Self-examination: What Spiritual Prison of Disobedience Have I Put Myself In? (Lent 1)

 Self-examination: What Spiritual Prison of Rebellion Have I Put Myself In?

Lent is a time of preparation for the Easter Celebration. We have six weeks to examine our lives, identify sins that need to be repented and go through the process of repentance, confession, absolution and acceptance of Christ's forgiveness. One way of examining our lives is suggested by the readings for today. Peter mentions the rebellious dead as being "spirits in prison' (1 Peter 3.19). We may be putting ourselves in an eternal spiritual prison when we are disobedient and rebel against the Baptismal covenant. We need to review the Ten Commandments and the seven deadly sins and ask ourselves which of these prisons we may be in.

1. Our Baptismal Covenant is into a relationship of love

Transfiguration Was the Ultimate Epiphany Moment (Transfiguration)

 An Epiphany moment is when we see something in a dramatic new way. In this case Peter, James and John see Jesus with his body and cloths changed in a dramatic, visible way; talking to Elijah and Moses (Mark 9.2-13). This is not a dream. There are three very awake and frightened witnesses. The witnesses are having the epiphany moment of their lives. They are seeing Jesus as part of the invisible spiritual dimension of the Bible. This is a glimpse of the heavenly kingdom in intruding into our physical world.

 

1. We have trouble with the supernatural in the Biblical 

Healing and Deliverance Ministry Is Dangerous (Epiphany 4b)

 The Readings open our eyes to an Epiphany moment of realizing how dangerous healing and deliverance ministry can be. There is a wonderful line in C.S. Lewis’s story "Prince Caspian". This is a children's story that deals with the struggle between good and evil. Jesus is represented as a lion. Lucy, the youngest girl asks, "is he dangerous?". The reply comes back "Of course he's dangerous". The Gospel reveals a very dangerous side of  Jesus that has been almost lost in our time: (One of my manuscripts 7 lost spiritual truths)

·      Isaiah reminds us that spiritual authority comes from God and is dangerous

·      Paul warns us to be careful in our spiritual lives

·      Jesus teaches us how spiritual authority works in healing and deliverance ministry

 

1. Spiritual authority comes from God

Jesus Delivers Us from Evil (Epiphany 2)

 This is how our Psalm (40) ended. It summarizes the three Epiphany moments of the Readings and also of course, the Lord’s Prayer. This is the great cry of our hearts when we are in trouble. The three Epiphany moments in the Readings are:

·     Isaiah: In Babylon the Hebrews realized they could not save themselves

·     John: realized Jesus was the Lamb of God who would deliver all people from the bondages of sin and spiritual blindness

·     Paul: The Corinthians, like us, needed to experience Jesus deliverance from both the bondage of sin and spiritual evil

·     We all need epiphany moments when our spiritual eyes are opened by Jesus, the light of the world 

 

1.    We cannot save ourselves

Deliver Us from Evil (Proper 30c)

     Deliver us from evil is the culmination and a summary of the Lord’s Prayer. Some chilling news – evil is “live” spelled backwards. The ending in Greek indicates it is a male identity. Ie. He, the evil one or Satan. As I share in Going Spiritual, I did not really understand evil until I was hitchhiking through the battlefields of France. I realized evil is intentional destruction of human lives for no purpose or benefit– very different from “bad things” that happen by accident. In the Readings:

·     Joel gives us an End Times warning and hope – destruction is coming - and God will send Jesus / Holy Spirit to deliver us  

·     Timothy Reading omits the very important warning about false teachers v.1-4 and then assures us that God will rescue the righteous from every evil attack–particularly by false teachers

·     Jesus is teaching us that humility and repentance deliver us from the evil and the destruction of Spiritual pride 

 

1.   Deliver Us from Spiritual Death

Called and Anointed to Proclaim Healing and Deliverance (St. Luke's Day)

 

This is Jesus mission statement. It should be the Churches’ mission Statement and it should be the mission of all Christians. Sadly, it is not. It is not because it can be dangerous and requires real commitment and community prayer support. You would think people who wear crosses would get it that crosses are for killing dangerous people. We avoid the hard, supernatural things in ministry – and Jesus weeps.

 

1.     We Are Called and Anointed – Its Spiritual!

Love Is the First Spiritual Gift (Proper 21c)

 Love is the first spiritual gift we receive. This assures us that we have really established a right-relationship of love with God. Since love is a mystical or spiritual gift, men often have more trouble “getting it” than women who are usually more intuitive. Love is probably the most used and least understood word in English. Best understanding is Nicky Gumbel’s sharing of how he fell in love with Pippa – hint – they just knew. The Readings teach us:

·      Jeremiah’s Love of God enabled him to overcome his fear

·      Paul explains how overcoming our fear leads to joy

·      Jesus taught us that love frees us from the Law

 

1.    Jeremiah’s Love Overcame His Fear

Deliverance from Masonic Oaths and Curses (Zoom talk notes Aug. 18 2022 by Fr. John Gishler))

 1.    Introduction to Freemasonry

Freemasonry is an ancient pagan religion that can be traced back to the mysterious ancient associations of master builders in Egypt who built the pyramids centuries before Moses. They use mysterious words that they claim to be from “ancient Egyptian” – which modern language scholars say never existed. Freemasonry blinds, deceives and binds members to secrecy with powerful satanic oaths and curses as they progress through 33 degrees of spiritual cleansing and ‘enlightenment’. Masons believe in brotherly love and model this better than many Christians – but only to other masons and their families. As we will see in the comparison Table, they do not believe in salvation through Jesus but salvation through man-centred enlightenment and moral self-purification. Masons have a ‘corrected’ bible, consider themselves Christian and are drawn to the ritual of Anglican Churches. A Nineteenth-Century Anglican Commission conclude that Freemasonry is incompatible with Christianity. They are drawn to power and control and are often on Anglican vestries. Freemasonry is based on witchcraft that blinds and corrupts good men who then pass the sin-guilt from their oaths and curses down the family line.

 

2.    Table of Masonic and Christian Beliefs and Practices[1]

Children of God Are Victors Not Victims (Proper c-12)

  Like Elijah, many people in our feel discouraged, depressed and like victims under attack. They have an identity problem. The Good news of today’s Readings is that we are adopted children of God by faith. We are protected and have put on the authority of Jesus Christ to do God’s work in the world.

 

1.    Many People Like Elijah Have an Identity Crisis

Elijah believed he was a victim - the lie that all the prophets in Israel were being killed. He ran away. But you can’t run away from God. God is not angry. Like a loving father God gently asks him what he is doing. God corrects him and gives him a powerful, nation changing mission. God is still with him and has preserved a remnant of 7,000 faithful believers in Israel.

Teaching Leads To Healing and Deliverance (Proper 14)

Jesus is commissioning us as His followers to a ministry of teaching, healing and spiritual deliverance. He is teaching us to be humble servants and expect obstacles including pride and ridicule as we speak the truth to the misguided. Paul is teaching us to rejoice in opposition and depend entirely on Holy Spirit.

1. Teaching leads to experience and faith

For What I Received I Passed On To You (Mens Cursillo verse Oct. 2019 1 Cor. 15.3)

For What I Received I Passed On To You (1 Cor. 15.3)

(Men’s Cursillo Verse Oct. 2019)

Our mission on this Cursillo is to pass on to others what we have received. This includes both head knowledge and personal experience. The most important take-away from Cursillo is a life-changing experience of Christian community and witness. The experience itself verifies the teaching. This is the pattern of the Bible:

·      Jesus performed a miraculous healing – then he gave a teaching

·      We are all sceptics – need to see it or experience it ourselves

·      Weekend is a series of experiences and teachings

·      Experiences and teachings go deeper and deeper as the weekend progresses

1. What was it Paul experienced?

The Healing Miracles Teach Us Who Jesus Is

·         The Readings teach us the Good News that divine healing is possible and give us the hope     of personal healing

·         The healing miracles also confront us with what is a major stumbling block to faith for many people – the supernatural

·         Did Jesus really do miraculous healings as Mark says?

·         I believe He did – but only because I have seen miracles

·         Seeing the miraculous authenticates the Biblical worldview

·         I respect the fact that those who have not experienced the supernatural will continue to have trouble with this worldview

1.     We  all struggle to believe in the healing miracles of Jesus

·         Many people in our science-based culture do not believe in the supernatural worldview of the Bible

·         The Church has gradually lost it’s teaching authority as it became corrupted and used its’ authority to control rather than heal people

·         Enlightenment Theologians had no experience and questioned the authenticity of the Resurrection and healing miracles

·         Theologians searching for the “Historical Jesus” have been exposed as re-making Jesus in their own image, with no power

·         When I was at Oxford I learned that historically Theologians have often tended to remake Jesus in their own image

·         Some modern Liberal Protestants dismiss the miracles of Jesus as myths of a pre-scientific and superstitious culture.

·         This is Satan’s big lie in our time – and many have believed it.

·         We say we believe in the miracles of Jesus, but those who have personally experienced healing miracles believe in the supernatural worldview of the Bible on a much deeper level.