WHEN EARTH’S WINE GIVES OUT!

When earth’s wine gives out!

by J.R. Miller

John 2:3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

“This incident is a very fitting illustration of the failure of all this world’s joys. The wine gave out at a wedding-feast. There was not enough of it to last through to the end of the feast. It is just so with all earth’s pleasures. It comes in cups—not in fountains; and the supply is limited and soon exhausted. It is especially so with sin’s pleasures. The prodigal soon ran out of money, and began to be in need. A poet compared the pleasures of sin to a snowflake on the river, ‘a moment white—then gone forever!’

But it is true in a sense also—of pure pleasures. Even the sweetness of human love is but a cupful which will not last forever. The joy which so fills us today, tomorrow is changed to sorrow. Amid the gladness of the marriage altar there is the knell of the end, in the words ‘until death do us part.’ One of every two friends must hold the other’s hand in farewell at the edge of the valley of the shadow of death—and must stand by the other’s grave, and walk alone for part of the way.

The best wine of earthly life and of love—will fail. If there were nothing better in this world—how sad it would be! But it is here that we see the glory of Christ’s gospel.

Jesus comes when earth’s wine fails—and gives heaven’s wine to supply the lack. How beautiful and how true is the picture here: the failing wine, and then Jesus coming with power and supplying the need! That is what He is doing continually. He takes lives which have drained their last drop of earthly gladness—and He satisfies them with spiritual good and blessing, so that they need nothing more.

When human joy fails—Jesus gives new joy, better than the world’s, and in unfailing abundance. How sad it is for those who have not taken Christ into their lives, and who have nothing but the empty cup—when earth’s wine gives out!”

IRON SHOES FOR ROUGH ROADS

IRON SHOES FOR ROUGH ROADS

by J.R. Miller

Excerpts …

Deuteronomy 33:25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

“Shoes of iron are promised only to those who are to have rugged roads—and not to those whose path lies amid the flowers and soft meadows. There is a comforting suggestion here, for all who find peculiar hardness in their life. Peculiar grace is pledged to them. God will provide for the ruggedness of their way. They will have a divine blessing which would not be theirs—but for the roughness and ruggedness. The Hebrew parallelism gives the same promise, without figure, in the remaining words of the same verse: “As your days—so shall your strength be.” Be sure, if your path is rougher than mine, you will get more divine help than I will. There is a most delicate connection between earth’s needs—and heaven’s grace. Days of struggle get more grace than calm, quiet days. When night comes—stars shine out which never would have appeared, had not the sun gone down. Sorrow draws comfort—which never would have come in joy. For the rough roads—there are iron shoes!

There is a story of shipwreck, which yields an illustration which comes in just here. Crew and passengers had to leave the broken vessel and take to the life-boats. The sea was rough, and great care in rowing and steering was necessary in order to guard the heavily-laden boats, not from the ordinary waves, which they rode over easily—but from the great cross-seas. Night was approaching, and the hearts of all sank as they asked what they would do in the darkness—when they would no longer be able to see these terrible waves. To their great joy, however, when it grew dark they discovered that they were in phosphorescent waters, and that each dangerous wave rolled up crested with light which made it as clearly visible as if it were mid-day.

So it is that life’s dreaded experiences, when we meet them, carry in themselves the light which takes away the peril and the terror. The night of sorrow, comes with its own lamp of comfort. The hour of weakness, brings its own secret of strength. By the brink of the bitter fountain itself, grows the tree whose branch will heal the waters. The wilderness with its hunger and no harvest, has daily manna. In dark Gethsemane, where the load is more than mortal heart can bear, an angel appears, ministering strength which gives victory. When we come to the hard, rough, steep path—we find iron for shoes! The iron will be in the very hills, over which we shall have to climb.”

Source … IRON SHOES FOR ROUGH ROADS by J.R. Miller

THE POOR MAN’S WISDOM IS DESPISED

A thought to ponder …

False doctrine is often accepted because it is proclaimed by a famous man.

Truth is often rejected because it is proclaimed by an obscure and unknown man.

Ecclesiastes 9:16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

Keil and Delitzsch Commentary:

… as a rule his words are unheeded,

… for the crowd estimate the worth of him, whom they willingly hear, according to the outward respect in which he is held.

REMEMBERING MY MOTHER ON MOTHER’S DAY

These are all the articles I’ve posted about my mother.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the “Man Under Authority” and with Him all things are possible.  The Lord, in His sovereignty, still heals, and He still saves in the eleventh hour.  And while there’s life, no relationship is beyond mending because our God is the God of the impossible!

A MOTHER’S DAY STORY – A story of reconciliation.

Man Under Authority – I – My mother was dying, and she was not born again.  I asked the Lord to give her more time on this earth.

Man Under Authority – II – My mother’s road to the Lord.

Man Under Authority – III – What I spoke at my mother’s funeral service.

GLORIOUS RESURRECTION LIFE – Contains a poem my mother learned in Italy as a child.  She recited it to me for the first time when she was in her 80′s.

PHOTOS

THE HOLISTIC TRAP

What follows are excerpts from one of the best articles I have found so far regarding Holistic medicine and it’s health dangers and, more importantly, it’s spiritual dangers. It is entitled “MEDICINE WITH A SOUL”. Christian discernment is sorely needed on this topic. You can read the entire article at the link provided below the excerpts.

“The Holistic Trap

… Whenever pragmatism influences the church, discernment evaporates and new age practices and therapies become acceptable methods of spiritual practice or healing.”14

John Weldon, co-author of the Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs, makes the following observations regarding false approaches to New Age medicine: First, an unwillingness to research a practice before adopting it. Second, the will to believe in a practice in spite of contrary scientific data. Third, a rationalizing and legitimizing of the mystical and the occult on the basis of entirely unknown factors. Fourth, a personal bias in favor of the method merely because it worked.15″

“Wholeness: Spiritually & Scripturally

… the lack of proper diagnosis and treatment is not the most dangerous concern one should have regarding alternative therapies, although they are substantial. The most harmful of all the dangers that the holistic therapist opens one up to is the subtle nature of spiritual disciplines that are rooted in the occult without revealing their true nature.

Dean Ornish, an internist at the University of California at San Francisco, says, “I’ve become increasingly convinced that we are dealing here with emotional and spiritual dimensions.”20 Healing for the Christian doctor or the holistic therapist is a spiritual exercise. For the patient the issue is which spiritual road-sign will lead him to true wholeness.

The Scripture offers the individual direction at this point. “Jesus recognized the importance of doctors. He said the sick needed physicians (Mark 2:17).”21 However, it is instructive to us to recognize that God’s foremost desire may not necessarily be for us to remain healthy. Remember, Christ came primarily to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). I am not saying that He cannot heal. I am saying that He may have a higher purpose for His inaction, especially as it relates to our personal time-table.

The Bible offers us many examples of God’s purposes. Job is perhaps the most significant example (Job 2:3). The Apostle Paul serves as another example (2 Corinthians 12:7). It is important for us to understand that sickness is not a result of sin in our lives (1 Corinthians 11:29-30, John. 9:3).

God may have reasons beyond our understanding for not healing an individual in accordance with our time frame. Our sickness may be used to emphasize God’s divine nature. Job’s sickness caused him to receive a fresh appreciation of God (Job 42:5,6). Our sickness glorifies God. When Jesus heard that Lazarus fell ill He commented that “this sickness will not end in death, No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4).

Another way our infirmity serves our Creator is that it displays His work. God is able to show His glory through the healing of our body. The resulting testimony brings Him glory. The trials of life bring spiritual maturity in the believer. James recounts that the testing of our faith brings endurance (James 1:2-4). Illness is but one of many ways that God may choose to test one’s faith.

Infirmity helps us keep a sober perspective on life. Paul’s thorn in his flesh kept him in humility rather than boastful pride (2 Corinthians 12:7). God may be preparing you, through your illness, to become His comforter to those who suffer (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

Ultimately we must recognize that God alone is sovereign. He is the healer. He is the creator. He is the one who orders our lives and to whom we are subject. We have salvation in no other.

Concluding Thoughts

The way we practice medicine is changing. The holistic health movement has dramatically changed how we see ourselves, the universe, and ultimately the supernatural.

The traditional way of viewing medicine as a business and treating only the physical body is now seen as being negative. The treatment of mind, body, and spirit is the new norm. Individuals desire caregivers who have an overall concern about the whole person. However, the patient must be aware of the methodology used in treatment and its accompanying dangers, not only for physical and emotional well-being but for one’s spiritual life as well.

The patient and the caregiver must realize that true wholeness comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Healing comes in its fullness when the patient and the doctor draw on their faith in God and their combined faith is in the center of His will.22

The spiritual aspect of the alternative health movement has raised the need for Christians to critically assess and rightly discern the spirit behind such practices. In the end, the individual must moderate any alternative practice with a proven scientific analysis regarding diagnosis and treatment.

Be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
Proverbs 3:7-8″