Thought for the Day, Month, Year...

Judge not.

Daughter Delivered

We took E. to Houghton this weekend, taking us about nine hours to get there on Thursday. She seems to be settling in, although a little homesick. It is a very personal and personable place and we feel good about her being there. The service for students and parents included extended written prayers for the parents, the students, and the faculty. Each tood and read the its prayer, which was printed on the bulletin. Whoever wrote the parents' prayer knew exactly what we were thinking and feeling- I couldn't even say the words, even though I wanted to, because my throat just closed as I read the words that expressed just how I felt:

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, giver of all good and perfect gifts; We thank you for all these, our children, whom we now commit to the task of learning, and to growing in service to your Kingdom. Grant that these, our children, may find in this, your college, the love and the wisdom needed to illuminate the paths to knowledge. Bless those who teach; enable them to walk in the light of your everlasting Word. May your Spirit lead these students to become men and women of pure heats, of uprihght purpose, of steadfast endeavor- to learn and to do your will. In the name of Chris Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Churchianity

Churchianity (n.) A pejorative term used to describe practices of Christianity that are viewed as placing a larger emphasis on the habits of church life or the institutional traditions of a specific Christian denomination than on the teachings of Jesus Christ (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Note to Russ

Excellent sermon today! A beautiful blend of biblical challenge and biblical encouragement from a man who clearly loves the Lord and wants to serve him in honesty and openness!

We at VBC get plenty of encouragement, so I appreciate your challenges to defeat Satan and live for Christ in our minds - both for me, my kids, and for all the VBC folks. You're so right, if we allow ourselves to be defeated in the "small" sins, we'll struggle when the real difficulties arise.

Weary? Burdened?

Jesus extends an invitation to those who are weary and burdened. He asks that they come to him and receive rest for their souls and experience the lightness of his "yoke." Is is only when people are weary and burdened with the sin-tainted disappointments of life that they can really see the true rest that only Christ can provide and the fact that his "yoke" is light?

Perhaps those who haven't yet experienced the weariness and burden of the sin of the world (not to mention their own) cannot covet and yearn for the soul rest of Christ. Maybe we should be praying for our strayed loved ones, that they would know soul weariness and experience the burden of the sin that so easily entangles- the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (to quote the beloved apostle).

Grades Are Done

I just submitted my grades for my online English 101 summer session course. The research paper topic was "Spirituality" and there were interesting papers- "The Catholic Church and the Bible," "Mixed Marriages of Different Faiths," "Pope Paul's Ministry to the Catholic Youth of the World," "Scientific Evidence That Prayer Works," "The Media's Inaccurate Portrayal of Islam," "Sports and Religion," etc.

I chose the topic because I wanted to give students the opportunity to discuss their questions and beliefs and learn about the faith of others. At secular colleges, there isn't much opportunity since a great many instructors purposely stay away from the topic of personal faith.

As a Child

Jesus talked about having a child's faith. I think I'm starting to learn how to believe and ask and seek forgiveness in simplicity- without getting distracted by theological lenses, without looking at the Lord through theological ideas, but just as my loving Father. Not that it was a problem before, but I'm learning to better see and better put into practice what before was more of an idea. I'm not very good at it and I'm not very consistent with it, but I'm getting a glimmer.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled,
For Faith has caught the joyful sound-
The song of Saints on higher ground.

At Home in Mitford, a novel about Father Tim, offers a picture of one kind of childlike faith.

Knowing v. Knowing

When I have sadly misunderstood Him? (John 10:17). It is possible to know all about doctrine and yet not know Jesus. The soul is in danger when knowledge of doctrine outsteps intimate touch with Jesus. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine was no more to Mary than the grass under her feet. Any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could not ridicule out of her was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her; yet His blessings were nothing in comparison to Himself. Mary "saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus . . ;" immediately she heard the voice, she knew she had a past history with the One who spoke. "Master!" (Oswald Chambers 8/16).

The Mark

I've never been interested in all the "end times"-focused stuff that is around. But recently I attended a video session of Katherine Albrecht teaching about the possible spiritual dangers of Christians being physically marked as part of marketing or security practices. She suggested that these marks might be the mark described in Revelation, and that those who are so marked will be destroyed. Her idea seemed to be that Christians might be marked, not knowing that the mark would bring destruction, and then be destroyed. Is that what scripture teaches? I don't know, but I'm going to try to check it out.

Postponement

The Sunday School (on marriage) that I was planning to do this fall, starting next month, has been postponed due to "Purpose Driven Church" activities. The handouts are at my web site, Instead of Briers.

It's All In The Definition

When we humans commit a heinous crimes on a large scale, we do it in such a way as to be able to say that we're not committing heinous crime. It's as simple as changing the definition of the crime.

The Nazis knew what murder was and the laws of Germany rightly called murder a crime, but the Nazis taught that the Poles and Jews and Russians were not human- but subhuman. And since the definition of murder is to kill a human, they weren't really committing murder, because their victims weren't human.

Of course, those were the Nazis and we are not Nazis, we are moral and compassionate- we are Americans and would never do what the Nazis did. Or, would we?

If we call a person "fetal tissue," then the person is no longer a person. And since it's no longer a person, it is now merely a part of a person. And that person (the mother) can choose to have it removed, like a skin blemish or a tumor. But that is not considered a murderous act, because it's not a person, it's only fetal tissue.

If Hitler were alive, he'd approve- I'm sure.

Sunday Morning at McDonalds

Yesterday after church we stopped at the Plainfield McDonald's for a snack. The store was understaffed and it took a while to get our order; the three girls working there were swamped and the place looked like it had been hit by a bomb. Since it was a beautiful Sunday, I wonder if some of the scheduled help had called in “sick”?

I had a cinnamon bun (way too much sugar frosting) and a medium Coke (they didn’t have iced tea for some reason). Carolyn had an Egg McMuffin and a medium diet. We sat near the window near their flowered landscaping and had a nice quiet time together.

The Irreducible Minimum

Rick, You asked for my thoughts on the "Irreducible Minimum" of Christianity, so are my thoughts. I may have left something out and I’m sure that some folks will not be happy with it, but it reflects what the Lord has shown me.

There is one God and Jesus Christ is his only Son; he alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Continuing in Christ by life-changing faith and fruitful repentance brings newness of life, both now and in eternity.

God has revealed this in the New Testament scriptures.

Stephen's Birthday

I mailed a card to Stephen for his birthday on the 12th. He probably doesn't get any cards or any recognition of his birthday. Even though he's crammed into a crowded federal prison, I'd guess that he's rather lonely. And I ordered him a present from Amazon, since he likes to read theology. It's a comparison of Calvinism and Arminianism, which is a topic that I know interests him. I sent his address to Rick, since he knows Stephen, so I hope Rick sends him something, too.