It has been a long time coming but time always bears fruit, good or bad. One of the largest hold-outs in regard to the same-gender movement and demands, has at last come to the table of decision. 

The Methodist Church world-wide has over 80 million members. Here in the US there are 12 million members as of 2012. I use these numbers to make the point that even in today’s world of lessening respect for God and Church, this denomination is a healthy, vibrant church full of Godly, Christ loving people who strive to take the good news to all people. After years of debate, kicking the can down the road again will be almost impossible to do. The issue of course is the Methodist stand, or I should say doctrine within church law regarding their stance on same gender practices. The Methodist Book of Discipline states clearly “The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” This has been the proverbial  thorn in the denominations side for years. After years of discord, mostly between leadership and those seeking change and inclusion, I left the Church. Now within the next two years this decision will be decided. After decades of turmoil the possibility of a split is possible, nine words, all over nine words. I will come back to that later.***

As a layman I certainly am not an expert on Church law. I do try to research the topics I write from the Pew, my goal being to be as accurate as possible. If you find things that in your mind are incorrect please let me know. To me there are two things at play here, Church Law or God’s Law. One you can discuss, debate and even change if the support is there for it. The other while subject to discussion as to it’s meaning and intent is not changeable, it is…

Taking a moment let’s look at the past and find our way forward.   

The Oral Law is a legal commentary on the Torah, explaining how its commandments are to be carried out. 613 Laws, yes 613 were still not enough to provide a sufficient guide to Jewish life. The oral law, a commentary on the Torah, seeks to explain what it means and a how to do it guide. A commentary that had become very important because there were events that devastated the communities of rabbinical scholars and students and putting the passing on of the Oral Law at risk.There was a very real chance the oral law would be forgotten if it were not written down.

 “This decline in the number of knowledgeable Jews seems to have been a decisive factor in Rabbi Judah the Prince’s decision around the year 200 C.E. to record in writing the Oral Law.” (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-oral-law-talmud-and-mishna)

This writing down of the oral law became the Mishna, the name for the sixty-three tractates in which Rabbi Judah set down the Oral Law. The oral laws way forward is not over yet. These writings were studied exhaustively by generation after generation of rabbis. Soon some of these rabbis wrote down their discussions and commentaries on the Mishna’s laws in a series of books known as the Talmud. I am in deep water here and may need to be corrected. My view from the pew tells me this was a long and tedious path because man decided to interpret and explain what God was saying. Their intent was not to just protect God’s word, but to tighten, bring the word and its dissemination under their control and fit it to their goals. I still feel that I haven’t got this right yet. I still am looking for at what point did God’s law become Man’s law? 

I have always considered this gender issue to be in my view one of social, civil and legal consideration in the arena of cultural and societal norms, having no standing between God and his people. I have no intention of getting in a food fight with words. However you write it, say it, or interpret it, God made it plain that his creation intent was man / woman, to procreate and care for this His creation. No where does it say anything else that might even suggest something different. I could continue on as the Jews of old did trying to get it right but somewhere in all those words and many books there is the irrefutable fact of God’s word. The Methodist Church like many others have made the mistake of allowing their faith, energy, resources and unity to be hijacked by a social issue that God spoke to a long time ago. I chose to look back at the evolution of the word through God’s people and how in time they became encumbered with opinion and law. We as Christians have done well in assigning sin and blame and doing  it in a way that is as far from God’s wishes for us, in the ministry to other people. My arguments may be weak and without the eloquence of those of theological letters but I am sadden at the place this great denomination and its people find themselves****Because of just nine words….

“The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”     

To those of you who do not agree I do not condemn you. We Christians are good at pointing fingers….When we should be extending hands of love. I believe the above statement to be God’s word and I will never accept it to be otherwise. I welcome you to the table and accept you as my equal, as in God’s eyes we are all equal and loved by Him. I will leave the judgement to God and strive to love and respect that which he has created. To my friends of the Methodist Church. May the Holy Spirt lead you to the higher calling of loving one another as He loves us. We know that salvation does not lie in the law………

Life is Good

Jk

 

I have always believed that God values all life and all life has a purpose. To me Psalm 139: 13-16 is an affirmation of God’s intent, “that God creates all life purposefully and that life begins in the womb” (Shannon Dingle)  This week I would like to share a part of my life, that changed me, taught me that God values all life and all life has a purpose. 

Psalm 139:13-16 

 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret,  intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me,when as yet there was none of them.

The students of Trousdale School changed my life and taught me that all life, created of God, has a value and purpose. The school serves high functioning adults with intellectual disabilities, providing academics and life skills for the purpose of learning independence. Their vision is “Learning for Life.”  Trousdale School’s way is a welcome and new approach to an area of our population that has to often been just cared for, accepting their limitations and allowing those limitations to identify their place in society.That won’t fly at Trousdale School. Faith is a fragile thing that requires a closeness to Christ that is more than a two-day a week investment. I must state up-front that my views may not be yours, but that for me is not a problem. Faith never lets you accept things as they are, because there is always God’s way and will and that’s the catch here. Do you have a close enough relationship with God and the Holy Spirit to discern His will. Now back to school. The students at Trousdale School and the teachers, staff and volunteers have faith that believes there is always more that you can do. I will be realistic and tell you of course thy have limitations but they do not allow them to define who they are.

So who are these people? Were they chosen by God to bear such afflictions in this life? Of course not, God has given them some attributes that are worth noting.  They were not chosen to be less than anyone. They were chosen to be stronger, braver, and, most likely, a little more compassionate than most of the world.  (http://www.patheos.com/) I might add that happy is a state of being in this place. 

 What is Down Syndrome?   Down syndrome (DS or DNS), also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is typically associated with physical growth delays, characteristic facial features and mild to moderate intellectual disability.

 What is Autism?   Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by troubles with social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents usually notice signs in the first two or three years of their child’s life.

These are rather short and cryptic definitions and do not present a full picture of the scope of these conditions.

John 9:1-3 makes it very plain that disability is not a punishment for sin.  

John 9:1-3  As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” 

“Disability is never a result of falling from God’s favor, or a lack of love on His part. Any word to the contrary is against all that the Lord stands for. But God does have a plan for us all that will ultimately result in his Glory. It is our job to decipher how our lives, our bodies, and our minds, can bear witness to His grace. Whatever it is that we have been given, it has been given to show light in some way.” http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2015/06/25/top-7-bible-verses-about-disabilities/

Job 29:15  I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. 

As believers, we are called to be the hands and feet to those who need us, all in the name of Jesus.

Galatians 4:13-14  As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

Paul was thankful that he was not treated like a burden but welcomed and loved. This time of healing allowed him to go on and take the gospel to so many. These special people go on to attain remarkable skills and abilities and in time become a valued part of the lives they touch.

We all have areas of our hearts, bodies, and minds that just don’t work the way we want them too. To often we turn away from these very special people but consider that is not what a loving God would have us do. In His eyes, there are no disabilities, only these wonderful special people whom have been chosen to fulfill a wonderful thing in others lives. What is it they have been called to do? They teach us to love unconditionally and trust that tomorrow will always be a better day. Trousdale School is a special place for special people. They make us a better person, through love and trust. All God asks is that we help one another to do so.

Reference for this blog- http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2015/06/25/top-7-bible-verses-about-disabilities/

This link will take you to the Trousdale School web site.     http//www.trousdaleschool.org

Thanks for stopping by the pew this week……Life is good

jk

Sometimes as christians we find ourselves at odds with the world around us. There is a natural dislike of the christian faith but one area of this behavior puzzles me; why do we often see those in authority state their opposition to telling the story of Jesus Christ? If ever a story needed to be told this is one for sure. There was a time that we christians had the world for our stage. Sadly that is not the case in the world today. While preparing a Sunday school lesson I encountered these verses and with the attitude toward the teaching and sharing the word of God in our day, I found them to be instructive. I refer you to Acts 4: 1-12. Peter and John have just healed a lame man in Jesus Christ’s name. (chapter 3) The Sunday school lesson concerned miracles. I read on into Chapter 4 and found that Peter and John were now being called on to explain their behavior. Now I found in these verses a great lesson to be applied to “Christian Self-Defense” Considering some of the ways that the secular side use to lessen the influence of christian values, we are finding the faith constantly on defense. If we are to go outside the walls and to the lost, hurting and those in need of hope, this attacking the message and those who bring it, must be dealt with. It must also be noted, that sadly here lately these attacks are coming from within the faith as well.

The priests and Sadducees are incensed at the apostles’ teaching, and put them in prison. There was the number of those who believed. This type of influence could be threatening to the Sadducees, whose whole system was now in danger by the preaching of the resurrection of Christ; for they believed not in the immortality of the soul, nor in any future world. These made a common cause with the priests, etc., to suppress the evidence of Christ’s resurrection, and silence the apostles. (Adam Clarke Commentary)

They are arrested and held overnight in jail.The next day they are called before the council of all the elders and rulers and asked to explain their actions. They were most concerned by what authority did these men teach and by what power and in whose name did they do this? They are confused by Peter’s answer and it serves only to harden their hearts. Still an even bigger problem for them was that so many saw the healing as it happened, the man was known well to those people and was frequently at that gate begging. They had standing among the people an irrefutable proof that a miracle had occurred for which they had no answer. All they could do was to command them not to preach in the name of Jesus.

Here we see very vividly both the enemy’s attack and the Christian defense. In the enemy’s attack, there are two characteristics.

First, there is contempt.

They consider Peter and John ignorant and uneducated in the application of the Law and having no real ability to understand its meanings and as such, they have no ability….. to deal with such matters. While not all people of learning are given to such behavior it is a common tactic among some to resort to academic and professional snobbery. They fail to see that this is not a matter of academic or professional standing but rather a matter of the heart. Peter and John have the love of Christ in their hearts, a strength that does not require academic attainment or professional status.

Second, there are threats

We as Christians know that such things are of this world, they will not survive, but the things of God last forever.

Just as Peter and John had certain defenses, today we of the Christian faith do also. They had the defense of an unanswerable fact. That the man had been cured, it was impossible to deny. The most unanswerable defense of Christianity is the individual Christian. Make no mistake that the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Christian commitment to live a Holy Life in service to Him and all people is also an unanswerable fact to the power of our faith. They had the defense of an utter loyalty to God. If it was a question of choosing between obeying other people and obeying God, Peter and John were in no doubt as to what course to take. Would Our faith today sustain such a decision? Lastly they had the defense of a personal experience of Jesus Christ. Their message was not something that they had simply heard from others. These men had been with him and had heard his voice, seen the miracles and knew the resurrection to be true. Consider this…we sometimes overlook the fact that through the Holy Spirit we too have had a personal experience with Christ. We know with unshakable fact, that salvation through Jesus Christ is real and we are willing to stake our lives on it.

Words are not enough. Peter and John refused to be silenced as they continued to take the word to the people. God’s word is a map to where we need to go. Take the GOOD Way…..we are not there yet.

Life is Good

jk

 

I always get a bit nervous when I step out of the Pew. What do you believe is the mission of the church? I believe that it is to share the word, tell everyone about Jesus Christ, minister to the lost, the hurting and the needy. To worship in a way that raises a joyful noise unto the Lord and welcomes all to the table. I am sure there are many of you who could say it better. The Church has always been the moral compass of our society. Christian beliefs can be found throughout our founding, Constitution, laws and daily dealings among our people. The church and christianity always had a place at the table. Sadly that is not the case here in 2018. Nuff about that at this time, there is another whole blog in that statement. Over the years the church has become involved in caring for the needs of God’s people in many different ways. From community to state, to nation, christians by way of the church have fed the hungry, provided clothing and other needs for the homeless even in some cases shelter from the elements. In all situations the church has reached out to God’s people when no one else would. It is inevitable because we are mortals subject to failure that there would be a fervency, a real emotional driven vigor that at some point we might overstep the need, or even redefine or expand the scope of the need; and that brings me to today’s question.

Borrowing from last weeks blog, we are also hearing a lot about another hot button issue of the day. Sanctuary or Refuge, is there a difference or is the end result the same? What is the meaning of, motive for and responsibility of, “Sanctuary Cities” in the world of today? For clarity Merriam Webster writes…

Sanctuary, a consecrated place: such as the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or it’s holy of holies. It could also mean the most sacred part of a religious building (such as the part of a Christian church in which the altar is placed) or the room in which general worship services are held a place such as a church or a temple  for worship. Or it could be  a place of refuge and protection, a refuge for wildlife where predators are controlled and hunting is illegal or the immunity from law attached to a sanctuary. 

Refuge, by definition the word can mean, shelter or protection from danger or distress, a place that provides shelter or protection or something to which one has recourse in difficulty.

From here on that which was simple becomes a proliferation of meanings according to the situation in which the words are used. Would you be surprised to know that sanctuary cities  in the Bible were for different purposes than these today, in fact, they were not referred to as such. Sometimes mistaken meaning or clever use of terminology can become the tool of those whose goal is not to help but instead to aid in pushing an agenda or political ambitions and platforms. I have spent a great deal of time trying to honestly inform myself about the issue of illegal immigrants and during that time I have discovered that the word illegal is not PC when discussing this issue. Words are powerful and can unite or pull apart, in this case I have to say illegal is a proper and factual description of  the status of the people involved in this issue. The sanctuary cities, same-gender issues are hot button issues that distract from the mission of the church by appealing to emotions and hijacking the faith to use as a platform. 

Sanctuary or Refuge?

I believe it fair to say that the “cities of refuge” that we read of in Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19, do not in any way represent the characteristics of our present day sanctuary cities. According to Pastor Stephen Russ the claims made by the many churches involved is that they do function similar to the “cities of refuge”  found in the Old Testament. I agree in full with his assessment, they do not. I feel it is the classic hijacking of the scripture and  misunderstanding of the written word, in an attempt to add creditability to their agenda. Here from his article:

What are cities of refuge?

In both Numbers 35 and Deuteronomy 19, we find God instructing Moses to establish six cities as “cities of refuge.” If a man committed involuntary manslaughter, meaning he accidentally killed someone, he could immediately flee to one of these six cities. These cities were necessary because of a common practice where the offended family would appoint someone, often a brother of the deceased, to be the “avenger of blood.” (https://www.theologywithoutapology.org/single-post/2017/05/19/Sanctuary-Cities-vs-City-of-Refuge)

To better understand this issue I encourage you to read his entire post at the above link. Like all hot-button issues in the world today, they thrive on emotions, misinformation in the way they are presented and our, you and I, being uniformed. While I believe that enforcement of the law is important, we as Christians are commanded to love one another. The use of this situation, which by the way, is the fault of our government to deal with it and always kicking the can down the road while looking for an acceptable political solution, continues to divide us as a nation, and is troubling.

So we have learned that the word sanctuary can be used to describe different situations. The word refuge in OT writings, in no way resembles the sanctuary cities we are now dealing with. I can’t speak for you but as for myself, I have learned that Law, Politicians, and agendas alone will not answer this issue. So again I leave you to work it out. Will close with this thought….. Do not mistaken the scriptural meaning of sanctuary or refuge  as a way to disregard the laws of this land. We must separate secular inadequacies, turn to God and seek His wisdom. 

Thanks for coming by.

Life is Good

jk

Below is the contact information for Pastor Russ.

Pastor Stephen holds a Bachelor of Ministry degree in Pastoral Theology, from Golden State Baptist College (2006-2012). He was ordained to preach on March 25, 2012, at the North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, CA.You can find him on Twitter – @StephenRuss, or email him at sruss@boekeroadbaptist.org.

July 1, 2016, I posted a blog entitled “Looking For The  Good Way.” These are not the best of times for the church. In these days the church finds itself marginalized by a culture of changing morals, social debate and the sudden realization that living a Holy life is not compatible with the needs of this new society and its “Way.”  There are many things that are not compatible with biblical teaching. Of course we could cite the “poster child” of today’s social dilemma for the church and many other organizations…same-gender as a civil right, the holy grail of society’s call to action. I do not wish to make this a one or two issue thing. Sin, I believe is any thing that separates us from God. Now we all know that we as Christians often like to cite scripture to bolster our view. It has always kinda struck me that our list often mirrors our Church doctrine and we have a system that tends to list the few we acknowledge in order of seriousness.  I call that “Anti-scripture-mentalism”. I do not know if that is a word, I view it as a condition. I got to looking around the internet and sure enough there is a list! Here is the URL and a caution. Not everything we read should be taken as Gospel. This list contains 667 sins, all with scriptural reference. 

http://www.wogim.org/sinlist.htm

Consider this, some time after God had spoken to the need for living a Holy Life, and laws had been passed to the people, some time later the Jewish Nation was able to add to these about 613 “laws and instructions”  that explained how to live and what not to do to avoid breaking the law. There was no way, you sin you pay. Then along came Jesus and through him the miracle of forgiveness became possible. Sin is a complex thing…. for society.

What is sin, are there varying levels according to seriousness? Actually it is very simple. Anything that separates us from our God is a SIN. 

My plan is very simple.We must quit judging other people, stop paying attention to their way and seek the way to Jesus Christ. We must seek “Where The Good Way Lies.” Well, it took us a long time to get here, but Jeremiah has as good a way as any.

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jeremiah 6:16)

The word of God is very much with us, even in these days. From the labour of those he ordained and called so long ago to those who labour in the fields of this day, seeking souls for the kingdom. Make no mistake, sin will be punished but there is hope and mercy in the love God has for his people and our advocate, His only son Jesus Christ. We will not find the good way looking at or for the sins of others. The blog this day concerns a people, and a nation that have abandoned the faith and no longer seek the good way.  God called Jeremiah at an early age to the office of a prophet :   

Jeremiah 1:10

 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,

to pluck up and to break down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.”

In Jeremiah we read about rebellion and sin, covenant redemption and humanity. We also are brought to the understanding that rebelling against God has consequences which will not be postponed indefinitely. In Jeremiah 6: 10-15 God is angered by this constant rebellion and it is plain that redemption will happen only after judgement. I wonder how long it will be for us as a nation and people to get to that point? The sad fact here is that the people of Jeremiah’s day could have turned from sin and avoided destruction. The greatness of Jeremiah can be seen as he walks “Where The Good Way Lies.” These were difficult times for Jeremiah as he went about serving God. Our fate could be the same as Judah if we fail to walk the good way. Pogo, a popular comic strip some years back had a quote in one of its panels “we have met the enemy, and they is us.”  Remember Jeremiah 6: 16   … “But you said, We will not walk in it.”  So the question of the day is, will we say no in our day. If we want to know about God, we must walk in the good way. It is here where the knowledge of God and His will exists.There is no way we can make it up as we go along. We must seek the old paths and be instructed in what God revealed long ago in his word. Where do we find the ancient paths, where the good way lies? 

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

16 All scripture is inspired by God and[a] profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

It is through god’s word and the leading of the Holy Spirit that we will find where the good way lies. It doesn’t stop there. We need to share with family, friends, anyone who will listen. We must again walk the ancient paths. It is important to absorb and learn from God’s word and then walk in it. 

Luke 11: 28

28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

James 1: 22

But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.

This is the path that will allow us to truly find rest for our souls. We continue on the path in,

Psalm 16: 11

 Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fulness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Knowing God’s plan and purpose is for our salvation, that’s his way.  

John 14: 6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.

Now we know the way! Jesus is the truth….the only way to the Father. Jesus is the reality of salvation, now and eternally.

We are at a crossroad, which way will you go? 

2 Peter 1: 5-11

5 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 11 so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Titus 3:8 

The saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men.

As we walk along this good way we will find that strength and courage, knowledge and prudence, temperance, patience, godliness, kindness and charity are some of the things we might want to take along with us. You will find the way in your soul, nurtured by the word of God and the acceptance of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior. We the people, the Church, are at the crossroad, which way? It is found on an old and ancient path…

 2 Chronicles 7: 14

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Will you choose to “Walk Where The Good Way Lies?”

Life is Good

jk

 

 

 

 This has been a two year journey filled with hope and at times a quite sadness that tugs constantly at my heart. This is really not about theology. A short definition of theology is sufficient for this subject. 

(the study of religious faith, practice, and experience; especially : the study of God and of God’s relation to the world)

It is about God’s word and my interpretation of it. It is important that I stress I have arrived at this point through prayer and honestly seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. My views stated here are those of a layman who has sought a path out of the turmoil within my church. To be fair I must say that I am responsible for part of that turmoil, which at first I dismissed as a resistance to change. Truth is it would have been much simpler if that were the issue. Theology, that’s something else, such study concentrates primarily upon the texts of the Old Testament and of the New Testament, as well as on Christian tradition. Christian theologians use biblical explanation or interpretation of a text, rational analysis and argument. Theologians may undertake Christian theology in order: … to facilitate reforms in the Christian church. Now that brings us to…church doctrine- 

“The written body of teachings of a religious group that are generally accepted by that group, Religious doctrine, creed, gospel.”

Now I believe it reasonable to say not all of us believe the same about everything, it is after all what makes the world go round. The basic Christian beliefs that Jesus Christ is the Son of the one living God and the only way to salvation is through him, well that stands most everywhere. Most all of us accept the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and it can be found in most church doctrines. So what has led me to this  turmoil and a two year journey to find peace among the turmoil?

Everything I was taught in Sunday school, what my parents taught me and the doctrine of the church  has formed my faith. I am soon to be seventy-five and the years of examples of the Saints of the church are aways on my mind. Of course among the examples there is always the traditions passed from one generation to the next. It had become a comfortable place to be, with the church being the center of my life. I never saw it coming, the turmoil that has led me on this journey. To me there would always be new ways to do things as the church struggled to keep up with the always changing secular and societal changes in the world around it. Now it must be understood that while the years have brought me to this place I am now at, I have always been a work in progress with no date of completion. However years of study, seeking the Spirits leadership has convinced me that one thing never changes. The word of God as found in the Bible, it is the one constant in this world we live in. The word of God, in it “I raise my Ebenezer, my stone of help.”

 It is difficult having something taken from you but I have discovered it is even more so giving something up because of personal convictions and beliefs. There is always the possibility that you may be wrong, or honestly confused. As I have arrived at this place late in life I am seasoned by many poor decisions balanced by the blessing of being able to learn from them, and of forgiveness for my transgressions. Infallibility is not and never will be in the DNA of a Christian. So why is this confession of mine so difficult? Personal beliefs and convictions for most of us change over the years, that I can understand and accept. What I was not prepared for was the blatant efforts of some in the church to find a way around not only God’s word but also church law as written in the Book of Discipline. Even more disturbing was the fact it was influenced by societal change in its view toward same-gender issues, to the point there were some within the church willing to look beyond the word, to allow the church to meet the changing morals of society at large. Our Christian faith is unique, it comes to us through the very voice of God, which comes to us in Jesus Christ. It must be transmitted to other people through those of us who know him.  

A recent morning devotional pointed out that as human beings we are prone to seek out information that supports our opinions and positions. I find myself guilty of this. My journey started years ago but it wasn’t until a few years ago I truly accepted the salvation of Christ and the forgiveness of my sins and understanding that forgiveness required repentance. I must change my way of living and do all I could to grow in the faith. I came to the belief that seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit was necessary for my journey of seeking to know the truth through God’s word. For thirty years in the Methodist church I saw a deliberate trend to associate scripture with various social agendas. Sunday school lessons became a tour of the current social issues that were common in the day. I pushed most of these aside and concentrated on studying the word, praying for guidance and becoming more and more involved in the church. I do admit that I feel strongly about the time people spend trying to find a way around the word to forward certain agendas or rationalize their behavior. I will not get into a scripture quoting contest because that is part of the problem. The pulling of and the using of scripture, many times taken out of context to advance beliefs or in some cases a position. To me the least arguable social cause of these days would be the same-gender issue that at this very moment threatens to spilt the Methodist Church. 

In the Bible, the written word of God, nowhere will you find any verse supporting such behavior. My feelings had become so strong that I became obsessed to the point of distraction and losing the reason for my journey. You see it is God’s will that we love all people. For me the old cliché, “love the sinner, hate the sin” was more about convenience and less about my Christian duty. I chose to leave the Methodist Church for many reasons that over the years I had allowed to become a distraction, which in a sense is a sin. Do I recommend others take this path? No I do not. My behavior was such that I was doing a disservice to my God, my family and my church. I had to get back to the word and learn why I believe what I do. God’s word must be the foundation for all I do and believe. I will always love the Methodist Church and I do miss all the people I went to church with over the years. Had I grounded myself better in the faith I could have withstood such drastic action. 

So I close on this note…… There is no wiggle room in Scripture. Marriage is between man and a woman. We must remember that same-gender practices are just one of many human failings that are sinful in the eyes of God. I just cannot accept that

“Those whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder.” 

The God I serve would never sanction or approve sin…..period.

As point of reference that is still in the United Methodist Book of Worship. (page 137 in my copy) There are also two other options as to the marriage service itself.  As far as I am concerned you may marry anyone you wish but I do not accept what is an abomination in God’s eye to ever be with his blessing or approval. I would also like to state that there are more than one issue involved in my decision. The lack of leadership from the “church” to deal with this for so many years, allowing this division to grow and kicking the can down the road to avoid the eventual confrontation is indefensible. The steady decline of Lay participation and input is also regrettable. There is much to celebrate in the Methodist Church  and I pray that it will find a way to respect God’s law as written and passed down from the patriarchs and prophets and has been taught all these years. Would I advise you to leave the church? No, I would not. I will always regret that I was not strong enough to find peace among the turmoil. I have so far been able to write this without pulling the usual verses to make a point. To me it is simple……  To me my faith is fed by God’s word and the leading of the Holy Spirit….. In this I find peace amid the turmoil.

Life is Good

jk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In preparing this weeks blog I read some interesting facts I wanted to pass on to you in the Pew. Some books of the NT always garner a certain amount of discussion as to who wrote the book. Some of the writers are known beyond a doubt but Hebrews is one that has been caught up in the “who wrote it” thing. We can study that debate at a different time. But….. someone did have for me the best answer.

Origen made a famous remark: ‘who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews only God knows for certain’. (c. 185–c. 254), Christian scholar and theologian, probably born in Alexandria, Egypt. His most well-known work was the Hexapla, an edition of the Old Testament with six or more parallel versions.)

I like that and find it acceptable, a verbal point in a discussion in which I would lack the credentials to participate. We also read that no one really knew, lots of speculation as to the author but the book was well-loved and often read. It remained on the edge as to its inclusion in the NT due to this uncertainty. It gained that inclusion by being included on the list of the books written by Paul. Sometimes you will hear people argue that the number was fourteen, now you know why they do that. Moving past this here is an excerpt from William Barclay’s Daily Bible Study.

“To us, the author must remain a voice and nothing more; but we can be thankful to God for the work of this great nameless individual who wrote with incomparable skill and beauty about the Jesus who is the way to reality and the way to God.” ( Barclay, Daily Bible Study- Hebrews, Pages 10-11)

There is an urgent message in the Gospel that the years have diminished due to the demands and the influence of secular society. This message of salvation which came from the lips of our Lord has of lately become victim of our, we Christians to be exact, having a casual attitude to a gift we dare not neglect.

From Hebrews 2:1-4,
Hebrews 2:1–4
We must, therefore, with very special intensity pay attention to the things that we have heard. For, if the word which was spoken through the medium of the angels proved itself to be certified as valid, and if every transgression and disobedience of it received its just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, a salvation of such a kind that it had its origin in the words of the Lord, and was then guaranteed to us by those who had heard it from his lips, while God himself added his own witness to it by signs and wonders and manifold deeds of power, and by giving us each a share of the Holy Spirit, according as he willed it?

If we accept the theory of God’s truth being brought by the angels and ignored by people, ( Ten Commandments ) which brought punishment if broken, does it not magnify the importance of the revelation coming from the Son? The words spoken by Jesus Christ and to which God himself added his own “witness by signs, and wonders and manifold deeds of power”. With this salvation comes the blessing that Jesus Christ has broken down every barrier and opened a direct way for us to God. There are so many distractions today that the unique, “church first”, of us old timers is lost in a rush to fit into today’s list of must do’s. A massive re-arranging of changing priorities has lessened the place of the church in our society. I am not one of those doomsday advocates but I do believe we are allowing ourselves to drift into sin, which each day and each new priority we are pushed further and further from God. When we drift from our Christian beliefs we are then open to transgression and disobedience, which then leads to our refusal to hear God’s word or see his glory in others who have done a good work.

Our Christian faith is unique, it comes to us through the very voice of God, which comes to us in Jesus Christ. It must be transmitted to other people through those of us who know him. There is one other thing to be considered. The undeniable fact is that the effectiveness of Christian truth, the words spoke by God through His Son, does make bad people good.

“The theologian James Denney used to say, the ultimate object of Christianity is to make bad people good; and the proof of real Christianity is the fact that it can change the lives of individuals. The moral miracles of Christianity are still plain for all to see.”

It may well be fashionable in our world today to take a more casual attitude toward church, worship and relaxing the words of the Gospel to be more in line with societies expectations. This casual and neglectful attitude places us in danger of fulfilling our duty to God, the church and the lost. I pray that you may find your path to the good way, that it might be your Damascus road.

Thanks for being here in the Pew this week. Next week we will not publish but come back April 8th. I have a confession to make….. Life is Good

jk

This week we will look at another book in the New Testament that does not get a whole lot of attention. Here we get a chance to see Paul in the mode of a mentor and Titus learning the ropes so to speak. We do not know much about of the work of Titus. We do know that he was a Gentile who Paul took to Jerusalem with him. The new attitude in the church at that time and the Gospel itself allowed him with the agreement of the Jerusalem Council to not require circumcision. We know that he was a hard worker in the missionary field and Paul left him in Crete to finish the work he had begun there. Paul writes to counsel Titus concerning the work he had left him to do. Paul is very specific in his instructions. For those of us in the Pew this little letter is not one of the better known books, nor one we would ordinarily spend time with. Paul strongly believed that for a church to grow the people had to mature in the faith. He believed that three things were important and were the purpose of his Apostleship. The presence of and promotion of faith, knowledge and hope, the balance of which should be sought in all preaching and pastoral instruction. This being a blog we will not attempt to do a commentary, there being a great number of those out there already. Just a few points that make this book qualify for inclusion in my little gems, often overlooked and little read books of the Bible. Paul had some habits, if you will, that were common to him when summoning one of his followers to a task. The first four verses of Titus are a good example of those.

He always established what was he own right to speak and laying down the foundations of the gospel. He is an Apostle with a mixture of humility and pride. His whole life and being had been submitted to his to serving. He considered himself a slave of God which is in turn serving Christ. He chose the title of slave of God which gave him the right to take his place in the succession of past great prophets who served God. He wanted Titus to understand that if he was to be a messenger of Jesus Christ he must become a slave to God’s will in his life. It was not his own mental abilities or moral strengths that gave him authority, it was the authority of Christ, for whom he spoke.

He wished for Titus to know that the message of an Apostle is grounded on the hope of eternal life. The Christian gospel does not offer an intellectual creed, not even a moral code. It offers life through Jesus Christ. He shares with Titus that it is his duty to awaken faith in men and women. A faith which has as its foundation absolute trust in God. When we live our life in that kind of trust, we can then attend to our duty of offering others the opportunity to welcome God into their lives.

It will be Titus’ duty to also equip others with knowledge. To be sure our faith may not only be a response of our heart but it also must rule our minds. Emotion is an ever-changing thing but our Christian life must be a process of loving Christ more and more every day. The result of this faith and knowledge will lead us to living a truly Christ centered religious life. As I wrote earlier Paul was very direct and to the point. The letter continues on with Paul conveying to Titus the importance of rectifying any short comings of the new Church in Crete. Paul writes to Titus what Elders must not be and then follows up with guidelines to Titus, what Elders must be. Paul warns Titus of the false teachers of Crete, He even goes so far as to list one by one the characteristics that describe these false teachers.

All this and we have read through only the first eleven verses! There is no need to go any further to make my point. Point being, as a layman in the pew I know of no better example of the character of the Apostle Paul, his intent and unquestioned love and obedience to his calling than that which is stated in his own written words, in the very first chapter and verse of Titus. He proudly states that he is … the slave of God and the envoy of Jesus Christ.

Can we say that about our lives as we live them in these days? Titus is a letter that all the Church should read. It is as applicable today for us as individuals and I believe the church as a whole. Are we truly…the slave of God and the envoy of Jesus Christ.

Life is Good,

jk

This weeks reference materials: Commentaries : Adam Clark / William Barclay

He was 18 1/2 years old and more than just a cat. He was my daughter’s constant companion through some tough times and into the best of times, neither Wookie or Amy ever gave up on each other or what life sent their way. Wookie and Amy traveled all over East Tennessee as she grew in her chosen profession and to hear Amy tell it, until they reached the city of guitars and hockey pucks….Nashville Tennessee. He was never caged, Sitting beside her on road trips with only his leash and seat belt on. It was a match made in heaven….appropriately so because God created all living things and he loves all the animals just as he does us.

God loves life, God is life and there are many examples of different animals in the Bible. To mention a few, there are sheep, dogs, lions, deers, doves, eagles, fish, rams, bulls, snakes, rats, pigs, and many more. We all know the story of Noah, the ark and God’s instructions to Noah regarding the animals of the earth. Animal cruelty is a sin the Bible tells me so!

3. Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

4. Proverbs 27:23 Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds.

God cares about animals.Improbable you say, or just, maybe I never thought of it that way.

Psalm 36:5-7 Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

Matthew 6:25-27 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?

Psalm 147:7-9 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

Psalm 145:8-10 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All your works praise you, LORD; your faithful people extol you.

Take the time to visit the web address listed here for a great read, biblically based, about God and the animals of creation. ( http://biblereasons.com/animals/)

Amy gave Wookie every moment of her time possible to care and comfort him in his last days. To me and not just because she is my daughter, Amy learned a lesson and taught us a lesson. We can all be nice when we want to but compassion for that which God has created, well thats a God thing. Compassion is caring and doing without conditions or limits. God loves us without conditions and for eternity and yes, God loves Wookie.

Thanks for coming by the Pew this week,

Life is Good

jk

 Reference Material 😦 http://biblereasons.com/animals/)

I have shared with you how much I admire and respect the many books and commentaries that are available to those of us in the Pew in this digital age. When I study or read these books and various commentaries, they are like a flashlight, brightly illuminating the words on the page, and leading me down a path of better understanding. One such set of books is a favorite of mine and today I would like to shine a little light on them. “The New Interpreter’s Bible.” The books of the Bible provide a rich and diverse subject matter, and I looked at several this week but Hebrews stayed on my mind. Didn’t know why until I pulled volume xii of the NIB off the shelf. Grab your flashlight and follow me as we read through the introduction to the“Book of Hebrews.” The information I am sharing is from the NIB’s introduction to the book of Hebrews. I have taken the liberty to reduce it to a more conversational manner.

Never considered that ones growth in faith could grow out of and be sustained by a conversation between the church and its Bible. Never even thought that reading my Bible might be considered as having a conversation but it is a refreshing and pleasing thought. We, who read and study the Bible, generation after generation, pass on our collective beliefs that make the relationships that define the Christian faith. To be sure there are other voices, even those that weren’t invited that also become part of the conclusions reached. We would like to believe that those conclusions reached were weighted in context by the Christian community and the Book. Not everyone in the community will have equal input and in some cases none at all. The NIB points out that not every book in the Bible participates equally in the conversation with the church. There is the caveat of the church’s willingness or ability to hear it, Hebrews being an example of this. It is not the least read, but it is about halfway out of the 66 books in popularity. It would be misleading to say the book of Hebrews has been left out of these conversations, it has not. The church has called on Hebrews many times, most commonly for a benediction at many church assemblies.

Hebrews 13: 20-21.²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,²¹ equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

No need to cover all that is here in this introduction so if you will allow me, I will just wander through lifting a few things here and there. It is noted that the author of Hebrews has great skill in the use of the Greek language, more than any other New Testament writer. It is worth noting that there are some stunning facts worth sharing here. The NIB notes not only the skill in the use of language but that within this book we find “the finest example of homiletical rhetoric available to us from the first century CE.” (volume xii page 4 NIB) The skill and the use of old testament writings in this New Testament writing create a well deserved but not often expressed appreciation for the book of Hebrews. This next tidbit would have never come to my mind. Let’s be plain here, this kind of depth of study is not a common factor or trait of those of us in the Pew. One difficulty that this book has, its name! The Gospels, Acts and Paul are for the most part familiar ground for us in the pew. The placement of Hebrews near the end of the NT is sometimes read as a value judgment. There is yet another interesting observation in this introduction from NIB. Galatians, Corinthians and Philippians are seen as geographical designations and once there we find ourselves to be more alike the people there than different.

Hebrews, well that is not a geographical term, “it is ethnic, and ethnic distances are more complex, more difficult to negotiate, requiring more energy than some people are willing to expend.”(NIB page 4)

I have simply wanted to share with you the wealth of information available to us in the Pew that enriches our discernment of the Gospel as written. These are great times for us ordinary folks to gain insight into the extraordinary wealth of information available to us. That said, let’s finish this and save our batteries till next time we leave the pew.

There is much more contained in this “Introduction To Hebrews” but please consider this. For those who would use Hebrews to teach or preach, this book does little to dissolve the distance between it and the Church. There are not many “lessons for today” to be found in the text. Perhaps these might be some of the reasons that the “conversation” between Hebrews and the Church is not more intense.  I hope you have enjoyed this little detour from the ordinary this week. One more thing…..I could never have afforded the complete set of The New Interpreter’s BIBLE myself. They were given to me by a former Pastor of mine, The Rev. Tim Paul. I will be forever grateful for such a kindness.

God Bless, Life is Good

jk