An interesting subject to consider that to a Christian has a different meaning than is often attached to it. Simple meaning is…confinement in a jail or prison : the act of imprisoning someone or the state of being imprisoned. For a christian it is the lack of faith or our sinful nature that makes us a prisoner to the evil and bad decisions of this life. We all will at one time or another experience a time in our lives when the situations of this life hold us prisoner to things we cannot control or opt to not control. It is an established fact that we, all of us, value our ability to do our own thing…it is a natural component of the human psyche. The other way of saying that is that our creator has granted us the ability to think for ourselves…we can say or write it much simpler… Free Will. Bottom line, it is up to us to determine the direction we will go in this life and mankind has demonstrated by past behaviors that we don’t always choose the right path. We find in the Bible, a map if you please…that will point the way to a better life, I have come to refer to it as “The Good Way”. None of us will ever be exempt from the temptations we will encounter in our life time. The Apostle Paul referred to himself as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus” during his time of house arrest in Rome…AD 60-62…Acts 28:30-31. He often in his letters used the term “Jesus Christ”. Also  According to the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul and Silas were in Philippi, where they were arrested, flogged, and imprisoned for causing a public nuisance.

The reason The Pew has chosen this path at this time is really simple… there is a better path for those who chose wisely. I hope this blog influences you to seek that path…I call it “The GoodWay”and it is open to all who seek it… the book says  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Simple but to the point…  from the day we were created we were challenged to live a Godly life. Is that the answer to a good life? Yes, but we tend to misunderstand the full intent of such. There will always be things that make for bad times, hardships, illness and hurt and sorrow will challenge all of us…think of that old expression…thats life. God has given us a purpose in life and in Micah 6:8 we have a very simple charge… 

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

    And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

    and to walk humbly  with your God

The New Testament leaves no doubt as to the path that follows “The Good Way”.

John 14:6-76 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

As the church came into being many of those who had followed this “nazarene” would come to be called “people of the Way”. Old Testament writings put before the people the best of “The Good  Way”. 

Deuteronomy 31:8—The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Psalm 23:4—Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

We have a reason to trust and believe. No one thing or the devil himself can separate us from our God. The Good Way, seek it and follow it. 

Matthew 22:34-40 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Life is Good

jk

I have shared with you in the past my love of the psalms and this we week return there for a little encouragement in a time when we all could use a little. Psalm 139 was not written for any special occasion but is a quick lesson in morality, again something needed in these days. It focuses on the wisdom, presence, providence, and justice of God. In the first part of this psalm we see God’s perfect knowledge, it is unique and cannot be copied and as we already know but it’s reaffirmed here that God is the maker of man. We often do not realize the bond that exists between ourselves and our God, it could not be anymore intense than expressed in this Psalm…139: 15-16

15 

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 

You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

Maybe it is a little out of character but I am awed that God is so attentive of me… like that song…  “You Are Always On My Mind… who am I O Lord, That you should be mindful of me Psalm 139:17-18 reads, “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you”. 

Consider what is written here and don’t pass over the significance of the words. God, the creator of all things has been with you before you were ever whole. God knows all about you, even from your inception. God was the superintendent of the formation of your body and herein it is made plain that for all time he will be there for you. There is so much here to be considered that I am just sharing with you in no particular order. God has full knowledge of us…God knows our very thoughts before we even think them. There is no place we can go that he is not there. He is in the truest sense omniscient, our God knows all, sees all and hears all. How strong is God’s love for us collectively? As believers we cannot be removed from the supporting,comforting presence of our God, as a group or as an individual. Even death and the grave cannot separate our body from the love of the Savior, who will raise it a glorious body. No outward circumstances can separate us from our Lord. As believers we strengthen this bond by the exercise of faith, hope, and prayer.

As I close out this blog I Urge you to be mindful of the many mercies from our very first breath we have received from our God. We may also be sure there will be more in the time allotted to us in this life. We were wonderfully crafted by our God to do good to all and to love and care for this creation he has made for us. We can only do this by not yielding to our sinful natures. Find the good way, walk on its path…for it is pleasing to God.

Life is Good

jk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

I have reached the Age of “Remember When?”  Try these… I may not get the spelling right, here are a few.

Nehi- is a flavored soft drink that originated in the United States. It was introduced in 1924. There were 3 or 4 flavors, my favorite was Grape.

Root Beer is traditionally made using the root bark of the sassafras tree Sassafras albidum or the vine of Smilax ornata (known as sarsaparilla; also used to make a soft drink called sarsaparilla) as the primary flavor. Remember Root Beer Floats?

RC Cola  Established 1905.  RC Cola (short for Royal Crown Cola is a cola-flavored carbonated beverage owned in the United States by Keurig Dr Pepper and internationally by RC Global Beverages, Inc. Back in the day some folks enjoyed pouring salted peanuts in the bottle with the cola. Another combo was a cold RC and a Moon Pie. 

Here is one not everyone would remember.  Mad Magazine is an American humor magazine first published in 1952. It was founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines, launched as a comic book series before it became a magazine.

Candy Cigarettes  Candy cigarettes are a candy introduced in the late 19th century^[1] made out of chalky sugar, bubblegum or chocolate, wrapped in paper and packaged and branded so as to resemble cigarettes. Even back in the day they were the cause of controversy, there were those that felt it would attract kids to smoke.

The older you get it seems like every conversation will contain the “remember when” phrase, it is a natural fit. What is your “Remember When” moment?

This Sunday the church will celebrate the Ascension of Jesus Christ considered to be one of the most meaningful events of the church calendar. For me there is one constant that we find in the Bible, from Genesis to the last word and period in Revelations. God has always been in control. Order, arrangement, purpose are foremost in the narrative. Read the first Chapter of Genesis, each step of the creation has a purpose…preparing the way for the next step. Every event in the Bible is the result of God. Let’s explore why the Accession is so meaningful.

A… it marked the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. The son returning to the Father, no longer restricted by earthy bonds.

B… It was a sign that he had done all he had come to do…He was successful in His ministry.

 C… Christ had surrendered his heavenly glory during his time of earthly ministry with the exception of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17-1-9. Now his Heavenly Glory will once again be visible a sign of His Father in heaven being well pleased with His son. Jesus was revived in honor and a name above all names. (Philippians 2:9)

D…The Ascension allowed Him to prepare a place for us. 

E…It indicated the beginning of His new work as High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16) and Mediator of the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:15).

F…We can look for Jesus to return just as He left, bodily, and visibly in the clouds. (Revelation 1:7).

Here are some scriptures that help us to understand the magnitude of this event, as listed in Got Questions

(Matthew 28:9-10),   (Luke 24:36-43), (1 Corinthians 15:6). In the days following His resurrection, Jesus taught His disciples about the kingdom of God (Matthew 28:9-10), to His disciples (Luke 24:36-43), and to more than 500 others (1 Corinthians 15:6). In the days following His resurrection, Jesus taught His disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).     

Our United Methodist Hymnal contains a Charles Wesley hymn titled “Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise” (312). The lyrics for this hymn, an adaptation of Charles’s “Hymn for Ascension-Day” published in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), offer insight into the importance of this day. The Ascension as both the ending of Jesus’s physical presence on Earth and his return to his rightful place in heaven.

“Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise”Hail the day that sees him rise,

1. Christ awhile to mortals given
2. Re-ascends his native heaven
3. There the glorious triumph waits
4. Lift your heads, eternal gates,
5. Christ hath conquered death and sin
6. Take the King of glory in
7. See! The heaven its Lord receives
8. Yet he loves the earth he leaves
9. Though returning to his throne
10. Still he calls the world his own
11. See! He lifts his hands above
12. See! He shows the prints of love
13. Hark! his gracious lips bestow
14. Blessings on his church below.  

Life is Good

jk

It is called a Rehab and Nursing  facility…It is really an exercise in controlled chaos. I have been here five days and I think chaos is winning. Of more than 55.8 million elderly adults in the U.S. (65 or older), 1.3 million live in nursing homes, representing 2.3% of the elderly population. An additional 818,800 elderly Americans reside in assisted living facilities.Sep 13, 2023. (A Place for Mom)

The facility I am at serves two segments of this particular population, those needing extensive care and those like me who are here to rehab and get back to as close as they were before we came into this place and I am blessed to be in the second group. There is another group that are as close as you can come to… Earthly Angels, which reminds me of that Alabama classic, “Angels Among Us.”

“Oh, I believe there are angels among us

Sent down to us from somewhere up above

They come to you and me in our darkest hours

To show us how to live, to teach us how to give

To guide us with the light of love”

When you lose the ability to do the very basics that allow you to take care of yourself, unless you have been there it is hard to understand the effect it has when you realize you are no longer in charge of the simplest things of life that you take for granted every day. In my short time here in rehab I have discovered that I have been blessed by their presence. I have been among the angels these last five days…  “They come to you and me in our darkest hours”. They are the light in the darkness.

Kurt

I have in past blogs referred to a habit or practice which I have named “surface read” being nothing more than skimming over the chapter or verses which for those of us that read our bible often do, which creates a false sense of understanding. This week we take a look at the churches celebration of Pentecost, an in-depth look…going beyond the words so to speak. In the Revised Common Lectionary, the Gospel reading for Pentecost Sunday is always from the Gospel of John. Following is just another bit of information that I read in preparing for this blog. Homiletics is the application of the general principles of speaking or writing to convey or teach. I like the tail end of this when the writer simply writes “One who practices or studies homiletics may be called a homilist, or more simply, a preacher. Don’t know if this is of any value to this blog…just thought I would share this with you. Pentecost is the time I often refer to as the end of Jesus’ ministry on this earth and the introduction of the “helper” soon to come, thus “The Beginning of the End…” But those of us of the faith know that this is the beginning of the rest of the story.

The beginning of the rest of the story starts here for me. So let’s break it down…Pentecost John 15:26-27… 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. 

In the previous verses 15:26-27 the disciples realize that Jesus is about to leave them and at this point we then move to chapter 16. 16:1-4 Jesus speaks of the persecutions they will endure and Foretells his death, and promises them the Comforter, (verses 5-7.) Here they are introduced to the coming of Holy Spirit, also referred to as the Comforter. Jesus from the beginning of his ministry had told the disciples that to follow him would not be easy, there would be hard times ahead. Jesus knew this before hand and he did not want his disciples or anyone to be able to say that they had not known what to expect when they became a Christian. John as he was writing this knew that by this time many early Christians were falling away from the faith. Jesus shared with them that a time would come when people would kill them and consider such an act as rendering a service to God when they killed his followers. As you read through these first four verses consider this. Jesus offered, and still offers, not the way of ease but the way of glory. He wants men and women who are prepared with open eyes to venture out for his name. In these next verses 5-11 Barclay writes we have an almost perfect summary of the work of the Spirit. It just so happens that the word used to describe the work of the Spirit translates to mean convince. There is more detail to this which we will pass on but for now I leave this one thing for you to consider. When we are able to recognize our own sin it is usually the result of our being convinced of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is the cross of Christ, our salvation thru the blood of Christ that we are saved from the judgement to come. This is the work of the Holy Spirit through which we are convicted of our sins and because of Him we are convinced of our salvation.

We close out this week’s blog reading from John 16:12-15… ‘I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of Truth has come, he will lead you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own authority and out of his own knowledge, but he will speak all that he will hear, and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, for he will take of the things which belong to me, and will tell you of them. All things that the Father has are mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take of the things which belong to me, and tell them to you.’

To sum up…this these two verses in chapter 15 and those that follow in chapter 16-1-15 are considered by some people to bring to us God’s Truth…it could also be called a revelation. It brings us to the understanding that this comes to us not from any book or creed, but from a living person. Pentecost is special because it marks the start of our finial journey to our salvation and our savior Jesus Christ.

We are writing this from the rehab facility so please understand there may be some mistakes. Remember that CCR song during the war in Nam…well that is my song now… “We Gotta Get Out Of Here” Ditto!!

Life is Good

jk

Well I am not on the porch this week, I am in the hospital. Surgery did not go as planed…rehab is late getting started and I am having to go to a rehab center for at least 2 weeks. Getting old requires learning to adapt and the last year has been a time of adapting and I am running out of patience. Loss of mobility and the fact you are no longer in charge can bring home reality. Well…nuff said about that.

My hospital room was nice and it had a large window with this big tree sitting right in the middle of it and that is my pondering point this week. The best I can figure when they built this place they left some of the trees standing. It is an old tree and as I ponder over it which clearly has an appearance that shows the wear of time I’m on the fourth floor and that tree goes well above the window. It also sits close to the building which leads me to believe it was indeed one of the trees the construction people let stand, the building here is not that old, thus the the size of the tree, its proximity to it speaks to its age. Been around awhile…just like me. Some of the bigger branches have a tree bark fungus common in older trees. The tree does not stand straight and tall, a testament to the years gone by. It still produces a decent green foliage and there are occasional new smaller branches, which tells me this old tree is not done yet. Had a pretty bad storm last night  and from my bed I watched that tree twist and bend in the wind while being pelted by a hard rain. As I sat and watched I pondered just how much that old tree and me had in common. We have seen the old over run by new, we have seen and been through some storms, yet we still stand a bit stooped and tested but like that green foliage, we have hope which shows we aren’t done yet.

Kurt 

The Apostle Paul says in Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.”

There are many forces that come against God, our faith and living a Christian life as best we can. After last weeks resolution of one  denominations long standing precepts of its belief based on Biblical reason and interpretation, concluded in exposing what I would call the other elephant in the room… The marginalizing of the Authority of Scripture is having a negative effect on the power and strength of God’s word. We no longer understand or consider that while God has only our best in mind, there are also demands of the faith that we are held accountable for… or to be blunt, we serve a God that demands our obedience. We often fail to be obedient due to the fact that we try to meet life in our own strength and forget to seek the help and to remember the presence of our protecting God. I have been overly repetitive but I don’t believe it is said enough… christians must know what they believe and why. You must have a strong relationship with God and one of the ways, of which there are many, is scripture. Have a question, problem that is taking you down, need advice, you get the picture…scripture is where you will find what you need and to find peace in the turmoils of this world. God communicates to us through the scriptures and through His Spirit, you can gain confidence and strength to press forward through any obstacles you face. Perhaps the most important reason to study the scriptures is that they teach about Jesus Christ and how you can follow His example and teachings. Certain things about our faith can be hard to accept or be entirely opposite of the social norms, which seem to change to accommodate the desires and standards of society in general, often challenge the authority of scriptures thus causing disobedience to God’s will for his people. 

The hard part… The Bible says, authority is to be submitted to and respected. This is hard for many of us to understand as there are those who rule or preside over others in a cruel and unjust manner. 

Romans 13:1  

 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

This is indeed a hard teaching, but is bolstered by Romans 13:2…

So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 

Now there is a rational argument to this for those who disagree with it. Could be said that this applies to kind and just rulers and they are no threat to those who do the right thing. One key to understanding scripture is not get into the habit of searching through scriptures until we find one that agrees with our thinking. There are some scripture such as, 1 Peter 2:15 and 17-21 that are confusing to many of us. These are difficult passages and when taken out of context can raise questions among the faithful.  

The biblical definition of the word authority is understood and used to describe the power or ability to do something given by, conferred upon, or derived from a higher authority. It is the warrant, right, power, or ability to do something.(Wikipedia)

Many of the Biblical Patriarchs and Prophets were given God’s authority to do something or carry out the instructions given them by God. 

What is the biblical principle of authority? It is that the Bible is authoritative and useful in guiding matters of Christian practice because it represents the word of God.

The Church today has Marginalized the Authority of 

Scripture and there is a warning here we should heed.It is imperative that we recognize the Bible is authoritative and that it holds the final word; not science, human experience, or human reasoning. Scripture Should always have the final word. 

Life is Good

jk

I am still pretty much confined to my recliner because of this knee surgery. I have been able to get some relief with the aid of my wife and some mobility devices to get to my desk, which is a nice break in my daily routine. One thing this down-time is providing me is a chance to smell the coffee so to speak. I usually read the headlines and that is all I can tolerate as I have shared with you in the past, I am sorta old school. I miss my back porch it is a special place for me…It is my pondering place. One headline got my attention more than any this week. “The Boy Scouts of America making a big change to be more inclusive”… well that got me and I dove right into the meat of the article written by Michael Morgan. These few words is all it took for my interest to outweigh my goal to be accepting of this changing world… making a big change to be more inclusive… included in those words was was one word that is like a “red flag” to us old school grads. INClUSIVE!!!  To me this is one of the calling cards of the “woke”. I read on knowing that it wouldn’t be good. I know the Boy Scouts have been changing over the years and things are not the way they were in my day. Gee, what are they going to do, I still have all my merit badges and different Cub Scout patches and insignias and my prized Order of the Arrow patch. 2025 will be the 115th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. I loved the Scouts because although my dad and I were not close, his love for the Scouts and what they did for young men led him to make sure that was one experience I would have to best of his ability. He was a Cub Master, a Scout Master and involved heavily in our experiences as we progressed in the overall program. The concept was so good that even the ladies got on board. The Girl Scouts and of course the Brownies followed and adapted their programs to help benefit the young girls as they grew up. I remember how at a troop meeting the leaders would announce the scheduling of a camping trip or some places we were going to visit, scout camp, crafts and other activities that were planed to teach us character, discipline and respect for God, Country, Family and others by doing good deeds when the opportunity allowed. Times change but sometimes at the expense of what was good. I loved to go camping and I would spend the time prior to the day we would be setting out to go camping checking the weather and hoping for the best. On February 8, 2025 the Boy Scouts will reinvent themselves and become known as Scouting America.  

Here is the view from an old dog on the porch. The things of my day which instilled the faith, morals, character and direction of our nation and people as I knew them are no longer welcome in society today. It was said not to long ago by an elected leader… “My goal is to fundamentally change America”… We were a better people then, than we are now.  

jk

 

According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, including something that is believed especially with strong conviction, a state of complete trust. The belief and trust in and loyalty to God is the subject of this week’s blog. There will be events and times when that trust in God is challenged and that is why it is important each one of us knows why and what we believe. It is written that this moment of true faith follows a time of developing a relationship with God and brings on a sudden enlightenment. Granted it will not be for everyone an experience such as Paul had on the Damascus Road but it will be life changing. Consider this even though I am being repetitive, the type and depth of faith is not the same for everyone but there comes a time when what and why you believe matters. 

A few days ago the Methodist Church at General Conference voted to change some language in the church book of Discipline. The church has been involved in a forty-two year discussion, well actually a small war over this particular stance of the church. We now have closure but for some it will raise another question mark… It is at this point you must understand the importance of your faith…what do you believe and why? I am glad that the Methodist Church has at last put this issue to rest. Two questions we should all seek the answers to… What do I believe and why…? I will lay this to rest letting my sharing my Statement of Faith, simple and to the point. 

Apostles’ Creed

Traditional Version

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;*
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic** church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

What’s is your Statement of Faith?

Life is Good

jk