Notice how dark our culture is? Even the word “dark” is considered good. Like “dark humor” is considered sophisticated. Dark clothing is considered desireable. Music groups advertising their wares, dress shabbily and look gloweringly at you – and this is good?
“Light” is considered to be the opposity of heavy or weighty, and therefore unimportant. Is this because synthetic light is so abundant? Before electricity, light was highly valued. Once the sun went down, we had to use candles or kerosene – neither one very good for studying by, let alone much else.
The outside culture is certainly in our homes. But is that what we want?
Do we want a home of dark humor or light comedy?
Do we want a home that is a fortress or a palace?
Do we want a house that is darkly impressive, or full of light?
Do we want a conversation that is critical or one that is full of the Light of the Ages?
Do we want a family that is at war with one another, or one that is forgiving and hopeful?
Do we want a home that is “spiritual” or one that is “godly”?
Do we want a home that is suspicious or one that “hopes the best.”
Do we want a family that is ever striving? Or one that is “at rest?”
Do we choose to decorate our hearts with words that make them caves of doom, or temples for Jesus?
Do we fight for our license? Or do we delight in discipline?
Do we train ourselves to be realists? Or do we cultivate faith?
Do we celebrate corruption with the world? Or do we hope in the resurrection?
What holidays will you celebrate with your children? What legacy do they pass down? Why follow the culture's path of dark, when light is available?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Do we need two blogs?
This blog was originally intended to go with http://www.faithfamilylearning.org/, primarily for homeschoolers.
I now have http://www.greatshalom.org/ which is very much about faith for learning, but includes students and teachers of all kinds as well. I feel we need a blog for teachers. Can we all use this site? Or do we need to break out?
For now, let's use just one, and rethink this question when we have more traffic.
Thanks, Sharon Sarles
I now have http://www.greatshalom.org/ which is very much about faith for learning, but includes students and teachers of all kinds as well. I feel we need a blog for teachers. Can we all use this site? Or do we need to break out?
For now, let's use just one, and rethink this question when we have more traffic.
Thanks, Sharon Sarles
Encouraging teachers
Good teachers are hard to find. They are harder to keep. The system beats them down.
How can we encourage better teaching?
At my campus, I partnered with the campus manager to have a welcome/hospitality time. Since we have many adjuncts, we decided to do this for two days as a hospitality time in the faculty lunchroom.
People came in, smiled to see the goodies and introduced themselves to me and one another. A small step in blessing.
What could be done at your campus?
How can we encourage better teaching?
At my campus, I partnered with the campus manager to have a welcome/hospitality time. Since we have many adjuncts, we decided to do this for two days as a hospitality time in the faculty lunchroom.
People came in, smiled to see the goodies and introduced themselves to me and one another. A small step in blessing.
What could be done at your campus?
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Resignation
I am surprised and uncomfortable with the assumption of the necessity to resign oneself to status quo when it is a child who is needing healing, especially with learning issues. An older person, facing a grave illness, usually as a result of a lifetime of wrong choices will pursue healing -- with vigor -- through medicine, through improved lifestyle, and through miraculous means. Some retired people follow Benny Hinn around. RVs camp like a city around his meeting places. Okay, but what happens when their grandchild appears to have some trouble? Why be resigned then? This lie: "it is only genetic" rears up and people bow down. Poppycock! It doesn't even make sense. Oh, cancer is just genetic. Why then is there a significant increase in the younger population? Why are there geographic patterns? Oh, autism is ... well you just can't help it. Why then is there an increase from 3 in 10,000 children in the 1950s to 1 in 166 or more today? Rubbish! And even if something is genetic -- so what? Is God not about the genes?
I'm finding the parents of children with special needs need to hear about the possibility of healing. I am finding even my dearest sisters in the Lord, whom I would most expect to know about healing, need to be reminded about healing. I am finding I need to publish this with all the force I can. So, I will be posting about healing.
Be invited to write back. Thanks. SS
I'm finding the parents of children with special needs need to hear about the possibility of healing. I am finding even my dearest sisters in the Lord, whom I would most expect to know about healing, need to be reminded about healing. I am finding I need to publish this with all the force I can. So, I will be posting about healing.
Be invited to write back. Thanks. SS
God always wants to heal you. We know this from Jesus work on the cross, his death and resurrection.
“Surely/ firmly/truly, we know that He bore our sickness and carried away our pain.” Isaiah 53: 4 (translated literally from Hebrew)
Not only is this plain Hebrew, but also we know this is the correct interpretation of the Isaiah scripture, for it is quoted in Matthew, clearly in the context of healing:
Matthew 8:16&17
And when evening had come, they brought to Him any who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill
17 in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “He himself took our infirmities, and carried away our disease.”
We know also from I Peter 2:24: “By His wounds you were healed.” The context is indeed, total healing, not just bodily, but the wider of the chapters is one of complete practicality. Peter is dealing with common, everyday matters, not things that could be figurative or vague. It is evident that Peter is alluding to Isaiah 53 : no guile, relived not again and then in v 24 “ who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed, v 25 For y were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and the Bishop of you souls.
We are completely made whole. Bodily healing is included in our overall healing.
It is a sure, and firm word, witnessed to by three scriptures.
And by many many who have believed and received.
Take your stand on the sure word of God. Every word is sure. Your salvation is sure, if you have receive and believed. Now received the rest of your salvation, the rest of your healing, the salvation of your body.
It is the plain word of God, witnessed to and explained – clearly and succinctly. Therefore I recommend simply sitting and soaking in these verses. Why keep arguing when God has spoken? The thing to do is to bring mind into alignment with what you should now know. Reread, meditate, study out these scriptures. Satisfy yourself. I think you will find it clear.
Not only is this plain Hebrew, but also we know this is the correct interpretation of the Isaiah scripture, for it is quoted in Matthew, clearly in the context of healing:
Matthew 8:16&17
And when evening had come, they brought to Him any who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill
17 in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “He himself took our infirmities, and carried away our disease.”
We know also from I Peter 2:24: “By His wounds you were healed.” The context is indeed, total healing, not just bodily, but the wider of the chapters is one of complete practicality. Peter is dealing with common, everyday matters, not things that could be figurative or vague. It is evident that Peter is alluding to Isaiah 53 : no guile, relived not again and then in v 24 “ who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed, v 25 For y were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and the Bishop of you souls.
We are completely made whole. Bodily healing is included in our overall healing.
It is a sure, and firm word, witnessed to by three scriptures.
And by many many who have believed and received.
Take your stand on the sure word of God. Every word is sure. Your salvation is sure, if you have receive and believed. Now received the rest of your salvation, the rest of your healing, the salvation of your body.
It is the plain word of God, witnessed to and explained – clearly and succinctly. Therefore I recommend simply sitting and soaking in these verses. Why keep arguing when God has spoken? The thing to do is to bring mind into alignment with what you should now know. Reread, meditate, study out these scriptures. Satisfy yourself. I think you will find it clear.
Monday, October 29, 2007
God wants to heal you; notice how Jesus acted
God always wants to heal you – and your children. We know this from Jesus’ life and ministry.
We all know that Jesus healed people. What keeps Him from healing now? Some people do teach that healing is not for today, but what I read is that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Someone came to Jesus and said, I know you can, but will you. Jesus said, “I will.” (Mark 1:40-41)
Jesus went about doing good, healing people. In several places it says that “he healed them all.” Jesus is still the same.
Some people say, “Well, only one guy at the pool of Siloam got healed.” Fine, maybe so, but nowhere does it say that Jesus didn’t WANT to heal everyone else. Some people looked to the pool, the angel, the tradition, the brick temple. One person accepted healing from Jesus.
Even he had to be coaxed. “Do you want to be healed?” Jesus asked. Out from his mouth came a distraction: “I have no man to let me down into the water.” John 5: 7 Jesus said, “Rise, take up thy bed and walk.” V8
Perhaps no one else looked at Jesus. Perhaps no one else listened to Jesus. Perhaps he spoke to them and they turned away. We do know that this fellow heard obeyed Jesus. “And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked” v.9a We do not, absolutely do not have any stories of people coming to Jesus, looking to him for healing, asking for help and Him turning them away.
Jesus says to you today: “Do you want to be healed? He has made provision. He is present. He is powerful. He is willing. Look to him. Call to him. Are you by the pool at the temple? If he spoke to you, would you obey? Look to Jesus! Thank Him for his great work for you.
We all know that Jesus healed people. What keeps Him from healing now? Some people do teach that healing is not for today, but what I read is that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Someone came to Jesus and said, I know you can, but will you. Jesus said, “I will.” (Mark 1:40-41)
Jesus went about doing good, healing people. In several places it says that “he healed them all.” Jesus is still the same.
Some people say, “Well, only one guy at the pool of Siloam got healed.” Fine, maybe so, but nowhere does it say that Jesus didn’t WANT to heal everyone else. Some people looked to the pool, the angel, the tradition, the brick temple. One person accepted healing from Jesus.
Even he had to be coaxed. “Do you want to be healed?” Jesus asked. Out from his mouth came a distraction: “I have no man to let me down into the water.” John 5: 7 Jesus said, “Rise, take up thy bed and walk.” V8
Perhaps no one else looked at Jesus. Perhaps no one else listened to Jesus. Perhaps he spoke to them and they turned away. We do know that this fellow heard obeyed Jesus. “And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked” v.9a We do not, absolutely do not have any stories of people coming to Jesus, looking to him for healing, asking for help and Him turning them away.
Jesus says to you today: “Do you want to be healed? He has made provision. He is present. He is powerful. He is willing. Look to him. Call to him. Are you by the pool at the temple? If he spoke to you, would you obey? Look to Jesus! Thank Him for his great work for you.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
healing or handwashing?
An atheist or skeptic recently criticized Jesus, saying that better than doing miracles would have been teaching the people of his day to wash their hands. The atheist was thinking that a few lessons in hygiene might save more grief than a few miracles. What the skeptic did not know was that God had already told his people to wash their hands. Israelites in Jesus day did know to wash their hands, and did so, even if they did not know what a germ looked like. The skeptic also probably did not know how many people Jesus healed and probably did not really believe he did it all.
It is a reasonable question, however, whether some good hygiene lesson s might relieve some suffering. Indeed, washing hands is a good idea. No surprise then that God made it a custom of his people early on. From the beginning, God has guided His people toward the best way of living.
Today many of us hope in healing and supernatural protection. Thank God! In Christ we are healed, saved and protected.
In addition, God’s guidance on how to live will relieve much suffering.
Some would argue that one should confine oneself to either talking about God and healing and such things OR alternative lifestyle, nutrition, and innovative education. I see no reason to refrain from speaking the truth or from sharing what I know. I am a minister, a servant of God. So no one should suspect I speak as a medical doctor. I do teach and have served in a variety of positions in education. I am, however, a minister.
I speak that which I know. The text of the Bible and the world of the Spirit, I can speak confidently. Beyond that, I can say, these techniques I have used to good effect and those ideas , based in the best science and experience offers, seems to fit in and be worth your consideration.
I know that God wishes all our children to have great Shalom, well being. It is not God’s desire nor fault that our world is broken and the temporal is now less than ideal. My experience suggests that eating food like God created it is more healthful than much of what comes our of laboratories. It is my experience that faith and determination lead one not only to prayer but also to actions of encouragement and innovation. My observation and my instruction is that parents should take the teaching of their own children as a sacred trust and doing so results in the best harvest.
It is a reasonable question, however, whether some good hygiene lesson s might relieve some suffering. Indeed, washing hands is a good idea. No surprise then that God made it a custom of his people early on. From the beginning, God has guided His people toward the best way of living.
Today many of us hope in healing and supernatural protection. Thank God! In Christ we are healed, saved and protected.
In addition, God’s guidance on how to live will relieve much suffering.
Some would argue that one should confine oneself to either talking about God and healing and such things OR alternative lifestyle, nutrition, and innovative education. I see no reason to refrain from speaking the truth or from sharing what I know. I am a minister, a servant of God. So no one should suspect I speak as a medical doctor. I do teach and have served in a variety of positions in education. I am, however, a minister.
I speak that which I know. The text of the Bible and the world of the Spirit, I can speak confidently. Beyond that, I can say, these techniques I have used to good effect and those ideas , based in the best science and experience offers, seems to fit in and be worth your consideration.
I know that God wishes all our children to have great Shalom, well being. It is not God’s desire nor fault that our world is broken and the temporal is now less than ideal. My experience suggests that eating food like God created it is more healthful than much of what comes our of laboratories. It is my experience that faith and determination lead one not only to prayer but also to actions of encouragement and innovation. My observation and my instruction is that parents should take the teaching of their own children as a sacred trust and doing so results in the best harvest.
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