Your Christianity is boring

When God exposes himself to us, we become, at that very moment, responsible.. When God reveals himself to us, we are obliged to respond to what has been revealed. Be careful when you pray; “Lord show me your glory!” What if He does? Do you really think you want the responsibility? The Christian life that is devoid of spiritual revelation is also conveniently devoid of spiritual responsibility isn’t it? What life do you want to live? One of ease, comfort and predictability?  Or one of danger, risk and revelation? The choice is yours pilgrim. You can be radically changed by the doctrines of the church, or you can become embalmed by them.

dl

5 Reasons To Read The Bible

 

Hey pilgrims…some of us are prepared to read through the New testament in 60 days…In january, many of us plowed through the New testament in 30 days…Although there was not much time afforded to stop and meditate on so much important passages, the benefit was to step back and see a “big picture’ of the New testament gospel message…Starting on Monday, February 28th, we will begin following the reading plan again…If you are interested in receiving daily emails with the passages for each day just contact me  darrelllahay@hotmail.com

It is tragic, and all too obvious that our generation is becoming more and more biblically illiterate. For many wrapped up in modernity, Christianity has been demoted from “The Way” to a mere “spiritual life choice”.  Reading the Bible has become like an elective in Christianity 101..Lame..

Here is a handful of reminders of why reading the Bible is discipline of the greatest importance….

1. It is the only inspired book you will ever read on the earth.

God wrote the Bible. Penned by the faithful under the very guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Scriptures are the reveal the very heart of God. The poetry, chronicles of History, and Prophecies and exhortations are authored specifically for all believers for all time by Jesus Himself. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

2. It will grow your faith.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: Romans 10:17.  As the words of scripture begin to settle in your mind, Your very though life begins to be renewed. Deliverance, healing and encouragement can’t help but happen.

3. It will change your life.

The book of James describes the person who reads the Bible to be like a person who looks in a mirror and see’s their reflection. The bible tells the truth about our nature. It convicts us of sin, shines light into darkness, and exposes the frailty of our humanity. the bible shows us what we really look like, and then challenges us to change into the image of Christ. (James 1:23-25)

4.You will become disciplined

By getting into the “habit” of reading scripture, you develop your spiritual reading muscles. At first, the bible may seem overwhelming in size, archaic in context, and loft in philosophical terms..However, as you press in and read past your comfort zone. the Holy Spirit begins to reveal the truth of scripture to you in ways you never experienced before. Where before there was no appetite, there is now a thirst for the Bible. Reading the bible becomes a “must do” rather than a “I probably should” thing.

5. Jesus expects us read it.

Seriously, if you knew that the creator of the universe took the time to embark on a couple thousand-year writing project and put together a compilation of written works especially designed to instruct, inspire and bless you, why wouldn’t you take time every day to read it?

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.”

T.S. Eliot: Murder in the Catherdral

I’ve just finished reading this short 1935 play by T.S. Eliot based on the murder and of Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury. I just realized that today, December 29th, is the actual day that the murder happened in 1170.

This was a short , but good read that so elloquently displays Eliot’s genious for symbolism and sentiment. Here is a portion of script from the First and Third Priests after the murder of thier beloved archbishop takes place..

First Priest:

O father, father
Gone from us, lost to us,
The church lies bereft,
Alone,
Desecrated, desolated.
And the heathen shall build
On the ruins
Their world without God.
I see it.
I see it.

Third Priest:

No. For the Church is stronger for this action,
Triumphant in adversity. It is fortified
By persecution: supreme, so long as men will die for it.
Go, weak sad men, lost erring souls, homeless in earth or heaven.
Go where the sunset reddens the last grey rock
Of Brittany, or the Gates of Hercules.
Go venture shipwreck on sullen coasts
Where blackamoors make captive Christian men;
Go to the northern seas confined with ice
Where the dead breath makes numb the hand, makes dull the brain;
Find an oasis in the desert sun,
Go seek alliance with the heathen Saracen,
To share his filthy rites, and try to snatch
Forgetfulness in his libidinous courts,
Oblivion in the fountain by the date-tree;
Or sit and bite your nails in Aquitaine.
In the small circle of pain within the skull
You still shall tramp and tread one endless round
Of thought, to justify your action to yourselves,
Weaving a fiction which unravels as you weave,
Pacing forever in the hell of make believe
Which never is belief: this is your fate on earth
And we must think no further of you.

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

Interpreting Scripture For Dummies

 

Okay Pilgrim. You’ve got the Bible. It is imparative that you learn how to use it. Paul the Apostle strongly encouraged Timothy, his young appretice and pastor, to:    

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).”

I want to give you a few tips on how to interpret, and properly comprehend scripture. Some of you may be very familiar with this discipline. Some of you may not be..Anyway, here is what Wikipedia has to say:

Hermeneutics (English pronunciation: /hɜrməˈnjuːtɨks/) is the study of interpretation theory, and can be either the art of interpretation, or the theory and practice of interpretation. Traditional hermeneutics — which includes Biblical hermeneutics — refers to the study of the interpretation of written texts, especially texts in the areas of literature, religion and law. Contemporary, or modern, hermeneutics encompasses not only issues involving the written text, but everything in the interpretative process.

Here are five simple rules of thumb any pilgrim can use to get started with proper hermenuetics:

1. LITERAL

When you read the scripture, sometimes the most appropriate meaning, is the most obvious one. What exactly, does the text say? At face value, does it simply just mean what it says? Quite often, Jesus meant exactly what He said in the gospels. Exapmle: “Do not commit adultery, means…do not commit adultery”

2. HISTORICAL

What is the setting of the text? What is the context of culture, and time frame, and audience? Who is being addressed and why? These questions are very important in putting together the message of the scripture. A good, simple Bible Dicionary is helpful for this.

3. GRAMMATICAL

Obviously the Bible wasn’t originally recorded in English. So, it is very important to discover what the actual linguistic meaning of the text is by looking at the best available translation of the ancient greek, Hebrew or Aramaic. Often, concepts to one language and culture, can change meaning when translated to fit into another language and culture.

4. COMPATABILITY

God’s character, heart, and nature does not change. God is God. The Bible reminds us that Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”. Whenever you isolate one peice of scripture in order to interpret it, you have to put it in context of the whole council of God’s Word.  Does this verse line up with what God has revealed elswhere in the Bible? Are ther any apparent contradictions? Or are there other revealed biblical principles that have to be situationally applied while keeping it in context?

5. PRACTICALITY

This last one is really where the rubber meets the road. God’s Word is meant to be obeyed, and to be enriching to the life of the believer. Can this verse be acted upon? Is it a command, an encouragement? A suggestion or a warning? Ask yourself, how can I practically apply this text to my life right now?

There ya go pilgrim..let me know if this helps. If it does, leave a comment, and pass it along to some fellow pilgrims..

Shalom | pastor Darrell

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.

---

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.”

Theodore the Sykeote | a piece of church history

 

I should like to write a book one day about the Body Of Christ. I should like to call it “Crown Of Jewels”, and use it to explore all of the beauty found in the mosaic of the denominations and diverse sub cultures within the church. There has certainly been plenty of constructive, and destructive criticism to the Bride Of Christ (of which I am guilty of both). But I should like to take an attempt to reveal the things that are right and good within each member. My research has begun, and I plan on even using this blog to organize and channel my learnings from Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, and Catholic doctrines and traditions.One of my learning strategies is to study the various Liturgical Calendars of the church. This include feasts, fasts, observances, and assigned days for specific saints and martyrs. I have copied the different calendars into my own, and I plan on doing much of the scripture readings, and keeping some of the observances in my own way to, in essence, experience what many of these church fathers seek to experience.  Some of you may think I’m going  a little wacky, but, that’s up to you!    

Anyway, I learned that today, for the Eastern Orthodox Church, is a day that they observe a specific Saint called Theodore. (note:  I want to stress one thing about the rigorous observing of the liturgical calendar. Even though it may seem cold, traditional, and may even be misunderstood as Saint worship, I need to credit it for the fact that it brings its followers through an intentional cycle of church history, doctrine, and deep meditations on scripture passages and bible stories)  

April 22 | St.Theodore the Sykeote    

 Saint Theodore was born out of wedlock in Sykeon, a village of Galatia in Asia Minor. From his childhood, he was under the protection and guidance of the holy Great Martyr George, who often appeared to him, and was as it were his trainer in the hard ascetical discipline which he took upon himself all his life. After a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he became a monk in his native Galatia. About 584 he was ordained Bishop of Anastasiopolis in Galatia, where he shepherded his flock for ten years. After this, he asked to be allowed to be relieved of the duties of governing the diocese. His request was granted but he was commanded to retain his rank as bishop. Saint Theodore was a great worker of miracles, and also received from God the power to cast out even the most obstinate demons, who called him “Iron-eater” because of his stern way of life. Having passed throughout many regions, worked numerous miracles, and strengthened the faithful in piety, he departed this life in 613.