Aloha Friday Message – May 11, 2018 – Bridges

May 11, 2018

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

Please take a moment – or two – to use this link to view the new Poetry Page. It’s in the upper right column in the Pages List. Much appreciation to Ryan and Kate Wilmot and Svetoslav Sabev for their support, help, and guidance in achieving this dream!

A quick personal update. I had my right hip replaced 5/7/18. I now have one thigh that looks like it belongs to a linebacker! It’s painful, but bearable. I’m focusing on getting through PT with a positive attitude so I can have the other one done within the year. Thank you again for your prayerful support. It’s a big help I assure you!

Since sitting for long periods is not a good idea, I’m going to pull out an Ace and use material a Guest Contributor today, John Kretser, a long-time friend, mentor, and fellow laborer in the harvest. John sent me this message back when I was having shoulder problems and was weighing the possibility of having to use speech recognition to dictate my posts. That didn’t happen, fortunately, thanks to a great physical therapist named Todd Strong. Enough introductions! On with the message and John, MAHALO NUI LOA!

Bridges

“Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down.”           Paul Simon

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Have you ever considered the impact of a broken bridge?

In 1987 spring arrived early in upstate New York. The snow melted quickly with the onset of unseasonably warm weather in March. Then, for ten days straight the skies opened up and heavy rain fell steadily on the already saturated soil of the hills and valleys of the Catskills and Mohawk Valley, transforming normally gentle rivers and streams into raging torrents of muddy water. In the pre-dawn hours of April 5th, just a few miles west of the city of Amsterdam, the relentless assault of the surging floodwaters undermined the foundation (a condition called “bridge scour”) and a thirtyfive-year-old bridge gave way, crumbling and tumbling into the swollen, angry Schoharie Creek. As a result, Interstate 90, a.k.a. the New York State Thruway, that major four-lane route spanning the Empire State from border to border was no longer the unbroken ribbon of concrete and asphalt it had always been since it was completed in the mid-1950’s.

Only a few hours earlier Elton and Sarah Richards, homebound for Chicago, had bidden their daughter and her family an emotional, reluctant farewell, with many loving hugs, kisses and tears, following a pleasant vacation and family reunion in Hartford, Connecticut. Everyone was already looking forward to getting together again at Christmas time.

In the swirling mists, darkness and drizzling rain, it was unlikely that Elton was aware of the breech over the Schoharie until the very last instant when his sedan suddenly ran out of pavement and plunged off the highway, plummeting through 120 feet of naked space into the turbulent waters churning below, even as Sarah’s terrified screams were swallowed up in the damp darkness. The Richards were not to be the only victims. Before authorities would learn of the bridge collapse and could erect barricades on the site, eight more souls would join the Richards in a watery death on that terrible Sunday morning.

For me, learning of this tragedy had great impact because I was able to easily visualize the location which was near where I grew up and the site was familiar. The bridge, over which I had traveled numerous times, was located at the bottom of a long, steep hill where Schoharie Creek flowed into the Mohawk River which paralleled I-90

Bridge failures, of course, have happened before and since. Remember the earthquake at LA and the bridge collapse over the Mississippi in Minneapolis in 2007?

Actually, fortunately, bridge failures are rare events. However, what makes them memorable is the sudden, spectacular and devastatingly tragic impact they bear on people’s lives when they do happen. Ironically, another truth is that bridges are, for the most part, taken for granted, that is, of course, UNTIL they fail.

We have been talking about physical bridges made of wood, stone, steel and concrete but, what about the emotional “soul-bridges” in our lives?

However, where bridges of concrete and steel connect roadways over rivers, ravines and swollen streams, soul-bridges are the relationships spanning the space between hearts and minds, keeping us safely above such hazards as sorrow, anger, bitterness, fear and despair. Soul-bridges are just as important to our well-being as their steel and concrete counterparts. The condition of soul-bridges reflect the integrity of our relationships with one another and the care and attention we invest in them.

After the collapse of the Schoharie Bridge, the report from the New York State Thruway Authority cited “poor maintenance” coupled with “severe stress” on the foundation of the structure as the reason for the bridge’s failure. So, even though the bridge failure manifested in a catastrophic manner, various forces together with neglect had been working for as long as 30 years leading to the failure which had only the appearance of sudden, unforeseen disaster.

In a similar manner, I think it is fair to ask, “What happens when we abuse our soul-bridges through “poor maintenance” and “severe stress”? How about damage, sometimes irreparable, between any two or more people but experienced most commonly with spouses, friends, family, co-workers and business associates?

Haven’t we all learned the price of “bridge abuse” to one degree or another? The most common outcome of soul-bridge/relationship abuse is seldom a total collapse or closure. Rather it is the establishment of emotional barriers which impose cost, inconvenience, stress and, plain old difficulty in our relationships. One day there was a beautiful, shimmering span between two hearts joined together in a satisfying relationship characterized by harmony, purpose and happiness. Abuse, deliberate or unintentional, takes place. The next day, to our dismay, what had been a bridge with unrestricted access to the other person or persons now features an ugly toll booth, complete with the emotional equivalents of gates, dogs, and armed guards. Restoration becomes a long and painful process and even then, the relationship will probably never be what it once was. Even with an appeal under a white flag, some relationships are never restored or even given a chance to be restored. All these outcomes are all but assured. How dismal, sad…..

UNLESS…. We find a foundation with a strength and power that surpasses pride and hurt feelings, neglect and carelessness, in short, the full array of human shortcomings.

And, now, something that may be a bit of an earth-shaker for some: The most important teaching of Jesus, evident throughout New Testament Scripture, was not on holiness, righteousness, obedience or even faith. Rather, it was on relationships (soul-bridges): first – between God and people, and secondly, and perhaps more urgently, between people. Please note: the terms “bridge”, “soul-bridge” and “relationship”, like the word “trinity” are not found, per se, anywhere in any literal translation of the Bible. However, as we know, the concept is ever-present and found ubiquitously.

Therefore, consider the exchange between Jesus and religious authorities from the temple in Jerusalem:

Mark 12: (Also, found in Matthew 22 and Luke 10) 28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him , “Which is the first [NOTE: the word “first” in the Greek is πρῶτος, pronounced pro’-tos and meaning, per Vine’s Dictionary: Best, Chief, Chiefest, Chiefly, First, Former, Principal (most important)] commandment of all?” 29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.‘ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

In Matthew 22:40, Jesus goes even further, declaring – “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Translation, “If everyone observed only these two commandments with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, no other laws, including the “Big 10” and all the directives of the prophets would be needed.” Go ahead – test the concept for yourself.

Examples: If we truly loved God, would we profane His name or make up another God to worship? If we were to love our neighbor as our self and our neighbor includes our spouse would we commit adultery? In the same manner would we lie, steal or murder?

Note that both the first and second (in importance) commandments here describe relationships, i.e. between God and people (love God), between people (love your neighbor). Okay, I can hear some of you thinking, “What! How can he say “people” where the Bible said “neighbor”? Anyway, what does Jesus and the Bible mean by “neighbor”?

Glad you asked!  For the answer, let’s go to the same scene in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 10, which varies from the story found in Matthew and Mark in one respect – where a “certain lawyer”, or scribe, asked Jesus, seeking to “justify himself”, in verse 29, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus’ response made it clear as He then taught through the Parable of the Good Samaritan, that a “neighbor” is anyone, including enemies, aliens and strangers.

Now, let’s back up a few verses to Luke 10:25 for more information in order to frame the whole passage pertinent to our discussion about soul-bridges and “bridge abuse” – And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” The question was a sarcastic challenge from what was, in those days among the Jewish people, a professional holy person. It was not an honest question seeking truth. We might say that the lawyer/scribe was attempting to undermine the “bridge” Jesus was building. Jesus’ answer, however, was honest, “full of grace and truth” (John 1:17), both for that lawyer and us, today. Remember what Jesus taught His disciples regarding this issue in Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” This is a matter of eternal consequences! We would do well to heed Jesus’ words. In a proverbial nutshell, the point of all this boiled down and summarized, is that from God’s perspective, relationships (soul-bridges) are more important than the Law regardless of whether it is God’s Law, which is perfect, or man’s law, which is NOT!

 

This teaching in Luke is in agreement, affirming the many other teachings of Jesus concerning relationships, of which one of the most explicit is found in the Sermon on the Mount”, specifically, Matthew 5:43-48. The NLT version renders the teaching as follows: 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ (a relationship) and hate your enemy (a relationship). 44 But I say, love your enemies (a relationship)! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father (a relationship) in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike (a relationship). 46 If you love only those who love you (a relationship), what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends (a relationship), how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Relax! The word “perfect”, here, in the Greek carries the meaning complete, not flawless.)

As long as I am pressing a point, let me press a few more! This passage follows other teachings of Jesus in the same Sermon on the Mount that are all about relationships:

  • 21 – Jesus teaches murder and anger are the same.
  • 27 – Jesus teaches adultery and lust are the same.
  • 31 – Jesus teaches that divorce is a sin against marriage.
  • 33 – Jesus teaches God’s approval of integrity and honesty with others.
  • 38 – Jesus teaches kindness and gentleness versus payback and resentment.

Are we beginning to see how “the light that has come into the world”? (John 1:4-9) And, while we are in John, let us consider what may be the ultimate declaration of Jesus concerning relationships, one with which we are all very familiar –  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. In short, this verse may be restated (not improved) in four relational parts: 1. God loved, 2. God gave, 3. We believe, 4. We receive.

It’s all about relationships!

Because we are created in God’s image, bridge building tends to be a natural, almost instinctive process. With each person we meet or speak a new bridge is built. If we stop to think about it, we realize that there are several under construction in our lives right now. Certainly, there are hundreds we have already created and no doubt there are a few we have destroyed or allowed to come to ruin or disrepair on the highway of life behind us that we may never be able to cross again.

The soul-bridges of our lives have the ability to support the full measure, or lack of, peace and joy we will know in this world if we commit to caring for them as we follow the way Christ has revealed to us in His WORD.

Whenever we communicate or interact with others let us pledge to visualize a bridge us and pay close attention to the character, quality and condition of the bridge. Let us further resolve that no relationship is too small or too casual to justify ignoring, misusing or abusing.

Beloved – If a bridge is built on the firm foundation of God’s principal laws of love, then the pillars of trust and respect, supported by the cables of honesty, held together with the cement of gentle understanding and mortar of love, the bridge will always, always, always remain a viable, reliable span that nurtures and sustains the souls on either end, free of anxiety and stress. The bonus? Two – we keep Jesus’ commandment, securing our citizenship in the Kingdom of God and fulfill the Great Commission, which becomes an effortless action. John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture given is from the New King James Version.

Take care – God bless.                                                                                     PJK

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd! Thanks again, John!

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Aloha Friday Message – May 4, 2018 – Now Hear This!

May 4, 2018

1818AFC050418 – Now Hear This

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

John 15:12 – 12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! This is a familiar passage, one of several that contain Jesus’ command to love, and it is a passage we have cited often in these writings. Today we will look at a few of those similar passages and take a deeper look into how they are connected by looking at the Greek in which they were written. I will use just a couple of examples so that it doesn’t get too technical. We can start with a passage from the First Letter of John. I’m going to show it to you in English and Greek just so you can see the connections.

1 John 4:7 – 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not does not know God, for God is Love.

Ἀγαπητοί, ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγέννηται καὶ γινώσκει τὸν Θεόν. ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν οὐκ ἔγνω τὸν Θεόν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν.

Now, I also want to show you this same passage in another translation because some readers make it a point to remind me that “Jesus didn’t speak Greek; he spoke Aramaic.” This comes from an excellent resource for studying the New Testament: The Aramaic Bible in Plain English – 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God, 8 Because God is Love, and everyone who does not love does not know God.

As you can see, there is not much difference between those passages. If you use the first link (1 John 4:7), you can see what this looks like in the Authorized King James and the New English Translation as well. Why look at it several different ways? We can see that the key words are in every translation, and by looking at the key words, we can understand the impact of Jesus command. We’ll add one other reference to tie all of this together:

John 13:34-35 – 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

I’m going to emphasize the English words we’ll be studying in Greek:

I give you a new [καινὴν] commandment [ἐντολὴν], that you love one another. Just as I have [καθὼς] loved you, you also should love one another.

First up – new. The Greek word here is καινὴν [kainós] (kahee-nos) – absolutely and uniquely new and without precedent. It is something that is completely different from anything anywhere anytime because this instant is the first time it ever existed and it is incomparably first-and-only. It is original, unused, and innovative.

Next – commandment. That Greek word is ἐντολὴν [entolé] (en-tol-ay) – a fixed rule unchangeable and inviolable which stipulates how something is to be done to achieve a specific outcome. The rule is abundantly clear in the sense that the command is so obvious that it sounds self-evident. It is so obvious that it is a “natural rule,” a rule anyone can understand because it is a rule anyone could perceive as being valid. The purpose of this rule focuses on the end result. The objective of this command is an expected outcome which comes into being through obedience to the command. The instructions in the command contain all the requirements for obedience.

Finally, just as or in the same way as καθὼς [kathos] (kath-oce) – in exactly the same manner, to precisely the same degree, to the complete extent, and in a way that is identical to. We could go back to the identity expression we have used in the past when we said

LIGHT ≡ GOD ≡ LOVE ≡ TRUTH ≡ WAY ≡ LIFE ≡ FOREVER

We can therefore say

YOUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER ≡ MY LOVE FOR YOU

Now the question arises, “How is this new? Didn’t Jesus say that “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself?” are the greatest of all the commandments?” Yes, he said that. In today’s passage he is saying something bigger, something more intense, something mind-shattering. He is saying, “Love your neighbor (each other, one another) as I do.” When we say, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” we assume that we love and care about our own well-being and that we will treat our neighbor with the same healthy respect we have for our own lives. It’s the basis for the Golden Rule “Do unto others as you would do unto yourself (or as you would have them do unto you).” Treat others the way you want to be treated. Jesus isn’t saying that. He’s saying something new. He’s saying to love your neighbor exactly, precisely, and completely in the same way Jesus loves you and your neighbor – Love without selfishness, possessiveness, jealousy, pride, without holding anything back, completely abandoning any claim to be loved in return, sacrificing all for the good of another rather than your own good. And that is a commandment, not an aphorism, not a proverb, not a suggestion, not an optional behavior. It is a commandment – a directive, a mandate, a decree, a law. That is why we so often talk about “Christ’s Law of Love.”

That is a lot to ask! It was, and is, Jesus who asks that of us now – right now.

How? How do we do this? 1 John 4:16 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Jesus commanded us to love one another. We must obey his command. “Whoever loves me will keep my word.” (John 14:23) If we love Jesus, we will want to love each other. Sometimes it seems too simple. Just love Jesus, and we will be empowered to keep his commandment to love each other. The reverse of this also seems simple. Just love others the way Jesus loves them and we will be loving Jesus. Thus, the word “Love” can be a word of obedience, too. It is not as simple, though, as “feeling love” for one another. Love is not a feeling. “Like” is a feeling. Love is an action. We must act on our love, not merely express it or feel it. While it is true that loving Jesus and loving others are inseparable, they are inseparable acts, not feelings. If we believe love is a feeling, then we can be afraid of losing love, or even using love. We must not be afraid.

There is a hymn I learned in our Youth Group around 1960. It was written Ellis Govan 1897-1983, born in Biggar, Strathdyde, Scotland. He served in World War I, and then worked in Kenya for several years. He later joined Faith Mission, the evangelistic agency his father founded in 1886 in Scotland and Ireland. Ellis wrote the hymn, “I Will Not Be Afraid.” (↔ Music Link) This hymn was born among the persecuted missionaries and believers in China during the war with Japan, 1931-1939. They boldly sang it together daily as they were surrounded by constant danger. Music: “Duntroon,” usually listed as Anonymous. As we listen to this simple tune and read the words, we can think about the love in our hearts and examine that love to see if there is any fear within it (remember, Brendan Case taught us FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real). If there is fear, we must “look upward, and travel onward, and not be afraid.” True Love does not evoke fear. We are repeatedly commanded to Love, and repeatedly reminded “Do not be afraid. (e.g., Psalm 56:11) Fear not. (e.g., Luke 12:32)” Love, instead, delivers us from all fear if we will just love one another in the same way that Jesus willing and completely, without pretense or demand, Loves us they same way his Father loves him.

Jesus loves us because he does what his Father commands. We love Jesus because he loved us first, best, last, and always. It is ἀγάπη (agápē) {ag-ah’-pay}. That is love that is centered in and expressed as a moral preference. It typically refers to Divine Love as that is the Love that God prefers. It is preferential love that grows out of reverence toward God that is manifested by reverence toward each other. We prefer to Love rather than not to love because God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Stick with God. You will recall that prophecy begins with the words “Thus says the Lord.” Hear ye the word of the Lord (i.e., NOW HEAR THIS): Love Jesus just like he loves you and you will love each other as he does. Why make it more complicated? It’s a one-word command.

LOVE

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd!

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Aloha Friday Message – April 27, 2018 – Heard It in the Grapevine

April 27, 2018

1817AFC042718 – Heard It in the Grapevine

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! This message is related to a post from 2012, and the story I will refer to in this post can be found HERE. It is also for the Fifth Sunday after Easter. The readings for this coming Sunday, April 29, 2018, can be found HERE.  Now, let’s see what the Holy Spirit has in store for us today.

 

John 15:5 – 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

 

Suppose I know that you really love grapes. I decide I want to give you a memorable present, so I go to a vineyard being pruned and gather up a few of the pruned branches, and wrap them in a pretty velvet bow as a friendship present to you. “Not much of a present,” you say. “What am I supposed to do with these? They’re already wilting.” You get the idea. You do not define your life, or anyone else’s, by the fruit that can’t be grown on pruned branches. Like the artist who throws away everything he does not need in a chunk of marble so that only the figure remains, the branches that are pruned are discarded because they allow the true purpose of the vine to become manifest. The vine bears more fruit after it is pruned.

If you are hoping for a very fruitful vineyard, for example, you have to prune the vines. It’s not enough to cut out the sections that have dried up. You also have to cut back the good parts, the living parts, the fruitful parts so that they will become even more fruitful. In verse 2 of this same chapter, Jesus said, “He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes, so that it bears more fruit.” What is it like when God prunes away the deadwood in our lives? It is like laying down that winter coat in the desert (the 2012 story I mentioned). And what is it like when God prunes the live branches? It is like the times we know our lives are reshaped, refocused, and poised for growth; it is when we learn by yielding to the hand of God. It is when our lives become more and more bountiful by being nurtured in the Word of God. That is what we focus on today, being nurtured in The Word.

Where is YOUR Bible?

What comes to mind when we read that description, “The Word of God.” For most of us, it brings to mind the image of our Bible. I wonder, sometimes, where Bibles reside in people’s homes. Many of us have a “Family Bible.” It’s usually a big, heavy, ornate volume with places to record important events in life like baptisms, and marriages, and births. Because it’s so cumbersome, it takes some effort to drag it out and use it – so it basically is “on display.” It might even look like this one a little bit. I have Bibles at home that go back decades. In my “200 section” in our home library I have a Bible I received from my parents when I was in high school. There’s a Red-Letter New Testament with gopher wood covers given to me by a classmate my senior year. Next to my workspace in the living room I have a Bible Crucita bought for me, and right next to my computer I have the New International Version (NIV) Study Bible; my dad gave it to my mom, and my mom passed it to me many years later. In the same shelf I have the NABRE (I pronounce the like “neighbor’) – the New American Bible – Revised Edition. This is the “official Bible” of the Roman Catholic Church in America. Lastly, I have software that contains literally hundreds of translations in dozens of languages. It’s called BibleWorks. I use it all the time – in fact, the NIV, NABRE, and BibleWorks get used almost daily here. Now, what if I told you that none of these fit the definition of what I mean when I say “being nurtured in The Word?”

“Huh?” Let’s go back to the Key Verse again. It starts out by saying, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” And what about John 1:1? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. If we are to be nurtured in The Word, we are to be nurtured in Jesus, the Christ of God. Next he says, “Those who abide in me and me in them bear much fruit.” We need to be in the Vine. That’s why my little present of a bunch of pruned grape branches is so useless. They are no longer part of the vine; there may be parts of the vine where life is still happening, cells are dividing, photosynthesis is proceeding – but there will be no fruit! Without the vine, there is no possibility for fruit – or even life. A pruned vine might stay caught in the branches and be near the vine, but it’s not being nourished in the vine. If we are reading the Bible, are we “in the Vine?” It doesn’t really matter how many translations we have, or how many studies we read, if we are not in Jesus, if we are not intimately connected with him, if we cannot share back and forth between the root to the fruit. I can read and write and talk and sing about Jesus all day long; but, if I am not living in him and he is not living in me, all of that is just noise. And why is that?

Let’s examine the last phrase of the Key Verse for today; it says, “because apart from me you can do nothing.” That makes sense, doesn’t it? Belovéd, reading the Bible really is not the same as living in Jesus. The words from The Word certain can, and do, nourish our souls, but without that personal, nurturing, life-giving connection with The Vine, our studies cannot be fruitful. I could write these posts until my fingers fall off, and you could read them until your eyes glaze over, but without both of us being branches in The Vine, it’s like a broken pencil – pointless.

We often have a penchant for pointless things. For some of us there are so many things in life we cling to as if our life depended on it (like that winter coat in the desert). Sin, painful relationships, ill will in families, bad habits. NONE of these are things we need. Let our dead branches be cut out and our living branches be pruned. Friendship, faith, knowledge, charity, wisdom. ALL of these are things you need. Remain in the vine so the vine remains in you. He has loved you with an everlasting love (↔ Music Link). He has created you and shaped you to be uniquely his, and to resemble him closely in your life on Earth. Why should we do this? Look at verses 7-9: 7. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9. As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my Love.

It is so clear what he means when he says I am the Vine (↔ Music Link). Can the root produce the fruit? Can the branch yield fruit without The Vine? Can the vinedresser say to the vineyard, “You know how to grow. Do it by the book.”? No. God himself makes sure that his vineyard yields its fruit in due season, for, as Jesus says in John 15:1-2 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. The Father is the vinegrower, Jesus is The Vine, we are the branches. When Jesus says removes, the Greek word is καθαίρει (kathairei) {kath-ah’-ee-rei} – to cleanse and remove filth, impurity, and death (like deadwood), and to purge that which does not enable life. Branches without fruit are purged and removed. Branches that can produce are pruned to become even more fruitful. Belovéd, stay in The Vine. Remain in his Love for has he says, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.” I love you, too! I stay in The Vine to be of The Vine for him and for you.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

More music? Sure! Use this (↔ Music Link) or THIS (↔ Music Link)

 

 

Aloha Friday Message – April 20, 2018 – Flock to the Shepherd

April 20, 2018

1816AFC042018 – Flock to the Shepherd

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

¡Que la bendición esté siempre con ustedes y que Dios los bendiga, Amados! (May blessing always be with you and may God bless you, Belovéd!) Before we get into today’s lesson we extend our heartfelt appreciation to all of you who prayed for us during our catastrophic weekend recently. Officially we are told that the Northern end of Kauaʻi around Hanalei received more than 28 inches of rain in 24 hours. In the 48 hours ending April 15 at 6 p.m., Wainiha got 32 inches of rain (Use the link to see the map). That’s more than Mount Waiʻaleʻale — the wettest place on Earth — which got “only” 22 inches. The flooding was epic. At least 3 homes were completely destroyed, several dozen were badly damaged, Our Mission Church – St. William the Confessor in Hanalei – was rendered unusable, and Hanalei Elementary sustained significant damage as well. Multiple landslides across Kūhio Highway, our main North-South road, stranded residents and tourists. It’s going to be an expensive cleanup and will take quite some time to return to normal. Fortunately no lives were lost, but the property damages on all 7 of the main Hawaiʻian islands is formidable. You can find more news here. We deeply appreciate your continued prayers. Now, down to the business at hand.

John 10:17 – 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

We all know that tired old debate about the chicken and the egg. The best answer is that the chicken came first because it was what [1] laid the egg, and [2] incubated the egg until it hatched, and [3] mothered the chick to maturity. That makes sense, and contrariwise not much else does. In the same line, we could ask, “Which came first, the shepherd or the flock?” That truly is a tricky question. If we are thinking of Cain and his little brother Able, the answer is that the flock came first because God made all the “living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” (See Genesis 1:24-25). Scripture shows that in verse 26, God decided to create man; so we see that in the Creation story, the flock was there before the shepherd. However, the GOOD SHEPHERD was there before the flock. In John 10:11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Jesus came before Adam (See John 1:2-4), before the cattle, before the dry land, and even before the deep.

It is this same sequence-seeking, seeing which comes first, that sets the scene in our Key Verse for today. Jesus must first lay down his life in order to take it up again. But wait, Jesus is eternal, was there before the sheep were created, and is The Good Shepherd. How can he lay down his life? He can do that because he will willingly sacrifice his own human life in his own human body so that he can take it up again in his own resurrected body. He is eternally The Good Shepherd with or without his human body. He is eternally divine. He cannot be resurrected, though, unless he first dies. We know that makes sense because we know how to answer the question, “Which came first, the Death, or the Resurrection?” The Good Shepherd has always been part of God’s plan for salvation, and it ends with all of us, his flock, being resurrected so when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. (See 1 John 3:2) It is always that way in God’s plan: First things first and Last things last. He has revealed to us that, like a good Daddy, he “saves the best for last.” Let that sink in for a moment.

What is the last thing we do on this earth? We die, and for most of us, that is not a conscious choice. However, that’s not the absolute last thing we do on earth. We also decay. That also is not a conscious choice. These things have to happen first, though, so that the “last things” can happen in their proper order. What, then, is the last thing we experience? Well, properly speaking, the last that happens to us is to be rewarded with eternal life in our resurrected body – also not a conscious choice, but one we willing accept. We are able to accept that reward because of conscious choices we make before we die. What is the last, best, and most important conscious choice we can make before we die?

The last, best, and most important conscious choice we can make before we die is to be in the flock of The Good Shepherd. Let me expose a little flaw in the assertion that the sheep came before the shepherd. The sheep indeed were created before the shepherd, but it is the shepherd that calls together the flock. Without a shepherd, sheep form a herd – a social group of four-legged mammals all of the same kind that live and move together. With a shepherd, sheep become a flock because they come together to move to a different place because of the presence of the shepherd, not because of the instinct of the herd. Sheep choose to follow the shepherd. Now, in popular culture, we regard sheep as mere stupid animals who can be easily led because they don’t think for themselves – hence the term “sheeple.” But let me tell you, unless you have tried shepherding a herd of sheep, you have no idea how obstinately independent they can be. You recall those stories in the Bible about lost sheep? They get lost because they choose not to follow the shepherd. They abandon the flock for their own purposes – however foolish that may be.

The Good Shepherd tells us he lays down his life for his sheep. Shepherding sheep is something that requires presence and committed involvement. Jesus contrasts his care for his flock with the hired man’s lack of care for the flock. Jesus says, This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. (See John 10:12-13 for details) A real shepherd cares more about the sheep, even to the point of risking – giving up – his life for them. One does not lead a flock of sheep by remote control (unless you count this guy on the Internet). The Good shepherd leads his flock. The cattleman drives his herd. The Good Shepherd knows his sheep and they know him and follow his voice. The cattleman may know some of the members of the herd but would be hard-pressed to know if one was missing. There certainly are many ways of managing a large group of social animals, and there are also many types of shepherds.

Good shepherds lead their flocks to good pasture, safe places, and refreshing rest. When it comes to humans as social animals, we have seen shepherds who are not good. They do not lead their flock to protection and rest, but instead lead them to destruction and death. We know that, for the most part, humans choose to follow those shepherds, to become part of those flocks, to listen to those voices. Following that kind of shepherd also ends up in eternal life; but it is a life we should not consciously choose – it is a life without the comforting Joy of the Presence of God and his Angels and his Saints. When we choose to flock to The Good Shepherd, we are the sheep of his flock. We don’t hear about a “flock of buffaloes.” There are some critters that are not inclined to be shepherded. There are limited exceptions of course, but generally shepherds and sheep go together. Our Good Shepherd indeed laid down his life for us so that he could take up his and ours again. Once for all – all time and all his flock – he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. (See Hebrews 10:14) And who were those who were sanctified? Those who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. (See Ephesians 1:3-4) Isaiah 40:11 – 11 He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering his lambs with his arm, carrying them against his chest, gently leading the mother sheep. Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

“You can’t roller-skate in a buffalo herd,” (↔ Music Link) and for that matter you can’t roller-skate in a flock of sheep either, but you can choose to flock to The Good Shepherd. He knows you, and he leads you to greener pastures beside still waters. The Good Shepherd leads us in love to Love for Love because he is Love. Blesséd be God For EVER! (See Psalm 118:1)

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd!

Share-A-Prayer
Please continue to pray for everyone around the world – not just Kauaʻi – who has suffered the effects of inclement weather. We didn’t choose the weather, but we have chosen to not only survive but to prevail – with God’s and neighbor’s help.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

Special bonus shot! Not many people know we have a herd of buffaloes here. Some of them got loose during the storm. You don’t see buffalo on the beach very often.

 

 

Wainiha to Princeville (via Google Earth)

April 18, 2018

Aloha Friday Message – April 13, 2018 – Can I Get a Witness?

April 13, 2018

1815AFC041318 – April 13, 2018 – Can I Get a Witness?

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

Luke 24:48 – 48 You are witnesses of these things.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! I hope this title seems familiar to you because we’ve used it before. In fact, already in this year of 2018 we have built teachings around the idea of a witness at least four times. Are we stuck in a rut? No, I think it’s more like we’re on the right track. In our American culture, being a witness is a huge part of our daily lives. Even the newscasts like “Eye-witness News” affect the way we receive information. Instead of the traditional reporter-on-camera broadcast, this form of reporting uses observational data in live-action video and other visual components. There is less emphasis on third-person observation and more emphasis on the experience of “you are there.” The premise is that the person in the field is the presenter of the information instead of the anchor back at the station. The anchors become providers of segues between reports and function as “media magnet” to boost ratings. This format, which has been branded in broadcast corporations around the world, began with KYW-TV in Cleveland, OH and was expanded and improved by news director Al Primo. The emphasis on historical authenticity encouraged audiences to feel they were more directly involved in whatever was happening now. As mass-media communications became denser and more sophisticated, the immediacy of being part of history has also risen to become the expected norm. We can sit in our living rooms or the hair salon or our favorite sports bar and be “live witnesses” to something happing anywhere in the world. We become part of the history being made by being witnesses to history in the making.

There is another aspect of being a witness that also plays a big role in our lives today, and that is the legal concept of being a witness. Just as with the historical interpretation of witnessing, the legal interpretation depends on seeing, hearing, or in some way gathering and sharing information that is used to make legal decisions. Most folks would agree that the legal usage differs from the historical usage because the legal usage involves experts in the law who openly try to sway the legal system to interpret events in favor of their cause – a client or government institution; they give the facts a spin which they hope will benefit the persons on whose behalf they work. Many would argue these days that in the historical concept of witnessing, there are even more “spin doctors” who work ever harder to spin things, but without us realizing it. Whether it’s in the evening news or in the courts, the emphasis these days is consistently, “I’m telling you the truth and ‘they’ are not.” Here again we see the impoverishing effects of moral relativism. Something can be true only if we believe it to be true. “What’s true for you may not be true for me.” How can there be a witness to something which may or may not be true?

Let’s turn to the Bible and the book of Proverbs to start answering that. Proverbs 14:25 – 25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is a betrayer. We also gain some insights in Exodus 23:1 – 1 You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with the wicked to act as a malicious witness. There you have it, possibly the first mention in the Bible of fake news. In the Mosaic Law, there were prohibitions against “he-said-she-said” suits. God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites how to make life-and-death decisions for people who broke the law. Deuteronomy 17:6 – 6 On the evidence of two or three witnesses the death sentence shall be executed; a person must not be put to death on the evidence of only one witness. This is echoed by Jesus in Matthew 18:16 – 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. The Apostle Paul brought up this idea several times including 2 Corinthians 13:1 – 1 This is the third time I am coming to you. “Any charge must be sustained by the evidence of two or three witnesses.”  1 Timothy 5:19-20 – 19 Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. Hebrews 10:28 – 28 Anyone who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” The part that I underlined there is an example of using legal and historical witnessing as a deterrent to further infractions against The Law. A central theme in the Bible is, of course, The Law.

There are over a dozen words related to “law” in the Bible (e.g., lawful, lawgiver, lawlessness, lawsuit, and even lawyer) and over 600 occurrences of such words. In the Old Testament, we often find the word תּוֹרָה (torah) {to-raw’} which we recognize as the word Torah – Law. Some of us will remember the episode in Numbers 17 where a cadre of rebellious complainers tried to usurp Moses’ authority. God told Moses to gather a rod – walking stick, staff, or scepter – from each of the twelve tribes, and also the Rod of Aaron, and to lay them in front of the Testimony – The Tent of Meeting which held the Ark of the Covenant containing the stone tablets of The Law. When Moses went back the next day, Aaron’s Rod had three stages of new growth – buds, blossoms, and fruit (it was an almond branch). This was a testimony from God against the rebels to convince them that they needed to stop complaining. The “witnesses” were the twelve rods that did not bloom and the one that did, and they were witnesses in the presence of The Law legally and historically.

Wherever there is a law to be enforced, there are also witnesses to aid in the enforcement. Wherever there is an event to be remembered, there are also witnesses to aid in the documentation. If two or three (or more!) persons witness, the likelihood of identifying Truth is enhanced and increased. It is important, then, to remember that being a witness carries with it the responsibility of being objective in reporting what we see and/or hear. At times, this requirement for objectivity is literally a life-or-death matter. Even in the life and teachings of Jesus, we see what happens when objectivity fails.

Let’s look for this in John 5:31 – 31 If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. (Good News Translation – GNT): 31 If I testify on my own behalf, what I say is not to be accepted as real proof. I strongly encourage you to read this in context by going to John 5:24-33. In Jesus’ life, the “spin-doctors” were the ruling classes – Pharisees, Sadducees, the Sanhedrin, and the Elders. At that point in his life, Jesus had Disciples, but he did not have witnesses. We’ve discussed the derivation of witness before. It comes from the Greek word Μάρτυς (martus) {mar’-toos}  meaning a witness; an eye- or ear-witness; one who testifies. You may recognize it as the root of the English word martyr. Jesus did die as a martyr, and also as a redeemer, and as the Only Begotten Son of God. We are to be witnesses of that Truth. We are to testify to the Truth of the Word – Who is, was, and always will be The Law, the ever-living תּוֹרָה – the fulfillment of everything God gives and receives. We are more than two or three witnesses; we are billions throughout all of human history and human law.

Turning again to the Letter to the Hebrews, we read about the history and law of Israel as the Nation consistently and heroically bore witness to God’s Goodness as we read in Hebrews 12:1-2 – 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

We should also consider what the Apostle John said about one’s testimony about the Son of God in 1 John 5:6-13, especially verse 9 (use the link to see this in context): 9 If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.

If God himself stands as a witness to the Truth – historically and legally – of Jesus, the Christ of God, we too can bear witness and testify, with our lives if necessary. We are the witnesses; now, who will testify?

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd!

Share-A-Prayer

Did you print out the list I sent you Tuesday? If not, please do. If so, please add

  • SR – experiencing a protracted and painful recovery from knee and shoulder surgery. Please pray for a full and expedient recovery.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

 

 

 

 

Aloha Friday Message – April 6, 2018 – Credo in unum Deum

April 6, 2018

1814AFC040618 – Credo in unum Deum

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

1 John 5:1-2 – 1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ [the Messiah] is born of God, and whoever loves the father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! Did you have a wonderful Easter? We certainly did! Crucita and I attended all three services of the Triduum, cheered on our Elect as they received their Sacraments of Initiation and are now Neophytes, watched as their dad, as well as our son Timothy, came into full communion with the Church, and experienced a ton of blessings in our Retreat with the kids. God is GOOD! (All the time!)

Yesterday, April 5th, was also a very special day. April 5, 1969, I received my Initiation into the Church with my Air Force friends looking on at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. In fact, there have been several important celebrations in my life recently:

  1. March 25, 1977 – Confirmation at St. Bede the Venerable Church in Montgomery, AL
  2. March 27, 1948 – Baptism as an infant at 1st Presbyterian Church in Rapid City, SD
  3. April 3, 1955 – 1st profession of faith at Corona Presbyterian Church in Denver, CO
  4. April 5, 1969 – Baptism and first communion as a Catholic in 1969 at LAFB in San Antonio, TX
  5. April 18, 1955 – Anniversary of my selection for membership at Corona Presbyterian Church in Denver CO
  6. April 19, 1969 – Anniversary marriage: Charles O. Todd, III married Crucita A. Gonzales at Chapel 2 on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX.

In all six of those events, The Apostles Creed had an important, central position. Do you remember that Creed? It goes like this:

Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

I encourage you to look into this a little further than we will here today by following this link to a history of the creed. It’s been around for a long time, and – in the western church – is used by Catholics, and non-Catholics. Knowing, and often reciting, this Creed is very often one of the criteria for being admitted to a Christian Church. Not all religions have such a complex creed. Judaism is in some ways indisposed to formulated creeds as it tends to limit thought. Islam’s “creed” is very short and affirms that Allah is god and Muhammad is his prophet. Christians have used this creed or some form of it since at least 400 AD. So what is a creed?

A creed is any organized statement of doctrine or values. It is a statement of beliefs, such as the ethical standards that guide one’s life. In other words, a creed is a systematic statement, usually written, of one’s personal commitment to one’s beliefs and values. It may be entirely personal and unique, or – as is usually the case – it may express shared beliefs and values. The words in the title of this post are the beginning words of the Christian Creed in Latin – Credo in unum Deum which is I believe in one God. It is used in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. In Catholic Tradition, the Apostles Creed preceded the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed dates to 325 AD and has remained mostly unchanged since then. Consult the Wikipedia Article for additional insights.

The Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed are both Trinitarian in their expression and content; that is, they express a belief in a Holy, Triune God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as stated in The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 – 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Apostles Creed is also sometimes referred to as the 12 articles of faith. Here is how that works out:

  1. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
  2. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
  3. Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
  4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
  5. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead.
  6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
  7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
  8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
  9. the holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints,
  10. the forgiveness of sins,
  11. the resurrection of the body,
  12. And in life everlasting.

It could be honestly said that we live in a non-creedal or anti-creedal world these days. The very idea of having any form of indisputable statement about anything is just not acceptable “in this day and age.” Some of the reasons for this are –

  • Moral relativism
  • Existential, live-for-the-moment emphasis on personal and immediate gratification
  • Being altogether PC so as to believe any form of doctrine – or not
  • Attempts to over-simplify everything so that it is palatable and inoffensive
  • Ignorance of history and its significance
  • The fear that using, or even having a creed weakens the efficacy of Scripture

This was even a problem in the history of the early church. Here are some examples of what can be found in the Epistles about sticking to the teachings of the Apostles:

Hebrews 13:9 – 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings; for it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food, which have not benefited those who observe them.

2 Timothy 1:13 – 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Titus 1:9 – 9 He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it. (Referencing the requirements for a Presbyter)

Galatians 1:8-9 – 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

I’d like to make one final point about today’s Key Verse. For that, I turn to a verse that shows up often in these pages. John 1:12-13 – 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. John says  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. Jesus commands us to believe (Mark 1:15), and to observe his commandments (John 14:15), and to love “one another” (John 15:12). We are to love the Children of God, we are to show mercy and compassion to the Children of God, and we are to build up the Church in the Children of God like living stones laid upon the foundation of Christ and the Apostles as in 1 Peter 2:4-5 – 4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5 like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Jesus is The Living Stone rejected by the builders.

Do not be unbelieving, but believe! God does not lie! Numbers 23:19 – 19 God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? What I tell you is True. I know it is True because it comes from God, and God alone is True. CREDO!

Thank you for your continued prayers. Keep at it. Look to the Rose Garden I sent to you earlier this week. Do you remember the song I come to the garden alone? (↔ Music Link) That beautiful hymn was written by C. Austin Miles (1868–1946) in 1912 as he reflected on the passage in John 20 in which, alone, Mary Magdalene enters the garden wherein Jesus’ tomb is prepared. He envisioned her, holding back her grief, and then her rejoicing greatly as Jesus spoke to her. Go to that prayer list I gave you and read it while you listen to this hymn and think of Mary meeting Jesus there. You will believe, as I believe ~~ The Lord is Risen! He is risen indeed!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd!

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

 

Aloha Friday Message – March 30, 2018 – An Intersection in Eternity

March 30, 2018

1813AFC033018 – An Intersection in Eternity

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

Today is Good Friday. It is a day of solemn remembrance for billions of people. It is the crucial juncture between the Old and New Covenants. If you think about the symbol for infinity it is the place where the “loops” cross – on The Cross.

We are often reminded at this time of year – and also in times of trials – that “There is no Easter without there first being a Calvary.” Even better is the corollary of that adage: “There is no Calvary without an Easter.”

Today I am going to list a few things for you to think about over this coming weekend. I actually hope you will think about them even beyond this coming weekend. Some of these sayings or observations come from a Mission given in our Parish several years ago by Fr. Bill Burton, OFM. Others are just things I collected along the way. In instances where I can attribute the statement, you’ll see that in italics.

In the Old Covenant, everything that was offered in sacrifice was something that could be used as food. Fr. Bill Burton, OFM (Think about that especially this weekend.)

One often meets one’s destiny along the road taken to avoid it. Jean de La Fontaine

Not all thorns have roses.

“God helps those who help themselves.” Hezekiah 9:9 *

“God helps those who cannot help themselves.” Chick Todd

“God helps those who help others.” Vivian Gordon

“God helps everybody whether they know it or not, whether they believe it or not, whether they ask for it or not. Regrettably not everyone accepts that help.” Chick Todd

Remember the smile on your face was put there by you but the ability to do that is a Giftfrom God! Be generous with that gift!!People often don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

If you should meet someone without a smile, give them one of yours. No other gift could cost you less to give or be of such great value when received. Chick Todd

“We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense.” Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life)

Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. C. Wynn

Do Not Rob God! Malachi 3:8-12

Micah 6:8 ~~ He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. God through the Prophet Micah

Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil, but those who counsel peace have joy. Proverbs 12:20

 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:18

In my view, this is the path to Peace. Let’s walk it together with Him in whom all Peace resides.

“Where you sit depends on where you stand.” Chick Todd (See Luke 14:8-11 [Thanks to Fr. Bill!])

You can be a thermometer or a thermostat. One testifies to what’s going on. The other not only testifies, but also changes the environment to preapproved conditions. Number 27 in “27 Beautiful One-Liners”

A.S.A.P.!

There’s work to do, deadlines to meet;
You’ve got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
“Quality time” is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He’ll respond to all your needs
A.S.A.P. – ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER. Lisa Englehardt

Always remember to keep that FROG in your life – Full Reliance on God

FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real Brendan Case

FAITH – Fully Aware I Trust Him

And so, Beloved, I will say a prayer for you: May your day today be filled with Love and Light from Him by whom are made all good things in Heaven and on Earth. AMEN.

Thank you for YOUR love and light. You have made something beautiful and wonderful out of the love God created for you and in you. I am humbled and blessed to know you have shared that love in your prayers.

Prayer is one of the best gifts we receive because it is inspired and empowered by God. The only cost is the will and time to do it, but the rewards are beyond comprehension. Let’s continue to pray for one another.

God blessed YOU, so make it a great day!! God blessed me by leading you into my life (or leading me into your life, eh?), so for me, it’s ALREADY a great day!

Oh, and don’t forget to give God a little PUSH once in a while:

Pray
Until
Something
Happens!

P’s Power
Plan Purposefully, Prepare Prayerfully, Proceed Positively, Pursue Persistently!
May “P’s” be with you Always!!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd!

* And for you astute Bible students: Yes, I know there is no book in the Bible called “Hezekiah.” That is why this famous quote is not in the Bible!

Serving Him on Earth may not always garner the best wages, but the retirement plan is out of this world!!

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

 

Aloha Friday Message – March 23, 2018 – A Look Beyond

March 23, 2018

1813AFC032316 – A Look Beyond

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

Matthew 27:51 – 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split.

Aloha nui loa, ʻŌmea! Today I want to look several of the things that we read in Scripture during Holy Week, the week which begins with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and ends with his passion, death, and burial. We will look beyond the words and try to piece together a little history and some other insights. We begin with a comment about an impending event being advertised on television – a broadcast of Jesus Christ Superstar on NBC. Crucita and I remember when this first came out in the early 70’s. We were living in Tucson at the time and a DJ there (who later became a dear friend here on Kauaʻi) was playing excerpts from the musical on his radio show. It really was an amazing experience and initially we thought a step forward in bringing the Gospel to a new audience. Then we noticed some disparities such as Judas and Mary (the Magdalene) saying “he’s just a man.” Mary Magdalene knew Jesus was not “just a man.” In addition, during the entry into Jerusalem, Jesus is portrayed as helping lead the signing of praises to God and states the kingdom of God can be won. In a scene purporting to be Jesus at the Temple he is approached by lepers who beg to be cleansed. His response is, “There’s too many of you – don’t push me! There’s too little of me – don’t crowd me! Heal yourselves!” At Gethsemane, Jesus laments that he is no longer inspired; he is just sad and tired. The Libretto by Timothy Rice intimates that Jesus is not Divine, and that he accepts the death of a martyr as an assurance that he will be famous afterwards. There is no mention of the Resurrection.

I bring this up because I see it as another manifestation of the poisoning of hearts and minds by the surging tides of evil in these days. Nearly 50 years ago this musical drama was hailed as a breakthrough, a beginning of a new era of “Rock Opera.” In the ensuing years other mass-media productions mocked the Messianic reality of Christ’s life, passion, death, and resurrection; they were so vile I will not even mention the names. Now this production will bring all of those errors (blasphemy, or heresy, or both?) into the public arena again. This is another attempt by the forces of evil actively persecuting the Church to damage and interfere with the spread of the Gospel. The implication that Jesus lost sight of his mission while on the way to Jerusalem is a blatant lie. At the institution of the Eucharist he opines “For all you care, this bread could be my body ….” This must be utterly rejected. With all my heart, I earnestly implore you to avoid viewing that broadcast. I sincerely believe it will be damaging. It brings filth into the Temple. “How is that possible?” you say. Let’s turn to something the Apostle Paul said about our individual Temples.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. There is a Tabernacle in that Temple, a place where the Holy Spirit dwells, where the Sh’khinah Glory can work in your soul. Did you know you have a Holy of Holies inside you? It is that place in you where you and God speak to one another “in Spirit and in Truth.” It is the life-core of your existence, the part of you made in the image of God. For that reason it is the holiest part of your life. You have heard and read that our bodies are to be a temple for the Holy Spirit. In the most-perfect portion of that temple is your spirit, and we think of it as dwelling in your heart. It is hidden and protected by a Gift called Life. When the veil is removed, the spirit is released from your Holy of Holies and joins its Creator.

Surrounding that Holiest place is the manner in which we live in the World. If we are “in the world but not of it,” then the life we live is protected by morals that defend and protect all living souls. Our beliefs match our actions and our actions match our belief that all life is sacred; indeed, all Creation is sacred because it was made by and in God for his Glory. This is the Truth that is mentioned in these messages previously as described by Frank Peretti: “There’s no way for you to know whether what I’m telling you is true unless you know what the truth is. And there’s no way for you to know what the truth is unless there is a truth that you can know. (If you’re searching for the truth, and there is none, then what are you searching for?) You’ve got to have a truth that true whether you believe it or not. It is a truth that is true whether you like it or not. It’s true whether you even know about it or not. It’s just TRUE: OBJECTIVE EXTERNAL ETERNAL TRUTH THAT STANDS IN AND OF ITSELF.” Life is sacred because it comes from God, so it is the Gift of Truth that shelters that Sacred Place, and helps protect the innermost part of our being. Without that Sacredness, the Holiest place can be defiled with Worldly corruption leaving just a hollow shell without true Life at its core.

If we allow worldly corruption of the Gospel of Christ to enter our hearts and minds, we in reality surrender to evil. One of the greatest lies we hear almost daily is that sin is irrelevant, or that only seriously wicked souls can sin. We are taught that sin is actually a minor problem because “it really isn’t that bad,” that “everyone does it,” and “besides, nobody really gets hurt.” I remind you to look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and Galatians 5:19-21 for lists of things we see daily (especially through mass-media outlets – print, video, cinema, and social). The World tells us “It does not matter.” We can turn to Jesus and see his plan for those who practice and perpetuate evil in Revelation 22:14-15 – 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. The musical described above delivers a great deal of falsehood!

Going back to our Key Verse about the veil of the temple being torn, there is an abundance of commentaries about how it happened, when it happened, and why it happened. I’ve read and heard many expositions about that event. Many suggest (or in the view of some, affirm) that it was the inner veil, the Veil to the Holy of Holies that was torn. That would indeed be a formidable event because that veil is described as being about 60 feet high, 30 feet wide, and 4 inches thick. This teaching is an indication to many that the veil separating humankind from God has been taken away and that now humanity has direct access to the glory of God and no longer has to go through the Ritual Sacrifice prescribed by Moses. There are also accounts that the veil that was torn was visible from the place where Christ was crucified. From that we can infer that it was the outer veil that was torn. Descriptions of it are not as easily found as are descriptions of the inner veil. We do know that it was a veil, a “doorway” that kept the gentiles from entering into the Temple proper. The conclusion of this teaching is that the way for gentiles to approach God has now been opened. In either case, I believe that the real lesson is that [1] the curtain was torn supernaturally at the moment of Christ’s death, [2] that it was torn from top to bottom, and that [3] the rending of the curtain points to the rending of Christ’s flesh as described by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 10:19-22 – 19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

There were two veils torn that day. We have thought about the veil of the Temple, but there was also the Veil of the Flesh of Jesus. In this passage about the torn flesh of Jesus, Paul says we now have entry to the Holiest of places by “the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,” And because these two veils were torn apart for us, our bodies are the dwelling place for God. The Temple was an extraordinary building fabricated of the finest materials and a symbol of the great wealth of Israel even as a subjugated nation, a source of nationalistic pride, and it was afforded deep reverence. In Israel’s past, the desecration and destruction of the Temple was seen as the consequences of their failure to love and serve God as He commanded. Now, in this act of destruction – the rending of the veil – the Temple is essentially decommissioned – laicized if you will. It is no longer a place for God’s Sh’khinah Glory – the Spirit of the Living God Dwelling Among Us. He has removed the barrier and commissioned billions and billions of new Temple locations. That would be us, temples of the Holy Spirit.

When Christ sent His Spirit to the Disciples at Pentecost they were prepared by the Holy Spirit to do the work of evangelization as the Spirit descended on them as “tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. God took up His dwelling, his presence, his Sh’khinah Glory, in them; and in us as well. Once we open the door at which Jesus stands and knocks, the Glory of the Lord is enshrined in our hearts, and our bodies house this astonishing shrine, the Tabernacle of the living God. Paul warns us that we should not desecrate it, especially with immorality which he describes as sins against ourselves. You see, while every sin we commit is a sin against God because it is a rejection of His Love and Grace, we also sin against our own being, or own life, our own bodies which are all a gift from God.

Our bodies are equipped with a tabernacle, a perfect meeting place, and it is the special Meeting Place for us and God. He is always at the Meeting Place – always. And as long as we live, so are we. That means we and God are always in the presence of one-another. He waits for us to open our tabernacle for Him so he can take up residence there. How often should we tidy up that room? How often do we need to clean out the garbage, the filth, the desecrations we pile up because they give our bodies pleasures that are illicit and offensive both to us and to God? How often do we point an accusatory finger at someone else when it is our sin that needs purging, our Temple that reeks of the worst of human aberrations?

Consider this passage from farther down the page in Hebrews 10:

Hebrews 10:26-29 – 26 For if we willfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has violated the Law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” 29 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? Look beyond what The World tries to tell us. We know better!

Please use the following link to find Philippians 2:4-11. Use that to fill up your Easter Sunday time, and not the farce that NBC will present.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd!

Please pull up Tuesday’s message and grab the Share-A-Prayer list.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

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Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

 

 

Aloha Friday Message – March 16, 2018 – 1 light, 1 dark

March 16, 2018

1811AFC031618 – 1 light, 1 dark

Read it online here, please. And please, when you visit there, use one of the social media links at the bottom of the page to share this post. Thank you! And remember, we now have a READER VIEW available, so share this link or this email often.

John 12:31-36 – 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34 The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”

John 12:26 – 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

¡Que la bendición esté siempre con ustedes y que Dios los bendiga, Amados! (May blessing always be with you and may God bless you, Belovéd!) It is already THE Fifth Sunday of Lent and the time for the Third Scrutiny for our Elect. In just a few days – March 31st at the Easter Vigil – they will receive the Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Eucharist. These kids are so ready for this! Our two candidates are also working toward full communion and will finish up their sacraments on Easter morning. We are excited for them, and their excitement is plain to see as well.

Today we are using a verse from the Gospel of John – part of the Cycle B readings – but our kids will be hearing readings from Cycle A which include Ezekiel 37:12-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:8-11, and the story of Jesus’ dear friend, Lazarus, found in John 11:1-45. You can see all of that online by clicking on this link. In the Cycle B Gospel from John 12:20-33 (follow this link), Jesus is speaking to a group of Greeks who have come to see him. He is telling the crowd that he is going to be lifted up and will die, and they just can’t understand. The Apostle John consistently uses the image of Light when describing Jesus. Jesus is the Light that shines in the darkness. The crowd does not realize how close and heart-wrenching the darkness Jesus is foreseeing as he describes his death.

The Jews in the crowd protest that they have been taught that the Messiah will be eternal. They ask, “How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Indeed, who is this Jesus who is Light, and Truth, and Grace? The Apostle John tells us in John 8:12 – 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” If we are followers of Jesus, that first of all means he is leading us. If he is leading us we will never walk in darkness. If we are following him, we are walking in the light of his Glory and Grace (↔ Music Link). John 12:26 – 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. How will the Father honor the servant of Christ?

The one who follows Jesus walks in the Light of his Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and the only begotten Son of God. It is easy to skip over that important word only. If we read just a few more lines farther down the page we come to John 1:18 which says 18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. New English Translation. (NET) The NABRE notes for that passage state that the Greek term used in this verse for The only one is monogenēs theos μονογενὴς (monogenēs) { mon-og-en-ace’} Θεὸς  (Theos) {theh’-os} literally, “one (monos) of a class, (genos)” hence the only one of its kind. God is Light. Jesus is God. Jesus is Light. We who follow – walk with – Jesus walk with the Light. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light. Believe, and become children of God (John 1:12).

There is one (1) Light and that Light is God. But what of the darkness? Is it also one? I am reminded of a fictional story that circulates around the Internet fairly often; it’s called “Does Evil Exist?”. It is about a college professor who claims to be an atheist. He challenges anyone in the class who believes in Jesus to stand up prove their faith is valid. One student stands and the exchange between the professor and the student form the testimony of faith the professor wishes to refute – but cannot. He claims that, since God created everything, God must have created evil. At one point, the student asks the professor, “Professor, does darkness exist?”

The professor responded, “Of course it does.”

The student replied, “Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton’s prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn’t this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”

This is seemingly a winning argument, and indeed – even spiritually – we might say that Spiritual darkness is a term used by people to describe what happens when there is no Light present. Spiritually, though, there is 1 Light and that Light is our Triune God who is a living God of Power and Might. Spiritually, there is also a being who is darkness because in him there is no Light. Returning to the Letters of the Apostle John, we come to 1 John 1:5 – 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. Satan is darkness and in him is no Light at all. And yet, we have many people – thousands upon thousands – swearing that light is darkness and evil is good (See Isaiah 5:18-23, especially v. 20 which reads in part 20 Ah, you who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light). There is 1 light and there is 1 darkness in the Spiritual War we act against, but that darkness is not merely the absence of Light, it is also the presence of evil and every bit as real as the Light we follow and eventually become. This is what the Apostle Paul meant by this passage from Ephesians:

Ephesians 5:8-16 – 8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light — 9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. And if the days are evil, then we must not be asleep but rather vigilant: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 – 1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.

God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is our Light: 1 Timothy 6:16 – 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. Let us therefore be followers of the Light described by Isaiah 2:5 – 5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! If we are in that Light, we are of the Light, and we will share the Light as we carry the Light. Light grows by giving it others. Jesus spoke of his life as a grain of wheat in John 12:24: 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. The “fruit” of Light that is shared is much more light just as the fruit of the grain is much more wheat. Choose Light and choose Life. Then, when we are transformed at the end of the Age, we will know what John meant in Revelation 21:23-27– 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Those who choose darkness will have it as their eternal heritage. Those who choose Light will share it in Heaven with God, and all his good angels and all his dear saints.  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. It is time for the Light to drive out the dark; the Light has come. Blesséd be God forever!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Belovéd!

Share-A-Prayer

  • For JE – a lifetime of illnesses and suffering, now dealing with psoriatic arthritis and experiencing much pain and frequent falls.
  • For IDC – on the verge of beating breast cancer and now faced with brain cancer.
  • For RR and her entire family grieving the passing of another loved-one.
  • For all the chronically ill who endure pain and many other discomforts, please, let’s make time to be in unity with another mind; and then make room for another mind; and then make room for another mind; and so on. Especially for NAS, RB, KD, MT, DP, LC, KW, FO, and AD, Let us pray to the Lord. LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Creative Commons License
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com

 

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