Sword and Scalpel

Avoiding Moral Failure

2009-07-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Moral Failures – Is it impossible to overcome?

Pastor Ted Haggard was really unknown to me, in any real sense, till the issue of homosexuality and drug taking came up. I was amazed initially, and then very sad that another Christian leader had not lived up to what was expected of him.

1 Tim3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Bishop refers to an overseer or pastor. If we are called into ministry (which is an office, and not a position of any superiority over other believers), then the issues of being blameless, monogamous, vigilance, good behavior etc are vital. The office calls the person to a higher standard. It is like a politician who falls from grace because he hired an illegal worker to mow his grass, a misdemeanor that would not raise eyebrows if done by anyone else.

The litany of moral failures leads me to think that this “war” within our members is a really difficult thing to overcome. Paul expressed great frustration, yet was able to contain it. That is the issue. We are all tempted, and leaders more so. Yet God will always have a way of escape. It is up to us not to succumb.

1 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I use the mnemonic TIP to think about how we fall into sin.

T stands for temptation. This is not sin, but the precursor. It is when the pastor found out, a voice in his inner self (the flesh) suggesting the dark thoughts of drugs and sex. Temptation is not sin. He decided to lift his phone and make a call. This leads to the sin itself...

I stands for intent. Once there is intent to do something, we have sinned in our heart. This is the “lust” in the heart that Jesus talked about. At this stage, we can and should still overcome by remembering the Word and using it against the devil. Confession is in order and will immediately wipe the slate clean with God. With intent, although there is sin, there will often be no severe consequence, except for maybe an interruption in the communication with God. I found, in my own life, that immediate confession is the key. Any delay in confession eats away at the soul. I have felt weak and heavy in the spirit and not able to pray effectively until I confessed. In one particular situation of unforgiveness, I actually began to get physical consequences, even though the person I was not forgiving was unaware of my inner anger and bitterness.

But if the intent is acted upon, the consequences are severe, as the pastor who sinned found out. The next stage is...

P stands for Plan of action. It is the intent acted out. Once the pastor went to meet the male escort, bought the drugs and made contact, the deed was done. The consequences became public and affected others – his family and his church (spiritual family).

We can all learn from this sorry episode. As I watched the pastor, Ted Haggard, publicly humiliated, I was devastated. When it comes to sin, we can all fall so easily.

I see myself in the mirror and feel that except for the grace of God, I could be in the same position. What is my own thought life like? Who am I in the dark? What are my sins? These are questions I must ask daily, and confess daily. I must try, with huge does of the grace of God, never to let temptation go into Intent. And definitely not into a Plan of Action.

In Denial of the Creator

2009-07-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Society in denial?

(Ezekiel 12)

That God is patient is manifestly true. How else can we account for the fact that the God who created man (Genesis 1) and gave him dominion over the earth and all living things (Psalm 8), has not executed judgement on man’s callous disregard for creation and creator.

What is denial? In psychiatric terms, it is defined as a situation whereby a person facing a truth which is unpalatable or inconvenient, subconsciously suppresses the truth and simply denies it. A man who is deeply distressed by the death of his wife may continue life as if she has not died, and live in denial of the fact. This is to protect himself form the severe grief reaction that may ensue if he acknowledges his loss. There are many other examples of denial as a defense mechanism, used by common people in everyday situations.

One of the greatest denials today is to deny the creator. A strange intellectual dissonance occurs when man lives as if he does not need God, yet turns to Him in times of danger, emergency or illness. A tornado in Enterprise, Alabama (2007) is a case in point. My mentor and friend, Bishop Jerry Ogles was at the High School where the tornado caused the only fatalities that day. The school had mandated that there would be no public prayer within its premises. But as the danger become emergent, all students and staff automatically prayed for deliverance. What man tried to ban by legislation, was of no effect when human beings faced the reality of death. The law of God trumped the law of man, like it always will.

Man cannot ignore God forever. He can do so temporarily. God is patient, kind and good. He will give man as long as possible before He has to judge their sin.

Ezekiel interestingly addressed the same topic eons ago. The Lord speaks to Ezekiel His prophet: Ezek 12:2

They have eyes to see, but do not see,

They have ears to hear but do not hear!

Today, man has eyes to see the creation around him and the implausibility that all these came about by random chance. Yet, many men do not really “see”. They are in denial.

Today man has ears to hear, but they refuse to truly hear the gospel. They put all sorts of intellectual barriers to avoid allowing the gospel to confront their sin.

God is patient

Ezekiel 12 contains a warning for Israel, and a warning for us. God may be very patient but He is just and righteous. He cannot accept sin forever. He cannot allow man to remain rebellious forever. Human beings often ridicule Christians who call for repentance and obedience to God, in Jesus. Why? Ezek 12:22 indicates that the people of Israel made the same argument. You say that God will judge, they said, yet the days are prolonged and every vision fails (v 12). Today, we are confronted with the same argument articulated differently – they say its been 2000 years since Jesus came, and there is no indication of His second coming. It is futile to wait, and the days will be prolonged. They ridicule preachers who warn that judgment is coming. We do not help ourselves when some cults masquerading as Christians to gain legitimacy, try to set dates for the second coming or the final judgment, that do not come true. That allows unbelievers to further buttress their attacks against genuine believers, who can only say that Christ’s coming is imminent, but the time is only known to God.

Types of denial

This passage intimates two types of denial in Israel, and mirrors the same pattern today.

Firstly, false messages of happiness were preached (v 24). Feel good messages were permeating because God had been patient and no judgment had been experienced. Is that not so true today? After 2000 years, humans are getting more bold in their denial of God and His holy statutes.

Secondly, false assumptions came as a result of God’s patience (v 22, 27). It was widely assumed that God was not going to punish His people. Today that notion is prevalent. God is love, we are told, who will not punish anyone. The patient God who is waiting for man to repent and seek God is misunderstood to be so loving that He can overlook blatant sin and disobedience!

Consequences of denial

Denial of the judgment does not mean that it will not happen. It amazes me to think that human nature is such that when a disaster like an earthquake strikes, there is great care taken to study and warn people in case of future earthquakes. Yet, despite the knowledge of the danger, many millions live in earthquake prone areas, somehow denying within themselves that they could be killed in a quake, or just ignoring the danger.

Doctors tell patients not to smoke, yet they do it themselves, an example of severe denial! A thoracic surgeon colleague of mine was a master at his craft. His hands were nimble and deft. I had assisted him often and marveled at the way he removed tumours from the lungs of smokers. Yet, he smoked like a chimney, and died of lung cancer at the age of 40. Denial of the dangers of smoking did not save him form the consequences.

Denying God and ignoring His commands continue to be the option many choose today. However, God will judge, in His time (Ezek 12: 25).

“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “None of My words will be postponed anymore, but the word which speak will be done”, says the Lord GOD’”.

Ezek 12:28

Amen

Dr Joshua Raj

A Biblical Approach to Indian Traditions and Beliefs

2008-06-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

A Biblical Approach to Indian Traditions and Beliefs
by Dr Joshua Raj

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book addresses a very important area in the lives of most Indian Christians. The author's deep commitment to biblical teaching and a perspective that aims at approaching issues with 'agape' love are particularly helpful.

--Bishop Dr Robert Solomon, Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore

Product Description

This well-researched book fills a need for Indian Christians who are searching for guidance when confronted with beliefs, traditions, rituals and practices in the non-Christian Indian community. It reveals the truth about Christian living. This useful guide also discusses certain Indian spiritual and religious practices, and gives advice on the daily struggles of believers. Written from the agape (love) perspective, this resource is helpful for the new convert to Christianity, the generational Christian who may need to adjust his life, and leaders who seek some form of consistency in approaching the Indian diaspora.

Doctor, is something controlling me?

2008-06-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

Doctor, is something controlling me?

Why do we ignore the obvious? Demons exist.

Have we Christians lost the awareness of the devil and his schemes? Has the non-Christian world opened itself up to demonic activity like never before?1

Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; "

“Why did I do that? Doctor, is something controlling me?”

Many years ago, I was asked this question by an earnest young man, sitting quietly in his hospital clothes in the lounge area between two large wards. I had called him out to talk to him, since the wards were noisy that day, and he was not willing to open up to me unless we in a private place. It was the Psychiatric ward, and I was rotating through this posting as part of my clinicals.The young man was found to be having antisocial and psychopathic behavior at home and was brought into hospital by his terrified parents. He had been violent and threatened to kill them.

On 12th Sept 2006, a young man in Canada ended up killing people during a shooting rampage at a school in Montreal. This is how his behavior was described by eyewitnesses:Many witnesses described his acts as follows: "He was all in black. He had very big black eyes . . . he was so calm, like he was dancing a waltz." A video game rather than a movie because the images are crude and undimensional, compared to films. "He said nothing. He had a stone cold face. He didn't yell out any slogans . . . he just started opening fire." (1)

While it took me sometime in 1975 to realise that I had a demon possessed patient on my hands, it was obvious to me that this was the case with this young man.His face was blank and calm. He was obviously in a trance. Whatever demon had possessed him was intent only on doing damage. The young man then suddenly burst into a violent shooting spree. Demons can cause the possessed to be violent (Mathew 8:28).

Question:"Why did he do it?"
Newspapers in Canada have repeatedly asked the question, “Why did he do it?”. Some have speculated that it was the gothic subculture, that made him morose and brooding, or that he was depressed, or that he was influenced by the Columbine massacre.But his parents tell a different story. To them, he was a quiet, obedient boy, who had never had problems with the law. His mother insists her son was not the solitary, taciturn person the media have portrayed. "He had friends and everything," she said, but adds that he had changed lately."Since Christmas, he became more sad, more tranquil. He started to spend more time on his computer, playing video games." (2)Modern man does not accept that he is a created being. Humanism is the order of the day. Many profess belief in a god, but live as if god does not exist. The hypocrisy is overwhelming. I must say that I am not surprised. Jesus said that anything that is true (and He is the absolute Truth), will be rejected by the those whose minds are not tuned in to Him.

Answer: Do not give in to the danger of “Giving heed to seducing spirits”
It is obvious to me that he had opened his mind to the occult. He was part of a subculture called the Goth. The Goth subculture and vampire freaks forum are nothing short of a portal for unsuspecting kids to open their mind to the demonic.Society denies that Satan exists. By this denial, they remove the fear that man must have of all things demonic. Today, even church members get involved in soothsaying, or divination, and even fortune telling, because they are not fearful of the devil.Coming from a nation where spiritism is rampant, I can only warn my fellow believers that we can never let our guard down. If the Holy Spirit is prompting us in our heart that there may some demonic element in what we are doing, or in the place that we are visiting, then it serves us well to avoid the situation. Again, not all of us may have the same level of sensitivity. But when we are personally aware of it, we should refrain.Pastors and leaders should begin warning of the dangers that lurk when we allow a gate for the demons. Churches that encourage yoga, tai chi, shiatsu, new age exercises and remedies that talk of “inner power” or “external power” that is not from Jesus, are putting the flock in danger by opening them up to the demonic. Our friends and neighbors may not end up like this young man, but will more likely end up with relationship problems, behavior and temper tantrums, job failures and the like.

Question:Does life "suck"?
On his website, the young shooter records the question many youth (and adults) are asking today:"Work sucks ... school sucks ... life sucks ... what else can I say? (3)Well, may I say that until we recognize who the boss is, and that God is sovereign over all, we will find that everything is meaningless? God has a plan for all of us.If we are Christian, he wants us to live a life that is pleasing to Him, and He gives us all the power we need to resist the evil one. If we do not stay close to Jesus, and submit to Him, then the devil can irritate and confuse us, and can make our daily life more miserable than it should be.How do we avoid the snare of the devil?

Answer: Submit to God, Resist the devil
The book of James (4:7)says:"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. "

Submit to God: We are to accept what He tells us through His Word. There can be no debate or variance to what is clearly taught in scripture. We need to have contrite hearts to accept what the Lord tells us.
Resist the devil: We should know how he operates, and to know that when we are vulnerable, to use scripture promises to resist him. Our model is the Lord Jesus, who used scripture to resist the devil during his time in the wilderness.
He will flee: If we submit to God and resist the devil based on the promises of God, the devil will not bother us. We have to daily submit and resist. We are in a spiritual battle till the day we die.

Miles Stanford put it this way:The two aspects of the Christian life are: “... (a) death to sin (the old man, the law, the world, and Satan), and (b) Christ as Life, with the Christian life hidden with Christ in God. Romans. 5-7 comes before Romans 8. All ascended life is predicated upon death. The believer is to be taught to count himself dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:11). Then, if there is to be any dealing with Cross-defeated Satan and his demons-all of whom are under the Sovereign Father's control at all times--it is simply to stand, and resist, upon the basis of his total defeat at Calvary”

Pastors and leaders have to watch themselves and those whom they look after with extra effort. Be very careful to avoid anything that may open up our life to demonic attack. Living in the West, I find that demonic attacks mainly as a deceptive confusion of the mind, masquerading as an “enlightened” mind. It is so easy, in this era of tolerance, to end up acceding to the doctrines of demons and think it is scriptural. Just look at where the Catholics and other mainline denominations are today. Their leaders have been deceived by the devil.Let us constantly pray for guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit to keep us on the right track.

Amen

Rev. Dr. Joshua Raj MD., ThD

Doctor, I am confused about my origin

2007-09-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

Homo Confusio Profundus

The human family tree is now a tangled, messy bush, says Meredith Small, LifeSciences Human Nature columnist (http://www.livescience.com/history/070831_hn_family_tree.html)

It is amazing that in the face of increasing confusion and disagreement in the academic pursuit of evolutionary theory, that scientists do not consider the obvious – that there was some intelligent designer who gave form to this world. The nature of the First Cause can be debated, as we do not have any way of scientifically proving what happened when we were not around. However, it is really disingenuous to continue to accept a failed theory, when the facts just do not add up.

The latest picture of the evolutionary human ancestor, I suggest, should be Homo Confusio Profundus (Very Confused Human).

Genuine scholarship accepts that a premise can be changed if the evidence does not support the hypothesis. The evolution theory actually never got past the stage of a hypothesis. It received wings form those who favoured an atheistic view of the world and needed an alternative to a creator god (or gods).

I am impressed by Anthony Flew, the prominent atheist, who was willing to accept that evolutionary hypothesis was fatally flawed and that the recent arguments for intelligent design were more likely in the face of the evidence. However, despite philosophically accepting theism, Flew was not willing to speculate on the nature of the creative First Cause. This shows that he was willing to accept the scientific evidence, but not to accept unproven theories as to the nature of the creator.

It will always be the case that we cannot prove God’s existence or non-existence. The atheist has the same dilemma. If one is an atheist, one has to accept, by faith, that there is no God. But on the basis of scientific evidence, it is more likely there had to be a designer. Atheists and evolutionists may not like that conclusion, bu the way it is going, the hypothesis of evolution will one day confront its own internal inconsistencies.

For the Christian, that creator is the Triune God revelaed in the Bible. Man’s decision to go his own way ( a sinful disposition) and God’s plan to reconcile Man to Himself through Jesus Christ, has to be accepted by faith. This faith is gift of God, and He will give it to anyone who seeks Him with a genuine heart. I leave it to you to ask God for that revelation.

John3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.

Amen
+Joshua

Formula for Success Part 1

2007-08-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS (Part 1)

Scripture passage:

Philippians 3: 7-127But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before

When we consider a formula for success in life, we ask two questions:
1. What is success? What is the goal?
2. What is the formula? What are the steps to achieve that goal?

Example from secular world:
When we google the words “formula for success” we get 17,300,000 (17 million) hits!
The words "life seminars" draws 1.2 million hits.There are as many goals in life as there are individuals bold enough to stand up and proclaim something. And their charisma and persuasive power attracts many. They call it motivation. It could just as easily be called manipulation.

Motivational seminars run in hundreds of places every week. There are tips on investing, money management, life principles, spiritual success etc. All kinds of names are given, from "Power of Positive Thinking" to "Get Rich with Safe Investment Principles".

Why do we have so many? What are the goals? And what are the steps they advocate?Secular definition of success is either:
1. Get rich, powerful or famous, and be set for life
2. Get inner happiness and enjoy life to the fullest.

Do they work? We can see from the results! Seminars continue to be held but one speaker recently said that less than 5% actually follow what they are taught once they leave the seminar! Speakers themselves fall into bankruptcy or broken relationships.

Why do these seminars not work?
Firstly, the goal is man made....
Riches? Fame? Many rich have troubled lives e.g. Howard Hughes, Anna Nicole, and Britney Spears.
Power? Even Premiers of large Canadian provinces have problems with drink or corruption. Happiness? Anti depressant use is a billion dollar industry, surpassing the pain killer medication.

Any goal that is man made will flounder. Why? The source is man himself.Question for us today: Are we in danger of doing the same thing? Do we set goals in our own flesh and not God’s will?What is God's goal for our life?
The only options in life are to be in God's will. What is God's will? Our goal is to KNOW Jesus and to inherit eternal life.

When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, something happened to him. It was not a physical change (blindness temporary).
- It was a heart change (affecting the feeling)- It was a perspective change (affecting the intellect)
- It was a lordship change (affecting life choices)

Paul had a conversion experience – one that happens when a man accepts that he is a sinner. He realises that he cannot save himself and accepts Jesus Christ as Savior by faith. This conversion experience is the greatest miracle that can happen in one’s life.In Paul’s’ case, and in any Christian life, it resulted in the following: HE HAD A NEW GOAL
(Phil 3:12) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

What does God want us to take hold off? What does he want us to have? What does he want us to know? Verse 11 – that we may “attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

The blessed hope that we will one day be with Jesus is the goal that drove Paul and should drive us. There is a life after death. Many choose not to think about it. But not thinking about it does not mean that we will not have to face it.It amazes me that people will spend weeks planning a wedding or a vacation or for their education to the Caribbean, but not spend any time thinking about where they will go when they die. Not thinking about it does not mean it is a question that will go away. All of us will die one day and we will then find it is too late to do anything about the one most important decision we had to make in life.

Prominent atheists and deists have discovered that not having a hope after death is a frightening prospect:
Thomas Payne: "Stay with me, for God's sake; I cannot bear to be left alone ... O Lord, help me! O God, what have I done to suffer so much?What will become of me hereafter?"
Sir Thomas Scott: "Until this moment I thought there was neither a God nor a hell. Now I know and feel that there are both, and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgment of theAlmighty."
Voltaire: "I am abandoned by God and man; I will give you half of what I am worth if you will give me six months' life." (He said this to Dr. Fochin, who told him it could not be done.) "Then I shall die and go to hell!"
(Source: http://www.bibleweb.com/content/atheists.htm)

Do you want to wait till death to decide?
The Bible says
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
2 Cor 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

The Lordship and heart change that occurs in our lives when we ask Jesus into our life results in a dramatic change in what we perceive as success. In this world, we seek know Him more and to do His will, and in the world to come, we have the blessed hope of eternal life with Jesus.

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John 17:3

Part 2.................next blog

Amen
Dr Joshua Raj

Formula for Success Part 2

2007-08-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS Part 2

The second goal applies to our life on earth:

Phil 3: 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ TO “KNOW” JESUS (verse 8) - "for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord"

The early church fathers and reformers knew this. The goal of a Christian is know Jesus more. To develop the mind of Christ. To enjoy Him. To grow in Him. To live in Him.The early teaching catechisms of the church, for example, the Westminster Catechism states: What is the chief end of man?Man’s chief end is glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
This is the goal of the Christian life, and how do we help one another get there?This old catechism says that our chief goal in life is to glorify and enjoy God forever. This is true. Scripture says that we were created for God’s glory and to proclaim his praises

1 Corinthians 10:31 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Peter 2:9 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

The summary of our goals as a Christian:
Verse 8 : the goal to know God and glorify God
Verse 12: the goal to spend eternity with Jesus (see Part 1 Formula for Success))

These goals can only become a reality if certain things happen in our life. It is only then that we will experience the abundant life that Jesus promises us. This abundant life is not according to the world’s definition of riches or enjoyment, but of peace and inner joy, no matter what circumstances we are in or experiencing in life.

So what are the steps to achieve the goals that Jesus has for us? Let us look at Paul again
1. HE LOST SOMETHING (verse 7-8) Phil 3:7-8 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. He counted all as loss.

His perspective changed. This is more dramatic than we think.
Paul had
- political power (Sanhedrin)- academic respect (School of Gemaliel)
- religious authority (Rabbi and teacher)
- noble pedigree (citizen of Rome and Tarsus)
- family wealth (upper class family in Tarsus)

HE WAS SUCCESSFUL BY WORLD STANDARDS.He could have taught a life principles seminar and filled more stadiums.But when he encountered Jesus, his perspective changed. These earthly prizes were good but they brought glory to Paul, not to God.They were thus “rubbish” compared to what he gained in Christ – eternal life and to know Jesus in a personal way and enjoy Him.Note that he did not repudiate what he had. He only counted them as loss. So if they were taken away, it was fine. If it remained, that was fine too.In fact, he used his educational skills, his reputation as a rabbi and his Roman citizenship in various ways later in life.But he viewed everything through the light he had in Christ Jesus. He could only do this by counting everything else to be of less importance.

A nice praise chorus illustrates the truth:
Turn you eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.

Questions............
Is Paul's perspective change the same with you today?
How do you view your life possessions?
Does your relationship with Jesus take priority over the things that you have?
Have you reached that place where you want to enjoy knowing the Lord?
Has you perspective changed since the day you became a Christian?

If not, why not?
Amen

Dr Joshua Raj

Why The Sword and the Scalpel?

2006-09-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

Why are The Sword and the Scalpel so similar?

Answer: The sword of the Word of God is quick, sharp and powerful) and removes spiritual disease. The Scalpel is the surgeon’s knife is the scalpel that allows him to operate on the physical body and remove diseased tissue.

It seems a tad prideful to equate a tool of man (a physical scalpel) with the eternal Word of God (the spiritual sword). But in the life that we now live, it seems that God uses the things around us, the language that we use, the situations that arise, and all other manner of things, to teach us eternal perspectives and life principles.

But I will unabashedly state that I am a Christian first and a surgeon second. Christ is all the world to me. In the course of my “long” career, I have seen all manner of ways in which Christ has revealed Himself to me in the medical world. Almost every day brought new insights and discovery.To my shame, I often missed the messages that God had for me, because of my busyness and inability (or refusal) to spend time thinking about what was happening.

The practice of meditation and relating what was happening to the Word of God (a kind of forthtelling prophetic thinking) was not in my early training. In fact, I had to learn it on my own, nearly twenty years later. But through the years, I have kept records and journals of my thoughts, and my purpose in putting them down in print is twofold:

to share how God can teach us principles through study of the human body, and secondly,
to show how God reveals Himself clearly in his ultimate creation, man.

Only man was created in His (God's) image. Have you ever pondered that? What does it mean to be made in the image of God?

Well, the surgeon’s knife (a scalpel) does the following:

It incises the skin, to reveal what is underneath. Often, the skin looked healthy, but just under, we can have infected or diseased tissue. Cancers can be removed, though as in spiritula things, cancers often are incompletely excised and recur often.

The sharpness of the knife allows incision of tougher tissue like tendons and cartilage. A blunt knife is the bane of a surgeon. The operation is often difficult and mistakes can occur.The knife can separate different layers of tissue. I use the scalpel to regular tease off the scar like tissue of tendon from the red muscle tissue. I also use the knife to separate the periosteum (tissue covering the bone) from the bone itself.

Have you wondered about the Word of God? Why is it like a knife?

Hebrews 4:12
says“For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart”.

Join me in my blogs, as I ponder the similarities between the surgeon’s knife and the spiritual knife that the Holy Spirit uses.

The former is necessary to begin surgery on the body, to cure physical ailments. The latter is necessary to begin surgery on the “heart”, to cure spirtual disease.

The former removes diseased body tissue. The latter removes the dross that sin has put on our heart.

The former removes malignant tissue that can kill the organism. The latter removes the sin that condemns the souls to eternal separation.

Amen.

+Dr. Joshua Raj

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Doctor, Is My Medicine Effective?

2006-06-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Or else, "Doctor, Is My Medicine Counterfeit?"

When we fall sick, a medicine is given to cure us of that illness. This pill contains a substance that essentially neutralizes the organism or substance that is causing sickness. For example, penicillin neutralizes the bacteria that cause pus formation. An insulin preparation neutralizes the effects of high sugar in the bloodstream. Doubtless I have oversimplified what medicines do, but a treatise on pharmacology is not the point.

The point? It is essential that the correct medicine be given for the correct illness. The wrong medicine can either have no effect, or worse, have an adverse effect. Patients would rightly be outraged if a doctor gave them the wrong medicine.

Question:
Why then are we being given the wrong medicine for our spiritual condition?

Just as a serious illness leads to physical death, spiritual death is certain if we are not born again spiritually. The Bible says very clearly that man has a fatal spiritual condition – he is born with a sin nature. He is born with the bent to sin. Notice how babies can manipulate their mothers form very early in life. Notice how kids learn the bad ways quickly but find the good behaviors that much harder to do.

This inborn tendency to be selfish and to covet what others have lies at the root of what plagues society today. But God wants us to be reconciled to Him. He wants to give us a new nature – His own Spirit, to live in us and through us. But this cannot happen by our own efforts. He has given the medicine in the form of His Son, Jesus. By His shed blood on the cross, Jesus has given us the opportunity to believe and be forgiven, to renounce sin and accept His pardon. This process results in a new birth. We are born again into the kingdom of God, and receive the Holy Spirit. We have the "Spirit of Christ” in us.

But while we can become a Christian in an instant, it takes a life time of learning to develop Christ likeness. Our goal after becoming a Christian is to have the “mind of Christ”.

This growing into the love and knowledge of God and deeper into Christ like attitudes and godly disposition requires dedication and discernment. It requires feeding on the right food and taking the right maintenance medication.

Here again, the parallels with physical well being are revealed. Once a body is healthy, after being cured of a disease by life-saving medicine, the patient must look after his nutrition to keep healthy. He should eat the proper foods and avoid unhealthy diet. He may also need to take supplements or maintenance medications.

Similarly, once we are saved from the penalty of spiritual death by taking the salvation “medicine” (believing in the good news of Jesus), we need to maintain our spiritual self. We cannot remain as spiritual baby. We need good, genuine nourishment.

1 Peter 2: 2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby

We need to feed daily on the Word of God and obey what it says. We need also to take regular “medicine” and this may involve painful corrective steps which God might require of us. For example, we may need to stop an addictive behavior that robs our time with God. Growing in Christ is a life long process that requires authentic and true spiritual food.

In this context, I want to warn myself and all fellow believers that it is easy to be deceived. In a third world country some years ago, a number of children died because they were treated for diarrhea with a counterfeit medication. Instead of making the pills with the antibiotic, the unscrupulous manufacturer used mil instead. The doctors could not understand why the children were not improving and many were dying. By the time the truth was found out, it was too late. Many young babes had already died.

The Christian world has many counterfeits that the devil has used to try and kill off spiritual babies even before they can grow in Christ. The devil has already counterfeited the gospel message by giving man a plethora of religions to believe in. Just like a sick patient, the spiritually sick man now finds an array of choices and is fooled into taking the wrong medicine. It breaks my heart to see that many people are unable to understand the simple gospel message of salvation.

Secondly, even those who believe in Christ are targeted by the devil with deceit. Numerous deviations and half truths are given to confuse believers. Many so-called ministers of religion are masquerading as Christian leaders and giving wrong maintenance or nutrition to churches. An extreme example comes for the Catholic Church, which has added praying to Mary to the simple gospel of Jesus. By this simple expedient, they have nullified the salvation message. It is like a doctor giving a life saving medication to a patient, but the effect is negated by another medicine the patient is ingesting given to him by a “friend”. By the time the truth is found out, it may be too late!

Then again, you have leaders who, among other things, deny the Bible, the deity of Christ or the salvific exclusivity of Jesus' Name. Anyone who tries to grow in such an environment will die, because they are receiving counterfeit medicine. For example, many so called Christian leaders now believe all religions are one. A catholic cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington when praying in the presence of King Abdullah of Jordan offered a concluding prayer "in the name of Allah, the merciful and compassionate.” (1). I remember the Episcopal servie after 9/11 attended by President Bush, where a priest offered a prayer to "the God of Abraham, Jesus and Muhammad"! What blasphemy!

Anyone who has been saved and then goes to these churches will quickly loose his faith. He will be led down the garden path to destruction. Why do Christians everywhere not condemn and remove such leaders? They would certainly do so if it were an errant doctor!

Then you have other pastors who have signed a document that affirms Darwin’s theory of evolution. Almost 10,000 pastors have signed The Clergy Letter Project, which says that "We urge school board members to preserve the integrity of the science curriculum by affirming the teaching of the theory of evolution as a core component of human knowledge. We ask that science remain science and that religion remain religion, two very different, but complementary, forms of truth.” (2) . About 450 churches had services to honour Darwin, who only conceived the theory because he did not want to believe in God!

This deceptions are like giving milk tablets to the children with diarrhea. They will die. Churches which affirm such blatantly antithetical theories to Christianity are likely to perish with their flocks. We have to pray for the souls who go to these churches. They are being hurt and are innocent victims of the agents of the devil, who is the manufacturer of these spiritual “milk tablets”. In fact the tablets are more like cyanide, for they will trip up even the elect Christian.

I have given two blatant examples of counterfeit spiritual teaching. Many others are less noticeable and more subtle. They are like diluted pills, or less potent pills, that may spiritually weaken but not kill immediately.

Ever wondered why your life is spiritually dull or bare?

Check to see if you are in a Bible believing church, where the truth of the Bible is faithfully preached through the grid of apostolic faith. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. God's truths never change, especially today. Do not believe those who say we can change traditional understandings and plain reading of scripture in light of new cultural sensitivities (e.g. homosexuality, abortions, pluralism, interfaith services, new age practices and exercises, etc).

Ever wonder why your previosly vibrant spiritual health is declining?

Check to see if you are receiving the correct medicine, as found in the Bible, and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Leave any church and any leader who deviates, no matter how painful it may be. Your spiritual health, and mine, is all that matters.

Pray this prayer daily: (Psalm 83:11)

Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

I have spent a lifetime nursing physically ill patients back to health. I know what good comes of proper medication and the harm that is caused by diluted or counterfeit medicines. I have seen the same parallels in the spiritual realm.

Amen

+Dr Joshua Raj MD, ThD

References:
(1) By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff WriterWednesday, September 14, 2005; Page A14
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/13/AR2005091301810.html

(2) By Lisa AndersonChicago Tribune national correspondentPublished February 11, 2006
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602110101feb11,1,287350.story?page=1

Doctor, Is There Hope?

2006-06-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Life is Eternal

A patient of mine once asked me this question before he underwent life saving surgery. He was asking whether he would survive the operation. I gave him some hope by telling him that I would do my best, and the rest was up to God.

But as I scrubbed up for surgery, I thought that he really would have had peace in his heart if his hope had been exclusively on God, for I was just another human being, blessed in this world to be a surgeon..

"Is there hope?" This question affetcs our very soul, and our destiny. Read what the following passage from the Bible says:

Psalm 90
1Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
5Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
8Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

If we are to spend eternity with God, we have to acknowledge Him to be our dwelling place forever (Ps 90:1). God created us and He is the everlasting God (v.2). This truth is a great comfort to those of us who wonder why we are here on earth. Can we take anything with us from earth when we die? The answer is no.

Yet we struggle so hard to earn money, to seek fame, or to create a “legacy”. But is any of these what we can take way? Do we really think we are indispensable? We will all die one day. That is a certainty that no one can deny (v.3). All men will return to destruction, with their physical body of this time and space returning to dust.

So many people live today thinking they are indispensable. “How will things be if I am not around?” they ask. Yet, as De Gaulle said, “The graveyards are filled with indispensable men”.

To God, the time that we are on earth is but a fleeting moment (v4). A thousand years are but a moment to Him. Too us it seems such a long time - these 70 years on earth (v.10). Yet, all our possessions and deeds will remain here on earth.

What will stay with us in eternity is whether we have set our hearts right before God (v.8), seeking to please Him in our lives. Doing good is a great thing, and is a virtue that cannot be undermined. But in and of itself, good works will not save us forom the penalty of sin. Knowing that we can never do enough good works to reach a Holy God, Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins. He took the burden of our sin on His shoulders. If we do not accept this free gift, we will spend all our days under judgment (v.9). But if we trust in Jesus, and accept His free gift of forgiveness of sins, we will spend eternity with Him.

As I continue to contemplate on the topic of death, it amazes me how little people (doctors, patients and public at large) around me think of the life after death. The Psalmist rightly says that we are like the grass that flourishes in the morning but withers and dies in the evening (v.5-6).

What is the purpose of life? Is it not a preparation for the life to come? The eternal life, with an eternal body? Think deep and hard, for whatever we decide to do, we must decide. To decide not to decide is a decision that will also have consequences.

I enjoy life in this world to the fullest. I have lots of time to spend with family, friends and God. But I know that this is also not the end, but the beginning. I enjoy the hope and know that it is so much better to be cognizant of the fact that life here on earth is the first phase of our life, the next phase being eternal life with Jesus.

Amen

+Dr Joshua Raj

Doctor, Where Am I Going?

2006-06-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Life after death

It is interesting that many people believe in some form of life after death, even when they subscribe to the notion that their “soul” will end up in the eternal “One” soul, and they will lose their identity in the larger entity. Even if they do come back in the hereafter, what is believed in Hinduism, Buddhism and many new age spiritualities which are based on the Hindu worldview, these persons do not know how they spent their [previous life. At best they may get “glimpses” of a past life.

But are these “glimpses” indicative or supportive of the theory of reincarnation? Many of those who have near death experiences insist that this reveals “heaven” to them. But this “heaven” is a personal one, and by this I mean that they remain their individual self, remembering who they are and even seeing themselves in a recognizable form. This surely would give cause to wonder if the “disappearance” of one’s individual soul into a massive eternal but homogenous “soul” may not be accurate. The more likely cause of these experiences is due to the release of glutamates in the oxygen starved brain, which then stimulates the brain cells to fire in areas which give a perception of the out of body experience. The right angular gyrus of the brain, when stimulated in experimental conditions can also simulate an out of body experience. What really convinced me was the incidence of such perceptions in patients who had neurolept anesthesia in the 1970’s, when we used a lot of ketamine anesthesia. The side effect of ketamine is eerily similar to out of body experiences of near death spiritual experience.

As a physician, I have dealt with death more than I care to remember. But that is my job and I have come to the conclusion that there is some form of individuality in the life to come. No patient who had these experiences has told me that they felt they had disappeared into nothing. It is likely that we will remain who we are in the after life, with our own mind, memories and body.

I find the best explanation of heaven given in the religions that talk of a Creator who made man, and this same creator God preparing a place in heaven for us. In this scenario, heaven is the place where God is. Its nature and appearance can only be postulated but not confirmed. Of these monotheistic religions, I found the revelation of God through the Bible to be the most logical way of understanding who we are and how we can go to heaven. And what will heaven be like?

Heaven will be a place of joy
Jude 1:24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.

Heaven will be a place of praise
Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
"Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"

I previously made the case that none of us can ever claim to be good enough to be with God in eternity. This can only happen if God wills it. And He did. He sent Jesus to earth, to reach out to us. By His death and resurrection, we have the way to heaven. We only need to believe.

Acts 16:31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house"

To those of you who have not taken a step of faith, let me encourage you to do so. Our purpose in life is to know God and to enjoy His presence with us. Anything else will not satisfy.

To really know God as a personal God, and Jesus Christ as personal saviour here are steps you can take. It is between you and God. No on eelse can make the decision for you.

Accept that you are a sinner
(For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23).

Jesus died on the cross to redeem you from sin and reconcile you to God
(Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace)

Accept this gift of redemption as the gift that it truly is
(John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name)

Ask the Holy Spirit to live in you and empower you to live a life of joy, whether in good or difficult times
(2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.)

Amen
+Dr. Joshua Raj

Doctor, am I dying?

2006-05-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

Thoughts on Death

How true it is that life is in God’s hands. Is it not the height of arrogance that man insists on living his life as if he is in charge? Think of the parable of the rich fool! But what about the general population? Why are they unable to comprehend that we doctors have no clue why cells have programmed death (a process called apoptosis). No matter what we do, apoptosis will happen, despite our best efforts to understand it.

Apoptosis is a phenomenon by which a “switch” seems to be turned on in a cell (the basic building block of all our organs like the liver, muscle, heart etc. are individual cells). The cell then progresses down the path of self destruction, and at the appointed time, it dies. This goes on all the time in the human body. Different sells have different life spans. For example, the red blood cell in our blood vessels last only 28 days. This explains why it is a good idea to give blood. On the other hand, bone cells take a few years before they die and are replaced by others. It has been estimated that very seven years, a human being would have replaced all his cells at least once. Think about it! Every seven years, you are physically a new person!

Yet, as a human being , there is the macro part of this process, where the whole body slowly declines with age. Why our eyes need reading glasses at age 40-45? How does the body know that? Why is our aging so relentless despite all our effort? What programs our genes to whiten our hair at a certain time? Why does the reproductive system switch off when it does? Why does our sleep pattern change? As we get older we sleep less, and our Stage 3 and 4 sleep slowly reduces in length and disappears.

Theories abound, but this time clock toward physical oblivion does not change.
Recently, an Oxford professor theorized that man could live a thousand years, if he gets rid of the toxins in his body and lives cleanly. That’s all easy to say, especially if you have the weight of a professorial title behind you. But it does not make it true. The truth I is that life spans average about 70 years for over the last hundreds of years, even before all our processed foods and toxins came along.

As a Christian, I have no problem believing that this time clock came about when sin came into the world, and after the first wave of men who were hundreds of years old, we now live three score and ten.

Psalm 90: 9-10

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

The inevitability of death can make a man think in two ways – either he ignores it and pretends it will not happen, or he thinks about it and wonders what he is living for now and what will happen after he dies.

To the former group, we can do nothing unless they decide to ask these questions. I have been a doctor long enough to know that patients who a in denial cannot be “awakened” by our outside efforts. Something has to change within them, and then they will be open to seeking the truth. If a patient who has osteoporosis does not want to think about what she has, or seek medical opinion, no amount of publicity highlighting the dangers of the “silent killer” osteoporosis will make them take any attention. Other patients obsess that they have the disease when they do not, and this too is an unhealthy attitude.

To the latter group, who wants to know their purpose on the earth and what lies thereafter, the Bible offers a most cogent response. If we are created by God and made in His image, then it follows that our purpose on earth is to know God, reconnect to Him through Jesus Christ, and live a life pleasing to Him. We live in obedience to His Word, because we love Him and want to do anything for Him. The motive is not to curry favor or gain merit, for if that was the case, none of us, even Florence Nightingale or Mother Teresa, can reach heaven. We all have the baggage of our secret deeds and thoughts (called sin) that separate us from God. Only by accepting that Jesus has paid the price for our sin can we reconnect with God.

As I write this, my wife's uncle has unexpectedly died at the age of 72. He was instrumental in arranging and organizing our wedding 23 years ago. He died on our wedding anniversary 23 years after he did all the work for us. So, on our anniversary, we ponder about his life and how much he had given his life to the Lord. The state of one’s heart is an issue between that person and God. But we are gratified by the knowledge that he confessed the Lord Jesus as his Saviour.

There is no sense to life if we only live now and then “disappear”. If that is the case then life on earth had no purpose whatsoever.

There is no sense to life if we live a life of merit, virtue and good works so that when we die, our “soul” ends in the one “universal” consciousness and we loose all knowledge of who we were and what we did. If we suppose that we can be reincarnated as a better creature because of our merit, it does not help us either, because the new “entity” will reap the benefit of our hard work. In fact, in this reality, we might as well not be of good character, and pursue all the pleasures of life – because the new reincarnated “entity” (likely an animal or insect) that follows us will have to suffer the consequences, not us.

There is no sense to life if we try to live with merit and good works so that we can escape from the cycle of reincarnation and reach some sort of ambiguous “heavenly freedom” or “nirvana”. That is because we can neither feel nor experience the benefits of our labour in the previous life. This concept of nirvana just means to be free into “nothingness”.

There is no sense to life if we believe that there is a creator god who wants us to work hard doing good works and meritorious deeds, but leaves in the limbo of wondering if we have done enough to appease him and allow us into heaven. For as we already know, but many may not admit, none of us is perfect. If we run a videotape of our life on a large screen TV, none if us could hold our heads up proudly, for we have all done wrong things in the privacy of our own domains, and in our minds. There is no sense if we strive to be good, but are never good enough.

It makes sense only if we accept that biblical revelation form God that states that we are created by a Creator God, and that He has a plan that will enable us to be sure we have a place in eternity with God. We can retain our unique personality, with a new body, after death. We will remember who we are and what we did in our life on earth, and our investment in developing good character will follow us to an eternity where we remain who we are, retain our personhood, and able to interact with others (like our family and friends). And in this joyous mix of reunion with family and friends, we have the joy of spending time with our Lord and God.

To this end, we need to strive to know who God is, that is the One who created us in the first place, and from whom we are separated because of our sinfulness (basically our pride in wanting to live our own way). We then need to reconnect with Him. How do we do that?

Well, God reached down to us through His Son, Jesus. By Jesus’ death on the cross, He took our sin onto Him. We do not achieve eternal life by good works, but it is gift of God. All we have to do is accept the gift. I do not know about you, but when I looked at consider all the alternatives, this makes the most sense.

Amen. To God be the Glory

+Dr. Joshua Raj

South India Mission

2006-04-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

2005 South India Mission

by The Raj Family

We traveled to India to visit with relatives and to do some work in the mission field this July 2005. The area we visited was affected by the tsunami in Dec 2004.
The journey to India was uneventful. On the way back, Dana celebrated her 15th birthday in the air, over Muscat. Because we crossed many time zones, her birthday lasted 36 hours!

Medical Clinics (Camps)

We found a great desire for medical and spiritual care when we were in Kanyakumari district of South India. In conjunction with Care Medical Trust, Franklin Hospital, the Nagercoil Christian Fellowship, Happy Homes and various orphanages, we were able to minister wherever the Lord led us.

The tsunami area was visited and medical camps held in Mandaikadu. This was a village hit by the waves, but people have already rebuilt their homes and getting on with their lives. Due to poverty and ignorance, many still lack good preventative health care.

Tsunami hit village of Mandaikadu
Dr Raj with patients in Mandiakadu

e.g. Over 300 people came for treatment one camp, but due to lack of electricity and darkness, I was only able to see about 150 people. The rest were given medications based on symptoms by the two local nurses on the team.

Children's Homes

Dr Elizabeth Raj, Diane and the Home kids .........Sister Jean, missionary, runs the Home

We visited a number of children’s homes. One of them, Happy Homes, was established 27 years ago by a Canadian missionary, Sister Jean Christensen, hailing from Vancouver, BC. The team distributed toothbrushes and toothpaste donated by a Toronto dentist.

Preaching and Ministry

Dr. Elizabeth Raj and Rev. Dr. Joshua Raj were invited to speak at the following places................

Dr. Elizabeth Raj at the Student Christian Movement’s prayer service and a Sunday village Tamil church service.

Dr. Joshua Raj at the Church of South India (CSI) Home Church Sunday English service, and at the Scott Christian College.

Daniel Raj provided music ministry at the Nagercoil Christian Fellowship’s Sunday service.

Elizabeth, Diane and Dana Raj provided music ministry at the Scott Christian College.

Summary

In all, we operated on six orthopaedic patients. One boy (picture) with a foot deformity came from an arid village 2 hours journey from where we were. The parents were extemely grateful and have had the gospel shared with them.

Claw Foot Deformity (left) Correected Clubfoot deformity (right)

Other cases included hip replacement, spine correction, broken wrist, spinal nerve compression, shoulder infiltrations.

We can only thank God that He uses us to help these poor people, and more importantly, that they hear the gospel message, that will save their souls.

Amen

Medical Missions to Gabon

2006-04-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

Medical Mission to Bongolo Hospital, Gabon, Africa.
(October to November 2005)

by Rev. Dr. Joshua Raj

Flying into Libreville, Gabon on a pitch dark October night , I was filled with mixed emotions. It was the first time I was traveling to mid Africa, into a tropical land which needed so many immunizations that my arm was still hurting.
What struck me in the last ten minutes as we approached Libreville was that everything was pitch dark. I was at the window seat, and have landed countless times in Asia, Europe and North America. But this was the first time the land was dark, with no lights, roads or other infrastructure visible... There were no lights for miles on end. Even as we came in to touch down, all I saw were a few houses lighted up. Welcome to “dark” Africa. I said to myself.

I was whisked through immigration and customs by Henri. Turns out he is an evangelical Christian, and truly loves the Lord. He was so happy that Christians from the US and Canada were coming out to do medical missions in Gabon. My heart went out to him as he told me how they share the gospel fearlessly to anyone whom they meet. Much of what they say openly would be “politically incorrect” for us in North America.

But we should learn from brothers like Henri, and share we must, for if we do not open our mouth to share the gospel (and we do not have to be rude or undiplomatic), then the gospel will not be preached to all nations. Henri belongs to a new indigenous church that has sprung up in Gabon. They are tired of the endless debates in the older “western” churches, and are more interested in witnessing to the unsaved.

The number of orthopaedic patients was overwhelming in Bongolo, which is a rural village about 550 miles form Libreville. The last 300 kilometers of the drive was on dirt roads! Fortunately I arrived in one piece, in a vehicle ably driven by Pastor Serge, the administrator of the hospital. My skills in French consisted of four words, but I had able translators in the four African residents who were being trained to go back as missionary surgeons to their home countries. There were patients still waiting for surgery when I left.

Pediatric orthopedics is my special interest, though I also do joint replacements and spine surgery. Turns out, the greatest need in Bongolo was pediatric orthopedics. I saw a number of clubfeet, hip dislocations, fractures, various other ailments and tuberculosis of the spine.

It will be difficult to detail all that was done, but I will give two representative cases to give a flavor of what happened to me in that remote part of the world. Although I did about 27 operations, and saw countless patients, and oversaw soem residents at work, these two cases will give a snapshot of the type of ministry the Bongolo Hospital does, and what we do under the banner of the Pan African College of Christian Surgeons (PACCS), which is a ministry of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) in the United States. It blends the sharing of the gospel with provision of medical care, all under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Case 1: The first gratifying case was Filbert Manousi.

He is 80 years old and came in from the capital city 550 km away. He was nearly dead when he arrived, with his son and daughter. He sustained an injury to his leg a month previously, and the wound became septic. Due to ignorance, they visited a witch doctor, who put on some jungle herbs. The whole right leg, from the knee don was gangrenous and foul smelling. It was so smelly that the whole casualty had to be evacuated.

He was too sick for surgery, so he was put on a drip, given antibiotics and his children were advised that he would likely die in the next few hours. They agreed that we pray for him. God had other plans, however, and Filbert held on to life tenuously for the next 24 hours.

I felt impelled to do something to save his life. I realised that the Holy Spirit was nudging me, not allowing me peace in my heart. I had to do something. We decided to do an amputation under a local anesthetic; which is almost like civil war surgery. I managed, by God's grace to do it in quick time (10 minutes), with minimal blood loss. The residents who assisted me, Dr Rosaline (from Madagascar) and Dr Jean (from Congo), were also working and praying hard.

God be praised, Filbert was much better the next morning, except for some residual urinary problems. The wound, which I closed with sutures against normal medical practice, but which was his only chance, was healing well! He was talking to his relatives on the day I left Gabon.

He is still alive today, eating and talking to family. The children acknowledge it was Jesus who saved his life and have been listening to the gospel from resident pastors. We are so encouraged by how God can do things that we feel are hopeless. The local evangelists and pastors continue to minister to them, even though I have left Gabon.

Filbert (left) with his grateful daughter and wife, three days after amputation and recovery form near death..

Case 2: Maroundi Charisse.

This cute 3 year old was walking around the wards when I arrived, bent over and with a “hump” in the spine. The upper spine was bent forward due to tuberculosis. X-rays revealed that one of the vertebrae was destroyed and the bending would continue to get worse, resulting finally in paralysis.
The best option would be to remove the tuberculosis pus and put a bone strut in her spine to prevent further bending and paralysis. I had only done these in Malaysia, where the hospital facilities were excellent (intensive care and nursing). To do this surgery in Gabon would be an immense risk.

Charisse (right) in the OR before surgery

I delayed making the decision to operate, even as we all prayed about what to do. The child was such a treasure, always friendly and happy. My main concern was that I would have to operate by opening up the left chest wall to reach the spine. I wondered what would happen if something happened to her lungs or heart during or after the surgery. The day before the surgery, we had a final meeting with the mother. As I asked Dr Rosaline to explain the great risks involved, the mother cut us off and said something that shows how much faith in Jesus can exist in these far away lands.

The mother said that she fully trusted Jesus to handle the child’s surgery. She had had a dream in which Jesus had told her toplace the cjild in the doctor's hands. She wanted me to proceed. If the child survived, she would praise Jesus. If the child died, she would praise Jesus. The mother just “knew” that Jesus was there with us. I felt so humbled. I also realized that to the truly faithful, doctors are an instrument of God. The doctor himself is by no means god.

The surgery was done in a situation that had so many negatives that it would never have been successful if God had not been in it. I opened the chest more easily than I thought. The abscess was removed with minimal bleeding. The bone strut was inserted into the spine, just in front of the spinal cord. And I managed to close the chest wall without putting in a chest tube! Praise the lord.

Dr Joshua Raj (right) with Charisse after surgery. Dr Yali (left) is the assisting resident.

The child woke up without pain, and I was able to converse with her. When I left Bongolo, she was sitting up. Today, she is recovering well. The mother and child have been great witnesses to the Lord Jesus to other patients who do not know him. There are a lot of animists and Muslims people who saw what God can do. The operation could never have succeeded unless there was divine covering.

It is cases like these that have made Bongolo Evangelical Hospital a magnet to bring in patients from all over Gabon. And the local people and pastors are very effective in sharing the gospel to all who come, and especially to the families that accompany the patients. For example, Filbert was told in Libreville that nothing could be done for him, and his children decided to drive for twelve hours (enduring the foul smell of their father's gangrenous leg) to bring him to us. They had heard that in Bongolo, the Christian doctors would do something. By God’s grace, they accepted prayer and he survived, and the families were so grateful and they heard the gospel.

To other patients who meet Charisse and her mother, they have seen God in action, and they know what Jesus can do. What greater witness is there? Charisse's mother shares the gospel to the other patients fearlessly!. There are so many other similar testimonies.

To me, that is the greatest satisfaction. To be able to practice my secular vocation in medicine and my spiritual vocation as priest in Christ’s kingdom.

Amen

A Testimony

2006-04-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and fellow travellers in the journey of life..........

I have been fascinated by the recent explosion in the blogosphere.

Which self respecting orthopaedic surgeon would not want his thoughts and views added to the myriad of blogs out there?You guessed it - ............me!

For over 25 years, I have practiced orthopaedic surgery. I have operated and treated patients in three continents. I have travelled to the most properous nations on earth (e.g. the USA), and worked in one of the poorest (Gabon) and others in between.

In between, I have seen the phenomenal growth of the South East Asian region, where I was born and grew up.

In 1973, I encountered the living God, when I was a medical student. I saw God in his creation. It was when I was given the charge of dissecting a human hand for anatomy class. The hand structure was so complex, that I realised that there had to be a Creator.The millieu of religions that surrounded me in 1973 all gave different explanantions for our origins.

But I realised that the only tenable answer was that there was one Creator. The Bible had the answer to my question of who created me:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27

Since 1973, I have been a Christian, and I do not find anything in the 33 years since that has changed my mind. Jesus has been real to me, and the Bible has been the source of real life faith.
I have ben involved in church ministries for many years now.

In this blog, I wish to share aspects of my faith journey, which is a blend of orthopaedic medical experience and theology. I am a surgeon and a minister. This brings some unique challenges in thought and pratcice. I hope it will be a blessing to you and a growing experience for me, as I put these musings onto paper (er, computer!).

Amen

+Dr. Joshua Raj MD, FRCS (Edinburgh), Th.D.

A follower of Christ and by His grace, a minister of religion first; a father and husband second and an orthopaedic surgeon and a physician third.

Pray More! Appropriating God’s Power

2006-04-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

Pray More! Appropriating God’s Power

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint, Luke 18:1

The human body is a most complex and supreme creation. God’s hand is manifest in the intricate interplay between the various body cells, organs and biochemical reactions that have to go on to maintain a healthy life.

Every body part has a distinct and unique function. In order for our body to be healthy, all our organs have to do their job correctly and at the right time. So it is not surprising that the apostle Paul used the human body as an analogy for the body of believers who call on the name of Christ. As Christ followers, we are members of one body – each of us distinct and unique, yet having to function in harmony for the church to be effective (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).

The human body needs oxygen for power and to thrive. If the various cells do not receive oxygen, they will be unable to function. If a significant number of cells do not work, then the body function becomes impaired. A body starved of oxygen would end up in a coma.

The spiritual equivalent of oxygen is the Holy Spirit. The church body needs the power of the Holy Spirit to invigorate and empower its members. And just as oxygen is sent to cells in the human body through the blood, the power of God to work through the church is mediated through prayer. Prayer is the lifeblood of the church. A church starved of the Spirit’s power will be ineffective – and always in a spiritual coma.

Prayer is an integral part of the any church’s mission. Every ministry and cell group is encouraged to incorporate prayer as a significant part of their ministry. It is a mystery why God wants us to pray continuously (1 Thess 5:17), when He is sovereign, and can do as He pleases. But He wants us to ask Him, to pray continuously, and we can only obey in faithfulness to what He tells us to do. Everything can be brought to His throne of grace (Phil 4:6).

It is obvious that the declension of spiritual power in churches today is due in part to a decline in corporate prayer. While many faithful prayer warriors privately have been interceding for the church, church gatherings for prayer seem to be in few in number and often poorly attended.

If we are to be effective for God in our general goals in missions and evangelism and personal goals of holiness and character development, then the key to it all is to Pray More – to enable the power of the Spirit to move all the obstacles. We are to pray more as individuals, and especially in groups, offering prayer constantly (e.g. Acts 12:1-19). For where two or more are gathered in His name, Jesus is there.

Set aside good amounts of time to pray more in your family and cell groups and other meetings, as a praying church. Let the best time be allocated to prayer, and not the last few hurried minutes. Prayer is important work, and our best work is done when we are fresh.

Amen.

Sword and Scalpel

2006-04-04T19:54:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Sword.................the Word of God

The Scalpel..............the Surgeon's Knife

The Word of God used by the minister of God divides asunder the soul and spirit, and dicerns the thoughts and intents of the heart

The scalpel of the orthopaedic surgeon divides asunder the joints and marrow

Both achieve healing, physically, and spiritually.

The blog of a bible believing orthopaedic surgeon and minister of God.

Dr. Joshua Raj MD, FRCS (Edinburgh), MCS, Th.D.