QUOTE

Proverbs 15:30, "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart and good news gives health to the bones."
"When you put your faith in others, you can help them reach their potential. And you become an important influencer in their lives."

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Healing Always Comes - Devotional by Canaanland

Healing Always comes

"And these signs shall follow them that believe… they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”
Mark 16:17-18

I Used to get upset over people I’d lay hands who wouldn’t get well. I was praying one day and seeking God about it when He spoke to my spirit and said, “Healing always comes”.
I remember I said, “What do you mean. Healing always comes? Not everybody gets healed”.
I didn’t say they all received it,” He answered. Then He spoke very sternly to me. “I do My part. And I said they would recover!”

Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. He said they would recover. He never lies. So if He said they would recover, then that means healing always comes. It’s not God who’s holding back. It’s the receivers who aren’t receiving.

Since then, I’ve never had any trouble laying hands on people and believing for them to be healed. Whether they walk away well or not, I just keep standing in faith for them. In fact, I know if that fellow who went away still sick ever lines his faith up with God and me-I don’t care if it’s five years from now-he’ll be healed.

If you’ve laid hands on someone who didn’t receive his healing, don’t cut off the flow of God’s power by withdrawing your faith. Stand fast. Keep believing that “healing always comes” and somewhere down the line that poor sick fellow may just decide to stand up and agree with you!.


Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46-52


Adapted from Faith to Faith A Daily Guide to Victory
by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Betrayal...

"Ben"(pronounced as 'Burn'), my sister called. "Why do you even bother calling them friends?"

I was caught in a moment of hurt and anguish. The pain was worse than one caused to the flesh. It cuts deeper, wounding me. My eyes whelp as I could no longer bear the pain. As the betrayal now sets in, it was clear to me.... we weren't actually friends.

This was quite a long time ago in my teen years. Betrayal. Somehow, any injury to the flesh could be fixed but, this one injury would last for many years. It was a stab in the back.

In years to come, I've noticed that I've begun to distant myself from the people around me. I held deep within me a lesson I once learnt from the pain betrayal that was done to me. I never ceased to forgive those who had betrayed me. However, I was certain that I could never allow myself to be hurt again.

My mother had instructed me since I was a boy that forgiveness is key to letting go the grudge within us. I never quite understood it until I saw it with my own eyes. My mother, forgave the one person who would betray her trust the most. She has become the one person that would represent Jesus Christ in this world.

As I grew through the years, experiencing one betrayal after the next and to be abandoned by friends whom I thought would understand me. There was only one person that had never betrayed or abandoned me. He is JESUS CHRIST. I learnt that HE too was betray by His closest friend. A man named Simon whom He intimately called "Peter". Peter wasn't the only person who betrayed. Judas and almost all of Jerussalem betrayed. Abandoned and left Him stranded, hung on a cross.

Illustration of The Betrayal by Michelangelo

I was sure that His heart was bleeding. I am certain that it was heart break that caused His death. But His love was ever so overwhelming. Regardless of the pain and scars He received from such treatment He cried ,"Father, forgive them. For they do not know what they are doing."

There were times I faced such pain from the betrayal of those I considered closest to me. Yet, I knew that unless I forgive them, reach out and love them regardless of the treatment and isolation; I would never be free of it's bondage. Forgiveness has set me free!

Now, I understand that friendships changes. I chose to look at it not as betrayal but rather a change of interest and understanding. What once held friendship together is now just the acquaintance we make out of it. Above all this, it's important that I become the friend to even those who now does not regard it so.

JESUS CHRIST (YESHUA Y'MESSHIAH)
"Greater love has no one than this, that He (Jesus) lay down His life for his friends... I have called you friend."


Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Patella Bone Fracture


Patella fractures often occur when you fall onto your knee or a receive a blow directly onto the kneecap. A patella fracture can also occur when the quadriceps muscle in the thigh contracts violently or when the lower leg is extended against a fixed resistance (this happened to me).

How does it feel

You’re likely to feel immediate and severe pain and swelling at the site of the fracture. Extending your knee and/or moving it forward and backward may prove difficult. Swelling and tenderness around the kneecap may develop, as well as catching or locking of the knee. The most obvious symptom might be the inability to walk.

Diagnosis

If you have a simple break, an x-ray will ascertain if the bone is broken. It is often easier to diagnose a compound patella fracture because the bone is likely to break through the skin. An x-ray will still be necessary to confirm this injury.

Petella Reconstruction

During arthroscopic surgery, an incision is made over the front of the knee joint. The fractured ends of the patella are realigned and held in place with a combination of pins, screws, and wires. In some cases, a portion of the patella can simply be removed, but this is usually done for smaller fracture fragments.

Following a patella fracture, you will need to keep your knee in a straight position to allow for initial healing. Gentle motion can usually begin in the first weeks following surgery, on the complexity of the fracture and the resultant strength of the repair.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

One Legged!

I never thought it would end up like this. Yes, I've fractured my right knee. How? Well, its the obvious... BASKETBALL! I'm now on cruthces and with a cast that has isolated my entired right leg. I've never felt so hadicapped in my life. This happened on the 14th February... ironic!

The sense of helplessness is not something I enjoy having. The first day wasn't too bad. I like the attention and the help but after a day of that, I just want my leg back.

Helplessness... I somewhat understand how a disabled person would feel. Its frustrating to not be able to do things yourself. Though its only a leg for me, it has caused me to think quite a bit. I believe this would be a journey to learn from. Learning to accept others assistance and the fact that I can't do it all is a humbling lesson to get out of this. I'm still trying to understand how I can learn from my injury and apply its principles, however, I'm glad its just a fracture and not a permanent injury.

One thoughtthough... am I able to give up basketball and move on to something more productive after this?

Thank you, "Angel" for making my injury enjoyable. I'm glad I have you to help me and instruct me.

And Linus, thanks a bunch for bringing me all around to get my leg checked up. A true friend indeed.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

WALKING ALONE

I was reflecting on my life and how I get so caught up with my own feelings. I realized that the more I focused on myself, the more isolated I become. Lately, I've been feeling like I've been "walking alone". This obviously isn't true because I've got so many friends by my side willing to go through the journey with me.


Just a few moments ago I was in my office praying and telling God how I felt. I was feeling sorry for myself. Complaining about the people around me makes me feel like a victim... soaked in my self pity. The more I dwelled into the prayer, the more I felt this "ugliness" surfacing. Am I a "grinch"?


I kept going on in my prayer as I complained to God of this lonely journey and said, "Am I to walk a lonely road? God... I'm walking alone! Is everyone so selfish to not notice me?" But deep inside me, I knew it wasn't the people or the surroundings. It was me... my self-centredness and self-righteousness was surfacing. I had become a "monster", a "grinch". I had been feeding my mind and emotions with such deceitful lies that I was walking alone. That I am carrying this cross and only I know this suffering. How silly is that? It is completely untrue!

My complaining to God was like a snow ball. The more I complained, the more I seemed to be able to gather more of it. Most of my time with people seemed the same. I would complain about my life, and would suggest that others were the ones making the awful mistakes. I never saw the plank in my eye as I was trying to remove the speck in the eyes of those around me.

Now... why am I walking alone again?

It was mostly due to the fact that I was overly self-righteous. I regarded myself better than my peers. I was the one who had distanced myself from those around me and not them.

But I thank the Lord that He is able to show me my failures and help me each day to accept others around me. For those who are walking alone, maybe you need to reevaluate and consider whether you have distanced others from yourself because you are too proud to accept them for who they are.

When Jesus was walking on earth. He did not impose Himself on others, rather He served them. He was meek and considered Himself nothing. He condemned no one accept those who claimed to be righteous. For everyone else, He gave grace that they may understand that there is no longer condemnation for those who are in Him. Since Jesus himself lived among people who are full of shortcomings without imposing Himself upon them, how else should we (I) be treating others like me?


I AM NOT WALKING ALONE!!