later claiming victory over death and bondage to sin.  There is no way to you but through Him which is why we call Him Savior.  We accept Jesus into our hearts and lives to continue the work He started.  Many don’t believe that miracles exist but the wages of sin is death but we are now destined to eternal life because of what Jesus did via the resurrection.  The miracle is that we can similarly die to sin and resurrect unto you.  For that we thank you all the more.  In the name of our Savior, Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

Suggested reading:  Philippians 4:6-9, John 3:16, Galatians 5:1, Colossians 1:13-14, Romans 8:1-2

John 8:31-36, 2 Corinthians 4:1, Matthew 26:14-28, 47-49

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[1] Dr. William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible: comprising its antiquities, biography, geography, and natural history, Volume 1 (Google eBook)

Oh My Aching Back: I've Got a Pain in the Aff (Affliction) called Rejection!

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.¹⁵ For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.¹⁶ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:¹⁷ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.¹⁸ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

A good friend has put the word rejection on my mind.  So much so that I was compelled to study some scriptures about it.  I am now of the understanding that rejection is a sign the sons of God have manifested.  They (we) have manifested without necessarily knowing it, or better yet, believing, that that’s who they (we) are.  Not only are the creatures waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God so are we.  We are the very ones we are waiting for!  Say what now? You read it correctly.  You are amongst the sons of God; you have manifested, my friend.  Not yet convinced? Then read the above scriptures again heir of God.

We have received the adoption and there is no reason to think we shouldn’t expect the same treatment Jesus did.  That’s part of being a joint-heir.  How often was Jesus rejected?  He was even rejected in his own town and did not perform miracles there as he was likely planning to.  If you are one of those persons that like to read between the lines then you have correctly read that Jesus was rejected by those closest to him- family, loved ones, kinfolks.  Yes, them. They rejected him.  Not to mention he was later rejected by friends.  Do the names Peter or Judas ring a bell?  For whom the bell of rejection tolls there are many with ringing headaches!

 In Mark 6:11 Jesus says “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them”.  I think rather than us wallowing in rejection we need to depart and then shake the dust off our feet.  People often ask what would Jesus do well there’s the answer regarding rejection in his own words! No need for a wristband with the letters WWJD.  He said get to steppin’ and shake the dust from your feet while you’re at it!
 Mark 9:12 says thus ( I couldn't resist) And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

Nought means zero!  You are set back to where you started.  Nought is code word for rejection.  In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul says “But though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  He also says in his letter to Timothy “be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God: who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace…” His purpose is not for you to be rejected but sometimes rejection comes along for the ride.  You invite a passenger named Rejection if you’re driving in a lane you shouldn’t be.  Drive in your lane and don’t pick up hitch hikers.

The Amplified version puts it this way: And He said to them, Elijah, it is true, does come first to restore all things and set them to rights. And how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be utterly despised and be treated with contempt and rejected? Surely we have manifested!

Another take on rejection and it relates to loved ones is sometimes we connect with the wrong people. It is an inevitable fact of life. In our desire to be like or even loved we accept treatment of any sort even when it is detrimental to our personal well-being.  For example, we may think we are with the man of our dreams- we are, right? But is the man of your dreams the same man God has dreamed for you?  Remember, God thoughts are higher than our own.  Are we sticking with that man of our dreams determined to make the relationship work regardless?  What if that man of our dreams rejects us? What if it’s not the man of our dreams but a family member, friend, or business associate?  Is it not possible God caused or allowed that rejection because He did not want you to keep making the best of a relationship He did not approve of in the first place?  After all He did harden Pharaoh’s heart before the Jews were delivered from Egypt.  Moses was rejected many times before he got what he wanted.  God kept hardening Pharaoh's heart to prove a point but what point does God need to prove with you? The Jews left Egypt with the Egyptians' wealth.  We leave bad relationships not only empty handed but often broken and defeated.  Not married people, though, they get half! But seriously...

Maybe you were ignoring all the signs that man of your dreams, friend or whatever, was not right for you and the one God has for you is waiting.  That friend or business associate to help you fulfill your purpose is waiting and nothing less than rejection would have put you on the path that God intended for you.   So get rejected, depart and shake the dust from your feet as your testimony against them- no need to drag the person you weren't supposed to be around in the first place through the mud.  Your testimony against them is shaking the dust from your feet just like Jesus said. 

 Come to think of it I’ve got a lot of dust to shake from my feet! If I took inventory of all that have rejected me in one way or another I wish I could honestly say that I was rejected by the best. I wasn’t. Oh, boy I wasn't!  What I can say is that they were people that either God did not intend to be put in my life in the first place or for only a limited amount of time and because of “feelings” like love or loyalty that time was extended beyond God’s plan.  There.  That sounds politically correct, right?  Rejection, sometimes, is just a slap in the face.  It is a brutal but necessary wake-up call when you’re driving in the wrong lane.

Here’s a thought, if by the Holy Spirit we are to discern spirits, then I would think as believers we should experience less relationship rejection.  We should discern the spirit of whom we are dealing with in the beginning and walk away immediately if that person’s spirit is not right. Granted some are tricky and try to hide but if we are light then they can’t hide in the darkness for very long.  At any rate as soon as their spirit reveals itself, and it will, if it’s not right it’s time to go.  There is no sense in building a relationship with someone whose spirit is not right.  It is not our place to ‘help’ someone be who we think they should or could be. What they could be is someone whose sole purpose is to keep you driving in the wrong lane and away from the purpose God has for you.  Leave that person for the Holy Spirit to work on.  Take that burden off your back.  Get rid of that pain in the aff! Affliction, remember? I think we like projects and fixing people who have not asked to be fixed a little too much.  By” we” I mean me.  I have been guilty of this on many occasions.  The last time is the last occasion; I learned well a hard lesson about thinking I could fix someone.  I am being fixed my doggone self! So, yes, God rejected that ego right out of me.

Even though rejection hurts, sometimes to the very core, Lord I thank you for it because it is a means to beat out the fitches with a staff and the cumin with a rod.  If we are unable, as wheat, to separate ourselves from the chaff God as the Sower and Thresher will most certainly do it for us in an effort to restore us to the purpose he has intended for us.

 I thank You, Father God, for leading us and teaching us even though we don’t realize that it’s You teaching and correcting us. Correction oftentimes feels like punishment but it is for our good.  As Job said ‘happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty.”  We repent for despising you Father God.  We repent and thank you for loving us and caring for us enough to teach us and correct us when necessary.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Suggested reading: Exodus 9:34, Mark 6:11, 9:12; Romans 8, Job 5, Isaiah 28:23-29