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  • Jude Lee: Prayerfully Preparing for a Short-Term Mission

     
    by Dr. Jude Lee, author of House Calls with Jesus: Stories of Redemptive Love
     
    baby-in-gods-handDr. Lee reading from My Utmost for His Highest on November 1st:

    Know ye not that … ye are not your own? – 1 Corinthians 6:19
     
    There is no such thing as a private life—‘a world within the world’—for a man or woman who is brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ’s sufferings. God breaks up the private life of His saints, and makes it a thoroughfare for the world on the one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves, we are called into the fellowship of the Gospel, and things happen which have nothing to do with us, God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have his way, if you do not, instead of being of the slightest use to God in His Redemptive work in the world, you will be a hindrance and a clog. The first thing God does with us is to get us based on rugged Reality until we do not care what becomes of us individually as long as He gets His way for the purpose of His Redemption. Why shouldn’t we go through heartbreaks? Through these doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us fall and collapse at the first grip of pain; we sit down on the threshold of God’s purpose and die away of self-pity, and all so-called Christian sympathy will aid us to our death-bed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, and says—‘Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.’ If through a broken heart God can bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart. – Oswald Chambers, 1986

    The words God sends to us are always right on time and perfect in exhortation and conviction. Through our brokenness, His way of bringing us to know Him more and have in our being, humility of His making, He moves. One tiny step of obedience, letting go of one’s way, confessing pride, humbling self before Him and others…He does a mighty work. He is glorified for without Him we are nothing.
    He is faithful in preparing three of His little sheep, Mary, Cathy and myself to go to His other sheep in Guatemala. Faith, their mom, has been doing the study with us. She prays for us alot. We have been doing Seeking Him, a Bible Study which has been teaching us and changing our hearts showing us what is His revival, through humility, honesty, repentance. We are just starting the chapter on grace. It’s been a long time in coming to grace in the book but we have been filled with His grace as He has loved us to Himself and shown us Himself so clearly. He is doing a work of humility in each of us, bringing us to a place of honesty before Him and others we have not known so well before, and repentance is ongoing. The journey is just beginning. We pray it be a continual lifelong one.
    This is Mary and Cathy’s first mission trip overseas. We covet your prayers. Many of you have shared of your abundance as well as prayer so the little ones in Guatemala will have a bit of Christmas, some babies will be blessed with “hand-made prayed over” love-sent baby hats to keep them warm this winter, others have shared their other extras. Thank you so much for sharing in the joy of His gifts.
    Please keep in prayer:
    1. The Lord’s ongoing work through Bible Study to disciple the moms and youth to bear eternal fruit and change a generation, as well as a generation yet to be born, for Jesus (Psalm 22:22-31).
    2. His weary and worn children (adults and niños) will see Jesus through His Word and that those serving so steadfastly in Guatamala will be encouraged and strengthened by Him.
    3. We would stay well in our physical bodies and in our spirits, serve Him well, keeping Jesus and His way and will foremost in our hearts and minds. And as far as the medical part, that we would be just the tool in His hand.
    4. All of us sheep, State-side and Guatemala yield to Jesus for His humbling us, preparing us, breaking us, bringing us closer to Him at such a time as this that we would be passionate, on fire for Him. Time is short. Let us not waste the lives He has given.
    Jesus, You are faithful, humble and powerful in wisdom and grace, perfect in judgment and mercy. Thank You. You call, You work, You do a mighty change in our hearts and we are grateful. Keep us, Your sheep, near as You work in and through each of us in Guatemala and in the States, to know You more, to be captivated by You and to have no other before You. Your love is boundless, overwhelming in its mercy and grace and our recognition of the magnificence and unparalleled excellence of Your love brings us to see how undeserving we are and will always be. Yet, You pour out. This humbles us, Lord. Keep us there, that You would give grace…Your grace to us, grace overflowing so it reaches out beyond us into the lives of others for You and Your glory. Ah precious King…how great You are. Thank You. Thank You so much. Amen

  • David Alan Black: We Can Be the People Who Speak the Truth

    9781893729568by Dr. David Alan Black, professor, marathon runner, mountain climber and author of Seven Marks of a New Testament Church, Running My Race: Reflections on Life, Loss, Aging, and Forty Years of Teaching, The Jesus Paradigm, and more!
    I trust you’re doing well. I’m sitting here nursing a head cold and trying to grasp the significance of what our nation just experienced. But first of all I want to join President Obama and Secretary Clinton in congratulating Mr. Trump on his election victory. I also promise to pray for him as he begins his term of office. As President Obama put it today, “We’re all rooting for his success.”
    As you can probably figure out, I’m pretty much a conscientious objector when it comes to the Left/Right political wars. I guess I’m a self-described “misfit.”
    Read the rest on JesusParadigm.com.

  • Elgin Hushbeck, Jr.: Election 2016 – Initial Reaction

    by Elgin Hushbeck, Jr., Engineer, Christian apologist, and author of Christianity and Secularism, Preserving Democracy: What the Founding Fathers Knew, What We Have Forgotten, and How It Threatens Democracy, What is Wrong with Social Justice?, and Evidence for the Bible.
     
    time-election-coverMy reaction to the election can be summed up by relief, joy, hope, and worry, in that order.
    Relief
    On Election Day the election was too close to call. There were conflicting signs and it was easy to make a case for either Clinton or Trump wining. Perhaps it was the fact that I had seen so many other races that looked even more positive, and yet my candidate lost, so I feared the worst. I could not even watch the returns. When I got up this morning and looked at the news to see that Trump had won, my first reaction was a sense of relief. Relief that Clinton, probably the most corrupt person ever to seek the office of President will not be allowed to bring that corruption back to the White House. The combination of that level of corruption with the powers of the office of the President was something I truly feared.
    Joy
    As I began to look at the results in more detail, my relief turned to Joy. Not only did Trump win, but all the candidates I was supporting in my state, and virtually all I was watching across the nation won. Not only would Hillary not be President but we had held House and Senate majorities to work with him, and to keep him in check if need be. So I said a prayer of thanks.
    Hope
    My joy then turned to hope as I began to contemplate the ramifications. Finally, there was a good chance that we could get something done. For the first time in my life we had a Republican President with a solid majority in Congress. Bush had the thinnest of margins which disappeared when Jeffords changed parties. The wall will be built on the southern border and the illegal immigration mess solved. And no, I do not expect any mass deportations. I believe most of those here illegally will be in some fashion allowed to become legal, they just will not be allowed to become citizens or vote without going home and returning legally.
    The disaster that is Obamacare will be repealed and replace by a system that gives far more choice and opportunity to people. I am hoping that the bureaucratic nightmare that is the Federal Government and which is such a burden on the people, will be cut back and focused more on actually helping them. For example, perhaps finally we can get a law passed to force the EPA to consider the impact of their regulations on people and not just animals, and the tens of thousands of people in central California thrown out of work to protect a few fish can go back to work.
    Worry
    Finally, I began to worry. And my cause for concern was twofold. First, while hardly a fan of Trump, one area I did agree with him on is that the ruling elites play by a different set of rules. They are very powerful and will not like that Trump is threatening the status quo. Thus, I worry about how they will seek to protect themselves and keep their power. Note that this is not a Republican vs Democrat issue, but an insider vs outsider. There are plenty of Republicans on the inside. And given the narrow margin in the Senate, I can easily see them blocking many of the needed reforms with a filibuster. Since Reid broke the filibuster, this should not be a problem, but it could provide a fig leaf for Republicans in the elite to block needed reforms.
    Second, as the election fades into the background we will return our focus to the problems we face and they are both many and serious, both Domestic and Foreign. Many are well advanced and may already be too far gone. For example, it may already be too late to stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, and I have little doubt that if they get one they will live up to their promise to use it. In short, the world Trump will inherit is a mess and likely to get worse before it gets better.
    Domestically the situation is not much better. For decades, the county has been masking decline with financial games, and even that has not been working very well. The Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing has taken us into uncharted waters, and our debt is at record levels and climbing. As Hebert Stein once pointed out, that which cannot go on forever won’t. It is not a matter of if, but when the house of cards that is the US economy will come crashing down.
    I am not fatalistic about this. Countries have been in worst situations. Britain at the beginning of the 19th century had a much higher debt in proportion to the current US debt. They got out of that hole by the strong growth that came for the industrial revolution. But it was not without pain. We too can get out of our current messes, but it will not be easy and it will not be without pain.
    So I guess I end on hope, but it is a cautious hope.
     
     
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  • Thomas W. Hudgins: Did Jesus Really Pray for Forgiveness from the Cross?

    by Dr. Thomas W. Hudgins, professor and translator of Aprenda a Leer el Griego del Nuevo Testamento. blogposts: thomashudgins.com and pineroandhudgins.com.
     
    Handsome young man praying in a churchOpen up your English Bible and turn to Luke 23:34. Here’s how the verse reads in the Holman Christian Standard Bible: “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” I’m curious if your translation has a footnote at the bottom of the page dealing with this particular verse. The RSV has a footnote at the bottom of the page that reads, “Other ancient authorities omit the sentence And Jesus . . . what they do.” The ESV has one that reads, “Some manuscripts omit the sentence And Jesus . . . what they do.” Or maybe your translation has the entire verse in brackets. That’s what the Holman Christian Standard Bible does, along with a note that reads, “Other mss omit the bracketed text.” Maybe this is the first time you’ve ever even noticed that note. It might be surprising, but believe me when I say it’s not that wild. Manuscripts before the age of the printing press and Xerox machines were copied by hand. As they were used, they got wore out. As they got wore out, new copies had to be made. There’s a least a question about whether or not Jesus really prayed for the forgiveness of those who were crucifying him. Some manuscripts record that he did, others leave this verse out. We have to wrestle with this when we study our New Testament.
    Before I give you some ways that you can think about this issue (and others like it) for yourselves, let me just point out some very important observations: Just because there are some footnotes about different manuscripts having different readings in our New Testament doesn’t mean our Bibles are full of errors or that we can’t trust our Bible. That’s simply not the case. What it means is there are some differences among the manuscripts. Before the age of Gutenberg and Xerox, all texts were written by hand. And as you can imagine, if you were copying a manuscript as long as some of these, there might be some issues that arose along the way. You might make a mistake, leave off a word or two, copy a word wrong, etc. This happened with the New Testament texts just like it happened with every single work that was kept and preserved for historical, literary, and cultural reasons. And somewhere along the way someone might have even thought they were doing the text a favor by inserting or removing something to make the text clearer or better fit with their own setting. It just happens. There are some differences in the manuscripts, but nothing that should really cast any doubt on whether we can trust our Bibles.
    So let me just point out a few types of data that factor in to what is called a textual analysis, that is, an analysis that attempts to ascertain the original wording of a specific New Testament passage when manuscripts containing that passage are not in total agreement. There are more than a few, but I’m just going to highlight a few here.
    The first consideration is the date of the manuscripts. The thinking goes as follows: It is reasonable to think that there is a higher probability that earlier manuscripts will contain the original reading. Why? Because the time span between original composition and an earlier copy of a manuscript is smaller than the time span of a later copy. That’s what we call a firm grasp of the obvious, and I’ve been complimented many times in my life for having one of those (though not always much more than that!). The more time between original composition, the more opportunity there is for a change to occur in the text. But we have to remember, an early copy is still not the original and as such there is always a possibility that a change to a passage could have occurred—intentionally or accidentally—while it was being copied. No copy, no matter how early it is, is entirely trustworthy. One of the things I am discussing in the forthcoming Energion book on textual criticism is how God inspired the original manuscript. The act of divine inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16) occurred with the original composition, not the act of copying the original.
    The second consideration is the geographical distribution of a particular reading. This one is a little more difficult to explain. The best way I can describe it here is to imagine a map that focuses on the Middle East with the Mediterranean Sea (just north of Libya) as the focal center. There were four regions of the world that produced manuscripts over the millennia and a half following the original composition of the New Testament texts. And these manuscripts are grouped into respective groups based on patterns for how they read in certain places. Those manuscripts are identified in the following ways: (1) Alexandrian, associated with Alexandria, Egypt in northern Africa; (2) Caesarean, associated with the land of Israel and its environs; (3) Byzantine, associated with churches in the Byzantine Empire; and (4) Western, associated with the Western Roman Empire. Now none of these are wholly trustworthy. In other words, we can’t just prefer one over the other. In fact, there are differences between some manuscripts even within the respective groupings. God didn’t inspire one particular group. The groups exist because of what happened as the texts of the New Testament were copied over the years. One thing that is important though is we want to consider if a particular reading is only found in one location, or whether a particular reading is found in all of them. I’ll explain this in just a second when we come back to Luke 23:34.
    A third consideration is the context of a passage. We have to ask things like, “Does this particular reading fit in this context?” Rest assured, the original reading is going to fit with the context. It’s going to match the author’s style. It’s not going to contradict anything else in the New Testament. It’s going to fit. And if it doesn’t, we should start asking ourselves what’s going on and taking a hard look at the evidence for the other reading.
    So what about Luke 23:34? Is this sentence original or not: “And Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.’” We need to start by being able to explain what the issue is and why it matters for us? If we can’t explain why it matters for how we understand the passage, we’re not going to get anywhere. In this passage, it really matters. One of the reasons we read and study the Bible is because we want to know more about the one who gave his life for us on the cross. We want to know him, like Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10. We want to know who he is, how he acted, and what he cared about. We want to know how he suffered too, just like Peter pointed out in 1 Peter 2:21–25. Not only do we want to know more about the depths of his love and the incredibleness of his redemptive plan, we understand that we are being conformed into his image and, therefore, we want to know how he lived, so that we can begin to pursue a lifestyle that honors him and models for the world today the life he lived two millennia ago. This verse in Luke 23 is quite remarkable. If the verse is original, it sure tells us something amazing about Jesus: While he was being crucified, reviled, mocked, scorned etc., there was one thing on Jesus’ mind. The forgiveness of sins was the one thing that drove Jesus to the cross, the place where those he wanted to see forgiven would drive the nails into his hands and feet. In Luke 9:51 it says Jesus set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem. The cross was no accident (Matthew 16:21). He was going to Jerusalem so he could go to the cross. And he was going to cross so that those who believe in him could actually be treated as if they had never committed a single sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Incredible. But unless anyone question his resolve to bring about this forgiveness—if this verse is original—well, this verse drives it home even more. Jesus wanted people to be forgiven. And by the way, just an important observation here, the text doesn’t say that Jesus prayed; it says “and he was praying,” suggesting he pled for this forgiveness at least twice, but maybe even more. But what if the text is not original? Do we lose anything theologically? Does our understanding that Jesus wanted people to have forgiveness of their sins hinge on the originality of this verse? Nope. Just see Matthew 9:2–6; Luke 7:44–48; etc.
    Okay. Here’s the thing though: I can’t make a decision about the originality of a verse based on whether or not it’ll “preach” really good, or whether I just like the idea that Jesus prayed for people while he was being crucified, or something like that. No, I have to make a decision based on the evidence, taking into consideration things like the date of manuscripts, the geographical distribution, and whether a reading fits with the context of the passage (and, remember, there are other factors to consider). In this case, the earliest manuscript we have containing this portion of the Gospel of Luke that does not include this verse is a papyrus manuscript. It dates around the 3rd century. And we’ve got five other manuscripts that date between the 4th and 6th centuries. So give one point to “not original.” What about geographical distribution? Guess what. That reading where the verse is omitted—the one with the earliest manuscripts—well, it is almost entirely restricted to a single geographical location, namely Alexandrian. That just seems really problematic. How would the verse make it into all these other geographical regions if it wasn’t original? In fact, two of the manuscripts that contain the verse are dated to the 5th century. That’s pretty early, isn’t it? And those two manuscripts are associated with two different geographical regions, one Alexandrian and the other Byzantine. So give one point to “original.” And then we think about the context. The Gospels all indicate that Jesus was speaking from the cross. He prayed to the Father, he coordinated that John would care for his mother, and he even promised one of the thieves that he would be with Jesus in paradise when he died (i.e., he was forgiven!).
    If you ask me, the verse is original. It’s not supported by the oldest manuscripts, but it is supported by two manuscripts associated with two different geographical locales copied prior to the sixth century. And it definitely doesn’t conflict with the rest of the crucifixion narrative or the life and ministry of Jesus in general. Just imagine Jesus praying for these people. Even in his darkest hour of his life, one thing mattered—forgiveness of sins. What a savior!
    So someone is going to ask me the following question so I better just go ahead and answer it: How did the verse become missing in those early manuscripts? Ultimately, I cannot know for certain. I can make an educated guess. Maybe it was because after the fall of Jerusalem it looked like Jesus’ prayer for their forgiveness wasn’t answered and some scribes decided to take it out versus it looking like Jesus could pray a prayer and it not be answered. Or maybe someone glanced over it, forgot to copy it, and from that point, in those Alexandrian manuscripts, the verse was removed. But for the rest of the world, they kept hearing Jesus pray this prayer for forgiveness. And hopefully it would have the same impact on them that it had on Stephen when he encountered the darkest day of his life and prayed the forgiveness of those who were putting him to death (Acts 7:60).
     
     

  • Steve Kindle: A Vote for Hillary is a Vote for the GOP

    by Rev. Steve Kindle, pastor2pew.org, progressive author: I’m Right and You’re Wrong, Stewardship: God’s Way of Recreating the World, and If You’re Child is Gay.

    Editor’s note: On August 27, 2016, conservative author, Elgin Hushbeck, Jr. wrote a post, The Least Bad Choice. We encourage you to read both of these posts today.

    election-2016-pictureThis election cycle may be the most important of my lifetime. It’s the equivalent of 1860 when the future direction of the nation is at stake. The party of Lincoln emerged then as one of the two great parties of the American political scene. We are on the threshold of losing it forever.
    Although the Founders did not see or encourage a two-party electoral system, it has emerged as one of the great bulwarks of American democracy. This election may very well determine if the Republican Party will continue in any form we would recognize. This would be a great loss, and I say this as a registered Democrat.
    The demise of the GOP began with the election of Barak Obama in 2008. It became the obstructionist party, the “just say no” party, that blocked anything POTUS put forward. It operated under the strategy of the Senate Majority Leader who famously said he would do all he could to make Obama a one-term president. He may have failed on that score, but he may have succeeded in taking down his own party in the process. How?
    The glue that holds our democracy together is compromise. Wise pols know that. They know that they cannot get everything they want, that they do not hold the only good ideas, that working together to solve problems leads to the best solutions. But Republicans have lately elected ideologues to the House and Senate, people who regard compromise as weakness and can’t bend without breaking. They refuse to entertain anything that suggests acceptance of what they consider less than the only true way. This has led to two of the least productive Congresses ever, and the emergence of Donald Trump. And, ironically, he will destroy the Republican Party.
    The professional Republicans know this. Sure, call them the establishment, if you will, but they are those who put nation above party. Just Google “Republicans for Hillary” and you will see a stellar list. People like Steve Schmidt, McCain’s presidential campaign manager; David Frum, Bush 43’s speech writer; Colin Powell; Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state under George W. Bush; Meg Whitman, Former Va. Sen. John Warner; Michael Chertoff, former United States Secretary of Homeland Security under George W. Bush. Add to this the growing number of Republicans who announced they won’t vote for Trump (without saying who they will vote for) including Mitt Romney, George Will, Sens. Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham, the Log Cabin Republicans, and 95% of the state legislators. This list is huge and growing.
    The so-called Republican “autopsy report” that detailed the Republican failures of 2012 named ideological rigidity, its preference for the rich over workers, its alienation of minorities, reactionary social policies, and institutionalized repression of dissent and innovation as its major liabilities that needed to be addressed if the party would ever again be a factor in upcoming presidential elections. This comes from Republicans!!! Or should I say, this comes from Republicans who understand their failures and want to do something about them. The emergence of Donald Trump is the most reactionary candidate possible for thwarting any hope that the Republican Party will self-correct. The result is the end of the GOP as an effective partner in the support of American democracy.
    So, when I vote for Hillary Clinton this Tuesday, I will be voting for a renewed GOP as well as for someone who is a proven compromiser, a person who is no ideologue, who effectively reaches across the aisle for the better good. Sure, she has her flaws, and as a Bernie supporter, she falls far short of what I would prefer. But I want a strong Republican Party and someone who embraces all Americans. Donald Trump brings neither.
    The loss, once again, of the White House, just might be the impetus for Republican reform and a return to political integrity. Come on back, Republicans—We need you!
     
     
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  • David Alan Black: A Marathon Plan

    by Dr. David Alan Black, professor, marathon runner, mountain climber and author of Seven Marks of a New Testament Church, Running My Race: Reflections on Life, Loss, Aging, and Forty Years of Teaching, The Jesus Paradigm, and more!
     
    Dave facing the MatterhornIs your church up to doing a marathon? A marathon is 26.2 miles. It’s a slugfest. But you finish by taking one step at a time. So here are 26.2 ideas to get you started and maybe even keep you going to the end.
    1) If you are a pastor, I might suggest that you stop training for “chief ministry provider” and start training for “chief ministry developer.”
    2) Let us rid ourselves of the “consumerism” mentality once and for all. It stands opposite to the “body ministry” as described in the New Testament.
    3) As leaders, let’s commit ourselves to discovering and employing the untapped potential that exists in our churches.
    4) The shift from the “ministry of the clergy” to the “ministry of the laity” is one of the most important decisions facing the church today. Let’s make it.
    5) Let’s self-identify first and foremost as a servant. Only one class of people exists within the church, servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Within that class there will always be different functions, but servanthood is incumbent upon all of us.
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  • Ron Higdon: Can We Do Anything That Really Matters?

    Ron Higdon: Can We Do Anything That Really Matters?

    by Dr. Ronald Higdon, retired pastor and author of In Changing Times: A Guide for Reflection and Conversation and Surviving a Son’s Suicide.

    “The sea is so great and my boat is so small.” When I first heard that many years ago I had no idea just how immense that sea would become and how much my tiny craft would seem to shrink. I also had concept of how stormy that sea could become. At the conclusion of a political campaign that, according to a recent poll, has greatly increased the anxiety level of over fifty percent of the population, the land of the free and the home of the brave seems to have become the abode of the fearful.

    One of my favorite biblical texts from childhood onward has been the question Mordecai sent to Queen Esther. For years the only translation I knew was (Esther 4:14): “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” More modern translations (TNIV) give a slightly different twist: “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this.” Either way, the meaning is clear: Your place in this crucial time provides you with the opportunity to do something significant.

    Of course, we lament, if we had some place of status or office of power we certainly would be in a position to have some significant influence over current events. But in this present global churning sea of difficulty how can we possibly do anything that really matters? It is easy to decide that since we can’t do anything great we won’t do anything at all.

    Recently, my devotional reading has surfaced two well-known pieces I think belong together. The First is The Practice of Self-Abandonment of Jean-Pierre de Caussade – widely known in its more popular version – The Sacrament of the Present Moment. The essence of its teaching is that God is present in this moment and it is the only one we have in which to live and do our “duty.” “De Caussade maintains that past thinking leads to discouragement and future thinking leads to anxiety and fear. De Caussade goes on to say that nothing is so small or trivial in God’s eyes. This moment holds the will of God for me.” (Mary Margaret Funk, Tools for Practicing the Spiritual life. New York: Continuum, 107-108).

    The second piece is the famous prayer used by AA: “Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Some things are “fixed.” But not everything is beyond changing – or at least moderating. And it does take real courage to tackle what I can change in myself and my small world of influence. The wisdom to know the difference between the two saves us from both frustration and discouragement.

    In this present moment, wherever I happen to be positioned, I have the opportunity to do what I can, with what I have, to the best of my ability. I can certainly refuse to add to the anger and rage that has gripped so many during this election campaign. I can refuse to participate in the dehumanizing of anyone. I can work on being a non-anxious presence with whomever and wherever I am. I can work on turning down the heat in a highly conflicted culture.

    I am always encouraged by the memorable words of Mother Teresa: “We are not called to do great things but small things with great love.” Her work among the nobodies of Calcutta has inspired countless people to give the best they can bring to the needs of those who are right at their doorstep. It encourages a one-on-one approach to living.

    I have no doubt that we are all here for such a time as this. We are meant to live today where we are with the gifts we have. We are meant to do what we feel we are capable of doing. What really matters is to begin each day with the simple prayer: “I know, Lord, that this is the day you have made and it is my only time to live. Help me to discover what I can do this day to make a difference – be it ever so small. What really matters after all is knowing I’m doing something and not simply observing life from the sidelines.”

    Featured image by Анастасия Тимонина from Pixabay

  • Henry Neufeld: Perspectives on Paul – Paul's Gospel vs. Another Gospel IV

    Lightning in dark skyYes, this is the fourth video in what was supposed to be a single session. This should let me take up less time on future lessons because of the foundation laid here. This will also continue for one more session, so next week will be #5. – Henry

     
    And remember the resources page, where I have interviews now with Bruce Epperly and Herold Weiss on the question “Who Was Paul?”. Future interviews will include Allan Bevere, David Alan Black, and others.

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  • Shauna Hyde: Touching the Face of God

    by Rev. Shauna Hyde, is a pastor, mother, a black belt in Shota Khaun karate, and author of Victim No More!, Fifty Shades of Grace, and Vicar of Tent Town.
    This is from Shauna’s blog, shaunahyde.com, May 12, 2016.
    MountainReligion is my life. It really is that simple. I not only live it, I study it, teach it, and practice it. I am fascinated by religion and all that comes with it. I have acquired many friends from other Christian denominations and other faiths and I have been present with them in their holy moments just as they have been present with me in mine. At my United Methodist ordination was a Buddhist, a Wiccan, a Jew, several Roman Catholic nuns, and a Pagan.
    I love being at Native American ceremonies and feel the beat of the drums vibrate through the earth into my soul. I love hearing the chant and the wail of the singers late in the night around a fire. Sitting in a Buddhist or Hare Krishna temple listening to the bowls, bells, and soft chants calms my body to peace and stillness. I have been present to bring in Beltane and watched with fascination as the practitioners dance, sing, run, play, pray, and celebrate new life and the cycle of life. There is something about watching a new moon rise in the dark of night that is beautiful and hope-full. Every Passover I go to a friend’s house to take part in the remembrance of their roots and the celebration of their freedom. Sitting around the table with the traditional food and symbols I listen as he sings in Hebrew and I can feel with spirit swell with joy and love. I know I will leave full of physical and spiritual nourishment as we say, “Next year, in Israel.” I have watched a ghost hunter speak to ghosts and a Native American cleanse a space. The call to prayer, bells ringing throughout the area, and the harmony of choirs remind me of the beauty of our duty in communing with God. In churches all around, I have listened to song, praise, prayer, chants, bells, organs, guitars, pianos, voices, and stillness. I love Communion and Baptism with a passion. Hearing the Lord’s Prayer said in mass still gives me the Spirit Skin. (Read More)
     
     
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  • Harvey R. Brown, Jr: One Wrong Turn Deserves Another

    by Dr. Harvey R. Brown, Jr., preacher, educator, former U.S. Army chaplain, and author of Forgiveness: Finding Freedom from Your Past

    HomelessI consider myself a global citizen. Of course, I am an American. But thanks to your tax dollars and the United States Army, I became a world traveler and experienced a much more diverse culture and heritage than my hometown in Georgia.

    While in the Army, I lived twelve years in a row in foreign countries (if you consider New Jersey a foreign country… I know my Georgia mother did). My first overseas tour was four years in Panama. Then we lived five years in New Jersey. Then three years in Germany. Through all of this time I became adept at navigating through strange cities and nations while driving in various conditions. I made numerous discoveries—one of which included discovering what police in Panama say in Spanish when they pull you over for going the wrong way on a one-way street. I didn’t feel at fault. As a new resident, why should I know the words on a Panamanian one-way sign. As far as the gestures of oncoming drivers, the extrovert in me believed that yet unknown friends were waving to me.

    Which gets me to Saturday a week ago here in Costa Rica. I had an invitation to speak to students at the University of Costa Rica, so I borrowed a car to drive myself to the University.

    No problem. I knew where I was going. I had been there five years ago.

    But I took a wrong turn. So I tried to straighten myself out, and probably made another six wrong turns trying to get right. I called the brother where I was going hoping he could reorient me.

    “Where are you?”

    “At the intersection of Avenida 42 and Calle 53.”

    “What’s around you?”

    “Houses and cars.”

    “You must be somewhere in Zapóte.”

    “I’ll get back with you in a minute. Gotta make a turn.”

    I had arrived at an intersection with a major thoroughfare and decided to turn left. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper and it was raining buckets of water. I called back.

    “Where are you?”

    “In front of a little mechanic shop.”

    “What does the sign say? “

    “Repuestos y mecánica.”

    “Do you know what that means in Spanish?”

    “I guess ‘mecánica’ means mechanic. I don’t know what ‘repuestos’ means.”

    “Spare parts. That could be anywhere”

    At this point in our conversation I saw a man with a backpack standing under the overhang of a nearby building. I drove onto the sidewalk, opened the passenger door and motioned for him to get in. He looked at me with concern in his eyes. So I held up my cell phone and said in Spanish, “No hablo Español. Assisté por favor.” (which being interpreted means, “I don’t speak Spanish. Help, please.”).

    So he cautiously got in, ducking the rain and clutching his backpack close to his chest.

    I handed my phone to him and gestured for him to put it to his ear. He listened to my friend Scott explain that I was lost and where I needed to go. Scott told the man if he would guide me to my destination, Scott would pay the man’s taxi fare anywhere he needed to go. So a deal was struck.

    To avoid the rainy season deluge and major quitting-time traffic, we wound our way through side streets. Back-and-forth we went until we hit a primary road, progressed to a traffic circle, and turned in the opposite direction. After going two blocks, I recognized the landmark for the turn to the University. I made the turn and drove to my destination.

    When we arrived, I left “Oscar the navigator” in the car as I dodged puddles and cars to cross the street. I retrieved my friend Scott and the promised taxi fare. Since Scott is fluent in Spanish. I asked him to get into the car and convey my appreciation and gratitude to my rainy day savior.

    For 22 minutes Scott not only conveyed my appreciation to Oscar—an illegal immigrant from Nicaragua—but he also told him of a real Jesus who loved him, died on the cross for him, and wanted to live in his heart (I actually could understand much of the conversation).

    And joy of all joys, the one who was truly lost became found. Oscar embraced Christ as his Savior.

    At this point I understood something very clearly: I had not been lost. I was exactly where I was supposed to be, at exactly the right time.

    Perhaps that’s why I had no distress or concern, even though it appeared I would be late for my speaking engagement… if I ever got there at all. My primary appointment was with Oscar. What I thought was the reason for my trip—going to speak at the University—was the occasion Father used to put into motion a series of events which led to Oscar’s divine appointment.

    Here I need to make a Note to Self: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t lean on your own understanding. In every situation acknowledge Him (like “Lord, help me see what you’re doing”). And always trust that He will direct your paths.

    As I watched the new birthing process for Oscar, I was hit with a blinding flash of the obvious. The great Shepherd had left the 99 and was going after this one—very precious—lost sheep.

    Isn’t Father good?

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