Every Believer a Healing Evangelist workshop by William DeArteaga

Art Scan 1, 4/18/09, 11:30 PM, 16C, 3750x4577 (0+330), 100%, Custom, 1/8 s, R14.4, G9.0, B43.6

Jesus authorizes believers to heal the sick.  Every believer has a measure of healing power. Use it.             https://plus.google.com/102125760746467449169

Healing Workshop offered   by Anglican priest William DeArteaga:  Memo: “Every Believer a Healing Evangelist”

This workshop aims at motivating and equipping every born-again Believer to appropriate his/her authority in Christ as a healing and evangelical agent for the Kingdom of God. The key scripture is Luke 10:8-9 where it is clear that healing is a doorway to proclaiming the Gospel.

Luke 10:8-9 New International Version (NIV)

“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.  Heal the sick who are there and tell them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”

The sad situation is that most churches, including Pentecostal and charismatic congregations, limit the healing ministry to trained intercessors. This is somewhat effective, but it also obscures the authority and healing ability of many lay persons.

This workshop aims as demonstrating that every Believer in Jesus Christ has a measure of healing power, and some even extraordinary anointing in this ministry. It is a supplement, not a replacement to trained intercessors who may have advanced training in inner healing and deliverance ministries.

The course is based on the pioneer work of Charles and Francis Hunter, a Pentecostal couple who in the 1980s made popular the biblical fact that

in the New Testament there are no petition prayers for healing. All healing prayer is done in the command mode.

Sequence of teachings and exercises:

The first segment:  We go over the biblical basis for command healing and also discusses the “energies of God” for healing that are transmitted via the laying on of hands. The participants are  divided into prayer groups of three or four for the workshop exercises.

Exercise # 1:

The prayer groups practice and experience the distinction of praying in petition for healing and then praying in command by each one praying for a sickness or medical condition of the others in the group, or a proxy person.

The second segment:  This teaches about the energies of God as transmitted via the believer’s hands, and modeled on Luke 5:12-14, where touch and command are employed at the same time.

This section shows that healing prayer must often be repeated as in Mark 8: 23-25.  Also 1 Cor 12: 9 defines the gifts (plural) of healing and different persons have different anointing for various illness or situations. Thus repeated prayers over one person expose that person to various levels of anointing and persevering prayer which is the key to battling serious disease.

Exercise #2:

Prayer group practices laying on of hands while saying words of command for healing. Repeating prayers and laying on of hands is encouraged. This accustoms the participant to the idea of repeatedly praying for a medical situation until it is much improved or completely healed.

The third segment:  This teaches the Hunter method as applied to adjusting the backbone. This is really chiropractic theory in a Christian setting, and using the energies of God via the laying on of hands. It is not specifically biblical (you don’t see Jesus extending legs and arms for healing in the NT, but it has been used in Pentecostal healers since the 1920s).  This mode of healing prayer falls under the rubric of “Testing all things,” 1 Thess 5:21. It not only works quickly and effectively for all sort of back problems, but for imparting the energies of God into diseased organs.

Exercise # 3

This is a series of exercises in which the prayer groups practice and prays using the arm extension, leg extensions, etc. that make up the Hunter method.  This takes an hour or so. Incorporated into this segment is information on using the various extensions for specific diseases other than back healing.

The fourth segment: This deals with the relationship of the gifts of the Spirit and healing prayer. Although healing and deliverance are pre-{Pentecostal gifts, they are enhanced by the gifts of the Spirit.

Exercise # 4:

This exercise is modeled after the experience the Mrs. Agnes Sanford had in receiving the gifts of the Spirit. She and two companions were exhausted, and asked for the “holy Ghost’ to strengthen them. Wow! They unexpectedly received the gifts of the Spirit.  In this exercise each prayer group prays two on one, two on one, two on one, for the reception, renewal and strengthening of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for their ministry to others.

The fifth segment:  This deals with praying for a person long-distance. I discuss the Pharisaic attack by Dave Hunt (Seduction of Christianly) and others who claimed that use of the imagination in prayer was purely occultist and New Age. I cite the masterful article Alexander, Brooks, “Mind Power and the Mind’s Eye.” (SCP Journal 9/3 (1999) 8–20) to show that God does not create an organ or facility that can only be used in evil and witchcraft. Exactly to the contrary, a facility, such as imagination (or the sex organ) is created for a godly intention, but is often demonized and used wrongly. The wrong use does not negate its proper use.

Praying with the imagination helps the person while praying in the command mode not to be “double minded.” That is the supplicant is seen in the mind’s eye as well while we speak words of authority for healing.

Exercise # 5 The groups pray for someone “in accord” who is not present
.

Exercise # 6 The groups contact someone via smart phone who is ill, and pray for that person with all they have learned thus far. (They learn that this can be done in every home group and Bible study group they are in).

The sixth segment: This discusses taking healing prayer to the marketplace. I explain the “prayer station,” and its variants in evangelistic use.

Exercise  #7  The last exercise is the most fun: It is called “loosing shyness.” We ask for a person in each group who has never prayed for a stranger to be the “shyee” and the other member role play someone in Walmart struggling in obvious pain or discomfort. The shyee must ask the person “Can I pray for you?” and then do so. I encourage drama and over-acting. It is great fun!

Announcement:

The noted Pentecostal scholar Dr. Jon Ruthven wrote a very positive review of my latest book, Agnes Sanford and Her Companions: The Assault on Cessationism and the Coming of the Charismatic Renewal. You can access it HERE.

The book may be purchased on Amazon, either print or inexpensive Kindle. You can purchase the print version at a discount from the publisher HERE

My wife has written a funny and inspiring story of how she transited from a cessionist and Baptist to a Spirit-filled Believer. The book has many stories of our three decades of ministry together.  It may be purchased HERE.

_______________________________    written by Anglican priest William DeArteaga  see info below

https://plus.google.com/102125760746467449169

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I wish I were ….

 

Stone cutter
I wish I were  …

what I imagine myself to be at times  in my wildest dreams:  totally healthy?  strong as an ox?  able to do whatever I  want?  able to make as much money as I want?   go where ever I want when I want?

 What is it that you want in your wildest dreams?

Here’s a story based on a sermon by Father Ron Shirley http://www.fatherron.org 

“There was once a stone cutter who was very happy with his life and work. He had a wonderful family whom he loved; he made a good living cutting and preparing stone for beautiful buildings…..

“Then one day he delivered a piece of stone to a merchant. The merchant owned many lavish possessions. The stone cutter began to feel he was missing out on something in his life. “I wish I were a merchant with such fine things,” the stone cutter thought to himself.
“Amazingly, the stone cutter’s wish came to be.

“Suddenly he was a merchant who wore fancy clothes and lived in a beautiful home. His shop was filled with ornate trinkets and fine goods. The onetime stone cutter thought that life couldn’t get any better – until he saw the prince passing through town.

 

A prince
He wanted to become a prince

“Then he began thinking that to be of noble birth would be much better than being a simple merchant. And so it came to be: He found himself dressed in royal garb, sitting atop a fine stallion, parading through the village. But under the hot sun and heavy clothing, he grew weary and cranky.
“The stone cutter-merchant-prince thought that if he were the sun, he could have a profound effect on the entire universe. So he became the sun. And it was wonderful – until a cloud blocked his rays from getting to the land.
“So he wished he could be a cloud to bring rain to water the earth.

 

Clouds
He wanted to bring rain to water the earth

“And so he became a cloud. He found himself looming over a desolate mountain valley. He showered the area day and night, creating lakes and rivers. In time, springs of life began to sprout up on the landscape. But the mountain itself remained immovable and unchanged. It was solid and more powerful than his cloud.
“So the cloud wanted, instead to be the mountain. And so he became the mountain.

mounain
The cloud wanted to become a mountain

“For a while the mountain was happy to be such a powerful presence – until a young stonecutter came along and began to chisel away at him.
And the mountain wished to be a stone cutter again.

Some of us never know that moment of realization experienced by the grateful leper:

 

only one said thank you
only one said thank you

“We never realize how much we have received from God. Instead, we whine about what we do not have; we are mired in disappointment because they have more than me. We become cynical, distrustful, isolated and self-absorbed.

As the Samaritan leper discovers, as the stone cutter eventually comes to understand, each one of us has been given much by God, and realizing those gifts, that spirit of gratitude, is the beginning of faith.

The Lord is My Shepherd
The Lord is My Shepherd

Rabbi Herald S. Kushner writing in his latest book, The Lord is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the 23rd Psalm, reminds us that gratitude is a conscious and intentional perspective of looking at our lives and our world.

“Each night as I prepare for bed, I put drops in my eyes to fend off the threat of glaucoma that would rob me of my sight and take from me the pleasure of reading. Each morning at breakfast, I take a pill to control by blood pressure, and each evening at dinner I take another to lower my cholesterol level. But instead of lamenting the ailments that come with growing older, instead of wishing that I were as young and fit as I once was, I take my medicine with a prayer of thanks that modern science has found ways to help me cope with these ailments. I think of all my ancestors who didn’t live long enough to develop the complications of old age, and did not have pills to take when they did.”

Gratitude is a conscious and intentional perspective of looking at our lives and our world. Gratitude is the beginning of faith. Let us be a grateful people.

Jesus cured 10 lepers.  One turned back to thank Jesus and God.  The one who turned back was healed.  There is a difference between “cure” and “healing”.   Gratitude is part of   healing.

adapted from a sermon by  Father Ron Shirley      http://www.fatherron.org

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Aptos Psychologist: So, who do you identify with? Father Merritt? Father Ron? Albert Schweitzer? Pope John Paul II?

Merritt Greenwood
Interim Rector Merritt Greenwood, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, Aptos, CA  said:     “I don’t identify with the rich man,  when I see my PG&E bill ….  nor do I identify with the poor man, those invisible around us….   I identify with the five brothers ….   9/25/2016 sermon

 

albert-schweitzer-example-is-leadership

Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II “The rich man and Lazarus are  both human beings  equally created in the image and likeness of God… equally redeemed…   and  the poor are your brothers and sisters in Christ  ….”

 

So who do you identify with for moral leadership?   Is it their words  or actions or combination?

The sermon by  interim priest/ rector Merritt  Greenwood of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Aptos, CA   can be listened to  on the church’s  website. http://www.st-john-aptos.org/    Introductory words from his sermon  are posted under his picture.

Sermon below  by  Father Ron Shirley, former  pastor of Resurrection Catholic Community, Aptos from http://www.fatherron.com

The Rich Man and Lazarus 

September 25th, 2016

In 1950, a committee representing 17 different nations voted Albert Schweitzer, “The Man of the Century.” Three years later, in 1953, Schweitzer was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Schweitzer has been acclaimed the world over as a genius. He was an outstanding philosopher, a theologian, a respected historian, a concert soloist, and a missionary doctor.

But the most remarkable thing about him was his deep Christian faith. It was a faith that influenced even the smallest details of his life. At the age of 21, Schweitzer promised himself that he would enjoy art and science until he was 30. Then he would devote the rest of his life to working among the needy in some direct form of service.

 

post box
post box

And so on his 30th birthday, on October 13, 1905 Albert Schweitzer dropped several letters into a Paris mailbox. They were to his parents and closest friends, informing them that he was going to enroll in the university to get a degree in medicine. After that he was going to Africa to work among the poor as a missionary doctor. The letters created an immediate stir.

He says in his book, Out Of My Life and Thought: “My relatives and friends all joined in to rebuke me on the folly of my enterprise. I was a man, they said, who was burying the talent entrusted to him. A lady who was filled with the modern spirit proved to me that I could do much more by lecturing on behalf of medical help for the natives, than I could by the action I contemplated.” Nevertheless, Schweitzer stuck to his guns.

At the age of 38, he became a full fledged medical doctor.

hospital
hospital

 

At the age of 43, he left for Africa where he opened a hospital on the edge of the jungle; he died there in 1965 at the age of 90.

What motivated Albert Schweitzer to turn his back on worldly fame and wealth and work amongst the poorest of the poor in Africa?

Schweitzer  said that one of the influences was his meditation on today’s Gospel about the rich man and Lazarus. Schweitzer said: “It struck me as incomprehensible that I should be allowed to live such a happy life, while so many people around me were wrestling with suffering.”

And that brings us to the Gospel story itself.

 

Parable of the rich man

The sin of the rich man was simply that he never noticed Lazarus. He accepted Lazarus as part of the landscape of life. The sin of the rich man was not a sin of commission, which is doing something he should not have done.

The sin of the rich man was a sin of omission, which is not doing something he should have done. The sin of the rich man was basking in his own personal wealth and not lifting a finger to help Lazarus in his dire need.

The sin of the rich man was the same sin that is being committed over and over today. And it is this sin that is beginning to cause grave concern not only because of what it is doing to the poor but also because of what it is doing to society.

John F. Kennedy referred to this concern when he said, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” In other words, our lack of concern for the poor is destroying not only the poor but also the very moral fabric of our society.

The Gospel today is an invitation to us as individuals and as a parish, to meditate on the story of the rich man and Lazarus and to ask ourselves the same question that Schweitzer asked himself:

How can we live a happy life while so many other people are suffering?

poor that suffer
poor that suffer

As we reflect this week, let us close with these words of Pope John Paul II. He delivered them during his first visit to the United States in a homily at Yankee stadium in New York on October 2, 1979:
Pope John Paul II:  “In the light of the parable of Christ, riches and freedom mean a special responsibility. Riches and freedom create a special obligation. And so, in the name of the solidarity that binds us together in a common humanity, I again proclaim the dignity of every human person. The rich man and Lazarus are both human beings. Both of them equally created in the image and likeness of God. Both of them equally redeemed by Christ at a great price. The poor of the United States and of the world are your brothers and sisters in Christ. You must never be content to leave them just the crumbs of the feast. You must take of your substance, and not just of your abundance, in order to help them. And you must treat them like guests at your family table.”

For other sermons by Father Ron Shirley go to http://www.fatherron.com

Father Ron Shirley
Father Ron Shirley

 

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Pokemon Go:Good for spiritual, mental and physical maladies in Aptos, CA? Start at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church

pokemongo

Yes, Pokemon Go  may be good for spiritual maladies. And some  physical maladies.  And many  mental maladies. 

And you don’t have to play it the way you are told to play it.

 You can play Pokemon Go just for fun and skip all the stuff about going to ‘gyms’  or doing battle.  Just play Pokemon for fun.   Gather the funny little  critters and walk around your community.    See your community with fresh eyes.

This post focuses on playing Pokemon Go in Aptos, CA.     Places to find  — gather  —  Pokemon Balls in Aptos, CA  are  listed  farther down in this post.    To play the game you need a cell phone with a GPS on it and you have to download a free app.

So– are you someone experiencing some spiritual malaise?  Some mild depression?    Not doing the things you like to and  feel down  in ‘the dumps’?  What to do?   Remember the daily routine that  you had when you felt fine?    Write those things down  and start doing them again. Best you can.

Very important to reduce symptoms of depression:    add something new each day — something  that you have not done before.  If you are over  age 40 probably you have not played Pokemon Go.  That can be ‘something new’ that you include in your daily routine.   How about some mild anxiety symptoms?  Not sleeping as well as you typically do?  Pokemon just might help you feel mentally better.

What about some spiritual maladies?  Are you spiritually wondering what’s going on in your  life, or the life of your church? 

Here in Aptos, CA there is a plethora of Christian churches.  Near the entrance to Seacliff  Beach there is  Coastlands   Foursquare church, an Episcopal church and a Catholic church.  

Let’s compare how two of them — the Catholic one and the Episcopal one  — currently handle transition  in leadership of their  church.

catholic
Catholic church in Aptos, CA

The Catholic church in Aptos, CA  got one month  transition time between the leaving of Fr. Ron  and the coming of Fa. Romeo.   People in the congregation were  told way ahead of  time what was coming down the pike.  The bishop called the plays.  The priest of 14 years must retire.  A new priest who was selected by the bishop will start on a particular date.   The new priest at the catholic church  is called a Parish  Administrator.  Later on, if the bishop chooses he will become  the Pastor.  Do people in the catholic congregation miss who used to be there? Of course.

 In contrast, the Episcopal church in Aptos, CA  said ‘good-by’  to their Rector,  Fa. Steve,  last summer.    That church has had an interim priest/ rector for more than a year.  No concrete  information  has come down the pike.  The Episcopal  bishop has not weighed in on  local decisions.   And the Board of Directors    holds closed,  i.e. secret meetings. Nobody in the pews  knows anything as to who might become the next priest/ rector.

Episcopal church
Episcopal church in Aptos, CA

 Recently, allegations of spiritual abuse have surfaced   at the Episcopal church in Aptos, CA concerning the interim priest/ rector.    So yes, more than likely quite a few attendees at that church  currently  feel some spiritual malaise.  Probably some are ‘down in the dumps’.

“We just  need a new CEO for this church and get things re-started”  one parishioner from the Episcopal church said  that  he told Bishop Mary when he met with her recently.

There are applicants for the job as Rector for the Episcopal church in Aptos, CA.   However, no information has been provided back to the  congregation as to who they are.  Recently there have been allegations of spiritual abuse circulating via email and Facebook.  The Board of Directors  does not  follow their by-laws which  require  that 10 days ahead of time that they publicly post concerning Date, Time and Location for meetings.

 Big issues causing spiritual malaise: Will this church face the allegations of spiritual abuse — or will they push it all under the rug and keep muddling on?  Who are the applicants for  the job?  What is the contract that the interim priest signed?

Here we have two very different churches handling transition is quite different ways.  And probably some people in both churches currently feel ‘down in the dumps’ about the changes that are happening around them.

So — how can Pokemon Go help people in general to simply feel better? Whether  you go to a church or you don’t attend a church?

 Well, daily exercise is not just good for the body  — it’s  also good for the soul and spirit.  We know that kids laugh and run around and play all sorts of games and learn from playing games.  So can adults.  It’s good for adults at times  to laugh and be playful and learn from playing new games.  Especially a game that gets you moving around.

Think of Pokemon Go as something that gets you walking around your community and ‘seeing’ things differently.  Take walking.  How many times have you told yourself   — or your doctor told you — that you  should walk more?  You don’t have to buy an expensive $100 thing for your wrist to measure how far you walk.  Just download the Pokemon Go app for free and you will know how much you walk.

Good news where to get Pokemon Balls in Aptos, CA.  There are lots of  what are called PokeStops where you can get more Pokemon Balls which you need to play the game.

 Here’s how to find Pokemon Balls in Aptos,  CA.

bell
bell

Start by going to St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church located near the entrance to Seacliff Beach in Aptos, CA.

 Come any time.  Just so you know,  church services are at 8 and 10 am every Sunday at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Aptos, CA

Tonight, Tuesday Sept.  27, 2016 there is a Vestry meeting in the Cafe. Probably at 7 pm.

1)  Drive or walk to   St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church  and go stand in front of the large bell.   Look at your cell phone with the Pokemon app open .  You will see   a blue circular thing  appear on your cell phone. Swipe it  — it will rotate. As it rotates around you will receive typically a couple Pokemon Balls.  Swipe them and they are now yours to continue playing the game.   That’s  how you get free Pokemon Balls.

Want more Pokemon balls close by in Aptos, CA?

2)  Now walk  or drive across the street  from the Episcopal church  to  Coastlands Four Square church islocated.   Walk or drive up  to where you see the large Cross.  

Foursquare church
Foursquare church in Aptos, CA

 You have to be right in front of the large Cross.   Again, you can  gather  couple Pokemon balls there, typically.  

3)  Now walk or drive down the street  just past the Stop sign.  You willsee a  large  Seacliff   sign  entrance to Seacliff Beach.   Open the Pokemon app and point  your phone  at the sign.   You can gather a couple more Pokemon  Balls.

 4)  Another spot near by to  gather apps:    At the mural on the wall around the corner from Manual’s Restaurant and across the street from The Word Shop for gently used books.  Ah, you can gather more Pokemon Balls.

So what’s good for spiritual malaise?  Pokemon Go can’t cure spiritual  malaise. It can get you moving around more and looking at your community from a different perspective.  So — go  have fun!   Catch those critters.

written by Aptos Psychologist,  Cameron Jackson    DrCameronJackson@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Be shrewd


 

 

 Are you shrewd?  Have or show  sharp powers of judgment, astute ?  Are you smart or clever in a practical way? Resourceful  in practical  matters?  Are you honest — or dishonest?  The following is based on a sermon delivered 9/16/2016 at Christ Lutheran Church, Aptos.

Some ways  you might be shrewd in practical matters:

Maybe you know how to get that great deal for 20  sewing machines  that  can be bought for half the usual  price.

sewing machines
sewing machines

Maybe you typically  feed a family of six for half  the cost what others do.

rice and beans
rice and beans

Maybe you know the best  hardware store to frequent for buying screwdrivers.

Some make shrewd actions honestly and others do so in a dishonest way.  Right?

 

 Jesus rewards a dishonest manager —  because he was shrewd.

 Luke 16.1-13 “And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly…

This parable is called   ‘the problem child of all of Jesus’s parables.’

parable
parable

The parable:  There was a rich man who had a manager who was cooking the books. The rich man said to his manager,  I’m going to audit the books and you are going to lose your job.   In response,  the manager went through all the accounts and made special deals.

In those days  Jewish law did not permit charging interest.  However,  people did in fact charge huge, impossible to repay  interest rates. Does that remind you of a few decades ago here in the USA?

  Back to the parable:  in preparation to being fired, the   manager cooked  the books

cooked the books
cooked the books

 

and then went back to the rich man.

Unexpected result:   Instead of firing the manager  which the manager expected  —  because he had been cooking the books and then setting up things so he’d be taken care of after he was fired — the rich man commends his dishonest manager  because he was shrewd.

What to make of this parable?    Be shrewd as Jesus was shrewd.

shrewd kingdom style
shrewd kingdom style

Groups of people as churches can together  act shrewdly.  For example:   one Aptos, CA church, Christ Lutheran Church   http://www.aptoschurch.org    together with other churches recently raised $12,000 from the efforts of 61 participants in  Walk for Clean Water  for one particular community in  El Salvador.  Together they acted shrewdly.  

Christ Lutheran in Aptos, CA  has a many year relationship with this one  community which, through discussion with them  lead to a goal to raise money to be used to  build latrines which will improve their water supply.  

latrines
latrines in El Salvador

 

Many families in this one community in El Salvador  will soon have composed toilets as a result. 

 

Take-Away

Take away from this parable:

When you invest yourself — your time and money —  you are ‘with it’ and interested in the results.  

Yes,  be shrewd  and apply it to your faith as Jesus did.     

  In this parable, Jesus goes on to say,  “No slave can serve two masters;  for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and  mammon” [conspicuous consumption].  

  Jesus was the ultimate shrewd investor.  Jesus was clever.   And,  Jesus invested his entire  life ….  that you  may have life.

______________________________________________

written by Cameron Jackson   DrCameronJackson@gmail.com

The above is based on a  sermon delivered  at Christ Lutheran Church, Aptos, CA  September 18, 2016,   by Rev. Dale Sollom-Brotherton.      pastor@AptosChruch.org

Church Office Information:  831 688-5727    email:  office@AptosChurch.org     http://www.AptosChurch.org  

Santa Cruz al Salvador is an International Outreach project with several other area churches.   http://www.santacruzalsalvador.org  

 

 

 

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Strips us to our core

Holy role strips us to our core
Holy role strips us to our core

Are you a caregiver for someone with a chronic illness?  This is a holy role. It  strips us to our core.  We encounter our patience or lack of patience, our forgiveness and inability to forgive.  We face our family dynamics.  Why am I the caregiver for this person who sometimes is so hard to love?   

What stress are you experiencing?  It’s important to monitor your own stress.

 These questions are from the  Caregiver Resource Network.

It’s important to monitor how you are doing.

Yes/ No  — During this last week I have:  

  1.  Had trouble keeping my mind on what I was doing.
  2. Felt that I could not leave my relative/ care recipient alone.
  3. Had difficulty making decisions.
  4. Felt completely overwhelmed.
  5. Felt useless and unneeded.
  6. Felt lonely.
  7. Been upset that my relative/ care recipient has changed so much from his/her former self.
  8. Felt a loss of privacy and/ or private time.
  9. Been edgy or irritable.
  10. Had sleep disturbed because of caring for my relative/ care recipient.
  11. Had a crying spell(s).
  12. Felt strained between work and family responsibilities.
  13. Had back pain.
  14. Felt ill (headaches, stomach problems, or common cold).
  15. Been dissatisfied with the support my family has given me.
  16. Found my relative/care recipient’s living situation to be inconvenient or a barrier to care.

If you answered yes to 8 or more questions, chances are that you have a high level of distress.  If fewer than 8 probably you have a low degree of stress.  

What are some ways that you handle stress?  Some possibilities:

  1.  Deep breathing exercises.  Google for more information how.
  2. Exercise:  run, walk, keep moving best you can
  3. Massage.
  4. Explore the arts:  music, drawing, needle craft, painting
  5. Connect with others via support groups, church, synagogue
  6. Books.  Try Traveling Mercies by Ann Lamott
  7. Meditation and reading spiritual resources

Check around for local resources where you can get support as you carry out this holy role.

Ephesians3:16:  I pray that  out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.

chronic illness defined
chronic illness defined
tools for chronic illness
tools for chronic illness
chronic illness list
chronic illness list
massage
massage helps many 
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Pope Francis forgives you, me and Martin Luther?

Will Pople Francis forgive Martin Luther ?
Will Pope Francis forgive Martin Luther & you and me?  

Pope Francis has the authority to forgive.  Will he forgive Martin Luther? You and me?   The Year of Mercy  — declared by Pope Francis —  ends on November 20, 2016, the Feast of Christ the King.  That’s about five weeks from now.

There’s still time for  Pope Francis to  forgive Protestant reformer Martin Luther.

Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church during his lifetime (1483 – 1546)  because he believed, wrote and taught that salvation cannot be obtained through indulgences or good works and comes  from faith through the grace of God.

Excommunication is reversible.  And Pope Francis can do it.

And now is the right year and right Pope to do it.  There is one baptism and one faith?  And it’s certainly time for all Christians to support other Christians.

http://www.dummies.com/religion/christianity/catholicism/catholicism-excommunication-and-other-penalties/

Martin Luther 1483 – 1546 was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk[2] and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation.

Luther came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God’s punishment for sin could be purchased with money, proposing an academic discussion of the practice and efficacy of indulgences in his Ninety-five Theses of 1517.

His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor.

Luther taught that salvation and, subsequently, eternal life are not earned by good deeds but are received only as the free gift of God’s grace through the believer’s faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer from sin.

His theology challenged the authority and office of the Pope by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge from God and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood.[4] Those who identify with these, and all of Luther’s wider teachings, are called Lutherans, though Luther insisted on Christian or Evangelical as the only acceptable names for individuals who professed Christ.

His translation of the Bible into the vernacular (instead of Latin) made it more accessible to the laity, an event that had a tremendous impact on both the church and German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation,[5] and influenced the writing of an English translation, the Tyndale Bible.[6] His hymns influenced the development of singing in Protestant churches.[7] His marriage to Katharina von Bora, a former nun, set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant clergy to marry.[8]

http://www.history.com/topics/martin-luther-and-the-95-theses

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Fa. Ron’s Pithy Sermons: Be a ‘Stand In’ for God

 

Stand in for God
Fa, Ron Shirley’s sermon

Fa. Ron Shirley formerly with Resurrection Catholic Community Church posted:

“God is counting on all of us to be “Stand In’s” for the Lord, with each other. To make real Isaiah 55:7, “Turn to the Lord for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving.”

“If an alien was to walk in to our church today and say, “Ok you Church people, describe God to me.”
I  Father Ron Shirley   http://www.ronshirley.com   wonder what our answer would be.

I believe one of the most powerful descriptions of God is contained in the 2 stories we just heard in Luke’s Gospel.

A. These images of God, too many people, don’t make any sense. When the sinner is found. Mercy, love and forgiveness are freely offered. No charge; no strings attached; no, “I told you so;” no finger pointing. Just, “Welcome Home.”

B. No matter how far we wander or stray from God, and we all do it at times, no matter how terrible our sins might be, God’s arms are always open to us. Jesus never approves of the sin, but he always embraces the sinner.

C. I could just hear a few of the people, when Jesus was telling his stories, making a few side comments like:
i. These stories are crazy!
ii. This God is ridiculous!
iii. Leave 99 good sheep to go after one stupid stray?
iv. That’s not very good business sense.
v. If I were the father I would stick it to that son.
vi. I would make him crawl back.
vii. This God doesn’t make any sense.

These people were right; our God doesn’t make any sense when it comes to loving us.

D. A final point, very important, comes from a quote by the director of Covenant House, https://www.covenanthouse.org/ a shelter for runaway kids in many large cities in the U.S.

The director of Covenant  says, “The kids we work with have a lot of questions…

‘Can I have something to eat? I haven’t had a good thing to eat in days,’ a 17-year-old boy asked me last night.

‘Can I sleep here? Where can I sleep?’ another kid asked an hour later. I think she may have been twelve. These questions come easy to them. They are the questions that a street kid asks every day, minute to minute. But what gets to me is the question they don’t ask. The one that hides deep in the eyes they turn away from you, the one that shows in nervous fingers. This is the question that comes from living a lifetime of days when you can’t seem to do anything right. It is, ‘

Does God still love me? – Will God forgive me?’ The kids would never say that out loud. Very few of them ever talk about God. They don’t know enough yet, and their minds and mouths are too preoccupied with the other questions: ‘Is it safe here?’ ‘Can I have something to eat?’ ‘Where can I sleep?’ But their hearts have only one question: ‘Does God still love me? – Will God forgive me?’ And their hearts look to me and to other adults at Covenant House for the answer to that question. I don’t think the kids think much about the theological idea that God lives in every one of us. With them it’s more instinctive.

All I know is that when they look at me and I see that question, I feel the incredible burden of standing in for our Lord. And I know our Lord is counting on me to say, ‘Yes! Heavens, yes! I love you!’ to those scraggly, hungry, angry children of the streets.”

In closing:
God is counting on all of us to be “Stand In’s” for the Lord, with each other. To make real Isaiah 55:7, “Turn to the Lord for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving.”

 The above is based on writings from Father Ron Shirley   September 2016    For more, go to:     http://www.fatherron.com  

Father RonShirley
Father RonShirley
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Luke 14:26 speaks to jehadist suicide bombers? Young USA adults?

Luke 14:26 speaks to Jehadist suicide bombers?  And  to young USA adults?   Yep.

 The sermon last Sunday  was on Luke 14:26.  Paraphrasing what was read,

you must:

‘hate your family & your own life…. sell all  your possessions …

sell
sell  everything and give it away
sell everything
sell everything you have
yard sale of all oissessuibs
yard sale

carry your cross  …and follow me…”

can't wait to get away
can’t wait to get away

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Large crowds were now traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them, 26“If anyone comes to Me anddoes not hate his father and mother and wife and childrenand brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be My disciple. 27And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.…]

What does Luke 14:26 have to do with jehadists?   We know  from the daily news that jehadists suicide bombers hate ….. They  their life and the lives of their families enough to kill.

jehadists
jehadists
jehadist kill
jehadist kill

For sure jehadists either have no possessions or are quite willing to sell or give away  all possessions as they take their own life and the lives of others.  And jehadists have ‘taken up their ‘cross’ to ‘follow’ their religious leader.

muhammad
Muhammad

What about young USA adults?

What about the young Americans who  still live in their parent’s garage, don’t own a car and don’t want to buy stuff.

How about he young USA adults who graduated from college with $60 K debt and don’t have a job to pay off the dept?

college debt
college debt

Lots and lots of young USA adults supported the Democrat candidate that did not get the nomination — millions of young USA adults supported Bernie Sanders.

young USA adults
young USA adults for Bern

 And why?  For one thing, college debt will be forgiven.  And for a second reason, the government will give all of them a “good job” doing some “green type” service to others which will “save the planet”

A lot of young American adults probably do hate living in their parent’s house at age 25.

crowded conditions
crowded conditions
crowded bedroom
crowded bedrooms
crowded bedroom
crowded bedroom

And many young USA adults  do sympathize with Bernie Sanders who was not able to get a job until he was age 40.

Bernie Sanders Didn’t Make a Paycheck Until He Turned 40

Some  young people wonder if they will ever have a job, much less a good paying job.

 

 

 

 

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As one Body let’s share the Lord’s Supper…celebrate the Eucharist…take Holy Communion? And let’s cut to the chase?

As one Body let’s  share the Lord’s Supper …

Eucharist anglican style
Eucharist Anglican style — homemade bread

celebrate the Eucharist …  Take Holy Communion?  And not worry about the few  ‘bad apples’?

bishop Heather
bishop Heather goes to jail  7 years
Eucharist Greek Orthodox
Eucharist Greek Orthodox style
Eucharist
Eucharist Body & Blood

And  — as one Body — let’s first cut to the chase?

Maybe the Body of Christ  had best accept all  its members  —  arms linked together — and  together face violent Islamic extremists and adherents to sharia law.

Let’s do it together, as one Mystical Body of Christ.

Body of Christ
Body of Christ

We know the stories.  It’s well reported that ISIS   Islamic  terrorists chop  off Christian heads.   And that hostages taken by ISIS live or die based on what they can  say about Allah.

On the daily news we hear horrific stories of   what happens to Christians/ westerners and confrontations from adherents to sharia law, ISIS and Islamic extremism

recite the Koran required
recite the Koran required by ISIS terrorists

 

http://www.frontpagemag.com/point/260861/muslim-terrorists-take-170-hostages-free-those-who-daniel-greenfield

Yet what do the faithful worry about?  What a Lutheran and a Catholic and an Episcopalian can and cannot do when worshiping together.  Let’s cut to the chase, folks?  See the following:

Pope Francis was asked by a Lutheran woman concerning sharing the sacraments with her husband, a Catholic.

http://www.catholic.com/blog/jimmy-akin/pope-francis-on-intercommunion-with-lutherans

This is what the Lutheran woman said:

My name is Anke de Bernardinis and, like many people in our community, I’m married to an Italian, who is a Roman Catholic Christian. We’ve lived happily together for many years, sharing joys and sorrows. And so we greatly regret being divided in faith and not being able to participate in the Lord’s Supper together. What can we do to achieve, finally, communion on this point?

 Pope Francis answered the woman:   “To share the Lord’s banquet: is it the goal of the path or is it the viaticum [provisions] for walking together?  I leave that question to the theologians and those who understand.

“The question: and the [Lord’s] Supper? There are questions that, only if one is sincere with oneself and with the little theological light one has, must be responded to on one’s own. See for yourself.

Pope Francis continued:   “This is my body. This is my blood. Do it in remembrance of me—this is a viaticum that helps us to journey on.

Pope Francis then tells a story about an Episcopalian  bishop “who went a little wrong.”

Pope Francis  says:

“The bishop  accompanied his wife and children to Mass on Sunday, and then went to worship with his community. It was a step of participation in the Lord’s Supper. Then he went forward, the Lord called him, a just man.

To sum it up Pope Francis adds:

“Life is bigger than explanations and interpretations. Always refer back to your baptism. “One faith, one baptism, one Lord.” This is what Paul tells us, and then take the consequences from there.

_____________________

  Let’s cut to the chase:  The Mass / Communion / Eurharist / Lord’s Supper  never ends….  It must be lived…. Go  as one Body of Christ   to serve God and love your neighbor?     YES,   Right -on?

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