Bagdhad Live

Trying to make sense of a senseless civil war after freedom and democracy were won for the Iraqui people. Are they so addicted to violence that the only war they understand is one of attrition?




God have mercy on us all.

Friday Blogachute!

Friday : Blogachuting – start off from one blog and keep jumping to others until you hit the ground

It’s Friday lunchtime and I’ve still got tons of stuff to do. But my blogachute is ready and I’m taking off for some fun

8000 feet - Codex: Biblical Studies blogspot – great source for all things biblical - musings on Biblical Studies, Biblical Hebrew, Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Popular Culture, Religion, Software, and pretty much anything else of interest

Today’s comment: Clasroom etiquette – or the lack thereof

7000 feet - Faith and Theology – a blog for theological scholarship and contemporary theological reflection – some cool artwork, as well as faith issues.

Today’s stuff – a poll on the worst theological invention

6000 feet - Biblicalia – looks like an Eastern orthodox blog which is heavily into mystery, saints, and icons

Today’s blog – On the Mother of God – a reflection on Mary’s prominence in Christian teaching and history

5000 feet - Anecdotal Evidence – a blog about the intersection of books and life.

Today’s item – Thirty Seven Words – all about one of Shakespeare’s poem from Cymbeline. Could be used for funeral services.

4000 feet - House of Mirth – James Marcus is a writer, translator, critic, and editor. He is the author of Amazonia: Five Years at the Epicenter of the Dot-Com Juggernaut and five translations from the Italian (the most recent being Tullio Kezich's Dino: The Life and Films of Dino De Laurentiis and Saul Steinberg's Letters to Aldo Buzzi).

Today’s interview - a conversation with Carlo Bonini, one half of the investigatory duo that Michael Isikoff calls "the Woodward and Bernstein of Italian journalism." Mostly we talked about the forged yellowcake dossier--a story that Bonini and his partner Giuseppe D'Avanzo were the first to break in any detail.

3000 feet - Grumpy Old Bookman - A blog about books and publishing, aimed at both readers and writers. Listed by the Guardian in 2005 as one of the top ten literary blogs.

Today’s section: Noted in passing – what’s happening in the book world today

2000 feet - Pub Rants - A VERY NICE LITERARY AGENT INDULGES IN POLITE RANTS ABOUT QUERIES, WRITERS, AND THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY

Today’s rant – Joe Schmoo Agent – a great piece about the woes of agent who scam writers. Excellent information for those whoa re serious about getting published.

1000 feet - Musings of Louisiana Liar – blogsite of Jana DeLeon – author of a new book called “Rumble on the Bayou.”

Today’s muse: Talking about the Bookseller of the Year awards.

Zero feet - back to work I guess....

Holy Name

Audio version here

Acts 3: 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. (NIV)

I was watching the news this morning and a saw a video of Stephen Hawking, the great physics professor from England, floating through the air inside a diving airplane. Hawking is an amazing person. He’s been a paraplegic all of his life and can only converse with other people via an electronic device. He has fought against all sorts of hurdles to become a prominent scientist. He is esteemed throughout the civilized world as a remarkably talented genius. He now wants to go up in a rocket and become the first wheel chaired person to go into space. I hope that he fulfills his dream.

There is, however, a side of Hawking that remains paralyzed within him. He has no belief in God and can be quite vitriolic against those who have faith. Stephen doesn’t think that the universe was created, but that it just happened by accident. I guess he feels that the same fate, which saw him born with no speech or mobility, caused the Cosmos to spontaneously appear. Perhaps if I was in his shoes, I would feel the same.

I wish that he could find God, for I believe it would have an immense impact in the world. I hope that if he gets up into space, he will undergo a spiritual awakening and discover that beautiful gate which will lead him to our Creator. It would be a wonderful event and could begin a renaissance of faith throughout our society. I think I’ll pray that it happens, and that Jesus of Nazareth will enable Stephen Hawking to walk in His Light.

Christ has the power to release us from all that paralyses our hearts and minds. Throughout the Book of Acts in the Bible, people are liberated from sickness and despair, madness and corruption, prejudice and pain. The first apostles understood how powerful Jesus was, and that by merely speaking His Name, people were healed. Perhaps it’s time that the Church reclaimed this power.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your Name is holy and sacred, precious and wonderful. We have forgotten that the gift of Your Name has the power to forgive our sins, restore our lives, and heal our sicknesses. Grant us the courage to reclaim the strength of Your Name. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Playing Favorites

Audio version here

(This is my 300th posting - whoopee!)

James 2:1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. (NIV)

I used to play field hockey for my High School. Because I could run fast and score goals, my coach appointed me as the team captain. Field hockey is an aggressive game, played over two forty minute halves, which means that strength, stamina, and temerity are ideal qualities for any player to possess.

One Saturday, our school team was due to play our local rivals. This meant that it was a grudge match and each side wanted to fiercely beat the opposition. Our coach was absent that day, so I had been delegated the responsibility of selecting our team. I chose all my favorite players and put them in positions that required their strengths. There was only one other player left, called Gordon, and I benched him during the first half. I reassured Gordon that he would play throughout the second half.

Well, the match got underway and it was absolutely hostile. I even ended up in a stick fight with the opposing goalkeeper who almost knocked me unconscious with a vicious blow to the head. When the first half ended, the game was tied 2-2.

I wanted to win the game, so I stuck with my original choices. Gordon was a small, skinny kid whose only strength was his loyalty to the team. I didn’t want his weaknesses to be exploited by our rivals, so I benched him again. He was terribly disappointed and, during the second half, he walked away from the game. He never returned to the team. We also lost the game 5-3.

Even although this happened over thirty years ago, I still feel guilty about choosing my favorites over Gordon’s loyalty. I made the wrong decision that day, for selfish reasons. I allowed pride and passion to ignore service and support.

James reminds us in his letter that our churches are not meant to be places where favoritism is practiced. Every individual believer has her or his part to play in the life, work, and ministries of Christ’s congregations. We are all equal in His eyes and every one of us has an important purpose in God’s Kingdom. There are no star players on the Lord’s team. Favoritism does not trump faithfulness.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to apply today’s message in Your congregations. Give us the capacity, as well as the desire, to accept one another as Your servants and to support each other equally. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Fifty Three Percent

Audio version here

Psalm 96:8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. (NIV)

I was reading a report the other day that startled me. It stated that in the last month, 53% of church attending Christians gave nothing to their church. Zilch. Nada. Absolute zero. I was shocked. How could people call themselves Christians and not set aside something for God at least every month?

The reason that was given for this surprising news was not surprising at all. Americans have over-stretched their borrowing ability and are paying back high interest mortgages, car payments, and credit cards. Giving to God is being given a low priority, for even some Christians – at least 53%? – are having difficulty with debt.

Thankfully, there are some good budgeting programs to help Christians get out of the debt spiral, and if folks are willing to go through them, they discover that there is light at the end of the tunnel. However, those financial programs emphasize giving to church as a number one priority. Why? Because all of our resources, blessings, and wealth come from God. When we give up giving to God we are dishonoring Him. When we withhold from giving to the church, we are disrespecting Christ.

So, maybe next month we should set aside what we give to God first, and then deal with our debts second. It may cause us to spend less and budget more, but after all that’s what good stewards do for the kingdom we are in, and the King whom we serve.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us completely and You are aware of all the financial burdens that we have. You also know about the resources we possess and the gifts we bring to You. Help us to give cheerfully and faithfully, constantly and frequently to Your Church, for in so doing we honor and glorify Your mission on earth and Your ministry to the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Finding Forgiveness

Audio version here

Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (NIV)

It’s amazing how much emotional baggage and physical damage we endure simply because we will not let go of our guilt or own up to our mistakes. Last week, I was at a coaching-counseling center which primarily works with pastors. It was an intense time, but also a liberating one because I was able to unburden my soul, whilst expressing my weaknesses and fears, mistakes and doubts. I came away from the center feeling lighter, stronger, and better. It was a remarkable time and one that was centered upon the forgiving nature of Christ.

We tend to cling to our regrets and mistakes because we don’t want to disclose our foolish and fallen ways. It’s a matter of pride, mixed with fear and resentment. On the surface things may appear to be calm, but beneath our skin, a lot of damage is being done to our vital organs, immunity system, and muscles. The mind and heart do not function separately from the body and soul. Whatever troubles our spirits affects the whole person.

This is why believing and experiencing Christ’s forgiveness is both good news and vitally important to us. When we take time to confess our mistakes to Him, we are embracing His fullness, strength, and love. When we place our bitter regrets and foolish choices into His Hands, He can heal us of the past, restore us to God’s favor, and lead us to a better life. We call that peace; Christ calls it love.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, each day we battle with regrets and bad choices. Sometimes, at the end of the day, we can’t sleep because of foolish mistakes and fearful consequences. Lead us to Your throne of grace and help us to humbly bow before You, so that we may seek Your forgiveness and rediscover health, healing, and wholeness in the process. In Your Holy Name, we confess and pray. Amen.

Blacksburg Candle

A Digital Stained Glass Vigil candle commemorating the tragic loss of young lives at Virginia Tech this week. School colors are represented on the candle and flame.

Blacksburg, April 16, 2007

The world's a darker place today
A man with guns has staged a play
Where kids with hopes and lifetime dreams
Have been mown down with bullet streams.

The world's a sadder place today
With broken hearts in disarray
And mournful parents full of tears
With nothing left but painful years.

The world's a broken place today
For who won't turn to God and say,
"Why did You let this happen here?
Why is our world so full of fear?"

The world's a silent place today
And heaven knows not what to say,
For even God is hurt inside
And grieves the loss of those who died.

Doubting Your Doubts

Weekend Digital glass screensaver depicting Thomas tentatively reaching out to touch Christ's wounded hand.

Eric

Isaiah 63:4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. (NIV)

My car was in the shop today – practically all day, but I used the time to read a book about ministry written by H.B. London, one of my favorite pastor authors. I met him seven years ago in California at a conference. I was really impressed with his gentle and compassionate manner. He’s a real pastors’ pastor and has a lifetime of congregational wisdom and church experiences that connect with other ministers.

Anyway, I was sitting in the shop reading this book, looking at a chapter on reaching out to other people. Sitting beside me was a young man, who noticed that my book bag had “History Book Club” imprinted on it. He turned out to be a history graduate from UT called Eric McFarlane, whose grandparents had emigrated from Jamaica. His area of specialization was in World War II and when I asked him why he chose that era, he told me that his uncle had been a Tuskegee airman in North Africa and Italy.

We talked for about two hours, sharing our life stories, cultural backgrounds, and historical interests. It was one of the best conversations that I have ever had. We both felt completely at ease.

And then a news story on the television interrupted our conversation. It was all about Don Imus, the radio host, and the appalling insult that he made about the Rutgers’ basketball team. Students, administrators, and teachers at Rutgers were staging a protest, calling for Imus to be fired from his TV/radio station. Some commentators were talking about vengeance and vanity. Others were mentioning forgiveness and fair play.

Eric and I looked at each other.

“So long as we keep talking together, we can overcome these issues,” I said.
“So long as we have dialogue, we’ll always respect each other,” he replied.

It was a great conversation and a day filled with hope, not hatred.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the people we meet, the sharing of stories, and the mixing of cultures. Thank You for the varieties of experiences that we all have, which enrich our lives and enhance unity, purpose, and faith. Bless all whom we encounter this week and may we discover new ideas, new lessons, and new lives that will touch our hearts, strengthen our souls, and broaden our minds. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Pitching Tents

Audio Version here

Psalm 104:2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent. (NIV)

I learned how to pitch a tent with my Scout troop at a camp in Scotland called Auchengillan. Our scout patrol was full of tenderfoots like myself who knew practically nothing about camping, but we watched the older scouts put up their tents and tried to copy them.

The tents were nothing like the light nylon ones that we have today. They were made of old heavy canvas and we used thick ropes with wooden spars to set them up. It took most of the morning to construct the tent, but once it was up, our rookie patrol was thrilled. The older scouts, however, were not impressed and later that night we discovered why.

Firstly, we had chosen the roughest piece of ground to pitch the tent. This meant that no matter where we positioned our sleeping bags, the hard contours of the ground dug deeply and painfully into our backs. Secondly, it began to rain in the middle of the night, causing the canvas and ropes to shrink. Eventually, our tent collapsed, so we had to re-pitch it during the darkest, coldest and wettest part of the night. By the time morning came, we were absolutely worn out.

After breakfast, the older scouts helped us re-pitch our tent properly. They found smoother ground and showed us how to storm-rig the ropes. When it rained the following night, we didn’t even notice. Our patrol was sound asleep because our tent was comfortable and secure.

I like the old passages about tents in the Bible. They remind me that the people of God were once nomads, wandering the wilderness and camping in different places. But no matter where they went, they believed that they were secure under the canopy that God had pitched in the sky. I guess their simplistic view of the world was not scientific, but it did offer them comfort and strength, faith and hope that God was watching over them.

Perhaps God doesn’t pitch His tent in the sky any longer, but He does place His presence in our hearts and minds. And whatever the rough passages in our lives or the storms that we endure, His promises keep us secure and His love continues to strengthen our spirits.

Prayer: Lord God, build Your tent in our hearts and pitch Your canopy in our spirits. Grant us sufficient strength for our daily tasks, and restful sleep during the night. May we always know of Your abiding love and holy presence each moment of our days. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Quo Vadis?

Where, O where is our denomination going, Lord?

Body Talk

Matthew 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. (NIV)

There’s a pastor in the neighboring Presbytery who preached yesterday that he believes Christ’s body decayed like any other human being’s. In other words, he doesn’t affirm the Apostles’ Creed, nor does he subscribe to the faith point that Jesus’ crucified body was actually raised from the dead by God. I guess he won’t be preaching about Thomas’ disbelief and the nail prints in Christ’s hands next week either.

I feel sorry for the guy because I think he has lost his faith in Christ, in the scriptures, and in God. He’s preaching an old message that was rejected by the Church sixteen centuries ago, which was called Docetism. The Docetists believed that Christ’s body never existed during the crucifixion and that His resurrection was a spiritual one. Strangely enough, that’s what Muslims believe about Jesus today.

The resurrection of Christ – the bodily resurrection of Jesus – is central to our faith. If Christ’s body hadn’t been resurrected by God, then only His Spirit would have been raised. That happened to Samuel way back in the Old Testament when King Saul got the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28) to raise his spirit from the land of shadows. If it was just Christ’s spirit alone that had been raised, then God would not have been doing anything new.

But the Gospels make it clear that it was Christ’s body that was raised from death. And this sets Christ apart from any other human being in history. This is what makes Him uniquely our Lord and Savior. This is what puts Him above all the other historic religious leaders – Christ was raised from the dead – body and all.

Easter is a beautiful time of year, not just because it is full of new life all around us in creation, but because a human body that was mutilated, maimed, and murdered was raised to life again. This is what we mean when we say “I believe in the resurrection of the body,” and this is what Christ Himself means when He says to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27)

If we say and believe otherwise, we’re calling Christ a liar. And that’s heresy.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we can get trapped into thinking that our own thinking is more sophisticated, knowledgeable, and superior to the first Gospel writers. We forget that they were heavily influenced by people who had first-hand experiences of all that the Gospels express. Keep us free from those who would pervert and subvert Your words and Your ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Like a Rolling Stone...

Last of the anime type Easter posters

Easter morning - Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!



Death where is your victory? Grave where is your sting?

Just Another Saturday Night?

The healing of the universe and the reconciliation of all creation begun on the night before the Resurrection Dawn.

Something Right

God's plan of Salvation - the sacrifice of Christ, His Holy Son.




A Good Friday poster

Maundy Thursday

On the night in which Jesus was betrayed, He took some bread and wine, saying, "This is My Body; this is My Blood. Take, eat, drink, and remember Me."




Worship Bulletin cover for Maundy Thursday service

Flexibility

Luke 13: 14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

Years ago, I conducted a wedding at the seaside for a young couple who were into Celtic symbolism. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful setting for the ceremony. We had chosen a secluded area of the beach, so that interruptions would be minimal. A piper marched the couple into the center of the circle we had formed and I led the service.

I used readings from the Bible about nature and God’s creative powers. I talked about the sands of time and the solid rocks of love that strengthens a marriage. We prayed to the Holy Spirit and referred to the power of the wind and the waves. It was a holy and sacred moment for all of us. It was one of the best weddings I have ever attended.

A couple of days later, I received a telephone call from another minister. He was angry with me because I had performed the wedding. The shoreline was technically in his parish and even though I knew the young couple, he insisted that he should have been given the right to say whether or not the marriage could be performed. When I told him that I knew the family and that we had a Celtic wedding, he was livid.

“Had they come to me,” he growled, “I would never have sanctioned that kind of a wedding!”

I simply answered, “That’s why they didn’t come to you.” At that point, he hung up on me.

Sometimes a bit of flexibility helps the faith. The other pastor stuck strictly to the rules and it cost him his church. Within eighteen months, his congregation of 200 was down to 40 people. It was sad to see it happen.

Jesus also came across this type of narrow-mindedness in the synagogue when He healed the ailing woman on the Sabbath. Instead of rejoicing at her being cured, the cleric insisted that Jesus had broken a sabbatical law. No wonder that Jesus called him a hypocrite. Instead of seeing the good that was done, the cleric wanted the rules to remain unbroken. Instead of showing compassion, he shunned Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep us from loving rules instead of people. Prevent us from holding on to fixed traditions, instead of embracing the work of Your Spirit. Help us to free ourselves from the trappings of religion, in order that we may experience Your mercy and grace. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Giving

2 Corinthians 8:10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.

I don’t like to talk about money from the pulpit. Ask our Stewardship committee. They’ll tell you that I have a hard time asking for general contributions. I don’t know if it’s a Scottish thing or a John Stuart thing. Either way, I have to be totally convinced when it comes to asking.

It’s not that I don’t appreciate stewardship. I really do like the positive attitude that some people have when it comes to sharing and giving of their time, talents, and money for God. I think it’s because I grew up in a deprived household with a poor family. My Dad was too proud to ask for help, even when he was unemployed for almost a year. During that tough time, I can remember going to school with holes in my shoes, trousers, and shirt. I couldn’t accept invitations to go to friends’ birthday parties because we had no money to buy gifts. It was an awful year.

Anyway, I think that’s why I find it difficult to ask for money from the congregation. Paul, however, didn’t have any qualms about this. He felt that giving was the best expression of faithfulness that any church could display. That’s why he writes directly to the Corinthians about their contributions to the church in Jerusalem. The previous year, they had been amongst the first to give and were bursting with enthusiasm about how they supported the whole church. A year later, they seem to be dragging their feet about fulfilling their pledges and promises which, in turn, concerns Paul. If they are not giving as they should, then they are backsliding in their faith. As an old pastor once said to me, “You can’t be devoted to God and steal from Him at the same time.”

So, I guess this devotional is about stewardship after all. Paul’s advice about giving is something we all need to revisit. And during this special time, this Holy Week, shouldn’t we all review what we give to the church because it was established by the One Who Gave Everything for us?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call us to be disciples of faith and stewards of Your Kingdom. You know what we give and our motives behind our giving. Challenge us about stewardship and change us if we allow pride to get in the way of our giving. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Sand Lines

John 10:37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.

It’s time to draw a line in the sand. One of Britain’s newspaper, the Daily Mail, has reported today that the Holocaust will no longer be taught in High schools because it offends Muslims. Islamic religious schools have been teaching for years that Jews weren’t slaughtered by Hitler in their millions during World War II. They have protested so much about this in some regions of Britain, that, in order to keep the peace, the Holocaust is not being taught. This is political correctness gone much too far. This is unbelievable.

In our wee congregation at Erin, we have two special people whose lives were deeply affected by Hitler’s holocaust. Sonja was a child of the Holocaust, whose parents were murdered by the Nazis in a concentration camp. She escaped death as a young child because her parents handed her over to Dutch Christians. Are the British schools going to deny that Sonja’s painful and terrifying experience ever occurred, simply because her personal history offends Muslims?

Bill was a soldier during World War II and he was amongst the first wave of American troops who entered the concentration camps. He saw, smelled and heard the sickening sight of thousands of bodies that had been burned, gassed and mutilated by the Nazi guards. He met with the survivors first hand and saw how scrawny, filthy and skeletal they had become. Are the British schools going to tell Bill it was only a hallucination, a bad dream, even a nightmare?

It’s time to wake up and smell what’s happening to our civilization. For too long we have been tolerant of these intolerant religious fanatics. We are in a war where two sides are struggling to control and triumph over civilization. Are we going to bury our heads in the sand until it’s too late, leaving our grandchildren to be overcome by holy warriors who want to take away our freedoms, liberties, our history and traditions.

If we don’t believe this is happening, then we need to start informing ourselves of what’s really going on. If you don’t like what I’m writing, then try this link for size and read it as your leisure:

Muslims in Nigeria Club Christian Teacher to Death - Obed Minchakpu
Students, extremists stone, beat and burn her after 'desecration' of yet-unfound Quran.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are evil forces in the world today that seek to rewrite history and cross out events like the Holocaust. As we head into Holy Week, remind us of this solemn and somber time, where evil sought to triumph and extinguish Your good. Open our hearts and minds and help us to draw lines in the sand. In Your Holy Name, we fearfully pray. Amen.