John 20:11-18 Jesus Speaks To You

John 20:11-18 NIV
I ran into one of our local law enforcement officials the other day. I have known him for about 16 years. For some reason, I thought he was someone else I have known, just as long, in the law enforcement community. That same day, I received a call from a family member who I haven't heard from in awhile. At first, I thought she was one of my parishioners with a similar name. It took a few seconds to figure out who she really was.

It has been a very busy wseek. No, it has been a very busy and hectic summer. I was tired and had my mind other things; things that I was actually suppose to be doing at the time. When this happens, I sometimes forget names of people and I am just a bit slower in "connecting all the dots." It doesn't mean I can't connect them; just that I am a bit slower at times. Times of grief; whether it is my grief or someone else' grief can be particularly strong impetus toward my having a poor memory.

Mary was grieving when she met Jesus in the garden. She did not know what had happened to her beloved Jesus. His body was not in the tomb. Where could he be? Who could have taken his body? She was grieving and anxious when she turned and talked to the man in the garden. She did not recognize her beloved Jesus. She did not know him until he spoke to her, calling her by name.

Sometimes, grief or anxiety will cause us all kinds of problems with daily living. We may be so focused on what we are going through; we fail to realize the reality of what others are going through. We may fail to see Jesus living in and through others. We may fail to see the hand of God using our grief and/or anxiety for the good of us or others. Be assured that God can and will use all things for the good of all people. According to Paul's letter to the Romans:8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Jesus call you. He calls you by name. Answer him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Zechariah 1 - Four Horses

Zechariah had some awesome visions. Whenever I read of them, I am also reminded of St. John the Evangelist's visions. Today, we have the four horses.

The four horses (two red horses, one white, one black) of Zechariah's vision seems to have been sent out on a reconnaissance mission of sorts. The horses report back that they have gone throughout the world and have found it living in peace. But, this is not so for God's people. They are struggling under the rule of Persia and know no peace.

The four horses of the Revelation of St. John (Rev 6:1-8) are white, red, black, and pale (whatever color pale is!). Their mission is to conquer the world; bringing hardship, destruction and death. In fact, the red horse is sent specifically to take away the peace of the world - the very peace that is found in the world that the four horses of Zechariah's vision makes report of.

It is understood that the peace that is taken away is a worldly peace. It is not the peace that we experience when we abide in God's presence; for He is our peace. His peace is not dependent on the world's peace or lack thereof. It does not matter whether the world around us is in turmoil; it doesn't matter if the world claims peace when they, in reality, do not live in the peace of God. It just doesn't matter. All who abide in the Christ and He in them; know the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) no matter what level of peace or war the world is in. There seems to be times, when this peace of God seems to elude us, even His children. We fall back out of fear or anxiety when we begin looking to the world for comfort and peace; rather than God.

The vision from Zechariah is there to remind us that we are not to fear. God will save His people. The LORD will comfort us. We shall live in His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Micah 3 - Leaders With Hearts For The Peoples' Hearts

“Listen, you leaders of Jacob,
    you rulers of Israel.
Should you not embrace justice,
     you who hate good and love evil;
who tear the skin from my people
    and the flesh from their bones;
who eat my people’s flesh,
    strip off their skin
    and break their bones in pieces;
who chop them up like meat for the pan,
    like flesh for the pot?”
Then they will cry out to the Lord,
    but he will not answer them.
At that time he will hide his face from them
    because of the evil they have done." (Micah 3:1-4 NIV)

Personally, I think these verses pretty much speak for themselves. It's seems to me it's all about personal power, authority, wealth... for many (maybe all - I can't figure out for certain) of our elected leaders. Are they really concerned about actually helping people or helping their personal agendas? It seems to be a lot about creating more mandates, more hoops to jump through and actually providing less or no services for the tax payers dollars.

There seems, to me, to be a mental health crisis in this country and specifically in the county that I live in. We have a 16% unemployment rate; the dark days of winter are upon us; people are suffering from alcohol and drug addictions as well as depression and anxiety; children and their needs are often neglected. So what to do about it? What are our leaders doing about it? Nada, Nichts,

Hичего не, Nothing (or a whole lot close to nothing)!  And... unless you are willing to go to the emergency room or call an 888 number and tell them that you plan to commit suicide or kill someone; then there is virtually no help. There is no help for those who have not yet reached those stages. With all due respect, we do have some pretty good programs in this county for substance abuse related mental health problems - through 12-step programs and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and there are programs for severely mentally ill persons if you can get past the call to the 888 phone number. But, for the multitudes who are suffering from countless other mental health issues - pretty much nothing.

Recently, I contacted two of our elected leaders from Michigan (one Democrat/one Republican) regarding this. Both responses were very lacking in any real understanding of the real needs of the people. One of the responses to my queries from those in authority lately has been that Obamacare will eventually fix the problem. When I asked "how long," I was told that it would probably take a couple of years...

So, thinking that maybe our elected official aren't the answer and we might have to turn to a grass roots, community effort; I checked out government web-sites for grants to implement counseling or treatment programs for those who are not yet in the crisis stage; yet, are still not living lives anywhere near to full. I couldn't find one. You can get grants to research mental health and illness. You can get grants to start community coalitions to talk about the crisis. But, I could not find one grant that would actually help a community set up a treatment program/counseling service for those who are not in the crisis stage. You know... the kind of counseling that might help people who are heading toward being non-functional due to depression or anxiety; counseling for people who are having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning; or leaving the house; counseling for people before they get to the stage where they are contemplating and planning to committing suicide or even murder.

Our LORD does ask of us to help and serve one another. So where's the help from the leaders that we, in good faith, have elected? If our leaders will not do it, who then?

Right now, I'm praying that God will figure out (and reveal) a plan for us that doesn't include elected political leaders; unless He has a mind to change their hearts and minds. In the meantime, the only answer that I can give anyone is one I overheard my granddaughter give a friend of hers who was heading into more trouble than he was already in - who was constantly complaining how life was treating him: "You really just need Jesus." That is true - a closer relationship with Jesus would help us a whole lot - in fact it would save us. But, God also gave us gifts, gift to be shared with those in need. Those gifts include professional counselors and therapists who can help us better to understand how to live life more abundantly.

I have often been asked to counsel people in the community. I am trained in substance abuse counseling. I am trained in spiritual counseling. Beyond, that... my gifts at counseling are very limited. Years ago, I use to be able to refer people to other counselors when it went beyond spiritual counseling; but, the places I can refer you to now are really limited and you might have to travel quite a ways to get those services. 

May God lift up leaders who have a heart for the people's hearts.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. I read Michigan's Mental Health Act the other day. If you live in Copper Country of Michigan and are in crisis, even though the people at the 888 number, during your telephone assessment, have deemed you not in crisis - ask for a second opinion. They will, according to the act, set you up with an appointment, locally, for a one on one assessment. This means you will actually get assessed in person rather than over the phone!

Jeremiah 6 - Who Gives Peace: The LORD or Mary Jane?

What a strange chapter! Every so many verses it is written, "This is what the LORD says."

The LORD is once again warning the people that their sins are bringing trouble upon themselves. "For disaster looms out of the north, even terrible destruction." (Jer 6:1b NIV) "Prepare for battle!" (vs 4)

Once again, "This is what the LORD says."

"To whom can I speak and give warning?
    Who will listen to me?
Their ears are closed
    so they cannot hear.
The word of the Lord is offensive to them; 
   they find no pleasure in it." (Jer 6:10)

No one will listen. They would rather accept the message of "Peace, when there is no peace," (vs 14) so that they can keep doing as they are doing. They would rather hear things like, don't worry about it; it is good for you; it won't hurt you; God loves you no matter what you do. And.... indeed He does. But, He does not always love what His children do; especially, when they do not listen to Him for their own welfare, for their sake, and for the sake of all of His children.

It is as if we think if it feels good at the time, we should do it. I have been warning people about a danger, about something that does damage, for some time. But, it appears that no one (or very few) listens.

And... that is the danger of marijuana use. Why, it's so good for us, that in many areas of the country and world it has become a legal medication! What a lie that has been propagated throughout this world. If were really being used as a medication it should be farmed and distributed through real pharmacies. I have no doubt that it can be used to alleviate the suffering of those who have chronic pain. But, what I am seeing is that people are using the legal status as an excuse to abuse the drug and use it for their recreational purposes.

There are a few side effects that come with use of this drug that not everyone is aware of and if they are, they choose to ignore them. They choose to not hear.

• Feelings of detachment
• Motor coordination problems
• Hormone secretion dysfunction
• Increased heart rate
• Bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Cancer
• Infertility
• Dependence
• Depression
• Impaired cognitive ability and memory
• Anxiety
• Panic
• Paranoia
• Altered perceptions
• Mania
• Psychosis
• Early onset of schizophrenia and schizophrenic like symptoms

 And... if you are an addict, don't forget all the wonderful side effects that occur when you don't have your substance (false god) of choice.

So, if you are thinking "what does this have to do with the reading this morning," it is this: in our reading Jeremiah warns the people that they will suffer because they have turned away from God to worship false gods. Marijuana is a false god. It lulls people into a false sense of peace, at least while they are using. Everything is good! But, it is not. Do not say, "Peace, peace when there is no peace." (vs 14)

Peace, real peace, everlasting peace comes from only one place. We receive peace when we accept Jesus as our peace.  "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Col 1:19) Living in relationship with God, our Father; God, the Son; and God the Holy Spirit is the only place that we can have peace. Drugs will not do what God can do.

Is your life a mess? Thinking the world is turning against you? That just might be one of the side-effects of marijuana use - paranoia. Turn to the LORD! Flee for safety to the One who can and will protect you. Get rid of your false gods! Get rid of your pot! Disaster is looming! Who will listen?

And... may the peace of the LORD be with you always - Pr. J

P.S. Formerly a Substance Abuse Director at a Youth Correctional Facility.