I was once taught some interesting history behind the word sincere, and ever since I've always liked the word.
In early days, furniture makers would hide holes in their wood by filling them with wax and then varnishing over their weak additive. All seemed well until an unsuspecting buyer placed his new furniture too near the fireplace. The wax would melt and run out, and the maker's low-grade materials and poor practices would be revealed. Whenever a piece of furniture was made completely of wood, then it could take the heat. It could withstand being near the fire without wax running out. Such a piece would be said to be sincere, meaning pure, whole, genuine. Sincere comes from the Middle French, from Latin sincerus whole, pure, genuine, probably from sem- one + -cerus (akin to Latin crescere to grow). Only the genuine could take the heat.
It is because of Jesus that I am whole. It is because of Him that I am able to take the heat. It is because of Him that I am sincere: pure, whole, genuine. Thus, it is quite fair to say that I am SONcere.
SONcerely,
Pastor J
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Rocky Walking After 5 Years!
One of our church members, Bro. Jim Starkey, has a friend that he raised like a son. The younger man, Rocky, was bitten by a very poisonous spider about five years ago, and the poison caused a terrible infection that left Rocky paralyzed from the chest down. He has not walked at all for five years.
Rather, that is he had not walked in five years, until after God worked a miracle following a 40 day fast that Rocky completed.
Rocky had read somewhere that demonstrating your faith - by (1) giving, (2) praying, and (3) fasting - would touch God. He began to demonstrate his faith in this way. Rocky had completed several 21 day fasts, and each time he regained something (for instance, the ability to lift himself out bed, etc). He declared to his "Dad" (Bro. Starkey) that he just knew that when he completed this 40 day fast, he would be able to walk.
One of the things he had regained earlier was the ability to stand. As he completed the 40 day fast, he began to stand each day, in the yard. On the third day after the fast, the Spirit spoke to him and said, "Envision yourself walking in your mind, and you will be able to walk." He said, "I don't understand." The reply was something along these lines, "Your spirit and your natural body are connected in your mind. Envision it by faith and it will happen. You have to walk in spirit before you can walk in the natural."
Rocky envisioned himself walking, and then he began to walk. Mind you, there have been five years since he walked. Surely his muscles were atrophied. But he and a witness with him testified that he did not walk like a semi-paralyzed person (who would use the upper body to pick up the legs), but rather he walked like a normal man. He did have braces on, and they actually hindered him some. The next day his legs were so sore he could not touch them, for the pain. Mind you, previously, he had no sensation at all!
On the day he walked, after a while he started counting steps. He counted 154 steps taken after he started counting! He is anxious for the soreness to go down so he can walk some more. Praise the Lord Jesus!
Rather, that is he had not walked in five years, until after God worked a miracle following a 40 day fast that Rocky completed.
Rocky had read somewhere that demonstrating your faith - by (1) giving, (2) praying, and (3) fasting - would touch God. He began to demonstrate his faith in this way. Rocky had completed several 21 day fasts, and each time he regained something (for instance, the ability to lift himself out bed, etc). He declared to his "Dad" (Bro. Starkey) that he just knew that when he completed this 40 day fast, he would be able to walk.
One of the things he had regained earlier was the ability to stand. As he completed the 40 day fast, he began to stand each day, in the yard. On the third day after the fast, the Spirit spoke to him and said, "Envision yourself walking in your mind, and you will be able to walk." He said, "I don't understand." The reply was something along these lines, "Your spirit and your natural body are connected in your mind. Envision it by faith and it will happen. You have to walk in spirit before you can walk in the natural."
Rocky envisioned himself walking, and then he began to walk. Mind you, there have been five years since he walked. Surely his muscles were atrophied. But he and a witness with him testified that he did not walk like a semi-paralyzed person (who would use the upper body to pick up the legs), but rather he walked like a normal man. He did have braces on, and they actually hindered him some. The next day his legs were so sore he could not touch them, for the pain. Mind you, previously, he had no sensation at all!
On the day he walked, after a while he started counting steps. He counted 154 steps taken after he started counting! He is anxious for the soreness to go down so he can walk some more. Praise the Lord Jesus!
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