Symptoms and Diseases
Joe Slater
	Symptoms are warnings that something more serious is going on. For example, fever, chills, and nausea may indicate an infection. Rapid pulse and shallow breathing might suggest pneumonia. Unpleasant as symptoms are, we want the physician to treat not only the symptoms, but the underlying cause of them.
	Spiritual illnesses also manifest themselves by symptoms. Too often, we spend our efforts trying to alleviate the symptoms while ignoring the root causes.
	Take, for example, the perpetually recurring symptom of absenteeism. I have never known of a congregation where every member attended regularly. When someone’s attendance is, at best spasmodic, we ought to look deeper to see why. Maybe the problem is simple ignorance – he just doesn’t know he ought to be here. Or maybe the root cause is a lack of love for the Lord and His church – love is a great motivator! Then again, the actual reason for non-attendance might be lingering doubt or unbelief, some secret ongoing sin, or any of a hundred other things. With the exception of sheer ignorance, endlessly quoting Hebrews 10:25 is unlikely to remedy these ills! Until and unless we treat the underlying causes, the symptom will only return later. It would be like giving someone an aspirin to bring down a fever, but doing nothing to treat the infection. The fever might go down temporarily, but will likely return later as the infection continues to devastate the body. Likewise we can browbeat someone into attending, but unless the root cause is addressed, he will slip away again and again.
	Spiritual illness also manifests itself in spectator-type worship, low contribution, absence of evangelistic zeal, etc. The same root causes mentioned earlier (ignorance, lack of love, doubt/unbelief, secret ongoing sin, etc.) may also be indicated by these symptoms.
	Do you recognize any of these symptoms in your own life? I know of no better cure for their causes than regular personal study of God’s word. It will dispel ignorance and doubt while building up your faith (Romans 10:17). You will learn to be thankful to God and to love Him because He first loved you (1 John 4:19). Through His word, God will convict you of sin and lead you to repentance (John 16:8). For a time, you may need to treat the symptoms; but when the actual reasons have been addressed, the symptoms will vanish on their own!
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Graduation Speech
	A young man was giving a speech at  his high school graduation. He began by reading from his prepared text: “I want to talk about my mother and the wonderful influence she has had on my life,” he told the audience. “She is a shining example of parenthood, and I love her more than words could ever do justice.”
	At this point he seemed to struggle for words. After a pause, he looked up with a sly grin and said, “It’s really hard to read my mom’s handwriting.”
		(via Jacksonville, AL)
Spiritual Paradoxes
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16:25 NAU).
     A paradox is defined as "a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is true."
     Jesus often presented paradoxes to state important truths. The one above is a captivating example. Who saves his life by losing it? Or, who loses his life by saving it? Obviously,  Jesus is teaching that cowards will lose their souls, and those who lose their lives as martyrs will save their souls.
     Spend a few minutes looking at the following paradoxes, and then ask yourself if you "get it."
     tWe see unseen things (2 Cor. 4:18). 
     tWe conquer by yielding (Rom. 6:16-18). 
     tWe find rest under a yoke (Mt. 11:28-30). 
     tWe reign by serving (Mark 10:42-44). 
     tWe are made great by becoming little (Luke 9:48). 
     tWe are exalted by being humble (Mt. 23:12).
     tWe are first when we are last; and last when we are first (Mt. 19:30).  
     tWe become wise by being fools for Christ's sake (1 Cor. 1:20, 21; 4:10). 
     tWe are made free by becoming His bond servants (Rom. 6:10). 
     tWe grow strong by being weak (2 Cor. 12:10). 
     tWe triumph by defeat (2 Cor. 12:7-9). 
     tWe find victory by glorying in our infirmities (2 Cor. 12:5).
     tAnd we live by dying (John 12:24,25; 2 Cor. 4:10,11).
     When Jesus said the first shall be last and the last first, He turned the world upside down. Divine logic just doesn't satisfy most people. Worldly ideas lead to pride, envy, negative thinking and meanness of spirit. If we would live for Him and do His will we must make it our aim to actualize in our personal lives the real meaning of these paradoxes.
--Rob Redden (Arroyo Grande, CA)