For the week of December 14-20, 2014, I am asking myself
where I have seen love at work.
I have
continued with my P90X2 exercises, Total Gym, and my once a week trip to
Anytime Fitness for cardio. I was able to talk to a friend there.
I had the
pleasure of seeing my new granddaughter this week, Edith Annalynn. I see love
here.
The
reflections in Men of Integrity Magazine had a theme of encouragement. The
reflections are from Rob Bentz, The
Unfinished Church. An insight he shares is that far too often, believers
become critics rather than encouragers. William Barclay said that the world is
full of discouragers. We have a Cristian duty to encourage one another. Many a
time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his
feet. Blessed is the one who speaks such a word.
I preached
on Restore
Us with Joy, from Psalm 126. Poinsettias were up that day and were
beautiful. Had a very nice conversation after worship with a family that I do
not have the opportunity to talk with much. I taught SS class for the youth.
Suzanne and I went to one of the homes for a small group Christmas party, with
friendly discussion and good food all around.
Worked on
sermons, both for next Sunday and for January.
Some good
discussion regarding staffing. Staff meeting. I recorded Faithbreak for Sunday
and recording a message for advertisement during the next few days until
Christmas Eve.
The book
study group met this week, this time on Mircea Eliade, The Sacred and the Profane. The concern of the book is whether a
secular culture is missing something by desacralizing space, time, history, and
human life. We had some excellent discussion.
Throughout
the week, I worked in some study that is summarizing some of the themes covered
in my book study. My reflections are along the line of the challenge that
secular culture is presenting to the churches. I was able to get back to
another study for a bit on an examination of Church Dogmatics by Karl Barth.
I have been
amazed how so many Americans seem willing to turn on the people who defend
them. I am thinking of the number of people who try to turn incidents of crime
into examples of police racism. However, to attempt to use an incident in
Ferguson and NYC to create tension between police and community is
self-destructive. The police are the very ones who are keeping the communities
of both communities safe. Further, to create an atmosphere of such antagonism
between the police and the community is to create an environment that pushes
over the edge some people, and police will die as the result. One could urge
the same thing regarding the CIA. Here are people who have kept us free of a
major attack all this time. Yet, we seem to think it OK to turn on them. The real
“torture” was what people like Kahlid Sheik Mohammed did in planning the 9/11
attacks. In those early days post-9/11, it truly does not bother me what they
did to those involved. The concern was high that a dirty bomb or other such
violence was in the works.
Here is an
article I found helpful, both regarding violence from Muslims.
Here is an article on Sharia Law in Germany.
Here is an interesting article on a Gay Marriage matter at a
Catholic university.
http://townhall.com/columnists/toddstarnes/2014/12/18/catholic-university-marquette-suspends-professor-over-antigay-marriage-controversy-n1933853/page/full
Here are some Scripture I have been reflecting upon.
Psalm 89: 1
I will sing of
your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I
will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
Luke 1:
46 And Mary said,
“My
soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on
the lowliness of his servant.
Surely,
from now on all generations will call me blessed;
Luke 1:
{35} The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the
child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.
Luke 1:
{37} For nothing will be impossible with God."
Luke 1:
{38} Then 
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