What we know and what we do not know....

     What we know is this...Sometime in our distant past, a man came  and changed everything. Jesus of Nazareth. History records, and testimony bears witness that something momentous occurred some 2000 years ago.  What we do not fully understand is   how  the man, Jesus that was of immaculate conception, born of a virgin, was sinless, and God's Son, was also the almighty. For he had shown authority over heaven an earth itself, tamed storms, and calmed the seas, cast out Spirit's and ran afoul of human governments and resisted all who thought they had God all figured out.  He shattered all of their  conceptions totally and rewrote the book on current thinking. The first shall be last, the proud and mighty brought low and the meek exalted. The feast at the end of time, a banquet open to those that  the world would despise.  Faith was a hallmark of those trusted with the newly preached good news that life was not merely what we see and grasp on a daily basis. Our treasures were now in heavenly places, governments were rightly disposed to take their place under the Kingship of one who was brutally and shamefully executed before the most powerful empire the world had known.  The Kingdom of God had come. All through Jesus.
     Out of vision and invisible is the Kingdom that awaits, and therefore most do not lay hold of what they cannot see. Death is fear itself, manifesting a terrible hold and limiting how we live our lives. We plan, for the inevitable in ways that show our limitations. All the while  joy slips away and the daily grind before our eyes transfix us to the here and now.
    Yes we must be diligent for ourselves but we must also be there for those who do not know the truths that can be known.  When the Spirit of God unites with man (and women)  things change. And if they don't then the seed has fallen on  rocky ground.
     The heart is truly a mystery, it can be moved majestically by music, Opera, hardened by immeasurable hurt, renewed by Hope and cast away with harmful words. 
     But.....thanks be to the one that broke off the yoke and bondage and took captivity, captive.  Peace Christian.
   

Nicean Council

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Essence of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Essence of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic(universal) faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

The most amazing thing is happening....

    What it means to me to be a Christian; Its not total Doctrinal  Theology, its not tribalism. Its  not Evangelicalism. Its not even "Church"  that is housed in a building frequented weekly by the faithful.  Its a myriad of these things and so much more. Christianity is a complex faith.  Sometimes its political, conservative, liberal, giving, and not giving, observing and being observed.  To observe the faith is to abide in Christ, always and for the lifelong pursuit in pleasing God.  Once smitten then  one begins to grasp just what it is that has gotten  placed inside of us.  For we become changed and are being changed throughout our Christian experience.  If we are not then we are stagnant, and 'must ask the question...are we doing this right? And this is not a works issue versus faith issue  but and ongoing inward looking and examining ourselves in light of The Word of God and what it proclaims about itself and those who join the dance. 
     For to be like Christ is to obey which is, it is said "better than sacrifice."  In hearing and obeying, we listen carefully daily, to what it is that the day requires of us.  Prayer is immensely important, as it stills the inward self and prepares us to be in tune with Spiritual governance that we do not readily see with our eyes or perceive with our senses. 
     Christianity prepares us for the after.  A place that Christ promised had many rooms, I.e, is a very large place.  I has to be considering the millions that have gone before and those who will come after us.  It also prepares us in this now "Kingdom" right here on Earth.  When Jesus came the Kingdom of God came close to men.  And split forevermore our understanding of the Spiritual and the Earthly.  We must be Earthbound to be able to fulfill the needs here and now, (feeding the poor, standing for justice, when our government does not, protecting the aliens, the lost, and the young and aged.  All of these types of needs were ministered to by Jesus himself for a short three years of his adult ministry.  And then the Apostles took over and so now do we, two thousand years later.  We are part of a mystery, as Paul so gracefully preached. And yet in the fullness of time, new revelation was opened to all, and not just the Israelites.  The vail was rent in half top to bottom and we have access through the Holy Spirit to the God of the Universe. 
     Christianity is Quantum.  Here and there all at the same time.  Christianity is loving, being loved, forgiving, and being forgiven, giving and receiving grace to those we meet and those we hope to.  I have found disappointment within, due to the abuses and misunderstanding of organized religion, And I have found uncommon grace with the unbelieving who at times are more attuned to correct values, and are more Christian than those who claim Christ.  So It is like a diamond with many facets.  Some shine brilliant. Some yellow, some bright white.  And yet it is like a lump of clay worked and reworked until the master sees what he likes.   
     Peace.

Reality bites!

   

     Ok, let's talk a little about reality today for those of us who claim Christ as Lord and Savior.  We are in the world but not part of it.  So says the scriptures.  And so daily do you find yourself in a kind of alternate reality?  No, not the multi-verse, our singular verse, here and now.  I would call it a double verse.  One is a dark version controlled by "Authorities in high places" bent upon doing everything that they can to subvert this other verse.  The light one.  We as Christians have been translated so to speak,  to think and act in this one.  For Christ has overcome the world, and we must also.  What kind of work environment do you have to face everyday?  One peopled by those filled with apathy, self-interest, negativity, gossip, I could go on, but this is enough to talk about.  Because this in itself is enough to be a constant barrier or thorn in our side to living in the light.
   Case in point.  As a Christian, we are commanded to forgive trespass, and we do.  We are asked by our Lord to do this daily, and for life.  We are also to be  light in the world and resist the temptations to act as we once were, like those with the traits mentioned above.  So when do we have the right to bow out?  And seek a better work environment, less adversity, less hassle, and more light?  I say when you have reached the point of tipping, and no longer make a significant difference where you are.  If at all possible we must balance the scales.  I see a great rise in evil, not only in individuals, but nationally, and globally.  The levels of animosity we have seen in our own two-party system is on display daily.   A large majority , those with "some" Christian leanings have abandoned common sense and have gone over to the "dark"
verse and supported people that demonstrate character that is abhorrent. This is nothing less than deception, and can be nothing else.
     What we carry inside of us is a powerful witness that at some point in human history, something went amazingly right.  The kingdom of God showed up!  It  broke into our world of misery and sorrows and great disappointments and suddenly there was hope.. hope that for thousands of years was lost.  And warfare ensued, and combat was necessary.  Light and dark.....our reality....our battlefield....can you see it?

me and my dog

Happy t day. walking along on a quiet cul-de-sac my dog and I and enjoying a moment alone.  The woods surrounding our street smell fresh with the remains of a slowly melting snowfall last week. My neighbors are  sitting on the pavement cuddling their pet turkey.  AAH!  While most of the nation is eating  another turkey for dinner!   What a  nice difference , peace! 

But to you who are listening...

     "Though seeing, they will not see, though hearing they will not hear."  Jesus spoke in parables to those he deemed "not hearing or seeing."  Something in their hearts was limiting them from open eyes and open ears,and  in their current  condition they were unable to get what Jesus was saying.  To those who were actually listening, it required an openness of heart and a willingness to consider something new.  That is what it takes to begin the journey in the Christian walk.
     Those who came to Jesus, in his day were those who were the poor, diseased, sinners, blind and deaf and also those with impure spirits.  Jesus was compassionate, always, willing to accommodate these people.  However, in the synagogue the day he began his ministry, he read from the scroll of Isaiah...."this day this scripture Is fulfilled in your hearing."  He announced that he was the one Isaiah was talking about, and it caused quite a stir among those assembled.  For he said he came to deliver.. the blind, the lame, the weak and the poor.  And he further said not many were saved in the days of Elijah when famine and drought came upon them but to only a widow. All because a prophet in not accepted in his own hometown. 
     Jesus is so much more than a Prophet.  He is the way, truth, and the life.  All these attributes lead to life.  If we listen, and do according to his commandments to Love one another, unconditionally.  Accept those you might deem unworthy at first meeting and cease to wrangle with those who might differ in thought.  And be willing to give an account of the good news, "within" that Jesus died for. 

"As long as i live in the tent of this body"

     As  the above scripture above states....we live in a temporary tent.  As hard as it is to fathom this type of thinking I believe it is so. We take it from the Greeks that physical body is everything.  From our westernized  thinking we do all that  we can to promote a physical health and vitality to keep us in the here and now.  But what about the hereafter?  Peter assures us that he is soon to depart this world,as Jesus had told him. And he makes no bones about it and even the language he uses seems uncannily serene!  Wow!  If only we could be as him and accept that fact.  We are really spiritual beings,  engaged in a physical experience. Wrap that around our thinking, and things begin to make sense.  The temporal world is not as real as the spiritual world we are heading to.  Case In  Point.  Think about all of the miracles Jesus performed. They were absolutely mind blowing.  The supernatural always invaded the natural.  Including the pouring out of the spirit on pentecost.  He was showing us something of God's kingdom. A kingdom that has a very different set of physical laws.  Ones that defy , our physical laws here on Earth.  Walking on water, calming the seas,  increasing food ( bread and fish) out of nothing. And healing all manner of ailments and diseases.  So, we are headed to a place that he prepared for us and we better be ready.
     How? By heeding his simple commandments. Love one another as I have loved you. And,  by putting on goodness, knowledge, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection,  And finally love.  If we do these things, Peter assures us we will abide abide and attain the kingdom. Peace.