Your Responsibility

"In the Church of Jesus Christ there can and should be no non-theologians."

(A quote by Karl Barth,theologian).

There would be fewer faiths,denominations,sects and cults if people followed the advice above.The most dangerous thing you can do is to entrust what is basically your salvation to another human being's interpretation of scripture.

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

An Exhortation

"Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks:for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Quench not the Spirit.

Despise not prophesyings.

Prove all things;hold fast that which is good.

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

(from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-23).

Seven verses to live by concluding with a blessing.

Something to Think About

"If you believe what you like in the gospels,and reject what you don't like,it is not the gospel you believe,but yourself."

(a quote by St.Augustine).

It has become increasingly common in recent decades for faiths,Bible scholars and individuals to give a new "interpretation" of scripture to make it compatible with their personal beliefs and the changing mores of society.I find it interesting that this has become more prevalent as our society has advanced technologically and our culture has lost any sense of decorum and restraint.

Throughout the Bible we read that altering the intended meaning of scripture is not only wrong, but is a grave offense to God.

Care For,Respect and Love His Creation

"What is man that you are mindful of him,For You have made him a little lower than the angels,And you have crowned him with glory and honor.You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;You have put all things under his feet."
(Psalm 8,verses 4,5,and 6).
Saving the planet from destruction by pollution,global warming and other man made designs has become "the cause" in recent years.Who can argue that this is not indeed a noble cause? The beauty of this earth is stunning.The evidence that there was a creator of it all is inescapable.We need only to see how nature,plants,animals,the seas and man are interconnected and dependent on each other for their continued existence.However, what is overlooked in today's push to save our earth is that we were given dominion over everything God created.Out of respect and love for the One who made us a little lower than angels,we should seek to protect and preserve His creation.Sadly,the motivation for doing so that you hear today is something like,"so our children's children will have a planet to live on." This sounds good on the surface but is a self centered statement that ignores the fact that God made everything and man has been given the responsibility to care for it.Doing so should be a labor of love for Our Lord.

Be Doers of the Word

"We do not need to proselytise either by our speech or by our writing.We can only really do so with our lives.Let our lives be open books for all to study."

(a quote by Mahatma Gandhi).

"Let your light so shine among men,that they may see your good works,and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

(the words of Jesus from Matthew,chapter five).

There is no more powerful witness we can give to our neighbors,co-workers,friends and family of the saving grace and love of Jesus than by the way we live. Are we behaving in a manner that is distinctly different from the rest of "the world?"

We read in the Epistle of James, the first chapter: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only...."

Our Speech and Our Hearts

"If anyone among you thinks he is religious,and does not control his tongue but deceives his own heart,this one's religion is useless."

(from The Epistle of James,Chapter one,verse twenty-six).

The Epistle of James is a great and too often overlooked book of the Bible.Written by James, the oldest half-brother of Jesus,it gives advice on wise living and Godly behaviour.To many, it is reminiscent of The Book of Proverbs.Perhaps one of the reasons it is overlooked is because the focus is always placed on the faith versus works "controversy".In chapter two,verse twenty-six we read: "For as the body without the spirit is dead,so faith without works is dead also." People point out that salvation is a gift from God,which is correct.Many will then say that we can do nothing(works) to "earn" our salvation,this is also correct.However,as written here previously,if we are truly children of God,we will bear fruit evidenced in part by our good works.It's a natural occurrence for someone who is "a new creature in Christ".If you are not living your faith by what you say and do,then you are not of Him no matter what you profess.

It's a shame that this faith/works question has taken away from the rest of this epistle which is so relevant to the culture and times we are now living in.If you look at the opening quote,it can be a bit frightening when you think about it.If we are one who is inclined to use our speech to speak and relate in a manner that is consistently ungodly, then James tells us our religion is useless. After reading that,I'm sure most of us can't help but feel a little guilty as well as frightened.You see,Our Lord knows that one's heart is revealed by their speech.We read in Matthew,chapter 12:37 where Jesus says: "For by your words you will be justified,and by your words you will be condemned." If that doesn't cause all of us to be vigiliant in regards to how we talk I don't know what will.

Elsewhere in James,particularly in Chapter three,we are told about the damage our tongues can cause.But the beauty of it is,we are given a way to overcome this.Through the reading of His Word we are provided insight and encouragement in controlling what James calls, this "little member".We also have the assurance that He will help those who reach out to Him for help. A blessed assurance indeed!

A Thought

"Just remaining in the presence of God,listening to Him,being attentive to Him,requires alot of courage and know-how."
(a quote by Thomas Merton.)
I sometimes wonder, if we spent as much time seeking God as we do with our various leisure activities,how much deeper could our relationship with Him become?

A Prayer for Guidance

O God,by whom the meek are guided in judgement,and light riseth up in darkness for the godly;Grant us,in all our doubts and uncertainties,the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do,that the Spirit of Wisdom may save us from all false choices,and that in thy light we may see light,and in thy straight path may not stumble;through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen
(from The Book of Common Prayer, 1928 Edition).

Trust in the Lord

"We expect too much from ourselves when we ought to expect everything from God on Whom we utterly depend."
(quote by Thomas Merton from The Sign of Jonas).
The above reminds me of Proverbs 3:5."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
If only people would seek guidance and direction through prayer and scripture reading before looking to a self-help book or counselor.
The Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes would be a good place to start for those seeking wisdom and insight into the hows and whys of this life.Both were written by Solomon who was granted extraordinary wisdom by God.
As I have said before,advice that is given by "the world", advice that centers on self,is always doomed to fail.The biggest complaint against psychotherapists is that their"therapy" is never ending,that people seeking help do so for years.
All of us should heed Solomon's words in Proverbs, Chapter 3:7: "Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord,and depart from evil." If we expect help from Our Lord we must make the effort by asking Him through prayer,through the reading of scripture,and,by living a righteous life.

Forgiveness and Repentance

We begin with a portion of a psalm about forgiveness and repentance.

"Create in me a clean heart,O God,and renew a stedfast Spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."

(Psalm 51,verses ten through thirteen).

Psalm 51 is a psalm of repentance written by David after his disastrous affair with Bathsheba.

Some people believe asking for forgiveness and repentance are synonymous, in reality, forgiveness is only a part of repentance.Repentance is more than simply seeking forgiveness,it is a changing of one's mind,heart and life away from sin to God.You totally embrace the person and work of Jesus.

Those who are seeking repentance or a strengthening of their committment to Our Lord,would gain much in studying and praying all of Psalm 51.

Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)

Keep me,above all things,from sin.
Keep me from loving money in which is hatred,
From avarice and ambition that suffocate my life.
Keep me from the deadly works of vanity
and the thankless labor for pride and money
and reputation.
(by Thomas Merton from A Book of Hours).
"For the love of money is the root of all evil"
(first Timothy,chapter six,verse ten)

Jubilate Deo

O Be joyful in the Lord,all ye lands:serve the Lord with gladness,and come before his presence with a song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God;it is he that hath made us,and not we ourselves;we are his people,and the sheep of his pasture.
O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,and into his courts with praise;be thankful unto him,and speak good of his name.
For the Lord is gracious,his mercy is everlasting;and his truth endureth from generation to generation. (Psalm one hundred from The Book of Common Prayer, 1928 edition).
A psalm of praise and thankgiving from King David,a man after God's own heart.

While Seeking Peace,One Must Be at Peace

While watching the television news not too long ago,they featured a story on a demonstration calling for peace in Iraq by the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from that country.The protesters were filmed gathered outside a building in Washington,D.C. where the Vice-President was to speak.I felt a sense of irony as I observed these protesters. On one hand, they were calling for peace, yet their manner and means of doing so were anything but peaceful.

They were screaming out slogans laced with obscenities and hate.They carried signs and posters expressing in print what they were yelling in the street.The demonstrators also attempted to block traffic and entrance to the building. Although I am sympathetic and understanding of their message,their manner of communication negated the intended effect.I thought,just another unruly mob,not unlike the ones you see from time to time on television in some middle eastern country.I wondered how many other people watching this felt as I did.I couldn't help but think they all needed a lesson in Gandhi's non-violent manner of protesting.
You can't effectively demonstrate for peace,or any other noble cause,when you are not at peace yourself and are acting in an unpeaceful way. When we represent a cause or say we are followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility to conduct ourselves accordingly.

Bearing Fruit

Over forty times in the Gospels Our Lord makes mention of the necessity of bearing fruit.This refers to the necessity of professed believers in Jesus living their faith.Those who wonder what this involves,need only to read Galatians, chapter five which says that those who have His Holy Spirit bear "the fruit of the spirit(which) is love,joy,peace,longsuffering,
kindness, goodness,faithfulness,gentleness,self-control."We then read that people who are in Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.And what are those fleshly passions and desires? Again in Galatians,chapter five we read, "the works of the flesh are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies,outbursts of wrath,selfish ambitions, dissension, heresies, envy, murders,drunkenness,revelries."
We see one way,the way that bears fruit,is a path to,and this is very important to remember,
true happiness here on earth with the promise of eternal life after.
The other way, the way of the flesh, though it may provide some temporary pleasure,it ultimately leads to frustration and unhappiness.In the same chapter of Galations Paul writes,"Those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God." Our Heavenly Father knows that His children will sometimes struggle and engage in behaviour that is contrary to their calling.We are told that if we sincerely repent,He will forgive us,but,we cannot willfully and habitually engage in sin thinking it's ok because "I'm born-again."
Every believer who is struggling with sin,would be well advised to read Galatians,chapter five,verses sixteen through twenty-six at least once a week.

Gratitude

"In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give,and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich." (quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer,clergyman and Christian martyr).
Far too many in this world do not even have the basic things that we take for granted,food,water,and shelter.May we not forget these words from first Thessalonians,chapter five,"in everything give thanks;for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

A Prayer For the Beginning of a New Day

O Lord,our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God,who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power;and grant that this day we fall into no sin,neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings,being ordered by thy governance,may be righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen (from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer).

When You see a Rainbow

It's unfortunate that the rainbow has been used by a segment of society as their "symbol." I say this because people have forgotten what this beautiful part of nature is meant to represent.Those familiar with the Bible may already know that it was to symbolize God's covenant with Noah saying that He would never again send a universal flood to destroy the earth.

What many people don't realize is that the rainbow was the first of other covenant signs God provided.The rainbow,as well as baptism and Holy Communion, were the Lord's promises made visible,outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace.

Elsewhere in scripture we read how Ezekiel compared the glory of God to a rainbow, and John ,while on Patmos, saw the throne of God surrounded by a rainbow.

Perhaps the above is why we view the rainbow with such joy and awe.

Thomas Merton on the Bible

"The truth is that the surface of the Bible is not always even interesting.And yet when one does finally get into it,in one way or other,when one at last catches on to the Bible's peculiar way of saying things,and even more to the things that are said,one finds that he is no longer simply questioning the book but being questioned by it."

(from Opening the Bible by Thomas Merton).

One thing that strikes you when reading the Old Testament,is how,well...,human the people are.We see that they possess the good and bad qualities that exist in everyone, consequently making this portion of the Bible all the more relevant.

In reading the New Testament,we are as Thomas Merton writes,being questioned by it.We're asked the ultimate question,are we living our way or His way? The Epistles and Gospels ask this, as well as providing us with the direction we desperately need.We see that ignoring God in following our way,leads to frustration and unhappiness.His way gives us understanding and a purpose to this life which is unattainable through any other means.

Love and Relationships

"Love is much more responsible.It has care in it and it involves the willingness and capacity to understand and to make the other person happy.In true love,happiness is not an individual matter.If the other person is not happy,it will be impossible for us to be happy ourselves."

(from Living Buddha,Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh).

In a world that encourages the belief that you first have to love yourself before you can love others, the above quote may seem a bit strange.In this complex and difficult world,having a lasting,fulfilling relationship with another person has never been more difficult.We see the proof of this in reports that show a divorce rate well over fifty percent and that unmarried couples are moving in and out of relationships with alarming frequency.Lets face it,the "me first" philosophy is not working.We know from scripture that God is Love;Jesus,by His life gave a perfect example of what real love is,total unselfishness typified by a desire to give to others without expecting anything in return.

This should be the model of behaviour that BOTH people in a relationship follow.In giving,we receive.

It is not surprising that people who really practice their faith are more likely to have longer and happier lives together.

It would be better for people to have never entered into a relationship,despite all the initial thrill and happiness,than to experience the pain,disappointment and heartache that comes from it breaking apart because it had too much"self" in it to begin with.

Read the words of Paul in first Corinthians,chapter thirteen, where he tells us what love is,it has been called the greatest literary passage ever written by him.As with the words of Jesus,they can give great instruction and encouragement on having and maintaining a lasting relationship.

Ancient Chant to Our Lord

"Jesus,God before the ages.

Jesus,King almighty.

Jesus,Master long-suffering.

Jesus,Saviour most merciful.

Jesus,my Guardian most kind.

Jesus,be gracious unto my sins.

Jesus,take away my iniquities.

Jesus,pardon mine unrighteousness.

Jesus,my Hope,forsake me not.

Jesus,my Helper,reject me not.

Jesus,my Creator,forget me not.

Jesus,my Shepherd,lose me not.

Jesus,Son of God,have mercy on me."

By Faith

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,the evidence of things not seen.For by faith men of old obtained a good testimony.By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

(From The Epistle to the Hebrews,chapter 11,verses 1,2+3)

Chapter eleven of Hebrews is often called the faith chapter.In giving an account of the lives of Old Testament heroes such as Abel,Enoch,Noah,Abraham,Isaac,Jacob and Sarah,to name just a few of the many listed in this chapter;it provides the proof and a testament to living by faith.Up against seemingly impossible odds,these men and women of God were stedfast in their faith and obedience to Him,even under the most difficult of circumstances.They triumphed because of their faith and obedience.In the same chapter of Hebrews, verse six we read,"But without faith it is impossible to please Him,for he who comes to God must believe that He is,and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

This is a profound promise.The message is that He will take care of those who believe,trust and persist in the promise that He will see us through everything.We also must try as best as is humanly possible to live righteously.

May we too have the faith of these Old Testament saints!

Protect Your Children

"So why do we open our windows to bad movies and TV programs...........Who allows such movies and TV programs to be made? Especially for the very young? We do! We are too undemanding,too ready to watch whatever is on the screen,too lonely,lazy or bored to create our own lives We turn on the TV and leave it on,allowing someone else to guide us,shape us and destroy us."(from The Sun in My Heart by Thich Nhat Hanh).
Recently,much publicity has been given to the savage assault by six high school girls on a fellow classmate.A week has passed and this sixteen year old girl cannot hear out of her left ear or see out of her left eye. Reporters have expressed surprise that this crime was committed,not by juvenile delinquents, but by teenagers who were considered "good kids." Several were cheerleaders who excelled academically.
In addition, each week seems to bring more stories of school,college,and job site shootings.News programs report on these and other heinous crimes on an almost nightly basis.Our parents tell us that they rarely ever heard of such things back when they were young.And they are right,we are living in an age of unprecedented violence and sadistic behaviour.
Why is this happening? You can be sure the reasons are many as to why it's occurring.It would be foolish however not to site television,movies and the print media for what has been called the desensitizing of our youth to violence.The horrible effects of this desensitizing are well documented and we are seeing it reported in the news on a regular basis.It is no coincidence that for the last few decades graphic violence has become more prevalent and easily accessible for everyone, no matter what the age.
It's a sad fact that too many people use the television,computer, and movies without considering their long and short-term effects, as well as the appropriateness of their content.Parents admit that they often put their small children in front of the television because it keeps them "occupied." This is a lazy and negligent thing to do.There are so many other better ways to spend our leisure time, you only have to think back to what you did as a youth with your friends and family.
Throughout the Bible we read that we are to avoid things that are immoral,not because someone's trying to take all the enjoyment out of life, but because Our Lord wants to protect us from following a path that leads to unhappiness and possible self-destruction.
Scripture also tells us that as parents we have a responsibility to care for and raise our children in a loving,Godly enviroment.Being vigilant in regards to what our children see and are exposed to, is a responsibility of being a parent, and, a Christian.

A Prayer for Our Nation

Heavenly Father,

Grant us prudence in proportion to our power,

Wisdom in proportion to our science, Humaneness in proportion to our wealth and might,

And bless our earnest will to help all races and peoples to travel,in friendship with us,

Along the road to justice,liberty,and lasting peace:

But grant us above all to see that our ways are not necessarily your ways,

That we cannot fully penetrate the mystery of your designs

And that the very storm of power now raging on this earth

Reveals your hidden will and your inscrutable decision.

Grant us to see your face in the lightning of this cosmic storm,

O God of holiness,merciful to men:

Grant us to seek peace where it is truly found!

In your will,O God,is our peace!

Amen

(by Thomas Merton).

Not of This World?

It is written in various ways and instances throughout scripture that we are to be in the world,but not of the world.In Romans chapter twelve,verse two, we are instructed that we are not to be conformed to this world.The Bible teaches that the world's ways are not His ways.It only takes a look at your television for an hour or so to confirm this statement.

Some questions we should ask ourselves: Are we like the rest of the world in the way we live,act and talk? Do we have the same interests,priorities and ambitions as everyone else? Have we really been transformed by the renewing of our mind which comes from a total surrendering of our will to Him?

People who reject a true Christian faith often say they do so because it's restrictive and inhibiting.However,we read throughout scripture what many who have rejected it have found out too late,that a life centered on self, having "things", and being entertained is an empty and unfulfilling life.Instruction on how we are to live abundantly, is given to us by Jesus in His summary of the Law.We are first to, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart , with all thy soul and with all thy mind." Then we are to, "love thy neighbor as thy self." When you daily try to live the way He commands, it influences every aspect of your life in a positive way,you no longer look at yourself,other people and the world the same. You achieve a peace,a peace that passes all understanding. A peace that the world and all it's riches cannot give.A peace that comes from above.

A Prayer

"Heavenly Father,my intention is to give myself entirely and without compromise to whatever work You want to perform in me and through me. Amen"
(from The Book of Hours by Thomas Merton.)
Do we have the desire and courage to sincerely say this prayer?
If not,why?

Love Your Enemy?

"Do not think that you can show your love for Christ by hating those who seem to be His enemies on earth.Suppose they really do hate Him; nevertheless He loves them, and you cannot be united with Him unless you love them too."
"He said:"Love your enemies," and He also said:"He that is not with me is against me." Therefore if you do not side with Christ by loving those that He loves,you are against Him."But Christ loves all men.Christ died for all men."(from Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton). You could also add maintaining anger,bitterness and bad feelings towards others to the above.This of course is not easy.Yet, through prayer and reading the words of Jesus each day, we can be reminded and given the strength to obey what might be the hardest of His commands.

Man and Nature

"Many people who seek the help of a psychotherapist are really victims of modern life, which separates human beings from the rest of nature."(from Love in Action by Thich Nhat Hanh).

"I have noticed myself,sometimes,that when your mind is utterly dead around the house and in church,you can go out to work in the garden and soon find God within you after you have been sweating a little in the sun." (from The Sign of Jonas by Thomas Merton).We see and feel the presence of God in nature when we till the soil,plant the seeds and witness the miracle of new life.

Your Body as a Temple

Few would disagree that there is a preoccupation in this country with getting fit and "looking good." T.V. shows,books and magazines as well as fitness clubs,gyms and spas,comprise a billion dollar industry designed to meet the need for achieving health and beauty.Sadly,research tells us we have never been fatter or more unhealthy as a nation than we are right now.You would think that with all the resources available,the opposite would be true.

Where have we gone wrong?

Paul says in first Corinthians,chapter six,"do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,whom you have from God,and you are not your own?" The conclusion we can make from this statement is that our body is not really ours,it belongs to the Lord.So if it belongs to Him,then we must treat it with respect by being careful of what we put into it, and what we do with it.We should consider this as one of our ways of being obedient to God.

Paul tells us what we need to do in regards to our body when he gives himself as an example; again in first Corinthians,"I discipline my body and bring it into subjection." Powerful, but needed instruction indeed. Later Paul offers an admonition to those who would spend an inordinate amount of time in trying to attain the "body beautiful;" He writes in another of his epistles that a little physical exercise is good, but a person should be more concerned with the spiritual than the physical being.

Getting back to the earlier question of where have we gone wrong as a nation in our quest for health,beauty and fitness, can be summed up in one word,vanity.We have sought this goal for the wrong reason, for the self, and not out of respect and obedience to God.

Jesus said we are to seek first the things above, heavenly,not earthly things.As with so many passages we read in the Bible, it's about priorities.Keeping our body fit and healthy is important,but it needs to be for the right reason.

Denominational Intolerance

"The dread of being open to the ideas of others generally comes from our hidden insecurity about our own convictions."(quote by Thomas Merton from Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh by Robert H.King)

"While speaking with others,do not hope or pray not to be disagreed with.Without disagreement,self-righteousness can flourish."(a quote attributed to Thich Nhat Hanh from The Sutra on The Eight Realizations).

A United Nations census published in the mid-nineties stated that there were twenty-five thousand plus Protestant denominations and sects in the world today.We know two things from this,one, is that these denominations hold to a varying array of doctrines and beliefs.Secondly, the majority of these groups believe they have a higher degree of truth within their organization then the others do.Who can deny that each new denomination or sect that has come into existence over the centuries, has been borne from a popular founder's interpretation of scripture?

Nothing can separate people of faith quicker than disagreements over what they believe or don't believe.What many have come to accept as their doctrinal beliefs, often become more than just something they choose to believe.It also comes to include; who they are personally, as well as how they view life,the world,death,those of their own faith, and those of other faiths.

Keep in mind that all Christian faiths are flawed because they were founded by, and are composed of, carnal human beings.Differences in beliefs on doctrine are inevitable. However,the one doctrine that can't be disputed is the redemptive work of Our Lord and Saviour.

We must not forget, that understanding and a willingness to listen to others is an important component of someone who says they are Christian.Keep in mind the quotes at the beginning of this article,we must not be afraid to be challenged on what we believe.We also need to understand that there is more to what comprises a person's beliefs than it just being their opinion.

A Prayer For Joy in God's Creation

O Heavenly Father,who hast filled the world with beauty;Open,we beseech thee,our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works;that rejoicing in thy whole creation,we may learn to serve thee with gladness;for the sake of him by whom all things were made,thy Son,Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

(from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer).