Spiritual ignorance

There are those who don't want to discern. There are those who prefer to be gullible.

We know we can maintain our spiritual integrity only by admitting our ignorance; and that very ignorance will encourage us to search the Word carefully. We can be very smart and at the same time be very ignorant in certain areas. A Christian may be theologically knowing and spiritually ignorant and very gullible. People who don't discern are those who are usually "ignorant".

Ephesians 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Henrietta deaf man goes to court to fight tickets; says he was treated unfairly

I also think Mendon Ponds Park employees needs to be educated along with police employees. From Rochester NY

Multiple Sclerosis and Hearing Loss (Deafness)

I found an interesting article since I have both Multiple Sclerosis and deafness. I went to school with this girl named Muffy and she also have multiple sclerosis and severe hearing loss. More about Muffy and her famous mother lent her name and voice to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

I wondered how many out there who are hearing-impaired (or deaf) and havd Multiple Sclerosis(MS)?

ARTICLE By George Cook, Au.D., CCC-A

My reminder of the PURPOSE of my LIFE

In the sense that all sickness (i.e. disability) is linked to sin, because if there were no sin, there would be no sickness. Sometimes sickness is designed for the glory of God even though there are those who denies that concept.

I was born with deafness and later in life I was diagnosed with MS. My step-daughter was born with cerebral palsy as well as mild retardation due to seizures when she was a child. My blood daughter have bipolar and other disorder disabilities.

This is from my journal:
The fact of the matter is the visible providence of God has no respector (discriminate) of persons. I arrived naked from the womb of my mother; I will leave in the same condition--with nothing. Ecclesiastes 3:2: "a time to be born and a time to die". What made God decided that I was born on December 11th? Why am I living this way? God is adjusting my history according to His purposes. He knows what He's doing that I have to learn to trust His will, His power, and His timing when the time is right, and not until then. That's the essence of real faith. God carries out His will in His perfect power and timing. My own growing pains were different than others. Some may be worst than others.

My life's experiences have laid the foundation for my new way of thinking, living and hoping in this world. There are many people who never see past the pain because they’re self-absorbed, they’re self-centered, they’re caught up in their own comfort and I decided not to be that way.

I am reminded of Psalm 139:13-14 states, “For You (God) created my inmost being; You (God) knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

I am also reminded of this:
Exodus 4:11 states, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

Again in Psalm 22:10 From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God.

Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

Again in Isaiah 44:2 This is what the LORD says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

Again in Isaiah 44:24 "This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, Who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, Who has made all things, Who alone stretched out the heavens, Who spread out the earth by Myself."

MOST IMPORTANT, in John 9:2-3, Jesus and His disciples encountered a blind man. “His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

In John 9 and 11, sickness had nothing to do with sin. A disabled Christian believer can enrich in a Christian community they are often referred to Christians with disabilities. The Bible also teaches us to bear the burdens of someone with a disability fulfils a command of scripture (Galatians 6:2). 2 Samuel 9:3-4 tells the story of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jonathan, modeling the way the church should minister. There are those who (especially WOF) says that Joni Tada's disability (illness) do NOT glorify God at all.

The potter (God) is working with this soft, yielding clay (us). The potter (God) could make anything useful and beautiful (spiritual fruitful) out of an unyielding blob of clay (us). If He was unable to do that, He would be less than sovereign. This verse confirms God's Sovereign: Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in the earth, in the seas and in all deeps (Psalm 135:6). God controls all the millions of species of plants, birds, animals and fish that exist on this earth. They all fulfill His will. Every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine (Psalm 50:10-12). God sovereignly works out His purposes in each person's life. The steps of a man are established by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). He marks out the paths of all His creatures and determines the way in which they will walk. I know O Lord that a man's way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps (Jer.10:23).

Lately, I have been getting numbness, tingling relating to MS

on my left elbow to my two little fingers. It started back a few months ago and it gotten better but still there. Other than that, I am doing fine physically and mentally.

Hopefully the summer will be over soon so that I can enjoy being outside without getting hot.

What Happen to "ACCEPTING" reasonable accommodation?

I will probably get alot of deaf and hearing people mad about this comment. In this recent article deaf couple seeking more than $50,000, plus punitive damages. Even though the Deputy Sheriff offered "reasonable accomendation" to communicate and was rejected by the couple. In the article, "Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher contends that Bahl was offered use of a text-telephone device for the hearing-impaired but he declined it."

Reasonable accommodation basically means basic ways to communicate for BOTH parties (hearing and deaf), NOT just deaf. There is NO "preference" of communicating but rather an effort to communicate with reasonable accommodation.

Here is another example of abusing the federal Americans With Disabilities Act that ALL people with ALL disabilities uses with fairness and without taking advantage of the laws for the sake of getting rich.

Computer upgraded

My computer was TOOO SLOW. My computer is old and only had 256MB of Ram now I have 2 GB of RAM. Its FASTER and now I am more excited to be on the computer more often. I also included improved anti-virus and anti-spyware, adware software.

I hate slow computer and discourages me often.

Update about Jim and His family

We are all settled in and we love the house. Things are going very smooth and we are very thankful. While it is stressful to be a homeowner, its a great joy and pride of being a homeowner that we can have PETS. :)

My work is more busier and I am more of a programmer than I am an accountant. In reality, I am an accountant computer programmer (my job title is "Grants Administrator). I create financial reports for all of the fiscal staff in the state's new accounting system. So, I am busy doing my accounting work along with programming the reports.

My wife still works at the Columbus Dance Theatre Columbus Dance Theatre where my step-daughter dances. She only gets part-time pay since the company is non-profit and slowly growing (started in 1998). This dance company is the second largest behind Columbus' BalletMet.

My step-daughter, Sarah, who has cerebral palsy, she is the oldest (26) and works at Arc of Ohio that provides those with developmental disabilities have and enjoy equal rights and opportunities in the workforce.

My step-daughter, Shannon, now lives in California and working at various places. She is 21 years old.

My son, Dennis, is living in Maryland with his wife and daughter. Dennis is in the Navy and he is 21 years old.

My daughter, Krista, is living with her mother and graduated from high school. She came a long way after through through her own disabilities and will be attending Columbus State Community College this fall. She is 18 years old.

My step-daughter, Shelby, is living with us. She will be a senior at Upper Arlington High School and then after school, she is off to another school which is at Columbus Dance Theatre. She will learn as well as teach. She will be performing more this year. She will be a busy teenager.

We have a dog name "OSCAR" who is a dachshund which is a wiener dog. Oscar adopted me so I end up taking care of him. :)

We have a cat name BEA. Not sure what kind of cat she is but she is a cat. (over=weight like Garfield).

We just gotten a baby kitten and not sure of the name yet but very, very cute and very very playful.

I think that is about it for now. Thanks for coming back and check on me. I am glad that most of you are still here. See you around the BLOG. :)

Jim :)

Rochester’s School for the Deaf has been awarded

nearly $900,000 of grant for the next five years for its after-school academy. Rochester, N.Y.

New Home living in Upper Arlington, Ohio

I am looking for a new "home" church from where I live. I visited two churches already and so far, I am undecided. I like one church and thinking about keeping going there until God leads me to one or this one.

Its a ranch house and I am looking for the pictures. I can't see to find them.

3 Bedroom
1 1/2 baths
Living room
Dining room
Kitchen with new appliances
Eating area
1 Car garage
full basement

Jim

My Other blog has changed its title and address

http://jimthoughtschristianbeliefs.blogspot.com/

Jim's Thoughts on Christian Beliefs

Deafness and Disability

Many obstacles such as discrimination, attitudes, ignorance, stereotyping, or alienation are still around me whether I realized them or not. They are not going to effect or control my life. For me to really understand "quality of life" is to effectively use knowledge and technology to improve my own quality of life.

Often when we think of the disabled, we often thinks only of those who are in wheelchairs or are otherwise, visible physically impaired. However, the word can also refer to the deaf community, though many deaf persons do not consider themselves to be disabled. I am deaf as a result of having German measles at birth, a comon cause of deafness during the 40's, 50's and 60's.

When I am around with other deaf individuals, I may be different than they are because of their deaf cultural background. I know many deaf individuals are just as diverse in skills and personalities. Its a struggle in this world for me as a hearing-impaired individual who is trying to live my life in both deaf and hearing worlds. There's nothing wrong to live in a Deaf culture and there's nothing wrong to live in a Hearing culture life so I don't have to choose one but rather "both".

Just my thoughts for today.

Disabilities, Life and being Content

Looking back. I was very healthy until I was diagnosed with MS a few years ago. Even though I was legally disabled (deaf since birth by nerve damage in the inner ear), I played sports, was on a swim team, hardly missed any work and I was able to everything that "normal" people could do except that I could not hear that well. So, I was unable to learn anything from my healthy body. Its just that I was able to do many things that an unhealthy person could not do (which I learned later). I have Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) (Diagnosed in April 2002). (deafness caused by nerve damage, MS caused by nerve scars.) I am healthy today and hardly get sick however my MS can affect my daily activities. For the longest time, I thought I have planned and executed my life all by myself but really never aware that my life have always been guided by God.

In my office, I have this cute cartoon. It is showing a cute person wearing the Armor of God and shooting arrows (devil's schemes). A quote under the cartoon states: "Look at it this way...... Without these trials, testing of your faith, working of patience, and fighting a good fight.......LIFE COULD BE BORING." (see 1 Peter 1:7) My mother gave me that when I was facing tough situations. We all must remember that without these temptations and circumstances, our self-discovery of spiritual maturity become aware and will we not mature spiritually. The trials that the Lord allows into our lives to strengthen us can also become temptations, which, rather than being a means to spiritual growth. The only things that come from God are good and perfect which includes all- inclusiveness of God's graciouness. Every act of giving on God's part and every gift He gives is sufficient, lacking nothing, beneficial, and complete.

MS drug may work against viral infection: study

A drug that Novartis AG is testing in people with multiple sclerosis also has the potential to treat certain viral infections, perhaps including the AIDS virus, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. Reuters News

Outside State House, deaf students protest transfers

"The school is saying we can't find interpreters so you've got to go" UnionLeader.com

A trial of a faithful man

In the Old Testament, faithful believers such as the "chosen people" acted shocked when suffering came their way, for they quite reasonably expected God to reward them with prosperity and health. This represents a step beyond the “works of faith” that are taught in the Old Testament: Do good and get blessed, do bad and get punished. God is using this man to prove to someone that a human being’s faith can be genuine and selfless, not dependent on God’s good gifts. (Note: works of faith and word of faith are the same in 'concept')

The man or the sufferings are not the themes at all but rather about faith during the trials. This is a story about faith, the story of one man selected to undergo a staggering ordeal by trial. His response presents a message that applies not just himself, but to every person who lived, lives and will live on planet Earth.

The trial: The contest over one man's faith and whether he will believe in God or deny God? God himself called this man “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil”. This man has asked the same questions asked by nearly everyone who experienced sufferings, Why me? What is God trying to tell me?

In the beginning of the story, it is revealed that this man was not being punished. Far from it, he has been chosen as the principal subject in a great contest of the heavens. God is using this man to prove to one person (who says that this man had protection) that this man's faith can be genuine and selfless, not dependent on God’s good gifts.

God has chosen this man who must undergo a terrible ordeal in order to determine the winner between the two heavyweights (God and Satan). Satan’s accusation that this man loves God only because “you have put a hedge around him”. This was an attack on God’s character, which implies that God's people loves God because God provides everything they need. God was not on trial but rather this man's faith was on trial. Satan challenged God by asking Him to take away this man's positive rewards, and watch faith crumble (so he hoped).

From chapters 3—37, revolves around the "why was this man suffering?". This man's 3 friends, came to comfort him and to discuss his crushing series of tragedies. They insist his suffering is punishment for sin in his life. Every statement of those three friends was true. They said that God punishes sinners, and they were right. They said that none could hide his sins from God and they were right. Common sense and all reason tell us, they argue, that God will treat His people fairly and those who obey and remain faithful, they will get their rewards. Those who sin, God punishes. They are very biblical. That God makes good men prosper and evil men stumble. There are those who claim a “word of knowledge” to back up their beliefs, as did one of this man's friends who implied that this man who was suffering should turn to God for a miracle.


Why were those friends wrong? They were in error because they ASSUMED that Job SINNED, based on the "evidence" of his sufferings alone. They were so confident of their doctrine and arguments but they were wrong.

What's more important, God proved Satan of Job's faith. Job ultimately passes the test of faith by clinging to belief in God even when sufferings happens.

This story about about JOB. God Himself declared: "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was PERFECT" (Job 1:1). "And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a PERFECT and an UPRIGHT man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?" (Job 1:8).

The Scripture clearly teaches that not only is it a possibility to be handed over to Satan. There are times and places and circumstances under the plan of God in which individuals are definitely to be turned over to Satan.

Reading Job is one example. God says, "Have you looked at My servant Job? And what a good man he is. What's interesting is that other biblical writers refer to Job as a real person. Ezekiel refers to Job along with Noah and Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14,20). And James draws upon the example of Job to comfort the suffering, proving the point that God is merciful. He commends the endurance of Job (Jas. 5:11). From the Book of Job, we see that God is in complete control. Satan had neither the power nor the authority to do anything without the permission of God. It was consistent with God's nature and will for him to have allowed those things to happen to Job.

In the sense that all sickness is linked to sin, because if there were no sin, there would be no sickness. But it is wrong in assuming that a person became directly sick from being sinful. In John 9:2-3, Jesus and His disciples encountered a blind man. “His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Satan sometimes causes illness (Job 2:7; Luke 13:16).

This sinful world do not discriminate between believers and unbelievers. Plane crashes, boat sinkings, train accidents, car collisions, heart disease, cancer doesn't discriminate between a sinner and a saint, or between a sinner and a sinner.

What have we learned in this "life"

To Produce Fruit.
Fruit of Patience: Hebrews 10:36, James 1:3
Fruit of Joy: Psalm 30:5, Psalm 126:6.
Fruit of Knowledge: Psalm 94:12
Fruit of Maturity: 1 Peter 5:10
Trials come to test the strength of our faith because they assist us in the knowledge of our own faith. (Genesis 22:1-18, Malachi 3:3-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9). Trials come to us to reveal what we really love.

To Silence Satan Job 1:9-12 and Job 2:3-7

To Glorify God John 9:1-3 and John 11:1-4

To Make Us Like Jesus: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death”. Phil 3:10

To Teach Us Dependence (On His Grace) John 15:1-5, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Trials come to make us think of our own reflections, trying to look at it from the biblical and the personal viewpoint.

To Refine Our Lives Psalm 66:10-12, Proverbs 17:3, and 1 Peter 1:6-7. Trials come to test the strength of our faith because they assist us in the knowledge of our own faith. (Genesis 22:1-18, Malachi 3:3-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9)

Trials come to humble us that we must realize that God allows trials in our lives share our burdens with others. (James 1:3-4, and 12) Trials come to us to teach us to value the blessing of God from His perspective to enable us to help others in their suffering and to make us better able to assist others in their own suffering. God allows us to learn by experience to instruct others. Trials come to us to develop enduring strength for greater usefulness so that God can thrust us into greater places of ministry and effectiveness according to will in His Great Commission.

Trials including disabilities teaches us that the greatest good of the Christian life is not absence of pain, but Christ-likeness and to do His will. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:28-29). Trials including disabilities teaches us that God is more concerned with the character He is building in us, He comforts us in His arms through His power of Grace on the journey to His destiny for us as Paul explains: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

Jesus said "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10:29-30)

I have two sides of the coins that I have used for years. Perseverance come to test the strength of our faith because they assist us in the knowledge of our own faith. (Genesis 22:1-18, Malachi 3:3-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9). "Perseverance in life's experiences" come to us to reveal what we really love.

One side of the coin is that perseverance experiences may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in us (See: Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17).

On the other side of the coin, perseverance expriences attempts to tempt us and trials to bring out the WORST in us (see: James 1:13-14).

Trials are intended to train Christians out of their worldly security and awaken them to the fact that they are to TRUST God during their trials or fall but at the same time, don't trust yourself or trust your faith. TRUST GOD. In the book of James, the entire letter is about living faith during trials and list the tests intended to reveal the legitimacy of someone's faith. The VERY first test is the test of severe trials which means that we need to understand the strength or the genuineness of our own faith. Trials cannot destroy true faith; they only put it to the test and strengthen it as in spiritual training.