Happy 4th of July

Posted on July 4th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Spiritual Growth.

In honor of our 233rd celebration of our country, please enjoy reading our country’s Declaration of Independence.

In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
A DECLARATION
By the REPRESENTATIVES of the
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
In GENERAL CONGRESS assembled.

WHEN in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness—-That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the Present King of Great-Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public Good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance, unless suspended in their Operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the Accommodation of large Districts of People; unless those People would relinquish the Right of Representation in the Legislature, a Right inestimable to them, and formidable to Tyrants only.

He has called together Legislative Bodies at Places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the Depository of their public Records, for the sole Purpose of fatiguing them into Compliance with his Measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People.

He has refused for a long Time, after such Dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the Dangers of Invasion from without, and Convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that Purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their Migrations hither, and raising the Conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices, and Amount and Payment of their Salaries.

He has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their Substance.

He has kept among us, in Times of Peace, Standing Armies, without the consent of our Legislature.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution, and unacknowledged by our Laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large Bodies of Armed Troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World:

For imposing taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended Offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an arbitrary Government, and enlarging its Boundaries, so as to render it at once an Example and fit Instrument for introducing the same absolute Rule in these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with Powers to legislate for us in all Cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our Towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People.

He is, at this Time, transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the Works of Death, Desolation, and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy, scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous Ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized Nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the Executioners of their Friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic Insurrections among us, and has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People.

Nor have we been wanting in Attentions to our British Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of Attempts by their Legislature to extend an unwarrantable Jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Emigration and Settlement here. We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these Usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our Connections and Correspondence. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Connection between them and the State of Great-Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Signed by Order and in Behalf of the Congress,
JOHN HANCOCK, President.

Attest.
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.

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Medical Myth #5: Strep Throat

Posted on July 3rd, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Book Reviews, medicine.

Another Medical Myth is the diagnosis and treatment of strep throat. Here is a GREAT summary written by Dr. Newman and some very good comments. The excerpts below are from a carefully researched book: Hippocrates’ Shadow by Newman. As always share your thoughts.

How do we diagnosis strep throat?

physical exam: “The signs and symptoms of strep throat have been exhaustively studied, and from this research we know that there are four important markers of strep throat infections: tender lymph nodes, fever, visible pus on the tonsils, and absence of a cough. When patients have all four of these characteristics, the chance that they have a strep throat infection is about 50 percent. But when they have zero, one, or even two of these characteristics, 10 percent or less will have strep throat.”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

throat cultures: “The problem with throat cultures is that they find too much strep. More than 10 percent of schoolchildren (the group at highest risk for strep throat infections), for instance, have live strep bacteria permanently and harmlessly in their throats, so even when there is no infection, a culture will be positive.”

But if we “use the test on a group of schoolchildren that has fewer than three of the four hallmark signs of strep throat. Only 10 percent or less will have a true case of strep throat, therefore no more than 10 percent of them can have positive test results that are right. But we also know that more than 10 percent of those being tested will have positive test results that are wrong (due to the harmless bacteria in their throat). Therefore, a positive test result in this group is mathematically guaranteed to be wrong more often than right. More positive results will be due to harmless bacteria than due to a strep infection. More positive results will be due to harmless bacteria than due to a strep infection.due to harmless bacteria than due to a strep infection. This situation, in which a positive test is more likely to be wrong than right, is very undesirable. We perform the throat culture test because we would like to accurately select the patients who should have antibiotics. But when we test people who have a less than 10 percent chance of strep throat, most of the people who are given antibiotics will be taking an unnecessary drug with potentially serious side effects. Unfortunately, the great majority of patients (schoolchildren and otherwise) that have a throat culture have fewer than three of the hallmark signs of strep throat, and often two, one, or even zero. Therefore most people who are given antibiotics because of a positive culture for strep throat don’t have strep throat.”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

Treatment: Antibiotics appear to do more harm than good? “In a brilliant sequence of six studies, the physicians used placebos and other modern scientific research techniques to examine the impact of antibiotics on the strep throat infection itself, and also on the rate of rheumatic fever that followed it. They published their landmark results for the first time in 1950, and established definitively that treating strep infections with antibiotics had reduced the chances of developing rheumatic fever. While the antibiotics had little impact on the strep throat itself’which seemed to last equally as long and cause symptoms equally severe’rheumatic fever occurred roughly 1 percent of the time after antibiotics were used. In those patients given placebos, it occurred roughly 2 percent of the time. Using antibiotics had cut the rate of rheumatic fever occurrence in half.”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

This is AMAZING to me. We are trained to treat ALL strep throats with antibiotics. But the reason we have been taught to treat with antibiotics (to prevent rheumatic fever) is rare and the antibiotics only reduce the risk of this complication by 1%!!! In fact “today we would likely have to treat more than a million in order to prevent a case of rheumatic fever. This changes things. The basis of treatment for any condition is the presumption that the disease poses more danger than the treatment. But 1 million prescriptions for antibiotics (to prevent one case of rheumatic fever) will cause more than twenty-four hundred potentially fatal allergic reactions…, as well as a hundred thousand cases of diarrhea and a hundred thousand rashes. In addition, long-term rheumatic heart disease is the target that antibiotics aim to prevent, but only a third of rheumatic fever cases result in heart disease. Therefore, the number of antibiotic prescriptions it takes to prevent one heart problem is three times as high as the number it takes to prevent rheumatic fever. To prevent one long-term heart problem it would take 3 million antibiotic prescriptions, and more than seven thousand [life threatening reactions].”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

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Cephalosporins can be prescribed safely for pencillin allergic patients

Posted on June 30th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: medicine.

I have been asked this question weekly for the last 12 years so here are the references to confirm that it is ok to give Cephalosporins in patients allergic to pencillin.

Summary articles:

#1. Journal of Family Practice, February 2006

* The widely quoted cross-allergy risk of 10% between penicillin and cephalosporins is a myth (A).

* Cephalothin, cephalexin, cefadroxil, and cefazolin confer an increased risk of allergic reaction among patients with penicillin allergy (B).

* Cefprozil, cefuroxime, cefpodoxime, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone do not increase risk of an allergic reaction (B).

Undoubtedly you have patients who say they are allergic to penicillin but have difficulty recalling details of the reactions they experienced. To be safe, we often label these patients as penicillin-allergic without further questioning and withhold not only penicillins but cephalosporins due to concerns about potential cross-reactivity and resultant IgE-mediated, type I reactions. But even for patients truly allergic to penicillin, is the concern over cephalosporins justified? It depends on the specific agent. What is certain is that a blanket dismissal of all cephalosporins is unfounded.

The truth about the myth

Despite myriad studies spanning decades and involving varied patient populations, results have not conclusively established that penicillin allergy increases the risk of an allergic reaction to cephalosporins, compared with the incidence of a primary (and unrelated) cephalosporin allergy.

* Results

True incidence of reactions to cephalosporins

The most frequent reactions to cephalosporins are non-pruritic, non-urticarial rashes, which occur in 1.0% to 2.8% of patients; (4-8) for most, the mechanism is idiopathic and not a contraindication for future use. (38) Retrospective studies suggest a 1% to 3% incidence of immune or allergic reactions to cephalosporins independent of any history of penicillin/amoxicillin allergy. (31) Anaphylactic reactions from cephalosporins are extremely rare, with the risk estimated at 0.0001% to 0.1%. (31,38) A seminal study suggested approximately 0.004% to 0.015% of treatment courses with penicillin results in anaphylaxis. (5,9-11) Several studies suggest that cephalosporin-induced anaphylaxis occurs no more frequently among patients with known penicillin allergy than among those without such allergy. (23,27,38-41)

#2. Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, February 1995

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Judge NOT & love and understand as Jesus would (Matthew 7:1)

Posted on June 29th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Evil and Suffering, Healing, Love, Spiritual Growth, Vital Signs of Healing, medicine.

As I write this I am STILL recovering from the tongue lashing that I got from a patients wife yesterday.  We were having a congenial discussion about her spouse (the patient), and as I prepared to write orders and discuss the possible diagnoses, she went OFF.  I mentioned that his chronic abdominal cramps may, in the end (IF all the tests continue to come back negative) be entirely from stress.  Well she did NOT like that option at ALL.  ”Don’t tell me it is stress! It is NOT stress! I KNOW it is not stress.  There is something wrong with him. That is what the other doctors said….”  She proceeded to sware at me for a good solid 2 minutes which seemed like a lifetime.  I was so frustrated and mad! I just finished a great book on how to be a better doctor, and I continue to try and improve my doctor skills.  In the book that I had just read, the author spoke about what a disservice doctors have done by just ordering more and more tests without getting at the heart of the matter and just talking with the patient.  It is SO frustrating to try to spend the time and show compassion and try and educate the patient to get spit in the face for it.  When you see over and over again that the patient is NOT interested in hearing what you have to say then you become hardened and numb and just give them what they want even if it is not necessary or the best treatment option!

After this very stressful situation, I found from the patients primary doctor that his wife has ‘gone off’ on him many times in the past, but that she is a professing Christian.  Now I was even more frustrated and angry.  I SO wanted to go back in to tell her how angry I am at her behavior.  How dare she act like that and claim to worship my precious Savior.

Now this is where the healing, the importance of fellowship, and the lessons were learned comes in.  I talked it over with one of my colleagues who is a believer.  And he challenged me to not judge her in that way.  OUCH!

He said: 1. just think how tough she would be without Christ and most importantly 2. you have never acted that way??? really never??? we are ALL like this at some time in our lives.  You MUST consider HER situation.  She is frustrated; she is scared; she has been dealing with this without any answers for months….WOW!

Now a day later, I see that God was teaching me a powerful review lesson on forgiveness, understanding, judgment, compassion, love, AND that I MUST continue to strive to love and go against the grain–and communicate with my patients with MORE compassion and understanding!

2 comments.

How simple is the Christian walk of faith?

Posted on June 29th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Evil and Suffering, Love, Men on the Path, Spiritual Growth.

Here is a marvelous quote from 2 Christian missionaries who live in Africa about the Christian walk.

“Loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength will take you to the end of yourself, and you will find yourself looking out over a precipice. Only God can keep you from falling. Only faith working through love counts. Let’s never leave the simplicity and purity of devotion to Jesus. All we know when the pressure becomes great is Jesus and Him crucified. We exist by the power of the Cross, safe and secure.”-Rolland and Heidi

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Medical Myth #4: Mammograms

Posted on June 25th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Book Reviews, medicine.

Once again Dr. Newman’s research has found some astounding findings.  Here are some summary statements from his research regarding mammograms:

Roughly 25 percent or more of cancers are missed.
==========

So how often do mammograms produce false positives? The cumulative risk of having a false-positive mammogram in ten years is 50 percent; therefore half of women undergoing regular mammograms for ten years will receive a positive result that is incorrect. Indeed, 97 percent of positive mammograms are false rather than true.

==========

During ten years of mammograms about 20 percent of women, or one in every five, will have a false positive that leads to a biopsy.

==========

For every 10,000 women screened routinely over ten years, it has been estimated that one case of breast cancer is caused by the radiation.
==========

 Having mammograms was of no benefit at all.
==========

 Women were alive and surviving at the same rate whether they had been assigned to receive mammograms or not.
==========

finding cancer earlier may not always be the answer. In the case of breast cancer a large proportion of cancerous lumps, perhaps 25 percent or more, are slow-growing and may therefore never lead

==========

In the case of breast cancer a large proportion of cancerous lumps, perhaps 25 percent or more, are slow-growing and may therefore never lead to serious danger.

==========

That regular breast exams are a better screening tool than mammograms is a suggestion that has been made before, convincingly.

==========

In summary:

mammograms do not appear from the research to have any benefit

regular breast exams are a better screening tool

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Imagine: Using our Minds and Imaginations to Grow Closer to God Part 2

Posted on June 24th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Book Reviews, Evil and Suffering, Healing, Prayer List, Sermons, Spiritual Growth, Vital Signs of Healing, doctrine.

Enjoy sermons #6-8 in the Animate Series by Greg Boyd

Here is an excellent book that helps with prayer life and using imaginitive exercises to grow closer to God:

Animate Sermon Series by Boyd (This is the link to notes on the Series)

Celebration of Disciplines by Foster (This is an AMAZING book on spiritual disciplines.  It is filled with GREAT quotes from Christian disciples and with practical ways to grow deeper with Christ.  It is a How To on prayer, Bible study, fasting, etc.  Below is an excerpt from the book.)

mediation exercise: “The following is a brief exercise to aid you in “re-collection” that is simply called “palms down, palms up.” Begin by placing your palms down as a symbolic indication of your desire to turn over any concerns you may have to God. Inwardly you may pray, “Lord, I give to you my anger toward John. I release my fear of my dentist appointment this morning. I surrender my anxiety over not having enough money to pay the bills this month. I release my frustration over trying to find a baby-sitter for tonight.” Whatever it is that weighs on your mind or is a concern to you, just say, “palms down.” Release it. You may even feel a certain sense of release in your hands. After several moments of surrender, turn your palms up as a symbol of your desire to receive from the Lord. Perhaps you will pray silently: “Lord, I would like to receive your divine love for John, your peace about the dentist appointment, your patience, your joy.” Whatever you need, you say, “palms up.” Having centered down, spend the remaining moments in complete silence. Do not ask for anything. Allow the Lord to commune with you, to love you.”-Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

Finally I end with a quote from Francisco whose devotion, passion, and focused imagery inspires and transforms our often lifeless faith.  Try starting your day with Jesus WAITING for YOU to take each day as a unique adventure!

“When I wake up every morning, Jesus is waiting for me.”-Francisco

 

 Standard Podcast [51:19m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Standard Podcast [45:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Standard Podcast [60:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Imagine: Using our Minds & Imaginations to grow closer to God Part 1

Posted on June 24th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Book Reviews, Evil and Suffering, Healing, Prayer List, Sermon Notes, Spiritual Growth, Vital Signs of Healing, doctrine.

I have placed 5 of 8 sermon series on this post because it is so important for Christians in the U.S. to come back to the early church practices of prayer, meditation, and using ALL of our sense and especially using our imagination/minds.

As a western physician, my brain is entirely left without a right.  The use of imagery in prayer and in our walk with Him could transform our faith if we took the time to practice these exercises.

As a former atheist, I am quick  to put distance between myself and God when life is going smoothly and to be filled with doubt when life is going rough.  These sermons inspire and challenge all of us to use our minds/imaginations to grow closer to Him.

Animate Sermon Series by Boyd (This is the link to notes on the Series)

As always share with us your thoughts.

 

 Standard Podcast [50:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Standard Podcast [51:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Standard Podcast [50:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Standard Podcast [53:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Standard Podcast [60:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Kingdom Living: Listen & Look for God moments

Posted on June 19th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Apologetics, Love, Sermon Notes, Spiritual Growth, Vital Signs of Healing.

In Mike Erre’s newest book: Death by Church, he has an important chapter titled: Postures of Incarnation.  We need to show the world the incarnation through out actions.  We need to prayerfully watch and listen for the God moments–those moments every day where God is nudging us to show his love to others.

“I used to hate interuptions to my ministry until I understood that interruptions were my ministry.”-Henri Nouwen

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Medical Myth #3: ACLS

Posted on June 16th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: medicine.

According to Newman in Hippocrates’ Shadow, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (A.C.L.S.) doesn’t work.  This has been my experience as well (there are always those very rare exceptions).  As the discussion of ‘fixing’ healthcare looms, one place to cut costs would be at the end of life.  I am continually amazed by the number of very elderly who do not have Do Not Resuscitate (D.N.R.) orders who arrive to the Emergency Department dead, and we have to try and resuscitate a dead person.  The cost of these end of life measures is astounding.  

“The ACLS method is used on more than a million people every year in the United States, and for millions more around the world.* This is notable in light of a vast body of evidence that all leads to the same conclusion: it doesn’t work.”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

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Worry Free Living by Bill

Posted on June 15th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Sermon Notes, Spiritual Growth.

Worry-Free Living

Christian Soul Care Devotional

William Gaultiere, Ph.D.

In the Bible Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6). Is this really possible? Can you and I learn to be free of anxiety and worry?

Anxiety is probably the most common problem that Kristi and I have helped people with over the last twenty-five years. In our Christian Soul Care office, in churches, on retreats, and in small groups we’ve given care, counsel, and prayer to so many anxious people – including ourselves!

Is it any wonder why? We try to do too much in a day.  We push ourselves beyond our limits to achieve our goals. We think multi-tasking is good. We drive too fast. We’re information overloaded. We don’t know how to rest and we don’t get enough sleep. We don’t know the meaning of “good enough” or “enough” of anything. We want more than we have. We want better health than we have. We want to be happier than we are. We try to make other happy with us. We seek constant stimulation through entertainment, noise, over activity, adrenaline, or caffeine. And we’re sure that the grass is green on the other side of the fence and somehow we’ve got to get over there.

We think we’re anxious because of stress, but we’re wrong. We’re anxious because of our attitude. We don’t worry or become tense and agitated because of stress that happens to us – stress is a natural part of life. Our problem is that we respond to our life challenges by becoming fearful or by fighting against reality. This internalized stress in our bodies is anxiety and it does more to damage our health and our relationships than probably anything else.

Anxiety is considered a secondary emotion because we only feel anxious when we have unwanted emotions like fear, anger, shame, or sadness that we’re trying to get rid of. In other words, anxiety is a control problem. When you or I are anxious it’s because we’re trying to control things: how we feel, what people think of us, or the outcomes of situations in our lives.

People who are anxious usually feel that they shouldn’t be anxious – they’re upset at themselves for feeling like they do, for being “weak” or for needing help. They’re convinced that if they just try harder things will get better. But trying harder rarely makes things better. We need to learn to try differently, to train to become the kind of person who can rely on care from God and others and submit to God in all things and, therefore, be at peace.

We need to learn to trust God and others by opening up our hearts to care, being honest and vulnerable, admitting to and verbalizing our emotions regarding what’s stressing us out or hurting us. (It’s ironic that accepting the reality of an emotional problem and not rushing to “fix” it helps to relieve anxiety.)

And as part of receiving care it’s very important to focus on absorbing and agreeing with the compassion offered. To “agree with” someone’s care for you is to smile and say, “Thank you!” It’s to say to yourself, “Yes, I needed that listening. What a blessing my friend is to me.” It’s to repeat to yourself words of affirmation or encouragement that someone offers you. It’s to memorize a Bible verse that ministers to your soul and to marinate your mind in it, speaking God’s word to your soul in prayer over and over again. The Psalmist models for us this authentic faith in community and in prayer.

The Psalmist also continually submits himself to the Sovereign Lord’s will, rather than trying to make things turn out in his life the way he wants. He does ask God for what he wants, but then he waits… and waits! And in the waiting he learns to focus his wanting on developing a closer relationship with the Lord rather than being consumed with concern over one of they myriad of lesser blessings we all tend to desire. (It’s another surprising irony that when we deny ourselves we discover true life.) And when he’s angry because he’s been disappointed or mistreated he entrusts his anger to God and his justice rather than seeking revenge or becoming embittered.

Daily I use the Psalmist’s prayers to help me to live out his authentic faith in which he cries out to God. Many of his Psalms read like journal entries and help me to get in touch with and admit my own emotional struggles. And the Psalmist shows me how in the midst of my troubles I can give thanks for the Lord’s goodness to me and speak his words of love to myself.

Each day I also use the Psalmist’s prayers of submission to help me to get into Jesus’ easy yoke (as we discussed in the last Christian Soul Care Devotional). One of the ways that Jesus himself learned to submit to the Father and to stay in the Father’s easy yoke was through praying the Psalms. He prayed the Psalms everyday and he recited them frequently. For instance, one of my favorite prayers of submission is Jesus’ adaptation of Psalm 31:5, which he used during his suffering on the cross: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Real-life prayers of submission like Jesus’ cross prayer are the best way to eliminate anxiety. Jesus found this so important that he put submission right in the heart of the Lord’s Prayer – even before petitions and confession of sin – with the words: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

Honest prayer and submission to God really works! Some time ago I experienced a disappointment. I put my heart into preparing something and then I was told it wasn’t needed. I felt hurt and frustrated. I started to become anxious so rather than ruminate over the situation or become resentful I talked to God about how I felt (and I might add that I shared this with Kristi). Then a simple prayer of submission came to me: “Lord, your will, your way, your time.” Again and again I prayed this over my disappointment, deepening my submission to God in this matter in three fundamental ways:

1. God’s will for me is always good and can be accomplished when I am mistreated or experience hardship
2. God’s way for me to follow is always good and it focuses more on my character formation in Christ than the accomplishments or blessings I may want
3. God’s time for me to receive what I seek is always good and it usually requires that I wait longer than I want

I have used this prayer of submission as a Centering Prayer for myself and others countless times since. It helps me follow the holy advice I received in spiritual direction from a Benedictine monk: “Relax in the yoke of God’s providence.”

What is something that you’re stressed about or hurting over? Talk to God and a friend honestly this situation and pray to relax in the yoke of God’s providence. Place your struggle before the Lord in prayer as you slowly repeat: “Lord, your will, your way, your time… Lord, your will, your way, your time… Lord, your will, your way, your time.”

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Medical Myth #2: Antibiotics & Bronchitis

Posted on June 11th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Healing, Vital Signs of Healing, medicine.

I can’t tell you how many patients that I have seen that have had cold and cough symptoms for 1-3 days and come to see me for antibiotics. They rarely seem satisfied when I try and educate them that they have a viral upper respiratory tract infection that must run its course and that antibiotics won’t help and may make matters worse.

“Many studies and large reviews have compared antibiotics to placebos for acute bronchitis and concluded that antibiotics are unnecessary and offer no significant benefit. In addition, antibiotics have a significant downside: they produce common side effects such as diarrhea, allergic reactions, rashes, and yeast infections, as well as rarer side effects such as fatal or nearly fatal allergic reactions, liver problems, and severe skin reactions. Their extremely frequent administration has also bred an ongoing international crisis of antibiotic resistance. This means that in the aggregate, antibiotics are harmful both in the short and in the long term (when there’s well-documented risk and little-to-no benefit, the risk/benefit ratio is an easy calculation-it equals harm).”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

“People often visit their physician between roughly three and seven days from the beginning of their symptoms, and the average viral illness lasts approximately seven to ten days. In most cases, then, the illness is about to abate regardless of whether or not antibiotics are taken. But patient belief in the power of antibiotics is reinforced by the coincidence of their feeling better just days, or even hours, after the first antibiotic dose.”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

“There are roughly twenty-four thousand life-threatening allergic reactions each year from the unnecessary antibiotics. Giving antibiotics for viral disease is essentially a large-scale game of Russian roulette, and there are thousands of losers.”-Hippocrates’ Shadow

1 comment.

Is there really a satan? PART 3

Posted on June 7th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Apologetics, Bible Study, Evil and Suffering, Sermon Notes, Sermons, Spiritual Growth, doctrine.

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Is there really a satan? PART 2

Posted on June 5th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Apologetics, Evil and Suffering, Sermon Notes, Spiritual Growth, doctrine.

1. The reality of the demonic: a podcast from a missionary in the middle east
2. The reality of the demonic (part 2) by same missionary
3. Here is a brief story of the demonic from the same missionary

I have also come across some stories from my friend Mike Erre.  In his book about the Kingdom: Death by Church, he points out that we must shift our understanding of the kingdom, the Bible et al by taking a warfare worldview–the world is truly at war between evil and good. 

I know Mike to be very analytical and ‘western’ in his mindset.  So when Mike shares his personal experiences with the demonic on pages 104-106 of his book, I know that these stories are true, accurate, and VERY real.  I remain a healthy (or unhealthy?) skeptic without my own personal experiences with the demonic although I am thankful, and I have had several unexplainable experiences with the angelic and likely the demonic (without knowing it! which is the problem–it happens all the time, all around us but we have been duped into disbelief).

What are your thoughts on this subject? Please leave comments.

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Part 3: Do Christ & Christians show us God?

Posted on June 5th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Apologetics, Evil and Suffering, Sermons.

Join us in our 3rd of 5 part series titled: Show me God.  In this sermon, we discuss one of the ‘new’ atheists favorites–They claim that the world would be better off without Christians and religion in general…

 

 Standard Podcast [16:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Is there REALLY a satan? PART 1

Posted on June 5th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Bible Study, Evil and Suffering, Sermons, Spiritual Growth, doctrine.

 

 Standard Podcast [38:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Book Club

Posted on June 4th, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Apologetics, Book Reviews, doctrine.

A few of us took a book club organized by one of my mentors.  It was 6 Christian classics each year with audio commentaries.  It was AMAZING. For those of you who have asked about the books, here is the list.  They are ALL worth reading but I have put my summary opinion.  (*=good read; **=must read)  Anyone have any other opinions who have read these books please share with us by leaving a comment below:

Year #1

Confessions by Augustine

Of the Imitation of Christ by Kempis**

Here I Stand by Bainton*

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by Bunyan

Purity of Heart by Kierkegaard*

The Screwtape Letters by Lewis*

Year #2

Reading the Scripture with the Church Fathers by Hall*

How the Irish Saved Civilization by Cahill*

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs*

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Burroughs

Holiness by Ryle**

How Should We Then Live? by Schaeffer

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Death is NOT Dying: Rachel Barkey’s Wisdom

Posted on June 1st, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Apologetics, Evil and Suffering, Healing, Sermons, Spiritual Growth, Vital Signs of Healing.

Rachel Barkey may be on the other side of heaven already for all I know.  But her words are eternal.  She shares her thoughts on dying and truly living in this video (I added the audio for you to download or listen via uberlumen podcast on itunes).

She makes 4 points:

• Know God
• Know yourself
• Know the Gospel
• Know your purpose

Her video

Her book list

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Sex, Marriage, Intimacy and Screwtape Letters: chapters 18-19

Posted on June 1st, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Love, Sermon Notes, Spiritual Growth, Vital Signs of Healing, marriage.

 

 Marriage and Intimacy [10:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Men’s Group: Calvary Road, Dove and Lamb, Chapter 5

Posted on June 1st, 2009 by uberlumen.
Categories: Evil and Suffering, Men on the Path, Spiritual Growth.

study questions:

Dave’s Insights:  You had to be awake and ready to start this session because Drew got your brain going right out of the gate. Here is what we led off with: Take a few minutes and mediate on this statement, “But inasmuch as there is no past or future with God, but all is present and timeless, there is a sense in which the suffering of the Lord Jesus for the sins of which we have not repented is present, too. What a sin it is when we see these sins wounding and hurting him now.”

Robby said we tend to focus more on the forgiveness than the severity of the sin. I know I have been guilty of that, “I am forgiven” attitude, rather than taking the time to truly realize the impact of my sin and that it is wrong. I have come to realize I do not feel forgiven until I spend time with God, confess my sin and ask for His forgiveness.

The next question asked how we can be more like the Lamb. It gave suggestions for exploration in three areas, humility, submissiveness and self-surrender. Bucky talked about self-surrender. Bucky said sometimes he has hidden expectations and gets distressed when the outcome is not what he expected or wanted. I think we can all relate to that one, can’t we? We all have expectations. What do we do, or how do we respond when that job interview doesn’t get us the job, our finances aren’t where we would like them to be, or, the old, “I never thought I would be in this situation at this point in my life (it isn’t what I expected).” Funny thing is, a song by a fairly new Christian says “Welcome to wherever you are. God makes no mistakes; you are exactly where you are supposed to be.” How true, God has a plan for you. That plan may not be what you want or expect but it certainly is where you are supposed to be. So, maybe in your time with God, you can ask Him, “Lord, how may I serve you in this situation?”  If you keep your heart open, God will use you in that situation, no matter what it is. And, I believe you will both benefit from it.

 

 Standard Podcast [10:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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