Symptoms may include extreme feelings of happiness and deep despair. Fluctuations in mood can vary by minute, week or even months at a time. These emotions have been reported as powerfully motivating and have resulted in Hollywood suicides.
Medication may be described.
Drugs can veil the emotions, or even flip them completely backwards. If something is despairingly wrong, street drugs or even some prescription drugs can float your mind to “never land” where everything feels warm and fuzzy.
The only adverse affects involve the aftermath. Coming down can be one of the most emotionally destructive feelings. This may result in overdose as patients choose not to deal with reality.
What if we embraced the highs and lows of life with Faith. Blind faith. Unbelievable faith. Indescribable, incomprehensible faith. Reckless, careless faith. All rooted and grounded in the incorruptible power of God. He is the unchangeable, unstoppable, fearless, mighty, compassionate, fully capable God of the Universe. Hoping in Him will never fail, and the outcome is always sure and profitable.
What if we realized that in our coming down moments that God was still with us? What if we stopped asking “Why is this failure happening” and started asking “How can this failure along with God’s power teach me?”
In Luke 9:28-45 Peter, James and John surely felt defeated as they saw Jesus transformed before their eyes and then the next day heard that their fellow disciples had lacked the ability to do what Jesus specifically empowered them to do. They were faced with defeat and probably second thoughts. What if this happened to them? What if what they just saw wasn’t real? What if…
In these moments we must force ourselves to faith. Faith that the failure will teach us and that God is not disappointed but lovingly jealous. He wants us to have more than we want, if we would only believe. We must chose to float out into “faith-land” where we believe God can do anything and will do everything for His glory and our eternal benefit.
Mandy
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Luke 10:1-16 ~ Willing Sacrifice
Remember, I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves….. from Luke 10:1-16. What a way to hand out an assignment. Want to be a victim anyone? Don’t take any supplies with you. Oh, and if you are rejected publicly, reject them (Want to get beat up?).As Jesus sends out the seventy disciples on a mission in Luke 10: 1-16, perspective makes all the difference. Instead of victim, a voluntary sacrifice. A sacrifice grounded in prayer and trusting the arm of God. The workers share the vision of the master, so much so that he trusts them with a very special project: Preparing the way for the Messiah.
Luke For Everyone suggests that perhaps the number seventy was to remind people of the chosen 70 elders of Israel who were given a share of the Lord’s Spirit to help Moses (Numbers 11.16, 25), and that Jesus is sending out workers for the new Exodus. In Luke 9:31 on the occasion of the transfiguration, Jesus, Moses, and Elijah are discussing Jesus’ “departure”. The Greek for departure is “exodus”, a unique word for Jesus’ death (LABC, p. 250).
What a beautiful picture of the way that we are just passing through this life—the peace that they were bringing to the people. (Hebrews 11:8-10)
What a beautiful picture of the way that we are just passing through this life—the peace that they were bringing to the people. (Hebrews 11:8-10)
Oh when the Saints, go marching in……
Carol
Carol
Luke 9:46-62 ~ True Discipleship
If Jesus were to physically walk into our home, our school, our workplace and ask us to go with him, what would we say? Would we ask him to wait while we finished our presentation for the boss? Would we say, “just a minute Lord, I want to finish teaching this class”? Or maybe we’d ask him to hold on until our spouse got home and we can say goodbye to them, or see if they want to come too. Perhaps we’d ask him where he was headed.
So, the question we all to need to ask ourselves is, is there anything we would want to take care of before getting up and following Jesus? Are there any conditions, however minor they might seem to us, that we would put on following him? Is there anything we’d be reluctant to give up? And if we did manage to just get up and go, would we eventually miss something we’ve left behind?
If we are honest with ourselves, most of us would answer yes to the above questions.
However, that’s not what Jesus expected of the people we read about in today’s passage. He expected them to literally drop everything and go with him on the spot. Those who wanted to do something first received a rebuke. It’s not clear from the passage if these people did go with him. Perhaps Jesus told them not to bother.
I think Jesus has been very gracious to most of us in the western nations when it comes to discipleship. He usually only asks us to give up certain habits or activities, thoughts, attitudes, or language; or to take part in certain ministries at church; or maybe to go on a short-term missions trip. Our response to even these is often not what was expected by Jesus when he was on earth.
How many of us could be the type of disciple we read about in Luke?
John
So, the question we all to need to ask ourselves is, is there anything we would want to take care of before getting up and following Jesus? Are there any conditions, however minor they might seem to us, that we would put on following him? Is there anything we’d be reluctant to give up? And if we did manage to just get up and go, would we eventually miss something we’ve left behind?
If we are honest with ourselves, most of us would answer yes to the above questions.
However, that’s not what Jesus expected of the people we read about in today’s passage. He expected them to literally drop everything and go with him on the spot. Those who wanted to do something first received a rebuke. It’s not clear from the passage if these people did go with him. Perhaps Jesus told them not to bother.
I think Jesus has been very gracious to most of us in the western nations when it comes to discipleship. He usually only asks us to give up certain habits or activities, thoughts, attitudes, or language; or to take part in certain ministries at church; or maybe to go on a short-term missions trip. Our response to even these is often not what was expected by Jesus when he was on earth.
How many of us could be the type of disciple we read about in Luke?
John
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Luke 9:18-27 ~ Peter’s Declaration
“God’s Messiah,” declared Peter.
Peter had it right, He was the Messiah. He was the one that brought fear into the hearts of the demons. Alright, I doubt demons have hearts, but I think you get the point. They trembled at His very presence. He confused the Pharisees and other religious leaders because the Messiah would never spend time with sinners. He gripped the hearts of the people as he healed lives and brought hope to the crippled. Who did some think He was? John the Baptist? Elijah? An Old Testament Prophet?
Peter answered with conviction, “You are the Messiah!” He had it right and he was given clear instructions not to tell anyone. Don’t tell anyone? How could he keep it in? The Messiah had come. Don’t tell anyone! No one really was around to tell so not saying anything right then was not hard. Later he would be told by the Messiah that he would deny him. No I won’t! But he did deny the Messiah three times.
Are we like Peter at times? When no one is around we want to shout the greatness of our Savior and when people are close by we lose the ability to speak. We are not bound by the “do not tell rule” the disciples had at that moment, so as we approach Christmas, how about telling people about the Messiah. He is the Messiah!
Mark
Peter had it right, He was the Messiah. He was the one that brought fear into the hearts of the demons. Alright, I doubt demons have hearts, but I think you get the point. They trembled at His very presence. He confused the Pharisees and other religious leaders because the Messiah would never spend time with sinners. He gripped the hearts of the people as he healed lives and brought hope to the crippled. Who did some think He was? John the Baptist? Elijah? An Old Testament Prophet?
Peter answered with conviction, “You are the Messiah!” He had it right and he was given clear instructions not to tell anyone. Don’t tell anyone? How could he keep it in? The Messiah had come. Don’t tell anyone! No one really was around to tell so not saying anything right then was not hard. Later he would be told by the Messiah that he would deny him. No I won’t! But he did deny the Messiah three times.
Are we like Peter at times? When no one is around we want to shout the greatness of our Savior and when people are close by we lose the ability to speak. We are not bound by the “do not tell rule” the disciples had at that moment, so as we approach Christmas, how about telling people about the Messiah. He is the Messiah!
Mark
Monday, November 24, 2008
Luke 9:1-17 ~ Pre-Test vs. Final Exam
Do you remember in grade school how the teacher would give you a pre-test or a pop quiz? The purpose of a pre-test is for the teacher to see if you are studying the right material and learning what was covered in class. As students we may not have enjoyed pre-tests or pop quizzes and grumbled every time those words were uttered by a teacher.Once we graduate high school and college “real life” seems to step into the teacher’s shoes and brings its own “pre-tests” and “pop quizzes.” Some of them are easy hurdles but a few of them rush to mind when a “final exam” comes around.
In Luke 9:1-17, Jesus sends his select 12 disciples out into the cities with power and authority. They could cast out demons and heal the sick. How amazing would that be?! Christ even warned them that they would be accepted several places but once in a while they and Christ’s message would be rejected.
When they return from their short mission, Christ wishes to talk privately about their experiences but the crowds wanted to see and hear from Jesus. Late in the day the disciples want to send everyone away, knowing the people are getting hungry and they had no provision for them. So Christ presents to them their “final exam” for this chapter: “You give them something to eat.” Unfortunately the disciples didn’t do so well on that test and still had a bit of learning to do.
God wants us to learn through different “pre-tests” in life so that when a “final exam” comes we can remember God’s faithfulness and provision and pass with flying colors.
~Shannon Birdsall~
Luke 8:40-56 ~ Desperation
What do you do when everything else fails; the doctors, the treatment, the money runs out? When all hope seems to have evaporated, Jarius was there. His daughter was gravely ill. All the treatments that were available had been attempted. The words “We have done all we can do” were echoing in his mind.
Then word that Jesus was returning reached Jarius. He runs to the shore to meet him pushing the others aside and he throws himself at Jesus’ feet, pleading for Jesus to come help. In those next moments, as Jesus was on the way, he stops and asks a question, “Who touched me?”
Another desperate act, a woman who was in need; the loneliness of her illness kept her from the company of friends and loved ones. She reaches out to Jesus and is healed, not by her touch, but by her faith.
In those moments as Jesus is meeting her need Jarius hears the words no father wants to hear, “Your daughter is dead, don’t bother the teacher anymore.” In that moment his heart sank, hope for his daughter was gone.
Jesus tells Jarius not to be afraid but believe, and she will be healed. As they reach the house the mourners are already there, his wife is sobbing, anticipation is in the air as they enter the house Jesus reaches out his hand and bids the child to get up, and at once she stood up! Hope had returned, and joy with it!
Jesus added hope and joy to a desperate situation just when it was needed, but I am left to wonder; what about the times when Jesus doesn’t come in and heal or rescue? Would Jaruis still believe, would the woman still believe, would I still believe?
David
Then word that Jesus was returning reached Jarius. He runs to the shore to meet him pushing the others aside and he throws himself at Jesus’ feet, pleading for Jesus to come help. In those next moments, as Jesus was on the way, he stops and asks a question, “Who touched me?”
Another desperate act, a woman who was in need; the loneliness of her illness kept her from the company of friends and loved ones. She reaches out to Jesus and is healed, not by her touch, but by her faith.
In those moments as Jesus is meeting her need Jarius hears the words no father wants to hear, “Your daughter is dead, don’t bother the teacher anymore.” In that moment his heart sank, hope for his daughter was gone.
Jesus tells Jarius not to be afraid but believe, and she will be healed. As they reach the house the mourners are already there, his wife is sobbing, anticipation is in the air as they enter the house Jesus reaches out his hand and bids the child to get up, and at once she stood up! Hope had returned, and joy with it!
Jesus added hope and joy to a desperate situation just when it was needed, but I am left to wonder; what about the times when Jesus doesn’t come in and heal or rescue? Would Jaruis still believe, would the woman still believe, would I still believe?
David
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