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What is the Third Man Syndrome?

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It’s There for Everyone, But You Have to be Open and Willing

The Third Man Syndrome refers to situations where an unseen presence provides comfort and support. This is most commonly reported in cases of extreme or traumatic experiences.

For example, in Sir Ernest Shackleton’s book South, he describes being joined by an incorporeal being when he and two others were on the final leg of their exploration journey over the mountains and glaciers. He said, “It seemed to me often that we were four, not three.”

This ‘third man’ was also alluded to by football player Russell Okung when describing his faith story. While in college his mother and sister were at home alone when a hurricane went through Houston Texas where they lived. Russell says while sitting in the chapel one day God spoke to him and said, “You don’t have to go through this alone. You’re not by yourself.”

“It’s crazy how God will come to you even in the most small, subtle ways – maybe even a whisper.”

A 3rd example comes from James Ryle. He experienced an abusive situation in the orphanage where he was placed at the age of six. After leaving the orphanage in 1969, he fell asleep while driving a car, resulting in the death of his best friend. In an effort to raise the money to pay the attorney representing him in the accident case he was caught selling drugs. He was sentenced to the Texas State Penitentiary at the age of nineteen.

While sitting in jail he recalled a Bible verse he had learned growing up. Romans 8:28, and he realized God was saying, you can keep doing things your way or you can do them My way. Through a collection of miracles James was released early and went on to help found Promise Keepers and ultimately millions of lives were changed.

Too often our ideas are not God’s ideas. We look at things for a worldly perspective and expect God to look at in the same way. For example, in Luke 24:13-35 when some of Jesus’ followers were going to Emmaus after Jesus’ crucifixion. They had expected Jesus to be a worldly leader and restore the throne to Jerusalem. They were left lost and scared after He was killed.

“While they talked and discussed, Jesus Himself came and began walking with them.” Luke 24:15

The greatest blessing God gives us is the knowledge of His presence in our challenges. When we ask for patience, He doesn’t give us a warm and fuzzy answer. He puts challenging people and situations in our path. When we pray for wisdom, He gives us situations that require humility and discernment. God’s miracles are often average people dealing with difficult circumstances and finding solutions.

God doesn’t give us “genie in a bottle” answers.

He will be there through the storm. He will give us direction and insight, but we need to be willing to do our part. We need to be open and aware to the “third man”

May the Christ who walks on wounded feet, walk with you on the road

May the Christ who serves with wounded hands, stretch out your hands to serve

May the Christ who loves with a wounded heart, open your heart to love

May you see the face of Christ in everyone you meet and

May everyone you meet see the face of Christ in you

A Cheerful Heart is Good Medicine

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It’s Up to Us to Decide to be Cheerful or Not

We have limited control over what happens around us. We have complete control of how we respond. We can choose, it’s up to us to decide if we’re going to take control or not.

We all go through things in life that, at the time, seem unbearable. Whatever it is, someone else ‘has gone’, ‘is going’ or ‘will go’ through it. At the time we are, it sure feels like no one has ever suffered this much.

Peace of mind is what we’re looking for.

In John 20:19-31, the disciples were lost, scared and hiding behind locked doors. Their best friend and leader had been killed a few days before. They were anything but cheerful. Then Jesus showed up and said, “Peace be with you.” He showed them His hands and His side and again said, “Peace be with you”.

He had the power to heal His scars, but He left them to show others the proof of His commitment to us. We all have scars of varying forms and degrees. The Christian band, I Am They, shares this in the song, Scars.

Now I’m standing in confidence

With the strength of Your faithfulness

And I’m not who I was before

No, I don’t have to fear anymore

So I’m thankful for the scars

‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart

And I know they’ll always tell of who You are

So forever I am thankful for the scars

Scars are a part of our story and a reminder of who we are.

Next, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” In the span of a few minutes the disciple’s attitudes had changed from sad to happy. With Holy Spirt we can change our attitudes as well. The power of Holy Spirt in our lives prevents us from ever having to be alone. This peace makes being cheerful much easier.

Having God’s peace gives me the courage to move forward in times of doubt and fear.

Nabeel Qureshi was born in San Diego to Pakistani Muslim parents who had immigrated to the US. While attending college he engaged in religious discussions with Christian, David Wood. They became friends and through this relationship Qureshi converted to Christianity. Converting to Christianity from being a Muslim requires real commitment. A conversion of this kind can be a death sentence.

In his book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, Nabeel provides an intimate window into the struggle of being raised in a loving Muslim home and the inner turmoil of becoming a Christian. The clash between Islam and Christianity and the peace he finds in Jesus.

Peace is the defining mark of those who follow Jesus.

We get to decide if we want the cheerfulness and peace that come with being Christians. When struggling through all the difficulties that life dishes out, it’s hard to find a better medicine than a cheerful heart.

How Can I Know Who I Am and What I’m Here For?

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By Digging Down To the Foundation

 

 

 

Who am I and why am I here, are questions that we’ve all asked. Finding the answer is the tricky part, not to mention we may not like the answer once we find it.


We will never know who we are until we determine WHO’s we are.

 

 

There are a lot of lost people wandering around seeking purpose in money, a job, a relationship or some other worldly treasure. Not that any of these worldly treasures are wrong, in and of the themselves. The problem is when we build our lives on them. Making these things the most important is like building a house on a sand foundation.

 

 


Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24-27, what happens if we build on sand. He tells us to build on the Rock. If we use Him as our foundation everything we build is solid and steady.

 


To use Jesus as our foundation requires us to get to know him. The more time we spend with Him the better we will know Him. Just like parents, grandparents, spouses or children, after spending large amounts of time together you recognize them by their smell, shape, voices, actions, etc. The same is true for spending time with Jesus.


The Master Architect has designed our lives, it’s up to us to read the blueprints.


This past week was youth Sunday at church and Hannah (the youth leader) gave a super message. Here’s a link to a short video titled “Who I Am”, by David Bowden that she used as part of the service.


Who are YOU and what are YOU here for?

When We’re Being Sought, Why Do We Hide?

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Hide and Seek Shouldn’t Be Played in the Game of Life

A man was having computer issues when working on a Saturday. He didn’t want to bother the IT tech at home, but after continued issues, decided to call him. The phone was answered by the tech’s young son with a whispered, “Hello.”. The man asked if he could speak with the boy’s father. He whispered, “No.”. “What about your mother, can I speak with her?” Again, at a whisper he answered, “No.”. In the background the man could hear people yelling the boy’s name and what sounded like sirens and…a helicopter. The man asked the boy what the commotion was, he answered, once again in a whisper…

They’re looking for me.

After Jesus’ crucifixion His followers were lost. Last week we discussed the empty tomb and the disbelief that accompanied it. In Luke Chapter 24 Verses 13-35, the story continues with two of Jesus’ followers walking to the town of Emmaus. As they walked, they were joined by Jesus but didn’t recognize Him. They were enjoying their time with Him so much, they asked Him to join them for supper. When Jesus gave thanks and broke the bread, they recognized Him, and He disappeared. They immediately went back to Jerusalem and told the other followers.

After we’re found by Jesus, we need to tell others.

It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to be confronted by someone who we thought to be dead.

There is a story of two brothers who fought in the Civil War. Both were told that the other was killed in action. After the war they went separate ways. One back home and the other to a new life. More than forty years later at a Civil War reunion they came face to face. They weren’t hiding from each other; they just were unaware. This was a big loss due to not seeking.

Too often, people go through life unaware that our brother, Jesus, is alive.

Jesus came searching for us when He came to earth 2000 years ago and continues to look for us today. Being found in this game of hide and seek is how we win.

We Are in The Land of The Dying

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On Our Way to The Land of The Living

Sunday was Easter, the ultimate victory story! In Luke 24:1-12 the women go to Jesus’ tomb and find the stone rolled back and no Jesus. They are worried and afraid. Then there were two men in shining clothes standing beside them. The men asked, “Why are you looking for a living person in this place for the dead? He is not here; he has risen from the dead.” The women remembered what Jesus had said and went away celebrating and shouting the resurrection message.

When the apostles heard their story, they didn’t believe them. Peter went to the tomb and found Jesus’ burial clothes and no body. He went away doubtful and concerned. He assumed the Romans had come and taken Jesus’ body. Jesus’ followers had been through some dark days, but Peter was ignoring the light that the women saw.

Darkness is overcome by the light; in the midst of our deepest darkness the SON will rise!

We can choose to be like Peter or the women. They both saw the same empty tomb. Peter went away discouraged and the women went away shouting and celebrating that first Easter morning.

The tomb is not a dark alley, but a thoroughfare to Christ.

Pastor Lee told a story about a soldier who lost his legs and was recovering in a hospital. As you can imagine he was depressed about his situation. He could see no reason to even be alive. What good would he be without legs.

After days of lying there wallowing in self-pity another patient came in, sat down and started playing a harmonica. He played for a while and then got up and left. This went on for several days, never saying anything, just playing the harmonica. Then one day he came in playing the harmonica and attempting tap dance. When he was finished the harmonica playing tap dancer told the soldier to smile and live. The soldier replied that this was easy for him to say that. He was walking and dancing. Then the harmonica player lifted his pant legs to reveal two artificial limbs. He said again, smile and live, it is the only way to thank Him for being alive.


The young soldier’s resurrection began that moment.

Just like the soldier and the harmonica player, we need to remember that there is nothing that we have gone through or ever will go through that Jesus hasn’t already been there and done that.

We need to smile, live and say THANK YOU!

The Most Important Week in History

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Its Importance Was Overlooked Then and Now

Last Sunday was Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. When this week occurred for the first time, what started out as a celebration quickly turned into a dark time for Jesus’ followers.

They were expecting something completely different than what happened. They thought that Jesus was going to over turn the Roman Empire and become a worldly king. They misunderstood Jesus’ message and purpose.

This is like the story Pastor Lee told about a woman that became distraught when she saw a sign in her bank’s window. She went into the bank and asked what was going to happen to her money? The teller asked her what she meant. The lady said the sign in the front window read, “Closed for Good Friday”. When she read it, she saw, “Closed for good, Friday”. We need to be careful to not misunderstand the Message.

It is easy for us to put our perspective on things that in turn lead to misunderstanding. We invite Jesus into our lives and ask Him to make a few changes and freshen things up a bit…you know a little remodeling project. The problem develops when we haven’t really looked at the blueprint, or maybe we don’t know how to read one. God’s plan for our lives more resembles a full-blown renovation, rather than a little remodel.

He plans to turn us into a mansion, if we’ll just let Him.

Usually when we hear the word passion we think of an emotion. We put it in our worldly view. Historically though this word meant to suffer for something cared deeply about, to the point of martyrdom. Jesus cared so deeply for us that He was willing to give His life for us. His passion to for us lead to His death. This is the Passion of Christ.

As humans no matter how high we reach or how long of a ladder we climb on. we can never reach God. He on the other hand can reach us, if we will let Him.

Remember the importance of this Holy Week and let the Master Architect design your dream mansion.

Today, The Scripture Has Been Fulfilled In Your Hearing

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The Bible can seem like an old history book. Full of things that are irrelevant to us today. This could not be further from the truth.

Sure it’s a book full of history…but it’s so much more. It is the “Living Word”. John 1:1-4 says, “1In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him. 4 In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people.” (NCV) Jesus is not just the Jesus of the Bible, He is the Jesus of our lives today.

History is important, but we need to be careful to not let history cause us to forget the present and the future. In this week’s scripture, Luke 4:14-20, Jesus had returned to His home town of Nazareth where He had grown up. While there He was teaching one Sabbath and read these words from the book of Isaiah; 18 “The Lord has put his Spirit in me, because he appointed me to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to tell the captives they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. Isaiah 61:1 God sent me to free those who have been treated unfairly Isaiah 58:6 19  and to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness.” Isaiah 61:2 (NCV)

Jesus goes on to say in verse 21 that  “Today, This Scripture Has Been Fulfilled in Your Hearing”.  This fulfillment didn’t stop with the people who were there physically. It is still being fulfilled in our hearing of it today and tomorrow and the next day.

Then in verse 22 the people who were initially pretty impressed by His reading, began to have second thoughts about this. They remembered Him as the son of a carpenter who grew up in their midst. They were letting their history of Jesus cause them to not see the present or the future.

You may have heard it said that we all have a Jesus shape void in our lives. We all have had the feeling that something is missing. Many people don’t realize that it’s God. They may try to fill that hole with everything but God. He is the only thing that will fit. If you haven’t done so already you should test Him to see how He fits. The Scripture is a great instruction manual for this.

Remember that today, the Scripture is being fulfilled in your hearing. So be sure to listen to it.

The Velveteen Rabbit Teaches Us About Love

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“The Velveteen Rabbit” was the basis of the message this week. It is a story about a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real and the love that ultimately accomplishes this.

There is a lot of real life comparisons in this story about a stuffed rabbit. Some of the toys are mean and uncaring, some are supporting and caring. There are examples of the power of love and the healing miracle it provides. 1 John 4:7-12; 19-21 tells us what love is and how to use it. It tells us that God first loved us and that He commands us to love our brothers and sisters.

God loved us so much that He became human to show us how to love. It can be hard for us to show that level of love to those who don’t understand it. We need to share with others in a way they can understand.

There is a the story of the man who didn’t believe that Jesus was God in human form. He decided to not go with his family to a Christmas Eve service, but rather to stay home. Shortly after his family left in began to snow. He then heard some birds flying into the window of the house. They were looking for looking for a way out of the storm. He tried to help them but they were scared and didn’t understand what he was doing. He thought, if only I was a bird I could tell them and show them. It was then that he realized this is what God did for us when Jesus became a man.

My favorite version of the story, done by Paul Harvey.

As we go through this new year let us honor the sacrifice of God by loving those around us.