Today's Devotion: James 1:2-3 (New International Version) - 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Of all the books in the New Testament, the Epistle of James is one which seems to focus on a lot of the negative, rather than the positive. James talks a lot about what seem to be works, and even Martin Luther was frustrated when he read James' letter.

Today's Comments: If you look closely at James' writings, however, you will see that when he talks about doing good things, he really is talking from a faith prospective. Good works are not the result of human intent, they are the result of God's grace, and good works are given in response to that grace, enabled by it, and proceed from our faith. And while God himself does not necessarily challenge our faith by putting stumbling blocks in our way, there are plenty of other outside influences over which we can easily trip. And it is those stumbling blocks and this corrupt world that become our real test of faith.

Today's Devotion: Titus 3:4-7 (New International Version) - 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Paul is telling Titus that God favors us, not because of what we have done for Him, but because He loves us. That is God's grace, pure and simple.

Today's Comments: I always think about Martin Luther, when I read passages in which Paul talks about God's Grace. In my History of Theology class, we are given a vision of Luther, frustrated by his own thoughts, because he has no idea how to live a life that will be pleasing to God. While Luther wants to meet God's expectations, he cannot figure out just what to do. Then, he reads Paul's words, which jump out at him in a way that scripture has never jumped out before! God's grace has nothing to do with what kind of life you live! It has to do with what is in your heart! No matter how hard we try to please God, we will come up short. But all we have to do is let Jesus into our hearts and proclaim Him as our savior, and the Holy Spirit will do His work. Grace will come to you, and the good works will flow naturally from that gift. Simple? Yes.

Presenting Our Requests to God

Today's Devotion: Philippians 4:6 (New International Version) - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Paul is calling on us to be joyful and to be in the Lord for all things. He is preaching the Peace of God.

Today's Comments: I have been spending numerous hours, by myself and in group study trying to study for my Theology I exam. I really have no idea as to how well that I will be able to do. But, I must trust in the Lord that He will enlighten me and give me the tools necessary to be successful. I am doing my best not to be anxious and pray that He will help me understand. Please continue to pray for me. A little help from the outside will not hurt.

Today's Devotion: Psalm 112:1; Psalm 112:7 (New International Version) -1[a] Praise the LORD. [b] Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. 7 He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

We all receive bad news sometime during our lives. However, if we trust in God, He can deliver us from our afflictions, whatever they may be.

Today's Comments: Despite the fact that life can be rough, much of that roughness, in my opinion, results from our desire to do things our way rather than His way. That gets us into a heap of trouble! Fear of the Lord, however, is one tool that we can rely on to keep us on a straight path. He is the only one who gives us strength and courage to overcome any of life's many problems.

Giving Up To God

Today's Devotion: Proverbs 16:3 (New International Version) - Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. We can do nothing without the Lord. It is He who makes us successful, and it is He who sends the Holy Spirit into our lives so that we may be obedient and do His will.

Today's Comments: Right now, I am in the middle of studying for my penultimate final examination. I am having difficulty with the memorization and connecting the material. It is Theology 1. I also realize that it is somewhat difficult for me to just give everything up to the Lord. But, I can see that this is going to be a test of my obedience and devotion to Him. I must realize that, without His guidance, I may not do well in the final (which will be oral). Therefore, I ask for guidance and understanding. I also ask to be comforted while I study so that what is left of my memory banks will absorb the material and will be able to recall it when time for my exam comes. Whoever is reading this blog, please keep me in your prayers.

Pay Attention

Today's Devotion: Hebrews 2:1 (New International Version) - We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. The reference here is that which God has given to us in order to understand him. The implication here is that we must pay attention to scripture, which is the Word of God given to us.

Today's Comments: This is a message that needs to be delivered to liberation theologists and their churches who are in apostasy. Man, through his own lame excuses, has allowed himself to drift away from God. To correct that condition, we must come back to His Word in scripture. We must not try to seek understanding using our own rationality and reasoning. We need to seek understanding according to God's Word and revelation to us. Only then will we be able to return to the point from which we have drifted.

God Gives Us What We Need, Not Necessarily What We Want

Today's Devotion: John 15:7 (New International Version) - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

This particular verse is taken from the section in which Jesus uses the analogy of the vine and its branches to describe his relationship with his believers. It is often used to justify prosperity Gospel theology.

Today's Comments: What God gives to us is not necessarily what we ask for, but that which he feels that we need. For example, taking the analogy of the vine a bit further, we understand that for a plant to grow, it needs water and pruning. In the same way, God nurtures us, watching over us, making sure that we get that which we need for spiritual growth, while, at the same time, providing us with physical necessities. Just remember, Jesus and his disciples did not lead a normal life, in the sense that we do. Instead, they gave up everything--- their homes, families, and other good things in life--- and along the way Jesus provided them with nurture and their needs.

Blessings and Curses

Today's Devotion:Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (New International Version) - 1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

These are the words of Moses before the Israelites cross the Jordan River, into the promised land that God has given to them. It is a warning that God rewards those who obey Him and those who do not will receive their just punishment.

Today's Comments: Are we being punished for our misbehavior?

Yesterday, I attended a funeral of a long time parishioner. Father David, my pastor, asked me to do the graveside, my first true deaconal duty for the church. Although lay readers can perform commitments, this is not something that Father David asks us to do on a regular basis. The last time that I saw this done was more than twenty-five years ago, when I attended a graveside commitment done by Joe Arnold, a lay reader and Eucharistic Minister, like me, who was in the ordination process.

One of the guests, who was a minister in the Quaker Church was talking to me about the end times. He told me that he thinks that we are in them now. Of course, to the Lord, a minute can be a thousand years. But, will we see God's kingdom on earth within our lifetime? Is God becoming fed up with what he sees here, and is He ready to come back and take over. I reminded this guest, who also said that we Christians are moving to the left, away from God's will, toward man's, about the growth in orthodox and evangelical Christianity, especially in the Roman Catholic and Southern Baptist churches, while the mainstream churches are definitely moving to the left and are losing membership like the Episcopal Church.

So, will we finally right ourselves in our relationship with God, or will we continue in our apostasy as a nation and incur the curses that follow the verses in today's devotion? Only God knows, and only time will tell.

Man's Armor vs. God's

Today's Devotion: Ephesians 6:13-17 (New International Version) - 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The context of this message is in relationship to Paul's advice on proper Christian behavior. In his discussion, Paul points out that the devil's forces are at work in the Christian community and that we must arm ourselves with the protection that God has given to us in His word and in our relationship of prayer and worship. We cannot win this battle without His help.

Today's Comments: The Armor of God has been neglected in many, if not most, of the mainstream churches. Our total failure to understand this is leading us to ruin and depravity. Without our understanding and acceptance of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in scripture, we have absolutely nothing to put on except man's armor and shield. And man's armor and shield have chinks and holes that the forces of evil can penetrate. And man's sword is built for destroying man, not spirits of evil. Truth and righteousness come not from our reasoning, but from the breath of God. Without the Word of God working for us, we are doomed to dismal failure.

Jesus or Justice?

Today's Devotion: Colossians 3:17 (New International Version) -And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Paul, here, is talking about rules for holy living. And this is the summation of those rules that we should follow. If we do it in His name, then it will help us to be sure that which we do is good.

Today's Comments: As I think about Proposition 8, the Constitutional proposition that makes marriage a covenant or legal relationship between a man and a woman, I ask myself if that would be Jesus will. I think that the Bible certainly supports the fact that it is. Jesus' own comments in both Matthew and Mark refer the reader back to the book of Genesis and the reason in God's creation for men and women to be in relationship. What about those who opposed Proposition 8? I don't think that Jesus would support a boycott of Mormon and Christian organizations, nor would he want people to demonstrate in the streets, tying up traffic and police resources. This is a passage that applies to all of us. Whatever we should do, we should do in Jesus' name, not in the name of justice or anything else.

We All Need Mentors

Today's Devotion: 2 Timothy 1:4-7 (New International Version) - 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

This is the advice of a mentor to his mentee. It is the advice of a teacher to his student. It is the advice of the journeyman to his apprentice.

Today's Comments: Even sixty-five-year-olds need mentors. One of my mentors is Kevin Pittle, an intercultural studies professor at Biola who attends Blessed Sacrament, my home parish. Another is Larry Steele, a deacon in my church who is my spiritual advisor. Another is my priest, Father David, who has helped me to travel along this path. It is by our mentors that we become inspired and energized. Our mentors give us good advice, wisdom, and stir us to right thinking. Our parents are mentors. Our priest and pastors are mentors. For them, I thank God.

Today's Devotion: 1 Timothy 4:12 (New International Version) - Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

According to this passage, Timothy must have been younger than many of the other apostles. Age does not have a monopoly on wisdom. It is by our example that we are known as Christians.

Today's Comments: I haven't been much of a good Christian example lately. My girlfriend and I are going through a break-up, and I have said many things that I regret. At times, our anger consumes us, and it is difficult to set a Christian example when that happens. Our emails are nasty, and it sounds like two lawyers fighting a court battle. That is sad.

What is even sadder is that the Episcopal Church is doing the same thing. Except, instead of just emails, they are using real lawyers. Whether rightly or wrongly, parishes and dioceses have broken off from the Episcopal Church, and they are being prosecuted so that the Episcopal Church might reclaim and take over their property. Yes, this is very sad. Congregations who, with their hard earned money, have built churches are now seeing a denomination with which they no longer want to associate, take these churches away from them.

Our local bishop, Ed Little, who is shepherding my parish, Blessed Sacrament, under alternate Episcopal oversight says, "First, I believe that the withdrawals themselves are severely disordered. Schism never solves anything. When the unity which St. Paul talks about in Ephesians 4 is shattered, the Church’s ability to commend the Gospel is compromised, and almost inevitably further schism follows. Second, however, I am convinced that the Episcopal Church has responded to the withdrawals in an awkward and destructive manner. Since some of our brothers and sisters are leaving – that’s a “fact on the ground” – it is better, I think, to allow them to depart peacefully and without recrimination. Instead, the withdrawals have been accompanied by canonical actions. The House of Bishops deposed the departing bishops (Bishop John-David Schofield of San Joaquin, Bishop Bob Duncan of Pittsburgh, and retired Suffragan Bishop William Cox) and hundreds of priests and deacons have been deposed by their dioceses. In addition, lawsuits have been filed against departing parishes and dioceses, with legal fees whose price tag already runs in the multiple millions of dollars. These actions will sow a harvest of bitterness and may well close the door to the reconciliation for which we all yearn."

Trust

Today's Devotion: Luke 16:10 (New International Version) - Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. The parable of the shrewd manager provides the context for this statement. We are God's stewards, and if we properly carry out our stewardship, we must be as honest in the small things as we are in the big things.

Today's Comments: Interestingly enough, today's economy illustrates the example provided by the parable of the shrewd manager. What started out as a situation in which a few people decided to bend the rules of prudence and honesty resulted in the breakdown of our economic and banking system. The breakdown was progressive, probably starting with a few people bending the rules and then grew as greed set in and as they and others sought to bend the rules further. What we sowed became that which we reaped.

Preach Forgiveness, Not Justice

Today's Devotion: Ephesians 4:31-32 (New International Version) - 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

In this passage, Paul is talking about God's people as children of light.

Today's Comments: Most people expect Christians to be different than non-Christians. Yet, sometimes we don't appear to be. Why? We are like all other humans: conceived in sin, and that same sin that affects everybody else affects us. It is only when we take the advice above that we are able to be a light to the world and to others who we would like to join us in our community of worship. Instead of preaching justice, we need to preach forgiveness.

We Are Branches of Christ

Today's Devotion: John 15:8 (New International Version) - This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. It is through our membership in Christ's body that we bear the fruits of our labor. Without Him, we are nothing.

Today's Comments: We are the branches of that vine that is described in John 15. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches, and it is God the Father, Himself, that is the gardener, clipping off the dead and decayed branches. It is through our relationship with Jesus that we bear fruit in our lives. If we separate ourselves from Him, we become nothing and will become a casualty of the pruning process.

I just received a call from the Headquarters of the Los Angeles Diocese of the Episcopal Church informing me of their formal intention to ordain me as a Vocational Deacon on January 24th of next year, at St. Michael's and All Angels Church in Studio City. I pray that God will find me worthy of this ministry and that I will be blessed with understanding and wisdom to do His will, and that my fruit will glorify Him.

Teaching

Today's Devotion: Hebrews 5:12 (New International Version) - In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! We can't be teachers until we learn what to teach and how to teach, can we?

Today's Comments: In my opinion, many of our churches are teaching the wrong things. We are teaching that man's call for fairness and justice are more important than God's call for sanctification. We are teaching that man's definition of marriage is more important than the definition that Jesus refers to in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, when the Pharisees questioned Him about divorce.

It is amazing that one of my fraternity brothers, who is a Presbyterian minister referred to the sin at Sodom and Gomorrah as one involving hospitality. If this is the kind of Christianity that we are teaching, no wonder we are having serious problems in this world. Instead, we need to pray that our learning gives us true wisdom and that we can use that wisdom for the proclamation of truth in the Gospel and the preaching of God's Kingdom here on Earth.

Today's Devotion: Mark 10:51 (New International Version) - "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." This is the story of Blind Bartimaeus, whom Jesus healed by giving him sight. In the next verse, Jesus says, "Your faith has healed you."

Today's Comments: Has our faith healed us? Today, we live in such a messy world that we need our faith to heal us more than ever before. We need to ask ourselves, "What do we want Jesus to do for us?" And then, when he does it, we must follow Him in obedience to do His will, remembering that he has already told us to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" and, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Be Imitators

Today's Devotion: Ephesians 5:1 (New International Version) - Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children. The writer of this book is telling us how we should behave as Christians. We have a model in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today's Comments: In Verse 21, the Epistler states: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." I am afraid that neither I nor others whom I know do a very good job of this, for if we followed the writer's advice, we would not have the conflict in our church that we are experiencing. Yesterday, the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas officially separated from the Episcopal Church USA and realigned itself with the Southern Cone Province in South America. Next Saturday night, Greg Peters, my esteemed colleague and my Anglican Studies Professor, is going to be ordained as a Deacon in the Anglican Province of Rwanda. Both Fr. Earle Fox and Fr. Jeff Logan (LCDR, USN) are assistants at my church but now belong to Southern Cone. Does God wants His chosen people to scatter, or does He want us to profess one faith in one Church? I think that the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews is giving us good advice, when he says, "15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

Paul's Advice to Timothy

Today's Devotion: 1 Timothy 6:11-12 (New International Version) - 11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

This is Paul's Charge to Timothy. It is also God's charge to us. It is also Paul's charge to the new minister, Timothy, whom Paul has entrusted as a minister of the faith.

Today's Comments: Last Friday, I received a call from my Spiritual Shepherd, Larry Steele, who told me that the Committee for the Deaconate had recommended my ordination to the Standing Committee on the Ministry. One more hurdle to ordination had been eliminated. Then, on Saturday, I went to a Deanery meeting (Episcopal parishes within our geographical area), and I ran into somebody that I had met at a Blessed Sacrament dinner. I didn't know her name, but I know that she was a friend of Father David's my Pastor, and asked me how I was doing in my ministry. I told her that Larry had called me, but I was still waiting for an OK from the Church's Commission on Ministry. Her reply was that I should not worry, because the Commission was aware of my ministry and would definitely approve it. It turns out, she is the chair person of that commission. So, the reader of this blog can see that this passage is applies to me as much as it applied to Timothy, then. I pray that I will be worthy of the calling that God has given to me.

Apostasy Continues

Today's Devotion: Malachi 3:16 (New International Version) - Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.

In this chapter, the prophet has been talking about those who continue to turn away from him and the few that have kept the faith among the Israelites. It is the few that will be rewarded.

Today's Comment: Apostasy continues, just as it did during Old Testament times. God's chosen people continue to ignore their God. Isn't it amazing that even after the Babylonian Exile and the restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple, that God's people continued to disobey Him? While Malachi spoke to those in his day, he still speaks to us today. We have forsaken God for worldly wealth and sexual pleasure, for greed and gluttony. We have spoiled ourselves and shoved our God from the center of our lives. It is time to bring Him back.

God Gives Us What We Need

Today's Devotion: Psalm 112:1-3 (New International Version) - 1[a] Praise the LORD. [b] 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.

Some use this psalm as justification for their preaching on the prosperity Gospel. Whether God intends to bless us with spiritual wealth or physical wealth is up to Him. Suffice it to say, God will always give us what He thinks that we will need, if we just ask him.

Today's Comments: Today, we often fail to ask God to give us what we need. Instead, we ask God for those things that we think that we need. No wonder we have so many problems. I think that the hardest thing that we can learn to do is to give things to God and then take His advice when he answers us.

Today's Devotion: Hebrews 12:1-2 (New International Version) - 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This doesn't mean that everything is going to be easy. For, the chapter goes on to say that we will face adversity and there may be discipline by God involved. After all, as it later states, "God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"

Today's Comments: Today, how much do we really run that race that the writer talks about, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus? Sometimes it seems like our eyes are fixed on man's desires, not God's. And our failure is one of the reasons this world is in such a fix. We will continue to have angst and anger among ourselves and toward each other. And God will find it necessary to discipline us even more. Because if he does not discipline us, then he will abandon us, and we will no longer be His children.

God's Protection for His People

Today's Devotion: Isaiah 54:17 (New International Version) - no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.

God spoke these words to His chosen people. The power of the Lord is on our side. He keeps his promises and protects his chosen people.

Today's Comments: I have been rather remiss in keeping up my blog. My primary excuse is because I have been so busy with school work. However, for the first time in a long while, I feel a bit less pressure and so I am going to try to make a better effort to continue my writing.

Suffice it to say, we are also God's chosen people, and we are protected by God's power and might. War is not physical; it is spiritual, as well. And there is a lot of spiritual warfare going on around us. As a result, we need to pray for God's protection, and we need to obey his commandments.

Proposition 8 is a good example of one of the issues that is eating at our very souls. I just finished my term paper for Theology 1 entitled The Doctrine of God and the Definition of Marriage. In it, I attempt to show that there is nothing biblical about same-sex marriage. Instead, in my opinion, our society has become so corrupted since the fall of man, that which is considered by God as vile and sinful, has become acceptable, because man has put himself at the center of his worship and has pushed God away. And, considering the escalation of court ordered social changes, we may need God's protection before the whole thing is over. Let us pray, therefore, that, in our acts of disobedience, that God does not abandon us as His people.

Today's Devotion: Proverbs 9:10 (New International Version) - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

In the context of the book of Proverbs, in my humble opinion, the writer is saying that all wisdom and understanding comes through our knowledge of God. Without God, there is no true wisdom or understanding.

Today's Comments: In today's modern theology, it seems as though everything but God is important. We are so inclusive that we are willing to suggest that God is in everything and everything is in God. Such thinking renders God meaningless. If we go back to the Bible, we learn that

• God's image is male.
• He is capable of altering the course of history, and has already done so.
• Those who fear and love Him are rewarded.
• Those who defy Him are eventually punished.
• Knowledge is useless without Him.
• It is through His son, Jesus Christ, that our sins are forgiven, we are saved from Hell, and we are assured of eternal life.

Without God, we are nothing. With him, we are everything.

Today's Devotion: Luke 3:11 (New International Version) - John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."

It is John the Baptist who spoke these words in the wilderness as the throngs came to watch him. It is the recurring theme of Love Your Neighbor.

Today's Comments: I have been a long time absent from this blog. I just completed one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education. That unit is required for my ordination as a deacon in the Episcopal Church. My only obstacles now are three units of theology and passing my final interview.

CPE is one of the most intense programs that I have ever been through. Except out of necessity, I would never volunteer to do it again. However, working as an Intern Chaplain at both the Los Angeles County General Hospital and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Long Beach have taught me that being a hospital chaplain is what loving your neighbor is all about. These people do not, unless their church opts to do so, necessarily get paid for their work. And if they are paid, it is not very much. The nature of the work as hospital chaplain is just being there for the patient. You attempt to see everybody that is assigned to you, listen to their stories, ask the right questions or provide the right feedback to encourage them to share their emotions. It is all about letting people know that someone like you and God cares for them.

My most memorable experience was acting as Hospice Chaplain at the VA in Long Beach. I was assigned to a wonderful team of professionals (doctor, psychologist, nurse case manager, nursing assistants, and chaplain) who were responsible for making sure that the veteran, during the remaining portion of his or her life, was made as comfortable as possible. The wonderful thing about the experience was that I was immediately accepted as part of the team, and I was actually able to contribute to the team effort, as evidenced by the feedback that I received from other staff members, especially the Nurse Case Manager in charge of the hospice. I was also given access to virtually every part of the hospital, including intensive care, and was able to see the wonderful work that is done by the doctors and staff at the VA Hospital.

I must contrast my comments above with my observations at the County-USC-Medical Center. Thank God that a new hospital is going to open in October, because conditions there are abominable. Here, they treat the poorest of patients. Probably 75% of those who received treatment there do not speak English, and many are undocumented aliens. Yet, even there, the level of care, as described by most of the English speaking patients with whom I worked, was more than acceptable, and the staff seemed to be friendly and cheerful, although not to the same level that I experienced at the VA. But, I must also say that the staff chaplains there do wonderful work and are dedicated to helping and comforting their patients.

St. Camillus Roman Catholic Church coordinates the program for all Catholic and Protestant chaplains, except for one group of evangelistic chaplains. It is a monumental task, and St. Camillus has to be commended for their work with the sick.

However, I am pleased to say that I am glad to be back home and not subject to the almost 48 hour week of classes and practical experience that is required by the program. But it is an experience that I am not apt to forget.

Now that I am doing a hospital chaplain internship at the Veterans' Administration Hospital in Long Beach, I am tasked with writing and presenting a Friday morning homily over the VA's closed circuit TV network. Here is a copy of today's homily:

Today’s New Testament lesson is taken from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16, Verses 21-28. I will read the passage in which Jesus Predicts His Death:

21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"
23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
28I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

If we are to understand the ministry and message of Jesus, we must understand that Jesus’ death is central to that message. While it was difficult enough for the His disciples to understand that Jesus was the Messiah that was foretold in the Old Testament, it would even be more difficult for them to understand that He would suffer the most horrible and undignified punishment of that time, that is to say, being nailed to a Roman cross, and that most of the disciples, in turn would follow Jesus in death at the hands of the same Roman oppressors. After all, the Jews of that era were looking for the coming Messiah to rescue them from the political oppression of Rome and her invincible army.

When Jesus spoke these words, His disciples were probably hoping that this was another of his metaphorical messages which would then later be understood as meaning something else. Yet Peter seemed have a different understanding, and his scolding of Jesus was an attempt to correct his teacher and served as a denial of Jesus and His ministry. Messiahs are liberators; they aren’t born into this world to be killed by Romans.

At this moment, we can visualize Jesus again back in the wilderness being tempted once more by the Devil: “You can have this kingdom, if you will only change your mind. Thus, Peter was admonished by Jesus with those harsh words, “Get thee behind me, Satan.

It is also very interesting to note that Peter had earlier been named by Jesus as the “Rock” upon which the apostles would build God’s church. But, in this case, this “rock” was a stumbling block, placed by there under the influence of the Devil to trip up Jesus. The last thing Satan wanted was for Jesus to die and fulfill His ministry, so he used Peter as his instrument in an attempt to thwart Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. And, Peter, assuming that human wisdom would solve Jesus’ problems, failed to realize that God’s wisdom is not necessarily the same as ours.

Peter wanted Jesus to do man’s will, not God’s. So, the question is, who do we speak for today? Whose wisdom do we follow? Do we follow Jesus, and are we willing to pay the price, if we are asked? Or do we follow something else? Human wisdom or God’s wisdom? That is our choice.
Are we willing to stand up for Jesus, the God in whom we believe? Are we, like Stephen and so many other disciples and apostles, willing to give up our lives, our livelihoods, or our luxuries for the Gospel?

Remember, many are called, but few are chosen.

Today's Devotional: Proverbs 4:5-6 (New International Version) - 5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. 6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.

This proverb is exhorting the people to understanding through wisdom. We understand things of this world through wisdom. but, we understand things of God through faith.

Today's Comments: I think that sometimes people misunderstand the bible when it comes to the concept of wisdom. Solomon was wise, but in the end, his wisdom let him down. Solomon failed because he lacked a heart for God. Solomon used his wisdom for power and glory; and although he built the beautiful Temple in Jerusalem, it did not take long in history for the temple to be brought down. For matters concerning God, we need understanding through faith. That understanding then gives us wisdom.

Today's Devotion: John 15:8 (New International Version) - This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Discipleship is an important concept. We are disciples of Christ in the full sense, and He wants us to bear much fruit. Though we are saved by His grace, our works are the fruit of our labor and our faith in God presses us onward to love both God and our neighbor.

Today's Comments: I am in the midst of taking my canonical examinations for the Episcopal Church. Much of the theme of the examinations involves the concept of servant leadership. As Christians, Christ's example should be emulated by us. We are responsible for bringing the church to the world and the world to the church. It is our example by which those whom we would bring to Christ see Christ. It also explains sometimes why Christians may not be viewed in a very favorable light.

Today's Devotion: 1 Peter 4:19 (New International Version) - So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

As Christians, some of us may be required to suffer. Peter says that this is a fact. In our suffering, we should be joyful. We will be blessed for our efforts.

Today's Comments: It has been a while since I have updated my blog. I am studying for my finals and am having all sorts of problems figuring out Contemporary Theology. While I "suffer" through my studies, this cannot be compared in any way, shape or form to the suffering that Christians in other countries suffer on behalf of Christ. Consider those in Communist China, for example. Christians there meet in secret, because their government will persecute them. It is even worse in Arab nations. Martyrdom still exists, and I can thank God that I live in a country where I can worship as I please.

March 26, 2008

Today's Devotion: Romans 5:11 (New International Version) -Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Paul, here, is talking about our justification by faith and the peace and joy that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Today's Comment: It is through the atonement of Jesus that we receive our salvation.  Yet it is amazing how many contemporary Christians do not acknowledge this atonement. 

I have been writing a paper on the theology of Rudolph Bultmann, a German theologian who views theology as an existentialist.  He sees the Bible as a document steeped in mythology, whose message, when properly understood, will be de-mythologized and through faith will be applied so that self-understanding will be achieved.  In Bultman's philosophy, there is no room for original sin or atonement.  What kind of Christianity is that?

Today's Devotion: 1 Peter 4:13 (New International Version) But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

In this passage, Peter addresses the suffering that is going on in the church of that time. He is probably talking about one of the persecutions. That suffering still goes on today in some countries.

Today's Comments: Every week, I attend a Bible Study in San Gabriel. My friend, Roger Rose, a retired Episcopal priest conducts these Bible studies, and except for Roger and me, everybody else in the group is of Chinese descent. And, except for me, everybody speaks Mandarin. The people are wonderful, and we all go out for Chinese food before the study.

Some of the people in this group have friends and relatives in China, and a couple just recently have traveled there. They report that Christians are suffering there, just like they did in Paul's time. So, what Peter says then, is still true now. And, we as Christians must still be prepared to suffer in Jesus' name.

May the blessings of this Easter Season be with us all;
may the love of our Risen Lord reside in our hearts,
and may the light of the Holy Spirit shine in our lives.

STEVE STERRY
10149 Grayling AV
Whittier, CA 90603-2608
Home Phone (562) 947-2258
Cell Phone (323) 482-6582
Email: Steve.Sterry@gmail.com

Today's Devotion: Genesis 2:3 (New International Version) - And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

God blessed the Sabbath. It was a day that he demanded that be kept holy under the Law.

Today's Discussion: Of all the Commandments stated in the Old Testament, the only one not to be restated in the New Testament is that of keeping holy the Sabbath. Two Bible verses appear to contradict God's command that we keep holy the Sabbath:

• Colossians 2:16 - Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
• Romans 14:5 - One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

The reality is that Jesus Christ is our Sabbath. Instead of keeping the Sabbath in our hearts, we are to keep Him in our hearts. Every day is the Sabbath, because we are urged to do His work each and every day.

Today's Devotion: 1 Corinthians 2:11 (New International Version) For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Verse 14 goes on to say: The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Today's Comments: In my History of Theology Class, we have been talking about St. Anselm. He was one of the first to start developing a systematic theology for the Middle Ages. He attempted to provide rational proof for the existence of God. His philosophical premise stated that since mankind can have no other thought greater than that of God, then God must exist. Yet, in the spirit of the verses above, it was not his rational proof that provided evidence so that he could have faith in God; it was his faith that brought him to reason: He believed so that he might understand. So, like the man who recognizes the Spirit within him, we must believe so that we might understand.

Today's Devotion: James 4:12 (New International Version) - There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

James is admonishing his readers not to fight amongst themeselves, but to submit all things to God.

Today's Comments: This is a most appropriate passage for me. I must learn to submit things to God. I just found out that, after being promised a slot in the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Good Samaritan Hospital in the summer, that the instructor decided that he did not want me in his class. I had started their CPE program last semester, but found out that, in order to complete my seminary studies by the end of this year, I needed Contemporary Theology, which was not being offered next semester. I made arrangements with the priest in charge of Good Sam's CPE program to come back in the summer. And then I got his note yesterday. He claims that I misunderstood him, but I know that was not true. His instructions to me were to call him in May to obtain the start date for my program.

The bottom line is that I feel betrayed. My gut feeling is that he did this to me, because he was upset at me for dropping out last semester. And, for an ordained priest to do such a thing, to me is unthinkable. Like my girlfriend Esther reminds me, however, I must give this situation to God. Maybe there is a reason that this is happening. Whoever is out there reading this blog, please pray for me.

Today's Devotion: Psalm 139:17 (New International Version) - How precious to [a] me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

David is giving praise to the Lord.

Today's Comments: This passage makes me think of a parallel passage in the book of Job. See Job 42: 1 - Then Job replied to the LORD : 2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

There are so many things that we know about God, We find those things out by reading scripture and by discussing philosophy, history, and theology. Yet, even in today's society, there is so much that we can find out, but there is so little we know. Or, if we do know, we do not put into practice those things that God expects of us.

Today's Devotion: 1 Chronicles 17:20 (New International Version): There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

David is praying to God, after God speaks through Nathan to tell David that through him a mighty nation will be conceived and through his son (Solomon) will His temple be built.

Today's Comments: I am taking a distance learning class (as part of my preparation for ordination to the Diaconate) in understanding the New Testament. At the end of each series of lessons, we are supposed to post our comments on a discussion forum. This weeks's comments are appropriate to the passage above.

As part of salvation history, God's plan included David. Not only was David's kingship a part of God's plan for the Nation Israel, it was also part of God's plan for us, because through David's line God brings up a Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is the salvation for all mankind. The question in the forum, therefore was:

What is the greatest misunderstanding of the Old Testament concept of salvation? Briefly, how would you respond?

My answer is:
I think that the greatest misunderstanding of the Old Testament concept of salvation is that it is viewed only in a historical sense, instead of an active-dynamic concept that influences today's church just as much as it influenced Israel in Old Testament times.

• We are still living in a covenant relationship with God. That covenant is the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.
• As a nation, we are facing the same issues as the people of Israel. We started out being a nation of God and have let ourselves slide into apostasy, thereby endangering our status as a continuing nation.
• We have failed to recognize and make use of the lessons that the Old Testament has taught us.

Today's Devotion: Psalm 37:23 (New International Version) - If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm;

Here David talks about the fate of the wicked and points out that although the righteous may stumble, the Lord will uphold them.

Today's Comments: In previous blogs, I mentioned the word apostasy, relative to the Episcopal Church. Obliviously, one who, like me, holds a relatively orthodox view of Christianity, would conclude that the Lord does not delight in the apostate. The Old Testament is full of stories of apostasy. Yet, even the Jewish Nation, which disobeyed the Lord constantly, although it was punished numerous times, was upheld by the Lord until the very end. We should consider the fact that even our errant brothers in the Episcopal Church will be upheld at the end, and we should pray for them.

Today's Devotion: Psalm 34:1 (New International Version) - [a] I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

This is one of the Psalms of David. Did David practice what he preached?

Today's Comments: We all know the story of David and Bathsheba, don't we. Sometimes it is difficult to practice what we preach. Yet, God understands us well enough that he sent his only son to sacrifice himself upon a cross for our sins. God did not expect us to be perfect. He only asks our repentance and our trust in Jesus Christ.

Today's Devotion: Romans 8:37 (New International Version) - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

The context of this verse can be found in the preceding and subsequent verse. In previous verses Paul posses the question, 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[l]

The questions posed are then answered in the subsequent verses: 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Today's Comments: Only we can separate ourselves from God. God does not separate himself from us. Looking at the definition of the word apostasy (www.onelook.com), we find -

• noun: the act of abandoning a party or cause
  noun: the state of having rejected your religious beliefs or your political party or a cause (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes)

As Father David said yesterday, apostasy is what is taking place in the Episcopal Church. The church is substituting justice and human rights issues for God. The real cause has been abandoned, and in its place is a social agenda. Until we are no longer tolerated, we should do our best to fight this change.

Today's Devotion: Psalm 73:24 (New International Version) - You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

A review of the complete psalm indicates that the psalmist first questions and then begins to understand what his relationship with God is. He points out first that he slipped and almost found himself walking in the way of the wicked. But then, he corrects his course and reaches the understanding that, in the end, God will win.

Today's Comment: Blessed Sacrament had its annual meeting this morning. It was my last day as a Vestry Member, since the maximum that one can serve at one time is three years, and if I become ordained, I will no longer be eligible to serve again, since I will be considered to be a clergy member. However, I will serve as a delegate to the Diocesan Convention and our representative to the Deanery.

At the meeting, we were given a presentation concerning our relationship with the Episcopal Church. J.A.C. Redford presented us with a summary of the meetings of our discernment committee, and I provided background statistics on the makeup of the Anglican Communion, the loss of membership in the Episcopal Church, as well as the background concerning the current crisis--- the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of same sex unions. J.A.C. and Father David finished up with their view of our options. Father David characterized the current situation in the Episcopal Church not of one that is misguided but one of apostasy. The New Episcopal Church is being taken over by those who, like the psalmist viewed, have made the decision to walk with the wicked. J.A.C. would suggest that they are not the enemy, but they are being mislead by the devil and need our correction. Both J.A.C. and Father David suggest that we are in the midst of spiritual warfare, and in order to resist, we must put on the armor of God and allow Him to be our sword and our shield.