Well it is Wednesday night and I am on the back porch…sat here for awhile but couldn’t get the lady out of my mind at the doctor early this morning…7:45 am… if you will. I was scheduled for a heart echo and stress test, I had already wore a monitor for a week. I am going to share this from my perspective and I am not known for political correctness. First the important stuff. She was from Nashville and rode the train over here to come to St. Thomas Heart East here in Lebanon and we met her in the waiting room for those here for tests while waiting for our tests. She said she was 72 yrs old was here on her own. She was friendly and full of life and a very knowledgeable person when it came to years past and was very much interested in what my problem was. It was remarkable the concern and interest she had in both myself and my wife. I will be 80 in just a few days and anytime us old folks get together many times it is in a doctors office…bet you didn’t know that. It is either Church of doctor, it may be a club, I don’t know. It was obvious she was a lady of the faith and of course we both spoke to that. Now the hard part…

She was black…you can use any other word you want in this age of Wokeness. The lady and I have been around awhile, we are old school and we have seen it all. It brought back memories that weren’t good but also it brought to my mind a time of turmoil, hate and injustice. I can assure you this lady experienced all of it…yet there was a dignity and manner that commanded civility and respect. You see both that lady and the wife and I somehow had found a common ground. Lyndon Johnson and the civil Rights Act of 1964 and all the changes our generation had to make but I just wanted to make this point. Somehow we made it through it and in time while not all wounds healed but a new understanding and forgiveness was the legacy of our generation. But then came the Rev.s Al and Jackson and a host of haters whose only goal was to live off the hate and bury the forgiveness. The loss of MLK was an act of hate and set us back from how far we had come. So here is my summation of all this. Generations now that have taken our place are mad all the time and in their anger they destroy the civility and decency by running over the good that is just waiting to be found. I didn’t get her name but she made my day so much better. All I can say is I wish we had known each other back in the day and I am sorry that the hate of that day stood in our way.

See you next week right here on the back porch.

Kurt

In past writings here in the Pew we have studied Luke who was the only Gentile to have a book in the Bible…he actually had two. Luke and Acts in which he introduced us to Saul, who would soon become known as Paul. Paul would go on to become known world wide as one of the greatest Christian missionaries. There is much to know about Paul while it was noted in our study of Luke that we didn’t have a whole lot to go on, Paul on the other hand some would say remains one of the most read authors in human history. A large part of his notoriety is his abrupt turn from persecutor of Christians to its greatest proponent who shaped the history of the early Christian Church. So some questions about Paul are in order. Saul of Tarsus, later to become the apostle Paul… Who was he and how did he become the apostle Paul?

Saul was born in Tarsus about AD 5 in what is now known as modern day Turkey. HIs parents were Jewish but held the coveted Roman Citizen that would serve Saul well in the difficult times in his christian ministry. Saul would have been about 20 when they moved to Jerusalem. It was here that Saul began his studies of Jewish Scriptures and Law under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel. While there are some conflicting information it is believed that Saul was present for the trial and execution of Stephen. (Acts 7:54-60) The executioners removing their outer garments prior to the stoning laid them at Saul’s feet and scriptures seems to imply they had Saul’s approval. (Acts 7:58) Paul was given extraordinary privileges to pursue and arrest any of these ring leaders of this Christian movement including the female believers. As it came to pass Paul was on his way to arrest and extradite any of these Christians he found in Damascus when he was confronted by the very one he was persecuting.

Acts 9:1-9

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

It had to be one of the most dramatic moments in Church history…Saul’s conversion from an avid persecutor to an ardent missionary became an overwhelming testimony to an unbelieving world. Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul. 

Paul much latter would write in 2 Corinthians (11:22) and a letter to the Philippians church (Philippians 3:5) describing himself as such.

 2 Corinthians 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.

Philippians 3:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 

No one could have been better suited to a calling such as this than than Saul…now the Apostle Paul.

 Most biblical scholars agree that Paul would have traveled over 10,000 miles – BY FOOT! Listed below are the books we know for certain Paul wrote, thirteen! If we were to add one other that scholars still debate over…Hebrews, that would be fourteen.

The Thirteen:

Galatians (AD 47)

1 and 2 Thessalonians (AD 49—51)

1 and 2 Corinthians and Romans (AD 52—56)

Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, and Philippians (AD 60—62, during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment)

1 Timothy and Titus (AD 62)

2 Timothy (AD 63—64, during Paul’s second Roman imprisonment)

Oh yes…that question earlier…How did Saul become an apostle?

Romans 1:1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God

Thanks for coming byThe Pew this week.

Life is Good

jk 

To many people here and around the world she has become The Apple of Their Eyes. Only a few were aware of her birth and her labors would be long and painful. Her future, one of uncertainty, was wrought with struggle. There would be many battles ahead and many mistakes would be made before she could even stand on her own. Her own people would challenge her and engage in open conflict as she struggled to find her place in the world and among her people. Like all things obtained through struggle and strife, she bore those marks with pride, never losing sight of her belief in God and in the love she had for all people. Why she even sent those of her own to die for others and to stand in the gap between the oppressed and those that sought what she had and through example offered freely to the world.

Today sadly she is threaten and abused by those who would seek to marginalize and destroy her very existence because it stands in their way… The very foundations of her strength are being eroded by indifference and disrespect. Churches that once stood in the grace of her benevolence now struggle to find a place among her people. The law we as a society live by, which is a product of our doing…is now simply a mater of convince. Kindness, love and tolerance are buzz words in the reality of the day…just words…no action. There is no such thing as difference of opinion…or civility as her people tear into each other to maintain a false sense of comfort in the value of their agendas. 

Less said the better I guess…Oh by the way if you haven’t guessed yet the identity of the lady…

God Bless LADY LIBERTY and the USA.

jk

We are not speaking in a romantic, philosophical, or literary manner. What does the Bible say about the heart?  The Bible mentions the heart almost 1,000 times. The bible says the heart is our spiritual pump that puts forth our emotions and desires. 

Acts 13:22  After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

Jeremiah 3:15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.

So scripture says God also has a heart. May we be blessed with leaders that follow His heart. 

Consider this… After the fall of man in the Garden, we have been affected at the the very heart of our being. Our mind, emotions and desires have been tainted by sin—and we refuse to see it, we are blind to our own condemnation. There is this unsettling fact that while we may not understand our hearts, God does. 

Jeremiah 17:10“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

In Mark we are confronted with the scriptural truth of our being.

Mark 7:21-23   For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

There is no wiggle room here so to speak. We may blame a host of things on the things we do but we are reminded that the problems we have are from within…we all have a heart problem and it is not medical. How long has it been since you heard a Hell and Damnation Sermon? I think we all realize that there is more to life than a set of rules to follow and not doing so will bring rejection from certain segments of our society. This brings us to one of those dirty little secrets of Christianity. For Christians it is a Matter of The Heart. In God’s world it is not a matter of rules or the law, it is about the commands given by God to His people from the time of creation and on…it is about Jesus and his teachings to us during his ministry. It is about salvation and the fact that we must change…our hearts must change and that only happens through the power of God, through our faith in Him. 

Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

God will test us… Psalm 17:3 Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed.

We will complete our time in the Pew today with this Proverb:

4:23 Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.

We are living in a time of uncertainty and only our faith and our God will bring us through it. The Pew tries to stay out of politics but today this thought is warranted …maybe Governments all over the world need to examine their HEARTS. 

Life is Good

jk 

Resource Material –  gotquestions.org 

If there is one thing I try to keep close is my younger days…I mean younger…the day I was born. Now when people ask me where…well I put my head down mumble, cough and kinda turn my head to the side. It really doesn’t work and I end up having to explain why? Now they don’t really care and do their best to remain polite, which means they don’t laugh. But it is hard to cover their amusement at my sudden change of demeanor. You see I was born in The Bronx, New York…yes that New York. Their best efforts are completely destroyed by their next statement. “Well Bless Your Heart” If you are from the south then you should know that the phrase has multiple meanings and is used to express genuine sympathy but sometimes as an insult that conveys condescension, derision, or contempt. You are granted the choice, pick one. In my case I really believe it was used to express genuine sympathy. I was raised in the south, that New York thing was the fault of the Army Air Corps…well my Dad was responsible also. Now please understand it was war time, Mom’s parents lived in the Bronx. Let’s think about this for a moment. What with gas being rationed and all the patriotic efforts being done to preserve as much as we could to fund the troops… a young girl with child could not have gone traipsing across the country although I believe she would would have to spare me this cross. As I shared with you before we moved after every four years and then came my salvation. We ended up in Texas! I immediately adopted Texas as my home. I loved every year I was there and as silly as it seems to this day I love Texas. Why you may ask? I can’t speak for now at this time but I can tell you it is true what the say…oh not that every things bigger stuff… No one ever asked me where are you from. They just welcomed me and judged me by what I did. Yes I realize I was born in the Bronx, NewYork but I am southern raised and Texas made.

Funny how this back porch turns the day around. See you next week here on the back porch.

Kurt 

There is no such thing as an ordinary Christian…We all are called out to be different, each to his own calling according to the gifts of the Spirit. After completing the series of the  Shortest Books of The Bible I started looking for other materials to share in a blog. That was my mistake…because it truly is a fact that God has always provided and as usual the path was made known to me. 

The circumstances here are very similar to the chapter we will look at this week. I had accomplished my goal of writing about the shortest books of the Bible but there were more stories to be told and more to be done. So it is in the 15th chapter of Acts…Paul has done a lot to establish the church…The New Way but they have hit a wall that if not removed the Church as we know it today would never be.

The Jewish Factor…The Issue is Circumcision 

While the numbers aren’t factually known it is very much agreed that the early church did have a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, the number of Gentiles growing daily…Remember that a Gentile as defined by the Jews was anyone other than a Jew. Simple and to the point. The Jews felt that in order to be a part of this new way…you should be  circumcised as to the practice of Moses, otherwise you can’t be saved. There was a group that was sent down from Judea to teach this very thing to the brethren. Of course there was an immediate conflict between them and Paul and Barnabas who were teaching exactly the opposite. There was a great dispute and so much opposition to Paul and Barnabas teachings that resulted in an agreement being made…Paul, Barnabas and some others would go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders to get this question settled. When studying Scripture it is a good thing to accord history its due. There was a lot happening in Antioch, the gospel was being preached to Jew and Gentile and they were living together as brethren. But what happens next is a good example that we haven’t learned well from past history, today just like then it takes only a few to mess things up. There were certain Jews that just could not accept this, they were unwilling to concede that they were God’s chosen people. They were quite willing to accept these people into the church…but they must first become Jews. The major argument in the 15th chapter was if the gift of God was for the select few or for all the world? A simple question whose answer would determine whether all the walls would be broken down and the church would move forward with God’s will as its guide. So we move on from here…in laymen’s terms…Paul, Barnabas and all the big guns of the present day early church came together to decide this issue once and for all…It was named The Jerusalem Conference.

Paul and Barnabas stated their case then Peter stood to address those present. Peter reminded them that he had been responsible for the reception of Cornelius into the church some ten years ago. Was he right in welcoming Cornelius and the others at that time. They say “proof is in the pudding” and that being the case Cornelius and those who came with him were granted by God…the Holy Spirit. They settled the question “can we earn the favor of God? There were among those Jews those that said you could only earn God’s favor by “keeping the law.” True peace comes when we realize that the peace of God’s saving grace lies in the understanding that we can never put God in our debt. We will be much happier and at peace when we learn that for a Christian the way to victory in this life is through surrender to Him who is the Creator of all things.

Then James, the leader of the Jerusalem Church, a position made even more powerful because it was not one of a formal office…it was because he was an outstanding individual of high moral standards. He was also the brother of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:7 James had received a special resurrection appearance of Jesus all to himself. James also was a rigorous observer of the Law. Now he stood to declare that the Gentiles should be allowed into the church without anything else standing in their way. The mater was brought to a close as James suggested three things that should be asked of the Gentiles. 

-They must not eat meat that had be offered to idols. 

-They must abstain from fornication

-They must abstain from things strangled and from blood. 

Once the Church had made a decision two things occurred immediately. The terms of the decision were put in a letter which was sent by special messages back to Antioch. The Church sent as representatives Judas and Silas along with Paul and Barnabas. A lesson we might learn here is the messengers were a special acknowledgment of the sincerity of the church in Jerusalem. This news was a major development in the future of the church and the kindness and sincerity in which it was presented added greatly to its worth.The last barrier between Jew and Gentile had fallen and now a unified Church would go forward with the Good News.

Life is Good

jk 

Sitting here on the porch this evening my mind wandered back to my mother and some things I never told her. for some reason or other I went and got her old bible off the shelf and spent a few moments looking through it. Like all old bibles they tell a story about the person to whom they belonged. You can tell by the overall condition the many hours of service, so to speak and if you look close enough the wear of certain sections or pages paint a picture of their journey through the scriptures. One thing for sure…if that bible had been a daily companion of that person it most likely can and will tell a story. Inserts, now these are big items…the fact that they were placed in the bible indicates their special place in the mind and heart of the owner. My mother’s bible was full of birth and death announcements. This reminded me how much the actions of my mother always were centered on her children and the family in general. We were a military family and that meant that the day to day things of kids and running of the household rested on her. I don’t remember her having many close friends, she never learned to drive and had little interest in anything outside the home. She was an expert at setting up house, after all we moved every four years…or so. Five kids a dog and a parakeet and my mother loved us all. The best I can remember every day she read her bible, the condition of the pages attest to that. That bible had a lot of miles on it, it was given to her by her mom and dad…on her confirmation in the church. There it was along with the memories of things I didn’t say a reminder of things I did not do. Put away among the pages of moms bible was an article from an old Ann Landers column. Landers was an advice writer of her day. It was about a mother who was sad about the fact that her kids, once grown did not come around much. I am 80 years old now and the tears welled up in my eyes when I read that.

The pages of that bible were wrinkled and discolored from the years it had been in use and the time it has spent on that shelf. I am so grateful that I got that bible. The only thing I got of my parents was of course her bible and my dads service records…Think about that a moment in this day of accumulation of stuff.  My mom and dad left me what mattered. My mom was a woman of faith and she showed us kids what God meant by unconditional love. My dad loved his country and served it for 30 years… God and Country… my mom would probably add Family. I will remember that every time I see that bible…Which I will remove from the shelf and place on my desk.

Thanks for stopping by…come back next week and sit a bit. Oh, if you wish you can ponder and rock a bit…got two find rockers…get here early.

jk

The authority of the First Epistle of John having been established, and the opinion of those who read and considered the language of John 1 are of agreement that 2nd and 3rd John most definitely were written by the hand of John. There were some rather weak doubts by the early church but they were not able to keep these two books out of the final canonical line-up. Nuff said about that let’s get to the book. John is now much older and it is believed that he would have been about 90 when he put pen to scroll an wrote “greetings, from John the elder” and he meant it to designate his advanced age…not to be taken as a sign of office. By now John would have been the oldest of all the apostles and the only one to die a natural death. A few key things that give us an insight to very short book.

Right off we find ourselves with a set of uncertain facts and that my friends is a whopper of a conundrum. We do not know who the lady is John addresses or the city where she lives. What we do know is by deductive reasoning, she is a lady of distinction, brought about by her devotion and services to the church and it is also possible that church services were held in her house. Many believed that the title given her by John, which also he bestowed upon her sister at the end of this Epistle was in recognition of their extraordinary piety. He also recommends to her and her family not to have anything to do with the heretics of that day, for they do not believe that Jesus Christ has come among us in the flesh. John refers to them as deceivers and antichrists and this should reinforce for us in these days the importance of a faith based on the divine truth and promises of Jesus Christ. His love for them is of a Christian nature to always love one another and leaves them with his apostolical benediction. A note for us of this day…John was very happy to meet some of her children and to find them living just as the father has commanded…Are we raising our children today to have a love of God and passion for the work of the church? John makes use of this encounter by reminding them that we are commanded to always love each other…this was not a new commandment but it has been present from the very beginning. He expands on that by reminding them that love means doing what God has commanded us to do. Verses 7,8 and 9 contain warnings, instructions and a mention of a reward. The deceiver’s  have gone out into the world, continuing to deny that Jesus Christ came among us in a real body. They are of the antichrist do not allow them to mislead you and take from you all you have worked so hard to achieve. Remain with your teachings and continue to have a relationship with both the Father and son. Here in verses 10 and 11 we see the practice of shunning, encouraged by John…have nothing to do with these people, give them no encouragement…least you become a partner in their evil work. In verse 12 and 13 John sends greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God. Most likely meaning here would be the members of you sister church. In closing John tells them that there is much more he would like to share with them but would prefer to do so face to face… “then our joy would be complete.”

A neat little book of warnings, encouragement, and practical instruction. Hope you have enjoyed this series of the five shortest books of the Bible and will join us in the Pew next week.

Life is Good

jk

As I shared in the last From The Back Porch I love to come out here to clear my mind of the days events. There is another reason I need to share with you that works well with me. When I write my blog From The Pew I try to not preach but rather just share the wonder and joy of God’s word. Most of the time I am able to do just that. Now the back porch allows me to step out of the Pew and share a a few personal thoughts, clear my mind of any negative thoughts and enjoy this world God has given us. Look at the picture above left…Someone has definitely left the door open and I am trying to look at it with an open mind and heart. You know the saying this ain’t your daddy’s Democratic Party anymore? Well this ain’t my United Methodist Church anymore? I can’t see the love and inclusiveness, fellowship and scripture obedience from divine inspiration that united us in His name in the picture above.

The headline I read today….It implied that over 5000 United Methodist congregations have left the church amid arguments over sex and gender. I wish to take issue with that. The Methodist Church has never officially denied anyone to enter or kept them from God’s table…to my knowledge. What is going on here is about money and property and control, along with the failure of church leadership to enforce Church Doctrine and Law. It is about a failure of leadership and perverting the word of God as written to meet the social and cultural demands of a few, fueled by agenda driven social warriors who will destroy anything that disagrees with their opinion. If that seems to be a bit harsh to some of you…welcome to reality and my world. I believe what I have written to be true and accurate. Look at the picture again…all I see is hate, frustration and a group of people who are mad because they can’t get their way. For over forty years this issue has driven us toward division and the Holy Spirit will not abide among such behaviour. It really got started over nine little words…I will repeat a few for you. “is not compatible with Christian beliefs”   may not be the exact quote but accurate enough.  What God has created you or anyone else cannot alter…neither will any of us escape the Lord’s Day and Judgement.

May God Forgive Us All

Kurt

It is generally agreed that that the author of Jude is the brother of James and one of the four brothers of Jesus. There is much to write about concerning this book but I will stay, with the help of Bible Panorama, with eight points of interest. The first we find in verses 1 and 2. We see a profile of a christian. A person who has accepted Jesus Christ and because of this he is called and set apart by God in whom he shall find mercy, peace and love. He recognizes Jesus as his Savior. Verses 3 and 4 instructs us to contend….stand up and defend the faith. The faith “delivered” by God “once” , is neither negotiable or changeable. The Church and many Christians today seem to be developing a habit of “negotiable” approaches to sin and accepted behavior, based on how prevailing winds of public opinion are blowing. Bible study group is involved in a study of Paul’s ministry. The working title of study in the 24th chapter is “An Inconvenient Faith”. Felix becomes uncomfortable when Paul confronts him and his current wife with their behavior. He sends him away, “we will talk latter.” So…..is it not possible that in this day we put aside our faith because it is “inconvenient” or makes us uncomfortable in certain situations. Verses 5-7 speak to God”s condemnation of sin. This condemnation is a continuing principle throughout Scripture. There are many examples of this, two that come to mind is the judgement of unbelievers as Israel left Egypt. Of course there is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding cities because of sexual immorality and sexual perversion. Sin is sin and the reality of God’s judgement is a given.

In verses 8-11 Jude deals with a situation that the “church” is fighting today. Corruption, here I add a personal note of an observation of my own. The corruption I find most distressing is the corruption of Scripture to fit a personal agenda. This is a mark of false teachings and the lack of respect for the authority of the word. These people show their corruption in what they say and do. Jude makes it plain that they will be “convicted and sentenced” in verses 12-15. Depending on what version you are reading verses 16-21 lists various un-godly behaviors that are occurring among the people. Jude encourages the Christians to build themselves up in the faith through the Holy Spirit and looking to Jesus Christ. We read in verses 22-23 the need for compassion while hating the sin. Sin tolerated soon spreads because silence is confused for acceptance. Remember the familiar “hate the sin, love the sinner”, it is noted that while we should do this, we should also seek to “pull them out of the fire” which takes us back to verses 3-4, Contend, stand-up for the faith bring the sinner home through the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. The last two verses 24-25 provides us with a much needed reminder of who we are and who we serve. We are reminded that our God, our Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ can and will keep us on a path of Holy living. As Christians we can rejoice in knowing that our God is a sovereign and powerful God of eternity.

When I read Jude it is to me like a good friend who sees some difficulties now and in the future. He presents a no wiggle room assessment and you might say a good old fashioned “talking to”. Next week the last book in this series…2. Second John – 245 words.

God Bless, Life Is Good

jk