Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Seek wisdom and live. 2/23/11
Memorial of Saint Polycarp, bishop and martyr. Sirach 4:11-19. Psalm 119. Mark 9:38-40.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Change your mind 2/17/11
Genesis 9:1-13. Psalm 102. Mark 8:27-33. Jesus' name is thrown around as a defense for every possible position imaginable. His character and true intent are constantly being redefined. Genesis and Mark's gospel teach us who Jesus really is. Jesus fulfills covenant and Jesus is the Christ. If we will make His true nature our study our minds will be changed. The problem, of falsely defining Christ, existed even from the time Jesus walked on the earth. Everyone had an opinion but the opinions missed His true nature and mission. If we will change our minds we will be transformed into His image. Renew and change your mind about who He is and what He wants from you. Change your mind daily.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Progress or Regress? 2/16/11
Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22. Psalm 116. Mark 8:22-26. Church culture has become a couch for us to rest our lazy spiritual lives on. Challenge has been replaced by compromise and sermons, homilies, that used to call us to a deeper relationship and greater responsibility talk about how much we need to do around our buildings. Sad indeed. I know this isn't the case everywhere. The three readings today show a spiritual progression that takes place in the lives of those who are God's children. We are saved by sacrifice, are supposed to fulfill our vows and then continually go to Jesus for better spiritual vision. Are we making progress spiritually?
Monday, February 14, 2011
Avoid contact 2/15/11
Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5,10. Psalm 29. Mark 8:14-21. The effects of sin, and sin itself, are seldom talked about. The response of God to sin during Noah's time should show us His disdain for our sin. Jesus raises the bar by asking us to avoid contact with sinful influences. Avoid contact with sin. If in a sin remember God's view of it and repent of it. Avoid contact.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Let it go! 2/14/11
Genesis 4:1-15, 25. Psalm 50. Mark 8:11-13. Resentment rots our spirituality. The story of Cain and Abel is one we can all identify with. Someone will always have more, be better looking, do better work etc. How does that effect us. We should be thankful for their contribution and move on. However, because we are insecure and defensive we let the success of others eat at us sometimes. Cain was no exception. The difference with Cain is that he killed the one he was jealous of. We have got to learn to let resentment go! It eats away at who we are and sooner or later it defines our spiritual walk with the Father. If you are harboring resentment it's time to let it go. It is killing your spiritual life. Don't wait for them, make excuses and continue to pout about it just let it go. Let it go!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Fall in the right direction 2/11/11
Genesis 3:1-8. Psalm 32. Mark 7:31-37. All of us fall in one direction or the other. We either fall into sin or at the feet of God begging for His help when tempted. The Genesis text records the first sin of Adam and Eve and the effects of that sin. The primary effect being a scared relationship with God. They fell in the wrong direction because they trusted themselves. The Psalm text shows the appropriate response to our sin, falling before God. This is falling in the right direction. The gospel text really brings it all home. Mark tells us about a deaf man who was healed by Jesus. The texts encourage us to do one thing which is fall in the right direction. Trusting God rather than self. Falling toward Him rather than away from Him. Fall in the right direction.
Responsible family 2/10/11
Genesis 2:18-25. Psalm 128. Mark 7:24-30. Family is the spiritual training ground for it's members. All of us are responsible to feed and impart faith to our families. It is not enough to simply feed our families we must impart faith to them and take spiritual responsibility for what they are. We are called to be a responsible family feeding and imparting faith to our family members. Are you doing that?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
We are cultivators 2/9/11
Genesis 2:4-9,15+17. Psalm 104. Mark 7:14-23. The last two podcasts gave us a direction and purpose. We, like creation, came out of chaos into Christ and were given a mission. As we fulfill this mission we are also called to work. Work as a profession and work on the human heart, ours and others. Adam was very blessed to have been given the land and been amazingly blessed by God. The blessing comes with the responsibility to work. Work for God and work for those for whom we are responsible. We are cultivators. The more we cultivate the better the soil becomes. Cultivate cultivator!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Out of Chaos II 2/8/11
Genesis 1:20-2:4. Psalm 8. Mark 7:1-13. In the last podcast we learned the creative power of God. His ability to form the world and our lives out of a formlessness reveals His power. Out of the chaos God created order. Today we will see what role we play with God. God not only takes away chaos He gives us a purpose. God's purpose for us is multiplication. Whether through the family or sharing the message of Christ and the Church we participate with God's mission which is to have more people know Him. Our God is amazing! He takes us out of chaos and gives us form. That form is being His child. Then He shows us our mission as His children. Our mission is to bring more people to Him. Out of chaos God gives us a family and a role to play in that family. Are you fulfilling your role?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Out of chaos 2/7/11
Genesis 1:1-19. Psalm 104. Mark 6:53-56. Often when we look at the story of creation we focus on what we have figured out about the world's beginnings. This may miss the point. Genesis, though certainly accurate, paints a picture of who God is and who His people are to Him. The creation story and the gospel both point to the fact that God is able to create order out of chaos. He is able to take something formless and void and create a wonderful and functional system. He is also able to take our dysfunctional and chaotic lives and bring order to them. God creates order for a purpose. That purpose is primarily that things would fulfill their God-given function. This can only start if God has first brought peace out of chaos. Is your life chaotic? Do you struggle to find your place? Come to Jesus. He creates order of of chaos.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Consider the outcome 2/4/11
Hebrews 13:1-8. Psalm 27. Mark 6:14-29. Considering how we should act toward people and stuff and may ensure an outcome that would honor God. The three readings call us to radical obedience because we see in the gospel the potential cost of following God's Word in Hebrews. How we treat others should honor God and that can be dangerous. We should also consider being content with what we have. The message of simplicity and contentedness is a Biblical one. Consider how you treat people and stuff. Does it honor God?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Approach God approach people 2/3/11
Podcast...
Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24. Psalm 48. Mark 6:7-13. How we approach God and people demonstrates our respect and honor for both. Israel and Moses didn't have one of the greatest benefits of Jesus' New Covenant namely the ability to approach God. How do we approach God? If we are in Christ we should have confidence to approach Him and live for Him in a manner that honors Him and places our true selves before Him. Jesus used, and uses, people to bring His message of reconciliation to the world. How we deal with people shows how much worth we believe they have. There worth is tremendous because God loves them and Jesus wants to save them. Approach and God and people in the same way prayerfully and personally.
Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24. Psalm 48. Mark 6:7-13. How we approach God and people demonstrates our respect and honor for both. Israel and Moses didn't have one of the greatest benefits of Jesus' New Covenant namely the ability to approach God. How do we approach God? If we are in Christ we should have confidence to approach Him and live for Him in a manner that honors Him and places our true selves before Him. Jesus used, and uses, people to bring His message of reconciliation to the world. How we deal with people shows how much worth we believe they have. There worth is tremendous because God loves them and Jesus wants to save them. Approach and God and people in the same way prayerfully and personally.
Deep in Scripture Radio Program
I did an interview-radio program with Deep in Scripture a program produced by Coming Home International and distributed by EWTN.
If you would like to listen to the live show you can do so at this link here.
It was done live and I really appreciated what Marcus and I had the opportunity to talk about.
If you would like to listen to the live show you can do so at this link here.
It was done live and I really appreciated what Marcus and I had the opportunity to talk about.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
We are the sacrifice 2/2/11
Listen to the podcast here.
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Malachi 3:1-4. Psalm 24. Hebrews 2:14-18. Luke 2:22-32. Malachi points forward to the time when Jesus would come to the earth to purify God's people. Though we have explored Hebrews 2:14-18 previously we now see that the purpose of Jesus' coming was to purify us and to call us to be continually purified. Our faith, of greater worth than silver, is refined through offering ourselves to be purified. Sometimes it is purified the same way, through fire and trial. Jesus purified us and by offering ourselves he continues to purify us. We have to offer ourselves for this purification. Will we? Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice allowing us to offer ourselves. Purified and being purified we are the sacrifice!
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Malachi 3:1-4. Psalm 24. Hebrews 2:14-18. Luke 2:22-32. Malachi points forward to the time when Jesus would come to the earth to purify God's people. Though we have explored Hebrews 2:14-18 previously we now see that the purpose of Jesus' coming was to purify us and to call us to be continually purified. Our faith, of greater worth than silver, is refined through offering ourselves to be purified. Sometimes it is purified the same way, through fire and trial. Jesus purified us and by offering ourselves he continues to purify us. We have to offer ourselves for this purification. Will we? Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice allowing us to offer ourselves. Purified and being purified we are the sacrifice!
Interview with Coming Home
I have had several people ask me to post the interview about my conversion.
Here it is from youtube.
Here it is from youtube.
He did we should 2/1/11
Listen to the podcast here.
Hebrews 12:1-4. Psalm 22. Mark 5:21-43. Hebrews sets a stage for us to operate on. We are being watched and cheered on by those heroes in the faith that have were profiled in the previous chapter. Now the call of Hebrews is to share with Christ in his perseverance, suffering and final destination. Then the gospel is where the rubber meets the road. Mark shows us that Christ was with and loved the people. He touched them, physically and spiritually. His spiritual life extended beyond quotes and anticipation of the sweet by and by. He lived a life that honored God and drew people closer to Him. Will we live the life required to be who Jesus was? He did it. We should!
Hebrews 12:1-4. Psalm 22. Mark 5:21-43. Hebrews sets a stage for us to operate on. We are being watched and cheered on by those heroes in the faith that have were profiled in the previous chapter. Now the call of Hebrews is to share with Christ in his perseverance, suffering and final destination. Then the gospel is where the rubber meets the road. Mark shows us that Christ was with and loved the people. He touched them, physically and spiritually. His spiritual life extended beyond quotes and anticipation of the sweet by and by. He lived a life that honored God and drew people closer to Him. Will we live the life required to be who Jesus was? He did it. We should!
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