A Reasonable Faith

Recently, I have been facilitating a crash course on Apologetics. In this age, I am convinced that is no longer enough for Christians to know that they believe, but to know why they believe. The two common errors Christians can make in this arena are really two extremes. the first, is the non, or anti intellectual approach. This means that our faith is something spiritual, invisible, and cannot, and should not have to be explained, or examined in a reasonable, or rational way. The second error, is at the other end of the spectrum. These people will generally make the mistake of ruling out the “mysterious” elements of our faith, and rely completely on reason, hard science, doctrinal logic and even the senses, thus leaving no room for the trancsendancy of the Holy Spirit. My attempt, in bringing this course, is to give these new believers some real, tangible, and exciting facts, that can bolster their faith, and equip them to share the gospel in such a way as to entice people to not just make and emotional decision for Christ, but also an informed one.

In the course, I walk the students through a series of lectures and we cover many topics in our Q and A such as:

How can I know that jesus actually lived in History?

Is there evidence for the resurrection?

What about evolution?

What about all the other religions in the world?

How can I know the Bible is trustworthy?

etc. etc. etc.

If you are interested in hosting a seminar at your church please contact me: darrelllahay@gmail.com

I am available to conduct seminars ranging in length from 3 hours to two days. new beleivers, youth, seniors and students would all benefit from this fast paced and exciting course!

December 31st | The feast of St. Sylvester

 

Today is Decemebr 31st. New year’s Eve. the beginning of a new year, and a chance to celebrate for many. Around the world, to many who acknowledge various liturgical calendars, today is the feast day of someone a little less popular than Father Time..

Sylvester was ordained bishop over the church in Rome in the year 314.  This Christian brother served the church at a time when the Arian heresy and the Donatist schism had provoked great discord. After the peace of Constantine, he contributed greatly to the expansion of the faith throughout the Roman world.. Below is a reading I borrowed from a Catholic Missal:

Collect:
Lord,
help and sustain Your people
as in the days of Bishop Sylvester.
Guide us always in this present life
and bring us to the joy that never ends.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I Myself will search for My sheep, and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out My sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the fountains, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and upon the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on fat pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I Myself will be the shepherd of My sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:13-19
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

December 17th | Daniel and The Three

Dan The Man

 Today, the Eastern orthodox Liturgical Calender highlights the feasts of Daniel and The Three Young Men. This is observed in conjunction with the Feast of The Nativity. Daniel’s prophesy regarding the stone which smashed the idol (Daniel 2:34-35) is often used in Orthodox hymns as a metaphor for the Incarnation: the “stone cut out” being symbolic of the Logos (Christ), and the fact that it was cut “without hands” being symbolic of the virgin birth. Thus the hymns will refer to the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) as the “uncut mountain”

Reading:

Daniel 1:8a:  “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the kings delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.”

Daniel 1:20 “And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in his realm.”

Application:

Like Daniel, we need to realize that God has not only saved us for a future in heaven, but also for our present time on Earth. Pilgrim, be acutely aware that you are set apart, in the world, yet not of it. A shining light, in a sea of darkness. Ask yourself, what delicacies have I defiled myself with? Talk to God about this.

The Bible says that the secular “experts” were shamed by the savvy and skill of Daniel and his friends. We live in a world where so many people are seeking truth, and desperately looking for answers. may you, and we the Church, be able to give an answer. may god’s anointing rest upon us so much so that we will have “power” to heal, disciple, and serve the lost in the name of Christ. People are not looking for programs, they are looking for power. Let us not be like those false brethren Paul warns Timothy of as “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof”.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank you for your holy word. Thank you for the example set by the Prophet Daniel and by his friends. help me Oh Lord, to be separated from the world, morally; yet help me to remain connected to it by way of ministry. Grant me pardon for my trespasses and forgive me for defiling myself with the king’s delicacies. Grant me an anointing to live  Holy life, endowed with Your very power, not just my empty religious words and intentions.

Blessed be the name of the LORD! In Jesus Name, Amen

The Church Of The Future…..

Dr. Ted Roberts is an american pastor, and also the founder of Pure Desire Ministries. I have been reading his book and came across this great, straight forward statement on the church…If you are a Pilgrim, well, c’mon and check it out…

“Therefore, the Church of the future, if it is to be effective, must become a place of practical grace. It must be a place where hope is the dominant theme, and denial, especially religious pretending, is nowhere in sight. That’s a challenge for those in leadership, because personal vulnerability is the key issue. Leadership must be characterized by personal honesty that is open and forthright about their own struggles, yet at the same time able to speak from personal experience of the overwhelming victory available in Christ. In other words, servant-leadership will need to be New Testament to the core.”

What do you think the Church of the future should look be like? Leave a comment.

Words from St.Augustine

 Okay, that’s not a picture of Augustine..it’s actually me at St.Patrick’s Basillica preparing my sermon in my head..Hey, is that a halo? Or a dart board?

Anyway, I’ve been reading Confessions lately, and I thought I’d dip my foot back into the blogosphere and share this blurb with ya’ll..

 

CHAPTER IV

4. What, therefore, is my God? What, I ask, but the Lord God? “For who is Lord but the Lord himself, or who is God besides our God?”[13] Most high, most excellent, most potent, most omnipotent; most merciful and most just; most secret and most truly present; most beautiful and most strong; stable, yet not supported; unchangeable, yet changing all things; never new, never old; making all things new, yet bringing old age upon the proud, and they know it not; always working, ever at rest; gathering, yet needing nothing; sustaining, pervading, and protecting; creating, nourishing, and developing; seeking, and yet possessing all things. Thou dost love, but without passion; art jealous, yet free from care; dost repent without remorse; art angry, yet remainest serene. Thou changest thy ways, leaving thy plans unchanged; thou recoverest what thou hast never really lost. Thou art never in need but still thou dost rejoice at thy gains; art never greedy, yet demandest dividends. Men pay more than is required so that thou dost become a debtor; yet who can possess anything at all which is not already thine? Thou owest men nothing, yet payest out to them as if in debt to thy creature, and when thou dost cancel debts thou losest nothing thereby. Yet, O my God, my life, my holy Joy, what is this that I have said? What can any man say when he speaks of thee? But woe to them that keep silence — since even those who say most are dumb.

Let me know if the words of this Bishop provoke any thoughts.

Peace|Out

about pain..

“Pain won’t kill you. It will only put lines on your face.”  

                                                 D.D. Lahay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some counsel from the Didache

I’ve been reading through the Didache today (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didache)

Also, known as the Teaching of The Twelve Apostles, this early Christian liturature, likely penned around 100AD, contains, devotional instruction that echoes the Pauline Epitles, as well as a manual for church functions. here is a quick excerpt for you to meditate on:

“By day and by night, my son, remember him who speaks the word of God to
you. Give him the honour you would give the Lord; for wherever the Lord’s
attributes are the subject of discourse, there the Lord is present.
Frequent the company of the saints daily, so as to be edified by their
conversation. Never encourage dissensions, but try to make peace between
those who are at variance. Judge with justice, reprove without fear or
favour, and never be in two minds about your decisions.”

 

 

Happy John The Baptist Day!

Hey Pilgrims!

Here is a quick devotional I found. It makes for a great little read on John The Baptist Day. Enjoy.

Daily Reading & Meditation

Thursday (June 24): “For the hand of the Lord was with him”

Scripture: Luke 1:57-66,80  (alternate reading: Matthew 7:21-29)

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechari’ah after his father, 60 but his mother said, “Not so; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your kindred is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all marveled. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea; 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him. 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Meditation: Birthdays are a special time to remember and give thanks for the blessings that have come our way. Are you grateful for the ways that God has worked in your life, even from your birth? In many churches of the East and West the birth of John the Baptist is remembered on this day. The friends of Zechariah and Elizabeth marveled at the wonderful way in which God blessed them with a child. This child was destined by God for an important mission. The last verses in the last book of the Old Testament, taken from the prophet Malachi, speak of the Lord’s messenger, the prophet Elijah who will return to “turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). We see the beginning of the fulfillment of this word when the Angel Gabriel announced to Zechariah the marvelous birth and mission of John the Baptist (Luke 1:17). When this newly born child was about to be named, as customary on the eighth day, his relatives quibbled over what name to give him. (Don’t relatives today often do the same when the time comes for naming a newborn?) This child, however has been named from above! And Elizabeth is firm in her faith and determined to see that God be glorified through this child. The name John means “the Lord is gracious”. In the birth of John and in the birth of Jesus the Messiah we see the grace of God breaking forth into a world broken by sin and without hope. John’s miraculous birth shows the mercy and favor of God in preparing his people for the coming of its Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist’s life was fueled by one burning passion – to point others to Jesus Christ and to the coming of God’s kingdom. Scripture tells us that John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15, 41) by Christ himself, whom Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit. When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, John lept in the womb of Elizabeth as they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). The fire of the Spirit dwelt in John and made him the forerunner of the coming Messiah. John was led by the Spirit into the wilderness prior to his ministry where he was tested and grew in the word of God. John’s clothing was reminiscent of the prophet Elijah (see Kings 1:8). John broke the prophetic silence of the previous centuries when he began to speak the word of God to the people of Israel. His message was similar to the message of the Old Testament prophets who chided the people of God for their unfaithfulness and who tried to awaken true repentance in them. Among a people unconcerned with the things of God, it was his work to awaken their interest, unsettle them from their complacency, and arouse in them enough good will to recognize and receive Christ when he came.

What is the significance of John the Baptist and his message for our lives? When God acts to save us he graciously fills us with his Holy Spirit and makes our faith come “alive” to his promises. Each and every day the Lord is ready to renew us in faith, hope, and love. Like John the Baptist, the Lord invites each of us to make our life a free-will offering to God. God wants to fill us with his glory all the days of our lives, from birth through death. Renew the offering of your life to God and give him thanks for his mercy and favor towards you.

“Lord Jesus, you bring hope and salvation to a world lost in sin, despair, and suffering. Let your grace refresh and restore your people today in the hope and joy of your great victory over sin and death.”

Psalm 139:1-3,13-15

1 O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me!
2 Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
13 For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works!  Thou knowest me right well;
15 my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.

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Go to | Daily Reading & Meditation Index |
 (c) 2010 Don Schwager

Tertullian. A Church father’s words on marriage and the role of women in the Church

I was reading some of the writings of Tertullian. Here is a blurb from Wikipedia about him.

Tertullian (ca. 160 – ca. 220 A.D.)^[1], was a prolific early Christian Berber author^[2] and the first to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and a polemicist against heresy. Tertullian has been called “the father of Latin Christianity”.^[3]

Though conservative, he did originate and advance new theology to the early Church. He is perhaps most famous for being the oldest extant Latin writer to use the term Trinity (Latin trinitas),^[4] and giving the oldest extant formal exposition of a Trinitarian theology.^[5]. Other Latin formulations that first appear in his work are “three Persons, one Substance”

I was struck by some of his words in a letter he wrote to his wife. I believe it paints a great picture of Christian love in the context of marriage, and I also believe it provides a great reminder of the important role of women in the church. I will include some of the excerpts below for you to ponder.

PS: If anyone has any opinions on the role of women in the church, or has concerns about women as leaders, I welcome your feedback. I believe that their are some erroneous ideas out there, and that women have been misrepresented and have been denied some God-given destiny within the Body of Christ. I welcome your comments and encourage some healthy, open bible discussion about this topic. Now, here’s Tertullian:

THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

How shall we ever be able adequately to describe the happiness of that marriage which the Church arranges, the Sacrifice strengthens, upon which the blessing sets a seal, at which angels are present as witnesses, and to which the Father gives His consent? For not even on earth do children marry properly and legally without their fathers’ permission.

How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in hope, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the religion they practice. They are as brother and sister, both servants of the same Master. Nothing divides them, either in flesh or in spirit. They are, in very truth, two in one flesh; and where there is but one flesh there is also but one spirit. They pray together, they worship together, they fast together; instructing one another, encouraging one another, strengthening one another. Side by side they visit God’s church and partake of God’s Banquet; side by side they face difficulties and persecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from one another; they never shun each other’s company; they never bring sorrow to each other’s hearts. Unembarrassed they visit the sick and assist the needy. They give alms without anxiety; they attend the Sacrifice without difficulty; they perform their daily exercises of piety without hindrance. They need not be furtive about making the Sign of the Cross, nor timorous in greeting the brethren, nor silent in asking a blessing of God. Psalms and hymns they sing to one another, striving to see which one of them will chant more beautifully the praises of their Lord. Hearing and seeing this, Christ rejoices. To such as these He gives His peace. Where there are two together, there also He is present; and where He is, there evil is not.

shalom | pastor Darrell

Words from Irenaeus

Irenaeus, the Bishop of Lyons in the ancient Roman province of Gaul, is one of the early church fathers from the second century who’s writings still survive and hold relevance..

Here are some of his thoughts on “a life well spent”:

 ”The God, therefore, who does benevolently cause His sun to rise upon all, and sends rain upon the just and the unjust, shall judge those who, enjoying his equally distributed kindness, have led lives not corresponding to the dignity of His bounty, but who have spent their days in wantonness and luxury.”