Monk at Heart

Early Monastics

2012-01-17T11:26:00.002-06:00

There were those in the early church who withdrew to the desert to devote themselves to prayer. They felt the church was compromising too much, and was becoming too worldly. These are known as monastics. I wonder what they would think about our modern day church.

A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR

2012-01-01T08:36:00.001-06:00

I am no longer my own, but Yours.

Use me as You choose;

rank me alongside whoever You choose;

put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You;

raised up for You, or brought down for You;

let me be full, let me be empty;

let me have all things, let me have nothing;

with my whole heart I freely choose to yield

all things to Your ordering and approval.

So now, God of all glory,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

You are mine, and I am Your own.

---Taken from Celtic Daily Prayer, “New Year: A Covenant Service”

Reminders for Ministers

2011-12-13T10:15:00.005-06:00

I was going through some old pocket notebooks and stumbled across the following list. I jotted these down at a ministers and spouse retreat a few years back and though I'd pass them along. If I recall correctly, they list was given by Pastor Dave Williams of Mount Hope Church of Lansing, MI. There's something here for everyone.

For lack of the original title, I'll simply call the list, "Reminders for Ministers."

1. You must work at staying simple and uncluttered

2. It is better to look for symptoms of health rather than sickness

3. Love your work or find work you do

4. Use your mouth to speak faith, encouragement and cheer to others

5. I can defy the odds if God is working with me

6. Make decisions unashamedly

7. I have to keep getting up again

8. I can't give up on humanity because I was hurt by another person

9. God's mercy endures forever

10. In life I can never succeed alone

11. Be suspicious of all my first impressions

12. Learn the power of focus

13. I have to take time for privacy and rest

14. Focus on the important, not just on the urgent

15. Seek God early

16. The "victim mentality" never brings increase, but ensures decrease

17. Unless I keep expanding, growing and developing, I will level off and die

18. The true meaning of the New Testament staff and board

19. Jesus will multiply what you have if you give Him what you have

20. It's a sin to be good when God has called you to be great

21. There are only two wills in the universe: God's and some other

22. I must understand the "seasons"

23. Always ask questions

24. Try to annihilate fear and anxiety

25. If I don't want to be lost, I need to hang out with those who know where they are going

What is Wisdom?

2011-12-08T10:57:00.006-06:00

Early this morning I was certain I saw someone on Facebook ask the question. “What is wisdom?” A little later, when I went back to the individual's page to make a comment, the question was no longer there. Then I wondered if I mistakenly thought it was one person, when, in fact, it was another. Maybe I dreamed it. Now I am not sure. Regardless, this led me to jot down a few thoughts concerning wisdom, which I will now share with you.

Three words are sometimes used interchangeably: knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Though they are related and often interwoven, they are not synonyms.

Knowledge – has to do with mental gathering of facts,

Understanding – has to do with the mental grasping of those facts in the context of its original setting - why a fact is a fact, so to speak,

Wisdom – puts into practice the making of right decisions in ones life – in thought, word and deed – based on the knowledge and understanding we have.

Opposites

The opposite of knowledge is ignorance

The opposite of understanding, in this context, is being naive

The opposite of wisdom is foolishness

As one simply and succinctly put it, “Wisdom is the ability to live life skillfully.”

How often have we or others we know made foolish decisions that resulted in bad outcomes? Outcomes that could have easily been avoided if we had acted wisely instead.

As we go through life, we would do well to remember the words of Proverbs 4:7, which says, “Wisdom is the principle thing, therefore get wisdom.”

A Franciscan Benediction

2011-11-20T16:05:00.001-06:00

May God bless us with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that we may live from deep within our hearts.

May God bless us with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of God's creations
So that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless us with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
So that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless us with just enough foolishness
To believe that we can make a difference in the world,
So that we can do what others claim cannot be done:
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and all our neighbors who are poor.
Amen.

There is a Contemplative

2011-11-03T09:11:00.003-05:00

There is a contemplative

in all of us,

almost strangled

but still alive,

who craves quiet

enjoyment of the Now,

and longs to touch

the seamless

garment of silence

which makes whole.

- Alan P. Tory, taken from Celtic Daily Prayer

A Bit of Silence

2011-10-17T07:56:00.003-05:00

These thoughts were taken from this morning's devotional reading and were found in the book, Celtic Daily Prayer.

"If we practised silence a little bit more, then when we did speak we'd have something to say." - John Skinner -

"I weave a silence on to my lips
I weave silence into my mind
I weave silence within my heart
I close my ears to distractions
I close my eyes to attractions
I close my heart to temptations.
Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm
Let all the tumult within me cease
Enfold me, Lord, in your peace."
- David Adam -

Little or Much

2011-08-25T11:13:00.004-05:00

"Those who do not need as much as some others should thank God for the strength they have been given and not be sorry for themselves. Those who need more should be humble about their weakness and not become self-important in enjoying the indulgence granted them. In that way all the community will be at peace with each other." - St. Benedict of Nursia

Rare Qualities

2011-08-06T09:41:00.003-05:00

Beautiful qualities the world around us longs to see in those who profess to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ: Reverence, Integrity, Faithfulness, Gratitude, and Humility. These are too often lacking, but so desperately needed.

What other qualities would you add to the list?

Amish Peace

2011-06-04T10:00:00.005-05:00

The following quote was written by an Amish man called "Uncle Amos," who occasionally wrote for a publication called the Small Farmer's Journal. Though written with the Amish life in mind, I thought it would easily apply to those who admire the monastic lifestyle - those who are monk's at heart.

"If you admire our faith, strengthen yours. If you admire our sense of commitment, deepen yours. If you admire our community spirit, build your own. If you admire the simple life,cut back. If you admire deep character and enduring values, live them yourself. "

The above quote was taken from the Introduction in the book, Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World.

(The photo is of me when I played an Amish man in an Arctic Cat commercial.)

IF I WOULD MISS THE RAPTURE

2011-05-21T15:46:00.002-05:00

If I were not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and the Rapture happened, I would not attend any post-Rapture parties, I would not celebrate that all the followers of Jesus were gone, thereby freeing me to live and do as I please without some holier-than-thou telling me how to live my life and cramming some Bible verse down my throat. I wouldn't go looting the homes of Christians, figuring, “They're gone! They're not going need this stuff anyway!”

What I would do would be to stand trembling, realizing that the Jesus I denied was real, the message of the Gospel that I scoffed at was true and the gift of God's love and forgiveness that I openly rejected, laughed at, mocked, and at times even profaned, has now passed me by.

The pride that kept me from repentance and from surrender to God, I would curse with every fiber of my being. I would not swallow my pride, but with all that is in me I would vomit it out, seeing clearly that my pride was my poison; my arrogance, my curse. I was offered life abundant and life eternal, but, instead, I chose a mere temporal life, a mere earthly existence and ridiculed those who believed in an everlasting bliss in the presence of God.

The trembling would soon buckle my knees and throw me to the ground with great fear and great force. My tear-stained face would be buried into the dirt. With all pride now gone from me, I am broken, I am overwhelmingly afraid, I am empty and humbled beyond words. I would realize that am not as great as I thought I was, and the God I thought was not, I now fully realize... truly is.

With nothing more to lose, I would, with every ounce of energy, from the very depths of my being, cry out to the Christ I repeatedly rejected, “Lord, have mercy on me. If there is any way, if there is any hope, if it is at all possible, Lord, have mercy on me and forgive me. I beg of you, I plead with you, Lord, have mercy on me.” This would be the fervent prayer of my every breath until my final breath.

Many arrogant will continue to embrace their pride and curse the Truth. They may celebrate, they may party, they may loot the homes of their neighbors, they may continue to blaspheme the God they now know to be true.

But I wouldn't. For the life of me, I wouldn't. But then, that's just me.

Maranatha!

Called To Be Contemplatives

2011-05-09T20:22:00.001-05:00

We are all called to be contemplatives in the heart of the world — by seeking the face of God in everything, everyone, everywhere, all the time, and [God's] hand in every happening; seeing and adoring the presence of Jesus, especially in the lowly appearance of bread, and in the distressing disguise of the poor.

- Mother Teresa

Ten Reasons to Pray

2011-05-06T08:32:00.003-05:00

Following are ten reasons why we should pray:

1. Prayer reminds us that we are not the solution to the challenges that grip our world but we have access to the one who transcends those challenges.

2. A prayerless nation has no hope beyond the headlines.

3. Prayer aligns us with God’s heart, purposes and blessings.

4. Prayer is an act of humility that precedes honor.

5. Prayer enlarges the heart beyond selfish motive.

6. Prayer provokes the heart to consider not only what is but what can be with God’s help.

7. Prayer is best prioritized when one asks God to change one’s own heart first.

8. No matters of eternal value will be accomplished outside of prayer.

9. Prayer is properly prioritized vigilance in a spiritually passive world.

10. Prayer at its best is an offering of one’s self to be used by God as a part of the answer.

- Rev. Bill Shuler, senior pastor at Capital Life Church in Arlington, Virginia.

Another Consideration for Lent

2011-03-10T17:20:00.001-06:00

Give up complaining——focus on gratitude.

Give up pessimism——become an optimist.

Give up harsh judgments——think kindly thoughts.

Give up worry——trust Divine Providence.

Give up discouragement——be full of hope.

Give up bitterness——turn to forgiveness.

Give up hatred——return good for evil.

Give up negativism——be positive.

Give up anger——be more patient.

Give up pettiness——become mature.

Give up gloom——enjoy the beauty that is all around you.

Give up jealousy——pray for trust.

Give up gossiping——control your tongue.

Give up sin——turn to virtue.

Give up giving up——hang in there!

--Anonymous

The Monk's Mission

2011-03-03T10:04:00.002-06:00

I came across this quote from Thomas Merton and thought readers of this blog would appreciate it.

"The monk is not defined by his task, his usefulness; in a certain sense he is to be useless, because his mission is not to do this or that job but to be a man of God."

In the midst of your doing for God, don't forget to simply be for God.

Epiphany Prayer

2011-01-06T10:47:00.002-06:00

On this Epiphany I came across another Mozarabic prayer. It was entitled simply, Epiphany Prayer. As the Christ revealed Himself to the Maji, may He reveal Himself to us in a greater and clearer way this year.

This prayer was taken from the Mozarabic Breviary.

Thou, O Lord, art the Star of truth, that riseth out of Jacob, and the man that springeth from Israel. In the new Star thou showest thyself as God, and lying in the Crib God and Man, we confess thee to be the one Christ. In thy great mercy grant us the grace of seeing thee, and show unto us the radiant sign of thy light, whereby all the darkness of our sins may be put to flight: that so we who now languish with the desire of seeing thee, may be refreshed with the enjoyment of that blissful vision. Amen.

Ancient Mozarabic Prayer

2010-12-31T17:27:00.003-06:00

(The term "Mozarabic" refers to Christians living under Arabic rule in medieval Spain.)

Ancient Mozarabic prayer (before 700 AD)
Hear us, O never-failing Light,
Lord our God, our only Light, the Fountain of Light,
the Light of your angels, thrones, dominions,
principalities, powers, and of all the beings of this world;
you have created the light of your saints,
the bright cloud of witnesses around us.
May our souls be your lamps, kindled and illumined by you.
May they shine and burn with your truth,
and never go out in darkness and ashes.
May we be your dwelling, shining from you, shining in you;
may we shine and our light never fail;
may we worship you always.
May we be kindled brightly and never extinguished.
Being filled with Christ’s splendor,
may we shine within, so that the gloom of sin is cleared away,
and the light of everlasting life abides within us. Amen.

Prayer of St. Ephraim of Syria

2010-12-28T13:51:00.002-06:00

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despondency, lust for power and idle talk.

But grant unto me, Thy servant, a spirit of chastity (integrity), humility, patience and love.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see mine own faults and not to judge my brother. For blessed art Thou unto the ages. Amen.

Pilgrimage

2010-11-07T17:15:00.003-06:00

Pilgrimage

When you think of pilgrimage, you think of traveling to a special place.

It might be a place of great personal interest or of profound historical or religious significance. One who goes on a pilgrimage might be seeking beauty, or blessing or a miracle. It might be the place of an early childhood memory, the homestead of an ancestor, or the grave of a loved one.

Wherever this journey takes you it is a holy place, a place of personal reflection that inspires, shapes and moves you to a place of greater growth as a person and deeper into the heart of God..

For us as Christians, Holy Communion is a pilgrimage back to the foot of the cross. Whether we celebrate the Lord's Supper weekly, monthly, or more or less often, it should be a pilgrimage. As we come to the foot of the Cross in Holy Communion we remember, we ponder, we meditate, not just on the fact of Christ's death, but also on what was accomplished on the Cross, the benefits of His death and what that means to us in everyday life.

Because of the Cross we find...
forgiveness
cleansing
eternal life
true righteousness and holiness
peace with God
liberty
hope and strength
the basis for the fruits and gifts of the Spirit
victory over the devil
victory over sin
victory over death
... the list could go on and on.

It's all because of the Cross! These are the types of things we should remember when we come to the Table of the Lord.

Then, as we have contemplated these things, before receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord, we should examine our hearts and lives and ask ourselves the question: “Am I living out those benefits and does my daily life reflect the accomplishments of the Cross to others?”

Lord,
As we make a pilgrimage to the foot of the Cross in Holy Communion, meet us there. And may the benefits, accomplishments, and victories of the Cross, be lived out through each and everyone who professes Your Name. Amen.

A Life That Worships

2010-10-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

All we do and all we are, our whole lives are to be expressions of worship. Bowed at the altar, helping someone in need, or even weeding a garden, can be acts of worship when offered to God with a heart of gratitude. When our hearts and lives are right before God, every breath we take is worship.

Prayer for Cleansing

2010-10-11T08:41:00.004-05:00

O God, cleanse me a sinner, for I have done nothing good before Thee. Deliver me from the evil one, and may Thy will be in me, that I might open my unworthy lips without condemnation and praise Thy holy name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
- Marcarius the Great (Egypt, 300-390 a.d.)

Make of Me a Good Man

2010-09-23T10:15:00.001-05:00

"Were I worthy of such favor from God, I would ask that He would grant to me one miracle, that by His grace He would make of me a good man." --- Anskar, Scandanavian saint, 9th century

Without monasticism, Protestants miss out on community

2010-09-03T16:28:00.003-05:00

Below is an online article of interest. I cut and pasted the article here, but included the direct link as well. Click on the title of this post to go to the original post.

Without monasticism, Protestants miss out on community
by Bill Tammeus on Aug. 25, 2010 A small c catholic

CLYDE, Mo. -- Sr. Dawn, who met us when we arrived at the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration monastery here, used to be what I still am -- a Presbyterian. Same story with Sr. Sean, the prioress. Same with two old friends whom my wife and I accompanied on a recent Sunday visit to see the environmentally friendly remodeling work being done here. Our friends have returned to Catholicism, the faith of their youth.
All of that Presbyterian-Catholic crossover has moved me to think about what we Protestants are missing because we don’t have a monastic tradition. It seems a fair question as a follow-up to my most recent NCR column about what I think Catholics are missing because they don’t have female priests.

When I asked Sr. Sean what she thought monastic-free Protestants miss, her answer was both simple and profound -- "community." Oh, it’s not that we Protestants don’t try (and sometimes succeed) in creating a wonderful sense of community within congregations, it’s just that it never is quite fully committed community in the radical sense that members of monastic communities experience.

Yes, I know that monastic communities often struggle to create and maintain healthy community. I remember what my friend Kathleen Norris said about this in her wonderful book The Cloister Walk. One of the monks at the monastery in Minnesota she was writing about told her that a big problem in maintaining a loving sense of community in such a place is that the mother of every monk there fixed potatoes in a different way.

So let’s not kid ourselves. Monastic life has its issues. And yet it’s the kind of model of community that Protestants (save for some Episcopalians) lack, and its absence in many ways creates a hollow within the body that doesn’t get filled in other ways.

What else are we Protestants missing because we have no monastic tradition? I put the question to the Rev. W. Paul Jones, a friend who spent most of his life as a Methodist seminary professor but now is a Catholic priest and Trappist monk. His list was long, but included:

1. An appreciation of silence and the "booming wonder of standing at awe before Mystery."
2. The value of solitude in a society of "invasive togetherness."
3. An "appreciation of the alternation between doing and being, work and leisure, aloneness and togetherness, prayer and work."
4. An awareness of the diversity of spiritual life -- from Protestants’ emphasis on words through the monastic goal of contemplation as quiet union with God.
5. The importance of the monastic use of lectio divina as a way of being "personally addressed" by scripture.
6. Worship for its own sake, as opposed to "getting something out of it."
The value of retreats in balancing one’s daily life.
7. A deep valuing of tradition.
8. A celebration of saints "as models for transformative living."
9. A more profound appreciation of liturgy.
10. An awareness of nature and the seasons as "an honoring of life’s ongoing rhythms."
11. An appreciation of a rule that gives structure to one’s time and that creates responsibility for how one spends one’s time and resources.
12. A valuing of the church’s organic diversity, "so that while Jesuits and Trappists would seem to have little in common, the various orders affirm the importance of each other in giving wholeness to the church as a robe of rainbow colors" -- a church that is not only human but also the Body of Christ.
13. An alternative to society’s competitive, ownership-driven, individualistic, materialistic approach.

Monasticism, Jones says, "is the ongoing remembrance of the earliest Christian communities in which all receive according to their needs and contribute according to their abilities so that none goes away empty."

So as a Protestant I long for this tradition, just as I’m sure some Catholics long to be ministered to by female priests.
* * *
Bill Tammeus, a Presbyterian elder and former award-winning faith columnist for The Kansas City Star, writes the daily "Faith Matters" blog for The Star’s website and a monthly column for The Presbyterian Outlook. His latest book, co-authored with Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn, is They Were Just People: Stories of Rescue in Poland During the Holocaust. His e-mail address is wtammeus@kc.rr.com.

Bumper Sticker Ideas

2010-08-13T11:18:00.002-05:00

Three Bumper Sticker Ideas:
1. Is your lectio divina?
2. Don't forget your meditation!
3. Prayer: Shut up and Listen!

A Prayer of Clement

2010-06-11T16:27:00.002-05:00

We beseech thee, Master, to be our helper and protector.
Save the afflicted among us; have mercy on the lowly;
raise up the fallen; appear to the needy; heal the ungodly;
restore the wanderers of thy people;
feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners;
raise up the sick; comfort the faint-hearted.

(Clement of Rome, 1st Century)

Pewter Pin

2010-05-25T14:05:00.000-05:00

Discontent in the Outer Court

2010-05-25T13:04:00.001-05:00

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful to him, and bless his name." - Psalm 100:4

The picture here is of the tabernacle. There is at least a sense of awareness that people are gathering in the Name of Yahweh. I imagine busyness, the noise of people, the noise and smell of animals being brought for sacrifice, commotion, much activity and, perhaps an atmosphere of celebration as people draw near with thanksgiving and praise. This was good. This was necessary.

This was the outer court.

There was and is another place, a holy place, the Holiest of Places, where none of those outer court practices will be tolerated. The Overwhelming Presence demands, requires, compels: silence, reverence, a breathtaking sense of awe as we approach with holy fear... the very throne of God. There... the Almighty speaks to us and we are... broken so we can be made whole, humbled so we can be raised up, made to see our sinfulness so we can fully appreciate and experience His forgiveness. In that Place and only in that Place we are truly... changed.

The veil of separation has been torn asunder; access has been granted; the Father, with outstretched hands, beckons us to "Come."

May we and our churches never be content with mere "outer court" worship.

A Revival of What?

2010-05-06T11:11:00.004-05:00

You often hear about the need for revival. Preachers call their congregations to pray for revival. Though not as common as a few years ago, we have revival meetings. (The church world is now flooded with "conferences," but still no revival.) There are multitudes of books, CD's, and DVD's about revival. Revival, revival, revival!

The question I ask is, a revival of what? Signs and wonders? Passion and fervor? Real prayer and true worship? Service? Holiness?

When it all boils down, when we get to the bottom line, what we need a revival of, what the world needs to see a revival of in the Church and in individual Christians, what the Father longs to see in His children is a revival of... Christlikeness.

"Revive us, O Lord. Do not simply give us a hunger and desire for Christlikeness, for a hunger is not satisfied, and a desire shows something lacking and unfulfilled. Mold us and shape us into the image of Christ, not just as a testimony to the world, but for Your glory. Revive in us, a true spirit of the likeness of Your Son. Send revival, O Lord."

Trisagion Prayer

2010-04-15T16:06:00.003-05:00

The following is a variation of what is known as the Trisagion Prayer. Trisagion means "thrice holy." It is laid out for use in a group setting.

Leader - O Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, You Who are everywhere present and fill all things, the Treasury of all that is good and Giver of life: Come, and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.

All - Holy God. Holy Mighty. Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Leader - All Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins.

All - Holy God. Holy Mighty. Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Leader - Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for the glory of Your Name.

All - Holy God. Holy Mighty. Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever. Amen

Collect for Holy Saturday

2010-04-03T10:02:00.001-05:00

From the Book of Common Prayer:

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on his holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Good Friday Prayer

2010-04-02T09:24:00.001-05:00

On this Good Friday, the following Apochryphal canticle was part of my morning reading and prayer. What a great prayer for today's occasion or for any other time of confession and repentance.

14 A Song of Penitence, Kyrie Pantokrator
Prayer of Manasseh 1-2, 4, 6-7, 11-15

O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven,
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and of all their righteous offspring:

You made the heavens and the earth,
with all their vast array.

All things quake with fear at your presence;
they tremble because of your power.

But your merciful promise is beyond all measure;
it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.

O Lord, you are full of compassion,
long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.

You hold back your hand;
you do not punish as we deserve.

In your great goodness, Lord,
you have promised forgiveness to sinners,
that they may repent of their sin and be saved.

And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart,
and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.

I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned,
and I know my wickedness only too well.

Therefore I make this prayer to you:
Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.

Do not let me perish in my sin,
nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.

For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent,
and in me you will show forth your goodness.

Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy,
and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.

For all the powers of heaven sing your praises,
and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen.

IT'S FRIDAY, BUT SUNDAY'S COMING!

Maundy Thursday

2010-04-01T09:02:00.001-05:00

Today is Maundy Thursday, the Holy Day that we commemorate the institution of the Eucharist, Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper, by the Lord Jesus at the Last Supper. This happened "on the night He was betrayed," on the evening before His crucifixion.

Maundy Thursday is known by different names, depending on the faith tradition that is commemorating it.

In most churches in the West, Maundy Thursday is called Holy Thursday.
In the Easter Orthodox Tradition you might see - Great and Holy Thursday
In the Coptic (Egyptian) Church - Covenant Thursday
In the Syriac Orthodox Church - Thursday of Mysteries

Whatever your faith tradition, or by whatever name you call today, may you be blessed on this Holy Day.

Prayer for Holy Thursday from the Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered,
instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood:
Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully
in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord,
who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life;
and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Facebook Fan Page

2010-03-03T21:56:00.002-06:00

For those of you who are on Facebook, type in "Liturgicostal Worship" and become a fan.

Here's a description I put in the info section:
This page was created for Pentecostal believers in Jesus Christ who have discovered or rediscovered the joy of liturgical worship. Are you a “classical” Pentecostal or Charismatic follower of Christ who has an interest in any of the following?:
Liturgy; monasticism; lectio divina; Christ-centered meditation; silent prayer; fixed-hour prayer; use of the lectionary; a more sacramental view of communion and water baptism; regular fasting; Lenten observances; chanting; the use of worship aids such as: prayer books, icons, incense, candles, prayer beads, etc.
If you answered, “Yes!” to any of the above, then perhaps this fan page is for you.

If you are a Pentecostal believer and have a strong passion, a growing interest or just a budding curiosity toward liturgical worship and practices, you are invited to join in. Perhaps you just want to sit back and quietly observe, you, too, are welcome.

Though you will be free to share your thoughts, ideas and questions, divisiveness, profanity, the belittling of another's worship practices will not be tolerated. The goal is to encourage one another as we seek to worship the Triune God in more meaningful ways that may be different from the “typical” ways Pentecostals usually worship. Please try to keep you comments/discussions on-topic.

Posts deemed too far off-topic will be deleted.

I hope to see you there!

Fasting and Feasting During Lent

2010-02-14T13:06:00.003-06:00

I came across the following list and thought it would be of interest to the readers of this blog as we approach this Lenten season. We often think of giving something up for Lent, which is fine and can have great spiritual value. Others speak of adding a discipline rather than giving something up. A discipline might be an additional time of daily prayer and meditation or Scripture reading. It might be a community service activity of some kind, or volunteering for some worthwhile cause.

Whether you add or subtract during this Lenten season, may do it with the goal of becoming more like Jesus. The list that follows may give you some ideas for Lent that, hopefully, will continue on past the Lenten season and help you to reshape and redirect your life in the areas where needed.

Fast and Feasting During Lent

Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ indwelling them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from worry; feast on divine order.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal Truth.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; feast on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity.
Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that undergirds.

-
William Arthur Ward
(American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994.)

Wesley's Covenant Prayer

2010-02-05T16:57:00.003-06:00

I am no longer my own, but Thine.
Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee,
exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am Thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

A Franciscan Benediction

2009-12-01T14:52:00.003-06:00

I came across this today and found it worthy of sharing. It is called a Franciscan Benediction.

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart

May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression and exploitation of people
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace

May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy

May God bless you with foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor

Discomfort, anger, tears, foolishness... not often thought of as blessings. May God bless you in ways you wouldn't expect.

Just a Thought

2009-11-30T16:13:00.008-06:00

Mark 12:30-31 (See also Matthew 22:37-40)

These are the words of Jesus -

"'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love you neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Think of it a "Full-contact Christianity."

It's just a thought.

Are You Saved? An Orthodox Perspective

2009-11-24T07:55:00.005-06:00

A nicely done short video. It makes more sense than we evangelicals would care to admit.

The Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

The Cat Sat on the Mat

2009-10-25T12:34:00.003-05:00

While cleaning off my desk I came across the following item that a friend gave me sometime ago. I thought I'd post it so I could throw away the piece of paper it was written on. Though humorous, sadly, it is not far from the truth. I hope you enjoy it.

The Cat Sat on the Mat
How would Christians deal with "The cat sat on the mat" if it appeared in the Bible?

The Liberal theologians would point out that such a passage did not of course mean that the cat literally sat on the mat. Also cat and mat had different meanings in those days from today, and anyway, the text should he interpreted according to the customs and practices of the period.

This would lead to an immediate backlash from the Evangelicals. They would make an essential condition of faith that a real, physical, living cat, being a domestic pet of the Felix Domesticus species, and having a whiskered head and furry body, four legs and a tail, did physically place its whole body on a floor covering, designed for that purpose, and which is on the floor, but not of the floor. The expression "on the floor, but not of the floor" would be explained in a leaflet.

Meanwhile, the Catholics would have developed the Festival of the Sedentation of the Blessed Cat. This would teach that the cat was white and majestically reclined on a mat of gold thread before its assumption to the Great Cat Basket of heaven. This is commemorated by the singing of the Magnificat, lighting three candles, and ringing a bell five times.

This would cause a schism with the Orthodox Church which believes that tradition requires Holy Cats Day (as it is colloquially known), to be marked by lighting six candles, and ringing the bell four times This would be partly resolved by the Cuckoo Land Declaration, recognizing the traditional validity of each.

The charismatics would welcome the chance for the full experience of the feline presence. This to be shown by resting, on all four limbs, on the floor and meowing in the feline spirit. This would, naturally, only be possible following the singing, for some 30 minutes, of inspired songs such as O cat, cat, cat, come to our mat, mat, mat, Feline we enthrone you, we proclaim you as cat and When you scratch us, we know that you're here.

The house church elements might even agree in a common doctrine, after four pauses, in a statement of multiple clauses.

Eventually, in the Church of England, the House of Bishops would issue a statement on the Doctrine of the Feline Sedentation. It would explain that traditionally the text describes a domestic feline quadruped superjacent to an unattached covering on a fundamental surface. For determining its salvific and eschatological significations, we follow the heuristic analytical principles adopted in dealing with the Canine Fenestration Question (How much is that doggie in the window?) and the Affirmative Musaceous Paradox (Yes, we have no bananas). And so on for 210 pages, The General Synod would then commend this report as helpful resource material for clergy to explain to the man in the pew the difficult doctrine of "the cat sat on the mat."

And the Mormons would come up with an entire rite in the Temple of the Baptism of the Dead Cat on the Mat, and would find innumerable proofs in the Book of Mormon supporting the Cat and Mat, while spending millions of dollars on archeological research to find the Mat or the Cat's bones, ultimately proving it for themselves while the rest of the archeological world scoffed.

Author Unknown

I like the first general rule of Scripture interpretation: "When the plain sense makes perfect sense, seek no other sense."

The Tapestry of Life

2009-10-25T11:54:00.002-05:00

"Your life is like a tapestry. When you focus on a single thread, be it perceived as good or bad, you miss the artistry of the whole. Step back... and behold the beauty of the big picture."

Romans 8:28 - A Paraphrase
"If you love God, as His child, you are called according to His divine purpose. He is weaving together every detail of your life to produce ultimate good and beauty."

GoD and DoG

2009-10-22T17:01:00.004-05:00

For God lovers who are also dog lovers. This is written, illustrated and sung by the wife of Don Francisco ("He's Alive!")

Silent Monk Chorus

2009-10-16T10:38:00.002-05:00

This is just fun!

Brother Benjamin's Compline

2009-10-09T15:43:00.003-05:00

This past weekend I completed a seven-weekend run of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. I portray a character known as "Benjamin 'the Reformer' Ingham.” Benjamin is a pre-Reformation protestant preacher. In addition to singing ancient hymns, holding a Sunday morning Gathering of the Faithful and general conversing with people, I lead what I call Celtic Compline each evening at 6:00. I know, 6:00 is closer to the time of Vespers, but I went with “Celtic Compline” thinking that it would possibly create more interest, especially by adding the word “Celtic” to it.

Compline is the final “Prayer hour” of the day, usually said upon retiring for the night. Below is a complete list of the Prayer Hours (also know as the Liturgy of the Hours, the Daily Office or the Divine Office.)

Matins, also known as Vigils or Nocturns, are done during the night hours and are sometimes referred to as the Night Office
Lauds or Dawn Prayer (at Dawn)
Prime or Early Morning Prayer (First Hour = 6 a.m.)
Terce or Mid-Morning Prayer (Third Hour = 9 a.m.)
Sext or Midday Prayer (Sixth Hour = 12 noon)
None or Mid-Afternoon Prayer (Ninth Hour = 3 p.m.)
Vespers or Evening Prayer (at Dusk)
Compline or Night Prayer (before retiring)

For the most part I used the complines from a book called Celtic Daily Prayer from the Northumbria Prayer Community. In this book are seven different complines, one for each night of the week. At the conclusion of last year's Festival, one young man gave me a compline that he had penned. I was blessed that he named it after my festival character and that he incorporated a number of the themes that I preached in the morning Gatherings. I will share that one with you.

We usually open with the beautiful Irish hymn, “Be Thou My Vision,” after which we begin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Some make the Sign of the Cross, some do not. Then we go into the main part of the compline, closing with the Lord's Prayer and the singing of the Doxology. This could also be used at the conclusion of prayer meetings, home fellowship groups, etc.

Key: bold type is read aloud together; the asterisk (*)denotes a change of reader. When there are more people than reading parts, the compline is repeated until all have had a chance to participate.

Brother Benjamin's Compline
by Anonymous

Blessed art Thou O God who created light, and gave us that light through Jesus whom you sent to us that we might receive it and become like it. And blessed be the Spirit that reminds us of Your light when our eyes fail to see it.

*Be Thou our vision, our guide, our support. Grant that we may always follow Your path and reflect Your light so others will follow.

Keep us, Lord, that we will not stumble.

*The darkness comes and the night is long; the shadows grow and overtake us; the storm clouds blot out the sun.

Be our Light, Lord, that we will not stumble.

*The path is narrow and we tend to stray.
We often choose our own way and make it easy to fall.

Make our path straight and wide
that we will not stumble.

* The evil one puts rocks before us and we dig pits for one another. Left to ourselves we would build walls.

Make level the road, Lord,
that we will not stumble

* The winters of our soul are long; the world is cold; the road is covered with ice. Snow, like our trials, piles up so we cannot go on.

Show us Your steps to follow, Lord,
that we will not stumble.

* Our spirit is willing, but only sometimes, and our legs are weak. We cannot walk this road alone for the pits are many and the rocks are large. We simply are not able.

Support us, Lord,so that when we do stumble, we will not fall.

(Pause)

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
Let me abide in Thee and Thou in me,
that I might be light in the world.

Blame the Devil or Praise the Lord?

2009-08-09T20:25:00.006-05:00

In the Book of James, which has been called the Proverbs of the New Testament, we read in chapter 1:2-4,
(2) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
(3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
(4) But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Since coming into my position as a hospital chaplain, I have been somewhat “forced out of necessity” to look at the issues of pain and suffering and sorrow from perhaps a different perspective than I had before.

Somehow or somewhere we've been made to believe that anything we perceive as bad must be from the devil and must be rebuked as an attack from the enemy. And if we can muster up enough faith and pray the right words and formulate the right confession that all will be well. But as you know, that is not always the case.
- People with great faith still battle great sickness
- People with great faith still lose their loved ones to disease and accidents and senseless acts of violence.
- People with great faith still lose their jobs.
- We often struggle when our personal experience does not match our professed theology.
- Our faith gets tested, so we rebuke the devil with a bit more fervor and volume.
And nothing changes.

I wonder how many things happen that the devil gets blamed for when it is, in fact, the hand of God at work.

As a child of God and a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that He is with me, He guides me, He cares for me and that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

I believe that in the life of a true follower of Christ, nothing happens apart from the purpose, permission, providence or predestination of God. Believing this removes a lot of frustration from faith.

Take, as an example, two people with the same affliction.
One believes that his affliction is an attack of Satan. He is frustrated and discouraged because his healing hasn't been manifested. He believes that God loves him and just doesn't understand why this has happened to him.

The other believes that his affliction is the will of God for some reason beyond his limited understanding. He is at peace in spite of his situation because he believes that God loves him and that there is a divine purpose for what he is going through.

Now, we can argue theology or we can compare fruit.

Consider the following statement:
“I am really going through something; I feel like I'm being attacked from every direction.” How do you immediately interpret that?

1. He's really under the spiritual attack of the enemy.
or,
2.He's being molded and shaped by the Master Potter into a beautiful vessel for His purposes.
(The “attack” is , in reality, pressure from the hands of the Potter.)

Far too often we immediately attribute the trials of our faith to being an attack of the enemy, when, in fact, it is the hand of God at work in our lives!

Look at the story of Joseph being sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:1-36). Our first impression is that this is a bad thing. If this were to happen today, we would likely blame the devil for a direct attack on a godly man of God. But when you get to the end of the story we read the words of Joseph (Genesis 50:20): “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
- This wasn't God's “Plan B.” This was His plan.
- He didn't simply turn a bad situation into good, He purposed it to ultimately save the entire nation of Israel!

Philippians 4:11-13
(11) Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
(12) I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
(13)I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Verse 13 is a favorite of many, but is usually taken out of context and applied to accomplishing something for God, carrying out some great exploit for the Kingdom or reaching some personal goal.
- In the context, Paul is talking about being content in spite of circumstances.
- What Paul is saying is, “It doesn’t matter if I’m up or down, rich or poor, full or hungry, healthy or sick, well liked or despised, honored or shunned, in a crowd or alone… I can be content in any situation because my strength comes from Christ - not from the circumstances in and around my life.”
- Some people “can’t do” being: down, poor, hungry, sick, despised, shunned, alone, but Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, Paul lists what he suffered as a Christian.
(24) From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
(25) Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
(26) in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
(27) in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness--
(28)besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

Then, just a few years later, writing to the Philippians, Paul says, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:12)

Paul saw that nothing in his life happened apart from the purpose, permission, providence or predestination of God. He not only said, “in everything give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18), but also spoke of, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20).

The next time you're going through something, or if you are currently going through something, don't be so quick to blame the devil, but consider maybe, just maybe, God is at work in your life, shaping you into the image of Christ.

1 Peter 4:12-13 NKJV
(12) Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
(13) but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Gleanings from the Didache

2009-07-06T14:45:00.006-05:00

I just finished reading through the Didache again – twice. It is a very brief, but interesting read. Even a slow reader should be able to read through it in less than a half-hour.

The Didache, which means “teaching,” is an early document that is believed to be a compilation of some of the main teachings of the twelve Apostles. Three of the major themes I see in its pages are: general instructions about the Christian life, instructions about the sacraments of water baptism and the Eucharist, and instructions concerning Church government (with a good number of verses addressing the office of the prophet.) What makes this most intriguing to me is the very strong probability that this was written during the same time period that a number of the New Testament books were still being written, perhaps around 65 a.d. This is what the “New Testament Church” believed and practiced before there was what we know as the New Testament.

What follows are a few things I found particularly interesting.

1. Because the hypocrites [Pharisees] fasted on Mondays and Thursdays, Wednesdays and Fridays were to be the designated fast days for Christians.

2. The Lord's Prayer was to be prayed three times per day. You may have heard it said that the Lord's Prayer is an “outline for prayer.” The early Church knew it to be an actual prayer.

3. Only baptized believers were to partake of the Eucharist.

4. Water baptism seemed to take place after some instructions about the Christian life and was done using the trinitarian formula, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This baptism was to take place “in running water,” but if that wasn't available then “in some other water.” The water was to be “cold” but if unavailable, “do so in warm.” And if there wasn't enough water for immersion then “pour water on the head three times.” (interesting point for immersionists)
The one baptizing, the one being baptized, “as well as any others who were able” were to fast a day or two before the baptism took place.

5. Prayer for Holy Communion (Eucharist)
Concerning the cup:
"We give you thanks, our Father,
For the holy vine of David your servant,
which you have made known to us
through Jesus, your servant
to you be the glory forever."

Concerning the broken bread:
"We give you thanks, our Father,
for the life and knowledge
which you have made known to us
through Jesus you servant;
to you be the glory forever.
Just as the bread was scattered
upon the mountains and then was
gathered together and became one,
so may your church be gathered together
from the ends of the earth into your kingdom;
for your is the glory and the power
through Jesus Christ forever."

Post-Communion prayer:
"We give you thanks, Holy Father,
for your holy name which you
have caused to dwell in our hearts,
and for the knowledge and faith and immortality
which you have made known to us
through Jesus your servant;
to you be the glory forever.
You, almighty Master, created all things for
your name's sake,
and gave food and drink to men to enjoy,
that they might give you thanks;
but to us you have graciously given
spiritual food and drink,
and eternal life through your servant.[Jesus]
Above all we give thanks because you are mighty;
to you be the glory forever.
Remember your church, Lord,
to deliver it from all evil
and to make it perfect in your love;
and gather it, the one that has been sanctified,
from the four winds into your kingdom,
which you have prepared for it;
for yours is the power and the glory forever.
May grace come, and may this world pass away.
Hosanna to the God of David.
If anyone is holy, let him come;
if anyone is not, let him repent.
Maranatha! Amen."

Good stuff from the very early Church!

A quick thought about temptation

2009-06-09T07:33:00.005-05:00

Temptation
"While some wrestle with temptation, others merely embrace it."

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between wrestling and embracing. Ponder that.

Did they realize...?

2009-06-03T12:10:00.006-05:00

The following church bulletin notice struck me a little funny:

"Joan of Arc/Pentecost BBQ– Sun., May 31st after the 5:45 p.m. Mass (Parish of St Ann O’Nymous) Come out to Ann O’Nymous location after Mass to celebrate the feasts of Joan of Arc and Pentecost with a bonfire and BBQ."

Do you want friars with that?

True riches

2009-05-21T17:26:00.005-05:00

I found this great little story on another blog site and though you'd enjoy it.(http://kingdomstrider.wordpress.com) The following is taken directly from that blog:

I love little stories like this. So much truth in simple, memorable form. Told by Anthony De Mello, as quoted by Bradley Holt in Thirsty for God:

A monk in his travels found once a precious stone and kept it. One day he met a traveler, and when he opened his bag to share his provisions with him, the traveler saw the jewel and asked the monk to give it to him. The monk did so readily. The traveler departed overjoyed with the unexpected gift of the precious stone that was enough to give him wealth and security for the rest of his life. However, a few days later he came back in search of the monk, found him, gave him back the stone and entreated him: “Now give me something much more precious than this stone, valuable as it is. Give me that which enabled you to give it to me.”

A Lutheran's attempt at humor

2009-05-18T14:56:00.004-05:00

Hey, it made me laugh!

Why me?

2009-05-18T09:44:00.004-05:00

In difficult times, times of loss, tragedy or suffering, we may be tempted to ask, “Why me?” Now ponder this, “Why not you?” The answer is usually the same for both questions.

“He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45

There are certain exemptions we can claim when filing our tax forms. But there is no “exemption from difficulties box” to check simply because we are people of faith. Though we can avoid many things by being good stewards of life, living wisely and trusting God, often people with great faith are “spiritually taxed” at a higher rate.

But let us not forget the words of St. Paul in Romans 8:18 NLT, “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.”

Just make sure you have a good Accountant.

Notre Dame Students Take a Stand!

2009-05-12T17:34:00.001-05:00

A group of Notre Dame seniors are refusing to attend their own graduation, rather that compromise their faith. I commend them for their courage to do this.

His delight

2009-05-08T09:51:00.003-05:00

Psalm 37:23 in the NKJV says this, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way."

The New Living Translation puts it this way, "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."

Prayer
O Lord, grant that my life and every detail of it, might be Your delight. Amen.

Just hanging around?

2009-05-02T11:32:00.008-05:00

Often while reading, a paragraph, sentence, phrase or merely a word will jump off the page and stick in my mind. Thought-pictures form around it and inspiration, conviction or simply a new angle from which to look at something is birthed. This happen quite often when I read from the book, The Valley of Vision. The Valley of Vision is a book of Puritan prayers that will humble you, grip your heart and bring you to the foot of the Cross. Those who don't like to think of themselves as anything but victorious saints and royal children of God and worthy of every possible blessing may not care for this book. Those who think more along the lines of the Apostle Paul, who thought of himself as “the chief of all sinners” (Timothy 1:15) and a “wretched man” ( Romans 7:24) will appreciate this wonderful book. Understand, however, this book does not dwell on our lowliness, but focuses on God's loftiness.

I will share a few lines from one of these prayers and point out the word that has been rolling around in my brain for about a week now. The prayer is entitled, Christlikeness:

May my words and works allure others to the highest walks of faith and love!
May loiterers be quickened to greater diligence by my example!
May worldlings be won to delight in acquaintance with thee!
May the timid and irresolute be warned of coming doom by my zeal for Jesus!
Cause me to be a mirror of thy grace, to show others the joy of thy service,
May my lips be well-tuned cymbals sounding thy praise,
Let a halo of heavenly-mindedness sparkle around me and a lamp of kindness sunbeam path.

Wow!

The word that has set up camp in my mind is, “loiterers.” A really interesting word when applied to the Christian life. I looked up “loiter” in the dictionary and found these definitions:
1.to linger aimlessly or as if aimless in or about a place
2.to move is a slow, idle manner, making purposeless stops in the course of a trip, journey, errand, etc.
3.to waste time or dawdle over work

Wow!

I am sure you would agree, there are sure a lot of "Christian loiterers!" The question we each need to ask ourselves is, “Am I one of them?”

If we have loitered, let us quicken our pace!

Tie me down, Lord!

2009-04-24T19:39:00.008-05:00

I presume most of us are well familiar with Romans 12:1, which reads: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is you reasonable service.” (NKJV)

Or as the New Living Translation (NLT) puts it, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?”

We sing songs with such lyrics as “Make my life a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You.”

The band, Casting Crowns, in their song, “Lifesong” has a verse that says: "Lord I give my life, a living sacrifice, to reach a world in need, to be your hands and feet.”

Darryl Evans' song “I Lay Me Down” has a line that says, “I lay me down, a living sacrifice to you.”

Craig Wallis, a worship leader with Vineyard Fellowship (I think), in his song, “Sacrifice” says, “I will be a living sacrifice, pure and holy in your eyes.”

Though I could probably mention many more, I think you get the idea. The words are much easier to sing than they are to actually live out. The reason being, it has often been said, is that “The problem with living sacrifices is that they seem to want to climb down from the altar.” Maybe that's true only in my life.... but I suspect that's not the case.

With these thoughts of presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices, I point you to a line from Psalm 118:27, which reads in the NKJV, “Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.” Read that again. “Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.”

Now, the next time you sing a song about your life being a living sacrifice, and if you really mean it, take a moment to pause and pray... “Tie me down, Lord!”

Easter Prayer of St. Hippolytus of Rome

2009-04-12T06:38:00.003-05:00

Easter Prayer of St Hippolytus of Rome (AD 190-236)

Christ is Risen: The world below lies desolate
Christ is Risen: The spirits of evil are fallen
Christ is Risen: The angels of God are rejoicing
Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead are empty
Christ is Risen indeed from the dead, the first of the sleepers,
Glory and power are his forever and ever!

May all the blessings of His Resurrection be upon you!

Prayer of a US Senate Chaplain

2009-04-08T18:02:00.005-05:00

I stumbled across a little gem in a thrift store this past week week. What I found was an autographed book of prayers that were offered by U.S. Senate Chaplain, Rev. Frederick Brown Harris between the years 1942 and 1946 - the WWII years. These prayers were offered before before the opening of the daily Senate sessions. Here is a little snippet of one of his prayers that was offered during Lent. I though it would be good as we are now in Passion Week.

“Our Father God... In these solemn and searching days of the Passion, help us to take time to be holy. We would turn from the tragic, troubled world without to the inner kingdom of our own hearts, knowing that there are the issues of life and that as a man thinketh in his own heart so is he. We would dim all lesser lights that the light within may shine with new radiance, In that light we would see ourselves, stained by selfishness, warped by prejudice, blinded by pride, duped by false lights that fail. Grant unto us the grace of penitence that we would not grow insensible to our need of forgiveness, from one another and from Thee. In the crises of our times join us with those who across the waste and wilderness of human need, preparing the way of the Lord, throw up a highway for our God. Amen"
- Chaplain Rev. Frederick Brown Harris, April 16, 1943

Stations of the Cross Video

2009-04-05T13:45:00.005-05:00

Looking forward to Holy Week I had planned on posting a specific video based on the Stations of the Cross. When I went to retrieve it for the posting I discovered that the embedding had been removed, which simply means, I am unable to post the actual video here. I will, however, post the link. Please click on it and check it out.

This is from a church in California called Storyteller Church. This church (and there are several in California) is geared toward reaching the artist community. They are made up of actors, dancers, singers, musicians, storytellers, performers of all kinds, as well as painters and sketch artists, etc. If you are an artistic type you would feel at home here. It sounds like a great idea.

In the video, you will see a sketch artist's rendition of the Passion of Christ. Though done simply with pencil or charcoal, the pictures are very moving with Selah's "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" playing in the background. I hope you are blessed by it as you enter Holy Week and approach Good Friday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzPBqQeNFb8

It does makes one wonder....

2009-03-26T09:22:00.002-05:00

By now I'm sure you have heard the major news story about the private plane that crashed in to a Butte, Montana cemetery, killing 7 adults and 7 children.

One point that most news sources failed to mention is that the site of the crash, Holy Cross Cemetery, contains a memorial for local residents to pray at the “Tomb of the Unborn.” This memorial was dedicated to all babies who have died as a result of abortion.

Another thing the mainstream media left out of the story is that the family who died near the abortion victim's memorial is the family of Irving “Bud” Feldkamp, owner of the largest for-profit abortion chain in the country. Though Mr. Feldkamp was not aboard this flight, two of his daughters, two sons-in-law and five of his grandchildren died in the crash along with the pilot and four family friends.

I find it interesting that the cause of the crash has been called “a mystery.”

I'm not going to jump to any mystical sowing-and-reaping conclusion, but seeing the bigger picture with the additional details does make me stop and wonder. If all these details were woven into a Hollywood movie we would find the message at least intriguing.

May God in His mercy use this tragedy to bring Mr. Feldkamp to a place of repentance.

Ready or not, here we go!

2009-03-23T10:16:00.006-05:00

There has been much discussion in recent weeks about the decline religion in America, more specifically, the evangelical stream of Christianity. Major papers across the country have written about it, news websites have posted it, bloggers have discussed it. Books have been written on the subject and I'm sure many more are being written as you are reading this.

A number of thoughts are flooding my limited-capacity brain. I will whittle them down to two main ones. From my perspective as a Pentecostal Evangelical I see:

1. WE DON'T “LIVE OUT” THE JESUS WE PROCLAIM
We may sing, “It's All About You!” but we live like “It's All About Me!” We follow after the same pleasures as the world, we seek to “get ahead in the world” that Jesus would have us leave behind. As we accumulate after more and more “stuff” and are always desiring bigger and better everything, we are as guilty of the sin of covetousness (remember that one, “Thou shalt not covet?”) as anyone whom we would say “doesn't know the Lord.”

Our teens seem to be getting pregnant at a rate comparable to that of non-Christians.

Our married couples are divorcing at a rate equal to (or in some studies, greater than) those who do not profess Christ.

Jesus said that it is in the love we have for one another that the world would know we are His disciples and that our unity would be the evidence to the world that He was sent by God. The world doesn't see it.

As long as we fail to “live out” the Jesus we proclaim, we have very little to offer those outside of Christ. It is little wonder that we are seeing a decline in evangelical Christianity.

The very evangelical St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Another similar quote of his said it this way, “Its no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.” In street lingo we might say, “Bring it, don't sing it!”

2. WE HAVE DEMYSTIFIED GOD
It seems to me that we've lost the awe and fear and reverence of God. The Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth and Lord over all the universe has become “Our Buddy who art in heaven...” We have dumbed down God so He is easier to understand and figure out than the guy across the street. We have conformed Him into our likeness rather than allowing Him to conform us into the image of Christ.

A god we can fully comprehend and has no mystery is not the God of of the Bible. For His ways are always higher than ours; His thoughts are always higher than ours. An amoeba can more easily understand the complex workings of an advanced computer than we can understand how God works. Yes! He is that big! Oh, we have glimpses in the Holy Scriptures, but they are only that.

In our desire to be relevant to the world, the evangelical Church has failed to remain reverent before God. We need both: relevance and reverence.

In our attempt to avoid being thought of as being religious, we've reduced sacraments to ordinances, down-graded rituals to ceremonies and replaced traditions with whatever is trendy. We've become seeker friendly instead of being God-focused and worship is now more of a performance that entertains rather than an act that humbles our hearts in surrender before a holy and all-powerful God. And we wonder why our American evangelical Church is in decline. We've compromised the sacred in the name of being lead by the Spirit.

May God have mercy and send a true revival of Christlikeness to His Church.

Saint Patrick's Creed

2009-03-16T17:05:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow is Saint Patrick's Day. All the revelry that will take place would grieve the heart of this true Celtic saint. He was a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. So devoted to his Lord and Savior, his heartbeat may have sounded something like this: "Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me." (See my December 12, 2008 entry, St. Patrick's Breastplate)

Saint Patrick's Creed is taken from his own writings and is a clear proclamation of the truths of the Christian faith.

Saint Patrick’s Creed
There is no other God, nor ever was, nor will be,
than God the Father unbegotten, without beginning,
from whom is all beginning,
the Lord of the universe, as we have been taught;
and His son Jesus Christ, whom we declare
has always been with the Father, spiritually and
ineffably begotten by the Father before the
beginning of the world, before all beginning;

and by Him are made all things visible and invisible.
He was made man, and,
having defeated death, was received into heaven by the Father;
and He hath given Him all power over all names
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
and every tongue shall confess to Him that Jesus Christ is Lord and God,
in whom we believe, and whose advent we expect soon to be,
judge of the living and of the dead,
who will render to every man according to his deeds; and

He has poured forth upon us abundantly the Holy Spirit,
the gift and pledge of immortality,
who makes those who believe and obey sons of God and joint heirs with Christ;
and Him do we confess and adore, one God in the Trinity of the Holy Name.

Above, I mentioned St. Patrick's Breastplate, here is a version of it put to song:

On Being Religious

2009-03-15T16:50:00.008-05:00

Tee shirts and bumper stickers are very good discussion starters. You've seen my use of it in at least one of my previous blogs.

Well, I've got another one – the tee shirt that says, “I'm not religious, I just love the Lord.”

For some reason we think there is an added depth of spirituality to say that we are not religious. On the contrary, that could be one of the big problems with the Church today. We want to be recognized as being Christian and be identified as being part of a particular church, but we don't want to be thought of as being religious, as if that is a bad thing.

Consider the statement: “I'm a Christian, but I am not religious about my faith.” (After all, that is what we are talking about – religion and faith.)

Now consider some dictionary definitions and synonyms of the word “religious”........
devoted; reverent; godly; concerned with sacred matters; scrupulously faithful; conscientious; disciplined; extremely scrupulous

Yep. That about sums it up. The segment of the Church that doesn't want to be called religious very often is not devoted, not reverent, not godly, not concerned with sacred matters, not conscientious, not disciplined, not scrupulously faithful, not extremely scrupulous.

Let me say it a different way. “I just love the Lord. I'm just not devoted, reverent, godly, disciplined, concerned with sacred matters, etc.” See how foolish that sounds? It is not any more foolish than saying you are not religious, but still love the Lord.

There is nothing wrong with being religious, if you are religious about the right things! Sure, Jesus criticised the Pharisees and other religious leaders of his day - not because they were religious, but because they were religious in and about the wrong things and for the wrong reasons.

Without hesitation I admit that I am religious. I am religious about prayer and Bible reading, fasting, church attendance, tithing, living a life that causes no doubt in others that I am a Christian.

I guess my tee shirt could say: I AM religious, BECAUSE I love the Lord!

The Doxology

2009-02-26T16:26:00.012-06:00

This posting is a test to see if I can figure out how to post a video to my blog. I found this great a capella version of the Doxology for the test. There are also a couple of verses of the hymn, All People That On Earth Do Dwell. Just for your information, there are a number of hymns that use this same tune, which is known as the Old 100th. It is called the Old 100th because of its original association with the 100th Psalm. Old 100th was written in the mid 16th century. What we commonly know as the Doxology was written over 100 years after that and is the 11th (Yes! eleven verses) and last verse of the hymn, Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun.

So, what are you doing for Lent?

2009-02-24T09:29:00.006-06:00

Tomorrow begins the season of Lent. Lent the period of 40 days that runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. You may notice that there are actually more than 40 days in this time period. That is because Sundays are not counted in the calculation. Lent is a time of self-examination, repentance, fasting and purposeful focus on the sufferings of Christ leading to His crucifixion on Good Friday. The reason Sundays are not “counted” is because Sunday is looked upon as a day of celebration – a mini-Easter if you will.

You may choose to do something special during Lent this year. Perhaps you have chosen a special book to read or topical Bible study to go through from now to Easter. Others may deny themselves a certain luxury or pleasure and “give up” such things as deserts or other food items, eating between meals,
$5 daily lattes, going out to eat, television, etc. Really, it could be just about anything.

Still others may choose add something to their lives instead of or in addition to giving something up. This could be spending extra time in prayer or Bible reading. I could be helping out at a food shelf or shelter or volunteering in some other worthy cause.

Whatever one chooses to do or not do during Lent should be done as unto the Lord, with the purpose of drawing closer to Him during this time. Ultimately, some of these practices will continue once we get past Easter and become part of our daily discipline as we seek to be molded by Him into His image and as we seek to honor Him in every aspect of our lives.

For those who have chosen to fast during Lent, whether it be a day a week, a meal or two a day, or a complete fast for an extended period of time, I have included an original prayer for fasting. Perhaps it will be of help to you.

PRAYER FOR FASTING

Lord, I commit this fast to you.
Grant that I would draw close to You during this time,
and not simply abstain from the pleasures of food.

When I feel hungry and desire to eat,
give me a greater hunger for You;
remind me that “man does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God;”
move me to feed upon Jesus, the Bread of Life,
the True Manna come down from heaven;
place within me a hunger and thirst for righteousness
with the assurance from Your word that I shall be filled.

Should I be troubled by headaches or stomach pain,
cause me to remember and meditate upon
the sufferings You willingly endured for me.

If I should become crabby or irritable,
draw me into Your presence; for in Your presence is
is fullness of joy.

If I am feeling particularly weak,
let me experience
the joy of the Lord which is my strength;
let me understand
that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness;
let me know
that when I am weak, then I can be truly strong.

If I wonder if I will be able to continue,
pour out Your abundant grace and that will be sufficient for me.

Throughout my fast,
increase my hunger for You;
allow me to taste and see that the Lord is good;
let me feast at the spiritual table You have set for me.

I ask these things for Your glory. Amen.

Shack Attack!

2009-02-09T08:25:00.004-06:00

Well, I just finished reading The Shack, by William Paul Young. This is the current "hot book" in the country, especially in Christian circles. As of this morning, it is #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list, #4 on Amazon and #14 on Barnes and Noble.

It is a different kind of read: weird in spots, borderline blasphemous in others, heart wrenching, soul stirring and thought provoking throughout.

This book has been criticized and condemned, as is often the case, by those who probably didn't read the whole book. The biggest bone of contention is how the author deals with the Persons of the Trinity. I'm not going to give any spoilers here and ruin it for those who haven't read it yet, but I will say this: The Shack is about how God is with us amidst tragedy and loss and suffering. It is not a theological treatise on the Godhead or a systematic study of the Trinity. IT IS A NOVEL, A WORK OF FICTION!

The Shack has a certain something that will bring healing to many who have lost a loved one due to tragedy or sickness. Its central message is one of hope and comfort and God's love in spite of circumstances. The message of the critics misses the point of The Shack, as well at the grace and comfort that can be found in its pages.

Devotions? or Devoted?

2009-02-02T10:54:00.010-06:00

I have said, "God has not called us to do devotions, but to a devoted life." Now, "doing devotions" might be a part of the devoted life, but it is surely not a substitute for it.

William Law, (1686-1761) in his book, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, shared similar thoughts. Here a few snippets from one chapter in that book.

"...who does not know, that it is better to be pure and holy than to talk about purity and holiness?"

"...it is better to be holy than to have holy prayers."

"...I do not intend to lessen the true and great value of prayers, either public or private; but only to show [the reader] that they are certainly but a very slender part of devotion, when compared to a devout life."

"For God is to be glorified , holiness is to be practiced, and the spirit of religion is to be the common spirit of every Christian, in every state and condition of life."

Oh, for those of you who are hung up over the word "religion" and are, in the "Christianity-isn't-a-religion-it's-a-relationship" camp, I simply say,
"CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION...GET OVER IT!

Nifty New Feature Added

2009-01-12T16:48:00.005-06:00

I've added RefTagger to my blog site. This is great! When I add a Scripture reference to my blog, RefTagger automatically underlines it and when you put your mouse cursor over the reference the verse pops up for you in a separate box. Give it a try: John 3:16-18.

If you want to add it to your site, you can get it free at http://www.reftagger.com/ . It is so easy to add, even I figured out how to do it.

Proud to be Humble

2009-01-09T16:08:00.005-06:00

I have seen tee shirts that read, "Proud to be a Christian!" I must tell you that phrase irritates me more than chewing aluminum foil. A more correct slogan would be, "Humbled to be a Christian" but even that expresses pride.

Humility is a somewhat of a "tricky virtue" to attain. For those who desire to be Christ-like it is something absolutely necessary, and is to be deeply desired and diligently sought after, for it exudes the very fragrance of the Savior. Here's the tricky part - once you begin to recognize it in your own life, it begins to leave you.

Philippians 2:5-8 reads:
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Notice again the words, "Let this mind [a mind of humility] be in you which was also in Christ." From time to time, we may pray to have "the mind of Christ" about a particular situation or a decision we must make. A key ingredient to having the mind of Christ is humility.

May you always look for and pursue humility in your life, but hope never to find it.

Too Busy to be at Peace?

2008-12-28T17:35:00.005-06:00

It is ironic that during the Christmas season we talk about and sing songs about "Peace on earth," yet there is no busier, frustrating and anxiety-filled time of the year. We have so much to do, so many places to go, so many people to see. With all the commotion we just don't have time to fit this "peace stuff" into our schedule. We say, "I'll sure be glad when the holidays are over so I can rest up."

If you can relate to that and are looking for a little peace in your life, you might want to consider what Thomas a Kempis called "Four Things That Bring Peace to the Soul," or, "The Truest Way of Peace and Perfect Liberty."

1. Study [or endeavor] to fulfill another man's will rather than your own.
2. Choose to have little worldly riches rather than much.
3. Seek the lowest place and desire to be under others rather than above them.
4. Desire always and pray that the will of God may be wholly done in you.

Let's see now. We have: servanthood, self-denial, humility and surrender to God. If that is what brings peace to our souls, no wonder why so many lack it. This is, simply and far too often, contrary to the way we choose to live our lives.

May you take the necessary steps to know, experience and live in the peace of God as you enter the New Year!

A Revelation "revelation"

2008-12-17T09:50:00.003-06:00

The Book of Revelation, the Revelation of St. John the Divine, the Apocalypse, call it by which ever name you prefer, (but never in the plural - "Revelations" - also, please don't refer to a single Psalm as in the plural , for example, "Turn with me to Psalms 23." Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine.) the Book of Revelation has been read, discussed, argued, interpreted, misinterpreted, dissected and analyzed since the day it left the island of Patmos late in the first century.

Usually the Book of Revelation is seen as a prophetic book that foretells what will happen in the final days of the Last Days or at the End of the Age. The number of interpretations of the details of Revelation nearly numbers the number of angelic beings seen in the Book ("ten thousand time ten thousand and thousands of thousands." Of course, I speak hyperbolically.) Yes, I agree, Revelation tells us what will happen with, to, on and in earth and heaven in the future - perhaps near future for us.

But notice something else in the Book. We see a glimpse of Heaven. We get a taste of worship in Heaven and around the Throne of God. Observe the sights and sounds and smells. See the angels bowing in unison; hear them worshiping in unison; smell the incense; note the altar, the lampstands and other sacred articles that are also seen in Jewish Temple-worship. We see structured, ordered and unified worship. We see....... (drum roll please) ........... LITURGY!

This is just an interesting observation that causes me to ponder.

St. Patrick's Breastplate

2008-12-12T16:16:00.005-06:00

Another consideration for starting your day off right, would be the Celtic prayer known as "St. Patrick's Breastplate." It is a "Please bless my day, Lord" prayer expanded out to some very specific areas. It is a very power-filled prayer.

We are told in Ephesians 6:11 to "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (NKJV) One piece of that armor is the "breastplate of righteousness" (v.14). Perhaps the prayer that follows gives us a glimpse of what St. Patrick looked like getting dressed for battle each morning. Maybe this shows us the intricate details of one of his pieces of armor. You will notice, as in many Celtic prayers, the heavy emphasis of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Saint Patrick’s Breastplate

I bind myself today to
Mighty strength, invoking the Trinity,
Though believing in threeness,
I confess the oneness of creation’s Creator

I bind myself today to
The power of the Incarnation of Christ and His Baptism,
The power of His crucifixion and His burial,
The power of His Resurrection and His Ascension,
The power of His coming on the Day of Judgment.

I bind myself today to
The power of the love of seraphim,
The obedience of angels,
The hope of resurrection unto reward,
The prayers of Patriarchs,
The predictions of Prophets,
The preaching of Apostles,
The faith of Confessors,
The purity of holy virgins,
The deeds of righteous men.

I bind myself today to
The power of Heaven, the brilliance of the sun,
The radiance of the moon, the splendor of fire,
The flashing of lightning, the swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea, the stability of earth,
The firmness of rocks.

I bind myself today to
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me
God's Host to deliver me,
From the snares of demons,
From evil temptations,
From the lusts of nature,
From everyone who devises injury to me,
Whether far or near, whether few or many.

Today I invoke all these powers
Against every hostile merciless force
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of paganism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that holds the soul of man in bondage.
Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in my lying, Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising.
Christ in the heart of all who think of me,
Christ on the tongue all who speak to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind myself today to
Mighty strength, invoking the Trinity,
Though believing in threeness,
I confess the oneness
Of creation’s Creator.

For to the Father belongs salvation;
And to the Spirit belongs salvation;
And to Christ belongs salvation.
May your salvation, Lord, be with us always.

Amen!

Take my life... Please!

2008-12-06T13:12:00.005-06:00

Ok! So the title of this post is a play on words of the well known Henny Youngman quote and the title of his autobiography. But, "Take My Life" is the title of the the following Frances R. Havergal hymn.

Take My Life

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love

Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King

Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise

Take my will, and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart, it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne

Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee

Now, ask yourself, "Is this just a song we sing once in a while in church? Or, is this truly the prayer and desire of my heart?"

Consider printing out the words of this song and and putting them in your Bible to be used as a prayer of personal commitment and dedication of yourself to the Lord. You might choose to do this daily, weekly or simply from time to time. Think about it.

Te Deum or not Te Deum...

2008-11-29T20:40:00.003-06:00

Well, yesterday was "Black Friday," which tells us we've now entered the official Christmas shopping season. Retailers across our land are hoping consumers will thumb their noses at the economy and drive themselves deeper into debt. Children are busy compiling voluminous tomes they simply refer to as their "Christmas wish lists." The lists usually consist of "just-have-to-haves" that will become outdated, boring and "old-school" before the rubbish man has picked up its packaging and wrapping paper from the trash.

If we are not careful, our prayers can sometimes resemble a wish list or shopping list. "God, I want this. God, I want that. God, give me, give me, give me............ And, oh, yeah, in-Jesus'-name-amen!" I think you know what I mean. Although there is a place for bringing our needs (not our selfish desires) and holy petitions before God, the greatest focus of prayer should be worship, with the object of prayer being God, Himself. After all, it is all about Him, not all about us.

Below is a fourth century prayer or hymn known as the Te Deum laudamus, which simply means, We Praise You, O God. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest non-biblical hymns of the Christian church. By the way, non-biblical doesn't always mean unscriptural. (I thought I'd throw that in for free) Though you will notice certain requests are made of God toward the end of the prayer, the requests are made on the basis of God's greatness and mercy and not on the basis of our need (or whim.) What follows is my paraphrase of the version found in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. I tried to remain true to the text while smoothing out some of the awkwardness of the archaic spellings and wordings.

Prayers like this are never outdated, boring or "old-school." They are continually fresh and rich because their goal is simply to worship Him who alone is worthy.

Te Deum laudamus

We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.
All the earth worships You, the Father Everlasting.
To You all angels, the powers of heavens, cry aloud with the
cherubim and seraphim who continually cry,
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and
earth are full of the majesty of Your glory."
The glorious company of the apostles praise You.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.
The noble army of martyrs praise You.
The holy church throughout all the world acknowledges You:
the Father of infinite majesty;
Your honorable, true and only Son;
and the Holy Ghost, who is also our Comforter.
You are the King of Glory, O Christ
You are the everlasting Son of the Father.
When You took upon Yourself to deliver mankind, You did not despise the Virgin's womb.
When You overcame the sting of death, You opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
You sit at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that You will come to be our Judge.
Therefore, we pray that You would help Your servants, whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with Your saints, in everlasting glory.
O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.
Govern them and lift them up forever.
Every day we will be mindful to magnify You.
And we will worship Your name forever in a world without end.
In Your gracious favor, keep us from sin today.
O Lord, have mercy on us; have mercy on us.
O Lord, let Your mercy rest upon us, because our trust is in You.

O Lord, I have trusted in You. Let me never be confounded.

Yeah, but he still said some good things...

2008-11-25T12:59:00.004-06:00

In the "Time for an exam" post below I listed the twenty-two questions the members of the Holy Club would ask themselves each evening. If that seems a bit much to you, perhaps St. Ignatius Loyola's ( 1491-1556) General Examination of Conscience would serve you better. With only five questions you could consider it simply "a quiz."

St. Ignatius' General Examination of Conscience
1. Give thanks to God our Lord for the favors received
2. Ask for the grace to know your sins
3. Examine how you have lived this day
4. Ask forgiveness for any faults
5. Resolve to amend with the grace of God

Ignatius said some really great things, some beautiful things. For example, prayerfully read the two following prayers which are attributed to him. We would do well to pray these kinds of prayer.

Generosity
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,save that of knowing that I do your will.

Surrender
Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will.
All that I am and all that I possess You have given me:
I surrender itall to You to be disposed of according to Your will.
Give me only Your love and Your grace;
with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.

Not everything Ignatius said should received with such enthusiasm. He also believed in self-flagellation as a suitable form of penance. He said, “The safest and most suitable form of penance seems to be that which causes pain in the flesh but does not penetrate to the bones, that is, which causes suffering but not sickness. So the best way seems to be to scourge oneself with thin cords which hurt superficially, rather than to use some other means which might produce serious internal injury.”

Please note that the biblical call that goes forth is to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The call is not to do penance.

Ignatius also said, "We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides."

No! Brother Ignatius. If it is white...it is white, no matter who declares it to be otherwise. Here's one for you Ignatius, "The truth is the truth even when spoken by devils; and a lie is a lie even when spoken by the hierarchy of the Church or even the pope himself."

So, dear readers, when reading someone like Ignatius (or, anyone for that matter...yes! even me) do like one of my college professors said, "Eat the meat and spit out the bones."

Remember, the Apostle Paul commended the Bereans (Acts 17:10,11) and called the more noble than the Thessalonians because they "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

The Bereans were wise to appraise even Paul's words in the light of Scripture. Let us use the same wisdom when reading or listening to the words of others.

We should all be committed!

2008-11-22T11:30:00.004-06:00

Okay, I know this post is a bit lengthy, but you don't have to read it in one sitting. It is good stuff though.

The following is a prayer of personal commitment of his life to the Lord that Benjamin Ingham prayed on April 12, 1734. It is taken from his diary (Diary of an Oxford Methodist: Benjamin Ingham, 1733-1734, Edited by Richard P. Heitzenrater, Duke University Press, 1985). Benjamin Ingham was a close friend of John and Charles Wesley and is of personal interest to me because he shows up in my family tree. He had a group of followers known as Inghamites and had a number of churches named after him. From the information I have gathered there may be only a couple of Inghamite churches still in existence.
This prayer, actually a solemn vow, is based heavily on and, in places, follows word for word the suggestions laid down in the book, "The Country Parson's Advice to His Parishioners." "Country Parson" was a book that Ingham, the Wesley brothers and others in the Holy Club at Oxford prayerfully read and studied. This book helped to shaped their lives of faith. This obscure book was originally written anonymously in 1680 and republished (with edits) for the first time in 1998 by George Koch, an Episcopal priest. I highly recommend this book to you. It is a real gem and an uncovered treasure. If you don't want to purchase it may actually be read on-line at George Koch's website. http://www.georgekoch.com/Books/Country%20Parson/parson_book_top.htm
One other interesting note. The "Country Parson'' suggests that after you write out and make this solemn vow to the Lord that you sign it and date it. Benjamin Ingham took it a step farther - he signed his resignation (an act of surrender) in his own blood.

In the name of God, Amen.

Being, I trust, assisted by God's Holy Spirit to consider the shortness and uncertainty of life, the emptiness and vanity of the world, and all the things of the world; the worth of my soul, and the important concern that lies upon me to provide for its eternal welfare: I see it's absolutely necessary to live a holy and religious life. I cannot be happy forever if I do not do so, and therefore I'm resolved I will [do] so, and nothing shall divert or hinder me forever; the Lord hear me, help me, and be merciful unto me.

This resolution is neither unreasonable or unnecessary; the business indeed which I undertake is difficult, but God is sufficient to enable me to march through all difficulties and to overcome all temptations; and surely the reward annexed to the performance thereof is enough to encourage any man to run through fire and water and to master impossibilities; eternal life, everlasting glory cast down all obstacles; therefore I say again, I do resolve upon a holy and religious life.
Witness Almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, heaven and earth. angels and archangels, the Church militant and triumphant, Amen.

At my baptism I entered into a solemn covenant with Almighty God. This covenant I do solemnly now renew and take upon myself; and if I do not use my uttermost endeavors to perform it, may I never reap the least advantage from it. I know I shall fall into many sins and diverse temptations, and without God's assistance I shall not be able to do any thing that is good, yet 'tis, if I fall seven times a day, with God's assistance I'll rise again, repent, and amend.
I renounce the devil and all his works, pride, love of greatness and fame, all thoughts of glory, honour, preferment, character, reputation, esteem, even amongst my acquaintances, friends, and relations, when inconsistent with my duty; also anger, malice, revenge, and all other sinful affections of the perverse and corrupt nature, the instruments of the devil to draw us to everlasting damnation.

I renounce the pomps and vanities of the world, with all covetous desires of the same; I'll endeavour to seem little in my own eyes, and be content to be thought so by the whole world; I'll not seek the praise of men, neither will I be pleased with it; whatever condition God places me in, shall content me.

I utterly renounce all proud and vain thoughts of my own worth; I'll not imagine myself to be any other man, or think how I could act in such a state of life, but I'll labour to perform my own part well.

I renounce all the sinful ways of the flesh; lust, adultery, fornication, unchasteness of all kinds; gluttony, drunkenness; sloth; I'll labour against all unchaste thoughts; I'll be temperate in all things, not using the c[reation] for pleasure, but preservation. A little drink makes me merry, therefore I'll watch against all temptation that way. My bed shall be left winter so soon as my body is refreshed with sufficient sleep. I'm subject to intemperance in eating, therefore I must and will guard well against it. I'll be diligent in business, always doing, watchful against temptations, avoiding idleness.

I steadfastly believe all the Articles of the Christian faith and whatever is revealed in Holy Scripture. God's Holy Word and will shall be my study and delight; whatever he forbids, I'll absolutely avoid; whatever he commands, I'll labour to perform and fulfill. I'll strive to shun even the appearance of all evil, and to do all the good that lies in my power. All my thoughts, words, and will shall be directed to God's glory.

Supposing now I should be sure of gaining the greatest preferment by complying with the customs of the world, and yielding to the humours of great men, I absolutely refuse them. Whatever condition God is pleased to place me in, shall fully content me.

Supposing my friend should desire me, and my mother should importune me, to omit my duty in some respect for the sake of pleasing some great person, or gaining some considerable advantage, I would altogether refuse; and though they should all be set against me, hate me, and persecute me, I'll forsake all to follow my Master and do his Service.

Should I be invited on a Stationary day to breakfast with some great man, my answer should be, I'm engaged. Because I'm delighted with the applause of friends, I'll take care to conceal my charity and other good actions not necessary to be known by them, least I should lose the virtue of such good actions by being pleased with the praise of them.
I utterly renounce all pleasures and diversions which are obstructive of the love of God, especially shooting, etc.

I'll give up whatever hereafter I shall find to be obstructive of my duty, whether it be diversion or any kind of meat. I give up baked pudding with fruit, etc.
I'll not suffer myself to eat one bite at table before I've first fixed the quantity; nor to pick, or eat between meals, unless in case of necessity; every breach of this resolution shall be sconced one pence or the next meal. I'll not allow myself butter or cheese after sufficient meat. I'll not eat flesh on fasting days, but in cases of necessity. I'll always give at the Sacrament if I have anything, but never make the want of money an excuse for not receiving.

(Set apart some time every day for doing good. Set apart a full hour morning and evening and a quarter-hour at noon for devotion; cases of necessity must be excepted.)

After some considerable time spent in making and weighing the resolutions and renewal of my baptismal covenant with fasting and prayer, I did on Good Friday, April 12, a.d, 1734, betwixt 1 and 2 in the afternoon in my study at Queen's College, Oxon, on my knees on the floor, take upon myself the said resolutions and renewal of my baptismal covenant; and then and there I did, with all the devotion of my heart and soul, make an entire surrender and resignation of myself and all things belonging to me to Almighty God, protesting and vowing in the following words, that he should have the full guiding and governing and disposing of me and mine forever.
See, O my heart, what thou hast done, observe the bond which thou hast laid upon thyself; it is thy own act and deed, there is no disowning it, or excepting against it; as sure as I now see it with my eyes, it is recorded before God in heaven, and it shall one day be brought forth against me to my everlasting condemnation if I do not discharge and satisfy it.

Go on, O my heart, go on, as thou hast begun, to keep thy resolutions firm, and to pay thy vows unto the most high and be confident that the Lord will prosper thy good desires and endeavours, and reward thee according to his gracious covenant and promise, with everlasting glory and felicity. April 12, a.d. 1734.

To God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, I do give myself soul and body, and all that belongs unto me, to be guided, governed, and disposed of according to his holy will, and to his honour and glory, and may he be a witness to this my act, which I promise never to revoke, and may I never obtain the least favour from him if I do it not with an upright heart and an unfeigned purpose to make it good to my life's end. Thou art my witness, O my God, be thou also my helper with thy continued grace, and so shall I be faithful to thee according to my heart's desire.

B. Ingham. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Time for an exam

2008-11-15T17:51:00.012-06:00

John and Charles Wesley met with a group of others from Oxford University to devote themselves to a rigorous search for holiness and service to others. This was a kind of a no nonsense "life group” or " accountability group" in which members fasted until 3 PM on Wednesdays and Fridays (these were called "stationary days"), received Holy Communion once each week, studied and discussed the Greek New Testament and the Classics each evening in a member’s room, visited prisoners and the sick, and systematically brought all their lives under strict review. The name “Holy Club” was given in mockery to the group by fellow Oxford students. The group never exceeded 25 members. Another well known figure who was a member of the Holy Club was George Whitefield. One other notable member was Benjamin Ingham. You'll hear more about him in future blogs. He actually shows up in my family tree!

In order to hold each other accountable and keep one's life in check, each member of the Holy Club would ask themselves daily (yes, daily!) the following 22 questions.

22 questions each member asked themselves every day

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or Disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
22. Is Christ real to me?

................................

Perhaps you would consider printing this list, putting it in your Bible, and slowly and meditatively read through it regularly. Oh, come on... repentance is good for you! (Oh, yeah, and for me too!)

Reading lists

2008-11-13T16:50:00.004-06:00

In the column to the left you will see some lists of books that I have been reading over the past couple of years. This is probably more reading than I did in the first fifty years of my life combined, including my college years and the years I pastored. I wasn't really big on reading. Perhaps you will find the list interesting, or perhaps you won't.

One degree of separation

2008-11-12T16:01:00.007-06:00

When we think of a "monk" we usually think of someone who has isolated himself from the world, so as not to be tainted by it. In his place of separation he is free to devote himself to God in prayer, fasting, meditation and Scripture reading and memorization. The monk is responding to the Apostle Paul's call to "pray without ceasing."

It is interesting to note, however, that the earliest Christian monastics (known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers) sought to separate themselves not so much from the world, but from the Church they saw as becoming secularized and too worldly. They saw a conflict between the teachings of Christ and the practices of the Church. They took what they felt were necessary steps to "come out from among them and be ye separate." They wanted nothing to come between them and their Lord - even if it was the Church! This "extreme practice" began as early as the third century. I'm sure John the Baptist would have applauded them!

Imagine that, the Church appearing too worldly..... surely not in our day!

Monk humor

2008-11-11T18:35:00.006-06:00

The following link is to a video of a medieval monk needing technical help for operating his new book. The upgrade from his familiar scroll had him frustrated and confused. You'll need to read the subtitles, but it is easy to follow what is happening. I probably had similar feelings trying to get my blog site set up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ

Oh, yeah, this blog will not always be serious, but will always be sincere. Remember, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Proverbs 17:22

My new blog

2008-11-11T12:03:00.000-06:00

Well, I went and started a blog. This is quite a step for me, not being very computer savvy. In this blog I will be sharing my various thoughts and insights on: faith, prayer, Scripture, the Christian life and a variety of other topics. At first, there may be no rhyme or reason to what I write. Perhaps at some point my thoughts and writings will be more organized.

At times I feel like somewhat of an oddball. I am unapologetically Protestant, Evangelical and Pentecostal, yet I am drawn to the idea of monasticism and liturgy. I see great beauty and value in these practices that have been either overlooked or cast aside by much of what we call "the Church."

In this blog I will share gleanings from my reading and observations. Many of my readers may not agree with these thoughts of mine, but the thoughts will reflect where I am presently at in my walk with the Lord. We are all on a spiritual journey, yes, even those who don't believe there is a spiritual aspect of human life. Here I will share the things I see from my path of life.