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Proverb 20 (NKJV) Wine Is a Mocker 01 Wine is a mocker, 00 Strong drink is a brawler, 00 And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 02 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; 00 Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life. 03 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, 00 Since any fool can start a quarrel. 04 The lazy man will not plow because of winter; 00 He will beg during harvest and have nothing. 05 Counsel in the heart of man is like...

Dependent on God’s Presence " Those who wait on the Lord . . . shall walk and not faint —Isaiah 40:31 " There is no thrill for us in walking, yet it is the test for all of our steady and enduring qualities. To “walk and not faint” is the highest stretch possible as a measure of strength. The word walk is used in the Bible to express the character of a person— “. . . John . . . looking at Jesus as He walked. . . said, ’Behold the Lamb of God!’ ” (John 1:35-36). There is...

July 20, 2014Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Wis 12:13, 16-19 There is no god besides you who have the care of all,that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.For your might is the source of justice;your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,and with much lenience you govern us;for power, whenever you will, attends you.And you taught your people, by these deeds,that those who...

The Submission of the Believer " You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am —John 13:13 " Our Lord never insists on having authority over us. He never says, “You will submit to me.” No, He leaves us perfectly free to choose— so free, in fact, that we can spit in His face or we can put Him to death, as others have done; and yet He will never say a word. But once His life has been created in me through His redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over...

Healing the Family Tree is a groundbreaking book by the British psychiatrist Kenneth McCall. I met Dr McCall when I lived in England, and used his book in my own developing healing ministry as an Anglican priest. Dr McCall was brought up in China as the son of Christian missionaries. While there he experienced exorcisms and the influence of generational curses on families. As he matured he studied to practice medicine and specialized in psychiatry. He discovered that some incurable psychiatric patients had, as part of their problem, unresolved deaths within their family circle. He experimented with a new therapy...

Proverb 19 (NKJV) The Fear of the Lord Leads to Life 01 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity 00 Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. 02 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, 00 And he sins who hastens with his feet. 03 The foolishness of a man twists his way, 00 And his heart frets against the LORD. 04 Wealth makes many friends, 00 But the poor is separated from his friend. 05 A false witness will not go unpunished, 00 And he who...

July 19, 2014Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Mi 2:1-5 Woe to those who plan iniquity,and work out evil on their couches;In the morning light they accomplish itwhen it lies within their power.They covet fields, and seize them;houses, and they take them;They cheat an owner of his house,a man of his inheritance.Therefore thus says the LORD:Behold, I am planning against this race an evilfrom which you shall not withdraw your necks;Nor shall you walk with head high,for it will be a time of evil. On that day a satire shall be sung over you,and...

A Glimpse of Heaven Today's Scripture “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, NIV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria God longs to give you a glimpse of heaven while you are here on earth. He wants to show you His plan and bring it to pass in your life. Have you ever thought about how God’s will is accomplished in heaven? In heaven, God’s will is automatic. There are no opposing forces, no doubt, no enemy or anything that would come against His will. On earth, His will is...

The Mystery of Believing " He said, "Who are You, Lord? —Acts 9:5 " Through the miracle of redemption, Saul of Tarsus was instantly changed from a strong-willed and forceful Pharisee into a humble and devoted bondservant of the Lord Jesus.There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain. We control what we are able to explain, consequently it is only natural to seek an explanation for everything. It is not natural to obey, yet it is not necessarily sinful to disobey. There can be no real disobedience, nor any moral virtue in obedience, unless a...

Proverb 18 (NKJV) The Name of the LORD Is a Strong Tower 01 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; 00 He rages against all wise judgment. 02 A fool has no delight in understanding, 00 But in expressing his own heart. 03 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; 00 And with dishonor comes reproach. 04 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; 00 The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. 05 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, 00 Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. 06 A fool's...

July 18, 2014Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Is 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8 When Hezekiah was mortally ill,the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came and said to him:“Thus says the LORD: Put your house in order,for you are about to die; you shall not recover.”Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD: “O LORD, remember how faithfully and wholeheartedlyI conducted myself in your presence,doing what was pleasing to you!”And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: “Go, tell Hezekiah:Thus says the LORD, the God of...

In a historic vote, the Church of England today approved female bishops. The vote was far from even being close. Women will be bishops in the Church of England after a historic vote in the General Synod, ending 40 years of not being able to do so. An overwhelming 81 per cent of Synod members backed the change, during the sitting in York, and 75 per cent of the laity supported the move.There will no doubt be a great push of the Feminist movement to use this event to further their causes for whatever reasons they may be. There will...

The Power to Make a Change Today's Scripture “I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.” (Psalm 34:1, NLT) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria When you wake up in the morning, do you expect the goodness of God in your life? Do you set the tone of the day for success, favor and blessing? It doesn’t matter what happened yesterday, last week, last month or last year; today is a new day. This moment, you have the power to make a change in your life. Things may be bad all around you....

The Miracle of Belief " My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom . . . —1 Corinthians 2:4 " Paul was a scholar and an orator of the highest degree; he was not speaking here out of a deep sense of humility, but was saying that when he preached the gospel, he would veil the power of God if he impressed people with the excellency of his speech. Belief in Jesus is a miracle produced only by the effectiveness of redemption, not by impressive speech, nor by wooing and persuading, but only by...

Proverb 17 (NKJV) The LORD Tests Hearts 01 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, 00 Than a house full of feasting with strife. 02 A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, 00 And will share an inheritance among the brothers. 03 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, 00 But the LORD tests the hearts. 04 An evildoer gives heed to false lips; 00 A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue. 05 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; 00 He who is glad at calamity will not...

My alma mater, The University of Chicago, was recently in the news for an overtly politically correct act for replacing its historic Bond Chapel's pews for Muslims to worship. This act is raising hackles reminiscent of the university's other, recent, tone-deaf decision to demolish the childhood home of former President Ronald Reagan, on its campus, and replace it with a parking lot and a commemorative plaque.The school, founded by the Rockefeller family in the late 19th century as a Baptist-affiliated institution of higher learning, with an English-style undergraduate college, and German-style graduate research school, today positions itself as completely non-denominational...

July 17, 2014Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time    Reading 1 Is 26:7-9, 12, 16-19 The way of the just is smooth;the path of the just you make level.Yes, for your way and your judgments, O LORD,we look to you;Your name and your titleare the desire of our souls.My soul yearns for you in the night,yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you;When your judgment dawns upon the earth,the world’s inhabitants learn justice.O LORD, you mete out peace to us,for it is you who have accomplished all we have done. O LORD, oppressed by your punishment,we...

The Power to Make a Change Today's Scripture "I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises." (Psalm 34:1, NLT). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria When you wake up in the morning, do you expect the goodness of God in your life? Do you set the tone of the day for success, favor and blessing? It doesn’t matter what happened yesterday, last week, last month or last year; today is a new day. This moment, you have the power to make a change in your life. Things may be bad all around you....

The Concept of Divine Control " . . . how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! —Matthew 7:11 " Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God’s control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly...

Catholic News Service photo Bishop Elias Zaidan visits Portland the weekend of July 19-20. Catholic Sentinel photo by Ed Langlois Abouna Jonathan Decker and Monk Anthony Joseph Alles at the Maronite monastery in Beaverton in 2011. Ed LangloisOf the Catholic Sentinel The variety of Catholic tradition and the plight of Christians in the Middle East will be at the forefront this weekend in Portland. The leader of Maronite Catholics in the western U.S. is visiting to ordain a Portland monk on the path to priesthood. Bishop Elias Zaidan of the St. Louis-based Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon...