What the Bible says about light and seed
The Good Seed and the Weeds “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seeds in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.” Matthew 13:24,25.
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Sunday, December 8, 2024
JS BACH - AIR ON THE G STRING - WHITWORTH HALL ORGAN - THE UNIVERSITY OF...
Note from the author
Overwhelmed by the magnificent grandeur of the Lord God, but protected by his strong arm. This is how I feel when I am surrounded by Johann Sebastian Bach´s music especially when it´s played on a great organ.
The Reports of the Spies …32So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land that they had spied out: “The land we explored devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw there are great in stature. 33We even saw the Nephilim there— the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!” Numbers 13:33
Of course, they had not yet read what Isaiah said about how scary giants looked in God´s sight from his celestial throne. …
21Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the foundation of the earth? 22He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless.…Isaiah 40:22
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Sunday, December 1, 2024
Finish What you Started Part 2
Written and Published by Jean-Louis Mondon
I finally got to it after much hesitation. Can you guess why?
This sequel might as well been entitled “7 years later”. It seems that my personal clock is set on big moves that alter my life drastically, not always tragically but certainly in a way that expands my horizon and bring new breadth and the chance to start a fresh new beginning, to learn new useful skills that help me navigate this tough and dangerous world. I wonder how I was able to survive until now if it had not been for the love of God and his providential hand.
1995 was rough year for me personally. My mother living in France had an accident in her apartment and needed to be under care in a retirement home. I felt bad to let my elder brother who took care of her since she was living in Montpellier in Southern France and he in Paris.
When I was in a catholic boarding school at the tender age of seven, I didn´t miss one occasion to thank my mother profusely for all the dedication and loving care she showed us four boys. So I could not wait for Mother´s day to come so I could prepare a nice card to prove that I was capable of showing the filial gratitude that I genuily felt for all the years of being away from my family. Especially missing the times we did to spend together as often as we could to make up for all months we were apart.
One of the Leit Motiv in my life was my desire to show her all the love I could express when I was writing the cards so as to seal forever in my mind why I sounded so melodramatic at the anticipationI imagined she was feeling when she would read the forever promises of eternal gratitude and love a 7 year old could muster to compensate for all the bad behavior he showed while back home and the bad grades he brought to display the lack of gratitude in exchange for all the wonderful things my parents did for me and my brothers.
I could not understand all the reasons they had to keep us separated from the country we loved, from our friends, at that precious young age when one still has not yet formed the undertanding that comes with the maturaity and wisdom acquired later in life when adults expect that someone else will teach learn young boys and girls have to deal with their rough and tough environment. A heavy load of guilt added to the psychological problems and melancholy nature that had built up along my formative years.
I just could not understand why my parents sent me to a foreign land across the sea where I felt rejected by my peers and the very religious figures that were supposed to show me the love of Jesus and the exemple of a life dedicated to service of God and other needy people around the world. I had to be confronted by the severe and real lessons of life that can make or brake the most basic relationships.
A young heart and mind are not prepared to fight back and stop the bullies of this world. That was the conclusion I had reached when confronted with the pain and suffering that was my lot in life. It pushed me to become sulky, rancourous and vengeful in times of despair and with the inability to control my reactions.
So here it is after many years of learning, trying and failing again. In spite of the rough terrain in front of us, I can see that there is hope in this world for those who while being afraid of the unknown can trust in God and know deep inside that there is redemption for the human race and life in a wonderful dimension that is awaitng us that will surprise us with more than we can imagine or dream of as the Word of God says.
All we need is to share the deep and durable lessons we have learned in this life that we experienced so we may pass it on to someone who need a touch from the living God as he has graciously brought us in contact in the most miraculous way, even if at the itme we didn´t even think that it would be possible because we did not think ourself worthy of such love.
Help from above
One of the most helpful passages in the Old Testament is found in Joshua 3:5. “ But keep a distance of about two thousand cubit between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.” This seemed very paradoxical to me! You might ask: How can a man know his way if he has never been there before?
This is the wonderful work of our gracious God and Father. his Son Jesus Christ through the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit.
Our Adequacy from God
Definition of adequacy: Adequacy is the state of being sufficient for the purpose concerned. The meaning doesn't suggest abundance or excellence, or even more than what is absolutely necessary. Adequacy is simply the state of sufficiency.
Jesus said to Paul:Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.…2 Corinthians 12:9.
Such confidence before God is ours through Christ. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God. 6And
He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter
but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.…2 Corinthians 3:5.
The only person that keeps you from taking the first step of faith toward being a new creation with a new abundant life is yourself. But there is hope.
Hope
"1
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,
and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his
neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased
not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that
reproached thee fell on me. 4 For
whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience
and comfort
of the scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:1-4.
Hope is what you and everyone needs.
Faith
The
Faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah
…5By faith Enoch was taken up so
that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had
taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one
who pleased God. 6And
without faith
it is impossible to
please God, because
anyone who
approaches Him
must believe
that He
exists and that
He rewards those
who earnestly seek
Him.
7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear
built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and
became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 11:6.
So my friends, here we are. Will you seek him while you can? Fear, shame and guilt are the real enemies of your soul keeping you prisoners unable to free yourself from their grip. It´s up to you.
Nobody else can make that decision for you.
Finish What you Started Part 3
Written and published by Jean-Louis Mondon
This is my testimony of one of the experiences with my Heavenly Father´s provisions that he promised to keep in our time of need. After all one of his “names” is “Jehovah Rafah” God our Provider.
I had the blessing and privilege of translating several books, articles and booklets from English to French for a christian creation ministry. It was a gift from God to be involved in such a task that was going to share the truth of the Gospel of Grace with the french speaking countries fulfiling my desire to help with missionary services around the world when I came to the USAs in 1965.
It was around 1997 when this story took place. I had already been translating 2 books and divers booklets for a year. While I had finished one half of the third book I was working on, I received a letter telling me to stop working on the translation because the ministry had run out of money alloted to the language translation department.
I was disappointed and was left with questions about how to proceed. I felt that it was my duty to finish the book and that God would provide a way for me to complete the task.
Waiting patiently with faith in silence
So I waited until I would hear from the Lord what to do.
About that time as I was finishing the Pauline epistle of Colossians, my mind still waiting for an answer from God, I read the following:
After this letter has been read among you, make sure that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea. 17 Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.” 18This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.… Colossians 4:17
The answer comes
Here was the answer I had been waiting for. I love these little and big surprises from our Heavenly Father who rewards his expectant children an who keeps his promises. Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him and His recompense accompanies Him. 11He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.… Isaiah 40:10
Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.” 12 I am coming and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”… Revelation 22:12
I believe the emphasis here is “according to what he has done”. Can we imagine an omnipotent creator God who just thought of, imagined and talked about creating the universe out of nothing but never achieved what he had set out to do.
To do or not to do, When what we do shows who we are.
… So
they answered, “We do not know.” And Jesus replied, “Neither
will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 28But
what do
you think?
There was a man who
had two sons.
He
went to the
first one and
said, ‘Son,
go and
work today in
the vineyard.’
29‘I will not,’
he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.… Matthew
21:27-29
James
1:22-25
Be doers
of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving
yourselves. / For
anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who
looks at his face in a mirror, / and after observing himself goes
away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ...
Some
time passed and one day, I got a financial windfall that was welcome
at a time when the family budget was tight. I had counted on the
extra income from my translation to keep afloat.
Here was the expected answer to my quandary. I wrote the ministry to ask them if I could continue to translate and finish the book at my own expense as a gift to them which they gladly accepted.
Our God has creative ways of finding solutions to our problems that turn difficulties into blessings. This is one of the reasons why christians are grateful for life and God´s impartiality who makes rain fall on the unjust as on the just.
We christians are blessed to understand some of the ways of God as Psalm 25 declares: Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. 5Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation;
All day long I wait for You.14The LORD confides in those who fear Him,and reveals His covenant to them. 15My eyes are always on the LORD,for He will free my feet from the mesh.
In conclusion
to those who make resolutions for the New Year, here is a suggestion: try your hardest to keep your word and act on what you say you will do, test to see that God is good, that he is faithful, that his promises are sure and his Word is true.
18 “I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ And 20To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.…” Philippians 4:19
Wonderful blessings on your life.
Jean-Louis.
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Finish what you started Part 1
Finish what you started Part I
Now, this is not wallowing in self-pity on my part, I just wanted to set the stage for demonstrate the extraordinary saving power of Jesus-Christ through love, mercy and grace He has for anyone who knows he or she is soul-sick, lost, hopeless and helpless with no way out and no one to turn to, but in a last act of desperation turns to the God that unbeknownst to him/her was faithfully and patiently waiting for the child to acknowledge his/her lost condition and come home to his real, loving Heavenly Father.
The Lord completed the mission His Father entrusted Him obeying Him even though He knew what agony and torture He would have to bear on our behalf. In John 10:17, Jesus declares: The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”…
If
the Lord obeyed His Father in all things, should we not do our best to
obey Him if he commands us to perform a servant´s duty that he has
made us adequate to fulfill, gifting and empowering us to do. After
all, the Word says that we are His disciples if we keep His
teachings. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you
hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then
you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John
8:31,32.
Monday, November 25, 2024
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Friday, November 22, 2024
Friday, November 15, 2024
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
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La Petite Agnelle Égarée. Leçons de l´Aire de Battage.
Publiée par Jean-Louis Mondon
Édition Originale en Anglais: Friday, December 7, 2007
Cher
lecteur, si tu ne connais pas encore le Seigneur Jesus voici ton
invitation personnelle. Si tu cherches ton chemin, si tu
te sens accablé et à bout de forces continuant de lutter en vain, écoutes la
voix de sagesse de l´Esprit Saint de Dieu qui t'appelle pour te donner la vie éternelle. Simplement,
demande-lui de t'aider et il te repondra.
"Venez à moi, vous
tous qui êtes fatigués et chargés, et je vous donnerai du repos. 29
Prenez mon joug sur vous et recevez mes instructions, car je suis doux
et humble de cœur ; et vous trouverez du repos pour vos âmes.30 Car mon
joug est doux, et mon fardeau léger". Matthieu 11:28-30
"Jésus leur répondit :
Ma doctrine n’est pas de moi, mais de celui qui m’a envoyé.17 Si
quelqu’un veut faire sa volonté, il connaîtra si ma doctrine est de
Dieu, ou si je parle de mon chef.18 Celui qui parle de son chef cherche
sa propre gloire ; mais celui qui cherche la gloire de celui qui l’a
envoyé, celui–là est vrai, et il n’y a point d’injustice en lui". Jean
7:16-18.
Préambule: Histoire d´un Berger Contemporain.
Bê…bê…bê!
Ce bêlement à déchirer le cœur fit sursauter le jeune berger à moitié
assoupi sur l’herbe du talus d’où il avait l'habitude de garder l’œil
sur les chèvres et les moutons à la ferme de son frère ainé. Encore
plongé dans ses rêveries coutumières, il se redressa et jeta un regard
inquiet jusqu’au bas des pâturages clôturés pour séparer les chèvres des
moutons. Le troupeau de moutons formait de petits groupes, certains
reposant paisiblement sur l’herbe, d’autres avalant encore une dernière
bouchée avant de joindre les autres pour ruminer. Il n’arrivait pas à
localiser exactement l’endroit d’où le bêlement d’agneau venait, mais il
pouvait percevoir que le signal de détresse provenait du bocage à la
lisière de la forêt.
Alors qu’il se dirigeait en courant vers les cris incessants, d’une
intensité poignante, ses pensées retournèrent à l’aube de ce matin d’été
quand l’automne précédent, vers les six heures du matin, il avait été
réveillé en sursaut par un concert effroyable d’appels au secours qui ne
pouvaient signifier qu’une chose. Les chèvres qui passaient les nuits
chaudes dehors se trouvaient dans un danger dont il ne connaissait ni
l’origine, ni la gravité. Une fois la barrière levée, il avait découvert
plusieurs chèvres avec la gorge ensanglantée non loin de la protection
de l’étable qu’elles avaient essayé d’atteindre, trébuchant à cause de
leur faiblesse, sur le sentier rempli de mares de sang éparpillées.
Il
n’en croyait pas ses yeux, ses chèvres favorites, bien qu’ils les
connaissaient toutes par leur nom et leur personnalité, remontaient la
pente hors d’haleine, apparemment essayant d’échapper à un sinistre
encore inconnu. Il conclut qu’il ne pouvait s’agir que d’une chose, à en
voir les blessures à la gorge de ses doux animaux. C’était la signature
incontestable d’un loup ou d’un chien sauvage qui avait sauté la
clôture et qui avait semé la panique dans le troupeau. Celles qui ne
présentaient aucune blessure avaient de fortes cornes dont elles
s’étaient servies pour se défendre.
Hélas, comme il s’approchait de la barrière entrouverte par la pression
du troupeau effrayé, il avait eu beaucoup de peine à refouler les larmes
lorsqu’il comprit la raison de ce carnage. Trois chiens dont l’un était
son propre berger allemand mixte courraient encore après les pauvres
chèvres qui tournaient à l’intérieur du périmètre de la clôture sans
pouvoir trouver la sortie. Effrayées, épuisées, elles tombaient l’une
après l’autre sous les dents acérées des gros chiens tout en laissant
échapper de leur cou déchiré et éparpillant sur la prairie des flots de
sang giclant dans toute les directions, dans l’air frais du petit matin.
Une colère soudaine s’était emparée de lui et sans même réfléchir, il
avait commencé à ramasser toutes les pierres qu’il pouvait trouver et
comme il était bon tireur, entrainé dans son pays natal à viser des
boites de conserves, il atteint les chiens qui commencèrent à se
retourner contre lui d’un air menaçant. Il décidait alors de repousser
les prédateurs avec le bâton qu’il avait emmené avec lui. Finalement
voyant que les survivantes s’étaient enfuies, les deux chiens méchants
avaient de nouveau sauté la clôture et avaient disparu. En tout, sept
chèvres étaient mortes et de nombreuses autres blessées.
Plus tard, dans la journée il avait posé des pièges à loup avec de la
viande fraiche pour attirer et capturer les rottweilers qui s’étaient
échappés de la maison de leur propriétaire et qui courraient la campagne
depuis trois jours en quête de nourriture.
Effroi, Détresse et Poursuite
La réalité de cet horrible incident était encore bien présente dans son
esprit, mais heureusement, il se calma immédiatement car le troupeau ne
présentait aucun signe de danger imminent. Sa seule inquiétude venait
des bêlements désespérés de la petite agnelle qu’il aperçut dans un coin
de la clôture. Jetant un regard autour de lui, il ne put discerner
aucun danger visible. Et pourtant, au lieu d’être rassuré par sa
présence, la pauvre petite agnelle continuait à pousser des cris de
détresse. Il raisonna alors qu’elle était en train d’appeler sa maman.
Mais, fait bizarre, rien ni personne ne l’empêchait de rejoindre le
troupeau. Elle aurait pu être guidée par les bêlements émis par le reste
des moutons, en écho répondant aux siens.
Quand le berger s’approchait d’elle, elle se mettait à sauter et à se sauver
dans la direction contraire. Ce qui l’entraina dans une chasse
totalement futile car à chaque fois qu’il essayait de lui courir après
pour l’attraper, la petite agnelle bondissait et lui échappait. Comme il
n’avait pas grand-chose d’autre à faire, il essaya plusieurs fois dans
l’après midi de la poursuivre et de la capturer, mais en vain. La nuit
venue, les chèvres et les moutons rentrèrent à la bergerie, mais la
petite agnelle têtue comme une mule refusait toujours de rejoindre le
gros du troupeau et passa la nuit dehors à bêler de toutes ses forces
pour appeler à l’aide.
Ce manège dura trois jours entiers. De temps en temps, le jeune berger
essayait de parler gentiment et doucement à sa petite agnelle pour
gagner sa confiance, mais celle-ci, opiniâtre, refusait l’aide dont elle
avait tant besoin. Et pourtant, il aimait tous ses animaux et il avait
décidé qu’il la ramènerait au bercail quoi qu’il lui en coûte. La seule
chose qu’il ne parvenait pas à comprendre, c’était que son frère ainé
lui avait délégué la responsabilité de ramener l’agnelle sans demander
de l’aide aux voisins ou aux enfants. Peut-être raisonnait-il que
puisqu’elle allait être vendue ou mise au congélateur dans quelques
semaines, elle se lasserait après quelques jours et trouverait le chemin
du retour par elle-même. Pourquoi perdre son temps et se fatiguer pour
un bête si obstinée ?
Le jeune berger qui aimait trouver une solution à tous ses problèmes
décida qu’il ne serait satisfait qu’avec le retour de l’agnelle auprès
de sa mère.
L’après-midi du troisième jour, il eut une idée qui lui parut géniale.
Il puisa dans le stock de souvenirs de sa jeunesse plusieurs épisodes de
dessins animés dans lesquels le héro ou le vilain essayent de
s’échapper lors d’une poursuite Vous devez bien connaître ce dont je
parle. Alors qu’ils sont en pleine chute libre après s’être jetés du
haut d’une haute falaise, ils continuent à courir les jambes dans le
vide comme s’ils avaient un point d’appui sur la terre ferme.
Evidemment, dans ce temps-là, la scène était très comique, mais ce
simple retour en enfance lui fournit une idée sérieuse. Il commença à
élaborer un plan de sauvetage qui mettrait fin à cette interruption de
sa vie monotone.
Profitant de ce que l’agnelle était coincée dans un coin marécageux au
bas du pâturage, il décida que c’était le moment propice pour mettre son
plan en action. Lui faisant face et agitant ses bras pour qu’elle
commence à courir dans sa direction, il se rapprochait pas à pas dans la
boue qui lui montait jusqu'au bas su mollet. La petite agnelle figée de
peur, se préparait à faire un bond et juste au moment où elle se
lançait dans l’air, le petit berger se laissa tomber, le dos dans la
boue tout en recevant dans ses bras l’agnelle qui, au même moment,
essayait de courir en battant l’air de ses courtes pattes sans aucun
appui ferme, comme dans les dessins animés de sa jeunesse. Elle, toute
éberluée se trouvait prise au piège dans les bras protecteurs du berger
qui éclatait d’un rire interminable et poussait des cris de joie et de
victoire, alertant le reste de la famille qui se demandaient ce qui
avait bien pu arriver.
Il
va sans dire qu’il était rempli de boue malodorante du haut en bas,
mais cela ne semblait pas du tout le déranger car il avait mené à bien
le travail qui lui avait été confié par son grand frère. Ne lâchant pas
prise, il se releva, prit l’agnelle pas les pattes et la reposa sur ses
épaules autour de son cou en lui parlant tendrement et en la tançant
gentiment.
Retour au troupeau
Finalement, un crépuscule glorieux marqua les joyeuses retrouvailles de la petite agnelle et de sa mère contente de voir que sa progéniture n’avait pas oublié pendant ces trois jours de fugue comment s’alimenter à la mamelle maternelle.
"Tu es un asile pour moi, tu me garantis de la détresse, Tu m’entoures de chants de délivrance. Je t’instruirai et te montrerai la voie que tu dois suivre ; Je te conseillerai, j’aurai le regard sur toi.9 Ne soyez pas comme un cheval ou un mulet sans intelligence ; On les bride avec un frein et un mors, dont on les pare, Afin qu’ils ne s’approchent point de toi.10 Beaucoup de douleurs sont la part du méchant, Mais celui qui se confie en l’Eternel est environné de sa grâce". Psaulme 32:7-10
Is Spiritual Warfare of "Binding a Territorial spirit" Biblical? Dave Hunt.
Friday, November 1, 2024
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Monday, October 21, 2024
Friday, October 18, 2024
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
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Thursday, October 10, 2024
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Friday, September 27, 2024
Beyond the Veil - The Inescapable Curtain
From the Music House Dale City FL
Dedicated to my dear friend Richard Harrison
The Inescapable Curtain
1The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil. 2Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death.…Isaiah 57:1,2.
Memories collected
And the steps of the dance
Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16
For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall" I Peter 1:24 New International Version (©1984)
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Sunday, September 22, 2024
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Thursday, September 12, 2024
Emotional Amputees Part 1 of 3.
Written and Published by Jean-Louis Mondon
Our physical senses are designed in such a way that the signals they provide help us in gathering information to apprehend the world around us and to function in it.
On the physiological and neurological level, it is a well documented phenomenon that if a limb or a finger is amputated, the amputee can feel physical pain outside his body where there was and now is no more member. A friend of mine and I were having a conversation related to the subject. He was in a car accident that caused both his legs to be amputated a little below the hip. He acknowledged feeling the pain although his legs were no longer physically present. So I am not making this up.
Phantom limb pain is pain that you feel in the part of a limb that was removed after an amputation.
It might seem unusual to feel pain in an area of your body that doesn't
exist anymore, but the pain you feel is real. Phantom limb pain ranges
from mild to severe and can last for seconds, hours, days or longer. Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12092-phantom-limb-pain
Could it be the same way on the emotional, psychical (soul) level? Sometimes the same thing can happen in the dissolution of a marriage relationship through separation or divorce. It could also happen through the end of a long friendship in which we have felt betrayed and disappointed. Or in the loss of a loved one, a family member, or simply a dear intimate best friend through death or separation because of life’s contingencies.
The pain we feel is real because so much of ourselves had been invested in that person at different levels of intimacy. The association between the person, the intimacy and the pain is present because of the chemical/electrical impulses in our brain that stimulate the cerebral cortex every time we think of the person or an event associated with the person.
The Lord can heal the physical part if physical harm has taken place through prayer or the intervention of a doctor. We can grieve and time lessens the pain, but if the person has not learnt to disassociate (with time and through repeated efforts) the memory in the past triggering the painful reaction in the present, emotional bondage can occur preventing us from moving forwards with our lives and crippling us emotionally, making us unable to love again, giving of ourselves again and taking risks again in relationships because of the fear of being abandoned, hurt or rejected again.
Is it possible to be free of our guilt feelings, of our sense of being unforgiven or unforgiving in the case of abandonment or betrayal? Is it possible to be aware and defeat any of the other tricks Satan uses to keep us in emotional bondage? Indeed, it is. Everything is possible with the Lord.
Jesus talking about Himself as the door in John 10:9-10 declares: I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he shall be saved and shall go In and Out and find pastures.
Right after that He says: The thief, our enemy comes only to steal, kill and destroy (all the good that God creates and gives His children). I came that you might have life and might have it more abundantly.
A person in emotional bondage and crippled by traumatic past experiences find it very difficult if not impossible to give and receive love and expressions of love, to go in and out so to speak. They can pretend to appear emotionally healthy and try to prevent further rejection, but this only serves to aggravate the condition.
If we acknowledge our condition truthfully the Lord will help us. In Psalms 34: 15, 18 David declares:
The eyes of the Lord are towards the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit.
So the invisible parts that have been cut out from us through the breaking off the relationship are similar to the physical amputation. But one must resist the temptation of placing blame on the offending party for having been cut up and been robbed emotionally once we have forgiven, because if not, we just place ourselves into a jail of our own making. Jesus asked us to forgive. Do you remember that He also said to pluck our eye out if it offends us or to cut our hand off if it offends us? I believe He was talking about a spiritual operation performed by the Holy Spirit when we recognize our inability to do God's will without His strength and help. Same Psalm verse 27: "You save the humble, but bring low those whose eyes are haughty."
If we humble ourselves, stop being proud, that is, (haughty eyes), self-sufficient and independent and focus our eyes on the Lord, by the power of His Holy Spirit, He will answer our humble request and give us a pure, undivided heart, one that will be attentive to His voice. This is why it's so important to put on and keep the helmet of salvation on. Salvation in Hebrew or Greek means more than just being born again, it means health, being made whole, being unfragmented, and being one in mind, body, Spirit and soul. (This is the way I felt for the first time in my life when I was 22 and the Holy Spirit came and literally washed me clean of my sin with His Light). You are welcome to visit my blog at https://thelightseed.blogspot.com to read and hear the audio book, an alegorical story titled “The Joshua Tree", a Desert Parable" that digs deeper into such subject.
Psalm 43:3 says: "Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me". The other essential part of the armor is the belt of truth.
The truth of the Word without the Spirit to illuminate it is without effect upon the human hearts and minds. Both go together, just as truth and love go together in our protection. (Ps 40:11). Without the light, we can’t see the truth. Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and the light.
Without the way, there is no going anywhere, without the truth there is no knowing the way, and without the light there is no seeing either the truth or the way.
If we believe Jesus and live (walk) in the light as He is in the light, I John 1:7 says: “we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son purifies us from all sin”. He will open our eyes, the eyes of faith and allow us to see clearly the Truth and the Way and we will not need to walk by natural human sight.
Back to the earlier reference of the symbolic cutting of the hand and the eye; notice that He specifically mentions one eye and one hand. We have two eyes and two hands, but one heart which to me means that when our heart is undivided, (not torn between two things, peoples or events, past and present, faith and doubts, yes and no. on one hand, but then on the other hand, etc), when it is focused on the Lord, our eye (singular) will be full of light.
Matthew 6:2:." the light of the body is the eye, if therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light”. Our eyes can focus only on one thing at a time. Talking about the evil of the tongue, James uses a appropriate illustration in James 3:10: "Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing.... Can both fresh water and salt water come from the same spring? ...Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."
Psalm 18: 28 declares: You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning, My God turns my darkness into light”
Again, in James 1:5: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously without finding fault and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like the water of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord, he is a double-minded man, unstable in all that he does” This word double-minded means having two breaths, doubting, wavering. Now let’s contrast this attitude with Abraham’s faith in Hebrews 11:11: By faith, Abraham when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went even though he didn’t know where he was going”.
I love this passage in Isaiah, which describes so well the one who in his ignorant condition seeks the light of God and the other one who seeks his own enlightenment because he is proud and independent.
In chapter 50: 10- 11 the LORD says: (Could this passage be applied in contrasting the true light and the counterfeit lights of humanistic psychology, psychiatry and new age teaching about love and light, occult healing therapies)?
"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant, Let him who walks in the dark who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. But now all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, Go; walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze, this is what you shall receive from my hand; You will lie down in torment".
The Bible teaches us to find out what is pleasing to God. Hebrews 11:6 declares: Without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
My prayer for us is that we will seek earnestly His will, that our faith will be increased, that the Lord will open our eyes to see, our hears to ear, our heart to receive, and that once we have seen, heard and received, we will have the strength to obey because faith must necessarily lead to obedience.
Jean-Louis