God doesn't always wait for us to change. Just like Paul, sometimes he splits the ground, blinds us, and forces us to look at our own souls in a way that shakes us to the core. I've been thinking about Paul lately. He was traveling the road to Damascus. He was one of the biggest persecutors of Christians of his time. He had spent his life thus far seeking the blood of the followers of Christ and trying to punch holes in the gospel. It makes me wonder why, if God knew He would eventually turn Paul's heart towards Him, why didn't He do it in the beginning of Paul's life? Why didn't He take young Paul and impact him early? The only thing I can come up with is that He wanted Paul's testimony to be BIG. An early personal encounter with God would have given Paul more years of closeness with God but it wouldn't have allowed one of the greatest testimonies of all time to be born. Paul HAD to spend that time in the dark so that when the light hit him, he would be blinded by the truth of it and those around him would know that something amazing had happened.
There is a darkness inside all of us. We've all traveled the road to Damascus. We've all spent time sitting on the mountaintop, listening as that seductive voice says "I'll give you all that you see and more." Many of us have chosen to look inside and see what God would have us change rather than look at the riches below that comprise the empty promises of the enemy. Some chose to believe the lie that this world can give us all that we want and more. I encourage you to pray today for those who are basking in a false sense of wealth. Those who chose to think that just because they are "good" or "try" that means that they have surrendered. Like Paul, we all need to be shaken, blinded, and shown the truth. It's not always pleasant but in the end we wind up with a testimony that will move the masses towards God. That's the point, right?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
A New Pandemic: Be Aware and DON'T Wash Your Hands
There's a pandemic sweeping the globe and the media doesn't seem to be talking about it too much. I'm actually surprised given the fact that US media can smell blood a thousand miles away and they will do anything to make a mountain out of a mole hill - but I suppose they also make mole hills out of mountains. . .
Apparently this infection has a latent phase of months to years and, at this point, there's no way to test for exposure. No one is sure how it's transmitted. Experts aren't sure if it spreads through the air or via direct physical contact. Some suggest that perhaps even SEEING a case of this disease may be enough to start the physiologic processes that predispose an individual to developing a full blown infection. No age is spared. No socioeconomic class is immune. There is no vaccine. No one is even certain that having the infection will protect you from further outbreaks.
And the kicker is, this isn't new. This disease has been around since the beginning of time. It's probably wiped out more people than HIV or cancer. It affects every organ system in the body and it particularly targets the central nervous system. Signs and symptoms include personality change, mania, antisocial behavior, increased basal body temperature, vasodilation, blood loss, insomnia, diaphporesis, tachypnia, tachycardia, shock, coma, and in some cases, even death. Each person may present differently and sometimes diagnosis is difficult to make. Post infectious states for some survivors are characterized by weight loss, depression, anxiety, somnolence, more insomnia, and feelings of hopelessness while others may experience an improvement in their productivity, increased blood flow to core organ systems, and increased basal metabolic functioning.
It's hard to say what will happen as this infection wreaks havoc on the world. It even reared it's head in Atlanta yesterday and that's not the first time the US has seen an outbreak. A couple hundred years ago it killed thousands upon thousands of Americans. Don't get me wrong, I don't think this disease is a bad thing at all. Would I cure it if I knew how? No, and trust me, some people have tried. It takes a hold of a person and either forces them to give up or become more than they ever thought possible. You might have even heard of it. It's called Freedom.
Apparently this infection has a latent phase of months to years and, at this point, there's no way to test for exposure. No one is sure how it's transmitted. Experts aren't sure if it spreads through the air or via direct physical contact. Some suggest that perhaps even SEEING a case of this disease may be enough to start the physiologic processes that predispose an individual to developing a full blown infection. No age is spared. No socioeconomic class is immune. There is no vaccine. No one is even certain that having the infection will protect you from further outbreaks.
And the kicker is, this isn't new. This disease has been around since the beginning of time. It's probably wiped out more people than HIV or cancer. It affects every organ system in the body and it particularly targets the central nervous system. Signs and symptoms include personality change, mania, antisocial behavior, increased basal body temperature, vasodilation, blood loss, insomnia, diaphporesis, tachypnia, tachycardia, shock, coma, and in some cases, even death. Each person may present differently and sometimes diagnosis is difficult to make. Post infectious states for some survivors are characterized by weight loss, depression, anxiety, somnolence, more insomnia, and feelings of hopelessness while others may experience an improvement in their productivity, increased blood flow to core organ systems, and increased basal metabolic functioning.
It's hard to say what will happen as this infection wreaks havoc on the world. It even reared it's head in Atlanta yesterday and that's not the first time the US has seen an outbreak. A couple hundred years ago it killed thousands upon thousands of Americans. Don't get me wrong, I don't think this disease is a bad thing at all. Would I cure it if I knew how? No, and trust me, some people have tried. It takes a hold of a person and either forces them to give up or become more than they ever thought possible. You might have even heard of it. It's called Freedom.
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