Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Reflections of . . . . ?
In the New York Times dated February 21, 2007 there is an article about the Episcopalian Church of the United States. See the link below.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/21/us/21episcopal.html?th&emc=th
Obviously news is only news if it is sensational and when it involves Christianity or Judaism it becomes even more "juicer" for reporters. We have been bombarded with Catholic Priests and children, a Pentecostal Pastor with a male prostitute and meth, Jimmy Swaggart's admission to adultery, Jim Bakker and the 700 Club, and now the Episcopalian Church in the United States.
I firmly believe that sin needs to be addressed and action taken. I also believe that forgiveness and not exploitation needs to be provided. Forgiveness is not forgetting, it is not excusing or condoning, it does not require a person to acknowledge they have done anything wrong. It involves the love of one person for another. Whether the law agrees, or you or anything else under heaven, forgiveness is warranted in God's world, this world.
How is it we overlook the wanton disregard of radical groups bent on domination based on religious beliefs and say we need to be "tolerant" of them. How is it we turn a blind eye to a politicians "indiscretion", the selling of National secrets, or misleading justification of military action for the sake of legacy. How is it that national and local governments foolishly spend taxpayer's dollars in a country of the brave and free? Freedom is not free but its a crime to extort the price of freedom from an uniformed population.
Now I understand that religious leaders and institutions are held to a higher standard of moral and ethical conduct. But why? Why should an Imam be held more accountable than a Congressman(woman)? Why should the President be less accountable for actions than the local grocer? Why should whites be treated differently than blacks and vice versa.
Not one "god" of any major religion tells us to be evil. The face of evil is not God's.
Look in the mirror.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/21/us/21episcopal.html?th&emc=th
Obviously news is only news if it is sensational and when it involves Christianity or Judaism it becomes even more "juicer" for reporters. We have been bombarded with Catholic Priests and children, a Pentecostal Pastor with a male prostitute and meth, Jimmy Swaggart's admission to adultery, Jim Bakker and the 700 Club, and now the Episcopalian Church in the United States.
I firmly believe that sin needs to be addressed and action taken. I also believe that forgiveness and not exploitation needs to be provided. Forgiveness is not forgetting, it is not excusing or condoning, it does not require a person to acknowledge they have done anything wrong. It involves the love of one person for another. Whether the law agrees, or you or anything else under heaven, forgiveness is warranted in God's world, this world.
How is it we overlook the wanton disregard of radical groups bent on domination based on religious beliefs and say we need to be "tolerant" of them. How is it we turn a blind eye to a politicians "indiscretion", the selling of National secrets, or misleading justification of military action for the sake of legacy. How is it that national and local governments foolishly spend taxpayer's dollars in a country of the brave and free? Freedom is not free but its a crime to extort the price of freedom from an uniformed population.
Now I understand that religious leaders and institutions are held to a higher standard of moral and ethical conduct. But why? Why should an Imam be held more accountable than a Congressman(woman)? Why should the President be less accountable for actions than the local grocer? Why should whites be treated differently than blacks and vice versa.
Not one "god" of any major religion tells us to be evil. The face of evil is not God's.
Look in the mirror.
The problems of the world are not God's.
Look in the mirror.
The solution to the nation's woes is not God's.
Look in the mirror.
Religions are not a reflection of God but a reflection of self. Maybe if we are expecting God to change what's going on in our life, this country, this world, the changes begin within us.
The more we learn about God the more we understand God's plan for all. The more we know and belief about God the more we willing become more obedient to God. And just like the old Christian hymn, we need to
"trust and obey, for there is no other way. . . "
Religions are separated by the size of box in which they stuff God. Every religion can be defended by an appeal to the authority of Scripture, tradition and reason but each finds it difficult to understand and embrace other faiths.
"All nature sings and around me rings, the music of the spheres". All "nature" reflections the grandeur and majesty of God . . except humanity. A humanity that was created in the very image of God.
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Keepers of the Aquarium.
Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium.
Are You Jesus? EXCUSE ME, ARE YOU JESUS? As you read this think about what you would do! "Excuse me, Are you Jesus?" I think is really powerful and makes one think!!!!
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.
ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.
He was glad he did. The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.
When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."
As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"
Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our Destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.
You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.
Do people mistake you for Jesus?
Labels: Hope, John 3:16, Preacher, Responsibility, Sacrifice, Salvation, Savior
Friday, February 02, 2007
This Is Not A Current Event
I did not write the following editorial though I will comment on it. However, I love American history and look forward to exploring some more this summer. I have been to D.C. many times but did not know about this sad reality about our denial of God in government. Oh, I believe our government sees itself as a god, its own. But to ignore the One true God that watches over this great nation, to deny the words of great religious politicians and believe the propoganda of elected people giving lip service to God is . . . is . . . obtuse. There's a safe word.We know the Founding Fathers believed in an Almighty God. Their correspondence and letters are filled with religious references. We know that men and women in battle have called upon God when nothing else can overcome fear. We know that history records that God is useded to manipulate people to vote certain ways, it records that God is convienent,"In God We Trust" but not revere, obey and most times acknowledge.
Read one more denial of the God who loves us, no, adores us to the point of sacrifice. God died so that me might live free and forever in His Kingdom, His home. But, well, read on.
SHALL WE HIRE A MONUMENT ENGRAVER TO GO TO ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY AND ADD THE MISSING WORDS ? A MESSAGE FROM AN APPALLED OBSERVER:
Today I went to visit the new World War II Memorial in Washington, DC! I got an unexpected history lesson Because I'm a baby boomer, I was one of the youngest in the crowd. Most were the age of my parents, Veterans of "the greatest war," with their families. It was a beautiful day, And people were smiling and happy to be there. Hundreds of us milled around the memorial, reading the inspiring words of Eisenhower and Truman that are engraved there. On the Pacific side of the memorial, a group of us gathered to read the Words President Roosevelt used to announce the attack on Pearl Harbor: Yesterday, December 7, 1941-- a date which will live in infamy--the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked. One elderly woman read the words aloud: With confidence in our armed forces, with the abounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. But as she read, she was suddenly turned angry. "Wait a minute," she said, "they left out the end of the quote. They left out the most important part. Roosevelt ended The message with "so help us God.'" Her husband said, "You are probably right. We're not supposed to say Things like that now." "I know I'm right," she insisted. "I remember the speech." The two looked dismayed, shook their heads sadly and walked away. Listening to their conversation, I thought to myself,Well, it has been over 50 years she's probably Forgotten." But she had not forgotten. She was right. I went home and Pulled out the book my book club is reading --- "Flags of Our Fathers" by James Bradley. It's all about the battle at Iwo Jima. I haven't gotten too far in the book. It's tough to read because it's a graphic description of the WWII battles in the Pacific. But right there it was on page 58. Roosevelt's speech to the nation ends In "so help us God." The people who edited out that part of the speech when they engraved it on the memorial could have fooled me. I was born after the war.! But they couldn't fool the people who were there. Roosevelt's words are engraved on Their hearts. Now I ask: "WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE WORDS OF HISTORY?????????" Send this around to your friends People need to know before everyone forgets. People today are trying to change the history of America by leaving God out of it, but the truth is, God has been a part of this nation, since the beginning. He still wants to be...and He always will be! If you agree, pass this on. If not, May God Bless YOU!
People who leave God out of their lives are fightened individuals who believe that God is only going to restrict their lives. By ignoring God people do not have to be responsible but to themselves. Thus the line from the 70's "If it feels good do it, do it if it's what you feel" becomes a mantra. This philosophy applies to drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, liying, gambling, shopping, theft, eating. Because it "feels good" does not make it right. Only God determines right. Not you, not me, nor the government of any country.
So, put God first. Get God back in the life of our country. And begin by putting God back into the history books, quotations and lives of people who acknowledged His Reality.
1 Cor 8:2-32
The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.3 But the man who loves God is known by God. (NIV)
THERE IS A GOD - - - - YOU'RE NOT HIM!
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