Prophet, Priest and PIRATE

Read the Red-Letters

2012-01-08T18:56:00.000-06:00

‎(NET) Matthew 6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

I've been reading through the book of Matthew during my morning devotions and it's really reinforcing for me Tony Campolo's concept of "Red-Letter Christians," that if you read the red-letters, the words spoken by Jesus Himself, it's pretty difficult not to adopt a progressive point of view or abandon a hyper-conservative one.

Matt 6:6 for example flies in the face of pushing for mandatory prayer in public schools or publicly flaunt one's praying like GOP candidates Michelle Bachmann and Rick Perry have done on the campaign.

Loving our enemies & praying for those who persecute us in Matt 5, storing up treasures in Heaven in stead of serving money as a god in Matt 7, not judging others in Matt 8, giving to the needy in Matt 25... So much of Jesus teaching seems contrary the ideas of this world, of America today, and of the Republican party and the "1%."

Rick Santorum may tap into many Christians fear and anger about abortion and homosexuality, but I for one think he could stand to read some of the "red letters." I'm not saying that we throw out the book of Leviticus, but I encourage Christians to spend some more time in the book of Matthew.

We can't follow, imitate, emulate or obey Jesus if we never read what He Himself taught.

This year, make it a goal to read through Matthew. Pay attention to the red letters and are if God doesn't change your mind about a few things, open your eyes about a few things, plant a few things in your heart and do some new things in your life. I DARE you!

Once you do, pass it on (especially to your Republican and independent friends!)

EVERYONE's invited (part II)

2012-01-01T11:52:00.000-06:00

(NET) Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female - for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."

I had a college professor who used to welcome students to Bible Study by proclaiming there there is "neither graduate nor undergraduate!"

Could we include distinctions like these; neither Black or White, Asian or Hispanic, Native American or European. Neither Liberal or Conervative, progressive or libertarian. Neither natural born citizen or immigrant, neither doccumented or undocumented. Neither gay or staight.

Just as ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ALL are equal at the foot of the cross and ALL are welcomed into the family of God and the arms of Jesus.

This new year, resolve to see everyone we meet as what they are, a unique and precious creation that God loves, created in His image.

Everyone' invited

2012-01-01T09:15:00.001-06:00

(NET) Revelation 7:9 "After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands."

EVERY tribe, EVERY nation, EVERY language. Jesus died for EVERYONE's sins. God wants EVERYONE to accept His love, grace, mercy, & forgiveness.

How can we DARE to hold on to our racism, prejudice, & tribalism? We are ALL God's children.

Childermas; Massacre of the Innocents

2011-12-28T04:24:00.000-06:00

Childermas is a feast on the church calendar, that remembers the "slaughter of the innocents" by King Herod (all the baby boys under 2 years old when the Magi came to him looking for the King who's star they'd followed from the East). It it celebrated on December 28th every year.

Back in 2006 the South African Episcopal Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu recommended we observe Childermas by praying for children, orphans, and especially infants dying of AIDS.

I'd throw in there, to pray for child refugees and survivors of war and terrorism.

Perhaps the GREATEST OT Prohet

2011-12-27T20:25:00.000-06:00

Another of my favorite Old Testament prophet (that wasn't human) is the lowly worm.

It's not because I relate so much to Psalm 22:6, "I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people." Although, I do and probably should-

No, actually its because of how God used the worm to teach one of His human prophets a lesson in Jonah 4 about compassion and how our assumptions are not necessarily as aligned with God's actual plans as we'd like to think!

One of my Favorite Biblical Prophets, "Donkeh"

2011-12-27T20:06:00.000-06:00

Numbers 22:22-33

But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”

Sometimes I feel like that donkey. Stubborn, a jackass- maybe, but I keep trying to tell people what I see the way I see it and it seems to fall on deaf ears. Most people think I'm too religious, many of my fellow Christians prefer to listen to political conservatives rather than Christ's own Word, let alone me. But after all,

"...God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." ~1 Corinthians 1:27

Reading some really 'OLD-school!'

2011-12-18T14:07:00.001-06:00

GEEKING OUT; last night I was reading the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope compiled by theologians in Smalcald, Germany in 1537 and it totally reinforced for me democratic philosophies about bottom-up structures, empowerment of the populace, and an aversion to tyranny. Amazing how conservative/orthodox 16th century theology is a good model for liberal/progressive 21st century politics.

Not to mention servant-leadership, egalitarianism or the separation of church-and-state!

It amazes me that Lutherans can purport to agree with this stuff from the Reformation and then seem to support so much of the ideology and behavior espoused by today's Republican candidates and pundits that's pretty much antithetical to what Martin Luther and his colleagues found in Scripture and wrote and taught.

Antithetical and in my opinion, short-sighted and irresponsible.

But it does not surprise me that Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. was impressed enough to change he and his son's names after learning about the reformer's on a trip to Europe.

Advent; Hope, Peace, Joy, & Love

2011-11-27T20:41:00.000-06:00

Every year, I try to write some posts here that could sort of almost be considered Advent Devotions. Some are too short to qualify, most are actually way too long to qualify. As with most posts on this here blog, many are peppered with humor, sarcasm, and a progressive political slant. They're more sporadic than regular and consistent, so if you're looking for something to edify you daily, this ain't the place, but if maybe once a week or occasionally more interests you- then watch this space over the course of the next 40 days or so, and sure as the seas, you'll get yer fill of pre-Christmas reading.

War on Christmas? Bah-Humbug!Advent Week 1; Hope

2011-11-27T20:01:00.000-06:00

There’s a lot of debate lately about “keeping Christ in Christmas.” Some people are dead set against saying “Happy Holidays,” instead of “Merry Christmas,” because they think “Happy Holidays” is too politically correct. The irony is that people started saying “Happy Holidays” in order to avoid offending people, but now, all kinds of people are terribly offended when you do say it.

I say there is no "War on Christmas." I think it's just one more excuse for the right-wing media to whip up a frenzy of fear, hate and intolerance, encouraging privileged and comfortable White, Christian, Americans to imagine they're being victimized by the America-hating, godless, multicultural, Socialist boogiemen.

I loved one Christian editorial writer’s point of view. He actually thought that we SHOULD take Jesus out of Christmas, because Christmas has become a shameless exercise in materialism and commercialism. This writer thought that we should just let it be the shallow, selfish thing-fest that it has become and make Easter more Spiritual, and focus on Jesus’ birth, ministry, passion, and resurrection all in the Spring. His point was that it was sacrilegious how blatantly we exploit Jesus’ birth in December.

That may be a little culturally extreme. I’d rather just wish people a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays interchangeably and not worry about who’s offended or who’s not. Why apologize for a good thing? Just because you don’t believe in a good thing, that doesn’t make it a bad thing.

I’m sure that if you shared any of the following greetings, someone, somewhere would probably be offended; Congratulations on your new baby. Way to go on passing that exam! How d’ya like your new car? I’m so relieved that you’re feeling better.

Before I get too into my typical history lesson, may I just suggest that we neither apologize for wishing others a sincerely felt "Merry Christmas," not have a cow and get our panties in a bunch about people who'd prefer to wish us a "Happy Holidays" or a "Season's Greetings." It's NOT a war, people. Jesus loves EVERYONE. He came to die and rise again to save EVERYONE. They may decline or even reject this free gift, just as He isn't going to force Himself on anyone, He doesn't need us running around like Christmas Commandos defending Him and enforcing some strict law about recognizing His birthday.

Before you scoff and write me off as just some misguided liberal, consider what God says in the Bible:

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."1 Peter 3:14-16

Keep Christ(mas) in your heart and always be ready to share why you have hope. Remember that old Sunday School song, "they will know we are Christians by our love?" Getting all ticked-off and paranoid about how unchristian society can be is not hopeful, loving, gentle or respectful.

I've had friends that are Jewish, Hindu, pagan, unchurched, agnostic, atheist, Mormon, and Christian of all different denominations. Do I wish they knew Jesus like I do? A loving God of grace, peace, and mercy? Absolutely just like 1 Timothy 2:1-4, I "want all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." But I won't convince them to love and trust Him by deliberately provoking, belittling or bullying them.

Demanding that they simply assimilate to our dominate culture is not what Jesus would do. He showed humility and deference to us by leaving His kingship and being born in a stable and allowing Himself to be subjected to unjust persecution, even death on a cross.

You may disagree with me, but personally, I think that getting so worked up about hearing "Happy Holidays" or seeing signs that say "Merry X-Mas" doesn't show loyalty to Jesus, it shows insecurity and a clear lack of the gentleness and respect that God calls for in 1 Peter.

Dear Jesus,

Make the hope we have from You in our hearts so real and so strong that we don't get defensive or offended when others don't share it. May our hope in You attract others to a saving knowledge of Your truth, because it is You who saves souls, not us. We cannot cajole or coerce anyone into a relationship with You, only Your Spirit can persuade them to receive You.

Help us to instead, be gentle and respectful, and always ready to share the reason for the hope You give us.

In your name we pray,

Amen

Now, in the interest of fostering a greater holiday understanding, allow me to take you on a quick Christmastime tour which I first posted here back in 2004):

Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of lights. "Hanukkah " is Hebrew for "dedication.” The first evening of Hanukkah starts after the sunset of the 24th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.
Greek invaders wanted to stop Israelis from worshiping the true God, they wanted them to worship their gods instead. A Jewish family, the Maccabees, defeated an overwhelming enemy, and rededicated the Temple.

After the occupiers had been driven from the Temple, the Maccabees took down the pagan statues and restore the Temple. They needed ritually purified olive oil to light a Menorah to rededicate the Temple. However, they found only enough oil for a single day. They decided to use it until they could get new oil purified. Miraculously, the one day’s oil burned for the eight days that it took them to press new oil and ceremonially bless and present it. That’s why Jews light one candle each night of the eight-day festival.

Kwanzaa is a celebration of life, family, and community based on the principles of African culture. Kwanzaa was established in aftermath of the Watts Riots, provoked by cases of police brutality. Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Ron Everett, a professor at California State University, Long Beach. Everett wanted to preserve, continually revitalize and promote American culture through African rituals.

Kwanzaa celebrated by some African Americans for a week between December 26 and January 1. It’s not a religious holiday, but a cultural one, based on various elements of “first harvest” celebrations celebrated in Africa. “Kwanza” is Swahili for “first fruits. Each of the days symbolizes one of the Seven Principles: Unity, Self-determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith.

Las Posadas Back in my hometown of Phoenix, luminaries mark the route from house to house. Luminaries are small candles sitting in paper sacks filled with sand. In Mexico and parts of the Southwest, “Las Posadas” are nightly processions enacted the nine nights before Christmas. Each night, children dressed as Mary, Joseph, and shepherds knock on neighbors’ doors, singing a ritual song that begs entrance to the posada (inn), only to be turned away. Grown ups dressed as the Devil chase the children with sparklers and roman candles. On Christmas Eve, “El Bueno Noche” (the good night) the family at the last house sing a welcome song, and the whole parade enters for a party with fruit punch, tamales and piñatas.

Neighborhood Lights & Display Contests And of course Clark W. Griswald (Chevy Chase), was the first American to light his house up like an airport runway so that Santa Claus could tell where to bring the presents. And so that the hoards of Vikings could know where the credit card customer lived, so they could bring the devastatingly high interest rates.

But, yes, the most important festival of lights will be the one that sheds light on the true meaning of Christmas. So may I suggest that the family that prays together, stays together. And a “Christian Nation” begins at home. Instead of worrying about how “un-Christian” Christmas seems to be getting, why not make your own Christmas a little more Spiritual and a little less superficial. Why not start reading devotions and praying nightly during the festival of Advent.

Advent means “coming.” It is a season when we prepare for Jesus’ arrival. There are five candles in an advent wreath. 3 purple orblue, and one pink, and one white. Purple symbolizes both His royalty and our repentance. My church, the Lutheran Church~Missouri Synod changed from purple to blue to distinguish Advent from Lent, which also uses purple. 30 years later I haven't gotten used to it, but whatchyagonnado, right?

An Advent wreath is a circle, which has no beginning and no end. Pine is used because it is "evergreen," also representing eternal life. However, the wreath is also foreshadowing of Christ's passion. Pine needles and/or holly leaves represent the crown of thorns and holly berries and/or poinsettia flowers represent the blood He shed on the cross.

The first violet candle is the “Prophets candle” and symbolizes the hope that Old Testament Jews had that a Messiah would one day come.
The second violet candle is the “Bethlehem” candle and represents the peace that the new God/Man savior would bring, ending the long spiritual rift between God and mankind.
The pink candle is the “Angels’” candle (or in some traditions, the “Mary” candle) it symbolizes the joy of Heaven that a Savior was finally to be born.
The last violet candle is the “Shepherds’” candle and represents the love or adoration of those ready to accept the gift of the Christ child.
The large white candle in the center, often lit on Christmas or Christmas Eve is the “Christ Candle” and represents Jesus as the “Light of the world,” or the Epiphany, God on Earth.

Apologies

2011-11-13T17:31:00.000-06:00

I am sorry to anyone who actually reads this blog and to my facebook friends. Recently some fishing spam appeared as posts here on PPP. The only way I figured that anyone was able to do this was by using the email address that Blogger provided for me to post via email. I've deactivated that option, so hopefully the piracy of this here ship has been put to an end. Arrrgh.

Civics lesson

2011-10-30T19:42:00.002-05:00

This simple Civics lesson is what makes the 1% shutter when the see the 99% finally standing up for themselves.

God's people Occupy His church

2011-10-30T11:20:00.003-05:00

Oct.31, 1517, Wittenburg University (Hamlet's Alma Mater) Theology professor, and pastor Martin Luther posted 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church hoping to provoke discussion & debate about what he saw as abuses and excesses in the church. He encouraged believers to see for themselves in the Bible that we are saved only by God's grace through faith in Jesus alone.

"Fat cats" were telling people that you had to buy your way into Heaven. Then they used that money to build Renaissance cathedrals and to live in power and opulence themselves. But Luther knew that God wanted a personal relationship with each of us, regardless of our social station or our wealth. It is not how good we are or who we are, it is what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Seriously, a friend of mine recently started a"hash tag" on twitter & facebook, #OccupyChurch
I LOVED her idea. When you think about it cell phones & social media are probably world-changing technology, just like Gutenberg's press was back in the 16th century. And at least in my opinion, the American Plutocracy (Wall Street banks, multi-billionaire political donors and activists like the Koch brothers, conservative think tanks, multinational corporations and oil companies, not to mention FOX News) are a lot like the Roman papacy and the Holy Roman Empire's social and political hierarchy was back in the 1500's. Entrenched institutions bent on acquiring power and wealth and protecting it's own interests at the expense of the masses.

Of course, this time we also have the Arab Spring revolutions going on around us too. Islamic peoples have woken up to the fact that it's not Western Christians who've been oppressing them, so much as their own political despots.

Tyranny comes in many forms, but generally it happens when too much power or too much money is concentrated among too few, whether it be corrupt church leaders as we came out of the dark ages, Middle Eastern dictators, the mercantilism practiced by the British empire on her colonies, or the so called 1% in America today.

My friend wonders why are so many occupied with the pursuit of riches and fame? She admonishes us that according to Proverbs 11:4, "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death."

I think that #redletterchristians need to capitalize on the growth of the #OWS movement and remind Christians that our faith is not about comfort and affluence or mega-churches with coffee bars, nor is it about political dominance and imposing our morality or our political will on others- it is about sharing the love and sacrifice, the compassion and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. It is by His work on the cross, not by where we were born, the color of our skin, the thickness of our wallets, nor by our political affiliation that we are saved.

Join the discussion and share your ideas about #occupychurch, make it as active as any #occupy-name of your city here

"I have sometimes thought there could be no stronger testimony in favor of religion or against temporal enjoyments even the most rational and manly than for men who occupy the most honorable and gainful departments and are rising in reputation and wealth, publicly to declare their unsatisfactoriness by becoming fervent Advocates in the cause of Christ, & I wish you may give in your Evidence in this way. Such instances have seldom occurred, therefore they would be more striking and would be instead of a "Cloud of Witnesses."~ James Madison, Letter to William Bradford (September 1773

Got Principle?

2011-10-25T12:45:00.000-05:00

Our Pastor had a great sermon last Sunday on basing your behaviors and decisions in life on principles.

Years ago that idea was in Steven Covey's best seller, '7 Habits of Successful People.' He recommended people and companies establish mission statements and deliberately use the principles in your statement to help guide your life.

I teach 8th graders. At the beginning of the school year I told students that we are each responsible for our own actions, therefore our behavior should not be based on out thinking, feeling, or even our physiology. It needs to be guided by principles. I explained to them how psychologists believe that we all have certain needs; love/belonging, survival/security, fun, freedom/decision-making, and power/efficacy. We can irresponsibly violate other's needs to selfishly fill our own needs, or we can responsibly fulfill our own needs while also helping provide other people's needs. Lofty hopes for a junior high teacher- adolescents aren't always capable of self-control, let alone empathy or delayed gratification.

Quixotic as it may be, I continue to remind them that they need to think of the needs and rights of others and think of the consequences and repercussions of their choices and behaviors. And I keep encouraging them to consider what principles they want to guide those behaviors instead of merely reacting to their thoughts, feelings, and physiology.

Steven Covey encouraged his readers not to be reactive, which can be counter-productive or even destructive, but instead to use your principles to be proactive, which is almost always constructive and productive.

As a Civics teacher, I've been trying to impress upon my students that no matter how much Americans disagree politically or ideologically, we share certain values- certain principles found in the Constitution. Equality and inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness (concepts in the Declaration) are some of these, but others are found in the preamble: unity, justice, domestic tranquility, defense, the general welfare, liberty for ourselves and those who come after us.

Theoretically, our government of us, by us, and for us bases it's decisions on advancing or at least protecting these principles.

Those who believe in and want to follow Jesus have very simple, very clear principles. This is what our pastor based his sermon on last week-

Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

That's it. That's all. Simple. Clear.

The religious teachers of Jesus' time, the Pharisees and Sadducees had analyzed the Old Testament and maybe devised a few more rules and regulations that they figured God probably wanted and had come up with 613 commandments (and you thought there were just 10). 613! The same number of seeds in the average pomegranate. Think these guys were legalistic? Can you say "Control-Freaks?"

Perhaps its a matter of parsing out the letter-of-the-law as opposed to abiding by the spirit-of-the-law. I'm wondering if maybe in their quest for power, purpose and legitimacy (and of course their subsequent defense of their power and rationalization of their policies and positions) these lawyers, preachers, teachers and politicians forgot about Micah 6:8-

"And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Not exactly rocket science. Be fair, appreciate things like patience, kindness, and compassion, and follow God. Simple. Clear. (nowhere near as wordy as this essay you're reading).

And Jesus didn't just make that loving your neighbor stuff on the spot. He got it from Leviticus 19:18. Mind you, Leviticus is full of those 613 rules. (Chapter 19 also says we're not supposed to get tattoos, but I digress). Incidentally, the "Golden Rule," love your neighbor or do unto others as you would have them do unto you is pretty much found in some form or another in almost every ethical and religious tradition.

Jesus didn't make up the Love your God part either. That's also Old Testament.

Deuteronomy 6:5 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

So the question is, if you agree and believe that the greatest commandment is to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind'...And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ How will that effect the things you say and do? The ways you act and think?

It's better than "WWJD?"

Does your life reflect your love for your neighbors?

When others are starving, oppressed, jailed, ethnically-cleansed, unemployed, uninsured, uneducated, cold, homeless, unsafe, unloved... do you care? Do you do anything? Do you say anything? Or are you just out to get yours or busy holding on to what's yours?

Do you really love God with your WHOLE heart, mind, and strength? Is Jesus your #1 priority?
Are you your own god? Your plans, your ambitions? Your career? Possessions? Hobbies? Football? Family? Money? Music? Free-time? Political party? Racial identity? Club or organization?

How would life look different if you did base your life on these two great commandments? On love?

How would our relationships, families, work places, communities look different if more of us tried to base our lives on these principles?

What's stopping you?

Ted Mallory wants to stay in touch on LinkedIn

2011-10-24T17:21:00.001-05:00

From Ted Mallory

Webmaster at St. John Lutheran Church, Charter Oak, IA

Sioux City, Iowa Area

Pirate,

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- Ted Mallory

Confirm that you know Ted

You are receiving Invitation to Connect emails. Unsubscribe

So you think God's a jerk?

2011-09-28T17:57:00.001-05:00

Not to long ago I overheard someone explaining how they thought that Jesus was okay but that they hated his Dad. They didn't like how God kicked Satan and his angels out of Heaven and he didn't like how God let Adam sin, especially if he could foresee it.

Hmmm. Not sure how to get through to a hardened heart like that except to pray for them. I know that each and every one of us is selfish and wants to be our own god. But there can be only one, this puts a crimp in our relationship. But God wants a relationship with us. He loves us as His children, this is why He sent Jesus, so that we CAN receive God's love & forgiveness and be part of His family.

The person I eavesdropped on comes from a broken family and was deeply hurt by his father. He put huge expectations on God to fix some pretty big injustices in his life and he feels like God let him down.

I can't make things better for him and I doubt I could convince him that God's not as petty and selfish or as imperfect as he thinks He is. But I can keep praying for him and try to keep being patient with him even when he derides my faith in front of me.

And I can realize how much I'm just like him. How often have you complained about how life is? Have you ever been angry with God or "wrestled" with God? Do you ever catch yourself trying to tell God how to do His job?

Well, would you REALLY like to be in charge of the whole universe?

(NET) Isaiah 29:16 Your thinking is perverse! Should the potter be regarded as clay? Should the thing made say about its maker, "He didn't make me"? Or should the pottery say about the potter, "He doesn't understand"?

(NET) Job 38:4 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding!

(NET) Ezekiel 18:25 "Yet you say, 'The Lord's conduct is unjust!' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

Pray for teachers

2011-09-21T16:28:00.000-05:00

"God, giver of all wisdom, bless our schools, and help our educators and administrators to faithfully perform the work that you have given them. Amen."

~Adapted from a prayer by F. D. Maurice (received in today's Sojourner magazine's daily "Verse & Voice" email).

Teaching is a pretty beleaguered profession lately- whether it's Republican governors revoking their right to collective bargaining, nasty editorials blaming them for poor test scores, anxious parents frustrated by their kid's report cards, or disrespectful students who treat them like retail clerks- teacher's are really getting beat up by society. But even if you agree with everyone who dislikes teachers- remember that Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44).

So... instead of resenting teachers, complaining about teachers, trying to get them fired, or seeing how far you can push them until the quit or have a nervous break-down... why not pray for them? (This fits pretty well with Timothy 2:1-2 if you're still a student, rather than a parent or not involved with schools anymore).

Teachers spend their days trying to prepare children for adulthood in the real world. They're not perfect, they're human just like you are. Wait? They're human? So maybe we should help them "bear their burdens," like it says in Galatians 6:2 or maybe we should try to encourage them and build them up like 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Supporting, encouraging, loving and praying for people. I don't know many teachers that don't try to practice these things all day long and all school-year long for their students. I'll stipulate that there are selfish jerks out there, but fortunately, in my experience, they're pretty rare. You usually don't become a teacher if you don't genuinely care about kids or making a difference. There are a helluva lot of better ways to make more money- that's for sure!

Since most teachers care for (or at least try to care for) our children, why don't we return the favor. Come to think of it, maybe the teachers out there who aren't as supportive or encouraging as we wish they would be need our prayers even more! All teachers need out patience and understanding. They're under a lot of pressure and have some pretty lofty expectations demanded of them.

It's not some special holiday or "be kind to teachers" week or anything like that- it's just a great idea. Whether you're a student, a parent, or just a former student, take a minute to pray for the teachers in your town. God knows they need it. And the next time you're tempted to complain about a school, a principal or teachers- please take some time to pray for them first, then decide if you still want to complain later.

2011-08-29T03:36:00.002-05:00

Jesus is a RADICAL

2011-08-28T17:34:00.000-05:00

A lot of people still wonder how I can be a Bible-believing Christian and be politically "liberal," not to mention a Democrat. Frankly, I'm not sure how I couldn't be!

Today's Epistle lesson in Church, Romans 12:9-21 strikes me as a great patter for how to live your life. It also seems to be to be filled with progressive (aka liberal) values, like caring about others, being unselfish and offering dignity, respect, love and forgiveness to others, whether they deserve it or not. Sharing with those in need, showing genuine compassion and concern. Being humble, empathetic, non-judgmental and not being arrogant, controlling or greedy.

Last week I was trying to get my 8th graders to consider what respect means. It dawned on me that in many ways, it's synonymous with love. I remembered Cornell West's quote about how "justice is what love looks like in public."

Romans 12:21 especially reminds me of what Martin Luther King said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5 to "love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you," is radically different than what the world practices.

It's radically different than what we assume is normal, natural or "right." It's counter-intuitive, you might even say it's "counter-cultural."

And as critical, controversial or divisive as it may be to say this- I believe that it's radically different than what the religious-right, conservative-Christians, Republican and Tea-Parties tend to represent. My perception is that they hold to an authoritarian, insensitive, fear-based, anger-stoking, greed-perpetuating, sort of Machiavellianism.

Mind you, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7)." So I don't recommend making the Democratic Party into your religion or trusting it as a steadfast refuge either, after all from 1864-1964 they were the party of Jim Crow injustice.

Seriously, I think that is the United States used Romans 12:20 as a foreign policy doctrine, perhaps we'd have fewer enemies. We'd have a Marshall Plan in the Middle East instead of counter insurgency and counter-terrorism programs.

Not-so seriously, if Republicans used verse 20 as a political strategy, the poor would be fed in America and they'd be paying gay couples to get married!

At any rate, I just feel like Romans 12:9-21 is some of the most beautiful explanation of what God hopes for His children. This passage fleshes-out what is encapsulated in Micah 6:8, "what... does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Here is Romans 12:9-21 from the NIV, but I took the liberty to remove the verse numbers and hit "return" a few times so that you can read it like poetry, because it deserves to be seen like poetry.

Love must be sincere.

Hate what is evil;

cling to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in love.

Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.

Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you;

bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice;

mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud,

but be willing to associate with people of low position.

Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

If it is possible,

as far as it depends on you,

live at peace with everyone.

Do not take revenge,

my dear friends,

but leave room for God’s wrath,

for it is written:

“It is mine to avenge;

I will repay,”says the Lord.

On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry,

feed him;
if he is thirsty,

give him something to drink.

In doing this,

you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil,

but overcome evil with good.

Great poetry in a hymn we sang todayIt makes a great prayer too

2011-08-28T16:32:00.000-05:00

O God, My Faithful God By: Johann Heermann (1585-1647)

O God, my faithful God,
True fountain ever flowing,
Without whom nothing is,
All perfect gifts bestowing:
Give me a healthy frame,
And may I have within
A conscience free from blame,
A soul unstained by sin.

Give me the strength to do
With ready heart and willing
Whatever you command,
My calling here fulfilling.
Help me do what I should
With all my might, and bless
The outcome for my good,
For you must give success.

Keep me from saying words
That later need recalling;
Guard me lest idle speech
May from my lips be falling;
But when within my place
I must and ought to speak,
Then to my words give grace
Lest I offend the weak.

When dangers gather round,
Oh, keep me calm and fearless;
Help me to bear the cross
When life seems dark and cheerless;
Help me, as you have taught,
To love both great and small
And by your Spirit’s might
To live at peace with all.

Hymn # 371 from Lutheran Worship, #696 from Lutheran Service BookTune: Was Frag Ich Nach Der Welt 1^st Published in: 1630

@lwrjohnnunes, 8/13/11 12:30 PM

2011-08-13T16:46:00.000-05:00

John Nunes (@lwrjohnnunes)
8/13/11 12:30 PM
"Faith is nothing else than begging for mercy." CFW Walther

Sent from my iPod

The Poverty of Satisfaction That Afflicts Us All

2011-08-13T14:59:00.000-05:00

"Our Gross National Product now is over 800 billion dollars a year. But our Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for doors and the jails for the people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and counts nuclear war heads and armored cars for the police to fight riots in our cities. it counts... the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children. Yet the Gross National Product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriage, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit not our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud to be Americans."

ACTS Thanksgiving; Know your ABC's?

2011-07-18T12:08:00.000-05:00

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." ~Philippians 4:4-8

Summer is known for family road trips. Hours in a hot car can be a challenge, one way families meet the challenge is by playing thinking games. Faced with a 2 hour drive to summer camp with our 9 year old yesterday, we played an oldy-but-a-goody. We took turns coming up with animals names that started with each letter of the alphabet- alligator, bear, cat, dog, elephant, etc. etc.

Then we cranked it up a notch by challenging each other to name cities or states that began with the ABCs. Albuquerque, Barstow, Chicago, Denver, Evansville, Fargo... you get the idea. (Ute, Iowa and Quartzite, Arizona were a couple of tough ones, by the way).

If you're serious about thanking God for all He's done for you, maybe you should start playing games with Him. Try making a list of things you're thankful for that uses all 26 letters of the alphabet! You can do it on your own during your personal prayer and devotion time, or you can do it with your family on a road trip- you can do it at a Youth Group or Prayer Group meeting, in a Sunday School or Vacation Bible School class- or hold on to it and remember to do it with your family next Thanksgiving.

To make it more of a challenge, you could play more than one round- one time giving thanks about things, another time about events or activities, and the best way would be to give thanks for people you're grateful for having in your life.

Apple pie

Baseball

Communion

Doctor Whatshisname

Evergreen trees
Friendship
Garage sales
Hot chocolate
I think you get the idea- try coming up with your own!

ACTS, Thanksgiving: Christmas in July

2011-07-12T10:57:00.000-05:00

This summer, we've been talking about an outline for prayer, ACTS; Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Sometimes after spending a lot of time in confession, one can start to feel a little unworthy of God's love. Sin makes you not just feel guilty, but insecure, inadequate, insignificant and inconsequential.

A great way to realize just how much God loves you is to remind yourself how much He's done for you and given you.

Ever feel anxious about finances? Feel under pressure from expectations? How about irritated or a little resentful of how others seem to succeed without scruples? Stressed-out or like you don't understand why you seem to be the only person who cares that things get done? Ever get discouraged about all the things you don't have? Feel like you're always trying to play the rules, yet you never seem to get anywhere?

Maybe you don't really need an antidepressant. Maybe you've been looking down too long and you just need to spend some time looking up for a while. Oh, I know that sounds corny or Pollyanna. But it's not as easy, or as pointless as it sounds.

I can be preoccupied about how my vehicle is rusty and doesn't have air conditioning or how much gas costs and wish I had something newer or prettier. Or I can appreciate that I have a a ride to work. I can complain about my mortgage payment and how much utilities and home repairs and maintenance cost or I can appreciate the fact that I have a safe, comfortable home where I can go to get out of the sun or the wind or rain, when so many are being foreclosed on, paying rent, or without any home at all.

John Thomas is an evangelist in the towns outside of Calcutta India. He prayed for a year for a Jeep to travel in from town to town to share the Good News about Jesus. He helps run a Christian school in his neighborhood that provides a rare opportunity for education to desperately impoverished children - not to mention much needed meals and stories of God's love to people who literally have never heard of Jesus. Their landlord has decided not to renew their lease, she'd rather make room for business tenants. John would like to raise $40K in the next year in order to buy or build their own facilities.

Thinking about John's ministry not only makes me grateful for what I have, it makes me feel guilty for complaining about not being more comfortable, secure, or affluent. It certainly motivates me to pray for John and his wife Cyndi and to try to influence my congregation to help support them. Frankly (and I know this will make Ayn Rand admirers cringe), it makes me feel pretty guilty about being an American, born into such a decadent, materialistic society where so many of us feel entitled to our blessings, instead of humbly appreciative.

So take some time in prayer to catalog your inventory of people, things, and ways in which God has blessed you. Thank Him for where He's brought you, what He's done for you, and especially for the people He's placed in your life.

If you're up all night because your mind is racing, obsessing about all you have to get done or how you're going to pay your bills- try spending some time thinking about how much you do have and how much joy your loved ones bring you. Think about the good things that have happened and just how much you do have.

Christmas may be 6 months away, but this song from Bing Crosby's popular holiday movie is an excellent reminder that the best way to battle worry, fear and anger is with thanksgiving, appreciation and an attitude of gratitude.

When I'm worried and I can't sleepI count my blessings instead of sheepAnd I fall asleep counting my blessings

When my bankroll is getting smallI think of when I had none at allAnd I fall asleep counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly headsAnd one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds

If you're worried and you can't sleepJust count your blessings instead of sheepAnd you'll fall asleep counting your blessings

ACTS Confession;

2011-07-03T15:52:00.000-05:00

Why bother with confession? Well, I'll tell ya. I want to have a meaningful relationship with God, but it seems like almost everyday I get drug down by what I like to call the "Diabolical D's," Doubt, Discouragement and Depression. All three of these are things that reveal that I don't really trust God and they erode away my bond with Him.

Why else? Well, I'll tell ya. I'd like to be useful to God, an instrument which He can use to share His love, forgiveness and promises with other people. But it seems like everyday I get side-tracked by my own appetites. Instead of being satisfied with His lavish gifts of grace, salvation, and all kinds of blessings, I my insecurity and selfishness have me constantly almost frantically trying to binge on pride, anger, lust, gluttony, greed, sloth and envy.

And of course, the more I try to fill that God-shaped hole with these forms of ungodly indulgence, the worse I feel, the more I need God.

I need confession because my selfish, human thoughts words and deeds undermines my relationship with God and tampers my relationships with others.

The liturgy of confession and absolution we used in church today made it pretty clear.

"...we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition." When we admit that to God in prayer, that's confession. And when "we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)." God gives us a fresh start.

Romans 7:7-257But I can hear you say, "If the law code was as bad as all that, it's no better than sin itself." That's certainly not true. The law code had a perfectly legitimate function. Without its clear guidelines for right and wrong, moral behavior would be mostly guesswork. Apart from the succinct, surgical command, "You shall not covet," I could have dressed covetousness up to look like a virtue and ruined my life with it.
8-12Don't you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of "forbidden fruit" out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me. Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. But the law code itself is God's good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.
13I can already hear your next question: "Does that mean I can't even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?" No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God's good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own.
14-16I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
25The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

For everyone else

2011-06-19T07:59:00.000-05:00

Today, remember to pray for all those who lost their dads-
For many, today is a painful reminder that their fathers were taken from them prematurely.

Today, remember to pray for all those who haven't had a dad-
For many, today is a painful reminder of what they don't have, circumstances or decisions of their parents left them without a male parent.

Today, remember to pray for all those who struggle with only the painful memories or strained relationships of an all too human and imperfect dad.
For many, this is a difficult day because of the hurt they face when they remember their dad.

Pray for forgiveness and reconciliation and healing and consolation

Pray that those gaping holes may be filled
with the only perfect Father, "Our Father" God and His love and understanding
and with whatever other make-shift, though still imperfect relationships,
that God may use to help them be more whole

ACTS: Confession; Sharing all your secrets with your best friend

2011-06-18T22:11:00.000-05:00

When a lot of people think about sin, they think about Exodus 20 (the 10 Commandments) or the book of Leviticus (don't be gay, don't eat shellfish, don't hang out with women during their periods). Me, I think about Matthew 5:17-48.

To hate is to murder. To lust is to commit adultery. To need to swear an oath to get someone to trust you means you must not be too trustworthy in the first place. Turn the other cheek, give 'em the shirt off your back, go the extra mile. Love your neighbor. Be perfect as God is perfect.

Reading Matthew 5 always reminds me of how perfect I'm not.

(Abrupt gear shift)
What's a friend? A true friend? What's the difference between a real friend, a best friend and just a buddy or acquaintance?

A real friend loves you and accepts you no matter what, right? They won't stop being your friend even when they find out what you're really like, who you really are, or once they find out all your secrets, everything about you.

Jesus is like that. Jesus is the friend you can stay up all night spilling your guts to, and He'll still be there for you. Ever have a friend where you break down in front of them? Where you can cry in front of them and they won't make fun of you?

Confession is like that. No matter how wrong things are going, you can get it off your chest- even if it's you're own fault. You can get everything off your chest and have a therapeutic catharsis.

He knows you inside and out. He knows you better than yourself. He knew you before you were born. And He knows that you'll never be perfect. He loved you enough to die for you.

Spill your guts. Dump on Him, He can take it.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Faith & Prayer

2011-06-18T21:15:00.000-05:00

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.

~John Wooden

ACTS; Confession is good for the soul

2011-06-18T03:16:00.027-05:00

"...ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." ~Romans 3:23-24

You, me, that guy over there- everybody, EVERYBODY. We're all selfish and short-sighted. ALL of us. So what do we do? We don't have to do anything, Jesus took care of it on the cross.

Confession is simply the act of recognizing that we need God, it is admitting to God that He is God and we are not.

Martin Luther thought believers ought to renew their baptism daily thus drowning the "Old Adam" (our sinful nature) every single day so that we could then start the day fresh as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5).

You might say that we are ALL recovering sinners. We may not all be alcoholics or drug addicts, but like addicts, I think it might be healthy for all of us to pray as they do-

Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable
Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves (JESUS) could restore us to sanity
Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God (JESUS)
Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out
Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs

ACTS; Get your Praise onLikin' God's Personality

2011-06-17T01:40:00.052-05:00

I've been talking about how if you're not sure how to pray, you can just follow this simple acronym, Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). There are tons of ways to give God praise and adoration. Since we want to adore Him for who He is, not just what He does or what He gives us, it's important to meditate on what He's like. What is God's personality anyway?

Since 1 John 4:16 says "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them," I think a great way to pray with adoration might be to pray 1 Corinthians 13:5-8 to God. Tell Him how He is love-

Lord, You're so patient
Lord, you're kind
You don't envy
You don't have to brag.
You're maker of the universe, yet you humbled yourself to be servant of all, (Phil 2:7-8)
You don't dishonor others, You wouldn't snuff out a smoldering wick (Matt 12:20)
You're not selfish
You're not easily angered
You keep no record of wrongs.
You do not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth.
You always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere.
You never fail.

Lord, help us to be more like You!

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Sin Boldly!

2011-06-16T15:51:00.000-05:00

"If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign."~Martin Luther

Professors at Concordia, Seward taught us that there must always be a balance of Law and Gospel in religious teaching and writing, but they also advised us that if you are going to err, err on the side of the Gospel. I hope and pray, as liberal as some of my politics, as un-researched as some of my theology and as stream-of-consciousness and extemporaneous as most of my writing tends to be, I still hope that above all, readers see Jesus as loving and accepting, forgiving and inclusive. As many pastors pray at the beginning of their sermons, may the words of my mouth (keyboard) and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in God's sight.

A little Blues

2011-06-16T11:32:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been kinda into Cornell West's concept of catastrophic love, prophetic Christianity, the tragicomic, and being a Bluesman in the life of the mind, a jazzman in the world of ideas. A little ZZ Top came to mind, so I thought I'd share.

ACTS; Adoring God for who He says He is

2011-06-16T10:41:00.001-05:00

If you're like me, and it's easy to confuse Adoration with Thanksgiving, maybe it will help to think about God is like, not just what He's given us. A great way to review who God is and what about him is praiseworthy is to listen to what He says about Himself.

In the book of John, Jesus announces His Godhood by using His name, Yəhōwāh ("I am that I am") seven times. Seven times he says "I Am..." and then He gives us a powerful metaphor for who He is. Pray with me though these-

The Bread of Life (John 6:35)- Jesus You are our spiritual sustenance and nutrition. Like manna in the desert, God gives us His Word (the Bible) and His Word (Jesus).
The Light of the World (John 8:12)- Thy Word is a light unto my feet, Jesus , You enlighten and reveal God's character, His will and His ways. Your light exposes sin, corruption and imperfection, and leads us into God's glory, love, and forgiveness.
The Gate (John 10:9)- Jesus, you protect us from thieves and wolves within the safety of Your corral.
The Good Shepherd (John 10:11)- Jesus, you lead us beside still waters, even in the valley of the shadow of death, we don't have to fear because You're with us and comfort us. When we're lost, You finds us.
The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25-26)- just as You raised Your friend Lazarus, You promise that we too will share in Your new and eternal life.
The Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)- Lord, You don't want anyone to perish, You don't want anyone to be alone without You, all we have to do is accept the free gift of Your love and forgiveness.
The Vine (John 15:5)- Through You, Jesus, we are attached to God the Father. You and the Father live in us and through us and unite us. You graft us into Your family and prune us when we need it. You produce Your fruit in us.

ACTS: Adoration; What's God like?

2011-06-15T16:57:00.000-05:00

Last week our congregation hosted a day of prayer. We had a prayer service (with litany) in the morning, followed by a prayer-walk, and then volunteers taking shifts during an all-day prayer vigil. The morning service was organized into four parts based on the acronym, A.C.T.S. which stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. ACTS has long been a simple pattern which people can use to help them begin to have a more meaningful prayer-life, in some cases to even begin to speak to God.

Throughout the course of the rest of the summer, I'd like to post a number of essays exploring these ACTS. Hopefully, together we can grow closer to God and deepen our relationships with Him.

For many Christians, Adoration is a toughie. Is adoration the same as praise? Sort of. What does it mean to adore God? Personally, I usually end up in Thanksgiving when I mean to be in Adoration.

What makes God adorable? What makes Him worthy of praise? A good place to start might be what He calls Himself and what Old Testament Judaism called Him. These names reveal His character, who He is and what He does. Consider some of the following:

Adonai- "my Lord," or "my Master," that is, one to whom we bow, surrender, and obey
HaShem- a less formal, more familial version of "Lord," who is with us
Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh- "I will be," He is not just the god of now, but He will be the same today, tomorrow and forever (Hebrews 13:8)
Elah-avahati, God of my fathers, (Daniel 2:23)
Elah Elahin, God of gods (Daniel 2:47)
Elah Yerushelem, God of Jerusalem (Ezra 7:19)
Elah Yisrael, God of Israel (Ezra 5:1)
Elah Shemaya, God of Heaven (Ezra 7:23)
Elohim- "He who is the object of fear or reverence", or "He with whom one who is afraid takes refuge" the mighty one.
Elyon- Supreme
Roi- All seeing
Shaddai- "God who is sufficient," our supplier
Shalom- "the name of God is 'Peace'" (Judges 6:24)
Shekhinah- the presence or manifestation of God which has descended to dwell among humanity.
Yəhōwāh- He is who He is (emphasis on IS) the name God called Himself to Moses, the point being that He IS alive and here and now, not just the god of our dead forefathers.
HaMakom- "The Omnipresent"
Tzevaot- "the Lord of Hosts," king of the angels

So this is a great way to pray, to simply tell God who He is- meanwhile, you're reminding yourself who God is. As a matter of fact, this is an act of worship, invoking God, entering His presence. When we pray this way, we get perspective, we remember that God is God and we are not. Something we would do well to remember every day.

Stuck in the middle with you

2011-06-14T14:44:00.001-05:00

"Trying to make some sense of it all,But I can see that it makes no sense at all,
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor,
'Cause I don't think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you."

~Joe Egan;Gerry Rafferty (AKA Stealer's Wheel) 1973

"It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other.
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes."

~Ecclesiastes 7:18

During Jesus time there were two dominant groups of religious leaders, you might think of them like political parties.

On the one hand, there were the Sadducees, they emphasized man's total free-will, our ability to choose good or evil, but they did not believe in an afterlife or a spiritual realm. Sound's a lot like some liberals today; secularist and skeptical, respecting only the hear and now, what they can understand empirically and operating systematically.

A lot of Christians (especially conservative or "Evangelical" ones) fear and loath folks like that. They blame relativism and rationalism for everything wrong with the world. But I don't think we should view them as the enemy, rather, they are our neighbors. And how did Jesus tell us to treat our neighbors?

On the other hand, there were the Pharisees. Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees did believe in life after death, but they also believed in a little thing called predestination- the idea that you think you have free-will, but God has destined some people for salvation and others for damnation. They were hyper-religious and legalistic, they believed that you had to be absolutely meticulous about keeping all the rules because you never know which rules will be more important.

A lot of intelligent thinkers and progressives are suspicious people who act and think like Pharisees today because they see them as being inflexible, uncompromising, volatile and aggressively working to shore-up their influence in society.

If you read the New Testament, the Pharisees are the guys who were always trying to trap Jesus and ultimately plotted to have Him killed because they were paranoid that either He would usurp their own power and influence, or disrupt the comfortable arrangement they had built up with the Roman occupation.

The thing is, BOTH extremes are wrong. A secular humanism on the one side, may have good motives for making society better, but it's farsighted with it's optimistic view of human nature and attempts at applying systems and structures. It doesn't account for how messy and imperfect life can get or how importance of the intangibles in life.

On the other hand, fundamentalists, Calvinists, conservative Evangelicals and the religious-right are just as wrong and their absolutism and legalism are just as or more dangerous than the relativism that they're constantly railing and ranting about. They're NEARsighted with their obsessive focus on personal piety and individual responsibility at the expense of massive societal, corporate, and institutional evils.

They're the ones Jesus was talking about when He said they strain out a gnat but swallow a camel (Matt.23:24).

They're adamantly opposed to teaching the theory of evolution in Biology classes in public schools, yet they blindly accept and live by the tenants of Social-Darwinism.

They vehemently oppose abortion yet they oppose programs to reduce poverty and social safety programs, support capitol punishment and applaud unprovoked military action.

They ardently oppose secularism in all forms, yet laud an atheist hedonist like Ayn Rand as a heroine of individual responsibility and economic liberty!

They claim that they uphold the U.S. Constitution strictly and abhor activist jurists, unless the activism favors their ideology.

How can you grant First Amendment rights to Corporations and Political Action Committees but deny 14th Amendment rights to real human beings because of their sexual orientation, race, or immigration status?

These are the white-washed tombs Jesus talked about (Matt 23:27) who hypocritically talk about returning to traditional values and religious heritage but care nothing about justice, mercy and faithfulness. But prophets like Malachi, Zechariah, Micah, Amos and Hosea all stand ready to indict them.

So here we are in the middle. On the extreme left, we have unspiritual Sadducees and on the extreme right, we have hyper-legalistic Pharisees. Ultimately both succumb to the idolatry of self-worship. Each thinks they know best. On the left they say everyone makes their own way, on the right they demand that you follow only their way because they believe that only they know best.

Instead, we should be confident enough to trust that there is such a thing as truth, yet humble enough to recognize that we may never be mature enough, experienced enough, wise enough or enlightened enough to have an absolute monopoly on that truth.

If we truly follow Jesus Christ, we can not trust our own vision. We cannot be either farsighted and miss what's right under our noses, namely that God is real and loves us and that people need Him. Nor should we be nearsighted and be so caught up in our own little kingdoms that we fail to see the world around us and how much they need our help, effort, intercession, and inclusion- not just our scrutiny and condemnation.

Instead of using God and religion to defend our political and philosophical opinions, we should consider how Jesus spent his time and listen to His teachings and imitate Him and implement His directives. We need to wash the inside of the cup, and not just the outside (Matt.23:25).

We have to recognize that as citizens of the greatest and most successful empire on Earth and throughout history, we Americans are especially vulnerable to complacency, greed, and self-indulgence and we have to ask God to help us repent of that and to keep us from being too comfortable with it and defensive and protective of the false god of our standard of living and our unique privileges.

We can't be Christians of Emperor Constantine, but instead of a poor, homeless Palestinian Jewish carpenter who hung out with fishermen, prostitutes and tax collectors.

Perhaps I've rambled too long here, but this post is really emblematic of the main purpose of this blog. That is to give a voice to those who believe and love Jesus, yet feel that the much of American Christianity is often short-sighted and not necessarily following Jesus with blind faith (2 Corinthians 5:7) but unfortunately are too often acting as blind guides (Matt. 23:16).

I want all Christians to know that you don't have to conform to a monolithic Republican way of thinking politically and philosophically- and that if you read Matthew 5 (and 23) and see a Jesus who perhaps aligns more with progressive (dare I even say liberal) values, you are not alone.

And I want secular, agnostic, atheist, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and other liberals to realize that Jesus is not a rich white American, He's not homophobic, xenophobic, plutocratic, Machiavellian, oligarchic, militaristic, nationalistic, or nihilistic. He's not imperialistic.

He's loving, patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, and He is humble. He does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. What's more, He's real, He's alive, He's here, He's now, and He loves them enough to die for them.

I think that often, Christians are afraid to step out of the Pharisee camp because they're afraid that any lack of condemnation, and (Heaven-forbid) any engagement whatsoever with the Sadducee camp will be misinterpreted as condoning falsehood. I say both sides are sometimes wrong but both sides are sometimes right. During the Reformation many parishioners told Martin Luther that they were afraid of making mistakes in what they did and taught and how they worshiped because they were so used to simply obeying the Pope. Luther told them to "Sin Boldly." I guess that's what I do by ranting on this blog, sinning boldly.

Alas, being in the middle not only means being caught in the cross-fire between the two extremes, it means that both sides perceive you as at best uncommitted and at worst, traitorous. But as Martin Luther famously said, "here I stand, I can do no other."

Happy Pentecost; Burn, Spirit, Burn!

2011-06-12T12:10:00.000-05:00

"Lord, here am I: your fire impart to this poor cold self-centered soul; touch but my lips, my hands, my heart, and make a world for Christ my goal." ~Timothy Dudley-Smith, 'How Shall They Hear, Who Have Not Heard,' Hymn 831, Lutheran Service Book

Do you pray for your pastor?

2011-06-08T22:22:00.002-05:00

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." ~Colossions 4:2-4

Have you been praying for your pastor?

It occurred to me that my pastor is not just pastor at our church. He's also the Circuit Counselor for Iowa-District West of the LC/MS? As Circuit Counselor, he's been serving as the vacancy-pastor for 3 Triple-Parish churches near by. And he's on the Board of Junior High week at a summer camp. God's kept him pretty busy lately. Recently, a neighboring pastor announced he's retiring next month so he'll have even more on his plate, even if he's not asked to fill their vacancy too.

There's no slow season for a pastor. Sure, he here to pray for the members of his congregation, but we can pray for him too. Even Moses needed someone to help hold up his arms (Exodus 17:8-13).

If you haven't before, be sure that you start lifting your pastor up in prayer.

Seeking some Prayer-Cover

2011-06-08T18:32:00.002-05:00

Please pray for/with my church. Next Sunday, June 12, Pentecost, our voters will decide whether to take on a major building project. The day before, partly to seek God's guidance and blessing, we are hosting a day of prayer.

Everyone is welcome to attend & participate at St.John Lutheran in Charter Oak, IA. It's not just for or about our church. We want to pray for our, neighbors, communities, area, state, nation, churches & world. Prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, &supplication. Prayers for health, for families, for needs, and for spiritual growth.

If you'd like to join us on Saturday:

9AM- Prayer Service
10AM- Prayer Walk around property
Noon-5PM- Prayer Vigil
OR- Pray with/for us anytime during the day, wherever you are.

My personal prayer for St. John Luth. Is that as a congregation we are Christ-centered, that love permeate everything we do, that prayer and Bible study become priorities, that we become Spirit-filled and purpose-driven. God has blessed us for 130 years. Please pray with me that He will use us to bless others, both in and around Charter Oak.

What an awesome way to spend the day before Pentecost?! Come, Holy Spirit, come! Burn in us & through us!

St.John Lutheran, Charter Oak, IA mission statement: "Offering with open arms, the love of Jesus."

Be somebody people can lean on

2011-06-04T12:39:00.000-05:00

This performance was from 1988. The song was originally a hit in 1972 for Bill Withers and hit #1 again in 1989 for a band called Club Nouveau. This version is by a Lutheran Elementary Principal, Paul Hill. I heard Hill when he spoke at a chapel at Concordia University in Nebraska back in the 90's.

Hill was a session musician before becoming a Christian school teacher. Legend has it that as a young man, he played back up on Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown." After listening to it, his mother broke the gold record he'd received for it. Another is that he helped Bill Withers write Lean on Me. Whether he did or not, he did write additional verses (as you can hear in this video).

Paul Hill overcame a debilitating stutter to become a first grade teacher, and elementary principal, and a motivational speaker and musician. He explained that the only two times he didn't stutter at all, were while teaching first graders and singing.

I understand that he passed away in 2009. I only heard him the one time but a few things still influence me. That you can do all things with God's help (Philippians 4:13) no matter what challenges you face. Do everything you do for the Lord (Colossians 3:23) and, we should all do like this song says, and support others when they need it (1 Thessalonians 5:11). It seems to me that these three things can make life a whole lot better.

This song really speaks about what communities can and should be, encouraging, supportive, and nurturing. Whether you're a teacher or not, you can be available for others. Maybe as a mentor to someone younger, a mentee for someone older. Maybe as a sibling or cousin, niece or nephew. Maybe just as a friend or a neighbor. Can you listen? Can you be patient and positive? Do you have compassion or empathy? Then you can be some one that others can lean on.

Memorial Day begun by slaves

2011-05-30T16:37:00.000-05:00

May 25, 2009 BY BRIAN HICKS, THE POST AND COURIER (Charleston, South Carolina)Charleston was in ruins.
The peninsula was nearly deserted, the fine houses empty, the streets littered with the debris of fighting and the ash of fires that had burned out weeks before. The Southern gentility was long gone, their cause lost.
In the weeks after the Civil War ended, it was, some said, “a city of the dead.”
On a Monday morning that spring, nearly 10,000 former slaves marched onto the grounds of the old Washington Race Course, where wealthy Charleston planters and socialites had gathered in old times. During the final year of the war, the track had been turned into a prison camp. Hundreds of Union soldiers died there.
For two weeks in April, former slaves had worked to bury the soldiers. Now they would give them a proper funeral.
The procession began at 9 a.m. as 2,800 black school children marched by their graves, softly singing “John Brown’s Body.”
Soon, their voices would give way to the sermons of preachers, then prayer and — later —picnics. It was May 1, 1865, but they called it Decoration Day.
On that day, former Charleston slaves started a tradition that would come to be known as Memorial Day.
Read complete story on original website

Gotta tell ya, this kinda puts Lincoln's Gettysburg Address into a different context for me. The liberated paying tribute with prayer and thanksgiving for the liberators. Especially when Lincoln says that it is to we the living to be rededicated in devotion to the cause for which the dead had given their last full measure of devotion. Liberty, equality, justice, unity. Yeah, it's sad that this day has become an excuse for drinking, eating, and appliance sales. But I think that it's also too bad that it gets confused and interchanges with Veteran's Day, Labor Day, Armed Forces Day, All Saint's Day, and Flag Day. It shouldn't be about empty patriotism, flag waving or political posturing any more than it should be about beer, brats, and boating.

If we take the example of those slaves almost 146 years ago, we will listen to God's Word and spend time in prayer. Recognizing the enormous sacrifice of those who have lost their lives serving to protect our freedoms. If we follow President Lincoln's advice, we will devote ourselves for the same things they sacrificed for. It's not about the flag, it's not about our colors or our pride. Shouldn't it be about liberty, equality, unity, and justice? Of ALL the people, by ALL the people, and for ALL the people.

Yes for the fallen troops, but also for what they were fighting for. That's what I believe we need to remember and memorialize today. May God direct our words, thoughts, and actions so that we do just that. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." ~Galations 6:8

Old John Brown’s body lies moldering in the grave,
While weep the sons of bondage whom he ventured all to save;
But tho he lost his life while struggling for the slave,
His soul is marching on.

John Brown was a hero, undaunted, true and brave,
And Kansas knows his valor when he fought her rights to save;
Now, tho the grass grows green above his grave,
His soul is marching on.

He captured Harper’s Ferry, with his nineteen men so few,
And frightened "Old Virginny" till she trembled thru and thru;
They hung him for a traitor, they themselves the traitor crew,
But his soul is marching on.

John Brown was John the Baptist of the Christ we are to see,
Christ who of the bondmen shall the Liberator be,
And soon thruout the Sunny South the slaves shall all be free,
For his soul is marching on.

The conflict that he heralded he looks from heaven to view,
On the army of the Union with its flag red, white and blue.
And heaven shall ring with anthems o’er the deed they mean to do,
For his soul is marching on.

Ye soldiers of Freedom, then strike, while strike ye may,
The death blow of oppression in a better time and way,
For the dawn of old John Brown has brightened into day,
And his soul is marching on

When you don't know what to pray...

2011-05-26T13:28:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we're left speechless. Paralyzed by shock or fear or just plain confused, confounded or disoriented.

Sometimes the most open, honest, and sincere prayer is this one; "HELP!"

That's Okay. God knows what we're going through. It's times like that when I may just keep reciting the Lord's prayer, or tell God straight-out, "I don't know what to do, I don't even know what to ask you or how to pray about this..."

Ever get to the point where you either want to follow the age-old advice to "let go and let God," but you just don't know how? Or have you been at that place where you just want God to hold you and comfort you and help you fall asleep?

He will. Just like Jesus prayed to the Father for His disciples, the Holy Spirit prays for us too.

"In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." ~Romans 8:26-27

Ayn Rand influenced Ryan Plan

2011-05-25T11:30:00.000-05:00

From http://www.faithfulamerica.org

What would inspire Republicans in the House of Representatives to vote to take away healthcare for the elderly and working families -- all while protecting tax breaks for the wealthy -- like they did just weeks ago?

Well, Paul Ryan, the author of the Republican plan, credits radical right wing author Ayn Rand as his inspiration to enter politics -- and even gives copies of her books to his staff.

So what does Ayn Rand believe?

Altruism is evil.
The "weak" do not deserve love.
All religions, majority rule/democracy, and any regulations on capitalism should be destroyed.

Tell Paul Ryan to put down Ayn Rand

This is the vision that’s driving his budget proposal. We think it’s time Ryan got some new reading material, starting with a text with a moral vision that couldn’t be more different from Rand’s: the Bible.

Paul Ryan is now even defending his budget as consistent with his Roman Catholic faith -- even claiming the Catholic bishops support his proposal when in fact they have criticized its cuts to the poor.

We're not sure how Paul Ryan could think a budget out of an Ayn Rand novel could uphold faith values, so we're sending him a reminder of just what those values are.

Tell Paul Ryan to put down Ayn Rand … and pick up the Bible.

For every 1,000 signatures we get, we’ll deliver one Bible to Paul Ryan.

We’re not asking Congress to base laws on the Bible, but we do think Ryan and all the other politicians who voted for draconian budget cuts while touting their faith could use a reminder of moral principles like this:

If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then

your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. (Isaiah 58:10)

And this:

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25: 40)

1 John 4:8

2011-05-23T08:39:00.001-05:00

"Where Love is,

God is."

~Leo Tolstoy

See you tomorrow! And probably the next day too)

2011-05-19T15:31:00.003-05:00

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:2

How can I put this politely?

WILL YOU SHUT THE FREAK UP ABOUT ALL THE FREAKIN' RAPTURE B.S.?!!!

It is bunk. Most of the malarkey you hear from fundaMENTAList Christians about a rapture, millennialism, the tribulation and Jesus' second coming are not found in the Bible. They're not really in the book of Revelation or Daniel or Ezekiel. They're not even in the Apocripha.

Most of them were made up in the 1800's by a guy named John Nelson Darby who wrote his own interpretation of the Bible.

Darby came up with a messed up idea called dispensationalism. Basically he thought that God arranged these times for providing salvation.

"Special-dispensationalists" believe after all the saved people are raptured up into Heaven, everybody else will have a second chance to change their minds and believe after all. Right-wing radical Christian-conservatives who support the state of Israel unconditionally hope that that's when all the Jews will suddenly become Evangelical Protestants. They seem to think that Jesus will return to a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem.

Hyperdispensationalists (including Darby), on the other hand, believe that once Stephen was stoned in the book of Acts, God closed the door on any Jews ever receiving salvation. I wonder if that's not at the root of so much antisemitism in the United States.

There won't be a rapture tomorrow because there's no such thing as the rapture. It's not in the Bible, it's a false doctrine, so misinterpretation by a nineteenth century crank who- like a lot of misinformed Christians, probably wanted to scare people into obeying whatever they say. Grrr! "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many...if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him." ~Matthew 24:11, 23

I don't think that Jesus will come back for us tomorrow. Mind you, I'm not willing to say with absolute certainty that Jesus won't come back tomorrow. Why? It must have been something Jesus said- "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."~Mark 13:32

I think it's really ironic that Jewish/agnostic comedians like Jon Stewart and John Fugelsang know this verse, but apparently an awful lot of people who call themselves Jesus' followers don't.

By the way, I'm not too worried about missing Him either, because He said, "For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be." ~Matt 24:27. So I'm guessing that it'll be fast and it'll be BIG.

The choice ought to be clear

2011-05-19T12:09:00.002-05:00

Even if you don't believe that Jesus really is God, it seems to me that Paul still makes a pretty compelling argument for choosing good over evil. If you merely look at these two lists as a comparison of hedonism/anarchy on the flesh side and altruism/civility- I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would deliberately choose the fruit of the flesh. Don't you see how those things will ultimately end up being self-destructive, not to mention hurtful to others and damaging to all you relationships?

The Flesh

sexual immorality
impurity
self-indulgence
idolatry
witchcraft
hate
arguing
jealousy
anger
selfishness
disagreements
division
envy
drunkenness
orgies

The Spirit

love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
discretion
self-control

Of course, what a shame if this was just a matter of choosing the "Good side of the force instead of the dark-side."

God gave us His son, Jesus not only to set an example for us (demonstrate the character traits of the spirit-fruit), but as a sacrifice to atone for all of our fruit of the flesh. So that we could actually be capable of having a loving relationship with God the Father.

Once He had defeated death and the Devil, He sent us His Holy Spirit, who makes it possible for us to be more like Jesus- to have His same character traits. Why would we want this? You're kidding, right? Why WOULDN'T we?

I believe that God wants to make us more like Jesus so that we can have healthier, genuinely loving relationships with others. In part, that will pretty much just plainly make life work better, but when you think about it, it is all about love- which ultimately is what Jesus wants for us and coincidentally it will make us more approachable and appealing to others, thereby giving us opportunities to share Jesus with them.

Galatians 5: 13-26; Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. ¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Empty Vessel Prayer

2011-05-17T08:54:00.001-05:00

"Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled.
My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor. I do not have a strong and firm faith;
at times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether.
O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in you."

~Martin Luther

Don't put your faith in faith, put it in God

2011-05-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

"Don't expect faith to clear things up for you. It is trust, not certainty." ~Flannery O'Connor

I think this is a mistake that many of us make all too often, we assume that because we're a believer, life will be smooth sailing. And when life gets rough, we blame ourselves for not having a strong enough faith. But faith isn't about knowing how things will turn out, knowing we're right, or having a grip on the situation. It's not even about uprooting those trees or moving those mountains. It is simply, trusting God no matter what.

Pirate Blog's New Facebook Page

2011-05-15T09:20:00.000-05:00

After years of being just a blog, I just launched the Prophet, Priest, and Pirate Facebook page-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Prophet-Priest-Pirate/211085468923001

Looking for a place online where you can fellowship and civil discussion of issues of faith and society? Then check it out.

Over the years I've run into a lot of people who's social and political views don't completely gel with those of other people at church or work- and I've often found that those people don't want to give up on God, their faith or the Bible, but they feel pressured out to the margins of the body of Christ.

I figure that Jesus came for everybody, not just for white middle class Americans- like Country singer Miranda Lambert sings-

‘Cause I heard Jesus, He drank wineAnd I bet we’d get along just fineHe could calm a storm and heal the blindAnd I bet He’d understand a heart like mine.

We may not agree politically and I may not always be right, but if you visit this new facebook page of follow the blog, you'll always be challenged to think, read, pray, and discuss what God's love really means for us in this dark world.

Please check it out, "like" it, and share your favorite verses, quotes, discussion-starters and faith experiences.

One of the reasons bad things happen to good people

2011-05-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

The short answer clergy often give is "because of sin." Bad things happen as part of the general curse brought about by the fall, but the good news is that God can make good things out of the bad...

"If one has never suffered, one cannot understand what hope is." ~Martin Luther

"We can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." ~2 Corinthians 1:4

See also Romans 5:5. In other words, out of our greatest hurts and wounds (and our greatest mistakes and gravest sins) God can create our greatest effectiveness as His instruments and ministers to others. In plain English, whatever you've gone through or are going through- you can help others get through it too.

True Vision

2011-05-09T08:40:00.000-05:00

"Unless we form the habit of going to the Bible in bright moments as well as in trouble, we cannot fully respond to its consolations because we lack equilibrium between light and darkness." ~Helen Keller

"It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui (boredom)." ~Helen Keller

Show us how we can serve

2011-05-06T16:06:00.002-05:00

Forgive us, Lord, if we unwittingly share in the conditions or in a system that perpetuates injustice. Show us how we can serve your children and make your love practical by washing their feet. Amen.
- Mother Theresa

On the capture and death of a great villian

2011-05-02T16:19:00.002-05:00

"As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people" - Ezekiel 33:11

A dear friend and former student recently had this as their facebook status:

"I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him." -Booker T. Washington

Though I am happy that the man who (himself) claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks is no longer able to terrorize, I am saddened that he died without knowing the love of Christ. Christians we need to be praying for his lost followers that they will find the Lord before they leave this earth!

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” -Romans 12:21

"Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"...invoke the influence of His Holy Spirit to subdue the anger, which has produced, and so long sustained a needless and cruel rebellion, to change the hearts of the insurgents..." -Abraham Lincoln asking Americans to pray for the Confederacy in his Thanksgiving proclamation in 1863

In his address to the nation Sunday night, President Obama reminded us that we are NOT at war with Islam, rather it was our intention to bring Bin Laden to justice for the 9/11 Attacks and to preserve our own safety and security from terrorism and specifically Bin Laden's organization, Al Qaieda. May we remember to follow Jesus' own example and not hate, vilify, de-humanize or demonize any group of people, but rather love, listen to, try to understand, care for, help, feed, heal, pray for, and share the good news of Jesus with them.

"But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" ~Matthew 5:44

O Sacred Head Now Wounded

2011-04-22T22:21:00.001-05:00

"What language shall I borrow
to thank Thee, dearest Friend
for this Thy dying sorrow
Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever!
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never never
outlive my love for Thee"

~Bernard of Clairvaux

Please pray and please help

2011-03-17T16:48:00.000-05:00

At 4:31 in the morning of Martin Luther King Day, January 17, 1994 my world shook. That's when the Northridge Earthquake hit Southern California. My wife and I were teaching at Los Angeles Lutheran Jr/Sr High School. Her parents were visiting us that weekend and staying with us in our tiny apartment in Sylmar, CA.

Our apartment was shaken off it's foundation. By the next day we'd realize we were temporarily homeless. I'd never been through even a mild quake before. I held on to the bed for dear life. Seconds seemed like an eternity. I was frantically reciting the Lord's Prayer. We assumed this was "the BIG one." I wondered if it was the end of the world or a nuclear war.

As we struggled to find each other and leave the apartment building we heard the constant crunch of broken glass from windows, mirrors, picture frames and dishes. When we returned to salvage our belongings later, we saw that what kept our bare feet from being bloodied were the layers of books that had fallen from shelves and covered the shards of glass.

The four of us sat in our underwear under blankets on the curb. Frightened neighbors smoked cigarettes to settle their nerves, but this frightened us because we could smell the gas leaking from severed pipes and watched as a fire blazed on the hill across the highway from us.
I remember that one of the things that made me realize the magnitude of the destruction was the fact that we could hear and see sirens of emergency and police vehicles and helicopters but that none of them ever stopped at our apartment complex. The pool had been emptied by the jolt. There were frequent after shocks where you could literally see the asphalt roll and the buildings sway.
God got us through and as stressful as the next year, including the post traumatic stress was, we now look at it as a time when He was forging our faith.

Our quake was said to be a 6.8, though many accounts vary from 6.4 to 8.0. I can not imagine what it was like for the people of Japan to go through a 9.0!
This morning, my mother forwarded a prayer request from the K-12 school I attended growing up. Because of my own experience with an earthquake, you can imagine that I had to post it here. What follows is the forwarded email and the notes which I included when I posted it on our church's website.

From: Julia Perry-Clark, Christ Lutheran School, Phoenix, AZ Sent:Friday, March 11, 2011 10:07 AM

Dear Friends of our Japanese family of Urawa Lutheran School;
May the God of protection surround them now as they are remaining at the ULS campus following the powerful earthquake that struck Friday at 2:46 PM. Mr. Hodgson and I reached the school about an hour ago, 12:30 AM their time and we spoke directly with Miss Ishii and she shared that all of the students and faculty are still at school and not allowed to leave. Please keep them all in your prayers today. We will call them again later to check in.Please pass this prayer request on to your circle of family and friends.May God use this time in a powerful way as the Christian community at ULS reaches out to all of the students and faculty in the name of Jesus.

In Christ,Julia Perry-Clark

Dear Members of St. John, Charter Oak-

I attended CLS growing up in Phoenix. Bill Hodgson was one of my junior high school teachers and one of the reasons I became a teacher. Please pray for Bill and Julia, for ULS and for all of the thousands of families that have been effected by this tragic disaster in Japan.

Christ's servant,
Ted Mallory

Here is a downloadable bulletin insert to help churches wishing to support LCMS relief efforts in Japan: http://bit.ly/gU6m0j

If you would like to support the people of Japan through Lutheran World Relief, please send your donation to:
Lutheran World Relief - Japan Earthquake/Tsunami
P.O. Box 17061
Baltimore, MD 21298-9832
USA

Or, click here to make a secure gift online. Be sure to designate it "Japan Earthquake/Tsunami"

Religious leader loved enemies, prayed, taught, stood for grace

2011-03-17T06:00:00.002-05:00

Originally published in the Charter Oak-Ute NEWSpaper & Schleswig Leader, Thursday, March 15, 2007

Once upon a time, in the ‘Dark Ages’ there was a Christian family living near the coast of Britain in an outpost of the dying Roman empire. This family included a young boy by the name of Patrick. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.

Legend has it that he was kidnapped by a band of barbarians, Celtic barbarians. Did you happen to see “Barbarians Week” on the History Channel? Great stuff. The Celts made some great swords, they beat iron into steel... but I digress.

The Celts, known for their pagan worship of tree spirits, took Patrick for a slave. Among his other duties, he was taught fishing and shepherding. During his long hours watching sheep, he spent a lot of time talking to God. Some people call that prayer.

It was an odd thing because he wasn’t mistreated too badly as a slave, as a matter of fact, he became very fond of the people he served and had compassion for them. How about that? Sounds crazy. Actually, it sounds a little bit like something Jesus once said, what was that? Oh yeah, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
But the shepherd slave boy did miss his family. Legend has it that he promised God that he would become a priest if He let him somehow escaped.

Sure enough, (you knew where this was going, didn’t you?) sure enough, Patrick escaped and became a priest. Eventually he volunteered to return to the people who had kidnapped him and became the first serious Christian missionary to Ireland.

Now the legends say that Ireland was being plagued with snakes. In a story that was part Moses and part Pied Piper, Patrick was supposed to have led all the snakes into the sea.

Truth is never as exciting, but sometimes just as important as fiction. Geologists and biologists suspect that there never were snakes in Ireland to begin with, yet archaeologists have found lots of images of snakes there. Well, scholars have two thoughts on the snake thing.

One is that snakes and serpent-like dragons were used in much of pagan Celtic designs. The Celts had at one time dominated most of Europe and eventually settled in the British Isles, so they surely would’ve seen plenty of snakes beyond Ireland. At any rate, some historians think that Patrick’s evangelism was so successful and spreading the Word of Jesus, that he symbolically drove out the snakes by overcoming the ancient spirit and nature worship.
The other theory is that he drove the snakes out symbolically by teaching the truth and overcoming a popular heresy of his time, Pelagianism.

Pelagius was a monk, supposedly from Ireland, who taught that the human will, along with good deeds and self-denial, was enough to be considered righteous. He told his people that being good was all you needed for salvation. To him, the grace of God was just a booster; a help, but not necessarily essential. Pelagius didn’t believe in “original sin,” but thought that Adam had just set bad example, rather than condemning us all to perpetual state of selfishness and short-sightedness. He also thought that Christ’s good example showed us the path to salvation, not by His sacrifice on the cross, but through self control.

Because of the whole Adam and Eve being tempted by the serpent in the garden imagery, this false doctrine of Pelagianism was often represented by snakes.

Whether God miraculously used him to save Ireland from literal snakes or just from “snakes in the grass,” you can understand why Patrick became a national hero.

Perhaps his most important contribution was his helping people overcome their confusion about the Trinity. He used the shamrock, the three leafed clover, to explain how God is three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and yet only one being, only one God.

Patrick’s success at converting the Irish people to Christianity upset the Celtic Druid priests and chieftains. They had him arrested several times, but he escaped every time. He established monasteries and set up schools and churches all over the emerald isle.

After thirty years in ministry he retired to County Down, where died on March 17, 461 A.D. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since.

No historians have been able to find any evidence that Patrick himself ever tried green beer.

Door Matts #3- How do you find peace? Stop fighting it- duh!

2011-03-10T09:33:00.000-06:00

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” ~Matthew 11:28-30

I've already figured out that it will be pretty unrealistic for me to think I could write full-blown essays on different parts of the book of Matthew for the next 40 days- too much life interfering, to many worries, to many responsibilities, deadlines, schedules, pressures etc. etc.

Maybe you can relate. But in the middle of all this torrent, God reminded me of something He's told me over and over again. To stop, to “Be still, and know that I am God; " Psalm 46:10

He was trying to tell me yesterday too, I'm reading Chinese church leader Watchman Nee's 'Sit, Walk, Stand.' As the title suggests, the whole first chapter is about bing still and not doing but just being. This isn't just a reflection of Eastern philosophy, this means resting in Christ's accomplishments and His victory. "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" ~Ephesians 2:6

Today I was especially anxious about a variety of different stresses. On the drive in to work I was nervously spinning from one radio station to another, not able to listen to the daily news about high oil prices, the struggling economy, political unrest in the Middle East and political polarization here at home. Eventually I landed on Charles Swindoll's show, Insight for Living. Whatever I might say about his mega-church and media empire- whenever I've heard him teaching, he has taught God's Word.

This morning he was talking about one of my favorite parts of Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount, but for whatever reason, he deviated a bit from Matthew 5 to Jesus promise in Matthew 11.

He explained that the Greek word for "gentle" that Jesus uses here is the same used on horses that have been domesticated (broke). Surely an analogy that a Texan like Swindoll can appreciate. His point was that like a trained horse, Jesus retains all of the power and strength, but unlike a wild mustang, He also has self-control.

If we can't handle our load, it may just be because we're working too hard, we want to do things OUR way and we want to be in control. We aren't humble or gentle, we're proud and maybe just flailing about recklessly. When things go bad, we feel like we're spiraling out of control. But He has already gone through the worst stress and survived. He has already defeated every possible enemy and won.

If we will just calm down and trust Him to help us carry our worries and our woes, guess what? He will teach us His ways and He will get us through whatever we're going through. Our problems are temporary but He is eternal.

And, if instead of undertaking a behemoth hermetical study of a two or three chapters worth of of teaching, we decide just to share how He used a few short verses to work in a real and practical way in your life... He can turn that into a whole long essay and not merely a pithy quote. It's crazy, it's like multiplying bread and fish. It's not what we can do alone with difficulty- it's what He can do with us easily, if we'll just be humble and calm and trust in Him.

Me ka pule,

Pirate Ted

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T11:22:00.001-06:00

For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears ~Psalm 102:9

Every Ash Wednesday I want to write something very profound and reflective. I like to read T.S. Elliot's poem, 'Ash Wednesday,' and I miss attending morning chapel services either at Concordia University, Nebraska or at Los Angeles Lutheran Jr/Sr High.

At Concordia, you almost felt Catholic. You were part of the eons old ritual of this first day of the season of reflection, repentance and sacrifice that is Lent, preparing your mind and heart to receive Christ again on Easter.

Of course (as I sit here listening to Gregorian chants from the Netherlands on http://www.concertzender.nl) it occurs to me that being so self-indulgently melodramatic about basking in tradition and identification may actually be a little antithetical to what Lent is really all about.

What I loved about our "contemporary" youth-oriented rituals at Lutheran High is how deeply meaningful and practical they were. Ash Wednesday was a powerful object lesson. Many churches will save the palm fronds from the previous year's Palm Sunday services and use them to make the ashes that their pastors use to mark parishioners' heads with the sign of the cross.

What we did at Lutheran High was more interactive. John Imme, our Spanish teacher and pastor of an interracial church in nearby Lake View Terrace spoke to the students about how sin is anything that impedes or interferes with our relationship with God. Sin can also damage or destroy our relationships with others and that ultimately, whether through guilt, or self-destructive choices, sin erodes our sense of self and as the Bible says, leads to death.

Then he encouraged everyone to write down those sins which we asked God to help us be freed from. Everyone was to fold these strips of paper tightly, share them with no one else, and put them in an offering plate. Then Stan Dobler and Al Ludtke, the Religion teachers would take the papers outside behind the school and burn them all.

John explained that on Good Friday, Jesus Himself was the ultimate sacrificial burnt offering that paid the price for our sins. That with the resurrection on Easter Sunday our freedom from sin, death, and the Devil was won and that now our sins are as far from us as the East is from the West.

The ashes were then brought back into the chapel. John explained that Jesus gave up His very life for us, in response to that love, many Christians chose to sacrifice something during Lent, as a show of appreciation and as a way to remind themselves of how much He sacrificed for us. Then, they used those ashes, the burnt sins, for marking student's foreheads with the cross.

May the God of Easter, bless you this Ash Wednesday, renew you, and help you grow deeper in your relationship with Him and your service to others.

Me ka pule,

Pirate Ted

Door Matts #2- A Jew in the IRS and a swashbuckling Italian

2011-03-08T10:01:00.001-06:00

THIS TIME I actually wrote something, instead of just starting a draft and accidentally letting Blogger post it with nothing but the picture and the Bible verse. Hope it was worth the wait. Happy Fat Tuesday fellow pirates! Once Mardi Gras is over, I hope you'll visit here for some spiritual feeding throughout Lent.

This Lent I'm trying to write a series of essays on the Gospel of Matthew, I call them "Door Matts," because it's the first book in the New Testament, it's sort of the welcome mat, the gateway-drug, if you will, into Christianity. These may not go in any particular order. Hopefully, we'll dig up plenty of pirate's treasure as we weigh anchor and delve into the headwaters of God's living waters!

Matthew 9:9-13
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Ya gotta love this. Michelangelo Caravaggio was the most famous painter in Italy in the early 1600's. He had a reputation as a passionate, short tempered playboy who got in lots of fights and plenty of trouble with the cops. Lots of mystery surrounds his death, a fugitive on the lamb for accident;y killing someone, he is said to have succumb to wounds received in a sword fight while hiking a long way seeking pardon and protection from some religious leader of some kind.

Fascinating as his personal life is, I'm more fascinated with Caravaggio's paintings (of course as a high school Art teacher I would be). He used powerful dark backgrounds like his Dutch contemporary Rembrant. This is called "tenebreaism," from the Latin "Tenebre," for dark (like Good Friday Tenebre service). This way, his subjects were lit in a focused, almost theatrical way. This contrast made for extremely dramatic scenes.

He was also known for his gritty realism. Other painters gingerly flattered their subjects, especially in religious paintings; David as big as Goliath, Mary young and attractive at Jesus' death, Apostles dignified and blemish-free. Caravaggio painted age, poverty, sweat, blood and dusty feet.

I love this painting of the calling of Levi (Matthew). Caravaggio made the tax collectors and officials in contemporary dress. Imagine Jesus in an IRS office, pointing over the cubicles to Matthew in his button down shirt and tie, talking with colleagues over by the Xerox machine. As I understand it, this made this painting somewhat controversial at the time. Today we just think it's corny because first century Palestinian Jews are dressed like 17th Century European dandies, at the time it was really edgy.

Instead of angels and cherubs coming down from Heaven onto Matthew, Caravaggio simply uses the daylight from a window behind Jesus to follow his gaze and arm to an incredulous Levi. The tax collector has a strange look on his face like "Me? You want ME to be Your disciple? Are you NUTS? What could you possibly want with somebody like me?"

But exactly Matt, Jesus didn't come for those goody-goody Pharisees who are so pious and perfect that they don't think they need God. He came for the rest of us, as Grace the secretary in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' might say, He came for "the sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude."

Was Matthew a sell-out to the Romans? Was he greedy or corrupt? Was he a nerdy, bean-counting accountant? Of the four Gospels, his is the one most aimed at Jewish readers. As someone who collected taxes for Herod the regional tetrarch he was probably resented by his own people.

Yet Jesus chose him. Jesus chose him to follow him and to tell His story, first to those very people who resented him, then to all of us. His is the first name Sunday School kids memorize when they have to learn the books of the New Testament.

You have to love Matthew's response to being called, he throws Jesus a party at his house- and he invites his friends so that they can meet Jesus too! Shouldn't we all be like that? That's when the religious leaders threw a huff. "Well, Jesus can't be trusted or respected as a spiritual teacher, look who he hangs out with!"

After Jesus ascension, tradition holds that Matthew stayed in and around Jerusalem for several years preaching to the Jews. Jewish Christians were sometimes called Nazarenes at that time. Later, he is believed to go down to Ethiopia like Phillip, Macedonia (Greece) and eventually up on to what is today Iran and possibly to where Pakistan and Turkmenistan are now. That makes some sense to me because he's often paired with Thomas, who was supposed to have gone all the way to India.

Misinterpretations

2011-03-06T15:16:00.001-06:00

Here are just few church-words that I feel are woefully misinterpreted. It seems to me that if we used and understood these terms correctly, we would be less likely to be misled by mis-perceptions and/or false teachings.

An "Apostle" is one who is sent out on a mission, not just 11 of the 12 guys in Jesus inner circle. If you believe and accept the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20), then you too are, like the Blues Brothers, "on a mission from God."
A "Prophet" is NOT somebody who foresees or predicts the future, that's something that sorcerers and soothsayers do (or pretend to do) and that's a form of divination, which God prohibits (Leviticus 19:26). REAL prophecy, simply put, is speaking God's Word or what He has revealed to you. Often, prophetic speaking is unpopular because God is having the prophets say something that people would rather not hear. When you look at the Old Testament prophets from Jonah to Jeremiah, Elijah to Zechariah, many of them faced opposition but all of them spoke truth to power.

You might've noticed that this one is part of the name of this website. I don't post malarkey about "the end-times" here, and many's the time when I've tried to challenge the popular assumptions in our culture and things I feel aren't authentically based on Scripture but are often presented as presumably "Christian." Mind you, I'm not great prophet and I don't pretend that every one of my opinions are God-breathed, but I am of the opinion that just as Jesus is out Prophet, Priest, and King- we too, His followers (disciples) have been given the mission (apostolic) to share His Word and His truths (prophets), intercede on behalf of others (priest), and set a positive example and/or step-up as servant-leaders (kings).
Most people don't realize that "apocalypse" is a Greek word ( ἀποκάλυψις apokálypsis) that means "lifting of the veil" or "revelation." That meant that it is a disclosure or revelation of something hidden from us by falsehood and misconception. So a prophet brings an apocalypse. Sure, eventually the ultimate apocalypse will be at Jesus' second coming, but I think it's a word that gets thrown around carelessly by people who either don't know what it means ("snow-pocalypse") or who want to scare people into accepting their version of Christianity (the apocalypse, armageddon, the rapture, the tribulation, etc.) Usually this comes from a tradition of special-dispensationalism which is a late 19th/early 20th century misinterpretation of Scripture that developed here in America but more often than not, it's a desperate tactic used by zealous believers who don't seem to have enough faith themselves to rely on grace and love, so they turn to fear and guilt for the leverage they think they need to convince people to become Christian.

I hope that this brief vocabulary lesson in religious jargon was apocalyptic for you!

Prayer for Transfiguration Sunday

2011-03-06T13:36:00.000-06:00

"Lord,
transform our perceptions
with the purest light that shines,
and recast out life's intentions
to the shame of your designs
till we seek no other glory
that what lies past Calvary's hill
and our living
and our dying
and our rising
by Your will."

-Thomas H. Troger, 1994
'Swiftly Pass the Coulds of Glory'
Lutheran Service Book (LSB) #416

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will." ~Romans 12:1-2

Door Matts #1- We need to be doing for our brothers and sisters

2011-02-20T15:59:00.000-06:00

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ~Matthew 25:37-40

Not long ago I heard a radio personality criticizing the religious right in our country. He cited Jesus parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-40 and claimed that this was the one verse where Jesus explained how salvation is won. Well, thank God this pundit was wrong.

We know that nothing we can do or fail to do will get us into heaven, it is only by believing in Jesus and what He did on the cross that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9).

Be that as it may, genuine, sincere religion cares for the widows and orphans (James 1:27), it doesn't just say "yeah, I'm saved" and then go on being selfish and short-sighted. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." and then in Matthew 19:21 He told the young religious scholar, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

One of my big problems with contemporary Christianity is that we're just about identity, not about purpose. We say, "we're saved, they're not," and want to leave it at that. Jesus is our ticket to the afterlife, but if you consider Him a role model, an example, a teacher and any kind of a social reformer or revolutionary- well then, you're trivializing Him, you're missing the point- He's not those things, He's the very Son of God. He IS God.

Well, yeah, but just because He didn't come to just shake things up, he came to die for my sins, doesn't have to mean that he can't also be a role model, a teacher and a leader too. Doe sit?

The guy on the radio was pointing out how hypocritical it is for those of us who call ourselves Christian to be absolutely incensed at the sin of abortion- calling for the protection of the rights of the unborn but shamefully complacent, ignorant and apathetic when it comes to the lives, living conditions, and rights of millions of poor and oppressed peoples after they've been born.

He was wrong about what the requirements for salvation are, but he was right about the fact that too often too many of us take the rest of humanity for granted. We assume that life is about accumulating stuff for ourselves and our immediate family and defending that stuff from other people who have no right to our stuff! And by God, the government had better keep it's hands of our stuff too! We forget that all that stuff, and all the other people, (and our own selves too- for that matter) all belong to God.

Maybe a week later a student in one of my classes was explaining to someone how "everyone misinterprets John 3:16, that it doesn't really mean that God sent His son so that whoever believes in Him can be saved- that's too easy, no god in his right mind would do that!"

I couldn't believe my ears. Never had I more wished I was back in a parochial school instead of a public one so that I could preach, teach, and reach that mistaken kid. Again, it is nothing we do, nothing we ever could do, it is only by Jesus' suffering, His death, His resurrection by which we are saved.

But, again, this passionate teen did have one thing right. It's not enough to just be saved. Oh, don't get me wrong. I can not in any way shape or form EVER save myself. Only Jesus' grace IS sufficient for that. But Jesus doesn't want to be just our Savior. He wants to be our Lord too. As in "Lord AND Savior, Jesus Christ."

Yes, if deists and agnostic's perception of Jesus was all there was, we would be lost. But if we say be believe in Jesus and look forward to the afterlife but fail to follow His example in this life? What good is that?

"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." James 2:19. We could learn a lot by considering how those deists, agnostics, bleeding-hear do-gooders, and even how Buddhists, and so-called "socialists" perceive Jesus.

He told us not just to believe in Him, but to follow Him. So, what did Jesus do? Did He cheat on His taxes? Did He preemptively take out potential enemies? Did He spend His life defending his hard-earned possessions, His good name, and the positions of influence He'd achieved? Hell no! He gave it ALL away. He touched the untouchables, associated with the unacceptable, fed the hungry, healed the sick, loved the dispossessed, had compassion on the hurting, challenged the smug and arrogant, washed people's feet, and finally laid down His life.

It is a shame that some people follow His teachings and example, but don't really know Him personally. It's even more of a shame if they don't believe He came to save them. Pray that God will open their eyes.

But it is almost just as much a shame that so many of us believe in Him, but fail to follow where He trod, fail to see others the way He sees them. How can we say that we know Him when we don't act anything like Him?

Think about that Evangelical catch phrase, "personal lord and savior?"

Is he BOTH your savior AND your lord? Are you BOTH believing AND following?

Is it personal? It is to Him.

Here are just a handful of links for organizations that can help you help others:

Feed the hungry- Bread for the World, Heifer International

Drink for the thirsty- The Water Project, Clean Water Action

Shelter for the homeless- Habitat for Humanity, National Coalition for the Homeless

Clothes for the needy- Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries

Helping the sick- The Red Cross, Saint Jude's Children's Hospitals

Freeing the captives- Amnesty International, Prison Fellowship

Mind you, this is a sanitary, safe, hands-free way to do unto the least of these, but you've got to start somewhere. The best ways are local, perhaps through your own church or civic organizations.

Even better is on the ground level, not just donating money or clothes, but volunteering our time, our presence. After all,the best way to break down barriers and build up communities is to get to know real people who are hungry, thirsty, need shelter, healing, love and comfort.

The best way to open our eyes and hearts to the hurting and disaffected is be among them and get to know them as human beings, neighbors, brothers and sisters.

Every year I challenge myself to write some sort of devotions, Bible studies, prayers, or commentary on this blog more regularly during Lent. Some years I'm more disciplined, others I'm about as sporadic as the rest of the year. This year I'd like to write a series of essays on the Gospel of Matthew, I call them "Door Matts," because it's the first book in the New Testament, it's sort of the welcome mat, the gateway-drug, if you will, into Christianity.

These may not go in any particular order. This first one covered passages toward the end of the book. It fits pretty well with the overall goals of this blog- a potent blend of Orthodox (conservative) Theology and Progressive (liberal) Politics. Be prepared when I riff on Jesus' "7 Woes" sermon against hypocrisy in Matt. 23! I've wrote a lot on this blog about Matthew Chapter 5, the Sermon on the Mount. Hopefully, we'll dig up plenty of pirate's treasure as we weigh anchor and delve into the headwaters of God's living waters!

Irresistible book

2011-02-18T17:43:00.000-06:00

The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not sure where to begin. I seem to be suffering from writer's block lately. I'll say what I told the friend who suggested this author to me- he is convicting and challenging yet warm, engaging and funny.

Claiborne really exposes what huge hypocrites most of us soft, complacent, selfish, American "Christians" are! We really have let the contemporary Pharisees tell us what Christianity is supposed to be instead of listening to what Jesus has really said Himself. This is a radically different interpretation of discipleship, stewardship, and fellowship than you will find in most Christian bookstores, between the Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck biographies.

I wish my head wasn't so full of DayQuill, so that I could do this book justice. All I can say is that I want my conservative Christian friends to open their eyes, ears, and hearts to recognize that the right wing may be right on some things, but they're certainly not right on ALL things.

I want my progressive and liberal friends to know that Jesus does not hate, condemn and dispossess them, indeed, His truth may be closer to the compassion and concern already in their hearts.

Most of all, I want all of those who like me, have felt pulled by the presumably conflicting passions to love the Lord and also love they neighbor are not so paradoxical or mutually exclusive after all- AND, you are not alone! Not all followers of Jesus are purveyors of laissez-faire economics, anti-intellectualism, and right-wing demagoguery (even if it might seem that way sometimes).

View all my reviews

Do you know my friend Martin?

2011-01-16T20:18:00.002-06:00

The other day at school, a student asked me why they get MLK Day off but not Columbus Day. Columbus discovered American, they reasoned. We don't really get MLK Day off, students do but teachers have a staff development day. As a former History teacher (I now teach Art) I began to explain about Brendan the Navigator, Leif Erikson, the Chinese and the fact that the indigenous peoples were already here... before I could get to slavery and disease and operating under the delusion that Hispaniola was in Asia- the kid moved on. "I mean, what did he even do, anyway? Give some speech about a dream? So he was in some marches, so what?"

I'm pretty sure that this White teenage girl isn't racist, but was just trying to rile me and (she thought) she was being funny. Be that as it may, it did trouble me that so few kids understand who Martin Luther King Jr. was, let alone appreciate his legacy. After all, he helped end apartheid in the United States!

Two of the most amazing books I have ever read are Doctor King's Strength to Love and The Measure of a Man. Each of these books profoundly effected and influenced my faith and understanding of theology, society, politics, justice and grace.

What a lot of people don't know is that even though they were Baptists, King's father changed both of their names to Martin Luther after a trip to Germany where he studied about the protestant reformer's commitment to the liberating power of the Gospel.

I don't think we should recognize and commemorate his civil rights work or his fight against poverty or his opposition to injustice and political hypocrisy. I think we should remember him because he sacrificed everything to do those things. He risked his life and forfeited prosperity and security to do those things. No, I do not elevate him to the same level as Jesus Christ- he would not either. His death didn't bring salvation- if anything his savage murder denied the world of his further wisdom and an his potential further leadership and example. But one reason he should be remembered is that he followed Christ's example by spending even his own life for the sake of others.

If you need a refresher in civil rights history, read this brief explanation:

King helped change America’s conscience, not only about civil rights but also about economic justice, poverty and war. As an inexperienced young pastor in Montgomery, Alabama, King was reluctantly thrust into the leadership of the bus boycott. During the 382-day boycott, King was arrested and abused and his home was bombed, but he emerged as a national figure and honed his leadership skills. In 1957 he helped launch the (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) SCLC to spread the civil rights crusade to other cities. He helped lead local campaigns in Selma, Birmingham and other cities, and sought to keep the fractious civil rights movement together, including the NAACP, Urban League, (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) SNCC, (Congress of Organizations for Racial Equality) CORE and SCLC. Between 1957 and 1968 King traveled more than 6 million miles, spoke more than 2,500 times and was arrested at least twenty times while preaching the gospel of nonviolence. Today we view King as something of a saint; his birthday is a national holiday and his name adorns schools and street signs. But in his day the establishment considered King a dangerous troublemaker. He was harassed by the FBI and vilified in the media. The struggle for civil rights radicalized him into a fighter for economic and social justice. During the 1960s King became increasingly committed to building bridges between the civil rights and labor movements. He was in Memphis in 1968 to support striking sanitation workers when he was assassinated. In 1964, at 35, King was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. Some civil rights activists worried that his opposition to the Vietnam War, announced in 1967, would create a backlash against civil rights, but instead it helped turned the tide of public opinion against the war.

From: The Fifty Most Influential Progressives of the Twentieth Century by Peter Dreier, The Nation Magazine, September 2010

"Deep Christianity"

2011-01-12T16:24:00.000-06:00

Hope on a Tightrope: Word and Wisdom by Cornel West by Cornel West

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'd seen Professor West's books on shelves in bookstores and was interested. Why Race Matters and why Democracy Matters seemed like important discussions that we still need to have in the United States. But I confess my own racism/prejudice- I saw his afro and I wondered if as a middle class, middle aged, Midwestern White male I could relate to him. I worried that his politics would be too liberal even for a left-leaning centrist Democrat like me.

Then I caught his appearance on a late night talk show and he wasn't talking with arrogance or anger about race or politics- he was speaking about Jesus. He was speaking about faith and love and forgiveness and suffering.

When I fount this book, with the word "hope" right in the title, I wondered if it would be about President Obama or about the civil rights movement. It's not. It is about us, all of us. And in it, West introduces us to Jesus.

Not the confident, indignant, powerful Jesus that Pat Robertson and James Dobson talk about- the strict, White American, Republican patriarchal Jesus who opposes government regulation, taxes, and gay marriage and supports the troops and the Tea Parties and the NRA.

Not the optimistic, affluent, sexy, successful Jesus that Joel Osteen and Creflo Dollar talk about, waiting to solve all your problems and shower you with material blessings if you just believe enough.

West reveals the Jesus who is humble, genuine, unpretentious but more importantly the Jesus who is brutally honest, patient, kind, just, loving, and wise. The Jesus who turns the other cheek, walks the extra mile, offers the shirt off His back, loves his enemy and was willing to risk everything and sacrifice everything for the sake of others.

Yes, West talks about race and politics, history and economics in this book. He talks about institutions and empire, families, education, and culture. But mostly he talks about depth. Deep Learning, Deep Democracy, and Deep Love, deep enough to sacrifice everything for the sake of justice, equality, and hope.

West says that he's made it his mission to make the world safe for Martin Luther King Jr. That's awesome, because anyone who's read King's 'Strength to Love,' knows that King had made it his mission to make the world safe for Jesus.

View all my reviews

Good quote

2011-01-08T09:51:00.001-06:00

Vanity is the involuntary inclination to set one's self up for an individual while not really being one; that is to say, trying to appear independent when one is dependent. The case of wisdom is the exact contrary: it appears to be dependent while in reality it is independent. -Nitzche

POEM: Why don't we listen?

2010-12-27T19:55:00.001-06:00

Some read nothing but Daniel and Revelation
Some stick to Genesis, Exodus and maybe Matthew, Mark and Luke
There are those who hod onto the Pentateuch and Paul
Myself, I like anything by John
There are those who love the Psalms and Proverbs
Many stick with the prophets, major and minor
Some are convinced that all that matters are the morsels they're rationed
by pastors or televangelists or political ideologues
It's amazing how many mistake Ben Franklin and Bill Shakespeare for something from the good book.
I can't tell you how often I've heard people quoting the code of Hammurabi, convinced they were repeating Jesus', smugly pleased that He backed up their opinions.
I wouldn't be surprised if the same is sometimes true of Machiavelli or even Ayn Rand.
Many have never read any of it at all.
Many figure if they've heard Exodus 20 or Luke 2 once, they've heard it a million times
Many have never even heard that much, and how can they know the Author, if after all, faith comes from hearing?
Some say that if you've read John 3:16, you've heard it all
But how many have seen "John 3:16" a million times, but never actually read or heard John 3:16 at all?
May I humbly recommend reading the parts in red letters?
You might be surprised and impressed, hopefully inspired
or perhaps shocked and dismayed, maybe convicted or offended.
May I further recommend the only sermon we have recorded that Jesus preached?
If enough of us listened, it may change how we think of both Jesus and His Word,
not to mention how we think of our neighbor.
But don't take my word for it,
read it for yourself.

Prayer at family Advent devotion

2010-12-22T23:15:00.000-06:00

"Dear Jesus,
Please help us so that nobody has bad dreams tonight
And when Santa comes, keep him safe
And thank you for all of the things that we already have
and thank you for all of the things that we don't have yet that maybe we're getting
but help us be thankful for everything you give us.
And help other people who maybe don't have much stuff.
We love you Jesus,
Amen"

This was my 5 year old! And then later she was singing the Galatians 5 song, "Love, Joy, Peace and Patience, Kindness, Faithness, Goodness..." She didn't quite get all the lyrics right, but how awesome that your kid is singing about the fruit of the Spirit?

Thank You Jesus, for the faith of a child. How blessed are my wife and I?

Advent in a Crumbling Empire, Sojourners Magazine/December 2010

2010-12-08T09:30:00.000-06:00

Advent in a Crumbling Empire, Sojourners Magazine/December 2010:

"in Advent we dare to hope. Advent leads to Christmas. At Christmas we celebrate a baby who became a political refugee, grew up to preach God's love, and was executed as a rebel. His life was a failure, his followers scattered, his hope for a new community dust. And then it all turned around. Our Advent hope is this: All empires are under judgment. Out of death comes life. God's will is shalom. The one who loses life will save it.

The manger leads to the cross, to the empty tomb, to the upper room. And the upper room becomes an empty room when the Spirit fills us so that we too are transformed and offer our lives in love for others."

Bby Shelley Douglass, who lives and works at Mary’s House, a Catholic Worker community in Birmingham, Alabama."

Advent2010- better to light a candle than curse the darkness

2010-12-03T13:45:00.002-06:00

"Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns." ~Philippians 2:14-15 (the Message)

"better to light a candle than curse the darkness" is an ancient Chinese proverb used as a motto by the Christophers, a group founded by Catholics to promote tolerance, service, political honesty, caring for the sick and poor, and dealing with substance abuse.

It is a theme dramatically illustrated in this 1935 etching by Picasso, The Minitauromachy, in which even in the very face of death, destruction and evil, a little girl holds up a candle of hope against the onslaught of fascism, imperialism, and militarism symbolized by the minotaur.

This first week of Advent, the candle in the wreath is the candle of hope, sometimes known as the Prophets' candle. True, we often look to old testament prophecies of the coming messiah (Jesus), but in Philippians 2, Paul challenges us to be prophets- people who speak God's Word into a dark world. We can hold onto and carry the light of Christ's love into our daily lives, and into even the bleakest situations.

It's easy to become negative, either angry and cynical or discouraged and depressed- but God calls us to be different, to be full of hope. People with Jesus have hope, and people with hope have a sense of security and stability that the world really needs right now.

In a world of poverty, unemployment, alcohol drug abuse and dependence, divorce, non-traditional and broken families, my students sometimes think of me as boring, conservative or an anachronism. But they also see me as safe and steady, caring and approachable and I hope as trustworthy. I'm not the world's greatest teacher or coach. But I can try to be as patient, kind, empathetic, and caring as I can.

It sounds Pollyanna or naive', but sometimes just being a decent person can make someone's world a better place. Certainly just being friendly and smiling can make someone's day.

This Christmas season, try lighting candles instead of just cursing the darkness. Try to be a prophet of hope.

"17 Life will be brighter than noonday,
and darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
and many will court your favor." ~Job 11:17-19

Advent2010- grow in grace & knowledge

2010-11-30T06:44:00.103-06:00

...you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ~2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9

Monday morning, my daily devotion was 2 Peter 3 (read it yourself). You almost couldn't find a better chapter if you wanted to study Jesus' second coming, like many Christian denominations do in this last part of the church year.

In verse 2, Peter tells us to think about what the Old Testament prophets had to say about Jesus, the promised messiah. Peter empathizes with readers about being laughed at for looking forward to Jesus' return (verses 3-4). He tells them that the same skeptics doubt that God created the world (v.5).

There are actually Republican lawmakers in Congress who deny global warming because in Genesis 9, God promises not to destroy the earth with a flood again. First of all, I figure, PEOPLE are destroying it this time with pollution, whether rising sea levels are part of that or regional climate changes. But in verse 10, Peter explains that the next time God will use fire, not water.

Now, I tend to be one who thinks he's speaking metaphorically, but if you really want to engage in speculation you could imagine solar flares or nuclear Armageddon. But it's important to keep reading 2 Peter 3 because in verse 10 he also reminds us of what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 Jesus Himself said in Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32- that no one knows when He'll come back and you can't predict it- so just trust that He's coming.

As God's children, we can look forward to a new Heaven and a new Earth. We have hope, not fear and we should focus on trust, not speculation. Prophecy for us should mean, speaking God's love and forgiveness, not claiming to predict the future.

Most people think of the book of Revelation as being about the end times and imagine that it predicts the last days. One of my all time favorite books is about how Revelation is really a letter of comfort, hope, and joy- things we associate with Christmas time. The book is Joy in Our Weakness: A Gift of Hope from the Book of Revelation by Dr. Marva Dawn.

Sure, as a progressive, I tend to use verse 8, a day is like a thousand years to rationalize being able to believe that God is the creator, yet it's hard to dismiss evidence of at least some evolution- but Peter meant it to assure them that just because Jesus hadn't returned yet, didn't mean He wasn't still coming.

Today we may look around and easily be overwhelmed with doubt and discouragement. The world is pretty dark, the times are pretty hard. But that doesn't mean that God isn't still there, or that He doesn't still love us, or that He isn't coming back again to abolish death, darkness, doubt and despair once and for all.

That's why the real core of this whole chapter is verse 9. Verse 8 isn't about evolution or when the second coming will happen, it's really about verse 9. And verse 9 is all about God's patient love. He doesn't want ANYONE to be lost. He doesn't WANT anyone to go to Hell. His will is that EVERYONE would come to Him for the free gifts of His love and forgiveness.

What Peter wants for his readers (and he gives Paul kudos for wanting the same in his letters) is for us to keep working at learning and growing in our faith: " But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

That's what Advent should be all about. Sorry if this post got a little long, or if I wrote more from the head than from the heart- but my hope for you this Advent season, is whether it's here at this blog, some other kind of Advent devotional, or just digging into the Bible on your own- try to grow in both grace and knowledge of Jesus.

Peace, hope and joy!

Advent2010- Christmas is for Children

2010-11-29T09:43:00.001-06:00

"1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure." ~1 John 3:1

Advent (Adventus in Latin, or Parousia in Greek) means looking forward to or preparing for the royal arrival of our Lord and receiving our inheritance as heirs to His kingdom. In case you never heard of it before, Advent is is the season between the Sunday after Thanksgiving through Christmas in the Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist churches.

Official Church liturgy and Bible readings often focus on Jesus' second coming, although most of us lay-people tend to focus on the whole Baby-Jesus traditional Christmas story. The secular world tend to focus on the innocent wonder of childhood, Santa, and of course retail commerce.

If time, inspiration, and inclination, permit me, I'd like to address all of these issues on this blog over the course of the next month.

Regular followers of this blog, know that I'm a big fan of I John. A great way to think of 1 John 3:1 is like we're little kids anxiously waiting for our Daddy to come home from a business trip. We know He loves us and we've talked to him every night on the phone, but we can't wait to finally get to see us in person. On top of it, He's bringing us presents from his trip!

That is some lavish love indeed. But the part that really gives us hope and fits the Advent theme is, "... now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is"

We are saved and justified, but our new lives have just begun, our purification and sanctification will be a life-long process, not completed in full until His return on that last day. I had a pastor once call this the "now, not-yet" factor. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, " For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

I kind of like how the British version of Santa Claus is called "Father Christmas." He can be a metaphor for how we already know that we are loved and cherished children, but we also wait excitedly for when our daddy comes to pick us up from the babysitter and take us home.

Advent2010- Ad te, Domine, levavi

2010-11-28T08:53:00.033-06:00

1To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

2O my God, in You I trust,

Do not let me be ashamed;

Do not let my enemies exult over me.

3Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;

Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

4Make me know Your ways, O LORD;

Teach me Your paths.

5Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

For You I wait all the day.

Read All of Psalm 25 (American Standard Translation)

"Ad te, Domine, levavi" is the first line (in Latin) of Psalm 25, traditionally used by Western churches as the gradual in the liturgy for the first Sunday in Advent.

What an image, to lift (levavi) up our soul to God. This time of year we can face a lot of stress, tighter schedules, bills, shopping, deadlines, bad weather, and looking back at the year or at people we've lost. Lots of people struggle with depression. This is the perfect time to look up, to look toward God, what He's done for us and what He promises to do.

It's the perfect time to look up, to lift our spirits, to lift up our tired, achy souls to God, so that He can refresh and renew us.

THANKS | 27- Time Off

2010-11-27T22:32:00.012-06:00

Well, back to school on Monday. I didn't get the lights on the house and we didn't bring the tree up from the basement yet, we sure don't have our Christmas cards all made out yet. But, we got to sleep in for a few days. I got to spend some time with my girls and my wife and I even managed to squeeze a date night in.

So I not only want to thank God for amazing daughters and an insanely wonderful wife, but I really want to thank the Lord for the last few days off of work to spend with them.

Thanks | 26- Yum

2010-11-26T22:12:00.004-06:00

Thank God for leftovers.
You can have revenge, I think that turkey and stuffing is a dish best served cold.

THANKS | 25- An American Communion

2010-11-25T22:15:00.050-06:00

One of the wonders of the American Thanksgiving Holiday, is that it's sort of a last bastion of cultural commonality, of what Confucius called "deliberate tradition."

Think about it, of the some 300 million people in the United States, I would venture that MOST of us are doing, seeing, eating, and perhaps even thinking the same things for this one day every year.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was broadcast on all 3 major broadcast TV networks.

How many people DON'T have at least turkey? Stuffing? Green been casserole? Pumpkin pie? That cranberry goop that goes "shloop" when you slide it out of the can?

Families play games, share memories. People think about pilgrims and Indians. Kids make paper turkeys in school. Perhaps a few people even about Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation.

Aside from the Super Bowl and the Rose Bowl, the Detroit and Dallas Thanksgiving "Classics" have to be the most viewed football games all year.

So I thank God that this one day, most of us are sharing something in common. And I thank Him that this is a day when most of us take a break from being greedy, selfish, impatient and unsatisfied and instead take on an attitude of gratitude.

But just imagine, if like Lincoln encouraged us, this was the one day when we all prayed and weren't just grateful or thankful, but were grateful and thankful TO somebody, to God? Someday we will, but until then, I'll be grateful for what we've got.

THANKS | 20- The Underdogs

2010-11-20T22:02:00.019-06:00

Thank God for the underdogs, for the guys who didn't win, who believed that their Quixotic mission to effect reform, progress, and change was worth the risks, even in the face of derision, and enormous pressures, and persecution.

A lot of people might disagree with me on this, but I thank God for the likes of William Jennings Bryan, Eugene Debs, Henry A. Wallace, Adlai Stevensen, Jim Garrison, Ralph Nader, and Howard Dean.

THANKS 19 | TGIF

2010-11-19T15:36:00.000-06:00

Yeah, this may sound pretty selfish, worldly, or even glib- but some weeks one of the greatest things you're thankful for is Friday. So as a matter of fact, today, I for one say, Thank God it's Friday!

It's not the least bit sacrilegious if you mean it, and this week I really mean it!

In the spirit of this blog, I could probably go off on how if you appreciate having a 40 hour or 5 day work week you should thank a Liberal/Union/Progressive/Etc. But I'm tired and want to head home. Bottom line is, I could spread this out and talk about how grateful we should be to live in such a modern country with such a high standard of living, yadda yadda yadda, there's not weekends of in Somalia or Haiti or the Solomon Islands, etc. etc.

But the fact is I am blessed enough to live here and have a decent job and when I've had a hard week, I'm very blessed to have a couple of days of rest, recreation, relief, and recovery. This is a huge blessing and a lavish luxury that, goes without saying, most of us take for granted.

So it is entirely fitting and appropriate that we should thank God for it.

Thank God, it's Friday!

A Paradoxical Way of Thinking and Living

2010-11-19T15:25:00.000-06:00

Jesus Did It Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments for Christians by Kent M. Keith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an amazing story, he writes this poem as part of a student leadership booklet back in college in the 60's, and somehow it spreads world-wide. People use it in business and church groups and schools, in the U.S. and Asia and Europe. Eventually the poem winds up on the wall of Mother Theresa's mission in Calcutta.

Keith goes on about his life as a teacher, a lawyer, a state official and a college administrator. And people keep asking him to expound on the ideas in his little booklet and famous poem. So book is the result.

This is a positive message of how God can use you if you just do your best to do the right thing- not for any reward, but just because it's the right thing- even (maybe especially) when it's hard to do the right thing.

View all my reviews

THANKS | 18- Concordia Founder's Day

2010-11-18T07:00:00.002-06:00

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."

~Henry Brooks Adams

"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives."

~Robert Maynard Hutchins

"Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire."

~William Butler Yeats

On this day in 1894 Concordia University, Seward Nebraska was founded. It was about this time in 1989 that I knew I had fallen in love with my wife there. It was about this time in 1990 when we got engaged. If Seward was just the place where I found the love of my life that would certainly be enough reason to give thanks for it. But an Alma Mater is a "nursing mother," the community or institution which takes you from your parents' arms and sets you on your course in life.

I have cohorts who have plenty of reason not to love our college and I understand and respect that. Like our own parents, colleges aren't perfect. They make mistakes, you won't always agree with them, they may even hurt you. I have a friend who feels that Concordia provided an inadequate education, others who were wounded by administrative politics. But while I recognize that it is not perfect and is made up of a variety of people who are imperfect- my experience was generally positive.

I believe it is the people God placed there while I was there who He used to teach and guide me. So I would like to take today to thank God for those people who were at "Concordia Teacher's College" while I was.

Albert Einstein once said that "Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything one learned in school."

Here is just SOME of what has remained with me:

Prof. Moulds- Don't take my word for it, look it up (especially in the Bible)
Prof. Schmidt- True leadership is SERVANT leadership
Doc Meyer- It's all about sifting through the BS to find the nuggets of truth
Doctor Glaess- Life is all about choices, take responsibility for yours
Doctor Vasco- If you're going to err, err on the side of grace
Prof. Wolfram- God provides the wind, but we have to set sail and man the rudder
Prof. Marxhausen- Always take a Sabbath and never take the same route home twice
Prof. Dennison- Life (and democracy) is all about dynamic tension working to create balance
Chaplin Mech- The Bible is full of imperfect people relating to God and beautiful poetry
Doctor Krutz- Taught me to love writing
Prof. Grothaus- One finds time to read
Prof. Pfabe- God loves the poor and wants us to seek justice

And much, much more, from many more professors, support staff, classmates, and a variety of interlopers.

THANKS 17 | Legal mood altering drugs

2010-11-17T09:24:00.000-06:00

While the official family feast is still about 2 weeks away, I think it is very important to thank God for tryptophan. That's that wonderful enzyme found in turkey that makes you want to take a nap.

This might seem sarcastic or silly or glib, but I mean come on, if any middle class, middle aged, middle-of-the-road American male were honest with themselves, they'd say that one of the best parts of Thanksgiving is falling asleep during the Lions' game after that wonderful turkey dinner.

This sentiment may be self indulgent and uncharacteristically shallow and un-liberal and un-profoundly idealistic for this blog, but let's face it, isn't this the very embodiment of blessings and contentment? So let's thank God for affording us the ability to indulge in it...

Come to think of it, thank God for the hippuric acid that give cranberries so much zing, not to mention the protein, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, polyunsaturated fat and beta-carotene that make pumpkin pie so unique and unlike any other lame cobbler cake, pudding or bars.

Mmmmm. I can hardly weight- uh, I mean wait.

THANKS 16 | Great Artists

2010-11-17T09:02:00.000-06:00

I would like to thank God personally for the collective works of cartoonist Charles M. Schultz, animators and producers Lee Mendelson and Jose Cuautemoc "Bill" Melendez and Jazz virtuoso Vince Giralldi and his Trio.

Any encounter I have had with any of their work, but especially with their various collaborations leaves me with a smile and a sense of peace and security like... well, like a security blanket, or maybe like a warm puppy.

THANKS | 15- for lazy weekends

2010-11-15T07:06:00.033-06:00

I actually wrote this yesterday (I'm trying to get a day or two ahead since you never know when you'll have time to write). Last night (Friday) was the first real snow storm of the year. We had a good 3 inches at least. It may have been as much as 6 but it was damp and heavy and the ground is still warm, so much of it probably melted.

It left our town looking bright and clean and quiet. For once we didn't have any obligations or anywhere to go or to be, so we actually enjoyed being home. Sure, the kids were up at the crack of dawn, but they wanted to play outside- which left my love an me to sit and read and occasionally snooze. There was toast and coffee in the morning and warmed up home made potato soup from the night before for lunch. The power went in and out a few times because of heavy snow on the lines but, thankfully, it came back on and the heater kept our hundred year old prairie salt-box house on Fourth street cozy and safe.

There's something about morning light, diffused and reflected by new fallen snow, filtered through white cotton curtains that is about as beautiful as anything can be.

I read one of my favorite authors and now I'm enjoying one of my favorite things, writing- all the time in the company of my favorite person, my wife.

The girls have come in to warm up and have quieted down. They've found a Harry Potter movie on TV and are chatting about snow and sledding and snowmen and the upcoming holidays and what Santa may bring. After a while I'll pick up in the kitchen and start something for supper, but what a blessing to have a day where we've been able to take everything at our own pace. No deadlines, no work. Pax Familia.

It may be rare and when the weekend ends (today, Monday, Nov. 15) will have us back at the grind stone with pressures and schedules and students with demands and administrators with assignments, but for now (two days ago) I want to thank God for this sweet, dreamy Saturday.

THANKS | 14- Thank God for the Blues

2010-11-14T07:49:00.022-06:00

This may be a simple, not so profound one- and certainly one that is a matter of personal taste, but here goes-

Thank God for the Blues. Without the Blues we wouldn't have Jazz or Soul or R&B. But we also wouldn't have Rock or Pop or Hip-Hop, and in fact it is very unlikely that we would have Country (it would either be more like Bluegrass than it already is or maybe even Celtic).

I certainly don't thank God for the conditions that precipitated the development of Blues, slavery, racism, segregation etc. But legend has it that there were studies of slaves and slave owners in the 19th century and supposedly the suicide rates of slave owners were much higher than that of slaves. Go figure. I credit the Blues.

Much of the book of Psalms could be turned into Blues songs. If you can vent your anguish, whether in song or poem or painting, then it has less power over you.

But mostly I just like the Blues. Robert Johnson, Big Joe Turner, Rev. Gary Davis, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and of course ZZ Top and the Blues Brothers.

Thank you Lord, for the Blues.

THANKS | 16- for the rookies... and vets too

2010-11-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

For those of you who don't know it about me, I coach junior high and high school cheerleading at a small public school in Iowa. Over the years plenty of people have told me that I'm either some kind of saint, or certifiably crazy. There is certainly no shortage of egos, drama, tension, silliness, and annoyances. But most of the time it can be very rewarding. I believe God has taught me a lot through it (certainly patience) and I hope and sometimes think that He has used me to help teach and mentor the girls on my squads.

It can be stressful and I have a handful of friends, colleagues and former cheerleaders (including my wife) whom I can vent to when it gets hard- but I usually feel guilty about it because I'm constantly trying to impress on my cheerleaders the importance of being positive and because I don't want the people I'm venting to to conclude that it's a terrible hardship or that I dislike it and would rather get out of it.

So I would be remiss if I didn't take the time to thank God for the kids I have on this year's basketball cheer squads. Three of the four junior high girls are new as are three of the seven high school girls. A lot of coaches of ANY sport might tell you that it's hard to lose a lot of veterans because you have to go back and reteach the fundamentals. They'll often call it a rebuilding year or a growing year.

The thing about rookie cheerleaders is that they tend to be more coachable, more open to teaching and instruction. Girls who have been cheer for a few years start to get fiercely independent. It's good to be able to trust them to know what they're doing, but they can be less open to correction and and more likely to challenge your coaching. Which is okay, that's natural and all part of the process. But it's nice to be doing more actual coaching, and not merely advising or being just a sponsor again. Sure, it can be more work, but that just means more direct and deliberate interaction with kids. This is when teaching happens and when the relationships are established which will offer opportunities for mentoring later on.

So, I want to thank God for Lexis, Jarlin, Cathrine, and Jamie on my MS Squad and for Brittney, Shannon, and Jasmine on my HS Squad.

Although, I still want to thank Him for those hard working veterans who know what they're doing too. I have no rhythm and can't remember most of our cheers. I'm not a dancer. I coach best when I'm coaching the fundamentals. Cheers and chants are passed down through oral tradition. This year, so far, I've been very blessed with girls that seem to work well together and get along- much less drama than some past years. So, I should also thank God for Renea and Tiffany, Brenda and Kayla- and for Cammey who comes inn to help me teach even though she's not cheering this season.

THANKS | 13- Thank you Lord, for librarians

2010-11-13T13:33:00.000-06:00

I have shared here my appreciation for books/reading/and literacy. And I have been grateful here for teachers. But someone all of us really ought to thank God for are truly unsung heroes. People we often think of as quiet, meek, maybe eve superfluous. Some of whom we might judge as petty tyrants for shhushing us to be quiet or stereotype as unassuming spinsters. But these are people who are the bulwarks of democracy. No one has been too worried about the demise of their profession as we have for print newspapers- but between the advent of the digital age and the resurgence of the anti-intellectual, anti-government, rugged-individualism movement, their time is surely limited.

I am talking of course of librarians.

"I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their strength, their powerful political connections or great wealth, who, all over this country, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shelves, and destroyed records rather than have to reveal to thought police the names of persons who have checked out those titles.

So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House, the Supreme Court, the Senate, the House of Representatives, or the media. The America I loved still exists at the front desks of our public libraries."

~Kurt Vonnegut

Thank you God for public libraries and for librarians, long may they shush us.

The problem with Christians

2010-11-13T12:41:00.000-06:00

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
   for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
   for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
   for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
   for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
   for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Not exactly planks in a Republican platform.

Not exactly George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, or Donald Rumsfeld stuff. (Or Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reiley, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, John Boehner, or Mitch McConnell stuff either.)

For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). But, often with tears in their eyes, the demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course, that's Moses, not Jesus. I haven't heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere.

"Blessed are the merciful" in a courtroom? "Blessed are the peacemakers" in the Pentagon? Give me a break!

~Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without A Country, 2005

THANX | 12- Thank God for Ignaz

2010-11-12T07:06:00.013-06:00

Ignaz Philipp Semmelweiss (1818 – 1865) was the Hungarian obstetrician who had the audacity to suggest that hospital personnel, in particular, surgeons, should wash their hands before treating new patients. Sure, we had thinkers and tinkers around like Louis Pasteur, but basically, before Ignaz- we were not much different in our thinking than 500+ years ago when people were afraid of swamp gas or assumed that either evil spirits or bad luck were responsible for all illness.

So this year when you cough or sneeze into your elbow to help stop the spread of flu or when you wash your hands before sitting down to your big turkey feast- thank God for Ignaz Semmelweiss (even if you can't pronounce his name right when you do it).

THANX | 11- Remember

2010-11-11T11:11:00.039-06:00

Because things like unity, justice, domestic tranquility, our common defense, and our general welfare are so important to us. And because the blessings of liberty are so important to us; like freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the press, freedom to assemble and protest, freedom of association, privacy and trial by jury- and the freedom to vote. Because these things are all so precious- we should thank God for our veterans, especially those who gave their last full measure of devotion to our liberties.

Thank You, Lord for those who sacrificed for our freedom, and security.

Paul told us in Philippians 4:6b "...but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." And so we praise Him for His ultimate sovereignty over the nations and thank Him for our veterans- but in the next breath, we bring our requests and petitions to Him.

Please pray for our enemies, just as President Lincoln called us to do, so that God's Spirit would work in their hearts to end hostility and even to become our friends.

Please pray for our current service men and women, that God would protect and defend them, and keep them safe and whole and bring them home soon.

Please pray for their families, to keep them well and whole and to provide for them, and to comfort them and ease their fears while their loved ones are overseas or in harm's way.

Please don't just thank God for our veterans, but pray for them and their families- that they may be provided for, that we would not forget them or take them for granted. Pray that they may be restored to families, communities, to society, to jobs, to healed if not whole body and especially to whole and sound minds and to grant them personal peace and rest from the trauma's they've been through.

And lest we forget that this "Veteran's Day" was first called "Armistice Day" by those veterans themselves- Please pray for peace.

THANX 10 | The basics

2010-11-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

“Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” ~Matthew 8:20

You can call this "Liberal Guilt" if you want to, but the last few days when I've listened to the news on the radio and there have been stories about Haiti still not recovered from January's devastating earth quake, now flooded after a hurricane (which thank God wasn't worse). Families living in refugee camps with no emergency shelters from the rain. Whole communities gathered under a sheet or a tarp.

This has made me tremendously grateful for how fortunate I am to have a solid house, with a heater that works, and a soft, warm bed to crawl into at the end of the day (and some mornings wish I could stay in).

Yeah, as a matter of fact I do think that knowing how desperate the needs are of much of the world should give us pause. Hopefully it should affect us enough to want to do something about the inequity and injustice in the world, or to do with less, or to give if our time and treasure to charitable organizations.

If nothing else, it should make us feel all the more grateful for even the smallest, most mundane blessings that we usually take for granted, or worse, selfishly feel entitled to.

Thank You, Lord, for a house to go home to, for food, clothing, and shelter, and a place to lay my head. Amen.

PS- Happy 527th Birthday, Martin Luther! Nov. 10, 1483. Thank You, God for Dr. Luther and his courage to take a stand for the truth of Your Grace! Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 1:17

THANX | 09- Go Juice

2010-11-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

Thank you, Lord, for coffee

THANX | 08- Thanks God for words

2010-11-08T09:18:00.000-06:00

Parent: "Eat your supper"
Child: "But I HATE this, it's so YUCKY!"
Parent: "Eat. There are children starving in Africa (India, China, name the country or continent)

That's an age-old scene, isn't it? But rather than use it to talk about hunger, poverty, or nutrition I want to use it as a metaphor for literacy.

At our school, we set aside 15-20 minutes a day to Drop Everything And Read (DEAR). What a LUXURY! What a treat! A gift! A joy. Read ANYTHING. Have a chunk of day where you don't have to work on homework or take notes or run laps- just read.

Yet every day kids moan and complain. Do we HAVE to? It's so BOOOOORING! I HATE to read.

Think about the rest of the world for a minute. How few kids have access to school, let alone books? How few people on this planet even know how to read? And then consider how many people on this globe aren't ALLOWED to read, or have what they are permitted to read severely limited?

During medieval times almost no one in Europe could read, monks who worked as scribes, a few super rich royals, some of the earliest bankers and lawyers. Even many priests and monks couldn't read. Books were either so valuable as material possessions or thought of as so dangerous for their potential to inspire people to think for themselves- they were literally locked up.

Martin Luther advocated universal public education because you have to be able to read in order to be able to read the Bible and have a personal relationship with God. Yet how many of us who call ourselves Christian crack our Bibles open, blow off the dust, and bother to read them very often?

So thank God if you can read.

Frankly, I could've (and I suppose should've) made this a really short post because I was just thinking about how thankful I am for books. Mysteries, satires, and poetry. I love reading- and it goes without saying (from how long this post has become) I love writing. Book stores, libraries, online book sharing clubs, Amazon, audio books, and now ebooks and blogs, magazines and websites. Letters! Emails! Texts & Twitters!

Thank you God for words, and as long as I'm at it, thank you for Your Word.

THANX | 07- If you can read this...

2010-11-07T07:37:00.021-06:00

Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ~Isaiah 30:20-21

If you can read this, thank a teacher.

This past weekend in Charter Oak, where I live, we celebrated the retirement of a friend who has taught English and Speech/Drama for 30 years.

She talked about how insignificant she felt her career is in the grand scheme of things. She compared it to dipping your hand in a bowl of water. While it's there, it displaces the water, but once you pull it out, no one knows it was there- the water returns to it's original level, as if it had never been displaced.

We felt differently. We feel like her example was more like a rock dropped in a pond. Waves ripple out and effect the whole pond. Many of her students went on to become teachers themselves, most became parents. She may have been just one teacher at a small school in a small town in the middle of the Midwest, but the way she taught and the values she exemplified both effect and affect generations.

Which teachers and coaches have made a difference in your life? Who do you find yourself emulating? Who's voice most often ends up being that voice in your head?

Thank God for them, for the planning and preparing and sweat and toil. Thank God for their example, their caring, their efforts.

Thank You, Lord for teachers.

THANX | 06- What are you listening to?

2010-11-06T07:00:00.024-05:00

"I watch a lot of baseball on the radio." ~Gerald R. Ford

Yesterday I thanked God for blogging and the Web. One of the simple conveniences of the 20th & 20th Century that I absolutely love and believe it or not, thank God for all the time is radio. I can have music, sports, news, and conversation all day long pretty much for free.

I'm reminded of this the most during NPR fund drives. They do make me feel guilty and I suppose that one of these years I should really not just thank God, but also support my local NPR station financially.

But seriously. Every car comes with a radio. Most of us have radios in our kitchens and bathrooms. Here in the Midwest, they're indispensable for knowing about the weather- storm warnings, road conditions, school closings and game cancellations may now be available by text and email- but most of us still turn to local radio first.

So take a second and thank God for radio.

THANX | 05- This tangled Web

2010-11-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” ~Isaiah 52:7

When I started this experiment, I intended to be brief, concise, and basically list things that I was thankful for- simple things- to show how much we have to be thankful for. But instead, I keep writing these long, in-depth devotions. Guess I should thank God for words, writing, my imagination... and for that matter, for Blogger (and by extension, their parent company Google). Thank God for blogs, the World Wide Web, for Tim Berners-Lee the engineer who helped make it possible, for the internet and visionaries like J.C.R. Licklider and Vinton Cerf who made it possible.

If I in anyway am able to bring you good news here, please don't look at my feet- I'm very self conscious about them. Consider the technology that affords me the opportunity to post it here like my shoes. I'm pretty fortunate to have such awesome shoes.

Thank You, Lord for all these tools and toys we have these days that allow us to all to be writers and publishers while saving paper.

Lighten Up; a Satori

2010-11-04T15:16:00.000-05:00

This morning in my email, someone had sent me an e-card for a Happy Diwali. It was sent anonymously so I don't know who to thank, let alone whether they were sending it sincerely (knowing that I appreciate and am open to a lot of Eastern culture and philosophy) or if they were trying to be play with me (just another holiday) or trying to bait me somehow (cause I'm this big liberal).

However it was intended, I decided to take it in the spirit of Diwali- a celebration of lights and the ultimate triumph of good over evil and compassion over selfishness.

We're just about to get into a lot of festivals of lights here in the next 2 months, what with Jewish Hanukkah, African-American Kwanza, and of course Christianity's Advent season leading up to Christmas and then Epiphany (when we celebrate Jesus, our light coming into the world).

Diwali, also known as Deepavali is a five day festival in Fall when many Hindus, Sikhs, and some Buddhists light oil lamps, wear new clothes and enjoy sweets with their families for five days.

The spiritual aspect of Diwali is that participants attain and awareness of their "inner light," the eternal, unchanging true self, your "Atman" or soul, if you like. These Eastern traditions teach that true enlightenment leads to compassion, love and the awareness that we are all interdependent.

These three principles are pretty worthy aspirations. In fact, lets face it, Jesus taught, demonstrated and offers love (John 13:34-35), compassion (Luke 2), and communion (John 17, Acts 4:32) too.

If there's a difference it's that in Christianity, we know that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 2:23. Let's face it, call me a pessimist, but every human being is by nature fallible, imperfect, selfish and short-sighted. As the psalmist put it, "Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who doesgood, not even one."~Psalm 53:3

There's a lot about the East that is admirable and that we Westerners need to learn from. But the biggest difference theologically is that they're looking for an "inner" light withing one's self, whereas Jesus tells us that He is our light.

“I am the light of theworld. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ~John 8:12

The Apostle John had to compete with Gnosticists and other competing teachings that claimed that humans are capable of transcending society and becoming godlike by looking inside (see my series on John's Epistles, "Johnny Poppin"). Our light comes from outside, not inside.

"The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp."~Revelations 21:23

By pointing this out, it does NOT give Christians an excuse to judge, discriminate or hate Hindus or Buddhists. "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness."~1 John 2:9

The thing is, we ourselves don't have our own light inside us, but we should have a light inside. We should REFLECT God's light. It's like God is the sun and we are all moons. If Jesus lives inside us, if He put His Holy Spirit into our hearts, than we can shine like stars (Philippians 2:15).

"For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ." ~2 Corinthians 4-5

If I understand correctly, many Eastern religions suggest that if we fail to reach enlightenment, we will have many more attempts through reincarnation- eventually maybe attaining loss of self by being absorbed into the universe's goodness. Whereas we are offered reunion and fellowship with each other and with our Father as God's children. And we will never have to fear the darkness again.

"There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the lightof the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."~Revelations 22:5

So, blessed Diwali all my friends, Namaste!

May compassion, love, unity, and enlightenment be yours in Christ.

THANX | 04- Fresh starts

2010-11-04T08:40:00.000-05:00

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" ~2 Corinthians 5:17

I for one am really grateful that no messy life gets, I can always start over. I think this is a freedom that God gives us that we too often take for granted.

The recovery movement has some great sayings like, "one day at a time," and "today is the first day of the rest of your life." The point of these platitudes is that, whatever mistakes you've made, you can always star over from right here right now and start over.

We often use New Year's for resolutions, hoping we'll get "get back on track," or "turn over a new leaf." And, imperfect human beings that we are, many's a year that we've broken our resolutions before January is over.

Many Christians try to use the Easter season the same way. We don't see Lent so much as an opportunity to try to empathize with Jesus' suffering or to recognize that it was our sin that sent Him to the cross- instead we try to use it as a motivator for our own self-improvement, to lose weight or to try to kick some habit.

God does want us to turn from our sin and follow Him. And there's sure nothing wrong with self improvement (so long as we keep in mind that no amount of improvement will add or take away any of His unconditional love for us or get us closer to Heaven- He took care of that on the cross).

Still, when things obviously aren't going the way they should, we wish we could start over. Well, thank God, we can. Every moment of every day. But if it's still too hard to wrap our minds around starting over from right here, right now- there are always tons of mile markers or touch stones that we can use as launching pads and starting points.

Elections provide new starting points. New quarters and new semesters in school do too. So can new sports seasons. Completing a project. New months, new check books. Going from Summer to Fall or Fall to Winter. Daylight Saving's Time.

Anytime is the perfect time to start again, start over, or start something completely new. Every morning is a new start.

Feel like you've messed up with a relationship? Said or done something you wish you hadn't? Been dropping-the-ball on something that you think needs more attention? Want to make a fresh start of it? There's no time like the present.

I can't tell you how often I thank God for the fact that He doesn't hold my past against me, but lets me start from right here at trying to be who He intended me to be, to be a new creation.

The future starts now- thank God!

THANX | 03- Good Morning

2010-11-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."~Psalm 90:14

Seems like every morning these last few weeks I've been privileged to some of the most beautiful sunrises. It's like living in a painting. This isn't huge or profound, it may just be a trifle, but I enjoyed it and told God so.

Thank you Lord for my eyesight and for the glory of Your creation and for quiet moments when I can use my senses to take in nature's beauty.

If you're like most people, and need to get to work by 8 or 9, there's probably sometime between 7 and when you enter through the door at your job when you can just take a few seconds to look around. Take a deep breath, smell the air, feel the morning on your skin.

Sure, it would be great to have 20 minutes of exercise, or a half an hour to an hour of prayer and meditation, or just 15 minutes alone to clear your mind. All those are wonderful ideas, but let's face it- not many of us manage to squeeze these in. But all of us can take a moment, somewhere between 15 and 90 seconds to experience morning outdoors.

I'm probably more blessed than many since I live in rural Iowa. I may see deer, pheasants, wild turkeys, migrating geese and constantly changing colors in the farm fields and trees on my morning commute. Yet I still get wrapped up in planning for the day ahead or reviewing the night before or listening to the car radio. Sometimes the only time I take to appreciate the morning is the moment between the parking lot and my classroom door. But what a moment.

In Summer, I feel the warmth and smell cut grass. In Fall there's a crisp, dry air and that smell of leaves or harvest. Obviously in winter it's the chill and the clean, snow-filtered air and bright light that bounces off of all things white. Spring may be the best, there's a moisture and either mud or new growth on trees and emerging flowers.

But of course, even if you're driving and just get a glimpse out your windshield, the best part of morning is the sunrise. Whether it's the orange on the horizon, gradually giving way to dusty blue of late October, or a narrow strip of violet or indigo leading in to a gradation of blues from deep to cyan in January, or the radiant pinks and magentas or golds that seem to saturate a ceiling of stratus clouds any time of year. There's just nothing like a sunrise.

Enjoy one soon and thank God for the morning, nature, and eyes and senses to experience it with.

THANX | 02- Family & Affection

2010-11-02T07:00:00.038-05:00

"Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him." ~Psalm 127:3

I'm on a break from coaching cheerleading between football and basketball seasons, that means that (at least until games start up again, I have a little more time for my own family during the week. Last night, that meant giving my wife a break from driving our oldest girl to Occupational Therapy in Sioux City.

This meant that I got to spend from 4:30-8:30 with my daughter, driving up, shopping, waiting for her during OT, and supper. What a great chance to visit about school and friends and life in general.

Thank you, Lord for Grace. I enjoy spending time with her and I'm so proud of her. Thank you for the chance to be with her so much last night.

This morning, once I got all the lunches packed and breakfast served and medicine doled out, I actually had a few minutes before I needed to get on the road to work, so I sat down in an over-stuffed chair. Before long, the middle daughter crawled onto my lap and was telling me about her school day Monday.

Competitive as they are, our youngest snuggled up too, so that suddenly I was blanked in daughters like a warm quilt. Granted, they both told me that I should dye my goatee- but what a blessing!

Thank you, Lord for my kids.

THANX | 01- Beginning an experiment, get back in touch

2010-11-01T07:00:00.043-05:00

Some years I've tried to write devotions during Advent or Lent. This year, I'd like to try something different. I feel like I really want to nurture an attitude of gratitude. I also want to practice making my writing more brief and concise. So everyday of November, up until Thanksgiving- I will simply thank God for something I am grateful for. My challenge to you readers is to try to do the same.

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy" ~Philippians 1:3

Thank You Lord, for friends. I recently got back in touch with a former student whom I hadn't heard from in at least 2 years. It was good to find out that she's doing well.

Thank You Lord, for mentors and mentees. A couple of weeks ago a speaker at a conference encouraged us to make contact with someone who made a difference in our lives and let them know how much they meant to us. I wasn't sure how to reach a former pastor and some former professors, so I started with former students who had changed some of how I thought and taught. Eventually I managed to reach the people who had mentored me. It may have just been small notes, but it certainly reminded me of how much God has blessed me through other people.

Challenge- who has God put in your life who has mentored you, or whom you've had the opportunity to mentor. Thank God for using those people in your life and as long as you're thinking about it, make an effort to thank them too- maybe with a phone call or a letter, maybe just an email or a note on facebook. You'll make their day and help to foster an attitude of gratitude in others too.

Weird reminders

2010-10-24T14:15:00.000-05:00

Since no high school students ever come to Bible Study anymore, and our Pastor invited them to his anyway- I've just started to let my wife and girls get in the shower first and enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee while they're at Sunday School .

This morning I remembered that I had to usher and that the choir was singing. Usually my wife comes home for some coffee after she's done leading the opening music for Sunday School. Today she didn't, finally she called me as asked if I needed a ride or if I was planning on coming to choir practice on my own.

Ordinarily I try to be pretty rational, non-superstitious and assume that if/when God is going to speak to me it will be either through His Word or preaching on His Word. But as theologically conservative and as much of a level-headed Lutheran ad I like to be- I certainly think He's capable of having a sense of humor.

Anyway, when I got in, there was a fortune cookie from the Chinese restaurant I took my girls to for lunch the day before. As I stuck the key in the ignition I absent-mindedly cracked it open.

"You have a deep appreciation of the arts and music" it read. Including contemporary praise music, I thought with guilt about being late. It's only a few blocks, but I switched on the radio to hear David Bowie chanting the chorus of his song, "Modern love gets me to the church on time..."

Maybe coincidence, maybe light-hearted encouragement to someone who wanted to go back to bed.

We're all swine before God's pearls

2010-10-21T12:38:00.000-05:00

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. This obviously isn't Vonnegut's most famous novel. I'm not qualifies as a literary critic to say whether it's one of his best. And I've only just started reading it, so I'm not ready to say whether it's my favorite of his yet. But I will say this, it has to be the least subtle. What I mean by that is that is is a scathing satire of class and political and moral hypocrisy in America, and he doesn't hold any punches. Because of that, I am loving it!

Witness this exchange between Senator Lister Rosewater with his daughter-in-law Sylvia, discussing the mental health of his son, Eliot:

"I loved Eliot on sight."

"Isn't there some other word you could use?"

"Than what?"

"Than love."

"What better word is there?"

"It was a perfectly good word- until Eliot got hold of it. It's spoiled for me now. Eliot did to the word love what the Russians did to the word democracy. If Eliot is going to love everybody, no matter what they are, no matter what they do, then those of us who love particular people for particular reasons had better find ourselves a new word." He looked at an oil painting of his deceased wife. "For instance- I loved her more than I love our garbage collector, which makes me guilty of the most unspeakable of modern crimes: Dis-crim-i-nay-tion."

Yeah, if you read and believe anything Jesus said in the New Testament, we are all called to love our neighbor indiscriminately and unconditionally- and as Vonnegut shows through his vagabond billionaire protagonist, Eliot Rosewater, if you genuinely follow Christ's example, people with think you're certifiably insane.

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