An Angel Priest Helps Woman Trapped in Car [Update: Priest found]

By now most people have heard the story on the news about the mysterious (actually, miraculous) appearing of an angel priest who helped a woman trapped in a car.

[Update: A commenter came along and mentioned the important fact that we need to test the spirits in order to see if they are from God or not. Of course, such a recommendation is biblical and I totally agree. As it turns out, the "mystery priest" has apparently been identified. Although he doesn't look like the sketch artist's version. Here is a link to a story about the priest: Nice Deb: Mystery Priest Identified.]

There are thousands of stories about it online, but here is one that I think contains a good summary of what happened:

The Stir - CafeMom: 'Angel Priest' Appears Out of Nowhere & Saves Woman Trapped in Car.

Excerpt:

According to everyone on the scene, the priest suddenly appeared just as the woman stuck in the car, Katie Lenz, began to feel life slipping away from her. He had anointing oil with him and bent over Katie and told her to relax. He said a prayer. She said a sense of utter calm came over her.

And then he turned to the firefighters on the scene and told them they would now be able to get her out. Chief Raymond Reed told KHQA-TV:

I can’t be for certain how it was said, but myself and another firefighter, we very plainly heard that we should remain calm, that our tools would now work, and that we would get her out of that vehicle.

That minute, a neighboring fire department arrived with the jaws of life and they were able to cut Katie from the car and free her.

Everyone turned to thank the priest but ... well, did you think he'd still be there? Of course not. Angels do their business and then move on.

Reportedly, the highway had been blocked for miles and there were no bystanders or parked cars near the accident.

Other explanation? A priest saw the blocked road, knew someone must be in trouble, and walked until he found it and did what he could to help.

BUT. This doesn't explain why no one has been able to find him. Apparently there are several Catholic churches in the area but the mystery priest has yet to reveal himself. Maybe he doesn't watch the news? Says Katie's friend, Travis Wiseman:

We're looking for the priest and so far, no one has seen him. Whether it was a priest as an angel or an actual angel, he was an angel to all those and to Katie.

Katie has several broken bones but hopes are high for her recovery. The driver of the other car has been charged with DWI and second degree assault.

Whether it were divine or human intervention, the fact remains: He was an angel. They exist!

*******

Hearing that the angel/priest had "anointing oil with him" reminded me of a post I did in the past regarding Psalm 23 and the verse that tells us, "Thou anointest my head with oil."

During that study on Psalm 23, I discovered what the anointing oil was all about.

Copy of previous post:

Keller (author of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23) goes on to discuss and describe the irritating and highly contagious disease called "scab," which is common to sheep the world over. He mentions how sheep tend to rub heads together in a friendly, affectionate manner. However, when one has the "scab," this terrible disease spreads easily from one to the other.

Keller writes:

In the Old Testament when it was declared that the sacrificial lambs should be without blemish, the thought uppermost in the writer's mind was that the animal should be free of scab. In a very real and direct sense scab is significant of contamination, of sin, of evil.

Again as with flies, the only effective antidote is to apply linseed oil, sulphur and other chemicals that can control this disease. In many sheep-rearing countries dips are built and the entire flock is put through the dip. Each animal is completely submerged in the solution until its entire body is soaked. The most difficult part to do is the head. The head has to be plunged under repeatedly to ensure that scab there will be controlled. Some sheep-men take great care to treat the head by hand.

[S]o I know precisely what David meant when he wrote, "Thou anointest my head with oil." Again it was the only antidote for scab. [Keller adds that an old remedy is olive oil, sulphur and spices.]

In the Christian life, most of our contamination by the world, by sin, by that which would defile and disease us spiritually comes through our minds. It is a case of mind meeting mind to transmit ideas, concepts and attitudes which may be damaging.

Often it is when we "get our heads together" with someone else who may not necessarily have the mind of Christ, that we come away imbued with concepts that are not Christian.

Our thoughts, our ideas, our emotions, our choices, our impulses, drives and desires are all shaped and molded through the exposure of our minds to other people's minds. In our modern era of mass communication, the danger of the "mass mind" grows increasingly grave. Young people in particular, whose minds are so malleable, find themselves being molded under the subtle pressures and impacts made on them by television, radio, magazines, newspapers, [Christine adds: the internet!] and fellow classmates, to say nothing of their parents and teachers.

Often the mass media which are largely responsible for shaping our minds are in the control of men whose characters are not Christ-like: who in some cases are actually anti-Christian.

One cannot be exposed to such contacts without coming away contaminated. The thought patterns of people are becoming increasingly abhorrent. Today we find more tendency to violence, hatred, prejudice, greed, cynicism and increasing disrespect for that which is noble, fine, pure or beautiful.

This is precisely the opposite of what Scripture teaches us. In Philippians 4:8 we are instructed emphatically in this matter, "...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things"! Here again, the only possible, practical path to attaining such a mind free of the world's contamination is to be conscious daily, hourly of the purging presence of God's Holy Spirit, applying Himself to my mind.

*******

It will be interesting to see how this woman's life is changed after this angelic appearance experience! 

Hat tip: The Stir - CafeMom

He Leads Me Beside The Still Waters

Whenever I speak with friends, neighbors and other Christian Conservatives about the scary results of the election and the "fiscal cliff" that our nation is headed towards, they express the worry and anxiety that we all are feeling.  It is especially troublesome to those of us who are paying attention to the corruption going on in our government and the turmoil around the world.

But Psalm 23 helps us throw our cares upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus told us that our frets are futile.

"You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it."  (Matthew 6:27).

We all know the bad results of worry.  Anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, heart trouble, headaches, and a host of stomach disorders.

So how to deal with anxiety?

I once read about a humorous story where a person decided to hire someone to do his worrying for him.  He found a man who agreed to be his hired worrier for the salary of $200,000 per year.  After the man accepted the job, his first question to his boss was, "Where are you going to get $200,000 per year?"  To which the man responded, "That's your worry."

Heh heh...of course "worrying" isn't a job that we can give to another person to handle for us!

David instructs us in Psalm 23:

"He leads me beside the still waters."

"He restores my soul."

"He leads me in the paths of righteousness."

God is leading us!  He tells us what we need to know when we need to know it!  How?  In His Word!

Hebrews 4:16 NLT says, "We will find grace to help us when we need it."

In another translation (NEB), it reads, "Let us therefore boldly approach the throne of our gracious God, where we may receive mercy and in his grace find timely help." 

Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psa 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You [are] with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell [fn] in the house of the LORD Forever.

NKJV Footnotes: (23:6) Following Septuagint, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate; Masoretic Text reads return.

God leads us.  God will do the right thing at the right time.  And what a difference that makes.

The 23rd Psalm

Psa 23:1 [[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.


Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.


Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.


Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.


Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.


Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Also read:

A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23

The God Who Shepherds Us

The God Who Invites Us to Rest

The God Who Guides Us

The God Who Is With Us

Fear and Trust?

If you watch the news on any given day, there appears to be a lot to be fearful about. I just heard that the jobless claims are at a 26 year high. When people lose their jobs, they understandably become fearful.

The question becomes, how can a person deal with anxiety? If we are honest, we all have experienced it at one time or another.

Max Lucado shares an idea in "Traveling Light":

You might try what one fellow did. He worried so much that he decided to hire someone to do his worrying for him. He found a man who agreed to be his hired worrier for a salary of $200,000 per year. After the man accepted the job, his first question to his boss was, "Where are you going to get $200,000 per year?" to which the man responded, "That's your worry."

Ha ha...wouldn't THAT be a dream come true! Pay someone to worry for you. Of course, "worry" is not something we can pay someone to do for us; however, you can overcome it. The shepherd's psalm informs us how:

"He leads me beside the still waters," David declares. And, in case we missed the point, he repeats the phrase in the next verse: "He leads me in the paths of righteousness."

Pssst! That's the secret...people.

Today, I woke up feeling far less anxious than I have been ever since the election. I was thinking that perhaps Obama won't end up being sworn in as POTUS because he might be involved in the Illinois governor scandal. However, after reading a post via Digg regarding how many of the articles are being scrubbed from the Internet that state that Obama met with Blago when Obama claimed he never did... I started thinking that NOTHING will prevent this guy from being our next president! No scandal is big enough to catch this "Teflon man." Well, read on to discover what allowed me to not worry so much about it anymore, and just "trust and do" as the Spurgeon devotional shares (below).

One more political detail.

Congress has passed a billions-of-dollars "bailout" bill, but the treasury secretary has not been under scrutiny to see that it is spent wisely. People that money IS OUR MONEY! TAXPAYERS MONEY! IS THIS RIGHT? IS THIS THE AMERICAN WAY? It certainly isn't the Democratic-REPUBLIC way!

The best idea that I have heard so far is from Republican Rep. Gohmert, who has suggested a two month "tax holiday" for every tax payer. Think about what people could do with some extra money! They can catch up on their mortgage payments. They can spend it for a new car. They can use it for medical coverage, college tuition, clothes, food etc. We could all give more to charities! I think Gohmert's idea would be a true boon for our struggling economy.

Granted, I am no economist but during Rep. Gohmert's interview with Bill Hemmer on Fox News this morning, he shared that giving the tax holiday to individual taxpayers would only cost one sixth of what the government usually takes in from the taxpayer payrolls. I think that the Federal Government needs to go on a budget for two months! They keep screaming for us taxpayers to do that!

Well, this post wasn't really going to be about all of that. I just wanted to share it before I get to the genuine point of this essay.

What I really wanted to share is another one of Spurgeon's gems entitled, "Trust and Do; Do and Trust." I think that this is what our Lord would want us to be doing any time crisis comes. Of course, it is easier said than done. However, when we trust in the Lord - during good times and bad times - the end result is often good.

In Max Lucado's "Traveling Light" book, chapter six discusses The Burden of Worry.

If you have missed any of my previous posts that include chapters of Lucado's book, you can click on them here:

I Will Fear No Evil

Hebrews urges us to do. "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:1-2 NKJV).

The writer of Hebrews was not a golfer, but he could have been a jogger, for he speaks of a runner and a forerunner. The forerunner is Jesus, the "author and finisher of our faith." He is the author - that is to say he wrote the book on salvation. And he is the finisher - he not only charted the map, he blazed the trail. He is the forerunner, and we are the runners. And we runners are urged to keep our eyes on Jesus.

[Note: Lucado describes his running experiences.]

[T]hings hurt. And as things hurt, I've learned that I have three options. Go home. Meditate on my hurts until I start imagining I'm having chest pains. Or I can keep running and watch the sun come up. My trail has just enough easterly bend to give me a front-row seat for God's morning miracle. If I watch God's world go from dark to golden, guess what? The same happens to my attitude. The pain passes and the joints loosen, and before I know it, the run is half over and life ain't half bad. Everything improves as I fix my eyes on the sun.

[Note from Christine: I have found that everything improves as I fix my eyes on the Son!]

Wasn't that the counsel of the Hebrew epistle - "looking unto Jesus"? What was the focus of David? "You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

Cumbersome Sack of Discontent

All that stuff - it's not yours. And you know what else about all that stuff? It's not you. Who you are has nothing to do with the clothes you wear or the car you drive. Jesus said, "Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot" (Luke 12:15 MSG). Heaven does not know you as the fellow with the nice suit or the woman with the big house or the kid with the new bike. Heaven knows your heart. "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7 NIV).

When God thinks of you, he may see your compassion, your devotion, your tenderness or quick mind, but he doesn't think of your things.

And when you think of you, you shouldn't either. Define yourself by your stuff, and you'll feel good when you have a lot and bad when you don't. Contentment comes when we can honestly say with Paul: "I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have....I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty" (Phil. 4:11-12).

He Restores Our Hope

It's a jungle out there.

And for some, even for many, hope is in short supply. Hopelessness is an odd bag. Unlike the others, it isn't full. It is empty, and its emptiness creates the burden. Unzip the top and examine all the pockets. Turn it upside down and shake it hard. The bag of hopelessness is painfully empty.

Not a very pretty picture, is it? Let's see if we can brighten it up. We've imagined the emotions of being lost; you think we can do the same with being rescued? What would it take to restore your hope? What would you need to re energize your journey?

Though the answers are abundant, three come quickly to mind.

The first would be a person. Not just any person. You don't need someone equally confused. You need someone who knows the way out.

And from him you need some vision. You need someone to lift your spirits. You need someone to look you in the face and say, "This isn't the end. Don't give up. There is a better place than this. And I'll lead you there."

And, perhaps most important, you need direction. If you have only a person but no renewed vision, all you have is company. If he has a vision but no direction, you have a dreamer for company. But if you have a person with direction --who can take you from this place to the right place--ah, then you have one who can restore your hope.

Or, to use David's words, "He restores my soul."

Our Shepherd majors in restoring hope to the soul. Whether you are a lamb lost on a craggy ledge or a city slicker alone in a deep jungle, everything changes when your rescuer appears.

So, what would God have us do in such circumstances as this? I think that C.H. Spurgeon provides a good answer:

Faith's Checkbook by C.H. Spurgeon
Thursday December 11, 2008
http://bible.christiansunite.com/devotionals.shtml


Trust and Do; Do and Trust

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. (Psalm 37:3)

Trust and do are words which go well together, in the order in which the Holy Spirit has placed them. We should have faith, and that faith should work. Trust in God sets us upon holy doing: we trust God for good, and then we do good. We do not sit still because we trust, but we arouse ourselves and expect the Lord to work through us and by us. It is not ours to worry and do evil but to trust and do good. We neither trust without doing nor do without trusting.

Adversaries would root us out if they could; but by trusting and doing we dwell in the land. We will not go into Egypt, but we will remain in Immanuel's land - the providence of God, the Canaan of covenant love. We are not so easily to be got rid of as the Lord's enemies suppose. They cannot thrust us out nor stamp us out: where God has given us a name and a place, there we abide.

But what about the supply of our necessities? The Lord has put a "verily" into this promise. As sure as God is true, His people shall be fed. It is theirs to trust and to do, and it is the Lord's to do according to their trust. If not fed by ravens, or fed by an Obadiah, or fed by a widow, yet they shall be fed somehow. Away, ye fears!


Lucado:

The triumph of Christ is not temporary. "Triumphant in Christ" is not an event or an occasion. It's not fleeting. To be triumphant in Christ is a lifestyle...a state of being! To triumph in Christ is not something we do, it's something we are.

Christ is the true Hope that we have in this brief life here on earth. Nothing else truly matters as much as salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord!

At the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished." Jesus did the work that God the Father sent him to do on this earth. He became the bridge of redemption between sinful man and holy God. All who confess of their sin, repent (means willingly turn away) of their sin, believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sin, and ask him into their hearts to live and reign within them through the power of the Holy Spirit, are His forever! There is nothing in this world that could ever be more triumphant than that! Nothing!

Lucado:

Here is the big difference between victory in Christ and victory in the world: A victor in the world rejoices over something he did --swimming the English Channel, climbing Everest, making a million. But the believer rejoices over who he is -- a child of God, a forgiven sinner, an heir of eternity. As the hymn goes, "Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood."

Nothing can separate us from our triumph in Christ. Nothing! Our triumph is based not upon our feelings but upon God's gift. Our triumph is based no upon our perfection but upon God's forgiveness. How precious is this triumph! For even though we are pressed on every side, the victory is still ours. Nothing can alter the loyalty of God.

Such triumph in Jesus Christ cannot be overcome by decisions and/or evil done in the world. Jesus told us:

Jhn 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Jesus warned us that we would have tribulation in this world. But despite such tribulation, we can be of good cheer because He has overcome the world!

I love God's Word! It is such an honest book! When one is born again in Christ, we receive the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Notice that within all of the good fruit, there is still one called "longsuffering."

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,


Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.


Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.


Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.


Outline of Biblical Usage for the term "longsuffering":

1) patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance

2) patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs

Greek: makrothumia

One day, at the proper time, Jesus will come back to avenge the wrongs in this world. He will judge the living and the dead.

I titled this post, "Fear and Trust." The kind of "fear" that born-again Christians have is reverence - reverence for God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Fearfulness is replaced with reverence for God because our faith and trust in Him is graciously, mercifully, and lovingly supplanted by the fact that He is always with us. He indwells our hearts and guides us towards choosing to follow the Holy Spirit's lead and do His will in our lives. And, no matter what happens here on this earth - when we die (at whatever age, place, event, or time that is) - we have the promise of being forever with the Lord.

Jhn 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Jhn 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.

Jesus keeps his promises!



Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:


Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:


Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

I Will Fear No Evil

For anyone who has been following the news over the past several months, there is certainly good reason to be worried - even frightened - about, and for, our nation. I probably don't need to list all of the anxieties currently concerning most Americans today. On top of those existing concerns, we also have the looming threat of another terrorist attack on our homeland.

Several of my friends have expressed their fear(s) to me. Some have even shared that the anxiousness, fears, and anxiety of their adult children has reached a breaking point. As Christians, what are we to say to them to help comfort and calm such fears?

First of all, we must recognize that their fears are real, genuine, and with good reason. Second, we can try to steer those fears into the right direction. This can be tough because we (you) are feeling the same exact fears!

Those of us who know Who holds the future, can go to our Bibles and find the answers and strength to keep working, watching and waiting for that great Day of Redemption.

However, those who may not know Jesus Christ (yet), or, have not made that born-again decision to confess their sin, repent of it, and ask Jesus to enter their hearts as Lord and Savior of their lives - do not have the same comfort and reassurance that believers own.

I want to recommend a book to read. It is one of Max Lucado's earliest books called, "Traveling Light." It is about the promise of Psalm 23. The subtitle reads, "Releasing the burdens you were never intended to bear."

Though the book often deals with difficult, real life situations, Lucado includes a lot of humor in his writings. However, the chapter on "fear" doesn't include much humor - but a lot of comfort and hope.

For such a time as this, I want to share most of that chapter with my readers here at Talk Wisdom.

In Christ our Lord,
Christine

*******

Chapter 12
From Panic to Peace
The Burden of Fear

I will fear no evil.

Psalm 23:4 NKJV

It's the expression of Jesus that puzzles us. We've never seen his face like this.
Jesus smiling, yes.
Jesus weeping, yes.
Jesus stern, even that.
But Jesus anguished? Cheeks streaked with tears? Face flooded in sweat? Rivulets of blood dripping from his chin? You remember the night.

Luk 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.


Luk 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.


Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,


Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.


Luk 22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.


Luk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.


The Bible I carried as a child contained a picture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. His face was soft, hands calmly folded as he knelt beside a rock and prayed. Jesus seemed peaceful. One reading of the Gospels disrupts that image. Mark says, "Jesus fell to the ground" (Mark 14:35). Matthew tells us Jesus was "very sad and troubled...to the point of death" (Matt. 26:37-38). According to Luke, Jesus was "full of pain" (Luke 22:44).

Equipped with those passages, how would you paint this scene? Jesus flat on the ground? Face in the dirt? Extended hands gripping grass? Body rising and falling with sobs? Face as twisted as the olive trees that surround him?

What do we do with this image of Jesus?

Simple. We turn to it when we look the same. We read it when we feel the same; we read it when we feel afraid. For isn't it likely that fear is one of the emotions Jesus felt? One might even argue that fear was the primary emotion. He saw something in the future so fierce, so foreboding that he begged for a change of plans. "Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering" (Luke 22:42).

What causes you to pray the same prayer?

[T]he source of your fear may seem small to others. But to you, it freezes your feet, makes your heart pound, and brings blood to your face. That's what happened to Jesus.

He was so afraid that he bled. Doctors describe this condition as hematidrosis. Severe anxiety causes the release of chemicals that break down the capillaries in the sweat glands. When this occurs, sweat comes out tinged with blood.

Jesus was more than anxious; he was afraid. Fear is worry's big brother. If worry is a burlap bag, fear is a trunk of concrete. It wouldn't budge.

[Note from Christine: I know, I know. Just keep reading. The comforting is coming!]

How remarkable that Jesus felt such fear. But how kind that he told us about it. We tend to do the opposite. Gloss over our fears. Cover them up. Keep our sweaty palms in our pockets, our nausea and dry mouths a secret. Not so with Jesus. We see no mask of strength. But we do hear a request for strength.

"Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering." The first one to hear his fear is his Father. He could have gone to his mother. He could have confided in his disciples. He could have assembled a prayer meeting. All would have been appropriate, but none were his priority. He went first to his Father.

Oh, how we tend to go everywhere else. First to the bar, to the counselor, to the self-help book or the friend next door. Not Jesus. The first one to hear his fear was his Father in heaven.

A millennium earlier David was urging the fear-filled to do the same. "I will fear no evil." How could David make such a claim? Because he knew where to look. "You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

Rather than turn to the other sheep, David turned to the Shepherd. Rather than stare at the problems, he stared at the rod and staff. Because he knew where to look, David was able to say, "I will fear no evil."

[Note: Lucado goes on to describe the fact that when hitting a golf ball, one does not focus on the trees ahead - but looks for the opening. It's good counsel for golf and in life. Rather than focus on the fear, focus on the solution.]

[T]hat's what Jesus did.
That's what David did.
And that's what the writer of Hebrews urges us to do. "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:1-2 NKJV).

The writer of Hebrews was not a golfer, but he could have been a jogger, for he speaks of a runner and a forerunner. The forerunner is Jesus, the "author and finisher of our faith." He is the author - that is to say he wrote the book on salvation. And he is the finisher - he not only charted the map, he blazed the trail. He is the forerunner, and we are the runners. And we runners are urged to keep our eyes on Jesus.

[Note: Lucado describes his running experiences.]

[T]hings hurt. And as things hurt, I've learned that I have three options. Go home. Meditate on my hurts until I start imagining I'm having chest pains. Or I can keep running and watch the sun come up. My trail has just enough easterly bend to give me a front-row seat for God's morning miracle. If I watch God's world go from dark to golden, guess what? The same happens to my attitude. The pain passes and the joints loosen, and before I know it, the run is half over and life ain't half bad. Everything improves as I fix my eyes on the sun.

[Note from Christine: I have found that everything improves as I fix my eyes on the Son!]

Wasn't that the counsel of the Hebrew epistle - "looking unto Jesus"? What was the focus of David? "You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

How did Jesus endure the terror of the crucifixion? He went first to the Father with his fears. He modeled the words of Psalm 56:3: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" (NLT).

Do the same with yours. Don't avoid life's Gardens of Gethsemane. Enter them. Just don't enter them alone. And while there, be honest. Pounding the ground is permitted. Tears are allowed. And if you sweat blood, you won't be the first. Do what Jesus did; open your heart.

And be specific. Jesus was. "Take this cup," he prayed. Give God the number of the flight. Tell him the length of the speech. Share the details of the job transfer. he has plenty of time. He also has plenty of compassion.

He doesn't think your fears are foolish or silly. He won't tell you to "buck up" or "get tough." He's been where you are. He knows how you feel.

And he knows what you need. That's why we punctuate our prayers as Jesus did. "If you are willing..."

Was God willing? Yes and no. He didn't take away the cross, but he took the fear. God didn't still the storm, but he calmed the sailor.

Who's to say he won't do the same for you?

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Phil. 4:6 NIV).

Don't measure the size of the mountain; talk to the One who can move it. Instead of carrying the world on your shoulders, talk to the One who holds the universe on his. Hope is a look away.

Now, what were you looking at?

*******
Reference source: Traveling Light by Max Lucado, 2001 W Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214. pp. 97-102

*******
To view my study notes taken during a Bible study on this book and Psalm 23, please see several posts, starting with The God Who Guides Us over at my other blog called The Way of God In Truth.

*******
Attention!
Announcing a new feature.

In order to keep up with the ongoing controversy surrounding Barack Obama's "natural born citizenship" status, court cases, information, news articles, new website discoveries, new blog posts and comments regarding this issue, I will place additional information and links at the bottom of my new blog posts each day.

The reason for doing this is so that you can keep up with the news without having to go back to previous posts (where I have been posting updates) and/or searching for new information in the comment sections of Talk Wisdom.

Obama's Citizenship Controversy Updates:


Some previous updates re-posted here:

Ultimately, December 1, 2008 and December 5, 2008 will be significant days concerning two lawsuits.

Please see Texas Darlin blog too. Check out the many posts on this topic.

As commenter "Ted" in the comment section of my previous blogpost said, you really should listen to this Blog Radio broadcast over at Political Pistachio: Why Is Obama's Birth Certificate Still An Issue? Why Does the Media Not Report on the Lawsuits Concerning the Issue?

Lastly, I discovered the following article today.

The Great Birth Certificate Scandal Cover Up Of The 2008 Election

*******

Update 11/23/08 @ 10:28 a.m. PT

If you want to see the absolute SMOKING GUN SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE that the Barack Hussein Obama birth certificate being passed off on the Internet as "real" on sites such as "Kos," "Factcheck.org," "Snopes," and "fight the smears" websites, please see the EXTENSIVE RESEARCH DONE BY RON POLARIK OVER AT HIS BLOG ON TOWNHALL.COM!

FYI: The page may take some time to load because it is filled with image comparisons that will demonstrate the PROOF that the Obama birth certificate is a FORGERY!

Additional Note: When you click on the link above, you will need to scroll down a bit to begin reading/viewing the post.

*******
NEW Update: 11/24/08 at 9:23 a.m. PT

Just found this message forum that has lots of information and links (including several that I have already posted at Talk Wisdom) about the Obama birth certificate controversy and the U.S. Supreme Court cases coming up in December:

U.S. Supreme Court to Review Challenge of Barack Obama’s Citizenship

*******
Update 11/24/08 at 11:04 a.m. PT:

Lots of new information and possible speculation over at Texas Darlin's blog in today's Open Thread

I want to point out that one commenter seems to think that the "Kenyan Ambassador admitting that Obama was born in Kenya" could be "misinformation." I haven't gotten over to the forum where this is being shared (apparently, it is a democratic forum against Obama), but I want to be honest with my readers when any doubts arise about anything that I have previously posted.

Usually when something is listed as "misinformation," it means that the rumor is being spread by the other side (namely, the Obama campaign) in order to discredit any legitimate information that is being shared by bloggers regarding the Obama citizenship questions and requests for proof of his vault-length COLB to be shown to a judge and/or the public.

Just a heads-up on that.

Again, it still may be a legitimate recording and the Obamabots want to place doubt in the minds of those reading and listening to the broadcast. But like I said before, I want to share whatever I find out and be open and honest in my postings about this issue.

Wow. After I got finished typing this update, I found this link in my email:

Barack Obama: The Naked Emperor

Glanced through it - it's LONG! Now I will go over and read it. [Note: I did notice that the author is a "Bush-hater." But I am posting it anyway because much of what is written about Obama and his campaign is very enlightening and shows how millions of Americans were duped into voting for this fraud!]

****Check back for any additional information and links found today.****

*******
Update @ 1:54 p.m. PT

FYI regarding Snopes.com

Many have suspected Snopes is bent towards liberalism.

*******
Update @ 2:04 p.m. PT

I have long suspected (and written about here - just type "Soros" in the search blog box) the evil financial manipulator, George Soros, is involved in our financial crisis. Read The new world devised by Maurice Strong and George Soros

Funny how the name of "Soros" keeps popping up in many of these Obama articles...

*******
Update @ 7:57 p.m. PT

A New Video by Dr. Ron Polarik which demonstrates that Obama's Birth Certificate being passed off as real on Factcheck.org (and other sites) IS A FORGERY!!

A Psalm for 9/11 and a Question

Psa 23:1 ¶ [[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.


Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.


Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.


Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.


Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.


Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

*******
While listening to the Glen Beck radio program, he asked the question:

Are you a 9/10/2001-er, 9/11/2001-er, or 9/12/2001-er?

It was interesting to note what Glen articulated this morning. He mentioned that he can't even remember where he was, what he did, who he saw, or anything else that happened on 9/10/2001. However, he remembers exactly where he was, what he heard, when he heard it, what his reaction was, who he was with, what range of feelings went through his heart and mind, and how he felt on that fateful day of 9/11/2001.

I can too! Quite vividly, in fact.

I'm sure this is true for almost everyone.

Even though I can't remember such details about last Thursday, I can remember many, many details about that horrific day.

Glen went on to say that he can also remember how he felt and what he did on 9/12/2001.

Can you?

I still can!

It was a range of emotions that I will never forget. I can still picture the scene at the church when two friends and I attended a special service to pray, mourn, cry, repent, and begin to heal.

During his monologue, Glen pointed out that many in our government still live and act with the same mentality that they had before the terrorist attacks on that fateful day. That was probably the most judgmental opinion he shared.

He isn't the only one to do so.

If anyone watched C-Span this morning, the callers were quite varied on their opinions about (and for many - absolute contempt for) our government, too.

As usual, American opinions run the gamut - even seven years later.

I want to encourage people to speak their minds on this topic. I know that can be dangerous, because harsh opinions and comments are bound to be shared. Please try to keep your comments civil.

Glen was much more general and less judgmental when he stated something similar to the fact that 'others live their lives in the tragedy of that day - whatever that means to each individual.'

Still others, he stated, 'live in the 9/12/2001 mentality' - which, again, can mean different things to different people.

How do you live?

Where (emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually speaking) do you live today?

Are you a 9/10/2001-er, 9/11/2001-er, or 9/12/2001-er?

What does that mean to you, personally?

*******
Former related posts with additional links:

Remembering September 11, 2001

9/11 Survivor Sense of Urgency to Share Gospel