Based on everything I am currently reading and what I experienced firsthand in that Church in the past, my answer to this question is a forceful, "No!" Perhaps the last nail in the coffin of that once-vibrant Christian church came as no surprise to many of us when M. Thomas Shaw, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, kicked off the new year of 2011 by performing a lesbian marriage ceremony at St. Paul's cathedral in Boston. Two "priestesses" of the church, Katherine Hancock Ragsdale (dean and president of Episcopal Divinity School, no less) and Mally Lloyd (canon to the Ordinary at St. Paul's) were united in homosexual bliss in the presence of 400 guests. The whole debate of homosexuality has deteriorated into an emotional argument on equality with total disregard to God's created order that marriage should be between one man and one woman.

But how can one be surprised at this defiance of church cannons when the Episcopal leadership has defied God? Once the fear of God and obedience to His Word are trampled underfoot, then any sort of church resolution is not worth the paper it's written on.

Back in 2004, the Episcopal Church, in an act of slight-of-hand, (more likely a cunning maneuver) agreed to hold a moratorium in the practicing of all the sordid affairs of "ordaining, marrying, and uniting, and blessing" acts of sodomy. But that was merely a surface declaration. In reality, the blessing of same-sex marriage had been widely accepted in the American Episcopal Church before the time of moratorium. FULL POST

Today we get into chapter 3 of the Less Clutter, Less Noise group blog project with a post by Rick Phillips...

“Advertising doesn’t create interest; at best it creates awareness. And, that is not always a good thing. Cancer has awareness, and nobody wants that.”

I have owned my own business for over twelve years now and have been in church communications for over four and truer words may have never been spoken about advertising than those above. I think we often get caught up in the norm of marketing/advertising “the other guys are doing it, so it must work right?” Not necessarily. In this we often lose touch with our audience.

FULL POST

New car in a bad situation?

Dear Dave,
My wife is divorcing me, and we just had our first baby boy. I feel it’s my responsibility to take care of her until the divorce is final, and to keep her in a safe vehicle. She’s driving a 1982 Honda Civic, and it’s so small any kind of wreck could be a disaster. I’m thinking about buying her a new car. What do you think?
Mike

Dear Mike,
I’m really sorry you guys are going through all this, especially with a brand new baby in the mix. I appreciate your nobility and attitude about the situation, but you need to realize that once you’re divorced, it’s no longer your responsibility to take care of her. Divorce carries a lot of emotional stress and worry for everyone involved, but I don’t think buying her a new car will solve anything. It may actually lead her to expect even more from you later on.

I’m going to take a wild guess that the truth of the matter is you’re worried about your child, and this whole thing is breaking your heart. That’s natural, Mike. It means you love your baby. But a “safe” car doesn’t have to mean a brand new car. You could put her in an old Suburban and she’d be safe, because those things are tanks!

If it were me, and the relationship couldn’t be salvaged, I’d find a large used car – one that either one of you can pay for with cash – and let her drive off into the sunset. But spend every second you can hugging and loving on your little boy, and make sure you’re a fixture in his life. He’s going to need someone like you.
—Dave

Piles of cash?

Dear Dave,
You’re always talking about accumulating piles of cash. I’ve gone to church for several years, and the Bible says not to lay up treasures on earth. Doesn’t that mean that we shouldn’t accumulate wealth or be greedy?
George

Dear George,
The Bible also says in Proverbs that in the house of the wise there are stores of choice food and oil.

If you look back through scripture, you’ll find that many of the major Biblical characters were very wealthy people who understood they were not the owners of the money and wealth. They understood that their job was to manage these things properly for God’s glory.

I can appreciate your concern, George, but when I talk about piles of cash my frame of reference is that we’re to handle our money and other possessions for good and for God. It’s not about greed, or to use in buying bigger and better stuff for ourselves.

But you can’t do good things if you don’t have the strengths to do good things!
—Dave

* For more financial help, please visit daveramsey.com.

I read with much interest about the recent unusual accidental discovery of a 340-yr-old Bible printed in Germany found inside a safe in a Lutheran Church School in Wisconsin.  "We don't know how we got it. We don't know how it got into the safe. We've been asking some of our elderly folks and people in the nursing home and nobody seems to remember," Rev. Timothy Shoup from St. Paul Lutheran Church told the news station.

How could such a valuable treasure be forgotten and none seems to remember how it got there, now perhaps to be admired and valued more as a museum priceless relic...Can very important things be forgotten and lost?  Indeed anything valuable we do not take care of and guard jealously will over time be lost. Even the precious word of God that saves and our salvation.

My initial reaction would be to compare the contents of the 340 yr old book with what you have today on your shelf and perhaps ponder over the subtle and not too subtle differences.  Perhaps we will rediscover even more treasures from meanings that have been long forgotten, lost or buried by well intended efforts of zealous translators.  The spread of Christianity has been said to be facilitated by best-selling more popular translations/revisions  of the Bible - easier to read both in language and in cultural acceptability...or more accurately put ... in digestability. FULL POST

The recent cinematic retelling of E.B. White's classic Charlotte's Web has a nice scene for anybody interested in pondering the intelligent design debates.For those who need a brief refresher, Fern is the owner of Wilbur the pig. Charlotte the spider has befriended Wilbur and is trying to save him from becoming a Christmas ham by writing suggestive phrases in her webs like "Some pig". Needless to say this captures the attention of the town which is amazed at such miraculous actions by a spider.

So with that background in mind, Fern's mom goes to the doctor and marvels at the words that have been appearing in the spider's web. It is a miracle, she suggests. To this the doc replies: "The web itself is a miracle. Wouldn't you agree?" When Fern's mom looks at him skeptically he retorts, "Well can you spin one?" She lamely replies, "I can crochet a doily."

With this the doctor takes on a satisfied smile. "Because someone taught you how. Nobody teaches a spider. They just know how to spin a web. Don't you think that's a miracle?" FULL POST

THE WINDS OF HEALING

FAITH IS THE GIFT OF LOVE
What is faith really? It has nothing to do with believing that God exists, no more than believing that air or water exists. These are facts of our existence. They are not what we live for. Faith is born when we see and realise that God loves us. That is why it is God's gift. St. John puts the matter succinctly: 'We love him because he first loved us.' {1John 4:19 KJV} When we realise that God loves us more than we love any other being, however dear they are to us, then we learn that nothing whatsoever can separate us from God's love. And no one loves us as much as God does.
Let us consider this. Suppose you give birth to a child. You are the child's mother or father. Would you give up your baby to someone else who wants and loves your baby? Of course not. The question is absurd. So look at this from God's point of view. God is our Creator. He is our father and we are his children. There is no one who loves us more than he does. That is why in ancient Israel the first fruits of all we have are given to the Lord, a thanksgiving for his great love. {Leviticus 1:23f} God is not just a fact of our existence. He is our Creator who gave up his only Son to suffer and die on a cross that all might be saved from sin and sorrow, from a blighted future and eternal emptiness. FULL POST

Tired of regret and fear? God wants you to know Him in the present tense.

Do you find yourself living in memories, imaginations, and fears more than in the current moment? As Warren Wiersbe writes, “My past may discourage me and my future may frighten me, but ‘the life I now live’ today can be enriching and encouraging because ‘Christ lives in me.’” In Jesus in the Present Tense,Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe explores the “I AM” statements of God—from His burning bush conversation with Moses, to His powerful reassurances to the Israelites, to Jesus’ startling claim to be the Light of the World.Jesus in the Present Tense offers a fresh exploration of God—the I AM.

God doesn’t want us to ignore the past, but the past should be a rudder to guide us and not an anchor to hold us back. Nor does He want us to neglect planning for the future, so long as we say, “If it is the Lord’s will” (James 4:13-17). The better we understand our Lord’s I AM statements, and by faith apply them,the more our strength will equal our days (Deut. 33:25), and we will “run and not grow weary [and]…walk and not be faint” (Isa. 40:31). We will abide in Christ and bear fruit for His glory today—now. FULL POST

Today we get into chapter 2 of the Less Clutter, Less Noise group blog project with a post by Brian Beaty...

If you know me, you know I love Chipotle. Whether in Philadelphia or Pueblo, CO the beauty of Chipotle’s menu is its simplicity and dependability. I usually get the same thing, Chicken Soft Tacos with black beans, pico de gallo, sour cream and lettuce…and don’t forget the chips & guac with a Diet Coke. It’s been that way for years – and I don’t see it changing any time soon. What I love is that Chipotle has done a masterful job of dumbing the menu down for me – helping me with my menu choices instead of offering me too much which could leave me disappointed and not wanting to come back another time. Chipotle provides minimal choices that they do outstandingly well. Even if I (God forbid) changed my mind and ordered a carnitas burrito with extra cheese, I know I would be getting quality at a good price. FULL POST

Back in the late 90's, one of our family's favorite television shows was Early Edition. The show follows the adventures of a man who, each day, mysteriously receives a newspaper the day before it is actually published, and who uses this knowledge to prevent terrible events each day. Of course, it was billed as a science fiction show, because, after all, who can see into the future—even a short time into the future?

Well, we can. Based on the Bible, as well as current conditions, we can see, for example, what will occur in regard to the Middle East peace process.

We know that the Israelis and the Palestinians will never confirm a treaty. While the world is focused on the Middle East peace process, hoping against hope that Israel and the Palestinians will somehow work out a treaty, we can know what will really occur: The Palestinians will continue to refuse to negotiate with Israel until God moves the process away from the Palestinians toward the fulfillment of the end-times treaty, a seven-year treaty predicted by the Bible that will initiate the final seven years before the return of Christ. Let's break it down.

As Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated two weeks ago, the Palestinians have been evading peace negotiations with Israel. Despite Israel's withdrawal from Gaza as a concession of land for peace, and despite the generous offer of 98% of the West Bank and East Jerusalem to the Palestinians by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, the Palestinians have refused to work with Israel and will not do so any time soon. Now Palestinian leaders are openly refusing to negotiate with Israeli leadership. FULL POST

Scripture: "The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Psalms 110:4

Prayer: It's still dark and this verse – from one of David's psalms – calls to mind Paulo Coelho's Alchemist in which Melchizedek makes an appearance. Help me this morning to listen.

Response: The warm glow of recognition even if you cannot define or express exactly its meaning in words is what you experience. Realize that there are times when what you sense as a deep truth is beyond expression or definition in words, that is why art serves as an expression of elusive truth. So it is with music, painting, poetry, sculpture, inter alia, and even prose where the meaning is hidden or disguised – and sometimes even from an artist or author, like Coelho.

Forever is a keyword in David's psalm, for it conveys a leap from linear, chronological time that assumes a beginning and an end to the dimension of eternity, timelessness. Take the verse and apply it to your own mundane existence and circumstances and allow it to embolden, grace your day-to-day activity with a measure of the eternal.

Sitting in stillness before the sun has risen is a hint of eternity – peace, harmony, love expression, grace, depth, commitment, relationship, and more. For today, consider what forever means to you even if words prove inadequate.

Earth wobble is the term describing the Earth's different alignment, that has reportedly skewed “ so called” horoscope signs and even given (we are told) perhaps new zodiac signs.

Astronomy professor, Parke Kunkle, caused a sensation when he told the Associate Press about the "wobble", which is when the earth shifts on its axis by one-degree, every 70 years or so. What this means is the earth's alignment today no longer matches up with the alignment it had several thousand years ago, when the star signs were first drafted. As the earth and the stars guiding astrologers wobble predictably or unpredictably and watchers panic that astrology signs may have changed ... leaving billions in greater uncertainty... and without a compass.  Will small realignments develop into further shakings? Some may well ask.

The word of God speaks at the vagaries of life and its many storms... often admonishing to maintain our gaze on the unchanging Rock of Ages – Jesus. FULL POST

Author: ADF Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley

Some of you may remember a brou-ha-ha that arose back in 2007 when Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) wrote letters to six “media-based” church ministries about concerns he had related to financial accountability and policies.  The ministries Grassley wrote to were Joyce Meyer Ministries, World Healing Center Church (Benny Hinn), Without Walls International Church (Randy and Paula White), New Birth Missionary Baptist Church (Eddie Long), Kenneth Copeland Ministries, and World Changers Church International (Creflo and Taffi Dollar).  Sen. Grassley asked each of these ministries for certain information about their finances and governance.  Joyce Meyer Ministries and Benny Hinn’s ministry answered Grassley’s questions and provided information to the Senator.  The other four ministries did not answer Sen. Grassley’s questions out of concerns over religious freedom.  You can get a good history of what happened, including all the correspondence back and forth at the Senate’s Finance Committee Website. FULL POST

Author: SpeakUpChurch

In a much-publicized decision, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently decided that a memorial cross at the Mount Soledad veterans’ memorial violated the Federal Constitution. In particular, the Court looked at the First Amendment and examined the issue under the so-called “separation of church and state” mantra. The decision may not seem like much when reported as a news story, but its implications are staggering. Let’s see why.

Imagine a balance scale capable of weighing arguments, so that the weightier side prevails. Here’s the alignment of interests. On one side of the scale, we have a location where a memorial cross honoring veterans has stood, in one form or another, since 1913 – nearly a century. The current memorial has been at the location since 1954, and the area surrounding the memorial is filled with numerous walls of plaques honoring individual veterans. After nearly two decades of relentless lawsuits by the ACLU, the property with the memorial was taken by the Federal Government in an act of Congress to establish a federal memorial for all veterans. By Congressional standards, the action was a marvel of both speed and consensus. More than 80 per cent of representatives in the House voted for it.  The Senate approved the transfer in a unanimous  vote –see many of those lately? FULL POST

In advance of the release of yet another sensational, Hollywood demon possession film at the end of January ("The Rite") I offer you a review of a possession film that really is worth the couple bucks for a Netflix rental: "Requiem."

Anneliese Michel was a young German Catholic who reported being tormented by demons. Initially she reported hearing demonic voices telling her that she would be damned. But it didn't stop there as her behavior became increasingly bizarre: she reportedly ate pieces of coal and spiders and sunk into a world of depression and paranoid delusion. Then, after attempts at psychiatric treatment failed to alleviate her symptoms, she was subjected to a series of exorcisms over a period of months between 1975 and 1976. They too were unsuccessful as Michel died on July 1, 1976. The autopsy identified malnutrition and dehydration as the cause of death. At this point the story moved from tragic to sensational as the state prosecuted two Catholic priests and Michel's parents for negligence. All four were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms of several months. FULL POST