Pray for Rev. and Sis. Cyrius

Rev. and Sis. Cyrius, directors of the NTCC Servicemen’s Home and Church in Woodbrook, Wa., took a day to get away on a trip to the Portland area. It was his birthday. Upon return however, they were in a very serious auto accident. They hit a horse while traveling at 80 mph! Not a deer, a HORSE.  Obviously they will not make the Conference due to their injuries, but overall they will be alright, thanks to the miraculous protection of God. Sis. Kekel and I went down to the hospital in Portland Thursday, and Rev. Cyrius expressed to us that he didn’t want to miss the Conference, so we know that their heart will be with us during the Conference, and our love will be with them. If any of you have distributed or “facebooked” incorrect information about this accident, please correct it, to avoid causing unnecessary panic and grief.

The airbag saved the driver’s (Sis. C’s) life, and sliding legs-first up under the dashboard, saved Bro. Cyrius’ life. I say that because the horse was lifted and took the entire top off that BMW 745Li. The speed probably helped save their lives also. They never saw the impact coming, they said, since it was at night. Rev. Cyrius smashed the left side of his face on the dash, and has some stitches by his left eye (kind of like a 1-inch “crow’s foot”) and left ear lobe, but the worst thing was the knockout. He will be in surgery some time soon to repair the fractures around his left eye and cheek, so let’s keep them in our prayers. Apart from the small cuts, his face (especially his skin) looks perfectly intact, but swollen of course. His left eye is swollen shut. The cheek looks slightly ‘flattened’ but that’s what they are going to repair. I really pray and believe they will both heal with almost unnoticeable marks. Sis. Cyrius’ nose was smashed and she has a already stitched-up cut between her right eyelid and eyebrow, which hopefully will hide well later on. She just came out of surgery today which, I believe, was to repair her broken nose.

Over and over again, I see the outpouring of love and concern by the people of God when adversities arise in our lives, and it is amazing! I’m so glad to be going to heaven with people like you; people who demonstrate the love of Christ through your lives of dedication and love for the brethren. God bless all of you, and if the Lord wills, we will see you in just a few days as we lift our hands together unto the Lord our God.

Taking a long, hard look at sin-by Mike Kekel

Text: Ezek. 8 (8-9)

 

Bible Setting: Ezek. 8

 

INTRO: (The description of Ezekiel’s experience) from Chapter 8

 

To look at the sins they committed, makes us stand amazed. We’re always amazed over what others do, but never at our own sins.

 

ILL: Heard of those “out of body experiences?”  What if we could have one?

What if we could go outside ourselves, and look back? What if we could DIG through the walls and see what is deep in our hearts? Watch our actions?

 

***Ezekiel’s tour of the abominations

 

TAMMUZ Chief Sumerian deity whose name derived from the Sumerian dumuzi. He is the god of fertility, of vegetation and agriculture, and of death and resurrection, and he is the patron deity of shepherds. The son and consort of Ashtar  This rejuvenation of life and defeat of death was annually celebrated during the Babylonian New Year Festival.

In the OT, the prophet Ezekiel sees in a vision women weeping for Tammuz at the north gate of the temple; this is a prophetic description of coming desecrations of the Lord’s house (Ez 8:14).

In other words, instead of remaining true to the LIVING GOD, the religious leaders of the time had conformed to the idolatrous ways of Babylon.

 

Chapter 9

Ezekiel received instructions concerning the judgment that God would bring upon them.
The Chamber of the Heart

Chambre…vault or private room.

The Heart has 4 chambers

A Gun has a ‘chamber’

Ezekiel saw into the Chamber of their imagery (full of images)

 

When Ezek. looked in, and God said “do you see what they’re doing?” they weren’t stealing; no orgy was going on. What infuriated God was their devotion to other things, and turning their backs toward Him. More than immorality, God is looking at the OTHER things we worship in our hearts. Worldly indulgences that even ministers today are obsessed with, and delighting in.

Our Attitude toward our sins

See 9 (4)  Those who weep…and sigh…

They were the ones that escaped the judgment here in Ezek. Do we “weep and sigh” about the abominations of the land?  The filth in the media, the movies, etc.? Or are you INVOLVED with it? Do you love a good movie or football game, more than you love going to church? Is your back toward the house of God?

Holiness is a thing of the heart, regardless of what denomination of church you attend. You can go to heaven outside of NTCC, and you can go to hell INSIDE NTCC.

As Peter once said, it is time for judgment to begin at the house of God. God said in Ezek., to let the slayers begin “at mine house”.

The Burning Altars of Revival

TEXT: I Kings 18 (30)
B.R:  I Kings 18 (27-32)

INTRO: ALTAR :  The platform upon which offerings are made to a deity. This may include a ritual sacrifice of animals or a burning of incense before God (Ex 30:1–10). The Hebrew word for altar and the verb “to slaughter” both derive from the same root word; they are terms used in connection with the ritual of sacrificing animals to God as a covering for sin.

I The Altar means Sacrifice

The Bible refers to several altars built by the patriarchs. Noah offered burnt offerings (Gn 8:20). Abraham built an altar at Shechem (Gn 12:7), another at Bethel (Gn 12:8), and one on Mt Moriah (Gn 22:9). Isaac built an altar at Beersheba (Gn 26:25), and Jacob at Shechem (Gn 33:20) and Bethel (Gn 35:7). Moses built one at Rephidim (Ex 17:15) and another at Horeb (Ex 24:4).

There’s not a revival in the scripture that didn’t begin with the rebuilding of an altar.

II The Sacrifice of Christ

His work is already done, and no one expects Him to do it over.  In Christian worship no altar was required, since in the death of Jesus Christ the final sacrifice for sin had been made.

Isaiah 53

¹ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? ² For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. ³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  ⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

III The Sacrifice of Self

Rom. 12-”wherefore, present your bodies a living sacrifice”
Hardly anyone is willing to sacrifice anything, much less sacrificing themselves.  In Neh:  “The people had a mind to work”  (HAH! That’s rare).  Where is the sacrifice of praise these days?

Heb. 13;   ¹² Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. ¹³ Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. ¹⁴ For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. ¹⁵ By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

“A suffocating indifference” is a part of a phrase the writer Leonard Ravenhill coined.  We’re suffocating because we don’t care enough to break free of this sensation of neutrality.
The sacrifices were slaughtered. Remember, the Hebrew word for altar and the verb “to slaughter” both derive from the same root word.  The pieces were laid out upon the altar according to the law of Moses, and burned into ashes.

“Truth in the inward parts” means laying it all out before God, without regard to who is looking at us, and what people think.  It means not lying to God, others or our selves.

Ps. 51 (6) ⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
You have to lay out every piece of your life before God.

Elijah Mocked those prophets of the false god Baal, as they cried and cut themselves and begged Baal to answer their prayer.  They were willing to do all of that, yet the altar of God was broken down.  That’s what they should have taken care of first.

Many people make many sacrifices of blood, sweat and tears, but notsacrifices of the heart; not the inward parts.  Elijah had the right idea, because he took care of “first things first”  (The altar) But so did the others, because they had something else God looks for;  penitence (perhaps, unless they were going through a spiritual show).

Psalm 51:¹⁵ O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. ¹⁶ For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Dead prayer meetings, walking zombies;  where is the voice of one weeping before God?  Where is the heartfelt prayer?  And Praise?  The heart where it must be from!!  When we are not animated and emotional in our worship, it is not heartfelt.  Where is the penitence?  The fires of revival start with penitence and a broken spirit before God; humility, submission to the Holy Ghost.  Some would say that revival doesn’t happen because of prayer.  If you need reviving, you are dead, and you only come alive again by praying through whatever killed you.

 

To him that believeth

Text: Mark 9 (23)  “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth”

B.R: Mark 9 (14-27)

INTRO:  Let’s take this text verse and read it in the negative;  “If you don’t believe, nothing is possible…TO YOU.  This verse doesn’t state that YOUR BELIEF makes all things possible that were otherwise impossible  (examples-a fish lays eggs and giraffes are miraculously hatched because you believed it.  Your belief changes natural laws??)

TO YOU is the key here.  Notice the passages here in Proverbs.

I How you THINK matters

Prov. 23 (6-9)
⁶ Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: ⁷ For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. ⁸ The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. ⁹ Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

That is to say that..It is well known that prayer calms the spirit, not matter who it is or even whatever god one prays to…even just meditation, affects the body, health, our attitudes.  Thought patterns have a lot to do with how we feel, act, etc.

No matter what you tell a fool to encourage him, if he’s a fool, he will despise what you say, even though it is the wisdom of God straight out of the bible.  They DO NOT BELIEVE, and therefore IT CAN NOT BE DONE!

That’s what he THINKS, and TO HIM, that’s the way it IS.

This is what hurts preachers’ effectiveness, and they will make excuses because of it. “Well, that door-to-door stuff just doesn’t work here!”  or -“I don’t believe in that! “ (and they indirectly talk against those who teach them)  They won’t walk up to Pastor and say “Sir, I just don’t agree with you” as a man would do, they get “third party ears” and say what they really want to say.  “Well, I know what the Pastor said, but I think…”

What you THINK may be incorrect!  If you are intelligent, you will learn and remember this truth.

I Cor. 10 (12) “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”  Just because you are a Pastor (someday) doesn’t mean that you will always see things correctly, and you need to “take heed”  (walk softly) and remember that you don’t know it all.  Think of all the mistakes we would NOT have made if we had just been slower to speak, slower to wrath, quicker to hear (James)

II What unbelievers think does NOT matter
READ Mark 9 (14-16)

SCRIBE Reference in early OT times to those employed for their ability to transcribe information. After the exile, scribes were a class of scholars who taught, copied, and interpreted the Jewish law for the people. They appear in the Gospels primarily as opponents of Jesus.

Scribes in Pre-exilic Times The ability to read and write was not widespread in ancient Israel, and professional secretaries were needed in the various aspects of public life. This appears to be the earliest biblical notion of the term “scribe” and has no particular religious connotation. Scribes were employed to keep accounts or transcribe legal information (Jer 32:12), military data (2 Chr 26:11), other public documents (Jgs 8:14; Is 50:1), or personal correspondence (Jer 36:18). These secretaries were essential to royal administrations, and there is frequent mention of a chief scribe who functioned as a court recorder (1 Kgs 4:3; 2 Chr 24:11), adviser (2 Sm 8:16–17; 2 Kgs 18:18; 22:12; 1 Chr 27:32; Is 36:3), and financial overseer (2 Kgs 22:3–4). Secretaries or scribes were associated with the priesthood as well, serving as recorders for temple affairs (1 Chr 24:6; 2 Chr 34:13–15).

The Scribes had no problem venting their “opinions” until they were face to face with Jesus.  They never answered when He asked “What question ye with them?” These great scholars, intellectual sniffers, weren’t the ones God chose to inscribe the SCRIPTures (the bible), but  the poor, lowly “bible school students” they were attacking, were the ones God later used.

Many are quick to “throw off” on the teaching of their Pastor, but they scatter when he shows up, just like this event in Mark 9.  What those scribes thought, did not matter to Jesus at all.  When Jesus got there, the people came to Him, so the scribes didn’t matter to the people either.

When, TO THEM, something can’t be done, people who say IT CAN BE DONE, are wrong, TO THEM.  Then they pollute the thinking of others with their subtile undermining from an evil heart of unbelief.  “Well, I don’t think you should use humor when you preach.”  Well, don’t use it then, but you should keep your mouth closed about what someone else does, especially if the person you’re talking to knows who you’re criticizing.  Just because you’re a poor public speaker and think you’re good, doesn’t give you the right to slam someone who truly knows the rules of good oratory.

“Well, I don’t need oratory, I just need the Holy Ghost- Ah!” someone said.  That’s an excuse, we actually need both.

III What the Word of God says,  (what God thinks) matters most!

The WORD of GOD builds faith, and prayer builds faith!
Jude 20
Go to Romans 10 esp. vs. (12)
The “Charisma Crowd” may say you don’t need to pray because God’s going to do what He’s going to do, but that’s not what Jesus said in this bible setting.  The bible said (not Bro. Bill) to build yourself up, and when faith is built up, you will no longer see so many impossibilities, and TO YOU, ALL things will be possible, because you really BELIEVE IT!

Step Aside

Text:   Mark 10 (46)

INTRO:  The title is reminiscent of the Three Stooges, esp. Moe, the leader saying “step aside.”  An old cliche meaning “get out of the way.”

Blind Bartimaeus had to ignore those who tried to silence him.  Though he couldn’t see, he was able to follow the direction of the voice of Christ.  He kept moving in that direction until he reached Jesus and the lights came on!

This is so much like the events that normally occur when a person gets saved.  SAVED doesn’t mean you acquired some “Toe Tag” that saves you from the burn pile and re-routes you to the thrift store to be sold.  When a person gets saved, something happens to them…in Colossians it is called the  “operation of the Holy Ghost”.

There are many voices that whisper and sometimes scream negative, discouraging things things to us, things that make us recoil from crying out to God;  voices that silence us, intimidate us, etc. The voices of our insecurities, fears, malice toward others (also insecurity) and even very vocal people eager to give you “their side” of the story.

If we get to Jesus, and get what He wants us to have and get as near to Him as we’re supposed to be, we will have to command many things to “step aside”.

I Ignore the voices

We’re not talking about “hearing things” here, we’re talking about sources of influence of any kind. VOICE: an agency by which a particular point of view is expressed or represented.

Isn’t that what brought Adam and Eve into sin and untold misery over hundreds and hundreds of generations?  Eve listened to satan, and Adam listened to her.

Why must Christians be tattlers, hiding behind the closed doors of Facebook, instead of getting their faces in THE book?  Silly women, laden with sins, who spend more time doing that, passing on the latest, hottest “happenings” and getting their noses into everyone else’s business or dispensing advice to others;  A commission God never gave them?  Silly men, seeking “the admiration of men”.

I Timothy 5 (13)

¹³ “And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”
It’s funny how people think tattlers are those who “tell on people” but they are really tale bearers.  Tattle is a verb meaning, to report on another’s wrong doing.

II Get it out of the way
Woman with the issue of blood
She had to shove aside those who stood between her and Jesus, keeping her from getting what she needed.

Zacchaeus
When he was unable to move the thronging multitude of people out of the way, he sought assistance…he turned to a simple tree to give him the boost he needed, that he might see Jesus in spite of the obstacles.  In the same sense, we are elevated, boosted, lifted and able to see, when we rely on the help of the old rugged tree.

There are many things that “crowd around Jesus” or that is, they are “associated with Christianity and the work of God (ministry) but they can stand in our way;  Our pride, our schedules, hobbies, careers.  We can look toward Jesus and not see Him clearly as we once did, seeing only bodies all around Him.  Each of them, a replica of us.  Like an hundred “selves” surrounding Him;  Each one represents something about YOU, that creates a barrier you cannot penetrate.

We allow these things to interfere

EDUCATION/ CLASSES vs. Bible School and burning your bridges.  If God calls you to be a Pastor, why do you pursue a secular career?  Nothing is wrong with that, if it in no way interferes with God’s will for you, but it does take your time.  Is it possible that the love of money is the root of their evil?  If their ministry and stewardship is successful, do they need the safety net of worldly pursuits?
Warnings against filthy lucre.

I Tim. 3 (3) and (8) and I Peter 5 (1)  Go to those verses and then to Titus 1

III Just Move On

ILL:  Sometimes an opponent can be most easily dispatched by using his own momentum and weight against him.

Lay aside the weight and the sin (both- not necessarily the same thing)

Lay apart all superfluity of naughtiness (James)

Having these promises  dearly beloved   (II Cor. 7)

Get thee behind me satan! (Jesus)

Grab them, cast them aside, and move forward, that you may get closer to Jesus.

The Perfect Man

Text: Matt. 5:48  “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

INTRO: Ladies look for the ‘perfect’ man. Do they seek one without fault? One like the dolls you can buy? Perfect means complete, repaired, restored.

…so that which is not perfect is a few bricks short of a load.

I. Perfection Required:

Deut. 18..Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. (EVEN UNDER OT LAW!)

Matt. 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  Does God mean without faults?  That’s what Moses’ law required, but not the law of LIBERTY!

II Perfection Denied:

We were born INCOMPLETE.  HOWEVER, the bible speaks of perfect men, WHY?

Psalm 37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.  36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

III. Perfection Offered:

Heb. 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

The Impotent Man Healed:

Jesus said to the impotent man (John. 5) “wilt thou be made whole?” How many others did Jesus say that to?

Phil. “He that hath begun a good work in you…..”

Heb. 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,  21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

The Power of Obedience

Text: I Cor. 1 (23-24) “
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

BR: I Cor. 1 (17-29)

INTRO: In the bible, God has had people do some of the silliest things. Lifting rods to part seas Throwing a stick in the water to cause a lost axe head to swim to you Building an ark! Going to wash clay out of your eyes in a pool, in hopes of receiving your sight! Those who obeyed the voice of God unleashed the power of Christ in their lives and great things began to happen for them.

I God is looking for obedience
Disobedience is the cause of stumbling (I Peter) 
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. Not accepting Christ is disobedience (the stumbling Stone)

It’s hard to understand the behavior of some people

Sinners, that is, “unsaved people” (non-Christians) are referred to as “the children of disobedience” in Eph. 2 1″ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

See Eph. 5

See Col. 3

I Peter 3 (20)
Even angels, when disobedient, were imprisoned to await judgment.

II No one is willing to look stupid The word stupid; lacking intelligence or common sense (not a curse word, but it could be used to insult) God uses foolish things
I Cor. 2-to confound the wise

Examples
1) Joshua and the Jericho march
2) David and the “sound of a going”
3) John 9 (6) a blind man is healed
“When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

Especially Note; I Kings 17 “And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”

The cruse and barrel were just small jars, about 4” high.

ILL: Ever reward a child for obedience? God is no different, He rewards obedience.

III Desperation makes the difference

The woman with the issue heard of Jesus, and went looking and pressed her way through.

Blind Bartimaeus, cried out, and every negative voice that said “shut up!” pushed his volume control up another notch!

So many others have something to hide, and the last thing they want to do is get around any voices of disapproval. Like Israel @ Mt. Sinai, (after all the miracles that they saw) they literally put their fingers in their ears and said they didn’t want to hear God’s voice anymore!

I Timothy 4
1 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Fight or Flight

TEXT: II Tim. 1 (7) “ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

BR:  II Tim. 1 (6-14)

I What is the “fight or flight response?”

This fundamental physiologic response forms the foundation of modern day stress medicine. The “fight or flight response” is our body’s primitive, automatic, inborn response that prepares the body to “fight” or “flee” from perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival.

II What happens to us when we are under excessive stress?

When we experience excessive stress—whether from internal worry or external circumstance—a bodily reaction is triggered, called the “fight or flight” response. Originally discovered by the great Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon, this response is hard-wired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm. This response actually corresponds to an area of our brain called the hypothalamus, which—when stimulated—initiates a sequence of nerve cell firing and chemical release that prepares our body for running or fighting.

III What are the signs that our fight or flight response has been stimulated (activated)?

When our fight or flight response is activated, sequences of nerve cell firing occur and chemicals like adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released into our bloodstream. These patterns of nerve cell firing and chemical release cause our body to undergo a series of very dramatic changes. Our respiratory rate increases. Blood is shunted away from our digestive tract and directed into our muscles and limbs, which require extra energy and fuel for running and fighting. Our pupils dilate. Our awareness intensifies. Our sight sharpens. Our impulses quicken. Our perception of pain diminishes. Our immune system mobilizes with increased activation. We become prepared—physically and psychologically—for fight or flight. We scan and search our environment, “looking for the enemy.”

When our fight or flight system is activated, we tend to perceive everything in our environment as a possible threat to our survival. By its very nature, the fight or flight system bypasses our rational mind—where our more well thought out beliefs exist—and moves us into “attack” mode. This state of alert causes us to perceive almost everything in our world as a possible threat to our survival. As such, we tend to see everyone and everything as a possible enemy. Like airport security during a terrorist threat, we are on the look out for every possible danger. We may overreact to the slightest comment. Our fear is exaggerated. Our thinking is distorted. We see everything through the filter of possible danger. We narrow our focus to those things that can harm us. Fear becomes the lens through which we see the world.

We can begin to see how it is almost impossible to cultivate positive attitudes and beliefs when we are stuck in survival mode. Our heart is not open. Our rational mind is disengaged. Our consciousness is focused on fear, not love. Making clear choices and recognizing the consequences of those choices is unfeasible. We are focused on short-term survival, not the long-term consequences of our beliefs and choices. When we are overwhelmed with excessive stress, our life becomes a series of short-term emergencies. We lose the ability to relax and enjoy the moment. We live from crisis to crisis, with no relief in sight. Burnout is inevitable. This burnout is what usually provides the motivation to change our lives for the better. We are propelled to step back and look at the big picture of our lives—forcing us to examine our beliefs, our values and our goals.

When you finish reading about these fundamental principles of the Fight or Flight Response and the Relaxation Response, don’t forget to visit our home page at www.TheBodySoulConnection.com to discover the very practical ways you can utilize these principles in order to achieve greater health, happiness and peace of mind in your own life.

IV What is our fight or flight system designed to protect us from?

Our fight or flight response is designed to protect us from the proverbial saber tooth tigers that once lurked in the woods and fields around us, threatening our physical survival. At times when our actual physical survival is threatened, there is no greater response to have on our side. When activated, the fight or flight response causes a surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones to pump through our body. This surge is the force responsible for mothers lifting cars off their trapped children and for firemen heroically running into blazing houses to save endangered victims. The surge of adrenaline imbues us with heroism and courage at times when we are called upon to protect and defend the lives and values we cherish.

V What are the saber tooth tigers of today and why are they so dangerous?

When we face very real dangers to our physical survival, the fight or flight response is invaluable. Today, however, most of the saber tooth tigers we encounter are not a threat to our physical survival. Today’s saber tooth tigers consist of rush hour traffic, missing a deadline, bouncing a check or having an argument with our boss or spouse. Nonetheless, these modern day, saber tooth tigers trigger the activation of our fight or flight system as if our physical survival was threatened. On a daily basis, toxic stress hormones flow into our bodies for events that pose no real threat to our physical survival.

VI Once it has been triggered, what is the natural conclusion of our fight or flight response?

By its very design, the fight or flight response leads us to fight or to flee—both creating immense amounts of muscle movement and physical exertion. This physical activity effectively metabolizes the stress hormones released as a result of the activation of our fight or flight response. Once the fighting is over, and the threat—which triggered the response—has been eliminated, our body and mind return to a state of calm.

VII Has the fight or flight response become counterproductive?

In most cases today, once our fight or flight response is activated, we cannot flee. We cannot fight. We cannot physically run from our perceived threats. When we are faced with modern day, saber tooth tigers, we have to sit in our office and “control ourselves.” We have to sit in traffic and “deal with it.” We have to wait until the bank opens to “handle” the bounced check. In short, many of the major stresses today trigger the full activation of our fight or flight response, causing us to become aggressive, hypervigilant and over-reactive. This aggressiveness, over-reactivity and hypervigilance cause us to act or respond in ways that are actually counter-productive to our survival. Consider road rage in Los Angeles and other major cities.

It is counterproductive to punch out the boss (the fight response) when s/he activates our fight or flight response. (Even though it might bring temporary relief to our tension!) It is counterproductive to run away from the boss (the flight response) when s/he activates our fight or flight response. This all leads to a difficult situation in which our automatic, predictable and unconscious fight or flight response causes behavior that can actually be self-defeating and work against our emotional, psychological and spiritual survival.

VIII Is there a cumulative danger from over-activation of our fight or flight response?

Yes. The evidence is overwhelming that there is a cumulative buildup of stress hormones. If not properly metabolized over time, excessive stress can lead to disorders of our autonomic nervous system (causing headache, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure and the like) and disorders of our hormonal and immune systems (creating susceptibility to infection, chronic fatigue, depression, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and allergies.)

IX To protect ourselves today, we must consciously pay attention to the signals of fight or flight

To protect ourselves in a world of psychological—rather than physical—danger, we must consciously pay attention to unique signals telling us whether we are actually in fight or flight. Some of us may experience these signals as physical symptoms like tension in our muscles, headache, upset stomach, racing heartbeat, deep sighing or shallow breathing. Others may experience them as emotional or psychological symptoms such as anxiety, poor concentration, depression, hopelessness, frustration, anger, sadness or fear.

Excess stress does not always show up as the “feeling” of being stressed. Many stresses go directly into our physical body and may only be recognized by the physical symptoms we manifest. Two excellent examples of stress induced conditions are “eye twitching” and “teeth-grinding.” Conversely, we may “feel” lots of emotional stress in our emotional body and have very few physical symptoms or signs in our body.

By recognizing the symptoms and signs of being in fight or flight, we can begin to take steps to handle the stress overload. There are benefits to being in fight or flight—even when the threat is only psychological rather than physical. For example, in times of emotional jeopardy, the fight or flight response can sharpen our mental acuity, thereby helping us deal decisively with issues, moving us to action. But it can also make us hypervigilant and over-reactive during times when a state of calm awareness is more productive. By learning to recognize the signals of fight or flight activation, we can avoid reacting excessively to events and fears that are not life threatening. In so doing, we can play “emotional judo” with our fight or flight response, “using” its energy to help us rather than harm us. We can borrow the beneficial effects (heightened awareness, mental acuity and the ability to tolerate excess pain) in order to change our emotional environment and deal productively with our fears, thoughts and potential dangers.

ADRENALINE means “on the kidney” which is where the adrenal glands are.  There are many types of glands throughout the body which perform different functions.

GLANDS discharge chemical substances into the bloodstream to produce certain and instant results.  The adrenal gland is one of the most remarkable!

• Right on the kidney is where it immediately hits the a main artery and fresh blood. The kidney delivers fresh, filtered blood to the body and dumps the poison out into the urinary tract.  We need a fresh washing with the blood of Jesus, to remove the poison from the heart.
• Adrenaline makes the arteries constrict, so that if a person is bleeding, they won’t lose as much blood. Amazing!  You can squeeze by with the remaining spirituality you have, but only for so long
• Notice that the fight or flight is triggered FIRST, by PERCEPTION. Attitude!  Not by POSITIVE attitudes, but by FEAR! Threats! Often our “threats” are only perceived.
• This article from the internet is about things of the body that affect the mind.  When a Christian experiences these things, it can make them want to flee from the work of God.  They begin to view everyone around them as a threat, and they question the sincerity and motives of even their closest friends.
• One of the biggest enemies of aging Ministers is their fear that they won’t be taken care of in their old age.  This fear causes them to resort to secular education and employment, abandoning the call of God; but the key is taking care of their old age, in their youth.  Then, the wives go on jobs too, which is against the bible, and they find that the same spending habits that got them into the mess, rob them of happiness, even with a double income.
• The adrenaline burst from the body gives you energy for whichever choice you make; fight or flight. God evidently thought that it takes as much energy to RUN as it does to STAND since He designed adrenaline to help us with both.  If you choose to flee from your problems, then you must make excuses and work the public opinion to save your reputation, but you’ll always know you failed, you ran, you sold out your loved ones.  You’ll tell them you’re doing the right thing, and you’re still with God, but you will always know in your heart, what the truth is.
• For the priesthood/ ministry, God established a financial plan that, if followed, takes good care of people in ministry. If they are lazy or ineffective having no flock, they will not have what they need  (I Cor. 9). If we spend our lives sowing on stony ground, we’ll never reap anything, and we can’t blame the seeds.
• No matter what a person’s occupation, they have to take the pay they receive over the years, and multiply it, if they want to have what they need when they get older, the work is never to blame.

 

Appetites

Text: Proverbs 27 (7) “The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”

BR: Numbers 21

⁴ And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. ⁵ And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. ⁶ And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. ⁷ Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. ⁸ And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. ⁹ And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

INTRO:  This is the historical record of an actual event that took place among the Jews after they left Egyptian slavery.  Later God spoke of how they “proved GOD and saw His works for 40 years, but at the same time, God proved them.  They TEMPTED God, God TESTED them.  The true colors of both were manifested for all to see.

I It’s about APPETITE!
Read text here.
Psalm 1- what kind of river is the tree near?
What are you feasting on?
James; “a man is tempted when…”

II Israel loathed the bread God gave them, preferring the “good stuff.”
Many are on the Christian journey but when they don’t get what they want?  They begin to complain, like Israel.  Now their lives are  like these victims of the serpents, writhing in bitterness and cursing as they die.

III  I John 2 (15) and 4 (4-5)

I Peter Chapter 4

The Previous chapters speak much about Christian Suffering, and point us to Jesus as an example of the ultimate sufferer and the perfect Responder.

Notice verses 15-19 as a summary of the thought here in this chapter.

Sufferers in the flesh have ceased from sins.

Define suffer

There is a price for not sinning;  You will have to tolerate the hatred of others.  Jesus did it for us, (1) so we must ‘arm ourselves’ with the same mind.

This chapter teaches us Jesus’ attitude toward the endurance of hatred.

Memorabilia (3)

These are the ways in which we ONCE walked.

He said it may have SUFFICED us at that time; i.e., in our past before we came to Christ.  It was sufficient, or enough.

Now that these things are no longer part of our lives, others think it strange (4) and, consequently they speak evil of you.

lascivious |ləˈsivēəs| adjective; this word describes a person, manner, or gesture; feeling or revealing an overt and often offensive sexual desire : he gave her a lascivious wink.

DERIVATIVES

lasciviously adverb
lasciviousness noun
ORIGIN late Middle English : from late Latin lasciviosus, from Latin lascivia ‘lustfulness,’ from lascivus ‘lustful, wanton.’

Excess
The state or an instance of surpassing usual, proper, or specified limits : superfluity

b : the amount or degree by which one thing or quantity exceeds another 〈an excess of 10 bushels〉 undue or immoderate indulgence : intemperance.  Gal. 5 teaches that Temperance is  part of the fruit of the Spirit.  Lack of control is from the flesh, the unsaved person.

RIOT

Rom. 13 (13)
These are feasts and drinking parties that go late into the evening, during which people engage in revelry.

The same word was used in Luke 15 about the prodigal son, who consumed his inheritance with riotous living.
The answer?  See vs 7 and fwd.