Weblog
Wednesday, 07 October 2009
-
Thoughts on Healing
Healing is one of those topics I never really thought about too much growing up, even in church. I just sort of assumed that whoever God wanted to heal He would and if He didn't there must be some reason for it. But the older I get, the more I study, and the more I experience, the more I am convinced that the fault lies not with God but with us. I don't say this to heap blame and shame on ourselves, but rather to help us step out of lies and darkness and into truth and light.
So here are a few thoughts I've been mulling over. I'm writing them primarily to help me sort them out and organize them in a coherent way, but thought a few of you might like to read them as well. Here goes.
Bill Johnson is fond of saying, "Jesus Christ is perfect theology." The way Jesus lived and ministered is a perfect representation of the nature and character of God. He came to not only save us, but to model a life we're all meant to live. So let's consider Jesus' standard when it came to healing (emphasis added)."Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people." (Matthew 4:23)
"When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick." (Matthew 8:16)
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness." (Matthew 9:35)
"Great crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at His feet; and He healed them." (Matthew 15:30)
"And wherever He went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged Him to let them touch even the edge of His cloak, and all who touched Him were healed." (Mark 6:56)
"When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them." (Luke 4:40)
"A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all." (Luke 6:17b-19)
I cannot find a single instance in Scripture where Jesus didn't heal someone. It didn't seem to matter the person's condition, their history, their genealogy, their age, their character, their righteousness, or even what day of the week it was. Jesus' standard was to heal all who came to Him.
Oftentimes there were crowds of thousands mobbing Him but still it says He healed everyone. Without exception. He didn't go down the line praying for person after person and say, "Be healed. Be healed. Be healed. Sorry, this is for your character. Be healed. Be healed. Could you come back Tuesday? Be healed. Be healed. Um, first you need to learn this lesson then I'll heal you. Be healed. Be healed. Be healed. Oh, I can't heal you until you repent and become righteous." Seriously, can you imagine Jesus doing that!? He never picked and chose who to heal. Yet, I find this is exactly how many of us believe. We might not say it out loud, but if we really examine the way we think about our own sickness or someone else's we find that's what we subconciously believe.
Do you believe Jesus wants to heal everyone, right now? Jesus seemed to hold that opinion. When He sent out the disciples in Matthew 10:1, He "gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness." He didn't tell them, "OK, go heal only those who are righteous." Nor did He say, "Before you pray for someone, be sure to ask the Father first if He wants to heal them. God might be teaching them a lesson or building their character."
Again, the fault lies not with God. God is good all the time. 2 Corinthians 6:2b tells us that, "now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." Most Christians have no trouble believing that Jesus wants to save all people, all the time; that it is His will that none be lost. But when it comes to healing we think He suddenly gets picky. Imagine applying this same faulty standard to salvation that is applied to healing. "Well, Jesus will save you as soon as He's done developing your character." "Jesus will save you right after you learn that lesson." "Jesus will save you right after you stop sinning and become righteous." Doesn't that sound ludicrous!? So why is healing any different? Psalms 103:2-3 says, "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." Salvation and healing go hand-in-hand. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Jesus died both to save everyone and to heal everyone. It's a package deal: body, soul, and spirit!
I confess that I have been guilty in the past (and sometimes even now) of focusing on excuses for why people didn't get healed instead of focusing on why God wants to heal people. Ephesians 4:27 commands us, "do not give the devil a foothold." All authority in heaven and earth was given to Jesus and then He gave it to us, so the only authority the enemy has in a believer's life must be what we give him. If we entertain thoughts that are contrary to the revealed nature of God in Jesus, then we create a place in our mind and our theology that gives the enemy legal access to keep us from experiencing all Jesus has for us.
What's the remedy? I have to stop believing lies about the character and nature of Jesus. By believing a lie I am agreeing with the father of lies and giving him permission to keep me bound. First, I need to repent for thinking that God's love expressed through healing is somehow conditional or performance-based. Second, I have to confess the truth that God is good all the time, Jesus healed all who came to Him, and that the price He paid on the cross is more than enough to both save and heal.
It's time to stop making excuses. If someone doesn't get healed, I can't begin justifying and rationalizing it. Instead, I have to cling to the standard set by Jesus and proclaim His will until I see, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
-
I Can Take a Hint
I mentioned earlier today on my Facebook status that I've become fascinated with sowing & reaping. It seems like everywhere I turn it's right in my face. A few weeks ago I listened to a message by Bill Johnson on giving. Then a week or so later I a message by Kris Vallotton on giving, sowing, reaping, etc. Yesterday I read a note by Jason Vallotton on sowing & reaping. Today I put on a podcast by a guy Blake recommended. The topic? Sowing & reaping.
So I'm sitting here at my computer trying to figure out what to share on tomorrow night at the first little get together we're having at our house for some young adults. Hmm, maybe I should discuss sowing & reaping? I remember Bill Johnson saying that he never studies to teach, he just teaches from whatever the Lord is showing him. So should we discuss sowing & reaping? But a few days ago I was thinking in a totally different direction. Decisions, decisions... Oh yeah, I never got around to finishing my daily Bible reading; I think it was Luke 8. Maybe I'll get some inspiration from that...
"Luke 8 - The Parable of the Sower"
OK Jesus, I can take a hint!
Friday, 21 August 2009
-
3's of Me
Via Blake.
Play along at home! Simply copy, paste, change my answers to yours, and repost.
************************
Three names I go by
1. Kent
2. KentyMac
3. Baby
Three jobs I have had in my life
1. Yard mower
2. Grocery sacker (proud winner of the Marsh "Super-Sacker" contest!)
3. Game room attendant (mostly just made change)
Three Places I have lived
1. Kansas
2. Montana
3. Alabama
Three Favorite drinks
1. Water
2. Blue Moon
3. Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
Three TV shows that I watch
1. Lost
2. Chuck
3. American Idol
Three Places I Have Been
1. Morocco
2. Czech Republic
3. Lichtenstein
Three people who e-mail/Facebook me regularly
1. Blake
2. Kyongok
3. Spammers
Three of my favorite restaurants
1. Mulvaney's (Sacramento)
2. Sino (San Jose)
3. Bonnie Jean's Soul Food (San Diego)
Three friends I think will respond
1. Jay Dub
2. Chad
3. Amanda
Three things I'm looking forward to
1. A life with my amazing wife
2. Being debt free
3. Raising the dead
Three favorite movies of all time
1. Original Star Wars trilogy (3-for-the-price-of-1)
2. Silverado
3. Tommy Boy
(Ask me again in 20 minutes and this list will change completely. I love movies and picking just three is too hard so I chose the first three that came to mind.)
Three Favorite Bands
1. JesusCulture (esp. Kim Walker)
2. Delirious?
3. U2
Thursday, 26 March 2009
-
Crazy Favor
Kyong-ok and I have been saying for some time that we should document all the favor Jesus has given us in regards to our wedding planning so I decided to take a few minutes and do just that. Our prayer has been for a debt-free wedding and we continually pray and ask for His favor on everything, believing He will come through and He hasn't let us down yet!
(Keep in mind these are California prices, not Indiana or Alabama.)
When we first started looking at locations for our ceremony and reception the prices floored us. By the time you add up the venue, tables, chairs, linens, meals, drinks, servers, bartenders, etc you can hit $20k without even trying. I did a bit of looking online and decided to visit the #1 place to be married in Sacramento, as voted by a local magazine, Vizcaya Pavilion. The coordinator we spoke with was very nice and sympathetic to us wanting to save money. So she knocked $1,000 off the location rental fees. Then she waived the corkage fees. Then she said she'd charge us actual meal prices instead of charging us the higher of the two meal selections, as they normally do. Finally, she knocked another $2 off the beverage cost per person. All told, it was about $10,000 less than other places we had looked at!
Next came wedding dresses. I knew they were expensive but not exactly how expensive. Kyong-ok started looking around and would call me periodically as she found ones she liked. "I found one for $2400. Here's one for $3200. This is a nice one for $2800." Ahem, uh yeah, ok. You're gonna wear this how many times? But Jesus stepped in and she found a dress she really liked for $690. Sure that's still a small chunk, but about 1/3 or 1/4 of what we intially thought we might have to pay!
Photographers were up next. We met with a couple and were getting quotes in the $2000-3000 range for the shoot plus a few little extras thrown in. We really wanted a disc with all the images, which most photographers charged another $600-800 for, as well as a DVD slideshow of pics to show my family back in Indiana, another $250-350. Kept looking, kept praying and got a connection to a photographer that attends my church named Rob Robertson. He was super nice, does great work, and really wanted to help us out. We wound up getting two photographers for the entire day, plus an engagement photo shoot, plus a disc with all the images, plus a DVD slideshow for just $1250. That's probably 65-75% off!
OK Jesus, now we need a DJ. Contacted a few that were recommended to us and the price was $1500-1800 for a basic package. If you need a second sound system (which we do for the outside ceremony), additional mics, etc that's all extra. A friend of ours was in a wedding and said the DJ there, Dale, was really good so we should give him a call. I did and we met up with Dale's wife, Danyae. She was super nice, not to mention incredibly organized, and offered us a little better deal than what we'd been hearing - I think they wanted $1200 for the basic package. We told her all the things we needed, which were normally extra, and asked for a deal. OK, she said, we'll do it all, including two sound systems and all the mics you need, for $725. Hello, Jesus.
Good heavens, who knew cakes could cost so much? Anywhere from $2.50-3.50 per person was the norm, with a few bakeries charging $4-5 per person. Multiply that by 200 people and you're looking at $1,000. For cake. I'm sorry, you want a grand for sugar and flour? Jesus must have thought that was ridiculous too because we found a lovely place another friend recommended for under $1.80 per person. Thank you, Jesus!
The last major hurdle was the honeymoon. Our honeymoon week falls on spring break, which is why we chose it since I'll be off work, but that also means that everyone and their brother is also traveling then and the resorts and airlines know it! We first started looking at all-inclusives in the Carribean and Mexico and considered a few places around $4,000 for the week, not including airfare. Hawaii would be nice but there aren't any all-inclusives and by the time you add up airfare, renting a place, and food you'll still be in the same price range. We also thought about renting an apartment in Paris as we found some cheap weekly rentals for around a grand but place tickets to get us there were over $1k each. Time was ticking and the more I called places, the more they were saying they were full or tickets just weren't available because of demand. Several times I felt the pressure just to book something but kept having this check in my spirit that we should wait - Jesus had been so faithful on everything else, let's hold out and give Him a chance to come through.
We sweated it a few more weeks and then a friend of Kyong-ok's called and said a couple friends of her's wanted to meet us. She'd been telling them about our story, how long we'd waited to get married, how we met, where we worked, etc and they'd like to meet up for lunch. So we met up the next Sunday after church and told them our whole story. At the end, they said, "We own this condo in Kauai and if you'd like to use it..." I'm sorry, you literally just met us twenty minutes ago and you're offering to let us use your swank condo in Kauai? We got more details and it's on the much desired north shore of paradise in a town called Princeville, apparently the swanky place to be. They said their place is perched on the edge of a cliff so you walk in and are looking out nine foot glass windows over a lush green canyon and the ocean. They love it and try to spend several months there a year. They've even sent two of their own kids there for their honeymoons. All they wanted was $350 for the entire week to cover the cleaning service and power. Then, a few days later, a couple great friends of ours called and offered to pay the $350 for us! So we got a luxurious condo on the primo north shore of the garden isle of Kauai for $0 + airfare. I guess that was the deal we were holding out for - thank you, Jesus! (I even love that we'll be in Prince-ville.)
It really has just been ridiculous how much favor the Lord has given us towards our wedding. We've met great people, gotten great service, and saved great loads of money. To top it all off, I called the wedding location again today and they waived the cake-cutting fee as their wedding gift to us and knocked another $2 per person off the beverages, saving us another $1,000!
Jesus is so good! There is never a recession in heaven and He never lacks. All glory to Him for crazy favor!
Debt-free wedding; debt-free life!
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
-
Your Band & Album Cover
1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together
I present to you my new band, HELIX!
Thursday, 12 February 2009
-
It's a Disaster
RULES:
1. Put your MP3 player, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the "next" button to get your answer.
3. Have fun!
[A few of these worked out rather well, especially the song for my funeral.]
IF SOMEONE SAYS "ARE YOU OKAY" WHAT DO YOU SAY?
Give Me Novacaine
(Green Day)
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
You've Got the Touch
(Alabama)
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Panic in Detroit
(David Bowie)
HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Hold Fast
(MercyMe)
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Come Home Running
(Chris Tomlin)
WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever
(Delirious?)
WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
I Feel The Winds of God Today
(Phil Keaggy)
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Knowing You
(Passion)
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
If I Were a Carpenter
(Kevin Spacey)
WHAT IS 2+ 2?
Love is the Ritual
(Styx)
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Mind's Eye
(dc Talk)
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons #2 In G Minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "Summer" - 3. Presto
(Antonio Vivaldi)
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
People, Get Ready...Jesus is Comin'
(Crystal Lewis)
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
You Said
(Rita Springer)
WHAT WILL(DID) YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
What Christmas Means To Me
(Stevie Wonder)
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
To One in Paradise
(The Alan Parsons Project)
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Your Love Endures
(Third Day)
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Suzanne
(Neil Diamond)
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Vapor Trails
(Rush)
WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
One Thing Remains
(Matt Redman)
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Trusting the Angels
(Jason Upton)
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
It's a Disaster
(OK Go)
Thursday, 05 February 2009
-
I'm Every Woman
I still can't quite believe I'm posting this, but it should be good for a laugh...
For Christmas, Kim & I got my folks Karaoke Revolution: Presents American Idol Encore 2 for their Nintendo Wii. We had lots of fun singing duets on it, including this classic with my niece, Audra. I thought Kenny, my step-dad, was taking a picture at first but then realized it was a video.
Oh my. Watch at your peril. You have been warned.
(And its amazing how few of the words you really know to a song like this until you try to sing it!)
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
-
25 Random Things About Me
Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, its because I want to know more about you.
(To do this on Facebook, go to "notes" under your home page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then publish.)
1. I eat a clove of garlic everyday with my breakfast and sometimes as my breakfast.
2. I can do calligraphy with my toes.
3. I once jammed on harmonica with a death metal band.
4. I can stick a softball in my mouth.
5. I love Precious Moments figurines and hope to someday have the entire collection.
6. I store up acorns for the winter, much like my neighborhood squirrels.
7. My childhood nickname was Greta.
8. I once injected Jolt cola intravenously just to get the caffeine in my system faster.
9. I couldn't get enough of the soap opera Passions and cried for days after it was canceled.
10. My childhood dream was to become a zamboni driver.
11. I saw Titanic 19 times in the theater.
12. When I was a kid, I had two posters on my wall: Farrah Fawcett and Ernest Borgnine.
13. Due to extreme OCD, I choose my next friend in life alphabetically. I've been stuck for quite awhile, looking for someone with a great personality and sense of humor, whose first name begins with Q.
14. I believe there are not enough people named Quentin and Quincy in the world. (see above)
15. I once got Cliff's autograph, the author of Cliff Notes, but he just signed it C. Smart ass.
16. I believe Butterfingers to be nature's perfect food.
17. I've been pulled over by the police twice on suspicion of being an automatic-weapon-toting-drug runner. I guess I have one of those faces.
18. One time I caught a largemouth bass, filleted it open, and found a can of tuna inside. Sick bastard.
19. My middle name is Luigi. That's right, Kent Luigi McCorkle.
20. Before the operation it was Linda.
21. I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.
22. I like to see how many orifices I can simultaneously stick a Q-tip in. My record is six. Poor dog.
23. I am currently in litigation with Danielle Steel for swiping all my ideas.
24. I was born a poor, black child.
25. Only one of the above is actually true. Can you guess which one?
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
-
Currently
Monk - Season Six
By Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, Jason Gray-Stanford, Traylor Howard, Stanley Kamel
see relatedLife After College?
Here's a sample video I put together for the curriculum we're developing for college seniors. I was just playing around with the software and created this short clip on dating after college. Clips like this will act as a lead-in to discussion on various topics.
Chatboard (11)