This Is What Happens When Cater To Modernism

Martin Bashir is a reporter impatient with evasive answers. He even quotes from Kevin DeYoung’s review and asks Rob Bell to respond. Bashir gives his own take on Bell’s book: “You’re creating a Christian message that’s warm, kind, and popular for contemporary culture. . . . What you’ve done is you’re amending the gospel, the Christian message, so that it’s palatable to contemporary people who find, for example, the idea of hell and heaven very difficult to stomach. So here comes Rob Bell, he’s made a Christian gospel for you, and it’s perfectly palatable, it’s much easier to swallow. That’s what you’ve done, haven’t you?”

Travelling For Work

I've been all over North Carolina the past couple days. I find I have to take the Word with me when I travel. It's easy to get lonely and depressed when you miss your family. When I'm lonely, depressed and tired, I tend to want to resort to my old and bad habits. But when I have the Word, I can usually dive in and read for an hour before going to sleep. There is something very powerful about language. Jesus was called the Word. Every word we bring to our lips becomes a living thing, to minister or destroy. 

On Wednesday, I'll be doing an online Lenten study of Luke. I'm excited about it, because I felt like I've needed something to focus on during Lent. I really want to examine my faith during this time. I've been eating vegetarian since Lent started. I've only slipped up once while on the road tro court in the outer banks. My schedule has been so nuts that my prayer time and Bible study time has been sporadic. I hate being out of my routine and comfort zone...

We have week two of the Reason For God study on Wednesday night. It'll be interesting to see how much attrition we suffer after the week off for Ash Wednesday.

Well, just a little update. I'm in Charlotte tonight for a domestic violence hearing tomorrow. Much Love.

Rock Song - Christian Meaning

Mumford and Sons - I don't know if you've heard there new album Sigh No More, but it's quite good. I drive a lot for work, so I get some free time to listen to music. It's one of the perks. This album has God all over it. This one in particular harkens to free grace and Christianity.

Here's one example from 'Roll Away Your Stone'.

Roll away your stone, I’ll roll away mine
Together we can see what we can find
Don’t leave me alone at this time,
For I am afraid of what I will discover inside
You told me that I would find a home,
Within the fragile substance of my soul
And I have filled this void with things unreal,
And all the while my character it steals
The darkness is a harsh term don’t you think?
And yet it dominates the things I seek
It seems as if all my bridges have been burned,
You say that’s exactly how this grace thing works
It’s not the long walk home that will change this heart,
But the welcome I receive at the restart

Rock Song - Christian Meaning

I'm a big fan of Brandi Carlile. She's an amazing talent, both on the guitar and vocally. She's from the pacific north west and openly gay. She's released three albums, all of which are solid listens from front to back. I've seen her live in concert with one of the chics from the indigo girls. Most of the crowd was from the local lesbian community. I was one of maybe 20% male listeners. I often wonder what gay folks think about Christianity. It seems there's not a whole lot of room for an openly gay person in the Christian faith. That's a shame, because we're all sinners. Everyone struggles to live a decent God fearing life, and all come short. I wish there was more room for everyone, or that we could be more loving in our approach at the very least. Anyway, I feel like many of Brandi's songs have clear Christian implications. I think this song could easily be a letter to Christ. Here's one:


I went out looking for the answers
And never left my town
I'm no good at understanding
But I'm good at standing ground


And when I asked a corner preacher
I couldn't hear him for my youth
Some people get religion
Some people get the truth


I never get the truth
I never get the truth


I know the darkness pulls on you
But it's just a point of view
When you're outside looking in
You belong to someone


And when you feel like giving in
Or the coming of the end
Like your heart could break in two
Someone loves you


I am afraid of crossing lines
I am afraid of flying blind
Afraid of inquiring minds
Afraid of being left behind


I close my eyes, I think of you
I take a step, I think of you
I catch my breath, I think of you
I cannot rest, I think of you


My one and only wrecking ball
And you're crashing through my walls
When you're outside looking in
You belong to someone

Rock Songs - Christian Lyrics

Since I've come into the faith I've noticed things about songs that never would have dawned me. It seems that everyone's singing about God whether they realize it or not. This song is by Pearl Jam. At first blush it sounds like another love song. But Eddie Vedder has been married for like 20 years, and I don't think he ever wrote love songs anyway. I think Eddie knew what he was doing, and this a song written from the perspective of a dying man meeting God for the first time.


"Just Breathe"

Yes, I understand that every life must end, uh-huh
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, uh-huh
Oh I'm a lucky man, to count on both hands the ones I love
Some folks just have one, yeah, others, they've got none

Stay with me...
Let's just breathe...

Practiced all my sins, never gonna let me win, uh-huh
Under everything, just another human being, uh-huh
I don't wanna hurt, there's so much in this world to make me bleed

Stay with me
You're all I see...

Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me

As I come clean...
I wonder everyday, as I look upon your face, uh-huh
Everything you gave
And nothing you would save, oh no

Nothing you would take
Everything you gave...

Did I say that I need you?
Oh, did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me
And I come clean, ah...

Nothing you would take
Everything you gave
Hold me til I die
Meet you on the other side..

Grace and Karma

“[Grace is] my favorite word in the lexicon of the English language.  It’s a word I’m depending on.  The universe operates by Karma, we all know that.  For every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction.  There is some atonement built in: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  Then enters Grace and turns that upside down.  I love it.  I’m not talking about people being graceful in their actions but just covering over the cracks.  Christ’s ministry really was a lot to do with pointing out how everybody is a screw-up in some shape or form, there’s no way around it.  But then He was to say, well, I am going to deal with those sins for you.  I will take on Myself all the consequences of sin.  Even if you’re not religious, I think you’d accept that there are consequences to all the mistakes we make.  And so Grace enters the picture to say, I’ll take the blame, I’ll carry the cross.  It is a powerful idea.  Grace interrupting Karma.”

Bono, in U2 by U2 (London, 2006), page 300.

Ash Wednesday Service

Today was a wild and crazy one. I was all over the place. Chief Judges chambers. Clerks office. Courtrooms. Meeting Clients at Starbucks. Funeral Homes. And finally Church Service.

I've got to be honest...I was a little bit disappointed with the service tonight. Maybe it was me, and my heart wasn't right. That is very possible. But here's my issue. 

Service on Wednesday night is special. The first night of Lent is special. I wish that there could be a better explanation about what it is that's going on. In everyday, common language...what is it all about? What is Lent, what is Ash Wednesday? If I wasn't an uber history nerd, I would have had no idea from that service why we were all getting ashes marked on our foreheads. No mention of the upcoming 40 days leading to the cross and resurrection. Sometimes priests seem to get lost in the prayer book, miss the forest for the trees by going on about abstract theological concepts. I want to hear the good news about Jesus Christ. Why is what He did a great thing for me?! I want to hear more about it! Is Ash Wednesday a time for solemnity, or a time for rejoicing?

Anyway, those were some of my reactions. Again, our Rector did a better job than I could ever have hoped to do in that role, and I am so covered with worldly filth by the end of my day...I don't know whether my reaction is due to my state of mind. Maybe a bit of both.

Well, I have to go get the kid in bed. Definitely need to pray on this one. 

The Rule Of Saint Augustine

Chapter IPurpose and Basis of Common Life

Before all else, dear brothers, love God and then your neighbor, because these are the chief commandments given to us.

1. The following are the precepts we order you living in the monastery to observe.

2. The main purpose for you having come together is to live harmoniously in your house, intent upon God in oneness of mind and heart.

3. Call nothing your own, but let everything be yours in common. Food and clothing shall be distributed to each of you by your superior, not equally to all, for all do not enjoy equal health, but rather according to each one's need. For so you read in the Acts of the Apostles that they had all things in common and distribution was made to each one according to each one's need (4:32,35).

4. Those who owned something in the world should be careful in wanting to share it in common once they have entered the monastery.

5. But they who owned nothing should not look for those things in the monastery that they were unable to have in the world. Nevertheless, they are to be given all that their health requires even if, during their time in the world, poverty made it impossible for them to find the very necessities of life. And those should not consider themselves fortunate because them have found the kind of food and clothing which they were unable to find in the world.

6. And let them not hold their heads high, because they associate with people whom they did not dare to approach in the world, but let them rather lift up their hearts and not seek after what is vain and earthly. Otherwise, monasteries will come to serve a useful purpose for the rich and not the poor, if the rich are made humble there and the poor are puffed up with pride.

7. The rich, for their part, who seemed important in the world, must not look down upon their brothers who have come into this holy brotherhood from a condition of poverty. They should seek to glory in the fellowship of poor brothers rather than in the reputation of rich relatives. They should neither be elated if they have contributed a part of their wealth to the common life, nor take more pride in sharing their riches with the monastery than if they were to enjoy them in the world. Indeed, every other kind of sin has to do with the commission of evil deeds, whereas pride lurks even in good works in order to destroy them.And what good is it to scatter one's weath abroad by giving to the poor, even to become poor oneself, when the unhappy soul is thereby more given to pride in despising riches than it had been in possessing them?

8. Let all of you then live together in oneness of mind and heart, mutually honoring God in yourselves, whose temples you have become.

Chapter IIPrayer

1. Be assiduous in prayer (Col 4:2), at the hours and times appointed.

2. In the Oratory no one should do anything other than that for which was intended and from which it also takes its name. Consequently, if there are some who might wish to pray there during their free time, even outside the hours appointed, they should not be hindered by those who think something else must be done there.

3. When you pray to God in Psalms and hymns, think over in your hearts the words that come from your lips.

4. Chant only what is prescribed for chant; moreover, let nothing be chanted unless it is so prescribed.

Chapter IIIModeration and Self-Denial

1. Subdue the flesh, so far as your health permits, by fasting and abstinence from food and drink. However, when someone is unable to fast, he should still take no food outside mealtimes unless he is ill.

2. When you come to table, listen until you leave to what is the custom to read, without disturbance or strife. Let not your mouths alone take nourishment but let your hearts too hunger for the words of God.

3. If those in more delicate health from their former way of life are treated differently in the matter of food, this should not be a source of annoyance to the others or appear unjust in the eyes of those who owe their stronger health to different habits of life. Nor should the healthier brothers deem them more fortunate for having food which they do not have, but rather consider themselves fortunate for having the good health which the others do not enjoy.

4. And if something in the way of food, clothing, and bedding is given to those coming to the monastery from a more genteel way of life, which is not given to those who are stronger, and therefore happier, then these latter ought to consider how far these others have come in passing from their life in the world down to this life of ours, though they ahve been unable to reach the level of frugality common to the stronger brothers. Nor should all want to receive what they see given in larger measure to the few, not as a token of honor, but as a help to support them in their weakness. This would give rise to a deplorable disorder - that in the monastery, where the rich are coming to bear as much hardship as they can, the poor are turning to a more genteel way of life.

5. And just as the sick must take less food to avoid discomfort, so too, after their illness, they are to receive the kind of treatment that will quickly restore their strength, even though they come from a life of extreme poverty. Their more recent illness has, as it were, afforded them what accrued to the rich as part of their former way of life. But when they have recovered their former strength, they should go back to their happier way of life which, because their needs are fewer, is all the more in keeping with God's servants. Once in good health, they must not become slaves to the enjoyment of food which was necessary to sustain them in their illness. For it is better to suffer a little want than to have too much.

Chapter IVSafeguarding Chastity, and Fraternal Correction

1. There should be nothing about your clothing to attract attention. Besides, you should not seek to please by your apparel, but by a good life.

2. Whenever you go out, walk together, and when you reach your destination, stay together.

3. In your walk, deportment, and in all actions, let nothing occur to give offense to anyone who sees you, but only what becomes your holy state of life.

4. Although your eyes may chance to rest upon some woman or other, you must not fix your gaze upon any woman. Seeing women when you go out is not forbidden, but it is sinful to desire them or to wish them to desire you, for it is not by tough or passionate feeling alone but by one's gaze also that lustful desires mutually arise. And do not say that your hearts are pure if there is immodesty of the eye, because the unchaste eye carries the message of an impure heart. And when such hearts disclose their unchaste desires in a mutual gaze, even without saying a word, then it is that chastity suddenly goes out of their life, even though their bodies remain unsullied by unchaste acts.

5. And whoever fixes his gaze upon a woman and likes to have hers fixed upon him must not suppose that others do not see what he is doing. He is very much seen, even by those he thinks do not see him. But suppose all this escapes the notice of man - what will he do about God who sees from on high and from whom nothing is hidden? Or are we to imagine that he does not see because he sees with a patience as great as his wisdom? Let the religious man then have such fear of God that he will not want to be an occasion of sinful pleasure to a woman. Ever mindful that God sees all things, let him not desire to look at a woman lustfully. For it is on this point that fear of the Lord is recommended, where it is written: An abomination to the Lord is he who fixes his gaze (Prv. 27:20)

6. So when you are together in church and anywhere else where women are present, exercise a mutual care over purity of life. Thus, by mutual vigilance over one another will God, who dwells in you, grant you his protection.

7. If you notice in someone of your brothers this wantonness of the eye, of which I am speaking, admonish him at once so that the beginning of evil will not grow more serious but will be promptly corrected.

8. But if you see him doing the same thing again on some other day, even after your admonition, then whoever had occasion to discover this must report him as he would a wounded man in need of treatment. But let the offense first be pointed out to two or three so that he can be proven guilty on the testimony of these two or three and be punished with due severity. And do not charge yourselves with ill-will when you bring this offense to light. Indeed, yours in the greater blame if you allow your brothers to be lost through your silence when you are able to bring about their correction by your disclosure. If you brother, for example, were suffering a bodily wound that he wanted to hide for fear of undergoing treatment, would it not be cruel of you to remain silent and a mercy on your part to make this known? How much greater then is your obligation to make his condition known lest he continue to suffer a more deadly wound of the soul.

9. But if he fails to correct the fault despite this admonition, he should first be brought to the attention of the superior before the offense is made known to the others who will have to prove his guilt, in the event he denies the charge. Thus, corrected in private, his fault can perhaps be kept from the others. But should he feign ignorance, the others are to be summoned so that in the presence of all he can be proven guilty, rather than stand accused on the word of one alone. Once proven guilty, he must undergo salutary punishment according to the judgment of the superior or priest having the proper authority. If he refuses to submit to punishment, he shall be expelled from your brotherhood even if he does not withdraw of his own accord. For this too is not done out of cruelty, but from a sense of compassion so that many others may not be lost through his bad example.

10. And let everything I have said about not fixing one's gaze be also observed carefully and faithfully with regard to other offenses: to find them out, to ward them off, to make them known, to prove and punish them - all out of love for man and a hatred of sin.

11. But if anyone should go so far in wrongdoing as to receive letters in secret from any woman, or small gifts of any kind, you ought to show mercy and pray for him if he confesses this of his own accord. But if the offense is detected and he is found guilty, he must be more severely chastised according to the judgment of the priest or superior.

Chapter VThe Care of Community Goods and Treatment of the Sick

1. Keep your clothing in one place in charge of one or two, or of as many as are needed to care for them and to prevent damage from moths. And just as you have your food fromthe one pantry, so, too, you are to receive your clothing from a single wardrobe. If possible, do not be concerned about what you are given to wear at the change of seasons, whether each of you gets back what he had put away or something different, providing no one is denied what he needs. If, however, disputes and murmuring arise on this account because someone complains that he received poorer clothing than he had before, and thinks it is beneath him to wear the kind of clothing worn by another, you may judge from this how lacking you are in that holy and inner garment of the heart when you quarrel over garments for the body. But if allowance is made for your weakness and you do receive the same clothing you had put away, you must still keep it in one place under the common charge.

2. In this way, no one shall perform any task for his own benefit but all your work shall be done for the common good, with greater zeal and more dispatch than if each one of you were to work for yourself alone. For charity, as it is written, is not self-seeking (1 Cor 13:5) meaning tht it places the common good before its own, not its own before the common good. So whenever you show greater concern for the common good than for your own, you may know that you are growing in charity. Thus, let the abiding virtue of charity prevail in all things that minister to the fleeting necessities of life.

3. It follows, therefore, that if anyone brings something for their sons or other relatives living in the monastery, whether a garment or anything else they think is needed, this must not be accepted secretly as one's own but must be placed at the disposal of the superior so that, as common property, it can be given to whoever needs it. But if someone secretly keeps something given to him, he shall be judged guilty of theft.

4. Your clothing should be cleaned either by yourselves or by those who perform this service, as the superior shall determine, so that too great a desire for clean clothing may not be the source of interior stains on the soul.

5. As for bodily cleanliness too, a brother must never deny himself the use of the bath when his health requires it. But this should be done on medical advice, without complaining, so that even though unwilling, he shall do what has to be done for his health when the superior orders it. However, if the brother wishes it, when it might not be good for him, you must not comply with his desire, for sometimes we think something is beneficial for the pleasure it gives, even though it may prove harmful.

6. Finally, if the cause of a brother's bodily pain is not apparent, you make take the word of God's servant when he indicates what is giving him pain. But if it remains uncertain whether the remedy he likes is good for him, a doctor should be consulted.

7. When there is need to frequent the public baths or any other place, no fewer than two or three should go together, and whoever has to go somewhere must not go with those of his own choice but with those designated by the superior.

8. The care of the sick, whether those in convalescence or others suffering from some indisposition, even though free of fever, shall be assigned to a brother who can personally obtain from the pantry whatever he sees is necessary for each one.

9. Those in charge of the pantry, or of clothing and books, should render cheerful service to their brothers.

10. Books are to be requested at a fixed hour each day, and anyone coming outside that hour is not to receive them.

11. But as for clothing and shoes, those in charge shall not delay the giving of them whenever they are required by those in need of them.

Chapter VIAsking Pardon and Forgiving Offenses

1.Your should either avoid quarrels altogether or else put an end to them as quickly as possible; otherwise, anger may grow into hatred, making a plank out of a splinter, and turn the soul into a murderer. For so you read: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 Jn 3:15).

2. Whoever has injured another by open insult, or by abusive or even incriminating language, must remember to repair the injury as quickly as possible by an apology, and he who suffered the injury must also forgive, without further wrangling. But if they have offended one another, they must forgive one another's trespasses for the sake of your prayers which should be recited with greater sincerity each time you repeat them. Although a brother is often tempted to anger, yet prompt to ask pardon from one he admits to having offended, such a one is better than another who, though less given to anger, finds it too hard to ask forgiveness. But a brother who is never willing to ask pardon, or does not do so from his heart, has no reason to be in the monastery, even if he is not expelled. You must then avoide being too harsh in your words, and should they escape your lips, let those same lips not be ashamed to heal the wounds they have caused.

3. But whenever the good of discipline requires you to speak harshly in correcting your subjects, then, even if you think you have been unduly harsh in your language, you are not required to ask forgiveness lest, by practicing too great humility toward those who should be your subjects, the authority to rule is undermined. But you should still ask forgiveness from the Lord of all who knows with what deep affection you love even those whom you might happen to correct with undue severity. Besides, you are to love another with a spiritual rather than an earthly love.

Chapter VIIGovernance and Obedience

1. The superior should be obeyed as a father with the respect due him so as not to offend God in his person, and, even more so, the priest who bears responsibility for you all.

2. But it shall pertain chiefly to the superior to see that these precepts are all observed and, if any point has been neglected, to take care that the transgression is not carelessly overlooked but is punished and corrected. In doing so, he must refer whatever exceeds the limit and power of his office, to the priest who enjoys greater authority among you.

3. The superior, for his part, must not think himself fortunate in his exercise of authority but in his role as one serving you in love. In your eyes he shall hold the first place among you by the dignity of his office, but in fear before God he shall be as the least among you. He must show himself as an example of good works toward all. Let him admonish the unruly, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, and be patient toward all (1 Thes 5:14). Let him uphold discipline while instilling fear. And though both are necessary, he should strive to be loved by you rather than feared, ever mindful that he must give an account of you to God.

4. It is by being more obedient, therefore, that you show mercy not only toward yourselves but also toward the superior whose higher rank among you exposes him all the more to greater peril.

Chapter VIIIObservance of the Rule

1. The Lord grant that you may observe all these precepts in a spirit of charity as lovers of spiritual beauty, giving forth the good odor of Christ in the holiness of your lives: not as slaves living under the law but as men living in freedom under grace.

2. And that you may see yourselves in this little book, as in a mirror, have it read to you once a week so as to neglect no point through forgetfulness. When you find that you are doing all that has been written, give thanks to the Lord, the Giver of every good. But when one of you finds that he has failed on any point, let him be sorry for the past, be on his guard for the future, praying that he will be forgiven his fault and not be led into temptation.

Lent

By far my favorite season of the Christian liturgical calender. I really get into it. I try to observe most of the fasting traditions, and I take time out for self examination and prayer. I guess it's sort of like what most people say theyre going to do after New Year's with their resolutions. Except a lot better.

Here's a good synopsis I got off the internet somewhere:

Lent in the Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. Lent is a time of sacrifice for Jesus. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Conventionally, it is described as being forty days long, though different denominations calculate the forty days differently. The forty days represent the time that, according to the Bible, Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan. Most followers of Western Christianity observe Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday and concluding on Holy Saturday. The six Sundays in this period are not counted because each one represents a "mini-Easter," a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death. 

40 Days In The Bible

The number forty has many Biblical references: the forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai with God (Exodus 24:18); the forty days and nights Elijah spent walking to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8); the forty days and nights God sent rain in the great flood of Noah (Genesis 7:4); the forty years the Hebrew people wandered in the desert while traveling to the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33); the forty days Jonah in his prophecy of judgment gave the city of Nineveh in which to repent (Jonah 3:4). Jesus retreated into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days, and was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-2, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-2). He overcame all three of Satan's temptations by citing scripture to the devil, at which point the devil left him, angels ministered to Jesus, and he began his ministry. Jesus further said that his disciples should fast "when the bridegroom shall be taken from them" (Matthew 9:15), a reference to his Passion. Since, presumably, the Apostles fasted as they mourned the death of Jesus, Christians have traditionally fasted during the annual commemoration of his burial. It is the traditional belief that Jesus lay for forty hours in the tomb which led to the forty hours of total fast that preceded the Easter celebration in the early Church (the biblical reference to 'three days in the tomb' is understood as spanning three days, from Friday afternoon to early Sunday morning, rather than three 24 hour periods of time).

There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance. The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent are prayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbour). Today, some people give up a vice of theirs, add something that will bring them closer to God, and often give the time or money spent doing that to charitable purposes or organizations.

No Alleluia's In The Liturgy: (My Anglican Church Does This...)

In the Roman Catholic Mass, Lutheran Divine Service, and Anglican Eucharist, the Gloria in Excelsis Deo is not sung during the Lenten season, disappearing on Ash Wednesday and not returning until the moment of the Resurrection during the Easter Vigil. On major feast days, the Gloria in Excelsis Deo is recited, but this in no way diminishes the penitential character of the season; it simply reflects the joyful character of the Mass of the day in question. It is also used in the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Likewise, the Alleluia is not sung during Lent; it is replaced before the Gospel reading by a seasonal acclamation. In the pre-1970 form of the Roman Rite omission of the Alleluia begins with Septuagesima. In the Byzantine Rite, the Gloria (Great Doxology) continues to be used in its normal place in the Matins service, and the Alleluia appears all the more frequently, replacing "God is the Lord" at Matins.

The last two weeks of Lent are known as Passiontide. All statues (and in England paintings as well) in the church were traditionally veiled in violet, and according to the rubrics should continue to be so. This was seen to be in accordance with the Gospel of that Sunday (John 8:46-59), in which Jesus “hid himself” from the people. The veils were removed at the singing of the Gloria during the Easter Vigil. 

Fasting

Fasting during Lent was more severe in ancient times than today. Socrates Scholasticus reports that in some places, all animal products were strictly forbidden, while others will permit fish, others permit fish and fowl, others prohibit fruit and eggs, and still others eat only bread. In some places, believers abstained from food for an entire day; others took only one meal each day, while others abstained from all food until 3 o'clock. In most places, however, the practice was to abstain from eating until the evening, when a small meal without vegetables or alcohol was eaten. During the early Middle Ages, meat, eggs and dairy products were generally forbidden. Thomas Aquinas argued that "they afford greater pleasure as food [than fish], and greater nourishment to the human body, so that from their consumption there results a greater surplus available for seminal matter, which when abundant becomes a great incentive to lust." In current Western societies the practice is considerably relaxed, though in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches abstinence from all animal products including fish, eggs, fowl and milk sourced from animals (e.g. goats and cows as opposed to the milk of soy beans and coconuts) is still commonly practiced, meaning only vegetarian meals are consumed in many Eastern countries for the entire fifty-five days of their Lent. In the Roman Catholic Church it is traditional to abstain from meat from mammals and fowl on Ash Wednesday and every Friday for the duration of Lent, although dairy products are still permitted.

Holy Days During Lent

1) Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity.

2) The fifth Lenten Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday marks the beginning of Passiontide.

3) The sixth Lenten Sunday, commonly called Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent immediately preceding Easter.

4) Wednesday of Holy Week is known as Spy Wednesday to commemorate the days on which Judas spied on Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane before betraying him.

5) Thursday is known as Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, and is a day Christians commemorate the Last Supper shared by Christ with his disciples.

6) Good Friday follows the next day, on which Christians remember Jesus' crucifixion and burial.

Is that awesome or what? I'm pumped. There's a part of me that likes the rigorous challenge of living an ascetic existence, at least for a little while. I've always daydreamed about becoming a monk and devoting my life to study and prayer. That will never happen, but during Lent I get a taste of it, and I get to see if I'm cut out to make sacrifices for my beliefs.

Anyway...time for prayer and bed. Ash Wednesday is in two days. Woot!

Summa Theologica

I had a great day today. Sundays are by far my favorite day of the week. There is nothing better than singing in church and spending time with your community. I was also the reader today, standing in for a vestry member that couldn't do it. Talk about nerve racking! I can get up there and sing like it's nobody's business, not feeling a pang of nerves, but there was something about reading God's word that added some solemnity. Tonight we had our Well Leadership meeting. Awesome to be surrounded by young lay leaders in our Church. I wish that I had come to my senses in my twenties. For whatever reason, it wasn't meant to be. Anyway, by the time the day was done, I was so filled with God's love that I got online and ordered a book that I've wanted for some time.

Written from 1265-1274, the Summa Theologica is St. Thomas Aquinas' greatest work. Originally written for the "instruction of beginners," it has grown over time to be known as a must for Christians of all ages.  Organized systemically for the clearest way of "setting forth" the "sacred doctrine," Aquinas addresses many of Christianity's most pertinent questions. The First Part of the Summa begins with the existence and nature of God, before moving to creation and the nature of man. The Second Part contains his examination of morality and law; it also provides his account of the theological virtues, the cardinal virtues, and the seven deadly sins. The Third Part, uncompleted due to Aquinas' death, treats the incarnation and the sacraments. Taken together, the three parts compose one of the most impressive works of Christianity. 

Problem has been, that every time I've seen the collection, it's been too pricey. So I splurged a bit today. I found a hardback in 'very good' condition that was published in 1952. Should be perfect. I was on fire for Christ today, and it is going to be an awesome add to my growing library.

Well, I'm off to pray. I've really been trying to get back into a heavy prayer rotation. It's so easy to slip out of when life gets too 'busy'. I hope all of you are doing well. Much Love.

The Importance of Prayer

I have begun a Christian library. Right now it's categorized by author name. But one day, before books are no longer made, I'd like to have enough of a catalogue so that I can arrange the books by topic...and then subcategorize within that topic by author name. These are the nerdy things I think about when I can spare a moment. Prayer has been fascinating me lately.

Everyone agrees that prayer should be an important part of every believer’s life. But prayer can be difficult at times, and many people wonder: why pray at all? After all, if God knows everything about us, we don’t tell God anything new by praying. Further, if we really need something, wouldn’t God—being wholly good—provide it, even if we didn’t ask for it in prayer? What, then, is the point of prayer?

Christians have struggled with this for almost two thousand years. And ever since people have expressed this sentiment, theologians have wrestled with this question of “why pray?” Of course, it also brings up many other questions as well: what exactly is prayer? How should we pray? When should we pray? What does the Bible say about prayer?

Below are some books that deal with prayer that I will ultimately have in the prayer section of my library. I have some of these books now, but of course, I want all of them. Here's my list:

• At the Master's Feet by Sadhu Sundar Singh In At the Master’s Feet, Sadhu Sundar Singh addresses this question directly. He suggests that prayer is to “lay hold of God,” and that through prayer we discover the will of God. He writes that we cannot alter the will of God, but only come to discover God’s will for us.
• Work of the Holy Spirit by Abraham Kuyper In the third volume of his Work of the Holy Spirit, Abraham Kuyper writes that prayer is a “longing, not for God’s gifts, but for God himself.” The point of prayer is communion with God, and this communion is made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit.
• Treatise on the Love of God by St. Francis de Sales According to St. Francis de Sales, prayer is a “mystical theology,” that is, an intimate, secret communication between a soul and God.
• Origen on Prayer by Origen In a very early treatise on prayer, Origen treats many objections to prayer. He argues for a Biblical conception of prayer, using frequent Scriptural citations to establish his claim.
• Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount by St. Augustine In an essay on the Sermon on the Mount, St. Augustine argues that prayer “turn[s] our hearts” toward God, so that we are no longer inclined toward temporal things but toward God. Prayer thus properly orients us to God.Prayer Availeth Much by T. M. Anderson According to T. M. Anderson, prayer is a place of peace, where we receive the power of God to do the work of Christ.
  
• Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas In the Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas argues that we do not change God through our prayers; rather, by praying, we “obtain what God has appointed.”
• On Prayer by John Calvin According to Calvin, prayer is a kind of conversation between God and man.* But he goes on to say that the point of prayer is not for God, but for human beings—we are much the better for it.
• A Short and Easy Method of Prayer by Madame Guyon The great benefit of prayer, according to Madame Guyon, is that it is a guide to perfection, and the means by which we expel vices and obtain virtue.
• How to Pray by Reuben Torrey Torrey believes that the great importance of prayer is that it is God’s appointed way for us to obtain things, namely, mercy, grace in times of need, and the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit

I was just filled with love and joy today. All day long, for reasons that had no worldly explanation. I was very grateful to God.

Today was capped off with a dinner for my buddy Nate. He was a big part of my spiritual journey down here in NC. He read at my wedding. He's been a close brother in Christ. Along with being his birthday, today was a celebration for his new job in Richmond VA. He'll be closer to his kids there, and he'll probably have a better quality of life. I hope his spiritual journey continues in a positive direction. I'll miss him, but we'll always remain close. I know that our friendship was forged on a solid foundation.

It's been a long week, and I look forward to maybe sleeping in a bit tomorrow. Don't have to go into work until 10am.

Much Love.

Battling Worry

I am amazed, when I really consider it, how God provides for me EVERY day. My job keeps me very busy and is often filled with unexpected turns of events and challenges. There are some nights I don't sleep well for worrying about what tomorrow will bring. I do this despite scripture's warning that it is a serious waste of energy. And at the end of every day, here I am perfectly OK. I need to get in the Word more and stay there!

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Matt 6:25

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ? Matt 6:27

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:34

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6

But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. Luke 21:14

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil 4:6

Satan is a robber and a lier. He weighs on your conscience and tells you that you're not good enough. He wants to deprive you of your life giving sleep, so that your performance in the waking hours is as close to you're nightly worries as possible. Whenever your plagued by self doubt and worry, you can be sure that those whisperings are not born of your relationship with the father.

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Mark 4:15

Lord, let me be a fertile field where the seed of your word is planted and grown. Let me embrace and nurture your loving assurance, that in you there is goodness and protection. Let me rest well knowing that  I can put my trust in you. 

Amen.

Reason For God Study

It was our first week of the study and I think it went well.

I had a long day. Last night I drove to Charlotte for a 50B hearing this morning. It got continued, much to my chagrin, and then I drove back to Raleigh for my 2pm cases. Then I made some intake phone calls, and made off for Holy Trinity Church.

We had about 60 people show up tonight at 7pm. I gave an opening welcome and we flipped on the DVD. Keller is the man, and I enjoy watching him in group settings. The topic was 'Is there really only one way to God?' Always provides good discussion. After the DVD my buddy Aaron spoke, then prayed, and we broke into our small groups.

I lead my small group, but it was too easy. Filled with men who have a heart for Christ. We talked about the issues candidly and openly. Really refreshing, and it inspires me to keep running after God. It's all about the community. The church. The relationship. When I'm with others in prayer, I feel so alive in my faith.

My group signed up for a tuesday night volunteer trip to the Rescue Mission. I'm looking forward to getting to know the guys better and hanging out some. I'm invigorated, and I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of The Well.

Until Tomorrow.

Good Day - And, Marriage

I was very busy today. Incredibly so. It was non stop from 8am to 7pm. But I felt the Holy Spirit in the midst of it all. And it doesn't even have to make sense. It was the peace that knows no understanding. Really amazing.

But I miss my wife. She's holed up at her Mom's house recuperating from a tonsillectomy. She is really my everything. We are a great partnership. Running the house without her comforting presence is really odd. It feels empty. Especially at night when I'm getting ready for the next day and putting the little guy to bed.

A bit on Marriage:

Beautiful the marriage of two Christians who are one in hope, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the faith they practice. They are servants of the same master...nothing divides them...they pray and worship together, instruct and strengthen one another...side by side they visit God's church, face difficulties together, and comfort one another. They have no secrets from one another; they never bring sorrow to each other's hearts. Psalms and hymns they sing and Christ rejoices and gives them peace. Where two are there, He is present with them...and where He is...evil is not.

Adapted from Tertullian - 3rd Century AD

Much Love.

Gearing Up for Another Long Week

One thing I'm starting to slide on is my commitment to prayer. It's amazing how 'real life' will interrupt your prayer attempts. Honestly, I've never been this busy in my life. Hosting the Keller study, Working 60 hours a week, volunteering in other ways at church, Singing in the group at church...being a loving and attentive father and husband...etc. Wow. Now is the time that I really need to be in prayer. But there just doesnt always seem to be time.

When I'm not in the Word, and I'm not in prayer...I become very distracted. I get overwhelmed by stress and worry. Christ tells me not to worry. But how can I rest assuredly in Christ when I'm not living in Christ?

I'm off to pray.

Much Love.

Singing In Church II

Just got back from Church Band practice. So awesome. I am singing lead with another girl who's way more trained and talented than I am, but I'm hanging in. There's also some other singers, guitar, bass, drums, organ and keys. How awesome is that! Clearly I'm excited. At the end of each practice we pray and I felt truly happy tonight for the first time in a while. That kind of Joy that C.S. Lewis described as a foretaste of things to come.

Last week at church went really well. This week we're off, and it's just the older folks in the choir leading the musical efforts. The choir is really important to our Anglican tradition. There are some older hymns that are absolutely beautiful and scriptural. We've got to keep that tradition up. A Mighty Fortress, and How Great Thou Art...etc.

I'm working facilities tomorrow, which means I'll be there at 8am until about noon. Setting up and breaking down. It will be a long morning but the behind the scenes stuff is important too.

Well, I've got to go pick up my son. My wife had surgery yesterday. She's recuperating at her mother's house this weekend and she wanted to spend a little bit of time with him. I'm feeling much more uplifted than I have been in weeks. Work has been really weighing on my heart. I'm trusting in Jesus, knowing that i'll be taken care of.

Much Love

God showing up again

So I was talking with a client for some time this afternoon and the topic shifted to how his belief in God is giving him the strength to forgive his wife for her infidelity, and helping him cope with his addiction issues. Well, that was all I need to hear. We went 40 minutes over our allotted time. Luckily my next client was running late.

One of the things he said was that his mother always told him that if he'd only stop running from his problems, they would go away. I thought about the truth in that as he spoke, and remembered hearing that Native Americans often told their children after waking from a nightmare to go back to sleep, face the enemy, and he would never appear again.

So as I laid down to bed tonight, I opened up the Message Bible that I recently ordered. I flipped to Lamentations. There's has been a lot of pain and violence in the world lately, and I wanted to read a bit about suffering in the bible. New Zealand has just been hit by a devastating earthquake, there are protests and riots across the middle east, etc. One of the great things about the message, is that some of the more archaic reads in the old testament are made a little more palatable.

The first page I turned to had this verse:

When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The "worst" is never the worst.

There you go, I thought. Another example of God showing up in His word, correlating straight to my daily experience. This was the first page I opened. I wasn't searching for an hour to find some sort of connection to my day. I want to do my best to record these experiences, (they really do happen a lot), because they're so easy to forget or to chalk up as coincidence. And then one asks, Where are you God? I know God is with me everyday, and the more I engage Him in discussion, the more He shows up this way. It's a good life.

Much Love

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Java Divine

Awesome Day

Our little praise band did really well in church this morning. It was the HS all day long in that little chapel. It felt awesome. I went to bed barely able to sing the night before, prayed about it, had some tea, and in the morning I felt like my throat was completely healed. It was strong. Everyone performed incredibly. A great start to the day.

Then our little family found a home that we really like, and that I believe we will make an offer on this week. We will get the approval letter from our mortgage lady at BBT and also have some research come in from our realtor so we can craft a reasonable offer. I'm really stoked for this house.

I went into work for an hour and got my attorney life organized a bit. It went well. God had his hand all over the day today. I'm ready to diligently advocate for my clients tomorrow.

I came home and prepared the Reason For God study a bit. It's starting to come together. On Wednesday night we'll have the kickoff party with pizza and salad. We'll introduce the book a bit, talk about the Land of 100 Hills Coffee mission, the Raleigh Rescue Mission opportunities...and of course our church.

It's been a very busy couple weeks, but God has provided the time and space I've needed to get everything done. Life is a blessing and sometimes I feel that I'm getting much more than I deserve. And then I realize that I am getting much more than I deserve. And then I think of the free gift of the grace of Christ. And I remember how good is our God? Very very good.

Much Love

Prayer of the Pharisee

After I went to bed last night it dawned on me that my blog on drinking made me sound very much like the pharisee in the bible that thanked God he wasn't as bad as other people:

Luke 18:9

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

I don't think I'm any better than anyone else who's struggling with issues that I've chosen to avoid. I simply wanted to express how it was made clear to me last night why I choose to abstain from alcohol. It reinforced the fact that I have no business going near the stuff. There's no good in it. But my post also made it clear how easy it is to fall into the trap of becoming judgmental. I always need to remind myself that there is no good that comes from my efforts alone. Any success I've had keeping away from the booze, or bettering myself in anyway has to be credited to the grace of God. I need mercy, for I am as big a sinner as any. 

Whew! I feel lighter now. It feels good to give it away. Much Love.