The Rule of Faith?I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by theHoly Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, wascrucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he roseagain from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the righthand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge thequick and the dead.I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communionof saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the lifeeverlasting. Amen.?For centuries, the Apostle?s Creed has also been called; ?The rule of faith.? What this means is that this creed, more so than any other, gives a good summation of what Christian faith is al about. The Apostle?s Creed has also formed the basis for many great theological treatises.Contrary to some opinion, the Apostle?s Creed was not written by the apostles. It authorship is unknown but apparently evolved in the first and second century and reached the form we know now in the eighth century. Historically, it has been the creed most often used when bringing new members in to the Christian faith.One way to think of this creed is that it reflects the missionary nature of the Christian church. We are all sent forth in faith as apostles (those sent out with a mission). Our calling is to make disciples for Jesus Christ and this is our statement of faith and our beliefs in their simplest form. Hence it is the ?Apostle?s Creed? and the ?Rule of faith.?The Heidelburg Catechism divides this creed in to three major sections for further expansion: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In the next several posts, I too will divide the creed into sections. I hope to explore this ecumenical creed and give some expansion for the truths of Christian faith that it expounds and encourage you to think about what it is you profess when you recite this creed. In essence, I?ll be doing what several others have done over the years, using the creed as a basis for some theological thought. My efforts may not be as concise or well thought out as those of Calvin or Barth, but they will attempt to reflect my understanding of Christian faith as it is expressed in this creed.Merciful God, you gave us this creed as a means of expressing our faith in words that others understand. Guide my writings and bless those who read this that we may all wrestle with our understanding of life as your servants. This we ask in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.Download today?s podcast here!

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For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory. Amen. ?1 The earth is the LORD?s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it? 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.? ? Psalm 24:1,10 Somehow, it seems fitting to me that the Lord?s Prayer closes with a strong reaffirmation that we are God?s. It is a reaffirmation that God is the King of all and ruler of the universe. We, who are but mere children before God, have nothing and are nothing except for God?s mercy and grace. On our own we are incapable of earning God?s favor. But, through the intercession of Jesus Christ, we have an audience before God. We are given access to God and God?s love. It is unlimited access to unlimited love. Amen, or ?So be it? is all we can say to this wonder of wonders. You and I are favored to be recipients of God?s blessings and we are aware of this favor. We are also aware that the same blessing is offered and given to all, but not all are aware of it. The challenge is remain aware of who we are and whose we are. We must acknowledge our place before God and ensure that others are aware of the mercies and grace they too receive from God Almighty. This is our task and our blessing. Amen ? so be it! Lord of all, we are your children and your servants. All we have and hope to be is a gift from you and we are grateful. Bless and encourage us as we share the Good News of life as your children today. This we ask in the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen. Download today?s podcast!

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And lead us not in to temptation, but deliver us from evil?1 Corinthians 14:20b ?In regard to evil, be infants, but in your thinking be adults.?1 Corinthians 13:11 ?When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I put childish ways behind me.?One of the best known prayers in all of Christianity is the Lord?s Prayer. It has been said that one could meditate on its intricacies for years and grown deeper in faith each day. I have always been intrigued by the phrase, ??deliver us from evil?? The passages above seemed to lead me in my reflections on this important phrase.How are we to be like children in regard to evil? Perhaps the question is more one of ensuring that we are not practicing evil, simply because we are told it is wrong. When we were children we obeyed and followed the direction of parents, teachers and others without question. It was a matter of trust.Perhaps that is what we need to be about today, trusting God and the Bible when it identifies something as evil, or sinful. Not going blindly without thought or reason, but taking seriously biblical admonitions and studying carefully the issue before we decide, ?That no longer applies.?Then I believe we would be like a child in regard to evil, not truly knowing it or worrying about it but living in the good. Yet, we are to think like adults. We are to think through those actions that are wrong and recognize that evil does exist.We must also recognize that not everyone is good. Some are truly evil or insidiously so. During the time the SALT II treaty was implemented, Ronald Regan was quoted, ?Trust everyone, but verify.? We too must do what we can to protect others from evil. We can trust others to behave properly, but still have in place safeguards and consequences to protect society from those who are truly evil. We cannot live in a vacuum and erroneously believe that everyone is good. Yet we must always urge ourselves and others to turn from evil to God?s ways; even as we protect our selves and seek to reform our ways to bring our lives into accord with God?s will.Merciful God, we are all sinners of your redeeming. Help us Lord, deliver us from evil and guide us as we seek to be children, with a clear sense of right and wrong in our lives. Grant us the reasoning of adults to make good choices in our lives. This we ask in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.Download Today?s Podcast!

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?23?For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ?Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.? 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ?Pay what you owe.? 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ?Have patience with me, and I will pay you.? 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt... 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ?You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you??? 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.? ? Mt. 18:23-35This is probably the section of this prayer that is most often translated differently. In some versions it is translated as ?debt/debtors,? others as ?sins/sinners,? and still others as ?trespasses/trespassers.? No matter how one translates this passage the focus is ultimately the same, the measure of mercy and grace we show and share is the measure we can expect from God. To be honest, this is a tough lesson for us to learn. If the question was just forgiveness of sins/wrongs committed against us, it would seem easier. However, when we factor in the concept of the grace and mercy we show others, the issue seems tougher somehow. I know it is for me. How many times have we heard or said, ?I can never forgive so and so for that!? In essence we are asking that God show the same mercy to us. I don?t know about you, but that scares me and gives me reason to pause and reconsider how I relate to others. It also causes me to seriously think about why Christ lived and died for each of us. The heart of Jesus? earthly life was to assure us that God loves and cares for each and every one of us. He came to tell the Good News of forgiveness and reconciliation with God. In other words, he came to tell us that God has forgiven our sins and transgressions; shown us great mercy and grace, and we must likewise forgive those who have harmed us, demonstrating the grace and mercy we receive from God. Gracious Lord, we are not worthy of your love or your kindness, yet you choose to forgive our debts. Help us to recognize the grace you show us and to share it with others as we forgive our debtors. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.Download Today's Podcast!!!

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Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread??22 He said to his disciples, ?Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you--you of little faith! 29 And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30 For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.? ? Luke 12:22-31In my walk of faith, I have always trusted God. I knew without a doubt, that I would always have what I needed to succeed in life. I?ve tried to live and to walk with the passage above in mind each day. Each time I read the passage I am also reminded of an old Rolling Stones song, ?You Can?t Always Get What You Want.? In both cases, I recall the difference between what I might want and what I truly need and require each day. This is the same message and lesson that was taught to the people of Israel in the dessert. When they had no food and cried out to God, God provided manna. But it was just enough for each household for one day (except for the Sabbath). Some of us have been fortunate and have leaned this lesson early on in life. Other people struggle to learn it and never seem to succeed. It is this struggle to get what one needs that has led Christianity to be called at the same time; an ?Opiate to the masses,? and a promise of liberating hope for those who need it. When we pray, ?Give us this day?,? we seek enough for today and no more. This is completely contrary to all the conventional wisdom of the world. Society, teaches us from an early age to not be satisfied with what we need, instead to seek what we want. We are encouraged to be greedy little children who always want more and are never satisfied. A Christ-like life focuses on trusting God for all we need in life. It helps us to realize that God gives us enough and then some. We have ample reason to rejoice in the gifts God has given us and the bounty we have. Our stewardship finds at its heart the realization that God has indeed given us our daily bread and dessert too!Thank you Lord for our daily bread and for all the bounties we receive from you. May our trust and reliance on you deepen each day as we recognize the bounties you have given to us. This we ask in the name of your greatest gift, Christ our Lord. Amen. Download Today?s Podcast!

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Thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven??1 The earth is the LORD?s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it? 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.? ? Psalm 24:1,10The concept of living under a king is foreign to most of us in the U.S.. After all, isn?t that what the Revolutionary War was all about? Our political forefathers threw off the mantle of the monarchy in favor of a republic. I for one don?t know that I would want to go backwards. However, our lack of understanding of the complete power and authority of a king (not just as a figurehead) makes it tough for us to comprehend what it means to pray. ?thy kingdom come.? When we say these words, we are giving God complete control over all that we are and all we do. We are submitting, body and soul to God?s reign and working to further that reign in our lives. In the Old Testament when a person came before the king, they assumed a physical position of obedience, falling face down on the floor. In essence, we are to practice the same behavior before God.We are further swearing that there is no place on earth or in heaven that is beyond God?s rule. We admit that it is God we are here to serve and not the reverse, something that may seem out of character in this age of ?entitlement.?So then our attitude in prayer is one of obedience and subservience. We affirm it is God?s kingdom and God?s will we are hoping and praying to put in action on earth, just as it already is in heaven. This is revolutionary thinking in the 21st century. But with God, all things are possible!Lord, following you challenges much of what we learn in the world today. Help us, Lord. Give us hearts that long to follow your will, and lives that show your love for us all. This we ask in the name of your greatest gift, Christ, our Risen Lord and Savior. Amen.Download Today?s Podcast!

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Hallowed be thy name??7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.? -Exodus 20:7?13 But Moses said to God, ?If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ?The God ofyour ancestors has sent me to you,? and they ask me, ?What is his name?? what shall I say to them?? 14 God said to Moses, ?I AM WHO I AM.? He said further, ?Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ?I AM has sent me to you.? ? 15 God also said to Moses, ?Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ?The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you?:This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.? - Exodus 3:13-15What?s in a name? For you and me our name is how others identify us. It is the way our parents chose to distinguish us from our siblings and all the other children of our age. But what about God?s name? In Hebrew thought and in the Jewish faith, if you know the name of something, you have power and control over it. But it must not be so with the name of God. God?s name was revealed to Moses at the burning bush, but is never uttered or written. In fact, many translations of the Bible use the word ?LORD? in capitals, when they refer to the divinely revealed name of God. In the Lord?s Prayer when we say, ?Hallowed be thy name?? we are praying that we would give the name of God the honor and respect it deserves. We pray and remind ourselves that God?s name is not to be misused or taken lightly. We also recall that the God we worship is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Moses, who has done great things throughout human history and continues to write history today with our lives. This is God, who is, who was, and will be forever. Every attempt we make to define God falls short, for we can never truly capture or comprehend all that God is and does. That is why we pray that God?s name is to be hallowed, or holy. We can never totally know God, but we can always know that God loves and hears us, totally. May God?s name be hallowed, forever.God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob hear our prayers this day. Point your ear in our direction as we call upon your hallowed name. May we never loose sight of all you are and may we know that you are listening to us always. This we ask in the confidence that comes from knowing you are God. Amen.Download Today?s Podcast!

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Our Father, who art in heaven? ?22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. 23 He said, ?O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart?? ? 1Kings 8:22-23 The first challenge in praying the Lord?s Prayer is remembering who it is we are praying to. God, the Eternal Father, is the Creator of all that was, is, and will be. God?s realm is the entire universe, but God chooses heaven as his home. This is often confusing for many people. We confess and profess that God is omnipresent, always with us. Yet God?s kingdom and throne is in heaven. The temple Solomon built was never enough to contain God. In essence what Solomon asked was that God?s name and presence reside there once in a while. He also asked that when Israel prayed at the temple God would listen and respond. This is the God we pray to, God whose throne is in heaven, but is always with us. God, who created everything and whom Jesus called Abba (Papa) is the same God we pray to in the Lord?s Prayer. It is imperative that we remember who is in charge. So then, when we say the Lord?s Prayer we begin by acknowledging that it is God who is in control of all of Creation. We reaffirm, with child-like innocence that it is God who we worship and praise and rely upon for all things. We also reaffirm that although God is with us, God?s realm is more than just the Earth, God?s realm is universal. Heavenly Father, hear us today. Help us to recall exactly who you are and what you have done for us. Open our hearts and our lives to begin to understand your majesty and grace towards us. This we ask in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen. Download Today?s Podcast!

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The Lord?s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name,thy kingdom come,thy will be done,on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread;and forgive us our debts,as we forgive our debtors;and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom,and the power, and the glory,forever. Amen.The Lord?s Prayer is one that is known by all Christians. It is essentially the same, across all denominations. It is found in two variations in the New Testament. The most common version is taken from Matthew 6:9-13. The less familiar rendition is in Luke 11:2-4. Regardless of the version you prefer, it is still one of the best tools we have as Christians to understand the practice of prayer. It serves not just as a model for our own prayers, but as a window to the depth and intricacies of prayer. Linguistically, the Lord?s Prayer in King James English demonstrates an intimacy with God that modern English fails to adequately express. Most languages use a familiar, or intimate, and a polite form of the word ?you,? modern English does not. However, in the King James English of this prayer that intimate form of ?you? finds expression in the word ?thy.? Hence, the Lord?s Prayer is one of the most intimate expressions of prayer we can ever use. Over the next period of time, I hope to publish a series of postings that explore this prayer. They will be structured on the petitions found in this prayer as identified in the Heidelberg Catechism (Q119-Q129). I approach this prayer, not just from my point of view, but as a study of the prayer that Martin Luther called; ?the perfect prayer.? For as many believe it is the ideal way to begin and end each day of our walk with God.Lord, as we explore the meaning of this prayer. Grant us the insight to grasp not just its surface meanings and words, but the deeper significance it has for our walk with you. Help us to make it not just ?The Lord?s Prayer? but our prayer to you. This we ask in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.Download Today?s Podcast Here!

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?16 Then he told them a parable: ?The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ?What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?? 18 Then he said, ?I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, ?Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.? 20 But God said to him, ?You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?? 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.? ? Luke 12:16-21 ?What kind of legacy do you wish to leave behind?? I recently was asked that question in an interview. It stumped me for a while. Generally, I don?t think too much about the legacy I leave behind at a church, or other workplace. I?m usually content to know that I was there and my presence may have influenced someone, some way. But that is not always the case. I found out the other day that a church I had served recently made some significant changes in the way they work. This wouldn?t bother me normally, but the changes were things I pushed for before I left the church, and had met a great deal of resistance. The nerve, I thought. How could they do this stuff now after I had tried and broke my back trying to get them to see the possible benefits of the changes. To be honest, I was ticked off!!! Someone else will take all the credit for the hard work I did to pave the way. An old friend tried to help my mood by telling me it wouldn?t have happened if I hadn?t laid the ground work. That helped some and then I took it to God and calmed down a bunch. It still hurts, but not as bad. It would be nice if someone at least said thanks. But I think that would be an earthly treasure. When I made the suggestions it was not for personal glory? or was it? I?d like to think I was looking out for the church?s best interests, but maybe there was a certain amount of self interest too. Why else would I get upset when I heard the news?I think that all of us can fall in to the trap of false modesty. We claim to not want the fame and the legacy of our good efforts, but deep down we do. I guess that is just a part of the human condition and our sinful nature. Loving God, help us to ensure that the treasures we store up are heavenly and not just for this world. Grant us the grace to understand that when we work in your name, our thanks come from you. This we ask in the name of our Savior for whom we give you thanks and praise, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Download today?s podcast here!!!

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Psalm 16: 5-95 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage. 7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.1 Sam. 24:18-2018 Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. 19 For who has ever found an enemy, and sent the enemy safely away? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.One of the toughest tasks facing a Christian each day is to discern the voice of God in their life. Especially, when we have been hurt or wronged by another. It is easy enough to lash out in response to hurts. But is that what God calls us to do? Is there a more Christ-like response to those who hurt us or smear our reputations? I believe there is.Christ told us to rejoice when others persecute us for His name?s sake. He also urged that we ?turn the other cheek.? I am convinced that this does not mean we are to be a door mat for others to walk across. Instead, I believe we are challenged to be slow to anger and quick to forgive. To weigh, in totality, what is at stake when we are wronged and seek a solution that shows uncommon compassion, grace, and mercy, as God shows them to us..Sometimes, this means we will be at odds with our spouses, our friends, employers, and others. We may even find be at odds with the established church, or the state. But as Christians, our final authority and allegiance rests with God, the Holy One, who gives us counsel and is our chosen portion and lot.Gracious God, you are my portion and lot. It is in you that I find counsel and strength each and every day. Grant me the courage to show mercy, grace, and compassion to those who hate me, who revile, and who slander. May I be a shining example of your love at work today. Amen.Download Today's Podcast Here!

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?The Thrill of Victory??24 Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. 25 Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 26 So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; 27 but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified. 1 Cor 9:24-27 (NRSV)     This is an exciting time for me.  In case you?ve missed it, the Winter Olympics are in full swing.  I enjoy watching all the Olympic competitions, both summer and winter.  But for some reason, the winter games seem to stick out more in my mind.  Maybe it is because I grew up watching ABC?s Wide World of Sports.  I vividly recall the opening credits as the voiceover told of the ?Thrill of victory? and the agony of defeat? and the accompanying video showed a ski jumper going off a jump badly, taking a spill that was absolutely painful to watch.     In many ways the Olympics, with all the spills, falls, triumphs, and failures seem to be a good metaphor for life.  We start out with every intention of succeeding and winning the gold medal, but we trip and stumble, falter, fall and if we are fortunate, get up and try again.  Life, like the Olympics, is not so much about winning as it is about trying valiantly.       The Apostle Paul wrote:  ?Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. (1 Cor 9:24-25)?  I believe his point is that every athlete, and each one of us, goes through life not planning to loose, but to succeed.  The difference is in how we measure our success.     For the athlete, the gold medal, or wreath as Paul wrote, is the prize that is pursued.  Along the way some display great feats of strength and character.  For other folks, the prize becomes the goal and the way the race is run is unimportant. Unfortunately, when the prize becomes paramount, scruples and character building can fall by the wayside.     The Game Show Network has a current series titled ?Anything to Win.?  In it they detail the lengths people will go to, sometimes scrupulously other times not, to win.  Some of the stories reflect heroic individuals, such as Johnnie Cochran?s decades-long struggle to right the legal wrongs done to some defendants.  Other stories are not so nice, like the father who led his child to cheat in the Soap Box Derby in pursuit of the trophy.     As Christians, the prize we seek is not an earthly trophy or medal.  We do not seek the adulation of peers or cheering throngs of fans.  Instead our prize in an imperishable one, the gift of life everlasting with our Lord.  And that goal is all the encouragement we need to run the race of life with dignity, honor, and love for all in the name of Christ.  May we all reach that eternal finish line together.  Amen.Download today?s podcast here!

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All in the Family21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. 24 Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.   25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, 27 so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind--yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. 33 Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.Eph 5:21-33 (NRSV)I?m not the biggest fan of professional sports.  I seldom watch pro football, unless it is the Super Bowl.  Once in a while, I may watch a baseball game or a NASCAR event or a golf tournament.  And usually, I watch them for the noise value so I can take a nap.  It is not that I dislike sports I just don?t find much entertainment in them.However, there was an event that caught my attention this week in the NBA.  Everyone recalls the melee at a pro basketball game last year.  A number of players got into a brawl with fans during a game.  Subsequently, several players were fined and I believe are still awaiting trial for assault and inciting a riot.We all flashed back to that event when Antonio Davis of the New York Knicks went in to the stands during a game against the Chicago Bulls.  Davis spotted an altercation of some sort involving his wife and left the game to go to her assistance.  Even now the specifics of the event are still open to interpretation and discussion.As a result, Davis was suspended for five games and fined heavily.  I have no gripe with the actions of the NBA in this case.  They were applying a rule that was established to prevent a repeat of the brawl of last year.  However, I do applaud Mr. Davis for his actions; they demonstrate a relationship that illustrates Paul?s words in the passage above.Christian spouses are challenged to demonstrate a love and submission to one another as husband and wife that echoes the love Christ shows for the church.  Husbands and wives are to honor, cherish and protect one another.  And to quote from Paul; ?husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies.?  Antonio Davis demonstrated that type of love.  Perhaps people of faith need to keep their eyes open and observe the examples of God?s model for us in the world.  Not everything that happens in the NBA or professional sports is good or worthy of imitation.  But devotion to family, even over devotion to one?s profession and the sport, is something to be commended to all persons.  For when we submit to one another out of love for Christ, we glorify the Lord our God.Merciful Lord, thank you for good examples of family life in the world around us.  Encourage and build us up in our relationships with family and friends.  Keep us ever mindful of the love we are to show to spouses and how it is to be modeled on your love for us.  Grant, O Lord, eyes that see and ears that hear your voice when it speaks to us.  This we ask in the name of Christ the Lord.  Amen.Download today?s podcast here!Christ The IconRory Cooney, Gary Daigle, Theresa DonohooWorld Library PublicationsBuy at iTunes Music StoreDownload the mp3 of "Let Us Go To The Altar Of God"

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Setting Some Things StraightLuke 13:1-51 About that time some people came up and told him about the Galileans Pilate had killed while they were at worship, mixing their blood with the blood of the sacrifices on the altar. 2 Jesus responded, "Do you think those murdered Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3 Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you too will die. 4 And those eighteen in Jerusalem the other day, the ones crushed and killed when the Tower of Siloam collapsed and fell on them, do you think they were worse citizens than all other Jerusalemites? 5 Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you too will die." (The Message)It amazes me how often God arranges events in the world to highlight Scripture. Let?s just look as three headlines from recent days and I think you will begin to understand what I mean.First, is the cave-in and subsequent death of twelve miners at the Sago mine in West Virginia. Who among us didn?t hope and pray, in the early hours, for a rescue of all thirteen? And when that hope was lifted and then dashed, we couldn?t help but feel the pain and sorrow of the families.Next, we must journey to Israel. I?m certain we are all aware of the series of strokes suffered by Ariel Sharon. People across the nation were gathering in synagogues to pray for his rapid and full recovery. Many consider Sharon one of the best hopes for a peaceable resolution to the tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs.And finally, it was reported that Pat Robertson, on the 700 Club TV program declared that Ariel Sharon?s strokes were God?s punishment for giving away the Promised Land to non-Jews. If this particular story doesn?t upset you ? it should! Rarely, do current events give me such a close parallel to Christ?s words in Scripture. I suggest you reread the Luke passage and substitute Pat Robertson for the people who came up to Jesus; Ariel Sharon for those whose blood Pilate spilled; and the miners in W. Virginia for the workers at Siloam. Can you see the relationship?My point in all of this is much like Christ?s, stuff happens. Good and bad things befall each of us every day and they happen not because we are sinners (for we all are). The bad things in life happen just because they do!To suggest that Ariel Sharon?s stroke is divine punishment is a distortion of the teachings of Christ! In truth, we all deserve to be stricken down were we stand for our sin. Yet, some of us will give birth tomorrow, some may win the lottery, and others will recognize how much God has blessed their life today.The message of Christ is crystal clear ? we are sinners who need to repent and change our ways. If we fail to do so, we might not like the place where we will spend eternity. The challenge is to resist all temptation to point a finger at someone else?s misfortune. We must be sure we never say to one who is suffering; ?God is punishing you for ?.? Instead we must look at our own sin-filled lives and see what changes we need to make to make them ?Son filled.?Merciful God, we are sinners in dire need of your mercy, grace, and redemption. Help us Lord, to clean up our lives and never lose sight of the need to show compassion for others when they suffer, even our enemies. We ask this, in the name of your gift of grace, Jesus Christ. Amen.Download today?s podcast here!

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In the beginning?.1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being4 in him was life? John 1:1-4 (NRSV)Everything in life has a beginning, right? Well almost everything. We know when we had our beginning as sentient beings. I?m assuming we can count backwards approximately nine months from our birthday. I believe that for us to have any hope at examining the world around us and letting the Word of God (Jesus) shine upon it, we need to get one or two things straight, right from the start. First, I strongly believe that Jesus Christ is co-existant and co-eternal with God the Father. This means that there was never a time when Jesus was not God?s Word. As John wrote: ?He was in the beginning?? I also affirm that all things were created through Him. With that understanding in front of us it gets easier to see how we can hope to hold the Light of the World up to the world. I maintain that since Jesus had a hand in the creation of all things, we can best understand and change the world we live in only when we let him have a hand in how we live and interact with the world. Please note I am not advocating that we withdraw from the world. Instead what I am suggesting is that we jump into the world with both feet. Jesus did not stand aloof from the people of his time. In fact, he sought out those society rejected and told them the truth of God?s grace, mercy, and love. In the same manner, we are called to be practicing Christians 24/7/365. We cannot take a break simply because our friends do differently. Nor can we draw lines in the sand and condemn others who think or act differently than we do. If anything we are called to continue to love others, even our staunchest foes in life. For to paraphrase Paul, ?When we do so it is like pouring boiling oil all over them.? It is my hope and prayer that through this blog and podcast and your comments, we can together look at the world in which we live. I pray that in the looking we might discover how God is at work and perhaps see how we can be God?s instruments of healing, in the name of our Savior, Christ the Lord.Merciful God, it is with fear and trepidation that I begin this blog. I pray, Lord, for your guidance and your words as we look at the world around us. Help us to recognize that our spiritual life with you grows deepest, not when we bemoan the sad state of affairs, but when we reach out as your children to make a difference. This we ask in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.Download today's podcast here!

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This new blog is currently under constuction and when completed will feature both articles and podcasts relating to the meeting of God's Word and the world in which we live.Download today's podcast here

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