Comments on: A Place for the Lord

By: Theda Flynn

Theda Flynn — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:15:22 +0000

Hello, Chip, and especially Judy.For 15yrs I’ve worked with disabled persons & find them acutely sensitive to the spirit-life.We sing “Jesus Loves me” in very loud voices in the special bus on our way to outings.They know I’m not there for the money.They know which staff ARE!They remind me to pray at night,if I forget!They have no guile.Jn.9 explains it all — and appropo the Brogden message of today — Jesus seeks those who’ve been healed of their “blindness” and thus have been cast out of the established churches — c.f.vss 35 to 38.
Theda (Theodocia) Flynn
New South Wales, Australia

By: James Mal

James Mal — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:44:33 +0000

The answers to a question asked by Judy are very interesting. But I am taken aback by the question asked by Judy. God is love and God is spirit. I love my daughters,is this the love of the spirit or of the flesh. Jesus was telling His disciples that he would go to Jerusalem and the Pharisees will get hold of Him, crucify Him, He will die on the Cross, be burried but will rise again the third day. Peter the Apostle who loved Jesus, took Him aside and rebuked Him. But Jesus rebuked him. “Get behind me Satan, you are not with me but with the men.” whatever Peter said, he said out of love. But Jesus rebuked him for showing that love. It appears, Peter was more emotional than spiritual.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:09:47 +0000

Hi Judy,
The word says, if you seek, you will find. Seeking is good. God will answer.
The word also says, if all that Jesus said and did were written in books, the world couldn’t hold all of them. That to me says, the word is only a fraction of what God is speaking to us. It was never meant to be a book with all the answers. That’s why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us. Rather, I see the word as a pointing us to God, and the revelation that He loves us and wants to have fellowship with us. The word will never replace relationship with the Lord.
Although what He tells us will never contradict the word, He has so much more to say than what could possibly be contained in the word.So keep asking. The word says that that if you do, you will find (not necessarily what you are looking for- but what the Lord desires to give you at this point in your life).

By: Chip Brogden

Chip Brogden — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:34:12 +0000

Well said… in fact, I have nothing to add to it!

By: Chip Brogden

Chip Brogden — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:33:42 +0000

Hi Judy,

My personal thought is that special needs people who lack mental capacity are more endowed spiritually with discernment to apprehend the truth. In the same way that a blind person develops an acute sense of hearing, a mentally challenged person develops an increased spiritual sense. I have witnessed this (or actually, discerned it) with special needs people who I knew were spiritually “getting” what I was teaching while all I got from the so-called “normal” people were doubt, confusion, and disagreement. What we call a “handicap” is actually a possible advantage. Our spirit is more important than our mind, and our spirit will endure forever.

As for David – I think you’re pulling that out of context David hated them because they were Jebusites, not because they were blind and lame. They were the enemies of God that Israel had failed to drive out and they were occupying Jerusalem. David wanted to drive them out and make Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

It’s a great question. Thank you for asking it, and I hope the answer is encouraging and helpful to you.

By: Judy B

Judy B — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 04:19:22 +0000

Sharon, thanks for sharing.

I agree, GOD is the GOD of love as I did mention in my note.

>>I take comfort in knowing GOD is good and HE is love so of course it follows They are all Heaven bound<> So, Ive come to see that the Bible has the answers I wonder about<>I am stifled in my walk because I cant find the “severely handicapped” being addressed in the WORD<<
The closest I come to is the story of The rich man and the beggar Lazarus. Which is so beautiful to think of my son AND COUNTLESS OTHERS in the comfort that the poor beggar Lazarus is in.

I want more. I dont know how the more will come, or what it will look like, or if I will find it….but I'm glad I have the faith to ask GOD for more understanding.

1 peter3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

By searching I am adding to my defense. so I can answer myself. And maybe I will be equipped to answer others.

Judy

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:15:51 +0000

This is in response to Judy’s comment.
I don’t have answers, but I do have experiences.
#1. My husband was seriously head-injured. Before the injury, he was not “saved”. After the injury, he was confined to a wheelchair, with a feeding tube, and could not speak.He was severely cognitively impaired, and would often become very agitated. Yet, about 2 years after the injury, in a church service, when they told people to raise their hands if they wanted Jesus, he did, to the best of his ability, even though he could barely move his arms.From that time on, I knew he was saved. He would weep as I would read Scripture to him. His heart was much softened, even though physically or verbally he could not show it. My husband has since gone to be with God. I had a vision the night he died, and a dream thereafter. To make a long story shorter,through the vision and the dream, I know that my husband is with the Lord.
#2 There’s more. We have 5 children, the youngest is 20 now. Our fourth child is mentally retarded. She’s at about the level of a 3-4 year old. My oldest daughter is a believer. The other three “normal” children have all fallen away. But I know my daughter Carolyn is saved. I know that she loves the Lord. I am concerned about the eternal destiny of three of my children. But I know that Carolyn is going to heaven. She, in spite of her disability, is probably better off than most Americans.
Salvation is not based on intellect. In fact, intellect often hinders people from being saved. The body and mind may be “broken”, but the spirit can still be free. If even the rocks would cry out, I don’t think that we need to worry about whether our handicapped loved ones will understand. In fact, I think often they have greater understanding in the spirit than “normal” people do.
Rest assured, God has our handicapped loved ones in His hands. He is not the God of formulas, He is the God of love.
In fact, I believe that God has a purpose for the handicapped. He uses them to show us what is in our hearts.
We will never have all the answers, but we can trust God. Trust Him with your loved ones. Isn’t this what He is wanting for all of us to do.

By: Jeff Lacatus

Jeff Lacatus — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 01:40:48 +0000

Excellent article.

By: Judy B

Judy B — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:17:06 +0000

Chip, I believe I am near this >but they are not willing to lie dead in the grave until they stink<.
I think i could continue the stinking process if I had some help with a question I cant find a healthy response nor answer to.
Here's my question. What happens to children, and innocent (special needs) people. People who cant read or process information like the material here?
I want to read and be taught How Jesus loves them. How they are included. I hear all the gasps in the room just now, while some read this question of mine. But, I am stifled in my walk because I cant find the "severely handicapped" being addressed in the WORD. I have thought of the demon possessed man who cut himself, and the young man who the disciples could not cast the demons out of..ect… But, I cant get solid teaching on the subject of severely handicapped people.
I take comfort in knowing GOD is good and HE is love so of course it follows They are all Heaven bound..but this way of 2+2=4 thinking doesn't square with me. I have become excited of seeing (because my brain supposedly works right) of seeing my sins revealed on the pages of the Bible. So, Ive come to see that the Bible has the answers I wonder about. But this question of innocent souls with a clearly compromised mental handicap from birth remains untouched. I cant find some good words to answer my wanderings about this. I cant find a good book to get me started on GODs plan for the mentally challenged. I want to be able to answer this question for myself and others who suffer with their loved ones. And for people who skirt it. I hope you all will not be offended. This question is a true struggle I have. I have asked a many preacher/pastor this question..I hope you open this question wide up Chip. I hope GOD finds a way to help me through you or any other good servant.
Maybe you could write a paper on the scripture says David hated lame people, But, then winds up caring forMephibosheth …Jonathan's son. Maybe if you uderstand that a bit you would share that. I dont get how David is a man after GODs own heart but the scripture here says David hated these lame and blind people.
2 Samuel 5:8 And David said on that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and smite the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul. Wherefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he cannot come into the house.

Judy

By: Kris

Kris — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:36:39 +0000

This is in response to Mike’s post…Yes, our system is indeed as it was over 2000 years ago, and in reality even worse. The “need” for church is derived from many different avenues. For example, if you were a young believer it would have been ingrained in you from your parents that “we go to church every Sunday”. And as a child, we do as we’re told, and just expect that we’re doing the correct thing. If a person comes to accept Jesus as their Savior at a more mature age, the suggested “need” to goes to church comes from friends, evangelists, preachers, etc. who oftentimes say “now that you’re saved, find a church and become a member”. It’s the classic “the blind leading the blind”. These vessels will stress the need for a Savior, but once that is accomplished they then push for the “need” of church. Jesus’ commission was to make DISCIPLES, not church goers, and this is why Paul was so adamant in his warning about false teachers, etc. However, being a disciple is a hard pill to swallow. Our human nature is to take the easy way out of anything we can, and church’s prey on this (for their own benefit). The is only ONE Way to the Truth, and the route is absolutely not through the modern day Pharisee system.