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January 9, 2018 Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Sm 1:9-20 Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,and presented herself before the LORD;at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chairnear the doorpost of the LORD's temple.In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts,if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,if you remember me and do not forget me,if you give your handmaid a male child,I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;neither...

God chose us “that we should be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4). The challenge of Christian living is to increasingly match your practice to your position. God chose you in Christ to make you holy and blameless in His sight. To be “holy” is to be separated from sin and devoted to righteousness. To be “blameless” is to be pure without spot or blemish—like Jesus, the Lamb of God (1 Pet. 1:19). Ephesians 1:4 is a positional statement. That is, Paul describes how God views us “in Christ.” He sees us as holy and blameless because Christ our...

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). We didn’t choose God; He chose us. What is “the calling with which [we] have been called”? It is simply the position we have now as Christians. Paul said the Christians at Corinth were “saints by calling” (1 Cor. 1:2). Peter instructed his readers to make certain about God’s calling and choosing them (2 Peter 1:10). Our calling is a high calling (Phil. 3:14), “a holy calling” (2 Tim. 1:9), and “a heavenly calling”...

From My Uncle via FWD E-Mail Disasterous Holidays Sent: Saturday, January 6, 2018 12:16 AM Some of you may have noticed that I was off the compute for awhile. When I got back on, I was faced with 160 messages to wade through – but I am writing to tell you what has happened on & since Christmas day. On Christmas Day when we were opening gifts, my speech became garbled, and my thinking sort of disappeared, so Peggy came up & took me to the hospital. She was the only local“family member” still functioning. Jeff & Karen & Debbie...

<p>Bethel Church, a controversial megachurch in Redding, California, is now under fire in Christian circles for allegedly promoting New Age occultism in the use of "Destiny Cards," which critics have likened to tarot cards.</p> <p>Leaders of the 9,000-member congregation have been accused of working with a Melbourne, Australia-based group known as Christ Alignment, a group that claims to have worked with many churches in that country to do readings.</p>

Moody Bible Institute is in the midst of what some say is a "crisis" involving falling enrollment numbers, theologically liberal professors, and an administration that has betrayed the school's mission and created a culture of fear. The school, however, maintains that recent strategic moves have better positioned the institution for the future and they are presently addressing concerns. In November, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago — founded in 1886 and named after renowned American evangelist Dwight L. Moody — announced that as part of a strategic initiative to preserve its long-term financial well-being, it would close its campus in Spokane,...

A University of Tennessee student has argued that two-year-old children have no right to life because they cannot communicate. Students for Life of America have released a video interview of the unnamed student to illustrate the extreme positions taken by the pro-abortion movement. In the short clip, the male student is asked what he thinks about the argument that children can be “aborted” until the age of two. “I’ll buy that,” says the student although he proceeds to argue for the death of two-year olds, believing them to be incapable of communication. “The fact of the matter is that...

The angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me’ - Genesis 22:11-12 Spend some time listening to testimonies of people who have been converted to Christ, and it probably will not be too long until you hear a promise that believing in Christ will make your life easier in some way. Most people who...

Madrid’s 2018 Three Kings Parade featured a gay themed float to encourage LGBT normalization on the eve of Epiphany, stirring outrage among the country’s Catholic faithful. The controversial float in Friday’s parade featured a female stripper, a female hip-hop artist, and a drag queen, according to Crux Now. The archdiocese of Madrid responded indirectly to the float, reminding Catholics that celebrations of Christmas and the Magi should center around praise of Jesus, not the promotion of personal ideologies. Archbishop of Madrid Cardinal Osoro Sierra also tweeted after the parade, and urged parents to “explain to your children that the Wise...

January 8, 2018 The Baptism of the Lord Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD:Here is my servant whom I uphold,my chosen one with whom I am pleased,upon whom I have put my spirit;he shall bring forth justice to the nations,not crying out, not shouting,not making his voice heard in the street.a bruised reed he shall not break,and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,until he establishes justice on the earth;the coastlands will wait for his teaching. I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,I have grasped you by the hand;I formed you, and...

God “chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). A true sense of identity comes from knowing that God Himself personally selected you to be His child. Many people in our society are on a seemingly endless and often frantic quest for personal identity and self-worth. Identity crises are common at almost every age level. Superficial love and fractured relationships are but symptoms of our failure to resolve the fundamental issues of who we are, why we exist, and where we're going. Sadly, most people will live and die without ever understanding God's purpose for their...

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). A worthy lifestyle is possible only by depending on God’s resources. Walking is often used in Scripture as a symbol of the Christian life. It is simply a reference to your daily conduct or lifestyle—a day-by-day, step-by-step commitment to follow Christ. As Christians we “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). John wrote, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (2 John 6). Paul said to walk in good works (Eph....

But that chain of authority is often not so clear in the church world, especially amongst non-denominational evangelicals. If a man or woman steps up behind a pulpit and speaks to us authoritatively on matters of theology, why do we automatically accept this authority? Is it because we like what we hear? Or do we validate the authority because the pastor’s interpretation of the Bible jives with our own understanding? But who are we to even make that judgement? Why is our interpretation of the Bible any better than the person sitting next to us on the pew? And if...

January 7, 2018 The Epiphany of the Lord Reading 1 Is 60:1-6 Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,the glory of the Lord shines upon you.See, darkness covers the earth,and thick clouds cover the peoples;but upon you the LORD shines,and over you appears his glory.Nations shall walk by your light,and kings by your shining radiance.Raise your eyes and look about;they all gather and come to you:your sons come from afar,and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see,your heart shall throb and overflow,for the riches of the sea...

“God...has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, emphasis added). Christianity isn’t simply a belief system—it’s a whole new identity. Many people mistakenly believe that one's religious preference is irrelevant because all religions eventually lead to the same spiritual destination. Such thinking is sheer folly, however, because Scripture declares that no one comes to God apart from Jesus (John 14:6). He is the only source of salvation (Acts 4:12) and the only One powerful enough to redeem us and hold us secure forever (John 10:28). Every Christian shares a common supernatural union with...

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). A passion for Christ is what compels us to live an exemplary life. What do you think of when you hear the word beggar? You probably picture a haggard person in tattered clothes with an outstretched hand asking for money or food. Would it surprise you to know that the apostle Paul was a beggar? He didn’t beg for money, though, but for people to follow Christ. The word translated “entreat” in this verse...

January 6, 2018 Christmas Weekday Reading 1 1 Jn 5:5-13 Beloved:Who indeed is the victor over the worldbut the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,not by water alone, but by water and Blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies,and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify,the Spirit, the water, and the Blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony,the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this,that he has...

“God...has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:3, emphasis added). Christians hold a dual citizenship. We are citizens of earth, but, more importantly, we are also citizens of Heaven. It's been said that some Christians are so heavenly minded, they're no earthly good. But usually the opposite is true. Many Christians are so enamored with this present world that they no longer look forward to heaven. They have everything they want right here. The health, wealth, and prosperity doctrine has convinced them that Christians can have it all, and they pursue “the good life” with...

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1). To mature in our faith, we must learn to see things from God’s perspective. Paul was a prisoner of Rome. Why then did he call himself “the prisoner of the Lord”? Because he had the ability to see everything in terms of how it affected Christ. No matter what happened in his life, he saw it in relation to God. His questions were, “What does this mean, God?” and “How does this affect You?”...

January 5, 2018 Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop Reading 1 1 Jn 3:11-21 Beloved:This is the message you have heard from the beginning:we should love one another,unlike Cain who belonged to the Evil Oneand slaughtered his brother. Why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil,and those of his brother righteous. Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to lifebecause we love our brothers.Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,and you know that no...