Pray for Baltimore

It is easy to say, "Pray for Baltimore" and much more difficult to know what to pray.  These two prayers from the BCP help. 

"O Almighty God, the supreme Governor of all things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it belongs justly to punish sinners, and to be merciful to those who truly repent; Save and deliver us, we humbly beseech thee, fro the hands of those intent on evil; that we, being armed with thy defense, may be preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify thee, who art the only giver of all victory; through the merits of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen"

"Almighty God, who has created man in thine own image; Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil, and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it to maintain justice among men, to the glory of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen"

A Great Spirit Conveyed

http://thechristiancurmudgeonmo.blogspot.com/2015/04/your-church-is-just-too-ordinary.html?spref=fb

The gospel in Word and Sacrament by definition is not ordinary.  But the faithfulness conveyed in this blog entry is much appreciated.  "Be not weary in well doing!"

A Truth I Need

"If I feel bitterly towards those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love."  ~ Amy Carmichael

The Problem with Sola Gratia

While watching a documentary on Vince Lombardi I learned that he was a staunch Roman Catholic who at one time thought about joining the priesthood.  Obviously he did not but, according to the documentary, he wanted to invest truth and goodness in people.  He did so by coaching.  His players are his lasting testimony to the good he did in others.

I reasoned that only God could put a desire to do good for others in a person.  Being Roman Catholic it is likely that Lombardi thought his good deeds would earn him God's favor.  Lombardi said as much.  We Protestants "protest" saying that no man can earn God's favor.  It is only by God's grace in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that can satisfy God's wrath and offer a person forgiveness and eternal life.  I believe that.  But...because it is by God's grace that we are saved I don't have to believe it is by grace alone that I am saved.  Not having a full understanding of the atonement of Jesus cannot get a person damned otherwise a person could be saved by right knowledge (which is a work) and not by grace.

There are plenty of reasons to hold on to the truth of Salvation by Grace Alone.  The first is that to not do so would eventually lead away from the atoning work of Jesus all together and thus not believe in Jesus as Savior.  That will damn a person.

Personally I would never, ever say a person is damned for not understanding correctly the doctrine of grace.  That would be ungracious.  I thank God for people like Vince Lombardi.  May God have mercy on his soul!

Not Quite

The article linked moved me a great deal for I have felt what is described.  I felt it so deeply that I didn't mind the "she" mention. 

When things like this happen the main failure is not loving as Jesus commands Christians to do.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/peter-chin/2015/march/how-to-destroy-your-pastor.html

ISIS, Christian response and political ignorance

After hearing the number two from the state department make the claim that creating jobs will curb terrorists like those who are part of ISIS I need say something.  Our political leaders in the White House obviously don't understand religious people and certainly not fanatical religious people.  When the White House designated ISIS terrorists as "thugs" they placed them in urban categories that do not apply.  But we can see the connection.  Young men join gangs and become thugs because they don't have strong families and not many opportunities to get out of the ghetto.  One answer is to provide jobs for such young men, if that were possible.  And so the comment by the White House to provide jobs to terrorists is connected to how the White House perceives these terrorists.  But they are wrong!  They are woefully wrong!

In an article you can find here http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/  author Mr. Wood plainly shows that ISIS really believes the claims of Islam and believes they can usher in a new world where Islam dominates.  They believe they are the righteous hand of their god.  Jobs will not change that belief.  And for a young man to have the opportunity to change the world, well, that is what he believes he was made for.

We are in for a long fight if our government continues to consider these terrorists in social and economic terms instead of as a religious group that is trying to usher into the world Armageddon. 

A Christian response: Oh Lord!  Break thou the power of the ungodly and malicious; search out his ungodliness, until thou find none.  Let them be confounded, and put to shame.  Let them be turned back and brought to confusion.  Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths; smite the jaw-bones of the lions, O Lord.  So that man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous, doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth! In Jesus Name, Amen

Oh, and pick up arms when needed and kill the enemy where he stands!

Problems in the Church

“Where do wars and fights come from among you?” St. James asked the Church.  “You lust and you do not have.  You murder and covet and cannot obtain.”  Sounds pretty bad, but it is nothing new.

Absalom stood at the gate and tried to be the first to influence the people who came to receive justice from his father King David.  Absalom coveted the power and influence and position of his father and so he resorted to backstabbing.

Jeroboam coveted for power, influence and position as well even after authority was given to him by God.  What he had he wanted to hold onto tightly.  He chose to rely on his own strength to remain in power.  And so he sinned.  He changed the worship of the people so that he they would follow new customs and traditions and even a different identity of God.

The same occurs amongst Christians.  A people who are to love one another have leaders who will covet power, influence and position.  And so such men undermine the authority in place.  They establish their own customs hoping for new traditions to be established so as to lead God’s people away from the truth and properly established authority.  Such influencing needs to be called what it is.  It is cowardly!  Men who act in such a manner need to repent and confess their cowardice.  They need to humble themselves under God and under the authority God has placed over them.  That is the only way they can be restored.