tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84378819838334480412024-03-08T10:08:30.937-06:00philw-MusingsOnLifephilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-9501910028629623192013-06-16T08:17:00.000-05:002013-06-18T07:30:18.640-05:00Three TemptationsOn comparing the three temptations of Jesus in Matthew
4:1-11 to John’s three aspects of worldliness in 1John 2:16, I was challenged
with what should be our response when in similar situations. Just reviewing,
John identifies worldliness as <i>the
cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has
and does </i>(NIV), and the Lord Jesus’ temptations were for food when hungry,
for recognition of who He was, and for all the wealth and power of the world. His answers help us to respond to
opportunities to act contrary to the character of God, and go beyond a list of
do’s and don’ts.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When faced with hunger (<i>the desires of the flesh -</i>ESV), Jesus reminded Himself (and the devil) that
clearly hearing and taking in every word that God says takes precedence over
satisfying our physical wants. In fact all the physical realm including our senses to enjoy it, came into existence by the word of God. (Heb.11:3) When
faced with the opportunity to be recognized as being the Son of God (<i>the boasting of what he has and does</i>),
He observed that wanting to be exalted is usurping the place of God. And He
recognized that the desire for wealth and power was idolatry, as He later
remarked, <i>“You cannot serve both God and
money.” </i>(Mt.6:24) Paul also observed that <i>a greedy person… is an idolater.</i>(Eph.5:5)<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We will likely be faced with any one, or all three, of these
types of temptations today. With the power of the Spirit of God, it is possible
to answer them as the Lord did rather than struggling with our list of legal
requirements that are so easy to talk ourselves
out of. We will still struggle, but can rightly see it in light of every
sin being: not trusting God to provide for our physical needs, wanting praise
that is rightly His, or worshiping created stuff above the Creator. –philw- June 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-30786439769540490792013-05-07T06:48:00.000-05:002013-05-07T06:48:58.160-05:00Agnostic DiagnosticiansAt a Mayo Clinic lecture, we were challenged to be “agnostic
diagnosticians”, or “unknowing knowers”. That is to approach each question with
openness to all the facts available before coming to a conclusion and acting on
it.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It struck me that we can have this same approach to
philosophical and spiritual questions. Our inclination may be to land
prematurely on a religious assumption, and seeing it as holding to our
convictions, refuse to seek and recognize truth. This mindset feeds religious
hatred, irrational presumption, and the self-righteous arrogance that speaks
louder to onlookers than any pious platitude the adherent might attempt to
convey. This one makes a “diagnosis” without having to be humbled by not
knowing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the other hand, the sophisticated liberal minded
religious philosopher might take so much pride in being open-minded that he is
content with remaining “agnostic”. Since we are mortal and finite, and can
never know the whole truth, he reasons that it is delusional to hold on to
anything as true. While not taking security in religious dogma, he yet finds it
in the fact that no one can prove him wrong, and that he is free to turn any
way his fancy takes him, while being consistent to his premise that no one can
know if there is a right way. Without ever making a “diagnosis” he does not
have to defend a position, nor act on it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So we are challenged to consider all of the information
available, and recognizing that we only see in part and are encumbered with
biases, still arrive at positions that we are willing to defend and act upon. –philw-
May 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-65035745034996115232013-04-18T22:03:00.001-05:002013-04-18T22:04:02.866-05:00Distractions and ConspiraciesIt’s remarkable how the news media can obsess for weeks over
the personal indiscretions of a politician, while ignoring world-changing
international events that are more difficult to encapsulate, less titillating,
and probably more truly frightening. Sometimes it appears that national leaders
deliberately encourage focus on these
trivialities in order to more freely make large moves that might otherwise attract
criticism and debate. It’s the classic strategy in games as well as war: do a
feint to distract the opponent while you are moving in with the real offensive.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, considering some of the high profile concerns now in the
socio-political scene and proportional media coverage, we see world leaders
being whipped into basing energy policy on the possibility of a 2° temperature
rise over the next 100 years while their citizens are invited to consume more
resources and produce more garbage. We see a public grieving over potential
shifts in the polar bear population while passionately defending the practice of
killing our own unborn. We have complex laws to punish what are determined this
year to be sexual offenses, while every sexual deviance imaginable is openly
offered to people of all ages as entertainment. We identify “bullying” as a prime cause of
social ills and alienation, while we see systematic dismantling of sacred
marriage and parent-child relationships. Meanwhile we are bullied into being
“tolerant” to whatever marginal practice we might disagree with, with the
underlying premise that disagreement is irrelevant because there are no moral
truths. And free speech against what is
sacred is praised while speaking out against violations of the sacred is
punished. We fret over young adults
emerging from the educational system with a low esteem for self and others, and
regarding life in general as meaningless, while requiring by law that the
educational system teach them exactly that we are irrelevant accidents in a
meaningless universe.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If these are strategic feints, then what is the actual
agenda? It is entertaining for little people to think about the powerful
conspiring to manipulate everything for the gain of the elite. But the above
social phenomena, while useful at times to economic powers, are too pervasive
to be systematically initiated by them.
The apostle Peter noted that we have an enemy who prowls about like a
lion seeking to devour. Although any conspiracy theory verges on paranoia, I
would still suggest that what our social engineers are viewing as in the best
interest of all, is, without their awareness, consistent with a supernatural
strategy to lead us into worshipping and serving the creation rather than the
Creator. –philw- April 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-76309395504430825722012-10-14T08:59:00.003-05:002013-06-07T05:54:04.269-05:00Progressivism<div>
<div style="color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> I have often tried to understand why a whole culture, with its politicians and
media out front, is so content to naively wade deeper into debt. Somewhere at
the root of the thinking behind this is the philosophy of “progressivism”, that
is that we just gotta be getting better and better. I hadn’t thought of this
until I noticed my son always referring to the “left” as “progressives”. It
seems like a good thing to be, just as being “gay” or “liberal” or “pro-choice”.
Of course this is all marketing spin and rhetoric, as is most of the election
process. (following the US debates just convinces me again of this latter
thought). But the idea that we can have today whatever we want, and that it will
be paid for down the road has to be linked to an underlying assumption of how
the world works. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Last year I finally got around to Darwin’s <i>Origin of
Species</i>, and was interested to see this philosophy of “progressivism”
permeated the work. Darwin essentially seemed to believe that all environmental
change was good because it must ultimately result in species that were more fit.
Of course every environmentalist today would cringe at that, but in that thought
is the notion of “progress”. Marx took the same idea, and applied it to social
and political processes. And these assumptions are rooted in us generally in the
West. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The other assumption, which is linked to the first, is that people do
what we do as a reaction to our environments. This is social Darwinism, but is
so ingrained that there seems little reason to challenge it. I’ve been reading
recently some creationist arguments regarding how environments do not produce
adaptive change in creatures, but rather it is the built-in engineering of
creatures that allows them to modify both themselves and their offspring to make
the best of changing environments. “Progressives” believe that we will produce
more humane people by legislating an optimal social environment for them. When
there is a deviation of behaviour, it points to a failure of the social
engineers to design the perfect social environment. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I appreciate the first premise in the local conservative candidate’s
brochure, that is that (even though a just society tries to care for the
weak) each individual is first responsible for their own provision and actions.
</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Collective bargaining, whether for mill-workers or doctors, seems to
try to impose an artificial pressure on what goods and services should be worth.
This gives the illusion that the workers are getting more return for their time,
whereas in reality it just fuels the necessary inflation to keep people buying
stuff we don’t need today, hoping it will be easier to pay for tomorrow, and
somehow convince us all that the emperor’s clothes are indeed
beautiful. -philw</span></div>
</div>
philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-78465914756836543862012-07-24T10:13:00.000-05:002013-04-27T07:14:30.682-05:00Residential School Abuse<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Aboriginals in Canada continue to make issue of the abuses
suffered by them or their parents in the residential school system, and
continue to receive apology and financial compensation for them. The basis for
the complaints involve being forcibly taken from their homes and villages to be
placed in the residential schools, having a worldview forced upon them which
was contradictory to that of their families, being forced to learn and speak in
a different language, being treated harshly physically and emotionally by
teachers, and being subject to sexual exploitation by both school staff and
fellow residents. The claim is that this treatment has resulted in a lifetime
of self-abuse, alcohol and drug dependency, and family break-up. </div>
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While recognizing that real and egregious abuses have
occurred in all social structures throughout all cultures, and need to be
exposed and corrected, the above scenario of systematic subjugation and abuse
should be interpreted with some caution. The original intent was to create one
new country with a common language (actually two), a common law and government,
and a common identity. Aboriginals, originally protected as “status Indians” on
reserves, were expected to learn French or English, become literate, receive
religious education, learn a trade or profession, and learn to live under a
democratic rule of law, in order to become Canadian citizens. Of these goals,
one might question the religious education part, but still need to recognize
that our very successful western common law was, and still is, based on
Judeo-Christian worldview and principles, even if individuals do not accept the
spiritual religious aspects. </div>
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Immigrants to Canada in the early 1900’s also were forced to
learn French or English, were treated harshly emotionally and physically, and
to learn the same things expected of aboriginals. The whole approach to
instruction and discipline in that culture was much more rigid than today, with
harsher consequences for those who would not comply. While our current culture
of relativism and pseudo-tolerance recoils at this, it was a process that
provided this generation with the comforts and prosperity unimaginable to
previous generations. Children of all backgrounds continue to be required to
leave their families and forcibly learn the prevailing dogma, even if it
conflicts with their home culture. Rather than religious education, it is now
secular humanism which demands total allegiance in all aspects of the
educational system. Rather than unruly children being physically disciplined
(which was the experience of all school children, not just aboriginals), those
students who would have been interested to learn, now have to compromise to
accommodate those who are not, dumbing down the whole system. </div>
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Sexual abuse is a unique aspect, although it is frequently brought
in to add to the emotional impact. Incestual sexual abuse is not uncommon in
aboriginal communities, just as in other communities where it is not effectively
controlled. Claims that this practice was in fact learned from residential
schools are unfounded. Having children living in group homes does provide an
extra opportunity for early sexual experimentation and abuse by the older ones
on the younger, providing the same for adults responsible for the care of these
children. But inappropriate sexualisation of children has not stopped, and is
now systematized in public education. Children are subjected to sexual content
through media from their earliest memories, and commercial interests exploit
this for their own gain. The state education system teaches children that all
forms of sexual expression are equally valid provided they are not perceived to
be forced on someone or take advantage of those who are younger or vulnerable. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Taking children from their parents’ homes to live in such a
setting for the purpose of education is questionable, but at times the only
realistic way of providing that function. Many parents today send their
children, not always happily, to residential schools, with all of the risks and
benefits intrinsic to that system. A big difference in the case of Canadian
aboriginals is that the parents were often not in agreement with the process.
The alternative would have been to allow aboriginal communities to continue as
illiterate hunting and gathering societies, dwindling to extinction, while the
surrounding world advanced technologically through the 19<sup>th</sup> and 20<sup>th</sup>
centuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A similar argument would be
applied today, with universal public support, on any family who wanted to raise
their children off the grid, to just enjoy nature and forgo modern education
and technology. Home schooling is still allowed in this country, provided that
the parents demonstrate the children are receiving an education which surpasses
the public system, which is not hard to do. That was not an option in Canadian
aboriginal communities a century ago.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rather than self-righteously condemn practices of previous
generations according to our current perceptions and norms, we would be better
advised to recognize and correct perversions and abuses that our own culture is
fostering.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-philw July 2012<br />
See also "<a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/04/23/boarding-school-syndrome/" target="_blank">Boarding School Syndrome</a>" on British kids' experiences.</div>
philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-29746267896536136482012-07-24T09:56:00.000-05:002012-07-24T09:56:19.883-05:00Sold His Birthright<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-CA</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">See to it … that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. <b><sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup></b>For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">. <sup>Heb.12:16</sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s amazing how a man, in any phase of his life, could risk everything he has ever worked and hoped for, his wife and family, his job, his respect in the community, his respect for himself, his relationship with God, his very health and life, for the sake of one brief sexual encounter. Yet it does not seem so unusual to hear of politicians or pastors suddenly brought to the end of a promising career in just this way, not to mention the countless painful personal disasters that never make the news. While the story of Esau trading his birthright for a bowl of stew might make us self-righteously shake our heads in disbelief, this comment from Hebrews uses it as a warning against sexual immorality rather than eating stew, although the two issues are not unrelated. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How should we respond to this? It must evoke humility in men in particular. When we see others fall in this area, we can only assume that we have the same potential. It also gives reason for great care as we work alongside others in leadership, to be aware that they too are susceptible. Since it is so risky to get oneself into that crucial moment of temptation, we can be circumspect about being aware of the risks, and avoid even contemplating getting ourselves into a situation where men stronger than we have failed. Women as well can have a vital role, not growing in contempt for men, as self-contempt is part of the dynamic that gets men into risk behaviour, but rather increasing in respect for themselves, for their relationship with men, and for this powerful aspect of our human experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">-philw- july 2012</span></div>philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-58695943671806762942012-07-08T14:08:00.000-05:002012-07-08T14:08:46.539-05:00Pastors and Priests<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-CA</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If a pastor were to perform all the functions that everyone in his congregation desired, he would likely have two or three full time jobs. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Not only are there unrealistic expectations for what the pastor is to do, but also what he is to be. We all have a desire to have a priest somehow helping us make it through. These priests are supposed to have some special connection, if not with the Living God, then with whatever metanarrative resonates with us, the true meaning of life, or the "other world". As such he/she can be a traditional church priest, or any other religion priest, a scientist, politician, therapist, or even celebrities that people fawn over believing that they have risen to the next level and know what it’s all about. Having assigned this role with or without the priest's knowledge, we can also take on the role that we would like our “priest” to perceive us to be, and can be as dishonest about who we are as we pressure him to be about himself. But it’s a terrible thing to make our pastor our priest, and then pile expectations on him to be something he can never be. The pastor is then tempted to put on an act to conform with the expectations of those who are paying his salary and telling him he is doing a good job. -philw-</span>philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-702878591021912682012-02-25T11:08:00.000-06:002012-02-25T11:08:56.443-06:00Good, Like a Medicine<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-CA</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">GOOD, LIKE A MEDICINE</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Thoughts from Proverbs on Being Whole</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">CBC Emo, Feb. 27, 2012</span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">“c/o” is a common medical chart abbreviation for “complaining of”, or “what is a patient’s reason for coming to the doctor?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the past 35 years I’ve heard several 100,000 “c/o”s. They could possibly be summarized by, “I’d like to feel good.” Presented with the options of <u>being</u> “healthy” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hale</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whole</i> to use old fashioned terminology) as opposed to <u>feeling</u> “good”, our first reaction is go for the feeling. There was an early psychology experiment showing that if a monkey could press a button to give direct pleasure to its brain, it would press that all day to the neglect of the food button, and starve itself. The Proverbs help to balance our sense of needs and wants, our feelings of wellness and its counterpart “dis-ease”, including what leads to them.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">WELLNESS IS BUILT ON WISDOM AND TRUTH</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">It is easy to make fun of “old wives’ tales” which have admittedly fostered their share of groundless notions about what we must or mustn’t do to feel well, but both mainstream and so-called complementary medicine have been as guilty of imposing on a fearful clientele their imaginative notions based on shaky theories. Sometimes the best defence of a treatment might be no better than, “It doesn’t seem to do any harm.” Over the past 15 years or so, the standard in medicine has been called “evidence based”, focused on forcing proponents of an idea to demonstrate what proof they have for it. In other words, is this dogma really true and how can we know? The postmodern philosophy of each person having their own “truth” just does not work in applied science. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Like all of Scripture, the Proverbs appeal frequently to “truth” as the only basis on which to build our lives and wellness. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. <sup>3:1,2</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Sound teaching, upright living, and wisdom are given as a means to a long and peaceful life. Following this introduction are examples of practicing steadfast love, faithfulness, trusting and acknowledging God, humility, and honoring God with your wealth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Be not wise in your own eyes;</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">fear the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, and turn away from evil. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It will be healing to your flesh</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and refreshment to your bones. <sup>3:7,8</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In 3:17 and 24 are given added benefits of pleasantness and peace, and a sweet sleep. Can’t you just picture an ad for a tonic that would give you a long, pleasant and peaceful life, healing to your flesh, refreshment to your bones, and a sweet sleep, all for just $29.95 (or 2 bottles if you order right away)? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this is no quick fix snake oil.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The fear of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> is the beginning of wisdom, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For by me your days will be multiplied, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and years will be added to your life. <sup>9:10,11</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The fear of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> prolongs life, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but the years of the wicked will be short. <sup>10:27</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The fear of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> leads to life, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and whoever has it rests satisfied; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">he will not be visited by harm. <sup>19:23</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A wise man is full of strength, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and a man of knowledge enhances his might, <sup>24:5</sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Wisdom and fear of the Lord are means to strength and a long and satisfied life. But, as we’ve heard before, these are proverbs, generally true principles, and not a magic formula for making our Creator do what we want. They are not intended to be something one can get in a bottle, or tack on to a life that is opposed to God. A life centred on a profound awe and worship of the living God is built on different foundations than one that is centred on pleasing self. But the Lord Jesus died relatively young, completely in His Father’s will. And so Paul’s claim of “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” remains true.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Most of us have a hope that there is some extra we can easily add on to make up for our “little” vices and indiscretions, or even for the weaknesses we have inherited. “Isn’t there a pill for that?” There has always been a market for snake oil, easy remedies for whatever ails you. These have changed with technology, and we are blessed to have many helpful aids to promote health and curb disease, but the notion that we can add some supplement, whatever the source, that is supposed to just improve our vitality, cleanse us of toxins, and make us feel good, remains a fantasy. In contrast, a life built on wisdom and fear of the Lord, not an easy add-on but a fundamental life change, will practice self-discipline, moderation, doing all “for the glory of God”, and can expect the peace of God to guard our hearts and minds.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">APPETITE IS GOOD, BUT OVERINDULGENCE LEADS TO INDIGESTION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I remember seeing those big words, “Indulgence” and “Indigestion” on a “Snakes and Ladders” game when I was a kid. I didn’t know what they meant, but could get an idea from the pictures what the “snake” was about. Moderation would be the commonest theme of the Proverbs as they pertain to our health. The temptation to want to feel good more than be whole is especially brought in focus here. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> does not let the righteous go hungry, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. <sup>10:3</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but the belly of the wicked suffers want. <sup>13:25</sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">When The Rolling Stones in 1965 sang “I can’t get no satisfaction” they may have been bemoaning the trivializing and commercializing of intimate relationships in the West, but sadly it spoke to a culture that felt justified in grasping ever for more, while enjoying it less. It was also a sad confession of the truth in these verses that when our greatest treasure is feeding our appetites, we are frustrated and dissatisfied.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Proverbs 5 has an extended description of a life consumed with sexual gratification, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed…<sup>5:11</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">This is likely referring to physical disease acquired through a promiscuous life, but not to exclude the inward pain of loneliness and disappointment that also comes with it. Chapter 7 describes a foolish young man enticed away by a prostitute:</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">All at once he follows her, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">as an ox goes to the slaughter, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">or as a stag is caught fast<i></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">till an arrow pierces its liver; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">as a bird rushes into a snare; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">he does not know that it will cost him his life. <sup>7:22,23</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In contrast, in 5:18-19, we see “filled with delight” and “intoxicated with her love” when there is faithfulness in marriage.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">We don’t seem to pass a day in our lives without thinking about food. Even if we really enjoy our jobs, at the end of the day, we expect to be able to put some groceries on the table. Not surprisingly, the Proverbs, encourages us to enjoy food as God’s blessing, and to work for what we get:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 74.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A worker’s appetite works for him; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 74.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">his mouth urges him on. <sup>16:26</sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One of the commonest </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">“c/o’s” to bring people to a doctor’s office is fatigue. One study reported that 15% of adults aged 18 to 50 coming to a doctor’s office for any reason, if asked, would state they suffered from fatigue. The commonest causes of fatigue in our culture are physical inactivity, boredom, and depression. I think my father’s favourite proverb was from Thessalonians, “If a man will not work, neither let him eat.” And Proverbs warns that:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and an idle person will suffer hunger.<sup> 19:15</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Appetites spur us on, but we are advised to control them:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When you sit down to eat with a ruler, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">observe carefully what<i></i> is before you, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and put a knife to your throat </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">if you are given to appetite. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Do not desire his delicacies, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">for they are deceptive food. <sup>23:1-3</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 74.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Be not among drunkards<i></i></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">or among gluttonous eaters of meat, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and slumber will clothe them with rags. <sup>23:20,21</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Contrary to what the ads might tell us, it is not so much the quantity or what brand of food or drink that determines the quality of our lives and how much we enjoy the meal, rather it is the quality of our lives that allows us to enjoy these gifts. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Better is a dry morsel with quiet </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">than a house full of feasting<i></i> with strife. <sup>17:1</sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -35.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Wine gets special mention. “Wisdom” is said to prepare a meal for all who seek, and invites us to </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. <sup>9:5 </sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">But beware: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Be not among drunkards<i></i></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">or among gluttonous eaters of meat, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and slumber will clothe them with rags. <sup>23:20,21</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">And making some fun of people who over-indulge:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who has woe? Who has sorrow? </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Who has strife? Who has complaining? </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Who has wounds without cause? </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Who has redness of eyes? </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Those who tarry long over wine; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">those who go to try mixed wine. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Do not look at wine when it is red, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">when it sparkles in the cup </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and goes down smoothly. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In the end it bites like a serpent </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and stings like an adder. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Your eyes will see strange things, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and your heart utter perverse things. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">like one who lies on the top of a mast.<i></i></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> “</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">They struck me,” you will say,<i></i> “but I was not hurt; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">they beat me, but I did not feel it. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When shall I awake? </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I must have another drink.” <sup>23:29-35</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I have often thought of putting that passage on the wall in my office, but so far have hesitated. We have to watch our own heart attitude when we start thinking we are a class above someone struggling with an addiction. It is humbling to start to recognize our own addictions that we love and hate, and could quit “any time I want”. But, no matter how badly we might feel at times, like the poor person described above, we never really want to enough to quit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Honey also gets special mention, although maybe chocolate would be more apropos today. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">My son, eat honey, for it is good, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. <sup>24:13</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">lest you have your fill of it and vomit it. <sup>25:16</sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One who is full loathes honey, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet. <sup>27:7</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunger is the best flavour enhancer. Next time you see an ad enticing you with yet another way to eat and drink more than you should, recall that over-indulgence is the greatest health problem in our country, and ask yourself if they are talking about hunger or gluttony. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Other good things that we can get too much of are sleep: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A little sleep, a little slumber, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">a little folding of the hands to rest, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and poverty will come upon you like a robber, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and want like an armed man. <sup>24:33, 34</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">and even singing:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and like vinegar on soda. <sup>25:20</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">When you are trying to cheer someone up, it is wise to first listen to what is weighing them down rather than adding to their pain by letting them know how good you feel.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">SPIRITUAL HEALTH<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AFFECTS PHYSICAL HEALTH</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The idea of “holistic” health and wellness gets a lot of attention mainly as an alternative to what is perceived as mechanistic and narrowly focused conventional Western medicine. Of course this is nothing new. The traditional Objibway view man as having four aspects: Body, Spirit, Mind / Will, and Emotion, often portrayed in the “Medicine Wheel”. This is consistent with the Biblical view of man as well, although people often lump mind, will, and emotion as “soul”. I will not forget hearing a missionary’s list of ailments quickly followed by, “I don’t have a spiritual problem,” as though one could somehow separate our experience of these spheres. This is particularly relevant when there are so many external, physical remedies offered for what are often ailments of the spiritual “heart”. It’s a bit confusing in the context of health and disease, talking about “heart” since generally in Scripture the term is used to indicate the inner person, whereas disease of the physical heart is so common in our culture. Prior to the ready access to overabundance of food and devices that remove the need to walk, it was not so. Scripture also use our kidneys (“reins” in the KJV) as a metaphor for inner emotion. Maybe love songs should use “kidneys” instead of “heart” as their metaphor? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Instead of trying to feel well inside by taking some external potion, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proverbs view of man is more that our physical health is dependent on the spiritual. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Keep your heart with all vigilance, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">for from it flow the springs of life. <sup>4:23</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A tranquil<i></i> heart gives life to the flesh, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but envy<i></i> makes the bones rot.<sup>14:30</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A glad heart makes a cheerful face, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.<sup>15:30</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A joyful heart is good medicine, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.<sup>17:22</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A man’s spirit will endure sickness, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but a crushed spirit who can bear?<sup>18:14</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">It is impressive how some people are able to carry on, even able to encourage others, despite terrible physical challenges, pain, and disabilities. It is not so much our ability or disability that enables or disables, but more often the attitude of our spirit. Even those who appear to be on top of things can be withering inside. A person may go from loud laughter to sobs in seconds. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Even in laughter the heart may ache, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and the end of joy may be grief.<sup>14:13</sup></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">What are influences that can make the heart sick or well?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can be strengthened or brought down by those closest to us:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. <sup>12:4</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">There are several mentions of a wife having a particular power to discourage and bring down her husband. While other Scriptures place a very high standard on how men are to treat their wives, possibly the role of wives is stressed because men are more vulnerable to losing hope if they do not feel the support of their wives, or feeling they can conquer the world if their wives love them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Fear and worry, especially persistent anxiety when we do not know what we are afraid of, can eventually make the heart sick, and the whole body with it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">but a good word makes him glad. <sup>12:25</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Proverbs also has some advice for how our words can help bring health to others.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">…good news refreshes<i></i> the bones. <sup>15:30</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Gracious words are like a honeycomb, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 38.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -38.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">sweetness to the soul and health to the body.<sup>16:24</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Or to make people ill:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 35.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: -35.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">they go down into the inner parts of the body. <sup>18:8</sup></span><sup><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Words spoken, whether from a friend, a co-worker, a counselor, a doctor or nurse, might have a greater impact on our health than the medicine we bought. We have been advised to cough or sneeze into our sleeves to prevent spreading our sicknesses to others. How easy it is to add to someone’s fear and anxiety by letting out careless words that infect as badly as germs, and cause as much illness.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">THE LORD IS OUR HEALER</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Like much of the wisdom in Proverbs, we’ve seen both general observations, and some specific advice about health, but when we get to the underlying problem of a sick spirit and a sinful heart, it might leave us feeling more hopeless than when we began. After all, “How can you mend a broken heart?” But, also like the other themes we’ve studied in Proverbs, be wise, work diligently, treat your neighbours right, discipline your words and everything else, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Lord does not leave us to thrash about helplessly. First of all, He actually knows how we feel:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. <sup>Heb.4:1,16</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">“Weakness” is from the Greek “asthenia” which is used in medical terminology today, and in Scripture is also translated as “infirmity” or “sickness” of body, mind, or spirit. Some of you may have been frustrated by being restricted to only one “c/o” when you visited a doctor, which sort of means you have to know what the problem is before you go. With the Lord, we do not have to figure out if we have a physical, emotional, or spiritual disorder. We are invited to bring all our complaints, no time limit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Not only that, but when Jesus spoke about bringing good news, sight to the blind and freedom to the captives, He was addressing not the symptoms but the real cause. On the cross, He dealt with the main problem of our separation from Himself:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But he was wounded for our transgressions; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">he was crushed for our iniquities; </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and with his stripes we are healed.<sup>Is.53:4,5</sup></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Isaiah was prophesying here about how through the Messiah who would take on our disease, we could be made whole. Now, we look back to this event of the cross, and Jesus’ invitation to “whoever believes in me.” This “believing” is easy to understand while still thinking of our doctoring experiences. If someone says, “I believe in my doctor / chiropractor / naturopath / therapist / etc” it means they trust in their diagnoses and follow their advice. If someone claims they believe in their provider, but do not follow the prescription, then they don’t. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In this life, regardless of what our healthcare providers or healthy lifestyles do for us, we will eventually become “infirm” and die. Even Lazarus, raised from the dead by the Great Physician, eventually died. But in Christ, the worst case scenario is, as Paul called it, “gain”. So, even while our bodies are failing us, we can experience that “</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”<sup>Phl.4:7</sup></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">GOOD, LIKE A MEDICINE</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">What then do we learn about health and disease from Scripture? </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Wellness is built on truth and wisdom.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Appetites are good, but over-indulgence leads to indigestion.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">A sick spirit is more likely the cause of physical disease than the other way round.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Jesus has taken on Himself our disordered minds, bodies, and spirits, and offers “abundant life” in their place. And when our physical shell finally comes to die and perish in the ground, we look forward to being made whole in every sense.</span></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">-philw- February 2012</span></div>philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-44172502039879863262011-09-20T09:04:00.000-05:002011-09-20T09:04:02.142-05:00Natural Selection<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-CA</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal">“Environmentalists” voice loud concern at how mankind poses a threat to the environment and to non-human creatures, and challenge us with our responsibility to care for them. This is consistent with the Genesis mandate to have dominion over the earth, but inconsistent with the materialist evolutionary model that changing environments produce inhabitants that are more fit, mankind itself being but another product of that process.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Randy Guliuzza P.E., MD, in a series of articles published in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Acts & Facts </i>(ICR 2011) on illusions inherent in the evolutionary model, argues that the illusion of natural selection is that the driving force for adaptive traits in an organism reside within the environment rather than in the organism. That is that chaos accidently becomes an environment, which randomly acts on itself over immense time to produce the appearance of order. This was Darwin’s basic premise, that the source of new traits was not in the inherited design of the individual, but in the external pressures brought to bear on it. Guliuzza likens this to claiming that an environmental problem selected the solution that an engineer designed to deal with it, as though the intelligence resided in the problem rather than the engineer. This is appealing, since the specific solution is largely influenced by the problem, even though the driving creative action is the engineer responding to it. He points out that the creative force for solutions resides rather within the capacity of the organism to change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the extent that it can, it will adapt to changing environments, or move to a familiar one, or perish.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In this, the “environmentalists” actually agree in practice with the creationists. Despite professing that changing environments are the creative force of natural selection, they know that environments do not create. They also agree with the creationists that mankind uniquely possesses both the ability and the responsibility to purposefully affect the environment and his fellow creatures for better or for worse. This concedes that there is in fact a better and a worse, that there is some sense of goal or purpose to life, which would have no meaning in natural materialism. This brings to mind an astute observation cited by Stephen Meyer in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Signature in the Cell</i> that both evolutionist and creationist scientists can make the same discoveries in living systems because they both act as though the systems were designed, even though the former claim they only appear to be so.</div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">“Natural Selection” then, the highlight of Darwin’s model, and the backbone of the philosophy of life sciences, is as Guliuzza argues, an illusion. To reconcile what is observed in real life, “Nature” is continually personified, not only in common parlance, but even in scientific literature whose authors remind themselves and their readers that the personification is only for convenience and illustration. But this defeats the premise of all that exists having come about without an intelligent designer, direction or purpose. The driving force is supposed to be from so called natural processes such as gravity, nuclear, electromagnetic and molecular forces being inevitable and inherent. These are, however, no more natural or inevitable than a human brain, but are evidence of yet deeper levels of design and intelligence. To assume that the “laws” of nature and physics are just self-existent with no prior cause, is on par with concluding that the entire physical universe just happens to be what it is, with no prior cause. The term “selection” further exposes the personification of nature, by giving non-conscious, undirected, random chaos the power to do what we invariably know only intelligence to do, that is to select constructively towards a goal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>–philw</span>philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-88907329466062392332011-05-25T07:02:00.000-05:002011-05-25T07:02:46.515-05:00Appetites<span lang="EN-US"></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US">appetite</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> (n). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An instinctive physical desire, especially one for food or drink. A strong wish or urge: an <i>appetite</i> for learning</i>. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">answers.com</i>) Like most things that get us into trouble, appetite is given by God for our survival and pleasure. Loss of appetite is recognized as evidence of serious illness, whether physical or emotional. We do not have to learn to have it, but are born with it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Appetites</span></i><span lang="EN-US">, in contrast, and most importantly for what we want to consider now, are largely learned. For example, we were motivated to get up on a Saturday off, to gather together with a bunch of guys, and eat bacon and eggs and toast, and with a cup of coffee hope to pay attention to someone talking for half and hour. All of that was learned, whether from pleasurable experiences in the past, or from word or example of others that we thought might be reliable, or by some hope or imagination we have developed. Some appetites, like those for food, are so easy to develop that we might assume they are just natural, while others, like an interest in listening, are more clearly worked at.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">But considering the adage that “one man’s meat is another man’s poison,” we can easily see that one culture might find grubs a delicacy to be craved, and the thought of eating pork might be disgusting to another. Some tasty crisp bacon might be mouth-watering to you, and truly poison to someone with coronary artery disease (which many of us probably have anyway). ATV’ing in the mud, might have real appeal to some of you, while others might prefer spending that morning in front of the fireplace reading some old book on theology. Our day might not be complete without our coffee, workout in the gym, walk in the woods, favourite music or food, or pursuing a variety of more questionable pursuits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When are appetites morally good, neutral, or evil? Can the appetite itself be sinful, or just the carrying out of it? Or might the same appetite be right or sinful depending on the circumstances? If these appetites were learned, how were they learned, and how can they be unlearned? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">How do we learn appetites</span></b><span lang="EN-US">? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">For those of us who were subjected to the education system, Mr. Freud taught us that humans, like all animals, simply move toward what is hoped to bring pleasure, and away from pain. And a resulting simplistic philosophy of life would lead to assuming that pleasure is good and pain is bad. But we have all learned that many pursuits that provide, or at least promise, pleasure for the moment, eventually lead to pain. The negotiation in our minds begins over whether the hoped for pleasure now is worth the potential pain down the road. And our appetites play front and centre in this process; but how do they get to have such an influence on us?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The easiest, and most prevailing appetites are the ones we learn as young children. Our tastes for food, sounds, sights, relationships and boundaries are formed during the first few years, long before we have any notion about what is happening. Sexual appetites, use of “substances”, and probably musical tastes as well, are largely formed during early adolescence. This happens somewhat passively on the part of the child, which places more responsibility on involved adults to help direct those tastes. While tastes of music, or favourite colour, or preferred sport, would be generally morally neutral, tastes for food, sex, or substances can easily be seen to have moral import. Part of why we see a need to protect children during this phase is that they are unable to comprehend the consequences of what might seem like innocent pleasurable activities for right now. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What are sexual appetites? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It would be worth considering sexual appetites more specifically at this point, since you might have always assumed them to be more natural drives than learned appetites. The high profile of debate over how we should regard homosexuality has brought it from being regarded as a perversion or a mental illness, to being a “charter right” alongside the one to kill our unborn as a defining hallmark of Canadian values. There was much effort early on to show that homosexual tendencies were something we were born with, and therefore not an issue for moral discussion. As it turned out, there has not been much convincing evidence for a genetic basis, and even if there was, it would have little bearing on the moral discussion. For example, males are genetically far more likely to commit sexual, or other assault than females, because of those nasty Y chromosomes we inherited, but no one suggests that this removes moral responsibility from a male acting out on those aggressive urges. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I’m not using the example of homosexuality to single it out particularly, but only because it is something we’ve all had to think about, whether or not we feel an attraction there. It does help us to see how a thought that can be overwhelmingly attractive to one person, might be equally repulsive to another. Without having a lot of proof for it, I would still suggest that those differences are more a result of early learned appetites and distastes, than of a specifically imprinted natural drive. So while you might have found someone to be very sexually attractive, the fact that the person is your sister, or mother, or daughter, or wife of a good friend makes them so out of bounds that any interest there is immediately squelched. The thought of a sexual encounter with one of these would likely be repulsive to you, just as much as thought of a homosexual encounter if you have not developed a taste for it. Now we have probably been taught by the time we’re thirteen, by example and comments of peers and role models, that it would be abnormal and unhealthy not to have this kind of attraction to a super model for example, but should she not be equally so far out of bounds to make it just as unthinkable? There is no reason why you could not cultivate a sexual interest in any one of these, however, as well as for practices which might seem unthinkable for many of us. The point here is that while there is an overwhelming volume of suggestions and possibilities passively coming to our attention, we are all the while active in the process of filtering what we give positive response to, and what we discard.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">With that in mind, we could consider also the wide range of sexual pursuits, from the ex-colonel Russell Williams’ penchant for mixing sexual fantasy with murdering women, to what has become the socially acceptable practice of publishing and consuming pornography. Lest you think that last part an overstatement, I’ll remind you of the Webster definition of pornography, “writings or pictures intended primarily to arouse sexual desire.” Now we might quibble over that, and argue that the primary purpose of the item in question might be more to make money, either directly through sale of the material, or indirectly through sale of an associated product. However, the profit is nonetheless at least partly a result of aroused sexual desire. One might also quibble over the intent of the creator of the material, but to generalize, if you become aware of aroused sexual desire in response to some imagery, it is fair to assume that the producer of it was expecting that response. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Before moving on from this, sexual imagery also needs special mention, not only because of it being a significant part of most advertising and entertainment, but also because, like the early adolescent experimenting with anything, we may not recognize the hook in the bait. The images are produced by objectifying what is sacred in God’s image, and are delivered to you to exploit and manipulate you. They are designed both to appeal to any urge that might be stimulated in you, and also to shape your tastes for more later. It is hard to put limits on how far those tastes can go. And whether it is just the thought that is given a mental OK, or whether we carry it out in action, our appetites are being influenced one way or the other. What might seem disgusting or at least shameful when we are talking in this present setting might have an irresistible appeal if we convince ourselves that no one will ever know, and there will be no consequences. You have heard the term, “It’s an acquired taste,” applied to some less popular forms of music, or modern art, or cultural foods. Think of images also as an acquired taste, which are really no more than pigment on paper, or lighted pixels on a screen, yet you could learn to feel all the heart-pounding turmoil of an addict as you move to turn the page, change the channel, or shut it off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Appetites can become idols.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Food and drink also deserve special mention, which along with sex are necessary for the continuation of the species, for which tastes are very passively acquired early, which are created by God for our well being, and which are all around us. Yet again, they can become idols before we know it, which lead us to the same bondage and tragedy as any other idol. The simplest act, like saying “No thanks,” to another doughnut, can seem beyond our ability. When the extra dynamic of the chemical feel of alcohol or other substances that change our mental state get added to the mix, which are even more potent than sugar and fat in that regard, we might think that something outside of us is forcing us to take it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We should also mention other idols, such as the drive to acquire more stuff, more security, more power and influence over others, more praise and admiration of others, or simply acceptance by others, more rights to my own time and space, more stimulation and action, more life on the edge, or more comfort. Every one of these can be God-honouring in its place, or an idol system that mercilessly enslaves us when we have given ourselves to obey it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Careful what you plant.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">A simple concept that has made an impact on me was in a sermon called “The Laws of the Harvest.” Basically it goes that we reap what we sow; we reap later than we sow; we reap more than we sow; and it’s easier to grow weeds than wheat. (Actually I added that last one after I tried gardening a bit.) Applied to our topic today, our habits and lifestyles will be the fruit of the appetites we cultivated early on. But the total impact will typically be much greater than what seemed like an innocuous beginning. And destructive habits are just easier to develop than constructive ones. Regarding every thought or action that we rehearse as adding a reinforcing layer to the construction of our lives might help us to reflect a bit on whether we really want that layer in there. The thought that these layers are never really removed from the structure might add a bit more to the urgency of the choice of materials used.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Summarizing to this point, appetite is a healthy, God-given blessing. Specific appetites are learned early in life, and might be beneficial, harmful, or neutral. I would like to move on to more of the spiritual implications of this, and when simple appetite becomes sin. Sin could be broadly defined as any thought or action that violates the nature of God. That nature of God is not simply up to our imaginations, but is revealed in Scripture. While the thought of how powerfully appetites influence our lives has long interested me, reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Addictions, A Banquet in the Grave</i>, by Edward T. Welch (P&R Publishing 2001) prompted me to organize these thoughts for today. I would like to acknowledge the author also for some of the thoughts included. He describes a simple sequence that any sin pursued and unrepented of will lead to bondage, and pursued further will lead to tragedy. The tragedy phase is easily recognized, even if we often don’t understand the full extent of it. And our first reaction is to try to escape tragic consequences, while still living in bondage.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Addictions: Disease or Sin?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“Addictions” have been most commonly understood within a disease model. A humanistic view of man does not teach that we sin because we are sinful. Rather it’s more palatable to think that we make mistakes at first because we do not know any better, or because some outside influence has led us to do so. Then if we persist in doing something that keeps bring us negative consequences, it is because we are victims of a disease, being addicted to alcohol, or drugs, or gambling, or sex, or thrills. Seeing ourselves as victims has decreased our sense of moral responsibility and freedom. This is a dark twist, since removing religious hang-ups and moral restraints was supposed to make us feel more free. But this “freedom” so bragged about in our popular fantasies, has turned out to be another idol. Regarding addictions as disease leads us to treat them as such, with medication or education and therapy. But although they are like diseases in some ways, they are different in some very important ones, such as that a true disease does not only afflict us when we think no one is watching or the setting is convenient; the one suffering with a disease does not at some level have a yearning for that disease; a disease does not require its victim to willingly participate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">A Biblical view tells us that behaviours which bring harm to ourselves and others, can be called “sin”. Even though the main point of Scripture on this is that all sin violates God’s character (of truth, love, justice, and so on), the nature of sin is that it does bring harm. Part of the punishment for sin is its natural consequence. After describing man’s descent from knowing and worshipping the living God down to every imaginable form of corruption, Paul states that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done <sup>Rom.1:28</sup></i>. The punishment was a continuation of the very sins that a rebellious creature had purposed to do. In a similar vein in 1Thes.2:11, when a people stubbornly persists in denying God, He <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie</i>. The principle is that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey</i> <sup>Rom.6:16</sup>. When our appetites lead us to think or act contrary to God’s character, we are following another god. Phil.3:19 speaks of people whose god is their bellies (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">appetites</i> in NASV). When we place what we think will please us above the living God, we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator</i> <sup>Rom.1:25</sup>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Hankering after what tastes good for the moment over what is the pleasure of God will lead us on the path not toward lasting pleasure but to being a slave to our appetites, aka bondage, aka addiction, aka idol worship. We tend not to recognize the true extent of that bondage until the inevitable fruit of sin starts to come into view. The foul aftertaste of sin may cause us to say, “That’s it. Never again!” But minutes, or days, or years later, the wheel comes around, the familiar urges fall into place, and away we go again. We might cry out with Paul, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">O wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death</i>?” <sup>Rom.7:24</sup> So, where do we start?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">One</span></b><span lang="EN-US">: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.</i><sup>Prov.1:7</sup> This proverb is particularly relevant in this application. There is never a time when “no one is looking”. God sees and knows all, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you discern my thoughts from afar</i> <sup>Ps.139:2</sup>. God is always holy and right, and He is always true. Sinful appetites and addictions are supported by lies. We lie by blaming others for our own issues and actions, which when carried to its logical conclusion ends up joining with Satan in accusing God. We lie by saying, “I am a good person, but have a disorder which sometimes causes me to do bad things.” We lie by telling ourselves that no one will know, and that our idols are harmless. We lie when we say, “I am my own person, and not a slave to anybody or anything,” while Scripture says that we are slaves to the one we obey. There is a healthy fear to be learned here: a profound awe for the only true and Living God, with a horror at the alternatives.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Two</span></b><span lang="EN-US">: We need not less passion, but more of it. The Gospel of Jesus sharply contrasts with the Buddhist thinking so popular in post-Christian minds. Holiness is not a result of removing or repressing passion, but of directing it toward its rightful place. The heroes of Scripture were passionate, and the language of Scripture is passionate. John tells us that God does hate lukewarmness, being half-hearted. That does run counter to our Canadian cultural pride of being cool, and dispassionate, and tolerant. Consider the extreme language in striving for the life of God over just following our default path of least resistance: </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></sup><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.</span></i><sup><span lang="EN-US">Prov.23:2</span></sup><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></sup><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away…</span></i><sup><span lang="EN-US">Mat.18:8</span></sup><span lang="EN-US"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away…</i><sup>Mat.18:9</sup> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></sup><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.</span></i><sup><span lang="EN-US">1Cor.9:25-27</span></sup><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></sup><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.</span></i><sup><span lang="EN-US">Gal.5:24</span></sup><span lang="EN-US"> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></sup><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood… The Lord disciplines the one he loves.</span></i><sup><span lang="EN-US">Heb.12:4&</span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Three: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">Our particular struggle to not make our appetites our god goes beyond me just hoping to be a better person. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.</i> <sup>Eph.6:12</sup> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Just like an athlete whose team needs him to play his position, or a soldier whose comrades’ lives depend on his keeping watch, we are part of a cosmic contest. The real contest though is not over which side will win, but rather which side you or I will be on when it’s done. So make it clear which side you’re on. If you keep warming your hands at the enemy’s campfire, you will start to feel more of an allegiance there than to your own commander. To continue with the warnings in Proverbs 23, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist… Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty.</i><sup>Prov.23:3,4,20</sup> When <sup>Eph.5:12 </sup>warns us that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret</i>, how is it that we should be entertained by watching those same things on TV?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Four: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">Boundaries are good things. People who tell you otherwise are probably trying to sell you something. The wisdom of our day seems to take pride in mocking boundaries. They would be seen as artificial, stodgy, prudish, stifling, and to quote the first infamous advertiser, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Surely you will not die. When you eat of it, your eyes will be opened</i>.” <sup>Gen.3:4,5</sup> The heroes in today’s myths are the ones who get the job done by breaking the rules, doing their own thing, being unorthodox. But from another perspective in real life, that person might be called a loose cannon. True enough, some rules of man need to be seriously questioned and done away with. But disregard for boundaries does not normally win the battle. God lovingly has set them for us, and many who have gone before us can confirm them to be wise and a pleasure in the long run. Where we see we are weakest, when our thoughts are clear, is where we need to make our boundaries also the most clear. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I have made a covenant with my eyes.</i><sup>Job.31:1 </sup><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.</i><sup>Rom.14:14</sup> Self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is not a dark repression of our real self. It is recognizing the path we truly want to take, and intentionally, purposefully taking it. God has given us a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spirit of power and love and self-control.</i><sup>1Tim.1:7</sup> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Five: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">This power and self-control does not come from tapping some human source within. It is the Spirit and grace of God that becomes evident in us as we put our confidence in Him, and practice worshipping Him above ourselves. And freedom from sin comes not from beating ourselves into the ground as worthless worms, any more than by seeing ourselves as inherently good enough, since both are just pre-occupation with self, but rather as sinners made clean by a most costly intervention of our Creator and Lord, Jesus Christ. Anything short of thanking God for forgiving us and making us clean, quickly brings us back to the cycle of self-loathing, self-pity, self-justifying, and ironically, self-serving. As <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire</i><sup> 2Pet.2:22</sup>, we just go back to the thing that we were self-loathing over. Dwelling on the thing that we don’t want will not free us from it either. Dwelling on something better will. Make a habit of finding your delight in the things of God; enjoy his creation; become strong in exercising the gifts and talents he has given to you; taste deeply the truths that are in his Word; experience the joy of fellowship with other followers of Jesus; practice worshipping the living God together with his church. To find our pleasure in the pleasures of God leaves no foul aftertaste.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">To sum up, </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">appetite is a gift of God for our pleasure and survival; </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">individual appetites are often learned early, passively, and may be for our good or our harm; </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">appetites that are learned and practiced can make even the most harmful things seem irresistible; </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">appetites can become idols that we worship and bring us into bondage and tragedy; </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">the first step out of that bondage is acknowledging to God that we are in it, and believing that Christ has opened the way for us to be clean and free; </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">we can put our appetites in their rightful place, not by repressing them, but by developing stronger passions for the true delights that are found in a right relationship with God.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">-philw May 2011</span></div>philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-33041898775980969392010-12-26T09:50:00.000-06:002010-12-26T09:50:14.496-06:00In Thy NameThe phrase, “In thy name we pray,” has always bothered me as making no sense. <br />
I could see coming to the Father in Jesus’ name, with the understanding that he is our intercessor and only avenue for presenting our requests to God. But to use the phrase in that sense, coming to Jesus in the name of Jesus, doesn’t seem to add anything.<br />
However, if we use “The Name” in the sense it is used throughout Scripture, that is for the knowledge and glory of God, as in “thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory”, then it really changes the focus of our prayer. This struck me considering “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified” Jn.14:13. We invoke the name of Jesus in prayer, not so much as a power word to make our request happen, nor even primarily as our authorization for making requests, but as a reminder that we are praying first for his name and glory. So to say “in your name we pray” means “Let it be (‘amen’) that all this is for the honor of your name”. <br />
The idea of telling the Lord of all creation what to do seems outrageous, grandiose, and actually quite dangerous if we think he is actually going to do something because we said so. But “hallowed be your name”… “thy kingdom come”… “thy will be done”… seem to be the right framework for letting our requests be made known to God. –philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-58951331511619131142010-10-17T22:13:00.000-05:002010-10-17T22:13:21.712-05:00GilgameshSince I have so often heard about the Genesis accounts of creation and the flood just being re-tellings of the <a href="http://www.crivoice.org/enumaelish.html">Babylonian creation myth</a> and the <a href="http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/tab11.htm">epic of Gilgamesh</a>, I thought I should try to read them. Admitted, I did not take the time to study in detail, but read them both quickly. The creation story apparently has been found in fragments as early as the 18th C BC, but the translation I read was from the earliest (mostly) intact version of it dating from the 13th C. By traditional dating, Moses compiled/edited his account in the 15th C BC. The Babylonian version (to my understanding) bears no more resemblance to the Genesis account beyond there being gods and a creation. It mostly focuses on the intrigues and conflicts between the gods, but the more recent version at least tries to tie it together to show how Marduk the patron god of Babylon was appointed to that role through it all. <br />
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The Gilgamesh epic poem is mostly more about intrigues and conflicts between the gods, Gilgamesh himself being demi-god, going on adventures with another demi-god wildman, and incurring the anger of one of the gods by killing the ruler of Lebanon and stealing his cedar to build a raft and float down a river. One of the gods kills Gilgamesh’s wildman friend, causing Gilgamesh to go into mourning and trying to make sense of it all. This leads him to another voyage to find another demi-god, Utanapishtim, to explain how he became like the gods. This led to an explanation of how the gods were in conflict, one wanting to wipe out the mortals, and the other letting Utanapishtim in on the plot so that he could turn his house into a boat and save his family, lifestock, and treasures. When the god sending the flood found out about it, he got mad but couldn’t do anything about it. Utanapishtim then told Gilgamesh about a plant he could find that would make him young again, and the story ends.<br />
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Assuming the flood of Noah to be an historical event, one would expect it to be widely reflected in historical lore. But the flavour and intent of the two accounts in comparison here are so different, that I cannot imagine one being copied or inspired by the other. The nature of God and the character of Noah as presented in Genesis couldn’t be more different than the characters presented in the Babylonian account. While the Babylonian accounts are worth reading just because they are talked about, they are certainly no threat to continuing to regard Genesis as unique and inspired.philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-91614476833166101572010-08-08T15:42:00.000-05:002010-08-08T15:42:14.711-05:00On Making RulesIt is a common complaint about religion in general that "they" are trying to tell "us" what we must and must not do. The reasoning goes that each of us as adults should be able to make up our own mind about what is right for us without having some clergyman using his interpretation of a 2,000 year old book to moralize about our actions. And so the post-Christian West has largely thrown off the shackles of religious restraint. But there are a few problems with this moral liberation.<br />
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One is that, despite religion having relatively little influence on the daily life of anyone who does not prefer to be involved with it, there remains the sense that it does. There is a persistent annoyance for example toward the hidden moral agenda of the religious right. There is often a short fuse in someone who suspects a religious person of moralizing at him. Expletives invoking a divine name still are thought to add some weight to a weak statement. Although the overt bonds of religion have been loosened, those who would be entirely free still chafe at them.<br />
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Another contradiction in liberation from religion is the vigor with which, at least post-Christian Canada has leapt headlong into more rules and moralizing than the church ever offered up. "<a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/news/Canada+cultural+addiction+rule+making/3371419/story.html">Canada's Addiction to Rule-Making</a>", an editorial by Joseph Brean in the August 7, 2010 National Post describes the phenomenon of creating a new law in response to every tragedy that makes news headlines. Having been taught in school for generations already that humans are only intelligent animals, and that our existence in the universe has no more significance than the rocks or trees or squirrels, we are now told that every unanticipated death must have a greater meaning, and that it can in some way be ameliorated by passing new laws restricting whatever behaviors might have been involved. This is in addition to the dizzying maze of unwritten rules about what may be said or done in particular circumstances. Religious restriction on sexual activity, that is limiting sex to a lifelong marriage between a man and a woman, has been a focal aggravation to those who crave liberation. But the often mutually contradictory rules that have replaced that one simple principle can keep teams of lawyers and politicians debating indefinitely. While the rules against speaking of sacred things in a disrespectful way have been discarded, we now must follow the rule of Politically Correct speech, or be in danger of committing a "hate crime", all to be defined again by teams of lawyers and politicians. We have rules about what we wear, what enters our mouths, what tools and toys we use, how we pass our work time and leisure time, with whom we may associate to what degree under what conditions, and what topics of conversation are to be praised or repudiated. Then there are the perpetual shrill demands of marketers to buy their products permeating all public broadcasting, print, and public thoroughfares. And as though in refrain, there is some state-sanctioned agency advising us which of those products we must or must not be using, this month. Remarkably, the same population who wanted freedom from religious dictums seems content or even eager to accept the far heavier and more complex yoke which the post-Christian moralizers offer in its place.<br />
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A third dilemma in this antipathy to religious rules is what actually does happen even within the halls of organized right wing fundamentalist Christian Evangelicalism, supposing that must be the worst case scenario. Having attended thousands of organized religious services within this and other Christian traditions, it occurred to me that very little time is spent telling us what we must and must not do in the sense that the critics are concerned. Now there is a heavy emphasis, as I was reminded just this morning, to serve and fear God rather than serving self and fearing man. The religion that has replaced this is indeed to serve self and fear man, which is not in the least liberating. The core of the Christian Gospel is that we are not, and cannot be good enough to come into the presence of a holy God, and that God himself, in the form of a mortal man, took all the evil deeds of mankind on himself. In response, we are invited to put our trust in him alone rather than in what we as individuals, or even as democracies, can muster up. Now that central issue is seldom mentioned by the critics, but I do suspect it is the one that causes the most offense. <br />
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Those countries with a free and open society today have generally received it as part of a Christian heritage. The concept of "freedom" so dear to western activists, is better addressed and developed in Christian thought than in any atheistic speculations. And the freedom that Jesus Christ offers is in a class apart from the whimsical tyranny of who can shout the loudest into the vacuum that is the alternative. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-71140082227907409912010-08-03T07:50:00.001-05:002010-10-23T06:40:43.444-05:00ImagineHearing John Lennon's "Imagine" on the TV last night challenged me again to consider why it is so appealing to think of a world where everyone just got along instead of turning to "religion" for an external motivation. One could go various directions with this, but it reminded me again of the difficult balance between loving truth and loving being right.<br />
Christian faith has to rest on a foundation of what is true. That's why history is so important to us, with Scripture constantly linking its metaphysical teaching to real places, persons and dates. That fact alone distinguishes the Judeo-Christian tradition from all others. So, assuming that premise, a simple answer to imagining John Lennon's idyllic world is that it is not true. Of course most people do not accept that assumption, and in fact find it the most obnoxious aspect of Christianity.<br />
There seems to be a couple of easy distractions from our pursuit of truth. First is the idea that truth should work. If the J-C life is true, then it should work out the best in practice. Christians should be happier, healthier, and more successful than others. And, despite glaring exceptions, that is generally true. But that also becomes an enticement to become more concerned with what makes life go better for me, i.e. pragmatism, or "prosperity gospel" than what is actually true. We are more concerned with the benefits of the Christian lifestyle than the truth, or the Living God it is based on. And in that way, the successful Christian congregation is no different than any other sect or tribe, seeking to enhance its own position to the neglect or even at the expense of others. <br />
The second distraction from loving truth grows out of the first. Being part of a group that seems to us to have all the correct doctrine, with prosperous lives to back it up, can lead us to the arrogance of assuming we are right. This is quite different from the humility of loving truth. We enjoy the happiness of a disciplined Christian lifestyle in a mutually loving, supportive Christian community, along with the health and economic benefits it brings. And in that protected context, we can further fine-tune our truth claims, alienating us not only from a skeptical non-Christian world, but even from other professing followers of Jesus who are doing the same thing we are doing. <br />
And there is the difficult balance. If our belief is true, then it should work out well, and we will be right in believing it. But, as Satan's challenge over Job, we will be close to finding more pleasure and pride in our success and ideology than in worshipping our Creator and Saviour. The church needs always to be on guard against this, to watch for signs of pragmatism or arrogance displacing our central focus on the Living God. Our "Amen" needs to be an affirmation of God's goodness rather than our own having it right. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-86956988012797697132010-06-22T08:24:00.001-05:002010-06-22T08:28:46.911-05:00Pride and Complaining<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Thankfulness only blossoms from a deep root of humility." J.C. Ryle 1816-1900</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> This quote from an Anglican bishop over a century ago was shared in a recent Sunday sermon. It prompted me to consider my own attitudes, and elusive pursuit of a life characterized by humility. The thought occurred to me that if gratitude is a measure of humility, then it might follow that <b>complaining is a measure of pride</b>.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not long before this, I had become so frustrated with my own readiness to complain, that I put up a reminder sign in front of my desk in the office, "Do Everything Without Complaining" (quoting from Philippians 2:14). I wasn't thinking of it in terms of pride and humility, but was surprised to soon find myself having an attitude of complaining about the sign I had put up for myself.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
So why might complaining be a measure of pride? It is identifying something or someone that obstructs my agenda for what I want to be or do, and blaming it for my shortcoming. At worst, it is denigrating someone else, for my own aggrandizement. At best, it is whining about petty annoyances that are the common lot of humanity. In any case, it is asserting that the real I is better both than the circumstances and people that surround me, and even better than how I seem to be doing at the moment, hampered by those circumstances or people. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Since sharing this simple observation with a few people, it has all too frequently already reminded me about how pervasive my pride is, and how comfortable I had become with it. But the observation that "complaining is a measure of pride" is likely true. "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (2Cor.10:17) -philw<br />
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</span></div>philwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-21578987733420998702010-04-02T16:32:00.000-05:002010-04-02T16:32:34.454-05:00Earth HourOn March 27th, everyone in the world, ideally, was asked to shut off non-essential power for an hour. The idea was to remind us to be careful how we use limited resources, not just for the hour of course, but all year round. The province of Ontario reported a 10% decrease in electricity use during that hour. The city of Calgary reported a 0.5% decrease, which was an improvement over its 2% increase reported last year. <br />
It’s hard to find fault with conserving limited resources. But the rhetoric about it does not seem to be reflected in action by those who claim to support it. When consumers a couple years ago actually made a serious effort to only buy things they needed, those same voices promoting Earth Hour panicked, demanding that the state borrow more money to entice people to buy just to keep the economy going. Our economy is dependent on consumers throwing away stuff that is still serviceable, buying stuff which we don’t need and won’t even make us any happier, eating and drinking far more than is healthy for us, and busily traveling to and fro in a flurry of activity. Suzuki solemnly endorses switching to compact fluorescent bulbs, but fails to comment on resources required to make them, that they will be left on longer, that they do not provide the same light, do not work well in cold temperatures, and that we would accomplish more by simply turning off lights, and heat, and cooling, and vehicles that are not serving any purpose. Witnessing a daily morning parade of idling vehicles leading up to a Tim Horton’s drive through a few years ago left an indelible shock in my memory. <br />
It wasn’t that many years ago that most businesses closed at least one day a week. Somehow we managed to obtain our groceries, and consumer goods, spend a bit more time with friends and family, take time to acknowledge the One who created all this good stuff, and still build one of the most prosperous civilizations in the history of the world. We gave the earth a rest one day a week, as well as every night. Well, now we need to shop or work or go out for entertainment 24/7. Not quite sure how this will make us all better off, but at least there is a token hour out of the 8766 per year. <br />
This is like going to church once a year to feel good about being a little bit religious. But it is more than that. Listening to comments on the radio about what people did during earth hour, there were ideas like just being with some friends, or having a glass of wine by candlelight. And I thought, this is a religious ceremony, a time to do our homage to Mother Earth. It does have a much more palatable flavor than the grim content of the Christian holy week. As Easter was adapted from paganism to Christianity, perhaps it has almost come full circle. –philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-58477264013373829822010-01-22T21:05:00.000-06:002010-01-22T21:05:25.555-06:00Second Mile Re-VisitedSomeone commented that it is hard to know how many “second miles” to go when serving people whose expectations seem insatiable. <br />
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One response here is that the “second mile” is done from a sense of freedom rather than obligation. Volunteering in the first place, for community, or church, or cross-cultural missions service, is already in the “second mile” category. No one is demanding that we do it. We see something that needs doing, and we freely step up and do it. That does not mean we should place ourselves under bondage to do whatever anyone tells us to do.<br />
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The Lord Jesus, who taught us about the second mile, also provided examples of setting boundaries. They wanted to make him a king, to do some more miracles, to go to Jerusalem at their bidding, to grant them to sit next to him in power, to answer trick questions, to be available when and where they wanted him, to come down from the cross. He seemed to have no trouble in declining. He demonstrates the ultimate submission to the will of his Father, with the ultimate sense of freedom. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-47088654271699456522010-01-16T20:24:00.001-06:002010-01-17T08:28:38.546-06:00A Heart For GodThree general components of a Christian life would be a heart devoted to God (Father, Son, Spirit), a knowledge and personal acceptance of truth, and a life of obedience to Christ’s teachings. John’s first epistle could be summed up in these three principles, carefully tying them together. We can’t love God if we don’t know him or about him. And we can’t say we love God if we don’t love people and obey what Jesus has said. <br />
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Christian traditions have tended to emphasize one of these three above the others, yet doing so presents serious problems. A passion for our idea of God without knowledge is a dangerous thing. The Apostle Paul lamented that his own Jewish nation was characterized by a zeal for God that was not based on knowledge. We might get the same feeling about those pre-occupied with deeper spiritual experiences. A heavy emphasis on how we feel and our personal rapture readily opens the door for superstition and vain imagination, if not outright self-deceit. Various splinter sects do stress careful restrictive teaching, and often demonstrate zeal as well, but too often resting on the assertions of a single very persuasive founder. The passion is not really directed toward God, but toward one’s own sect – Christian tribalism.<br />
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Christian Fundamentalism has stressed the importance of right teaching to prevent such excess and diversion. The assumption is that if we can get our knowledge of the truth accurate and complete, then a life for God must follow. This has been carried out through preaching, and Bible studies, and books, and retreats, and seminaries. And it has produced valuable systematic theology. But a perception that one has arrived at such knowledge is an irresistible temptation for pride, for further fine tuning of our knowledge, and for excluding and demeaning those who do not share that same knowledge – in other words, a “log” in my own eye. It is crucial that I regard a truth grasped as something to which I am subject, rather than as a weapon with which I beat others down. <br />
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So other Christian denominations, while acknowledging that a heart for God and right teaching are of course essential, have recognized that the only real test of true faith is when the rubber hits the road. It’s all in the doing. The result might look more like a community service club, or conversely define ever more details about exactly what a Christian should or should not be doing. It’s not hard to see how quickly we can get off track there. Miss the mark and be crushed with shame. Get it right once and be puffed up with pride. Before we know it, we have a scale of good and bad deeds that measure how close to God one is. And then of course it is a good time to review the Apostle Paul’s warnings against legalism.<br />
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So then what? I would suggest that a revelation of the Person of God, and the desirable human response of a heart for God is the prevailing theme of both the Old and New Testaments, as well as the work of God throughout the history of the Church. I think of Bible characters who did not do so well for exhaustive doctrine or stellar conduct, but whom Scripture holds up as examples because of their hope and trust and delight in the Living God. Perhaps we shy away from such a pursuit because it is so difficult to measure, or a short step to emotionalism, or just dangerous and unpredictable. While we can devise tests for doctrine and for conduct, a love-for-God test is going to be elusive. And, as John’s epistle warns, it is easy enough to imagine that one loves God without caring about truth, obeying God, or loving others. <br />
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But despite that, we will always have a sense of our own heart’s attitude toward God, and while this might be the most slippery to define and measure, it might be the best light in which to view knowledge and practice. When I hear a “great sermon”, is it great in terms of increasing my appreciation for the wonderfulness of the Living God, or is it great because it had some good ideas, or profound exegesis, or moving challenge, or memorable illustrations? Acknowledged, it will be impossible to pass a firm judgment on it, but I can still tune in to which direction my own appreciation of the Lord took as a result of it. Similarly with pursuing a godly practice or avoiding an evil one. Does this make me feel more deserving of God’s favour and feel a step above others, or do I delight in the fact that the Spirit of God is changing me into the likeness of Christ? Or when I mess up badly, can I simply love the Lord all the more as I realize my need for him and his grace toward me are even greater than I had previously known?<br />
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It would be so good to have all of our church - and personal - experience, including corporate worship, Bible teaching, and acts of service, permeated with a heart of love for God as its beginning and end. And as we do so, we might see it comes not from some effort on our part, but because “he first loved us”. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-585559006920057742009-12-05T20:02:00.000-06:002009-12-05T20:02:10.441-06:00Second MileI appreciated some of Brian McLaren’s comments on Jesus' statement, "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." (Matthew 5:41)The context was that a Roman soldier (the occupation force in Palestine) could at any time order a Jew to carry his pack up to one mile. The Jews hated being in subjugation, but Jesus' point was that "by willingly taking the pack the second mile, you walk free - transcending your oppression." (to use McLaren's words.) <br />
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Although we are not living under subjugation by occupation forces, we daily have the opportunity to apply this principle at home, in the workplace, and in the community. How many times have we felt imposed upon by someone in our own household expecting us to do some chore. Yet the same task done willingly, for example at someone else’s house, might seem like fun. What drudgery in the workplace when the goal is to just be there until quitting time. Sadly, organized labour has done harm to its constituents by even enforcing the practice of doing only the minimum required by the terms of the contract. But by doing more than is required, we have a sense of freedom, that we are doing this because we choose to, or even enjoy it. By doing only the minimum required, we always feel imposed upon and taken advantage of. When we grasp every penny, we feel we never have enough money; when we only work for self we never have enough time. By giving money away, we feel rich, by giving our time to someone else we feel that we have extra time; by doing more than is required, we become free. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-59714434033797617842009-11-30T08:19:00.000-06:002009-11-30T08:19:05.626-06:00Parable of the TrucksA successful trucking operator wanted to take some time away from the business. He called in three of his drivers to give them responsibility to manage things in his absence. To one, he gave five new Kenworth trucks, to the second he gave three, and to the third he gave one. Then he went on a world tour, leaving the business completely to them. The first, with the five trucks, hired five experienced drivers to carry on and expand the owner’s enterprise. He took some risk, but carefully oversaw the dispatching and maintenance of the equipment. Five years later, the trucks were well used, and he sold them, but by that time boasted a fleet of 10 new Kenworth trucks. The second driver also did well with his part, and worked up to a total of six new trucks full time on the road. The third however, seeing the instability in the economy, the price of fuel, and the unreliability of drivers, parked his one Kenworth in the shop. <br />
After a few years the owner returned to see how his company was faring, and again called in the three drivers to see how their efforts had gone. The first driver presented the owner with his fleet of ten trucks, introduced him to the drivers, and reviewed how he had successfully expanded the business. The fleet owner was impressed, and gave him 25% interest in his company, with freedom to manage it how he would. He was also impressed with the second driver, who had done well now managing a fleet of six. He gave him a 20% interest in the company, also with freedom to manage it how he would. <br />
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The guy with the one truck was feeling a bit outclassed, but tried to defend his actions. “You don’t know what it’s like,” he said. “Energy costs were through the roof; Ministry of Transport is out to get you every time you’re on the road; the forest industry is so unpredictable; and it’s impossible to find reliable help. But here’s your Kenworth, good as new, and ready to go.” “Get out of here, you idiot,” roared the fleet owner. “At least you could have driven it yourself, and done something useful. Give it to my first man who already has ten trucks on the road. He’ll know what to do with it.” <br />
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So the one who has used well what has been given, will be given more. And the one who only hung on to what he had, will lose even that. The fearful driver lost his truck, and his job, and his reputation. He went out and read Matthew 25:14-30, understanding it for the first time. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-86897783568764286752009-10-30T06:20:00.000-05:002009-10-30T06:29:04.989-05:00Blessed Fruit<strong>BEATITUDES - THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT</strong> <br />
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What place do the "beatitudes" taught by the Lord Jesus have in the Christian's life? Are they impossible laws to keep, general ideals to aspire for, the outline for some kingdom other than that to which believers belong, or something deeper? Perhaps comparing these nine promises of blessing with the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians will help give a healthy perspective. <br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT</strong>: God gives grace to the humble. The kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit. Unless one humbles himself as a child he will not enter the kingdom of heaven, and unless one is born again he will not see the kingdom of God. Humility or being poor in spirit is not a lofty ideal, but a requisite for all who would enter into life. Similarly, the sum of the law and the prophets is to love God whole heartedly, and to love one's neighbour as oneself. If we are captivated by the Spirit of God, then His character will be evident in us, as it was in Christ, as we consider others' interests above our own. This is love in action. Whoever does not love, does not know God. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE</strong>.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN</strong>: There is no proof of God's presence when one perseveres only as long as things are going well and good feelings prevail. Those who know God also learn to grieve and hurt deeply, knowing that patience leads to experience, and experience gives hope - knowing that the Comforter is never far away. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS PATIENCE</strong> - bearing under suffering.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THE MEEK</strong>: Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ have placed their confidence in God. They do not have to scheme and strive for mastery over their fellow men. They can afford to be yoked together with their Master, who promised that all who came to Him and learned from Him who was meek and lowly of heart would find rest for their souls. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS MEEKNESS</strong>.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS</strong>: To be a follower of God, a child of the Father, a citizen of His kingdom, predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, is not just a matter of believing the right things. It is the righteousness of God lived out in visible action through the disciple. One in whom the Spirit of God dwells will have a hunger to do what He does. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS GOODNESS</strong>.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL</strong>: Those who are relying on God's grace and not their own righteousness do not hold themselves as judges to condemn others. Those who recognize God's undeserved forgiveness of them, cannot hold a record of wrongs against another. Any irritation or offence must be displaced by a concern and desire for the welfare of the other. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS GENTLENESS</strong>.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART</strong>: No one can serve two masters. We cannot claim to have placed our faith in God while our true interest is in grasping for ourselves. A double-minded man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. God will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. Trials come so that faith, like gold refined by fire, may be proved genuine. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS FAITHFULNESS</strong>.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS</strong>: We were reconciled to God because He Himself, who is our Peace, destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, creating one new man, making peace. To all those who participate in that new creation is given the responsibility to bring this reconciliation to others. Jesus' prayer for all those who would believe was that we should experience the same kind of unity with God and one another as He Himself did with His Father. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS PEACE</strong>.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS</strong>: Those who call on the name of the Lord are called to follow in His steps - when they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered He made no threats. Those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS SELF CONTROL</strong>.<br />
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<strong>BLESSED ARE YOU, REJOICE AND BE GLAD WHEN PEOPLE PERSECUTE YOU BECAUSE OF ME</strong>: The joy of the Spirit is not a natural animal reaction to being well fed and comfortable. It is always mentioned in the presence of hardship, disappointment and opposition. We are called on to endure hardship as discipline, fixing our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy that was set before Him endured opposition from sinful men. Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds. <br />
<strong>THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS JOY.</strong><br />
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As we see the Lord's description of life in the Kingdom of God, we see that it is no less than the character of God Himself put into action in the lives of those in whom He dwells. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-83232116383698433482009-10-24T11:19:00.000-05:002009-10-24T11:26:06.425-05:00Diabolos<em><strong>Diabolos</strong></em> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Greek)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">1) prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">1a) a calumniator, false accuser, slanderer,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2) metaph. applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Satan the prince of the demons, the author of evil, persecuting good men, estranging mankind from God and enticing them to sin, afflicting them with diseases by means of demons who take possession of their bodies at his bidding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">from <em>diaballo</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">1) to throw over or across, to send over</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2) to traduce, calumniate, slander, accuse, defame</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Strong’s Revised Lexicon)</span><br />
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It is odd that those who would stumble at the existence of a good and powerful personal God because there is too much evil in the world, seem to have even more difficulty with the existence of a supernatural evil being. Like many Biblical names, <em>Diabolos</em> is a description, with the imagery of throwing things. God (Father, Son, Spirit) is pictured in such terms as the Creator, Author, Finisher, Sustainer, Builder, or Advocate. <em>Diabolos</em>, on the other hand, does not create, but merely accuses and twists / perverts what has already been created. There is no evil in the world that is not merely a perverting of something that was originally good.<br />
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Mankind has a unique ability to imagine something that never was, plan how it might become a reality, and then work to make it so. The resulting creation becomes an expression of the person/s who did it. They are identified with each other, and for better or for worse, we take ownership of what we have done. Possibly one of the greatest senses of satisfaction comes from carrying through on such a creative plan, and some of the most acute disappointments at seeing it crash and burn.<br />
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Children start out as imitators. Most of our kids’ actions that appear cute to us, are actually just attempts to do what they see us doing. The first signs of the dawn of adulthood (“adolescence”) are often marked with a newfound ability to criticize. Growing children feel freedom to move beyond mimicking the parent, and proceed to find fault, and to add their own twist to how they perceive things. Done well, this process leads to a deeper understanding of how to function as an adult, and to dream and create what even their parents could not have imagined. Gone awry however, it can get stuck on looking for more ways to pervert and break down what others have risked to do. This may happen when early attempts to dream and build were met consistently with criticism and smashing down by parents or others who never learned themselves to move beyond this stage. At the other tip of the horseshoe from adolescent whining is senescent bitterness. In practice there is not much difference, the former feeling overwhelmed at the challenges life is throwing at them, and the latter despairing that they cannot do anything about it anymore. <br />
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Criticizing and accusing is about as easy as breathing. If we don’t speak it, we likely have thought it anyway. We are immersed in it. The workplace and media ooze with it. Acknowledged, it is not without benefit. Dreams without critical analysis are folly. Diving in without consultation is reckless. The very act of criticizing is part of our creative ability. But most criticism and accusation is not that. It is only tearing down what someone else is building. And it is done as a cheap attempt to make ourselves feel more important, to feel better about our own failure to do what we should be doing, or from jealousy of someone with the imagination and courage to follow through.<br />
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How can we respond to this? First, with a good dose of humility before we arrogantly presume to be the authority on someone else’s observations. It is possible to look for the constructive element contained in any criticism, and the truth communicated by any accusation. That gives us an opportunity to move on to the next step we might not otherwise have seen. When we feel the irritation of someone else just wanting to tear down, we can see that as an expression of an emptiness in them, rather than a signal for us to lash out in self defense or to despair and give it up. When a thought of criticism or accusation comes to us, which it will do by the hour, we can pause and consider our own motive before we express it. Is it from <em>Diabolos</em>, who comes to “steal and kill and destroy”, or from our God-given ability to build up? Then, if we do let our criticism be known, it can always come with a realistic suggestion of how things might be better. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-1166871632292368012009-10-17T08:26:00.000-05:002009-10-17T22:50:45.558-05:00MotivationConsidering Paul’s early experiences with the church in Damascus and Jerusalem, I was impressed at the importance of the church in our motivation to carry on. Motivation is one of the most important elements in one’s success or demise. I think of people with whom I grew up and went to school. Their success depended less on how gifted they were than on their willingness to stick to the task at hand. Much of that depended in turn on their examples at home, social supports, and view of life.<br />
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The absolutely easiest thing in the world (like exercising more, or eating less) is impossible without continuing motivation to press on. We have all started undertakings like this, pleased and satisfied at how well we do, only to get distracted before we see any lasting result. When it comes to core issues like character maturing, dealing with personal pride, mean-ness, laziness, lust, greed, we really need the Christian community to keep us motivated, with the Spirit of God to show us what is true. <br />
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As evangelicals, we emphasize that the Spirit of God lives in us and gives us the will and the power to please God. And he does. In fact, he is right there with us all the time. Yet despite that, we doubt and disobey, because at least at some level we don’t believe he is. At the other end of the spectrum is doing right and abstaining from evil only because some influence, such as family or police, or religious body, rewards and punishes in some way. <br />
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Too often, we are motivated by pride and shame. These are actually two sides of the same coin (Prov.11:2). They do produce impressive short term results. They work especially well for modifying those behaviors that others can see. But because they are all about making self look better, they are pulling us in the wrong direction where a Christian virtue is concerned. And for the same reason, when we let pride and shame be our motivation, we will find ways to do our evil, while trumpeting our good deeds for all to see.<br />
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In contrast to pride and shame, motivation by love is focused on someone other than self. <em>The love of Christ controls us</em> (2Cor.5:14); <em>The love of Christ surpasses knowledge</em> (Eph.3:19); <em>We love because he first loved us</em>. (1Jn.4:19). Jesus motivated by being a servant, by washing his disciples’ feet, by laying down his life, by inviting us to join him in his yoke. Love of a spouse, child, or friend can lead us to do the same. Similarly motivation within the Christian community comes from a willingness to serve, give, and come along side to share the load, rather than from laying more burdens on others.<br />
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Why do we need a Christian community? Much of the time we could do the right thing in and of ourselves, but in the end, by ourselves, we don’t. The spirit of life in Christ gives us the will and power to please God. But he has made us to joyfully do this as a part of his visible Body, encouraging and being encouraged to go ahead with what his Spirit is leading us to do. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-58416123914236044572009-10-06T08:10:00.000-05:002009-10-06T08:45:38.753-05:00Root of EvilPaul’s admonition to Timothy that “the love of money is the root of all evil” was in the context of caution against greed, and to be content. This wisdom has long been recognized even in secular society driven by greed. During the last federal election campaign in Canada, it occurred to me that the underlying assumption was more like “Poverty is the root of all evil”. <br />
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While the government approach to social ills for years has been to increase funding to whatever social ill is identified, the entity of “poverty” is now more specifically labeled as the problem. This overlooks the fact that poverty is more often a symptom of the problem, which finds its roots more in the sin of mankind that leads to family breakup, violence against one another, abuse of property, dishonesty, and dreams of getting rich without labor or sacrifice. Funding an environment such as that does not bring prosperity and happiness, but only more of the same problems. Instances of sudden wealth coming to historically poor people graphically illustrate this. As someone pointed out to me, giving money to someone only helps them get where they were headed faster. Viewing poverty rather than the love of money as the root of all evil is a foolish philosophical shift which will only exacerbate the disease which brought us to it in the first place. -philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8437881983833448041.post-43937129318252046092009-09-29T06:55:00.000-05:002009-09-29T06:55:17.843-05:00Moral SuperiorityMost people believe there is a G(g)od of some sort, that there is good and evil, and some kind of reckoning for what we’ve done. And there is plenty of Christian Scripture to show that God does in fact reward and punish according to the deeds we have done while in this life. Accordingly, most people again, whether in our professing Christian church circles, or post-Christian non-church culture, or of other philosophical/ religious persuasion, believe that if they are going to some reward after death, it will be on the basis of some combination of how good they have been, and a kindly forgiving great spirit. That is so strongly rooted in their minds that the only conceivable alternatives might be that there is a benevolent God who forgives and receives everybody except the most vile, willful perpetrator of atrocities, or that there is no conscious afterlife at all. <br />
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So when an Evangelical claims confidence in going to heaven on the basis of faith in Christ’s work on the cross and God’s grace, what is heard is that he must think he is morally superior to most people around him. That very idea is not only repugnant to the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is also disgusting to the non-Christian world, whether they consider themselves to be no worse than the next person, or the vilest of sinners. Evangelicals are so accustomed to the vocabulary of “saved by grace” and “not of works” that it does not occur to them that others are hearing self-righteous arrogance, whether of superior knowledge or of moral character. Even the Evangelical himself must be constantly on guard against unconsciously feeling superior in understanding and good works, despite his claims otherwise. <br />
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What can we talk about then? There are the admonitions of John and James, as well as the Lord Jesus, to show our faith by our works, and be more sparing with our words. Christians are seldom faulted for actually doing good works. When we do speak of God, it can be more of his character, and of the truth of the Jesus Christ of the New Testament. When we speak of the sinfulness of man, it must always be “us” and not “them”. When we become aware that we are feeling superior in understanding or in moral fabric to the next person (which professing non-Christians seem to do just as easily as professing Christians) we must confess that to God, and to anyone else that was affected by it, and remind ourselves of what we know to be true. And we can ask God to open the eyes of those around us, as well as ourselves, to the extent of his goodness and our need. –philwphilwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380241953142490568noreply@blogger.com1