Tobit is a powerful reminder of the need of the faithful to remain in fidelity to the covenant. Here we see a man who has already lost his livelihood for his continued obedience (click the link to read more)

Tobit is a powerful reminder of the need of the faithful to remain in fidelity to the covenant.  Here we see a man who has already lost his livelihood for his continued obedience to the Traditions of worship as set forth in Jerusalem.   Tobit refuses to take on the new habits of worship established by King Jeroboam in Dan, where the Northern tribes are worshipping the golden calves at Dan.    Terminated for burying the dead at the proper time, we find Tobit in today’s reading risking it all again by again following the Traditions of his people.  He reminds the people of Israel that their faith does not simply change or disappear away from the Temple in Jerusalem but is something that must permeate their lives no matter where they live or under whose political rule they discover themselves.

In direct contrast to this, we have a Parable in the Gospel of people who utterly rejected the message of God.  Colored by our understanding of Christianity and the fall of the temple in the year 70 A.D.,  we Christians see this parable as a reminder that this vineyard we live in is not our own.   God has been sending out His prophets to the chosen people, Israel, for centuries.  The rejected and murdered many of those faithful men and women.   The nation fell into exile and they were unfaithful.  The Scriptures often compare it to adultery.   Then the owner of the vineyard sends His own Son to the people in trust that they will at least respect Him.  Yet, instead of accepting God in their presence in the Son, they kill Him.  We often see direct parallels to this message in the history of Judaism and the Christian people, as did the men who reacted to the parable and wanted to arrest Jesus for His words but feared the crowds.

What then do we take this to be about for us today?  Well, I think part of the message is that this vineyard is not our own.   We often treat it like God made it for us to do with as we please.  Yet, there is a large difference in dominion, which we have been given, and domination, which is the realm of tyrannical rulers.    We are to take care of the vineyard in anticipation for the return of its owner, not just for our own comforts and wants.  In a world where Global Warming is debated or outright denied, it’s even more important that we realize that the concern should not just be for us but for all generations in the future.   Even more importantly, we should be preparing for the return of the owner and tending the garden He established for us to live in.  It reminds us that we too are often the tenants who rejected the Son and murdered Him.   Every time we turn our back on our faith in a public setting, each moment in which we deny Christ or choose another thing before Him, whenever we break any of the commandments and fail to love God with our whole heart, strength, and mind and love our neighbor as ourselves; it is our Sin that murders the Son… that stripes His most sacred body with the flagellation that we deserve… and nails Him to the cross with the three spikes of our infidelity.  

His servant and yours,
Brian Mullins

June 05, 2017 - Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

TB 1:3; 2:1A-8

PS 112:1B-2, 3B-4, 5-6

MK 12:1-12

The party don't start till I walk in...

In many movies we see the youth getting away with throwing a party while the parents are gone.  The party gets out of control and the house is trashed.  The parents, who were supposed to be gone a set number of days or hours, for some reason come home early.  Somehow the kids get everything cleaned up as if by magic before they arrive.   In the movies this seems to work so well that the parents are none the wiser to what has happened in their home while they are away.  In real life?   Well, it doesn't ever seem to work out that way.   

In this day and age our lives are highly scheduled and our lives filled with digital communication.  Not only do our kids know when we are supposed to be home, but they often receive a text on the way or a phone call from the car.   With all of this information we humans tend to be less ready for the arrival, not more.  We get distracted by all the things that are bombarding us and instead of doing that which we know to do?  We end up 'shinied'.   Distracted.  Unable to focus on what needs to be finished.  The parents arrive and not only aren't the kids finished?  They haven't started.  In this case it's not just the kids, but the parents too.   We know someone is coming over and we meant to clean, but the show was on... or we should have gone to confession... but the game was on... We schedule to do things, but then we find other things to do and forget the schedule. 

The thing we lose about this Gospel parable in today's modern age is exactly how hard it is to be ready for the Master when he returns.   Jesus talks of a man coming back from a wedding to find his servant up and waiting.  The servant's just doing what he should be doing right?  It's what he is for.   He's not doing something extraordinary on the surface, he's just serving his Master by being ready for his return.   When will the master be back?   Now that's the hard part.   Weddings in first century Palestine were not like they are today.  They were an involved affair!   Taking several days, a week or more!   The servant couldn't possibly stay up the entire time, could he?  How diligent would he have to be to be ready and waiting for the Master's return?  Unlike us He wasn't going to receive a text or phone call during the week to say "I'll be back on Friday!" 

I believe that the readings for today are a call to Stewardship and preparedness.   They remind us of what Pope Francis was trying to teach us in Ladauto Si.  We have been given charge of a home, a place to keep up and take care of.   We aren't doing a very good job of that.  Not just creation, which I am a big proponent of, but also our selves and each other.  The Master has given us signs of his return, but informed us that no one, not even Jesus himself, knows the day of His return.. only the Father.   So we must be diligent.  We must be ready for Him at any time.   Like the servant in the parable, are we awake?  Do we take care of the world we are given?  Our own bodies that are temples of the Holy Spirit?   Others that we encounter during the day?  As my friend always says, "Get ready, be ready, stay ready."  

His servant and yours, 

Brian 

"He must increase, I must decrease." 

A reflection on the readings for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: August 7th, 2016.  Wisdom 18:6-9; Psalm 33; Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19; The Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke 12:32-48

Get ready? Be ready? Stay Ready?

Tomorrow's first reading is one of the more beautiful expressions of how important it is to realize who Christ was to the Jewish faith, the second Adam.  That's a powerful typology that we must not miss when exploring what it means to us as Children of the most high God.  To really understand this verse, we have to look at what happened in the Garden of Eden. 

If we look at Genesis starting with Chapter 2, we see that Adam was created to work and till the land.  Many scholars indicate that the wording used place Adam as it's guardian, it's protector.  He was supposed to keep bad things from happening, and to make sure good reigned supreme. Then comes the scene all of us are so familiar with.  The serpent appears. He tempts Eve.  Where was Adam during all this?  Right there by her side. He didn't stop her.  He didn't protect her.  He simply stood silently while mankind fell from the grace he had already experienced.

Think about the story here.  God was right there with him.  When the wind would blow He walked with Adam, face to face.  Adam had everything he needed.  He had all these beautiful animals, plenty of plants and seeds for food, this luscious garden filled with beautiful sights, and this gorgeous woman who he lived with and was supposed to protect.   All God asked was that they follow a simple rule.  Adam failed as the protector.  He didn't step up and say, wait.. God doesn't want that.. Eve don't listen to the serpent.  No, he simply watched her do it.. then partook of the forbidden fruit himself... then turned around and blamed God for the whole mess.  "It was the woman YOU gave me."

For just as through the disobedience of one man
the many were made sinners,
so, through the obedience of the one
the many will be made righteous.

You see, Adam's greatest sin, mankinds greatest sin, was really disobedience.  Jesus came into this world to restore us, through obedience.  Through that obedience we receive the righteousness we don't deserve.   That sets the stage for this interesting gospel:

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.”

What does Jesus mean?  For me he is talking about obedience.  He is talking about stewardship.  He is talking about living our lives in a way that says we believe what we profess to believe.  Stewardship is not just about tithing or giving a donation in the basket.  It's about every aspect of your life.  What you eat.  What you drink.  What you wear.   Where you go.  What you watch.  What you say.   In every action, we should show through what we do what we believe.  If we believe that this world belongs to God.. our actions should show that.   Do we?   Would all of us be environmentalists if we did?   Would we leave the lights on at night if we truly believed it all belonged to God?  Would we buy food based on taste alone? Or on both taste and sustainability?   Would we take our kids to see a movie that doesn't help them spiritually just because everyone else had seen it? 

What about you?  Are you prepared for him at any moment? Too many are out there looking for signs in the heavens, trying to predict the day he comes back... they want us to believe in a rapture that we need to be watching for.  They live in a panic, watching the news for this or that, stocking up to provide for those days they'll have to hide from governments etc... all of this belies what we should believe.  Rather we should get ready.  That is try to live a holy life, with frequent reception of the sacraments.  We should be ready.  Study to show ourselves approved.  Pray constantly, without ceasing.   Again, frequent reception of the sacraments!  Stay ready.  When we fall, and we will.. all of us fail at some point or another.. when we fail, we go back to Christ and start over.. we go to confession... did I mention frequent reception of the Sacraments? 

Just remember, not a single sparrow falls from the sky without God being aware of it... and you.. you are worth more than many sparrows.. you are worth dying for.  You are worth God coming down every single day to allow you to place him in your hands, receive him in your body, and be transformed through the Sacraments into the people he created us to be.   We have our chance to stand up to that tricky snake in the garden and say "hey back away from my spouse... I am a child of God and we won't let you trick us!"  Are you ready?

Get ready.  Be ready.  Stay ready.

In Christ, His servant, and yours,
Brian

Take Care

Such a simple line from tomorrow's gospel.  It really triggers some thoughts from the books I am reading, the scriptures I am studying, and even some of the discussions I've been a part of.  It's funny how the Holy Spirit works that way, eh?  "Take care and guard against all greed."   Jesus then goes on to talk about a man who doesn't have enough to store all that he has, so he makes grand plans to provide for himself so he can have a long and happy life.  Yet, that very night he is doomed to die.  Then who will have all the stuff he has stored up?  To who will that belong?

I think this is truly a call to stewardship.  I have been studying that a lot the past few years, and more especially for an upcoming class in Aspirancy formation.  What is Stewardship indeed?  Many think of it as tithing, as giving a part of your money.  Or just giving some of your time.  Those are involved in it, sure.  Stewardship is so much more.  Stewardship is giving of self.   It is giving everything you have, everything you are, everything you are to become... giving all of that to God for his Kingdom, and to your neighbor as you would yourself.

That's a tall order isn't it?  Pouring yourself out like a libation?  Giving of yourself so much that it hurts?  Blood sweat and tears!  Are we ready to do that?  Wow, how hard it is sometimes just to give up a few minutes of our time in prayer.   We sometimes get grumpy or angry when our kids want this or that, or our spouse demands this time or that time, when we had plans to do our own thing.  In the long run, God calls us like this man in the Parable.  He says, you fool... tomorrow you could be called away.. what is most important?  God.  Family. Friends.   You see, I don't think the rich man in the parable had a problem because he was rich.  I think his problem became that he wanted more, and more.   Instead of giving away all this excess, instead of sharing it with his neighbors and friends... he wanted to build even bigger barns and storage bins.  Not so he'd have more to give away.. but so that he could party and relax. 

We are called to emulate our Lord Jesus Christ.  As the first reading says, Jesus was handed over for our transgressions, and raised for our justification. In what ways can we do this in our daily life? Hand ourselves over for others?  Becoming stewards.  Not just of our talents.   Not just of our monetary treasures.   Stewards of our entire lives... time, friendships, creation, economic, political, every sphere that we are involved in should be for God.   Every action, every thing we put in our bodies, every thing we say, every purchase, every television show, every song, every breath, every thought and dream... should be for God's glory.. and for the benefit of mankind.   That is, we should be bringing God's kingdom here and now.   That is what being a Steward is.  Knowing that God has given you everything you have, even the very life coursing through your body.  Our response?   Giving it back to him.. in every way possible.

In Christ, His servant and yours,

Brian

Division? Fire? Who is leading your life?

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I have come to set the earth on fire,

and how I wish it were already blazing! 

There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,

and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! 

Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? 

No, I tell you, but rather division. 

From now on a household of five will be divided,

three against two and two against three;

a father will be divided against his son

and a son against his father,

a mother against her daughter

and a daughter against her mother,

a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” 

This reading is the reading for today's mass for Catholics all over the world. It's a reminder to us that Jesus message is not an easy one. It divides friends, families, even nations. We see it in our own Christian walks as we meet other Christians, who are divided from us in our beliefs... all of them believing in Jesus, but finding different interpretations from those that their other brothers and sisters hold. As Jesus quoted Micah to his followers, it makes me wonder if they had any inkling of how true this statement was? How the Word expressed himself to mankind, knowing that they would divide because of their own hardness and stubbornness of heart. Something to meditate on today: Is the division I see in my life caused by a rejection of the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, God's only begotten son? Or is the hardness of my own heart the cause of some of those divisions?

Just a little bad?

Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly. - Ecclesiastes 10:1

We as Christians often encourage our children to do the right thing. That's part of our vocation as parents. We are supposed to be teaching them right from wrong, and how to make the right choice. Yet, today's society seems to be teaching anything in moderation is OK. Is that really true?

When we teach our children about stealing, we tell them it's wrong. Should we tell them, but hey if you're going to steal.. make sure to do it with a mask on, and only steal things worth less than a certain amount so it's not a felony? Of course not that's absurd. We believe stealing is wrong, so we tell them not to steal at all.

When we teach our children about drugs, we tell them it's wrong. Should we then tell them, but if you're going to do drugs, make sure to use a clean syringe, or stick to safe things like Marijuana? Of course not. We tell them drugs are bad, and they should avoid them always.

When we teach our children about sex outside of marriage.. why then do we tell them, if you're going to do it, use a condom? We should be teaching them to not do it at all!  Why is it clear to us that telling them that when they do it, to take precautions not to do it too much? Isn't that in fact telling them that we expect them to do it anyway?

If we truly believe it's wrong to have sex outside of marriage, then we should be teaching abstinence, not 'birth control.'

Eat meat? Drink wine? What did he mean in Romans 14

Romans 14 is one of the most amazing chapters, to me. It tells us something about today in a way that still holds true. In order to get to that point I want to give you some insight into my own spiritual journey.

For many years I was a member of a church where obedience to the word of God took a literal, fundamental stand. We had to be 'sinless' and if we were caught sinning, well weren't really saved in the first place. So for years I punished myself for every mistake I made, thinking if I were truly saved, truly a child of the King I would be able to withstand sin on my own. I'd be able to make changes in my life that were lasting, and would never be tempted again.

Then I had this startling realization. I realized that I wasn't under the law! God showed me that I didn't have to follow the law, that everything is permissible. That I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I had faith in God. So for about four years, I did just that. I drank, and I smoked, I partied, and I cussed. I watched bad television, listened to even worse music. All because I knew that I was no longer under the law.

Then God opened my eyes to something else. Something I had been missing all along. We hear it in church all the time. Faith without works is dead. Yet works do not get me anywhere? So why would I do them, I'm already saved? What is the point of works? Love. We do works not because the law tells us to, but because we Love God, and we love our neighbor. We go out and we help others, not because it increases our standing with God, but because, it's simply the right thing to do.

As Christians we should be consumed with that thought. A few years ago we had the movement of bands on your arm that said WWJD. What would Jesus do? It was a beautiful movement because it reminded us as Christians we are not under the law, but we follow the law because Jesus would!

Then one day I thought to myself, I've finally found it. I'm right! My beliefs are right, they were wrong before! Then God said to me, if someone thinks they need to eat meat... they should eat meat. I wasn't right after all but I was where God wanted me to be. I was growing in faith. As is everyone else. You see I grew up being taught that the Catholic church was an abomination. That people there followed Mary as God, and worshiped Saints!

God brought a catholic into my life. She was a beautiful woman, with three beautiful children. She had this faith that kept her from needing to ask the questions I was always asking. She asked saints to pray for her, much like she would ask me to pray for her. It was a beautiful thing that taught me a lesson about judging someones faith.

It's all about faith, you know? God gave Abraham righteousness, not because he was circumcised, not because he attended church, not because he did this or that.. You see Abraham was the first and God was teaching him as he went. He started out with just faith, and God counted that as righteousness! The same with you and I! It is still about faith, faith in Christ! However, if saying a rosary brings you closer to God then by all means say the rosary! If staying at home and having your own communion brings you closer to God, then by all means do it!

You see God doesn't want you to come to him being forced into a mold, he'll mold you himself. He knows where your faith is and what you can handle. He knows where mine is as well. He even wants me to do things that encourage your faith, that help build you up. Arguing about whether or not we should interpret the Bible the same or receive the same revelations doesn't edify, it tears down. Do not force someone to give up their meat, or give up their wine, or not to marry.. because that's not the what we are taught! Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

We could easily rewrite that, Let not him that prays the rosary, pray him that does not; and let not him which does not pray the rosary, judge him that does.. because God has received him.

God chooses who goes to heaven, not us. If someone loves Jesus, gives his life to him, believes that through him he will be saved. We are supposed to be one body, one family in Christ. Let's stop arguing over the things that divide us and remember the one Truth that cements us as a family.

So when was I right? At what point did I find authentic faith? You see I was right the entire time. It was a spiritual journey, meant for me. My faith the entire time was placed directly in God. Keep your faith there, and he will lead you on your own journey. He will show you what is right to believe, and what YOU are supposed to believe and when. We grow in Christ, not into.

In Christ,
Brian

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Soapy Water

I don't know how many of you spend time doing dishes, but it's a chore I don't relish. I am bad to let my dishes sit a day or so, and then get tired of seeing them and do them. I just don't enjoy it, and would not do them at all if I didn't have to.

You see I spent a great deal of my time in college washing dishes to help pay for tuition and keep a roof over my and my spouse at the times head. It was a difficult time, but all I seem to remember from those days was dishes. Lots and lots of soapy water.

A few years ago God revealed to me that he was just like a dish washer. At the time I wrote a poem about it and shared it. I'll share it again after this post. You see if you have ever washed a dish a few days old, it's difficult to get the food out of it. It's crusty and hard, and you have to use a lot of soap and elbow grease to get rid of it.

Well we are just like a pot or pan in our life. We get crusty. We sin against God and it's there inside of us to be washed out. God wants us to come to Him! He wants us to be clean on the inside and out! He gives us a good scrubbing and tells us, go forth and sin no more. He puts elbow grease into us, to free us from our binding! Yet we go out and sometimes in the same moment, put more food on the inside of us.

Just like food, when we sin it comes inside of us and we need God to remove it. Just like food, if we continue to sin without God cleaning us, it sets up inside and begins to crust over. The longer we continue to sin, the harder it is for us to give it up. The more habit it becomes. The harder it has to be scrubbed.

The Holy Spirit is a lot like dish soap, God uses him to clean us. The Spirit soaks into the sin inside of us and loosens it's hold on us. It begins to be easier to scrub, and easier to get rid of. Our lives start to look more and more clean, and we continue to grow in Jesus. So if you have food in your pot, give it over to God to clean right now! Before it sits in and begins to cling, begins to harden and has to be scrubbed even harder. Sometimes the scrubbing hurts more than we can imagine. Sometimes God uses that sin to show us our error, and the cleaning process isn't pleasant. It's easier though, if you get to it right away, don't put it off until it's a part of your life. Don't put it off till your heart starts to harden, and refuses to let anyone clean it.


The greatest dishwasher of all

the dishwasher clogged up earlier.
I had to clean the trap out by hand
Slowly pulling pieces of lettuce, carrot, unidentifiable meats
All from water that I could not see through
A veil that kept my eyes from seeing what was going on
It reminded me of our daily lives
How they are so full of junk
Things that rot and fill our days
How we have so many things in this little trap in our mind
That we just don't let go of
A piece of a relationship here
A heartbreak there
Two strands of long forgotten lust

Then I realized that Jesus was just like that filter
in the bottom of my dishwasher
He filters out the filth, and holds it at bay
Sometimes it backs up and we just need to let it all go
So that he can keep washing us clean

From Authentic Perplexity, Copyright 2010

Bro's before ?

I was meditating earlier, and I happened upon a memory that was very disturbing. I remember I had just divorced and the relationship I had just been in, was one that was unfaithful. I

won't go into details, but it really sheds some light on the things that were going on. I was dating this beautiful girl from Illinois, and my room-mate/work partner was engaged to this beautiful young woman. She was 19 or so, and completely sweet.

After rooming with him for about a month, he met some girl in the town we were working in and went out on a boat with her and needless to say, one thing led to another and he cheated on his fiancé. This wasn't the bad part. The part was my part that was horrible.

You see, the third time he went out with this woman I was sitting in the room on my laptop, and I got a phone call from this young woman who was left home with their child. You see, not only was he engaged, he was a father. She wanted to know what was going on? Why wasn't he returning phone calls? She confided in me that he had been unfaithful to her before, but had promised to never do it again.

Then she asked me, “Is he cheating on me?”

I lied. I told her he was just out and would be back soon. You see I chose keeping the guy I worked with and knew happy, against the truth. I didn't tell her that he was out for the third time with some girl he barely knew. I had just been in a relationship where my ex had been unfaithful, and it had been a huge blow to me. Yet here I was, able to tell someone the truth, and I don't.

I am quite ashamed of that time. I really don't have words to describe how I feel about it. Yet, I realize this verse really shows how bad a person I am.

Mathew 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

You see I sat there judging this fellow for his actions, thinking of how bad a person he was for treating his fiancé in such a way. I was so hung up on his sin, that I didn't even look at mine. The sin of lying. The sin of approving of that lifestyle. The sin of not telling him to his face that what he was doing was wrong. That what he was doing was against God's plan. Who was worse? He for cheating on her? Or I for lying to her to make her think he wasn't.

The next time you are in a situation where you have the opportunity to show love, to tell the truth, do it. Make your yes, yes and your no, no. Do everything for the Lord... everything.

Knowledge vs revelation

There is nothing wrong with knowledge. God encourages us as Christians to study and show ourselves approved. He tells us to search the scriptures, because it is they that testify to Christ. Yet I find that many times knowledge becomes our God. We begin to feel so comfortable with the amount of the Bible we know, and how much of that has been revealed to us, that when we see something revealed somewhere else we instantly question it. Instead of approaching it as we should, with prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit.



I am by no means an expert on the Bible. I am not one of those men who can quote verse after verse off the top of my head. I am not sure that God will ever give me that ability either. My knowledge of the Bible comes more from comprehension, understanding what happened and why. I still spend time trying to read the Hebrew words and the Greek words, though both do not come easy for me. I do this because I know the Bible is full of wonderful insights that we each can glean from, when God shows them to us.



Recently I added a new friend to my facebook account. This fellow often posts things that I do not agree with, yet when I search myself spiritually I know that sometimes I do not agree with him not because he could be right, but because I haven't heard that before or thought that before. It is those times that we must ask God to humble our hearts, and reveal to us the truth. What if this fellow is spot on and being guided in every step by the Spirit of God? I still will post my questions, and I will still discuss with him why it seems wrong to me, but I must really approach it with a different feeling in my heart.



You see often we don't get spiritual enlightenment, not because we aren't saved, not because we do not believe in Jesus, but because we do not wait for God to show us. Instead of reading and then praying, immersing ourselves in the beauty of the Holy Spirit we instantly allow our carnal minds to compute and return the correct responses that we have been taught, or have thought in the past. Now mind you, sometimes these are revelations that God has given us! Other times it's something we heard another pastor say, or someone posted in a devotional, or even something we just stumbled across when reading a book about the Bible.



We must learn that having the knowledge is a good thing, but putting the knowledge before God is making the knowledge god itself! We must always check ourselves and make sure that we are truly walking in his light, and not in the light of mankind. We must approach everything, and I do mean everything, with God's will in mind! We have died to the flesh, and are created new spiritual men and women! It is time we allowed God his proper place in our life, and we allowed him to lead us, instead of trying to lead ourselves.



God has revealed many things to me in the past few weeks. He has revealed that we are all tempted by sin, but it's when we act on those thoughts that we actually sin. Jesus was tempted by Satan in the garden, yet he always put God's will first! He never sinned! For many years I beat myself up every time I would have an impure thought. Every time I would have a dream that was inappropriate. There is something to be said there, because God said that that which proceeds from our mouths, that makes us unclean because it comes from our heart. You see we are a fallen creature, who has evil in its heart. We have thoughts that can lead to sin, temptations that can produce evil in our life, but by following after the Spirit we can avoid those temptations, we can avoid saying those things that will harm others. When you are tempted with a thought that you know to be wrong, and God will let you know when it's wrong, avoid it. Stop thinking about that. Recite a psalm! The 23rd one is one that I go to often in meditation. Push those thoughts and desires out of your mind, and pray that God will aid you in it! God will deliver you from temptation, trust in him!

So tonight when you place yourself under the blankets in your bed and begin to drift towards sleep, give yourself over to the Father. Ask him to come into your heart and guide you in every aspect of your life. Remind him that you are his servant, and his your Lord. Ask him to open your mind, and your heart, and your spirit to receive those things which he can reveal to you! Trust me, he will reveal more and more!



In Christ,
Brian

Of whom much is given, much is expected!

[KJV] Luke 12:48
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Many times in my life I have heard the above paraphrased into the simple statement, “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Upon meditating on this I realize that it is about many things, not simply that which is on the surface.

At first it would seem simply that if a man breaks the law, he shall be given a smaller punishment. It also seems to indicate that those who are unaware of the law when they perish, will be also dealt with gently. Yet those who are completely aware of the law and sacrifice of Christ, these men are expected to uphold more and be judged with a different standard. After all Jesus said, you will be judged with the measure you judge with. (Matt 7:2)

Let's think about that for a moment. If you are aware of the law and you judge others harshly, condemning them easily for their actions, then God also will judge you on the same scale. However, if you judge others with compassion and love, then God will do the same for you. It's important for us to notice that distinction! That God wants us to judge righteously, but fairly, lovingly and above all with compassion. We often try to judge others based on our own perceived piousness and not out of our heart, remembering that we too are sinners only saved by HIS grace. It's kind of like getting a present for Christmas, and then showing others how great a person you are because you got a present? God gave us salvation as a gift, and we get no glory from that. God gets the glory, it's his gift! We are still sinners, but sinners saved by Grace, living life without sin only by His divine guidance.

Then we have to look at another aspect of this statement, that to whom much is given much is expected. Each of us has different understandings, different gleanings, and yes different amounts of faith. To those who have great amounts of faith, much is expected! These men and women should be doing wondrous works! Not simply having faith and going to Church once in a while. So before I get carried away, lets look at the spiritual gifts from God.

Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel (Right Judgment), Fortitude, Knowledge, Reverence, and Wonder and Awe (Fear of the Lord).

To each person is given gifts of God. Some of us have understanding. These wonderfully blessed people understand the Word, they see the meaning behind it, they find hidden meanings. What good is a found treasure if they do not share it! What good is understanding the word if you only understand it for yourself? To he who is given understanding, much is expected! This gift is not just for us, it's for the Church! The Body of Christ! We also have to realize that there are different levels of understanding! Some understand perfectly and deeply, others have less understanding but they are still followers of Christ, and should use what they have.

Whether you receive understanding, Wisdom, counsel, knowledge, it is your duty as a part of the body of Christ to share that with the rest of us. Maybe you're blessed with reverence God! What a blessing that is! It is also a chance for you to share your reverence, to show others how to worship God, how to pray, how to approach the alter, how to maintain your relationship with God in the manner in which it should be done.

Another example, he who has fear of the Lord, this is a powerful gift! It is a person who understands that God is perfectly good, and in the same aspect understands just how evil and polluted we as mankind have become. This person knows exactly what grace means! He/she knows that we don't deserve grace, that instead we deserve hell! Yet God loved us so much that He gave His own son in our place! When they speak about it you hear it in their voice, and you know for them it is so powerful, so overwhelming that it's hard to speak about.

Remember, not matter what gift God has given you, spiritual or physical he expects you to use it for His Glory! These gifts are to be shared, given freely since they were received freely! We are to worship and love together, helping each other to grow, building each other up spiritually! Edifying one another in all ways, not tearing down.

I pray that all of you have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. That God will bless and keep you in his arms.

In Christ,
Brian

I wrote about this verse of scripture a few years ago on Myspace, and I was disappointed to find out I missed a sermon on it the other day when I stayed home to watch one of the children who did not want to attend church. She is too young to be quiet when she doesn't want to be there, and too young to leave at home. That being out of the way I just wanted to share some thoughts on it because it is a beautiful set of verses (aren't all of them?)

John 21:15-17
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

It seems odd in the English translation to keep asking Simon over and over, do you love me? Mostly because we only have one word for love. However, in the original language there were four different words for love. Two of them were used here. They were:

Agape - the love of God or Christ for mankind, unconditional love
phileo - brotherly love

So to paraphrase the conversation above, Jesus who had just risen from the dead and had dined on some fish said, to his friend and disciple.

"Do you love me unconditionally as I love the world?" Remember Jesus loved the world so much he died on the cross for all of our sins.

Simon peter replied, "Of course, I love you like a brother."

Quite a bit of difference in brotherly love, and the love of God for the world. Though some brothers would die for each other, would a brother die for everyone? I know some brothers who would not even lift a finger for each other as well.

He asks him again, "Simon Peter, do you agape me?"

Peter replies, "Yes Lord, I phileo you!"

Once again the Lord wants to know if he loves him as much as God loves us! Peter says I love you like a brother, he still isn't getting it!

Then a third time Jesus asks, and when he look at it, he asks "Simon, do you phileo me?" Simon is hurt, because he asks a third time. I also think he is hurt because he realizes what Jesus is asking of him, asking if he loves him that much and Simon isn't ready for that. He wants to be, but he's not sure that he has the love in him that Jesus, the living God has! He says, "You know all things! You know that I love you like a brother!" Jesus commands him one more time "Feed my sheep!"

This is a lesson for all of us today. Do you agape Jesus? Do you love him enough to die on the cross with him and rise again the third day? That's what we as Christians do when we are baptized. "I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal 2:20 We are dunked under the water 3 times, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; symbolizing our three days in the tomb. When we rise out of that water we are a new creature. "Not I, but Christ liveth in me!" We are to live by the faith in the son of God!! Walking in obedience to his commandments. We are no longer part of this world, but children of the Living God! The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! Covered by the Blood of Jesus Christ! Our sins are washed clean! We are to agape one another forgiving each other our sins and sinning no more! Amen, Hallelujah!

It also means that some of us aren't ready for agape. Some of us are still at the phileo stage. Some of us haven't gotten there yet, but that doesn't mean we don't have to strive for more! We have to keep trying. Just like my mother used to tell me when I fell off a horse, get back on it right now! Dust yourself off and start riding again. You might get angry at someone, or not like someone, work to love them no matter how hard it is. Know that Jesus loves them, and that God loves them. It doesn't mean you have to have them over for coffee every day, but you don't have to give them a cold shoulder and not wave when they pass you in the hall. If you see them with a flat, don't pretend you don't see them flagging you down. Work towards agape. Work towards being Christ. So that when people look at you, they don't even see you anymore, they see the Christ that has risen in you.

One last thing, I agape you. No matter who you are, where you are, you are beautiful, each and everyone of you. God loves you, and so do I. God bless you, and may he pour out all of his love on you. If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior please do so today. If you don't know how just ask him in your words to come into your heart, and pick up a bible and start at Mathew and start reading a little at a time. If that seems like to much, or you just want someone to help or guide you, feel free to send me a message. I'd be happy to pray with you, or even suggest some reading. May God bless you in your journey.

In Christ,
Brian

Stewardship

I was once a steward in an organization. It was my responsibility to make sure the floors were vacuumed, swept, and clean. The lights were working, the toilets flushed, the toilet paper stocked. The plates washed after every function. It was a very active job, considering it was appointed and for no pay. Each member had to go through that job at some point. It taught them that no matter who you were, you weren't better than anyone else. It also taught them that the building was all of our responsibility, and that someone had to clean it up. After you were a steward for a little while, you usually never made a mess again. You remembered what it was like to pick up after other people.

How much better would the world be today if God could appoint each of us stewards of our particular area for a few weeks at a time? It often seems that many of us are lax in being stewards in our own homes, let alone the area we live in. Our homes become cluttered and full of trash. We collect things we don't need. We spend the hard earned money that God has graced us with without thinking twice about it. We are supposed to be stewards in everything, not just in a few things.

So when you get up in the morning and you finish eating breakfast, wash out those bowls or put them in the dishwasher. You are a steward of the house that God has graced you with. When you get your check, give a tithe to the church, any church. I am not asking you to come to my church, or my organization. Simply remember that God has blessed you with the money and he has told you to tithe part of that money to him. Not because God needs your money, it's already his. God wants you to give out of Love for him. He wants you to give out of obedience. He wants you to be a steward over all things, from the animals to the streets, to the environment.

Is global warming real? Some say yes, some say no. The truth of the matter is, global warming doesn't matter. We all know we are impacting the environment by polluting it, whether or not we are warming up the globe. If we are truly Christian, and stewards of this earth, we will live a green lifestyle. Not because of any scientific data that says the earth is growing warmer, but because God has commanded us to be stewards of all things. To pollute the water, the earth, the air is simply not in the life of a Christian. To use data that says global warming doesn't exist to give you the 'free ticket' to pollute all you want, is simply a way to live in sin.

Is it a sin to pollute? I belive it is. I belive everytime we throw something down and don't pick it up, or we buy a product that was produced in a way that pollutes our environment, we do indeed sin against God. Think on it, discuss it, let me know your thoughts as well.