I am going to try to post blogs on a regular basis. I have so much that I want to say, but find that I am hesitant because of my many friends who cannot help but become critical of viewpoints other than theirs, be they politically right or left or religiously Christian or any other of a host of faiths (or no faith at all).
We are living in a very uncivil period in our national life. This not Donald Trump's fault. Donald Trump is a symptom, not a cause. He reflects the confusion and anger that is rife in our society. As a nation we have lost our bearings. Even the church has fallen captive to the times and is drifting from pillar to post.
One of my favorite Scriptures for these times is the following: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Phil 3:20 ESV)
I value my relationship with Jesus Christ above all else. It grounds me like nothing else. Jesus tells us to keep our eyes and hearts fixed on the Kingdom of God:
(Matt 6:33–34 ESV)
6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
6:34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
We have more than enough troubles for today. We need to keep focused on what matters most, and that is the rule and reign of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Fret Not
It's been a year and a half - more or less - since I wrote my last blog. So much has happened that I can't begin to catch up.
The most disconcerting thing going right now is the candidacy of Donald Trump for President of the United States. When he announced about a year ago that he would be running for President, everyone thought he would not last long in the race because of his temperament and his ideas. Well, guess what? He is now the "presumptive Republican candidate."
It still remains to be seen if he will continue into the general election as the Republican candidate because so many leaders in the GOP are upset with Mr. Trump.
The choices give to the public are Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump or the Libertarian candidate, whose name I can't remember.
I find both Trump and Clinton to be unacceptable as President. It just might be that I will sit out the Presidential election. I used to say that if you don't vote, don't complain. But when there is not anyone to vote for with a clear conscience, perhaps not voting is the clear choice. There are other races, local and state, and I will definitely be voting in those instances. But perhaps I will sit out the Presidential election.
What keeps me from despair in this whole situation is my Christian faith. "I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me." (2 Tim. 1:12) That "Day" is the day that Christ returns. Between now and then Jesus has everything under control, even though there are times when it doesn't seem to be the case.
The most disconcerting thing going right now is the candidacy of Donald Trump for President of the United States. When he announced about a year ago that he would be running for President, everyone thought he would not last long in the race because of his temperament and his ideas. Well, guess what? He is now the "presumptive Republican candidate."
It still remains to be seen if he will continue into the general election as the Republican candidate because so many leaders in the GOP are upset with Mr. Trump.
The choices give to the public are Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump or the Libertarian candidate, whose name I can't remember.
I find both Trump and Clinton to be unacceptable as President. It just might be that I will sit out the Presidential election. I used to say that if you don't vote, don't complain. But when there is not anyone to vote for with a clear conscience, perhaps not voting is the clear choice. There are other races, local and state, and I will definitely be voting in those instances. But perhaps I will sit out the Presidential election.
What keeps me from despair in this whole situation is my Christian faith. "I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me." (2 Tim. 1:12) That "Day" is the day that Christ returns. Between now and then Jesus has everything under control, even though there are times when it doesn't seem to be the case.
Psalms 37:7 ESV
¶ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
While both are disliked by a majority of American voters, both Trump and Clinton are the frontrunners and will most likely face off in November. They seem to be prospering in their ways, even though, given their poll numbers, they should not even be in the running. It's just that the two parties have been unable to put forward anyone better, which says something about our failed political system.
So the best I can do is close my eyes, hold my nose and vote for one of the two. Or not vote at all. In any case, I will "fret not." Or at least try not to fret.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Our Citizenship is in Heaven
I'm probably going out on a limb with this one. I don't claim this particular blog will be one of my best. I know that I might say some things that will tick off some of my friends, let alone those with whom I have disagreements. This all started out as a response to a friend who sent an article to me for my comment. I have tried to remove vestiges of the article and personal references to my friend.
Here goes:
Our nation and our world are very obviously in trouble. There is a fear that I see running rampant in our country which feeds on issues in society, and which makes it very difficult to tease out the truth from the many falsehoods. It is the fear of xenophobia, which is defined as “intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries.” I see our President afraid to label terrorism of the type we saw in Paris as islamic terrorism. He is afraid of being politically incorrect and seen as xenophobic. I know that not all Moslems are evil; most are just as concerned about being good citizens as we are. But there are islamists who are willing to take their twisted sense of faith and used it for evil.
The same can be said of other religions, Christianity included, where people are willing to take their tenets of faith and twist them for their own political ends.
I grew up on the South in the late 40s to the 60s and whites were very much afraid of blacks and things were done to keep the races separate. I remember the separate restrooms and bus station waiting areas. I remember water fountains being label "white" and "colored." My Quaker church was segregated, not by chance but by choice. We were a white society very much afraid of "colored folk." Xenophobia that was the heart of racism.
I wish we could keep English as the official language of our country, while trying to help those who don't speak English learn it and assimilate into the culture. To that end there is nothing wrong with the message "Por español, oprima dos." It's helpful. I’ve been to Costa Rica, Haiti, Mexico, Spain, France and Cuba and never expected the governments to use English as the official language. I was of course grateful when people would try to speak English with me so we could communicate. But if I were emigrate to one of those countries, I would expect to learn the national language. We can certainly make room for those who come to our country without losing who we are as Americans. Remember, except for Native Americans, we all are immigrants. (And even Native Americans came from somewhere else.)
Diversity is one of the wonderful attributes of our nation. We are a nation of immigrants. We need to be welcoming to all who want to come to our country to live, as long as they come legally and do all they can to assimilate. Assimilation does not mean that the ethnic distinctives are lost. In fact, what makes America such a wonderful place to live is that every people group that comes brings with it something to contribute to the American culture.
I am troubled about the direction our country - and the whole world, for that matter - is taking. We have probably gone too far to turn back. But students of the Bible should not be worried about what is happening, because we are right on course for what the Bible says will happen in the latter days. Our fears become the transmitters of all kinds of evil.
1 Timothy 4:1–2 ESV
1 ¶ Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
2 Timothy 3:1–7 ESV
1 ¶ But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
1 John 2:18 ESV
¶ Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
I used to tell the church that I’ve read the Book and we are “on course.” Things are not going to get demonstrably better over the months and years to come. Humanity is on a downward spiral.
One last quote from Paul:
Romans 1:28–2:1 ESV
28 ¶ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
1 ¶ Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
Remember that those of us who judge have no excuse ourselves, because we will practice "the very same things."
We are not to give up, however. Ever since I read it the first time, I have kept the Parable of the Starfish as a guide for my life:
One morning an elderly man was walking on a nearly deserted beach. He came upon a boy surrounded by thousands and thousands of starfish. As eagerly as he could, the youngster was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean.
Puzzled, the older man looked at the young boy and asked, "Little boy, what are you doing?"
The youth responded without looking up, "I'm trying to save these starfish, sir."
The old man chuckled aloud, and queried, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?"
Holding a starfish in his hand, the boy turned to the man and, gently tossing the starfish into the water, said, "It will make a difference to that one!"
(source unknown)
I watched the President’s speech last night and on the surface it seemed like a nice speech. He said a lot of nice things. But is was obvious to me that the Democrats and the Republicans - on the whole - are not interested in working together to fix the problems of our country. They each have their own ideologies and turfs and hidden agendas and will do all they can to further those at the expense of the nation. There are some very good, noble statesmen and stateswomen in our Congress, but they are the ones who have the most difficulty making a positive difference. One of the most moral Presidents that I can think of in recent history was Jimmy Carter, but he was also one of the least effective Presidents because he was too moral. He lived by the Christian faith. I didn’t agree with everything he said, but I admired the man. He was just not corrupt enough to make things happen, for good or for bad.
Anyone who makes it to the Oval Office has already paid off a lot of folks on the way and is beholden to them. He is not his own man, but is owned by those who helped him get there. They expect things in return.
We have One, however, who is beholden to no one and who we can trust implicity with our lives and our future - Jesus Christ. The only solution to our problems is for us to follow Jesus Christ alone and give him alone our allegiance.
I’m going to quote the entire third chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In it Paul points to things of this world about which men can boast, about which he himself could boast. He writes about how many have fallen away from the faith. And he points to where his citizenship lies:
Philippians 3:1–21 ESV
1 ¶ Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 ¶ Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 ¶ Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 ¶ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
We are citizens of the Kingdom of God first and foremost. We live in America. I am glad to be an American. When I travel abroad I am proud to carry an American passport. But my first allegiance is to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom, then to America.
We Christians have our feet in two worlds, the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world.
Don’t worry about America. Nations and kingdoms have risen and fallen over the ages, but God is still on the Throne.
Here goes:
Our nation and our world are very obviously in trouble. There is a fear that I see running rampant in our country which feeds on issues in society, and which makes it very difficult to tease out the truth from the many falsehoods. It is the fear of xenophobia, which is defined as “intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries.” I see our President afraid to label terrorism of the type we saw in Paris as islamic terrorism. He is afraid of being politically incorrect and seen as xenophobic. I know that not all Moslems are evil; most are just as concerned about being good citizens as we are. But there are islamists who are willing to take their twisted sense of faith and used it for evil.
The same can be said of other religions, Christianity included, where people are willing to take their tenets of faith and twist them for their own political ends.
I grew up on the South in the late 40s to the 60s and whites were very much afraid of blacks and things were done to keep the races separate. I remember the separate restrooms and bus station waiting areas. I remember water fountains being label "white" and "colored." My Quaker church was segregated, not by chance but by choice. We were a white society very much afraid of "colored folk." Xenophobia that was the heart of racism.
I wish we could keep English as the official language of our country, while trying to help those who don't speak English learn it and assimilate into the culture. To that end there is nothing wrong with the message "Por español, oprima dos." It's helpful. I’ve been to Costa Rica, Haiti, Mexico, Spain, France and Cuba and never expected the governments to use English as the official language. I was of course grateful when people would try to speak English with me so we could communicate. But if I were emigrate to one of those countries, I would expect to learn the national language. We can certainly make room for those who come to our country without losing who we are as Americans. Remember, except for Native Americans, we all are immigrants. (And even Native Americans came from somewhere else.)
Diversity is one of the wonderful attributes of our nation. We are a nation of immigrants. We need to be welcoming to all who want to come to our country to live, as long as they come legally and do all they can to assimilate. Assimilation does not mean that the ethnic distinctives are lost. In fact, what makes America such a wonderful place to live is that every people group that comes brings with it something to contribute to the American culture.
I am troubled about the direction our country - and the whole world, for that matter - is taking. We have probably gone too far to turn back. But students of the Bible should not be worried about what is happening, because we are right on course for what the Bible says will happen in the latter days. Our fears become the transmitters of all kinds of evil.
1 Timothy 4:1–2 ESV
1 ¶ Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
2 Timothy 3:1–7 ESV
1 ¶ But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
1 John 2:18 ESV
¶ Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
I used to tell the church that I’ve read the Book and we are “on course.” Things are not going to get demonstrably better over the months and years to come. Humanity is on a downward spiral.
One last quote from Paul:
Romans 1:28–2:1 ESV
28 ¶ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
1 ¶ Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
Remember that those of us who judge have no excuse ourselves, because we will practice "the very same things."
We are not to give up, however. Ever since I read it the first time, I have kept the Parable of the Starfish as a guide for my life:
One morning an elderly man was walking on a nearly deserted beach. He came upon a boy surrounded by thousands and thousands of starfish. As eagerly as he could, the youngster was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean.
Puzzled, the older man looked at the young boy and asked, "Little boy, what are you doing?"
The youth responded without looking up, "I'm trying to save these starfish, sir."
The old man chuckled aloud, and queried, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?"
Holding a starfish in his hand, the boy turned to the man and, gently tossing the starfish into the water, said, "It will make a difference to that one!"
(source unknown)
I watched the President’s speech last night and on the surface it seemed like a nice speech. He said a lot of nice things. But is was obvious to me that the Democrats and the Republicans - on the whole - are not interested in working together to fix the problems of our country. They each have their own ideologies and turfs and hidden agendas and will do all they can to further those at the expense of the nation. There are some very good, noble statesmen and stateswomen in our Congress, but they are the ones who have the most difficulty making a positive difference. One of the most moral Presidents that I can think of in recent history was Jimmy Carter, but he was also one of the least effective Presidents because he was too moral. He lived by the Christian faith. I didn’t agree with everything he said, but I admired the man. He was just not corrupt enough to make things happen, for good or for bad.
Anyone who makes it to the Oval Office has already paid off a lot of folks on the way and is beholden to them. He is not his own man, but is owned by those who helped him get there. They expect things in return.
We have One, however, who is beholden to no one and who we can trust implicity with our lives and our future - Jesus Christ. The only solution to our problems is for us to follow Jesus Christ alone and give him alone our allegiance.
I’m going to quote the entire third chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In it Paul points to things of this world about which men can boast, about which he himself could boast. He writes about how many have fallen away from the faith. And he points to where his citizenship lies:
Philippians 3:1–21 ESV
1 ¶ Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 ¶ Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 ¶ Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 ¶ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
We are citizens of the Kingdom of God first and foremost. We live in America. I am glad to be an American. When I travel abroad I am proud to carry an American passport. But my first allegiance is to Jesus Christ and his Kingdom, then to America.
We Christians have our feet in two worlds, the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world.
Don’t worry about America. Nations and kingdoms have risen and fallen over the ages, but God is still on the Throne.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
The Judge sets us free
I've been reading an interesting book by David Limbaugh titled Jesus on Trial: A Lawyer Affirms the Truth of the Gospel. Limbaugh himself makes some good points, but so far the best part of the book for me are the sources he uses, the quotes from others that promote and underscore his points.
"Theologian Millard Erickson responds to the argument that it is unfair and unjust for the Father to have substituted His Son to bear our penalty. He considers the analogy of a judge imposing a penal sentence on an innocent bystander instead of the just-convicted defendant. The analogy fails, says Erickson, because God didn't impose the sentence on some innocent third party; He imposed it upon Himself. 'God is both the judge and the person paying the penalty,' notes Erickson. 'In terms of our courtroom analogy, it is not as if the judge passes sentence on the defendant, and some innocent and hitherto uninvolved party then appears the pay the fine or serve the sentence. Rather, it is as if the judge passes sentence on the defendant, then removes his robes and goes off to serve the sentence in the defendant's place.'" (pp. 72-73)
This selection comes from the chapter titled Paradoxes of Christianity, Part 1. Limbaugh is addressing some of the seemingly contradictory aspects of the Christian faith, things that many of us feel unwilling to admit; things that we ponder within ourselves. I would often tell my congregation that 95% of what I preach, I do not understand. But I believe it to be true, nevertheless.
For me the paradox Limbaugh was addressing could be stated this way: How can the death of a single individual nearly two thousand years ago deal with sin and its penalty for everyone before and after that death?
Paul wrote
2 Corinthians 5:17–19 ESV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Reconciliation is God's act, God's initiative to bring us back to him. Sin is separation; salvation is reconciliation. As long as there is sin there will always be separation. It is not enough for someone to take the penalty of sin. Sin itself has to be done away with.
2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
It was not enough for Jesus to take on the penalty of our sin. He took on sin itself. He became sin. When Jesus died, sin died. To be sure, we continue to sin, but not because of any fault of God. God has done everything he could do. It is our unwillingness to receive the gift of reconciliation with the Father that continues the cycle of sin.
To the extent that we can accept the gift of grace that God, in Christ, has given us - to that extent we can find ourselves free from sin and its penalty.
The Judge has taken off His robe and taken our place. We are free.
John 8:31–32 NAS95
31 ¶ So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Romans 8:2 NAS95
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
2 Corinthians 3:17 NAS95
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Galatians 5:1 NAS95
¶ It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
"Theologian Millard Erickson responds to the argument that it is unfair and unjust for the Father to have substituted His Son to bear our penalty. He considers the analogy of a judge imposing a penal sentence on an innocent bystander instead of the just-convicted defendant. The analogy fails, says Erickson, because God didn't impose the sentence on some innocent third party; He imposed it upon Himself. 'God is both the judge and the person paying the penalty,' notes Erickson. 'In terms of our courtroom analogy, it is not as if the judge passes sentence on the defendant, and some innocent and hitherto uninvolved party then appears the pay the fine or serve the sentence. Rather, it is as if the judge passes sentence on the defendant, then removes his robes and goes off to serve the sentence in the defendant's place.'" (pp. 72-73)
This selection comes from the chapter titled Paradoxes of Christianity, Part 1. Limbaugh is addressing some of the seemingly contradictory aspects of the Christian faith, things that many of us feel unwilling to admit; things that we ponder within ourselves. I would often tell my congregation that 95% of what I preach, I do not understand. But I believe it to be true, nevertheless.
For me the paradox Limbaugh was addressing could be stated this way: How can the death of a single individual nearly two thousand years ago deal with sin and its penalty for everyone before and after that death?
Paul wrote
2 Corinthians 5:17–19 ESV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Reconciliation is God's act, God's initiative to bring us back to him. Sin is separation; salvation is reconciliation. As long as there is sin there will always be separation. It is not enough for someone to take the penalty of sin. Sin itself has to be done away with.
2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
It was not enough for Jesus to take on the penalty of our sin. He took on sin itself. He became sin. When Jesus died, sin died. To be sure, we continue to sin, but not because of any fault of God. God has done everything he could do. It is our unwillingness to receive the gift of reconciliation with the Father that continues the cycle of sin.
To the extent that we can accept the gift of grace that God, in Christ, has given us - to that extent we can find ourselves free from sin and its penalty.
The Judge has taken off His robe and taken our place. We are free.
John 8:31–32 NAS95
31 ¶ So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Romans 8:2 NAS95
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
2 Corinthians 3:17 NAS95
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Galatians 5:1 NAS95
¶ It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Monday, January 12, 2015
God' Name
In a recent prayer meeting at Community Life Church (Catskill, NY) an Elder spoke about how we are to exalt the Name of God. We are not worshiping for our sake but for God's sake, for the sake of his Name.
Ezekiel 39:25–28 NAS95
25 ¶ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name.
26 “They will forget their disgrace and all their treachery which they perpetrated against Me, when they live securely on their own land with no one to make them afraid.
27 “When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations.
28 “Then they will know that I am the LORD their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer.
Verse 25 reads "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD" or "the Lord Yahweh." That is God's name: Yahweh.
Verse 28 reads "Then they will know that I am the LORD their God," or "Yahweh their God."
In verse 25 God speaks through the prophet that "I will be jealous for My holy name."
When we look at the prayer outline that Jesus gave us in Matthew 6, the first thing in the list is "Hallowed be Your name." (6:9 NAS95)
It is for God's name that we live. In the Bible the word "name" means "nature, essence, identity." God's name discloses who he is, albeit rather cryptically. Moses asked God to disclose his name and "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14 NAS95
From the Application Bible:
3:13-15 The Egyptians had many gods by many different names. Moses wanted to know God’s name so the Hebrew people would know exactly who had sent him to them. God called himself I AM, a name describing his eternal power and unchangeable character. In a world where values, morals, and laws change constantly, we can find stability and security in our unchanging God. The God who appeared to Moses is the same God who can live in us today. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.” Because God’s nature is stable and trustworthy, we are free to follow and enjoy him rather than spend our time trying to figure him out. God reminded Moses of his covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 15; 17), Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5), and Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15), and used the name I AM to show his unchanging nature. What God promised to the great patriarchs hundreds of years earlier he would fulfill through Moses. His wisdom spans the ages, and his promises give meaning and direction to our lives.
We read in the Psalms the following:
23:3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
25:11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.
106:8 Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name,
That He might make His power known.
109:21 ¶ But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me;
143:11 For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me.
In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. NAS95
To be sure, God cares for us and provides for us for our sakes, but the bottom line is that God's Name must be praised and honored. Everything we do should be for the sake of God's Name. For God's nature, God's essence, which is love and grace and peace unbounded.
God delivers us for his Name's sake and we are thereby blessed.
God has been bringing grace and life to his creation ever since he created it. He will restore everything and bring it to completion.
Romans 8:22–23 NAS95
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
Ezekiel 39:25–28 NAS95
25 ¶ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name.
26 “They will forget their disgrace and all their treachery which they perpetrated against Me, when they live securely on their own land with no one to make them afraid.
27 “When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations.
28 “Then they will know that I am the LORD their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer.
Verse 25 reads "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD" or "the Lord Yahweh." That is God's name: Yahweh.
Verse 28 reads "Then they will know that I am the LORD their God," or "Yahweh their God."
In verse 25 God speaks through the prophet that "I will be jealous for My holy name."
When we look at the prayer outline that Jesus gave us in Matthew 6, the first thing in the list is "Hallowed be Your name." (6:9 NAS95)
It is for God's name that we live. In the Bible the word "name" means "nature, essence, identity." God's name discloses who he is, albeit rather cryptically. Moses asked God to disclose his name and "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14 NAS95
From the Application Bible:
3:13-15 The Egyptians had many gods by many different names. Moses wanted to know God’s name so the Hebrew people would know exactly who had sent him to them. God called himself I AM, a name describing his eternal power and unchangeable character. In a world where values, morals, and laws change constantly, we can find stability and security in our unchanging God. The God who appeared to Moses is the same God who can live in us today. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.” Because God’s nature is stable and trustworthy, we are free to follow and enjoy him rather than spend our time trying to figure him out. God reminded Moses of his covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 15; 17), Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5), and Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15), and used the name I AM to show his unchanging nature. What God promised to the great patriarchs hundreds of years earlier he would fulfill through Moses. His wisdom spans the ages, and his promises give meaning and direction to our lives.
We read in the Psalms the following:
23:3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
25:11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
31:3 For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.
106:8 Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name,
That He might make His power known.
109:21 ¶ But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me;
143:11 For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me.
In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. NAS95
To be sure, God cares for us and provides for us for our sakes, but the bottom line is that God's Name must be praised and honored. Everything we do should be for the sake of God's Name. For God's nature, God's essence, which is love and grace and peace unbounded.
God delivers us for his Name's sake and we are thereby blessed.
God has been bringing grace and life to his creation ever since he created it. He will restore everything and bring it to completion.
Romans 8:22–23 NAS95
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Change
We all see things in the world that upset us and we wonder why people can't just change their attitudes and behaviors to make things better. Rodney King asked "Why can't people just get along?" Well, that would involve people's changing in radical ways.
What it boils down to, however, is the need for ME to change. "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the willingness to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." I have lived this prayer for nearly thirty years, sometimes well and sometimes no so well. How I look at and interact with the world around me begins with me.
Matthew 15:18–19 NIV11
18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
We need periodic "heart transplants." The Bible speaks of having a "new heart:"
Ezekiel 36:26 NAS95
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Father, help us to change our hearts. Give us your grace to see where we need to change and the power to make those changes, that we might be pleasing in your sight and help bring about your Kingdom on earth. Amen.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Don't let time throw you off the Spirit
After Jesus had been with the disciples for forty days post-resurrection, he was preparing to leave. We read the following:
Acts 1:6–8 NAS95
6 ¶ So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Teilhard spoke of the "malady of space and time," by that meaning that we are bound up in both and cannot move or doing anything without the limitations of each. It takes time to go somewhere and to go there one has to traverse distances.
We are time- and space-bound earthlings, and everything we do is wrapped up in time and space. We cannot easily think other than in those terms.
Jesus said, "It is not for you to know...." He was about to do something that transcended time and space. He was about to release the Holy Spirit on the earth, in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy:
Joel 2:28–29 NAS95
28 ¶ “It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29 “Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
The disciples were thinking only in terms of time and space; Jesus was looking foward to the release of the Holy Spirit who transcends time and space and bring power to all who receive him.
Jesus said that it was not for the disciples to know the times and epochs - i.e., the historical situation. You see, the disciples were waiting, along with all of Israel, for the coming of the Messiah when the Romans would be run out of Dodge and everything would be set right.
They were looking for the Kingdom of God to be established on earth.
Jesus was looking to establish the Kingdom of God in the hearts of all who would believe. Disciples would be transformed into temples in which the Holy Spirit would dwell.
1 Corinthians 6:19 NAS95
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
Acts 1:6–8 NAS95
6 ¶ So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Teilhard spoke of the "malady of space and time," by that meaning that we are bound up in both and cannot move or doing anything without the limitations of each. It takes time to go somewhere and to go there one has to traverse distances.
We are time- and space-bound earthlings, and everything we do is wrapped up in time and space. We cannot easily think other than in those terms.
Jesus said, "It is not for you to know...." He was about to do something that transcended time and space. He was about to release the Holy Spirit on the earth, in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy:
Joel 2:28–29 NAS95
28 ¶ “It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29 “Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
The disciples were thinking only in terms of time and space; Jesus was looking foward to the release of the Holy Spirit who transcends time and space and bring power to all who receive him.
Jesus said that it was not for the disciples to know the times and epochs - i.e., the historical situation. You see, the disciples were waiting, along with all of Israel, for the coming of the Messiah when the Romans would be run out of Dodge and everything would be set right.
They were looking for the Kingdom of God to be established on earth.
Jesus was looking to establish the Kingdom of God in the hearts of all who would believe. Disciples would be transformed into temples in which the Holy Spirit would dwell.
1 Corinthians 6:19 NAS95
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
Back again!
I have not written in a little more than two years. So very much has happened in that time, including the fact that Cheryl and I have both retired - myself from the Clintondale Friends Christian Church and Cheryl from Marist College.
We are living in our Greene County home that we purchased in May, 2001. For thirteen years it served as a get-away place. We would come up here one or two times a week. We both have offices in the house so we could work here in a more quiet setting.
We left the parsonage in Clintondale June 12, 2014, so that it could be remodeled for the new pastor and his family. I commuted back to Clintondale until my last Sunday, July 27. We are now permanently located in Greene County and learning, one day at a time, what it means to be retired. More to come.
We are living in our Greene County home that we purchased in May, 2001. For thirteen years it served as a get-away place. We would come up here one or two times a week. We both have offices in the house so we could work here in a more quiet setting.
We left the parsonage in Clintondale June 12, 2014, so that it could be remodeled for the new pastor and his family. I commuted back to Clintondale until my last Sunday, July 27. We are now permanently located in Greene County and learning, one day at a time, what it means to be retired. More to come.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Back Again Just In Time For the Election
I had high ambitions about blogging but like so many things in life, more talk than action. Now there really is something to write about, the 2012 election, and I'm not sure that I have much to say nor will follow through even if I think of something.
The fact is that I don't really care for either of the candidates. President Obama is a disappointment and the Democratic platform contains support for the sins of abortion and homosexuality. Romney wants to make sure that the rich get richer and I don't believe that nrither he nor the Republican party care who suffers in the bargain.
We no longer have great statesmen who are willing to work across the aisle for the good of the country. Despite what each party says, neither is willing to compromise. There is very little discussion of principles and ideas and all too mud-slinging.
I may end up doing a write-in come November. Don't know who it might be, but I want to cast a vote with integrity. I want to feel that the one for whom I vote is a man or woman of principle and righteousness.
I am tired of voting each four years for the lesser of two evils. Maybe my write-in won't stand a snowball's chance in hell, but it will be a vote that I can live with. No one need know who I vote for but God and myself.
The fact is that I don't really care for either of the candidates. President Obama is a disappointment and the Democratic platform contains support for the sins of abortion and homosexuality. Romney wants to make sure that the rich get richer and I don't believe that nrither he nor the Republican party care who suffers in the bargain.
We no longer have great statesmen who are willing to work across the aisle for the good of the country. Despite what each party says, neither is willing to compromise. There is very little discussion of principles and ideas and all too mud-slinging.
I may end up doing a write-in come November. Don't know who it might be, but I want to cast a vote with integrity. I want to feel that the one for whom I vote is a man or woman of principle and righteousness.
I am tired of voting each four years for the lesser of two evils. Maybe my write-in won't stand a snowball's chance in hell, but it will be a vote that I can live with. No one need know who I vote for but God and myself.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Back again
I have taken off nearly two years from my last blog. So much has happened and yet so much remains the same. We are still in this miserable economic mess, made no better by either Occupy Wall Street or the Tea Party. The Republican Party offers no hope for a viable candidate and President Obama continues to waffle and provide ineffective leadership. Increasingly I turn to Jesus for strength and comfort. He is our only hope. This is not a cop-out. It is never a cop-out to turn to the truth. And the truth is Jesus Christ. Rufus Moseley said that outside Jesus everything is getting worse and worse and inside Jesus Christ everything is getting better and better. I believe that.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Too long!
I cannot believe it has been nearly two months since I last posted. But that is not unusual for me.
We are having some snow today. I can't stand snow but have learned that there is nothing I can do about it. Except remove it when it has fallen to the ground.
Of course, the big news since I last posted is the earthquake in Haiti - or should I say, the series of earthquakes. 220,000 people died and countless others were injured or displaced.
It has been an unbelievable experience watching the work that so many are doing to help Haiti.
I'll write some more soon. I promise. Just gotta run right now.
We are having some snow today. I can't stand snow but have learned that there is nothing I can do about it. Except remove it when it has fallen to the ground.
Of course, the big news since I last posted is the earthquake in Haiti - or should I say, the series of earthquakes. 220,000 people died and countless others were injured or displaced.
It has been an unbelievable experience watching the work that so many are doing to help Haiti.
I'll write some more soon. I promise. Just gotta run right now.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Christmas Eve Eve
This is the night before the night before Christmas. This year I've been in the Christmas spirit for the start. Usually I begin with Bah-Humbug and end up with Merry Christmas. For some reason I began with Merry Christmas and it's only been getting better. You know, it feels so good!
Tomorrow night we have our Candlelight Service - I'm really looking forward to the time with the church and the Lord.
Then comes Christmas. Cheryl is planning a wonderful meal and the three of us will be together for Christmas. Last year this time Danny was in Haiti. Now he has been home with us for most of the year.
I thank God for his love and grace. What a wonderful God we serve!!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
God help us to help those in need.
This picture is from Fr. Marc Boisvert's blog on the Pwoje Espwa web page, which can be found at http://freethekids.org. He writes: 
"Abner comes by almost every day looking to get some food for himself and his sister. The blue cut-out container is his and the metal pot is for her. Recall the quote from Isaiah this morning? Abner cannot hear the good news until his stomach stops hurting. Thanks to all who support our ministry." Pwoje Espwa is located in Les Cayes, Haiti, as well as three other sites in the south of Haiti.
Our church is encouraging its members to contribute this Christmas to another project in Haiti, not in place of Pwoje Espwa ( we support Fr. Marc's work) but in addition. The group is called Lambi Fund and can be found at http://www.lambifund.org. We are especially interested in the clean, potable water projects of Lambi Fund.
Fr. Marc is particularly clear when he said that Abner cannot hear the gospel until his stomach stops hurting. It is well and good to tell people that Jesus loves them, but if we do not try to take care of their physical needs at the same time, then our message will probably fall upon deaf ears. I was reared as a Quaker, and one of the hallmarks of Quaker missionary efforts, especially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was that schools and hospitals were established before the preaching began in earnest. In some areas, the adults came in because their children were being educated in Quaker schools.
I have visited Haiti three times and can attest to the fact that Haitian people are beautiful and loving and eager to share what they can with their guests, even when they have almost nothing. We who have so much cannot do any less. God so loved the world that he gave...
"Abner comes by almost every day looking to get some food for himself and his sister. The blue cut-out container is his and the metal pot is for her. Recall the quote from Isaiah this morning? Abner cannot hear the good news until his stomach stops hurting. Thanks to all who support our ministry." Pwoje Espwa is located in Les Cayes, Haiti, as well as three other sites in the south of Haiti.Our church is encouraging its members to contribute this Christmas to another project in Haiti, not in place of Pwoje Espwa ( we support Fr. Marc's work) but in addition. The group is called Lambi Fund and can be found at http://www.lambifund.org. We are especially interested in the clean, potable water projects of Lambi Fund.
Fr. Marc is particularly clear when he said that Abner cannot hear the gospel until his stomach stops hurting. It is well and good to tell people that Jesus loves them, but if we do not try to take care of their physical needs at the same time, then our message will probably fall upon deaf ears. I was reared as a Quaker, and one of the hallmarks of Quaker missionary efforts, especially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was that schools and hospitals were established before the preaching began in earnest. In some areas, the adults came in because their children were being educated in Quaker schools.
I have visited Haiti three times and can attest to the fact that Haitian people are beautiful and loving and eager to share what they can with their guests, even when they have almost nothing. We who have so much cannot do any less. God so loved the world that he gave...
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Those who know me know that I don't like snow. Living in New York (and before that in Indiana, Maryland and North Carolina) has taught me that no matter how much I dislike snow, I can't stop it. I'll admit that snow is beautiful - when it first falls. But it turns into real problems, such as vehicular accidents, trees and wires down, dirt tracked all over the place as it melts, blocking access to houses and driveways, etc.
One of the groups with which I am associated has a zillion slogans, and one of them is "Live life on life's terms." That doesn't mean having to like everything that happens, but it does mean having to accept the fact that things happen.
This morning we woke up to snow. The picture posted on today's blog was taken earlier this morning. Our church looks beautiful in the snow, I have to admit. It's nice and warm inside - actually, this morning is not real cold - the snow turned into rain.
So, as the Christmas song goes, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"
May our hearts be warmed by the story of Christmas, namely that Jesus came as Light into a dark world, to bring the warmth of God's love.
Another line from another Christmas song has been going through my mind this morning: "The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight." (O Little Town of Bethlehem) I plan on using that line as the theme for our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service. Come join with us.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Non-blogging blogger
I haven't posted anything since March, so I guess that makes me a non-blogging blogger! Someone wrote me to say they actually read my last post and wanted to see more. Wow!
Since March a lot has happened. I had a birthday and am now only one year away from Medicare or Medicaide or Medi-something. I missed getting the senior citizen hunting license by half a year - and they moved the age up to 70. So, I still have to pay full price until then. Cheryl and I took a trip to Georgia to visit my sister Ann and brother-in-law Doug; then I went back in October to visit them after Doug had by-pass surgery - successful surgery!! I am on another team for Tres Dias - Men's #151, which meets January 14-17, 2010. Am preparing for a men's retreat in February. And in church I started a series on Romans which is taking a long time, but is giving me a real appreciation for what Jesus has done for us - and for all humanity. God is no respector of persons - Jews and Gentiles, white, black, red, male, female, slave, free - EVERYONE is the object of his work on the Cross. And how we need it! None is good. Only by the grace of God can we escape sin and its penalty.
Tomorrow I get into chapter four: "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.'" (v. 4) Justification by faith, and faith alone - one of the pillars of the Protestant Reformation. Whether we be Reformed or not, we are heirs of that great theological insight. It is not by our efforts, our works, but by faith alone that we can come to God for justification.
Recently I have had occasion to reflect on my sobriety - twenty-four years and counting, one day at a time. Why is it that I was able to stop drinking and have the compulsion lifted, when some of my friends are still out there drinking alcoholically or, even worse, dead! It is purely the grace of God. I recently told a congregation at a funeral that we have to give up trying to be better; give up trying to overcome our addictions; give up trying to lose weight, quit smoking, or whatever our particular problem might be. We have to give up and give it to God. We can only come to God through Jesus and his Cross and lay it before the Cross. The only appropriate response to grace is "Thank you." And I do thank Jesus for all he has done in my life - there is a ton of work for him to do yet, but thank God for what has been done!
Since March a lot has happened. I had a birthday and am now only one year away from Medicare or Medicaide or Medi-something. I missed getting the senior citizen hunting license by half a year - and they moved the age up to 70. So, I still have to pay full price until then. Cheryl and I took a trip to Georgia to visit my sister Ann and brother-in-law Doug; then I went back in October to visit them after Doug had by-pass surgery - successful surgery!! I am on another team for Tres Dias - Men's #151, which meets January 14-17, 2010. Am preparing for a men's retreat in February. And in church I started a series on Romans which is taking a long time, but is giving me a real appreciation for what Jesus has done for us - and for all humanity. God is no respector of persons - Jews and Gentiles, white, black, red, male, female, slave, free - EVERYONE is the object of his work on the Cross. And how we need it! None is good. Only by the grace of God can we escape sin and its penalty.
Tomorrow I get into chapter four: "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.'" (v. 4) Justification by faith, and faith alone - one of the pillars of the Protestant Reformation. Whether we be Reformed or not, we are heirs of that great theological insight. It is not by our efforts, our works, but by faith alone that we can come to God for justification.
Recently I have had occasion to reflect on my sobriety - twenty-four years and counting, one day at a time. Why is it that I was able to stop drinking and have the compulsion lifted, when some of my friends are still out there drinking alcoholically or, even worse, dead! It is purely the grace of God. I recently told a congregation at a funeral that we have to give up trying to be better; give up trying to overcome our addictions; give up trying to lose weight, quit smoking, or whatever our particular problem might be. We have to give up and give it to God. We can only come to God through Jesus and his Cross and lay it before the Cross. The only appropriate response to grace is "Thank you." And I do thank Jesus for all he has done in my life - there is a ton of work for him to do yet, but thank God for what has been done!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Shack
One of the greatest ways to keep me from reading a book is to say, "You've got to read this book!! It's great! You just gotta read it!!" And one of the best ways to get me to read a book is to say, "This book is terrible - it is full of heresy." The Shack is a book that everyone has been reading for a while now, and I just didn't have any desire to read it. Then I heard from a few people, and read some comments on the web, that made me want to check it out to see if it really is as bad as some say. Well....
I read the book this past week, finishing it a couple of days ago. Overall, I liked the book. The story is quite good. There are a couple of places where I feel the author is off-base theologically, especially where he deals with evil. I have much the same feeling about one of my favorite Christian authors, Teilhard de Chardin. Evil is more than just the absence of good or mistakes. I don't know much about the author's faith - one person wrote me to say that the author is a universalist, and indeed there are areas in the book where universalism seems to rear its head. But the thrust of the book is basic, orthodox Christianity.
I can see where some might be upset at the way God is portrayed when Mack gets to the shack. But come on, we all know that God has no gender and certainly no ethnic/racial characteristics. Jesus is a male, yes! And middle-eastern at that. Even the term Father has less to do with maleness as with parenthood and personhood. Given Mack's background experiences God was portrayed perfectly.
There are those who are out to strip the church and her servants of any creativity whatsoever. That extends to ministries such as Rick Warren's Purpose Driven programs, fresh attempts at translating the Scriptures, emerging church themes, seeker-sensitive approaches to evangelism. In the Twelve-Step Programs there are a zillion slogans and one of them is "Take the best and leave the rest." The Shack was a treat to read and will leave a lasting impression in my heart and mind about the overwhelming and captivating love of God for all of us who have ever suffered loss in our lives. And I am glad that God is bigger than my little ministry in Clintondale. I am glad that God continues to move Christians to creativity and risk in ministry. It is only through creativity and risk that we grow.
I read the book this past week, finishing it a couple of days ago. Overall, I liked the book. The story is quite good. There are a couple of places where I feel the author is off-base theologically, especially where he deals with evil. I have much the same feeling about one of my favorite Christian authors, Teilhard de Chardin. Evil is more than just the absence of good or mistakes. I don't know much about the author's faith - one person wrote me to say that the author is a universalist, and indeed there are areas in the book where universalism seems to rear its head. But the thrust of the book is basic, orthodox Christianity.
I can see where some might be upset at the way God is portrayed when Mack gets to the shack. But come on, we all know that God has no gender and certainly no ethnic/racial characteristics. Jesus is a male, yes! And middle-eastern at that. Even the term Father has less to do with maleness as with parenthood and personhood. Given Mack's background experiences God was portrayed perfectly.
There are those who are out to strip the church and her servants of any creativity whatsoever. That extends to ministries such as Rick Warren's Purpose Driven programs, fresh attempts at translating the Scriptures, emerging church themes, seeker-sensitive approaches to evangelism. In the Twelve-Step Programs there are a zillion slogans and one of them is "Take the best and leave the rest." The Shack was a treat to read and will leave a lasting impression in my heart and mind about the overwhelming and captivating love of God for all of us who have ever suffered loss in our lives. And I am glad that God is bigger than my little ministry in Clintondale. I am glad that God continues to move Christians to creativity and risk in ministry. It is only through creativity and risk that we grow.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
One Month Already?
It's been a month since I last posted, and a lot has happened since then. The biggest news is that our son Dan has returned from Haiti and is settling in here in Clintondale. It's great having him back!
Our church has been listening to the New Testament through a program called Faith Comes By Hearing, and it has been terrific. We use MP3 discs, players, CD's - acquired through the organization Faith Comes By Hearing to do the listening. There are a number of small groups in the church that meet weekly to discuss the segments we heard. I've been a student of the Bible for nearly forty-five years, and this process of listening has opened up a lot that I missed when I just read. I highly recommend the program - check it out at Faith ComesByHearing.com.
God has been pressing me closer to him through the Holy Spirit. I want to know Jesus more and more. I am tired of "business as usual." I want to see the move of the Holy Spirit here in Clintondale. There is nothing that I can do to make it happen, except put myself in position. The actual movement is up to God. It's not that nothing is happening or that our church is dead. Far from that - Clintondale Friends Christian Church is alive and well. But there is so much more that we can know about Jesus and his Kingdom. Come, Lord Jesus!! Come, Holy Spirit!! Your will be done, Father!!
Our church has been listening to the New Testament through a program called Faith Comes By Hearing, and it has been terrific. We use MP3 discs, players, CD's - acquired through the organization Faith Comes By Hearing to do the listening. There are a number of small groups in the church that meet weekly to discuss the segments we heard. I've been a student of the Bible for nearly forty-five years, and this process of listening has opened up a lot that I missed when I just read. I highly recommend the program - check it out at Faith ComesByHearing.com.
God has been pressing me closer to him through the Holy Spirit. I want to know Jesus more and more. I am tired of "business as usual." I want to see the move of the Holy Spirit here in Clintondale. There is nothing that I can do to make it happen, except put myself in position. The actual movement is up to God. It's not that nothing is happening or that our church is dead. Far from that - Clintondale Friends Christian Church is alive and well. But there is so much more that we can know about Jesus and his Kingdom. Come, Lord Jesus!! Come, Holy Spirit!! Your will be done, Father!!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day
Today has been Valentine's Day, the day that people send cards of love, buy chocolate, go out to eat dinner, etc. It is a day of love. I heard on the radio that the day was originally designated to honor St. Valentine, a martyr who gave his life for the faith. Jesus said that no one can have greater faith than this, to lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:3) So, all love ultimately leads back to God, who in his Son, gave his life for us. I didn't research the truth about Valentine's Day - maybe I heard correctly, maybe the information was correct. Maybe not. But the fact remains that Jesus not only is the model for great love, but he is the very reason and power for love.
I have found great love in the church I attend and pastor. Our family came to the Clintondale Friends Church in August of 1986, and we were embraced by a loving congregation. We were not in the best of shape, and over the years we have been able to grow healthier through the love around us. God has shown up in the people of this church. I am so grateful.
One of the movements that I have been a part of is called Tres Dias. It is a renewal movement for Christians. The main purpose of Tres Dias is to develop leaders in the church. We encourage believers to listen to God for what he might want them to do - not just to be busy with church work, but to be about the business of the Kingdom. The heart of Tres Dias is the love of God shown through believers. Our local Tres Dias community is called Mid-Hudson Tres Dias and can be found at http://www.mhtd.org.
As mentioned in earlier posts, our son Dan has been living and working in Haiti at Pwoje Espwa, found on the web at http://freethekids.org. This is an orphange where over 650 boys live, and many, many more attend school. They have vocational schools, a clinic, a farm - so much going on, all to show the love of God in tangible forms. I have been to Pwoje Espwa three times and can testify to the the love there.
There are many other ways that God shows his love, but it is always through people. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and he does it through love. May God's love continue to be shed abroad the earth.
I have found great love in the church I attend and pastor. Our family came to the Clintondale Friends Church in August of 1986, and we were embraced by a loving congregation. We were not in the best of shape, and over the years we have been able to grow healthier through the love around us. God has shown up in the people of this church. I am so grateful.
One of the movements that I have been a part of is called Tres Dias. It is a renewal movement for Christians. The main purpose of Tres Dias is to develop leaders in the church. We encourage believers to listen to God for what he might want them to do - not just to be busy with church work, but to be about the business of the Kingdom. The heart of Tres Dias is the love of God shown through believers. Our local Tres Dias community is called Mid-Hudson Tres Dias and can be found at http://www.mhtd.org.
As mentioned in earlier posts, our son Dan has been living and working in Haiti at Pwoje Espwa, found on the web at http://freethekids.org. This is an orphange where over 650 boys live, and many, many more attend school. They have vocational schools, a clinic, a farm - so much going on, all to show the love of God in tangible forms. I have been to Pwoje Espwa three times and can testify to the the love there.
There are many other ways that God shows his love, but it is always through people. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and he does it through love. May God's love continue to be shed abroad the earth.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Barak Obama's Inauguration
I am writing just after Barak Obama has taken the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States. What a monumental event, the first African-American President in our history. While many may disagree with many of Obama's views (I am one) it is encouraging to see the peaceful transition of power and the very positive way that Obama began his presidency. His speech was wonderful. I pray that he can continue in the same spirit and bring the confidence and sense of responsibility that we need so desperately in this nation.
I was also glad to hear Rick Warren's invocation and Rev. Lowrie's benediction to open and close the ceremonies. And President Obama called upon God in his inaugural address. I believe that these references to God were genuine and that we are obligated to take them as genuine and continue calling upon God as we move forward as a people.
Our son has been living in Haiti for three years and Cheryl and I have visited Haiti on several occasions. Haiti is a very poor and disadvantaged country. I was particularly impressed with President Obama's reference to the poor. May our nation begin to take note of those in need and extend help without any motivation other than to be of help. May we end domination over those in need; may we cease to oppress but rather to help set free those who are being oppressed.
Those of us who believe in Jesus Christ need to call upon him daily to be given strength and wisdom for the days ahead. Barak Obama is inspirational, but he is not our savior. He may turn out to be a great leader, but the one we must put our trust in is Jesus Christ.
I believe that President Obama loves the Lord and, even though he has a number of political positons that I find abhorent, he has my prayers and my support as he seeks to lead. Americans can disagree on a number of issues, but we must agre on this: we are a nation dedicated to truth and freedom, and we depend upon divine guidance. We cannot tear each other up and apart, but rather join together as one people to seek the highest and best we can, depending upon God for his wisdom and strength.
I was also glad to hear Rick Warren's invocation and Rev. Lowrie's benediction to open and close the ceremonies. And President Obama called upon God in his inaugural address. I believe that these references to God were genuine and that we are obligated to take them as genuine and continue calling upon God as we move forward as a people.
Our son has been living in Haiti for three years and Cheryl and I have visited Haiti on several occasions. Haiti is a very poor and disadvantaged country. I was particularly impressed with President Obama's reference to the poor. May our nation begin to take note of those in need and extend help without any motivation other than to be of help. May we end domination over those in need; may we cease to oppress but rather to help set free those who are being oppressed.
Those of us who believe in Jesus Christ need to call upon him daily to be given strength and wisdom for the days ahead. Barak Obama is inspirational, but he is not our savior. He may turn out to be a great leader, but the one we must put our trust in is Jesus Christ.
I believe that President Obama loves the Lord and, even though he has a number of political positons that I find abhorent, he has my prayers and my support as he seeks to lead. Americans can disagree on a number of issues, but we must agre on this: we are a nation dedicated to truth and freedom, and we depend upon divine guidance. We cannot tear each other up and apart, but rather join together as one people to seek the highest and best we can, depending upon God for his wisdom and strength.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Routine
Today is Labor Day - well for an hour and a half, at least. Then summer is over, according to American tradition. Tomorrow begins ROUTINE. That is, kids are getting ready to get on the bus for school. We begin Kids Church next Sunday. Our sewing group - the Busy Bees - begin work a week from tomorrow. We start a Foundations Class on the 10th of September. Routine even includes special programs, such as "My Name is Peter" with Tim Blanchfield on October 18 and a women's tea with Liz Burdick who does a special presentation based on the life of Corrie Ten Boom on October 25. We will have our annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner on November 22. The next week is our annual Thanksgiving program with other churches. Christmas season brings great things, including a children's presentation and our Christmas Eve Candlelight service. There is New Year's Eve with a special communion service. We plan a special ten week Scripture program early in the new year. Then comes Palm Sunday, our Seder on Maundy Thursday, a joint Good Friday Service, and, best of all, Easter. Wow!! Isn't routine great?
What I described is the routine of the church year. Some of it has to do with annual church year events, such as Advent and Christmas and Holy Week. Other activities are special to our particular church: the Thanksgiving Community Dinner, New Year's Eve communion service. And then there are special programs such as the Tim Blanchfield event, the Ladies Tea, the Scripture program, etc. There are sure to be others.
The central point of the church year is for us to be together in the presence of the Lord so that he can speak to us, teach us himself - lead us further into his Kingdom. Our activities are designed to make all this happen. Without the Lord's presence and guidance, we will just be busy. With his presence, we will be gathered as his Body into a powerful community of faith.
The one thing that is certain about the routine of the church year is that there will always be serendipity, those unexpected times when everything we planned seems to be set aside to do what the Lord in the moment is doing. It is good to plan and to know what our plans are. But God is always in charge. In fact, someone has said that if we want to see God laugh, tell him our plans. Routine is good, and so is serendipity. Routine is good, and so is the time when God says, "Let's just see how it might go if we change everything right now!"
Well, I am excited about the coming church year. Let's see what God can do with our routine.
What I described is the routine of the church year. Some of it has to do with annual church year events, such as Advent and Christmas and Holy Week. Other activities are special to our particular church: the Thanksgiving Community Dinner, New Year's Eve communion service. And then there are special programs such as the Tim Blanchfield event, the Ladies Tea, the Scripture program, etc. There are sure to be others.
The central point of the church year is for us to be together in the presence of the Lord so that he can speak to us, teach us himself - lead us further into his Kingdom. Our activities are designed to make all this happen. Without the Lord's presence and guidance, we will just be busy. With his presence, we will be gathered as his Body into a powerful community of faith.
The one thing that is certain about the routine of the church year is that there will always be serendipity, those unexpected times when everything we planned seems to be set aside to do what the Lord in the moment is doing. It is good to plan and to know what our plans are. But God is always in charge. In fact, someone has said that if we want to see God laugh, tell him our plans. Routine is good, and so is serendipity. Routine is good, and so is the time when God says, "Let's just see how it might go if we change everything right now!"
Well, I am excited about the coming church year. Let's see what God can do with our routine.
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