Kingdom of God

Guillain Barre Syndrome was the thorn that brought me to Jesus

Every person who came in contact with Jesus Christ has a story to tell. The apostle Paul had his experience (then Saul) while on his way to Damascus to persecute the Church. I had mine in the St. Francis Hospital, in Hartford, Connecticut.”And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus; and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul why persecutes thou me? And he said, “who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, “I am Jesus, who thou persecutes; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” And Paul trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou has me to do? And the Lord said unto him, “Arise! Go into the city, and someone will thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:3-6).

Many of us grew up in Christian homes, where the gospel was taught very early in our lives. Still, some of us grew up in homes where the gospel was never mentioned at all.

I grew up in what I would call; a semi-Christian home. My mom was a praying woman, and Dad was a dreamer. I never saw my dad in church, but that did not stop Mom from indoctrinating me and my brother with the gospel of Jesus Christ. She made sure we knew all the popular church songs and Bible stories. Each week she would drill the Sunday School Golden Text into our heads, and when called upon, the Golden text was to be recited without error.

Mom was truly fired up for Jesus, but she never allowed her children to know Jesus Christ for themselves. She completely ignored the simple fact about Christianity: To be a follower of Christ, everyone has to have an awakening and a personal contact with Christ. Each of us must have our own Damascus road experience. Without that experience, you are doomed to fail because the moment you decided to follow Christ your enemies increased a 100 fold.

I never had a personal contact with Jesus as a young child. I was merely following Mom’s orders. It was not until I was stricken with a very dangerous autoimmune disease called Guillain Barre Syndrome. (That’s what the doctors told me, but years later I discovered that I was poisoned). I thought I was going to die. The enemy had me cornered, and the doctors who were attending to me had never treated anyone for this disease before. I had no place to turn to, so I called upon the Church and Jesus Christ–Jehovah Rapha.

The church came and prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and prayed for my deliverance. Today I am rejoicing in the Lord, completely healed and delivered from Guillain Barre Syndrome:

I can truthfully confess that prayer works. My God is ever faithful. Whatever he says, he will do.”Oh Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me” (“Psalms 30:2). I am now a new person and a true follower of Jesus Christ.

What does Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount means to you?

The Sermon of the Beatitudes (1886-96) by Jame...

The Sermon of the Beatitudes (1886-96) by James Tissot from the series The Life of Christ, Brooklyn Museum (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: Is the greatest sermon ever preached. The Lord’s Prayer, the beatitudes, and the golden rule are in this sermon.

Jesus delivered this sermon on a mountain near Capernaum. There is some dispute whether Jesus sat while delivering the Sermon on the Mount. Sitting asserts authority, so rabbi’s often sat while teaching.

The Sermon on the Mount is in the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of Matthew. You can read the entire sermon here: http://www.biblepath.com/beatitudes.html. It’s divided into 5 sections listed below:

Beatitudes – Teachings that begin with “blessed.” These were meant to comfort suffering believers.

New laws – Contrasts the Old Law of Moses with the new law of Christ.
Lord’s Prayer – Instructions on prayer. Jesus also teaches the proper motives for fasting and offering gifts.

Money – Christian attitudes concerning the use of money. Reasons to avoid worry.

Warnings – Dangers of false teachers and hypocrisy. Jesus also presents the parable of the wise and foolish builders.

Eight Champions Of Motherhood In The Bible

Eight mothers in the Bible played key roles in the coming of Jesus Christ. None of them was perfect, yet each showed strong faith in God. God, in turn, rewarded them for their confidence in him.

These mothers lived in an age when women were often treated as second class citizens, yet God appreciated their true worth, just as he does today. Motherhood is one of life’s highest callings. Learn how these eight mothers in the Bible put their hope in the God of the Impossible, and how he proved that such hope is always well-placed.

Eight mothers in the Bible played key roles in the coming of Jesus Christ. None of them was perfect, yet each showed strong faith in God. God, in turn, rewarded them for their confidence in him.

These mothers lived in an age when women were often treated as second class citizens, yet God appreciated their true worth, just as he does today. Motherhood is one of life’s highest callings. Learn how these eight mothers in the Bible put their hope in the God of the Impossible, and how he proved that such hope is always well-placed.

Eve – Mother of All the Living

Eve was the first woman and the first mother. Without a single role model or mentor, she paved the maternal way to become “Mother of All the Living.” She and her mate Adam lived in Paradise, but they spoiled it by listening to Satan instead of God. Eve suffered terrible grief when her son Cain murdered his brother Abel, yet despite these tragedies, Eve went on to fulfill her part in God’s plan of populating the Earth.

Learn more about Eve …

Sarah – Wife of Abraham

Sarah was one of the most important women in the Bible. She was the wife of Abraham, which made her the mother of the nation of Israel. Yet Sarah was barren. She conceived through a miracle in spite of her old age. Sarah was a good wife, a loyal helper and builder with Abraham. Her faith serves as a shining example for every person who has to wait on God to act.

Learn more about Sarah …

Rebekah – Wife of Isaac

Rebekah, like her mother-in-law Sarah, was barren. When her husbandIsaac prayed for her, God opened Rebekah’s womb and she conceived and gave birth to twin sons, Esau and Jacob. During an age when women were typically submissive, Rebekah was quite assertive. At times Rebekah took matters into her own hands. Sometimes that worked out, but it also resulted in disastrous consequences.

Learn more about Rebekah …

Jochebed – Mother of Moses

Jochebed, the mother of Moses, is one of the underappreciated mothers in the Bible, yet she also showed tremendous faith in God. To avoid the mass slaughter of Hebrew boys, she set her baby adrift in the Nile River, hoping someone would find him and raise him. God so worked that her baby was found by Pharaoh’s daughter. Jochebed even became her own son’s nurse. God used Moses mightily, to free the Hebrew people from their 400 year bondage of slavery and take them to the promised land. Although little is written about Jochebed in the Bible, her story speaks powerfully to mothers of today.

Learn more about Jochebed …

Hannah – Mother of Samuel the Prophet

Hannah’s story is one of the most touching in the entire Bible. Like several other mothers in the Bible, she knew what it meant to suffer long years of barrenness. In Hannah’s case she was cruelly taunted by her husband’s other wife. But Hannah never gave up on God. Finally her heartfelt prayers were answered. She gave birth to a son, Samuel, then did something entirely selfless to honor her promise to God. God favored Hannah with five more children, bringing great blessing to her life.

Learn more about Hannah …

Bathsheba – Wife of David

Bathsheba was the object of King David‘s lust. David even arranged to have her husband Uriah the Hittite killed to get him out of the way. God was so displeased with David’s actions that he struck dead the baby from that union. In spite of heartbreaking circumstances, Bathsheba remained loyal to David. Their next son, Solomon, was loved by God and grew up to become Israel’s greatest king. From David’s line would come Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. And Bathsheba would have the distinguished honor of being one of only five women listed in Messiah’s ancestry.

Learn more about Bathsheba …

Elizabeth – Mother of John the Baptist

Barren in her old age, Elizabeth was another of the miracle mothers in the Bible. She conceived and gave birth to a son. She and her husband named him John, as an angel had instructed. Like Hannah before her, she dedicated her son to God, and like Hannah’s son, he also became a great prophet, John the Baptist. Elizabeth’s joy was complete when her relative Mary visited her, pregnant with the future Savior of the World.

Learn more about Elizabeth …

Mary – Mother of Jesus

Mary was the most honored mother in the Bible, the human mother of Jesus, who saved the world from its sins. Although she was only a young, humble peasant, Mary accepted God’s will for her life. She suffered enormous shame and pain, yet never doubted her Son for a moment. Mary stands as highly favored by God, a shining example of obedience and submission to the Father’s will.

Learn more about Mary …

Is The Catholic Church A Force For Good In The World?

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the Catholic Church is a force for good in the world. When it comes to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and looking out for the poor, the Catholic Church is second to none. It has, more so than any other religious institution spread its wing in diverse places across the globe. Wherever there are suffering and oppression, the Catholic Church is there to lend a helping hand.

Nevertheless, the Church is not perfect. Its failings in recent years and in its distant past continue to be an Alcatraz around its neck. However, such failings should not in any way shape or form take away from its importance as a force for good in the world.

I strongly believe was it not for the Catholic Church, even with its failings, the world would be worse off than it is today.

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Steadfast Discipline is Better Than Strength

The choice came down to two salesmen. The question was, which one of these two top performers was more suitable for the big job? The first got great results, but he was a bit wild, and he could not always be counted on. The second man got average results, but he could be counted on every time. The account was important, and they really wanted the best person to go after it. The first man figured he would be selected, while the other man only hoped. It came as a surprise to them both when the second man was selected. It was decided that dependability was more important than a smooth come-on.

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32).

God requires His followers to be disciplined. If we practice self-control, we are well on the road to wisdom. It is not always easy to be a Christian, but we are expected to hold fast to the faith through bad times as well as good. The disciplined person learns to deal with hardship and, through discipline, gains endurance. God loves the person who is steadfast and unyielding in faith. The person who gives up easily and forgets their trust has no place with God. We need to pray for strength in our faith and trust that God will grant it. Discipline is greater than strength or intelligence or charm. (David slew the mighty Goliath with a sling and a stone). Discipline gives us the foundation; we need to build a faith, which cannot be shaken.

Give me a faith that will never fail, O Lord. I put my trust in You, because you are God and there is nothing on earth, which is more powerful than Your might. Be with me to strengthen me and give me your peace. Amen.