Dr. Chet Weld & "Psychology and Christ"

I just published a book called “God Is in the Crazy (with astounding miracles and reflections on the peaceful life).” "God Is in the Crazy" contains about 50 miracle accounts. Also, there are reflections on life lessons (such as the advantages of "downward mobility"), biblical truths, miracles experienced by historical figures, interesting anecdotes about my family and me, and scriptures to undergird much of the content. Thanks to so many of you who’ve encouraged me for the last few years! Here's the link to purchase it on Amazon:

God Is in the Crazy: With Astounding Miracles and Reflections on the Peaceful Life God Is in the Crazy: With Astounding Miracles and Reflections on the Peaceful Life

“When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.”

― G.K. Chesterton

"God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me" (from a seminar I attended several weeks ago).

On three occasions, someone saw an angel with me: two times I was preaching, and a third time, I was counseling and the client saw an angel behind me. Wish I’d seen them! I remember when I played one of my songs, after preaching. I heard stringed instruments playing with me while I played the guitar. No one in the band (on this earth) had been playing along. I asked the Director of Music if he’d been playing the synthesizer. No, he hadn't been. I’ve had hundreds of experiences that indicated the presence of God. I don't depend on "sight" to know the kingdom of God is in our midst, but God sometimes gives us signs of His goodness, as King David cried out for.

I’m often in need of God’s tangible encouragement. But none of us gets these miracles exactly when we want them. Angels didn’t attend Jesus until AFTER His temptation experience in the wilderness. Yet in the Garden of Gethsemane, angels were WITH Him during his agony (yet He still sweat drops of blood!). When the first Christian martyr, Stephen, was stoned to death, God was with him DURING the stoning. (Stephen saw “heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!”) An angel appeared to Joshua BEFORE he led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. BEFORE, DURING, AFTER. God’s timing is perfect. And His sovereignty is the final and just call on all matters.

Psalm 86:17, Matthew 4:11, Luke 22:43-44, Joshua 5:13, Acts 7:56, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ecclesiastes 5:2

“There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God, and counterclaimed by Satan” (C.S. Lewis). Therefore, why should we not have to fight for and also defend “every square inch” of what belongs to God, including our country, our loved ones, and our own minds? Large trees in Arizona’s giant dome called Biosphere 2 collapsed under their own weight. Researchers concluded that these trees needed wind stress to grow strong. With our hearts focused on Christ, we can only grow stronger in adversity. Every second of it!

(For you Twitter fans, I recommend , as well as “Our Daily Bread” where I read about the trees of Biosphere 2.)

In the bird world, if a flock of birds sees inclement weather coming, the birds “fall out,” landing in a patch of green to rest and wait for the storm to pass. I know that in life and even on Facebook, there are conversations in which emotions rule over reason. Dysfunctional systems in families, relationships, churches, and places of employment breed this kind of talk. Just like birds temporarily ground themselves in order to rest and be refreshed, there are times that we need to simply fall out to reflect and rejuvenate.

Do you feel embroiled in a dysfunctional system? Just fall out! At least for a season. Jesus said, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6:31).

Jesus knew when to fall out: “All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way” (Luke 4:28-30).

This poem, "High Flight," was written by a WWII Spitfire pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force who was dog fighting along with the British over the North Sea. Because of "battle fatigue" against the N**i invaders, he had contemplated aiming his plane straight toward the North Sea to put himself out of his misery. His parents were missionaries, and he himself must have received a reservoir of faith to draw on in order to write this inspiring poem, which has become world famous:

High Flight

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
– Put out my hand, and touched the face of God."
By John Gillespie Magee, Jr

Magee died in a mid-air collision in 1941 at the age of 19. He had a full scholarship to Yale, but chose to fight, instead.

Sometimes in counseling, the subject of “success” comes up. Jesus was for a season “downwardly mobile,” descending from heaven to earth. See if the words of this little boy don’t affect your definition of success:

“Whenever I am disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about the little boy who was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that he’d set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. The boy rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. “Guess what, Mom,” he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: “I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer” (from “Anonymous,” by Alicia Britt Chole)!

1 Corinthians 12 speaks of the value of each one of us. So do Jesus and the rest of the bible. Moses was successful by simply throwing his rod on Pharaoh's royal floor!

The voice of wisdom says, “I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world, and delighting in mankind” Prov. 8:30-31. Even though God feels all the heartache in the world, as He is everywhere, God remains joyful. As we become more like Him, we are able to contain a greater depth of all healthy emotions. This is expressed in Proverbs 14:13: “Even in laughter the heart may ache.” And Paul said, “In all our troubles, my joy knows no bounds” (2 Cor. 7:4). Here is a very short and joyful instrumental song that I got in my sleep while dreaming about flying. Quickly tracing the history of flight in photographs, I hope it will help you hold onto your joy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijtU6Qlo84c

Flying Music by Chet Weld

“He appointed twelve — designating them apostles — that they might be WITH him and that he might SEND them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons” (Mark 3:14-16). Before we do the Lord’s work, we must spend time with Him. When “Silence Is Golden” happened inside of me, I was sitting in a Sunday night church service. Now the song makes me think of Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” I also think of the soothing ocean waves that you’ll see in the You Tube. If you listen to this song, may it help you to increase in the peace of Christ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0crXJmeZ1lc&

Silence Is Golden Words and Music by Chet Weld

In this age of information overload, more and more people are losing touch with our Creator. "Stress overload makes us stupid. Solid research proves it. When we get overstressed, it creates a nasty chemical soup in our brains that makes it hard to pull out of the anxious depressive spiral" (Gail Sheehy). We know that the answer to stress is the peace that Christ longs to give everyone.

You may want to check out this song. I wrote it while watching the news (surprise! surprise!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c22PX0Zgdc

Information Blues Words and music by Chet Weld

“Man is in reality what he is before God. No more and no less” (Cure d’Ars). I meditate on these words often. Position in society, savings accounts, university degrees, and many other things can all be good. But they are not worthy to be compared to the only thing that really matters. Do we love God? Do we live for Him? When this melody and these lyrics came to me during my sleep, I was encouraged to crystallize the priorities of my brief life on earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcceJV_DN-Y

Do You Love Me? Words and Music by Chet Weld