healing – Apprentice 2 Jesus

Wrestling with unhappiness

We can tend to insulate ourselves against the harshness of what is going on around us. We build thicker walls to keep the noise out. We ignore news because it is “all bad.” We need to keep our eyes and ears open. There is unhappiness around and we need to LISTEN to the why.

The journey of healing and justice

Healing is not accidental. It is not coincidental. Healing in our lives, our thinking, etc., is intentional. It is a process. This is the journey I have been on and the journey I will be on for the rest of my life. (I almost typed “God willing”, but I know it is God’s will.)

Living in the gospel wrecks your daily schedule

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”Continue reading “Living in the gospel wrecks your daily schedule”

How NOT to have a healing ministry

I am walking my way through the Gospel of John and there are times I find passages I’m familiar with a bit humorous. John 5 is one of them.

The enemy shows up when things are GOOD

As I keep moving prayerfully through Acts 5, I am struck by how I like to emphasize things in my preaching and teaching. I love Acts 5:12-16. Peter’s shadow falling on people heals them and delivers them from demons! Who wouldn’t like that? Who couldn’t preach on that?

Heal us of our blindness

Reading for today: Psalm 51; 69:1-23 Lam. 1:1-12 2 Cor. 1:1-7 Mark 11:12-25 Lam. 1:5 Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The Lord has brought her grief because of her many sins… Prayer: Lord, we are blind and our blindness is simply stunning. All the advantages have been afforded usContinue reading “Heal us of our blindness”

Love without pretense

Reading for Saturday: Psalm 102, 108, 33 Ex. 2:23-3:15 1 Cor. 13:1-13 Mark 9:14-29 Reading for Sunday: Psalm 118, 145 Ex. 3:16-4:12 Rom. 12:1-12 John 8:46-59 Thoughts from Mark 9:

Faith that risks

Reading for today: Ps. 80, 77, 79 Gen. 44:18-34 1 Cor. 7:25-31 Mark 5:21-42 Jesus had his “reputation” put on the line several times, and people didn’t seem to care.

Touching the leper

We have struggles with how to “be the church” in western Christianity. Do we invite people to come in? Do we just plunge ourselves “out there”? How much do we get “involved” in other peoples’ lives?

Are we MOVED?

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” (Mark 1:40-41) Indignant. Other translations choose “moved with compassion.” Early in Mark’s gospel we seeContinue reading “Are we MOVED?”