Quote from Forum Archives on September 26, 2005, 9:20 am

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E-pistle

Dr. Curt Scarborough, President
Freeway Foundation September 23, 2005

The Second Touch

(Mark 8:22-26)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I. Concentration: on the setting and content of this
event (healing the blind man)

1. Bethsaida was the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip,

(John 1:44)

2. The town was near where Jesus fed the 5,000 men,

(Luke 8:10-17)

3. Jesus pronounced woe upon this unrepentant town,

(Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13)

4. In Mark 8:22-26, Jesus led the blind man outside the town of
Bethsaida;

then after healing him, Jesus told him not to go back into the town nor

tell anyone in the town; (Perhaps because of #3 above).

II. Meditation: on the two-stage healing of the blind man
of Bethsaida

The "second touch" may have been necessary because . . .

1. The citizens of Bethsaida were unbelieving and non-repentant,

(Mark 6:5-6)

2. This was an "acted-out" 2-part parable for the disciples' benefit

(Mark 8:18-21) because they were double-dense!

3. The blind man's faith began to waver half-way through the miracle,

as Peter's did in Matthew 14:28-31.

4. Ultimately, it was according to the sovereign will of the Father,

(John 8:28-29).

III. Revelation: on God's purpose for this "second touch"
event

1. It was NOT because Jesus had experienced a temporary power failure.

2. It was NOT an accident, mistake, or "do-over" on Jesus' part.

3. It was NOT an illustration of "Second Blessing" theology (first
touch by

Jesus brings salvation; second touch by God brings the Holy Spirit;

see Romans 8:9).

4. God's purpose certainly included a spiritual lesson, perhaps this
one:

that God sometimes accomplishes His purpose in us gradually and in

stages, rather than instantly and completely; but that God will continue

to deal with us and work on us until we receive spiritual perception and

20:20 vision.

IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .

1. Repent of my sins, realizing that unrepentance brings "woe" and

unfruitfulness.

2. Exercise what small faith I do have (Romans 12:3), asking the Lord

to increase my mustard seed faith (Luke 17:5)

3. Wait patiently as the Lord deals with me and with the circumstances
of

my life, knowing that in His perfect timing, He will work out everything

for my good and to His glory (Romans 8:28-29).

4. Allow the Lord's "second touch" anointing of the Holy Spirit's
filling and

power upon my life . . . and the third . . . and the fourth . . . (Ephesians
5:18)

"Report Card Day!"

Dr. Curt Scarborough

REPORT CARD DAY! It's a day anticipated with delight by some
students . . .

with dread by others. Commenting on those top-of-the-class, grade "A"
students,

Solomon wrote: "A good report makes the bones fat." (Proverbs 15:30) He

meant that those people were healthy and happy.

I suppose the mediocre group of students whose grades are
sub-par, could

be characterized by Ezekiel's "DRY BONES" (chapter 37) . . . rather than by

"fat-bones." How well do I remember those DOOMSDAY trips home from school

to have my report card signed by my parents! My bones usually were more

"dry" than "fat."

The Apostle Paul wrote: "Whatever things are of good report . .
. meditate

on these things." (Philippians 4:8) The "of good report," as translated in
the

New King James Version, is a compound Greek work, EUPHOMOS (literally

meaning "well-saying"). But the New International Version of the Bible
clarifies

the meaning by using the word "admirable" . . . arousing wonder, approval,

esteem, or affection.

Here Paul advises Christians to meditate on admirable things,
things which

earn good marks on a report card. Imagine yourself as Super Teacher, with

the awesome responsibility of grading the home work and examination papers

of everyone in America. How would you rate the work of politicians and TV

producers? Of writers and recording artists? Of sports heroes and
corporate

executives? How about the folks in your church, or the family down the
block

from you?

All around us are things admirable, and things despicable.
We're faced

daily with the choices of associates, reading material, entertainment,
recreational

opportunities . . . the list is endless. It ranges all the way from the
heavenly to the

hellish! Paul implies that we profit by totally ignoring the bad stuff and
deeply

thinking about the good stuff. He encourages us to meditate on the most
admirable

things in life, remembering the fact that often, "The best things in life
are free."

I'm not sure if it's true that "You are what you eat!" But I am
convinced that

we do indeed become what we think about. Let us resolve to be believers
like

Cornelius, Ananias, and Demetrius (Acts 10, 22, and III John) It was
written of these

three individuals, "They received a good report of all men."

PRAYER FOR THE DAY: Lord, help me to concentrate my thoughts on the good in

people and situations, and to live so
that I may receive

"a good report of all men."

Pillsbury College & Seminary

Tuition Fees for 2005

The Board of Regents of the Pillsbury College & Seminary has established the
following

Tuition rates effective, January 1, 2005: Undergraduate tuition: $60 per
credit hour

Graduate-level tuition: $90 per credit hour

Christian Doctor of Philosophy (C.Ph.D.) or Doctor of Christian Counseling
(D.C.C.)

NCCA: 60 credit hours - $5,400

Terms: $900 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 30 months

Christian Master of Arts (C.M.A.) or Master of Christian Counseling (M.C.C.)

or Master of Christian Psychology (C.Psy.M.)

NCCA: 45 credit hours - $4,050

Terms: $750 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 22 months

Doctor of Christian Psychology (C.Psy.D.) (Second Doctorate Only)

NCCA: 48 credit hours - $4,320

Terms: $870 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 23 months

Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Biblical Counseling, Expository Studies, or

Christian Theology

48 credit hours - $4,320

Terms: $870 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 23 months

Master of Ministry (M.Min.) in Biblical Counseling, Expository Studies, or

Christian Theology

36 credit hours - $3,240

Terms: $690 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 17 months

Bachelor of Biblical Counseling (B.B.C.) or Bachelor of Biblical Studies
(B.B.S.)

Final Year: 32 credit hours - $1,920

Terms: $570 initial payment plus $150 monthly for 9 months

The $50 registration fee will be refunded if the applicant is not accepted
as a student.

Entering students who submit a registration form for a degree program will
have 60

days in which to complete the process, including the payment of the initial
fee. After

60 days, the entering student who has not completed the process will be
placed on

inactive status, the registration form will become invalid, and the $50
registration fee

will be forfeited.

Pillsbury College & Seminary is owned, controlled and operated by Freeway
Foundation,

a non-profit ministry which provides "practical teaching and training for
successful living."

The Foundation pays the salaries and benefits of Pillsbury's administration,
staff, and

faculty members. The College & Seminary is housed at no charge in Freeway

Foundation's spacious modern building on a beautiful 2-acre campus in
northwest

St. Louis County. Since the overhead costs of the school are minimal, these

substantial savings are passed along to the student in the form of lower
tuition rates.

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