A man's search for grace in all the unusual places. I may amuse, I may stand accused, I may anger you, but all in all I am a sinner, in a need of a righteous God, just like y'all.
Within the temporary tent the teachers solidified the Christian system by reading :
"God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered! See what I've done? I've given you a job to do among nations and governments—a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, And then start over, building and planting." Jeremiah 1:10 (The Message)
The crusades failed. It failed to unite the east or west.
It failed to beat the Muslims back from controlling the middle east.
It succeeded in creating three knightly orders: The White Knighted Templars (knights of the temple); The Black Knighted Hospitaliars (Knights of St. John of Jerusalem: created to care for the sickly and wounded); and the white robed and black cross Teutonic Knights ( exclusively a German order).
These orders swore to obey God by protecting all pilgrims in Crusading States and to wage perpetual war against the Muslims.
But, these order would grow too large and would succomb to the fate of the tower in Babel. Our efforts outside of Christ, do not secure our footing. We must turn to Christ and surrender our efforts no matter how gallant or visibly holy.
Genesis 11:4-9 (ESV) Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a towerC)">(C) with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." 5AndD)">(D) the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7Come,E)">(E) let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech." 8SoF)">(F) the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9Therefore its name was calledG)">(G) Babel, because there the LORD confuseda]">[a] the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth. (Message) 6-9God took one look and said, "One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they'll come up with next—they'll stop at nothing! Come, we'll go down and garble their speech so they won't understand each other." Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That's how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into "babble." From there God scattered them all over the world.
Charles R. Ridley compiled 13 Characteristics of a church planter and this list is the most utilized profile in church planter selection.
1. Visioning Capacity 2. Personal Motivation 3. Creating Ownership of Ministry/Building a Core Team 4. Reaching the Un-churched 5. Spousal Cooperation 6. Relationship Building 7. Commitment to a Healthy Reproducing Church 8. Responsiveness to Community 9. Gift Utilization 10. Flexibility and Adaptability 11. Builds Group Cohesiveness 12. Resilience 13. Exercising Faith
Ezekiel 40:22(Show Ezekiel 40) And its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced toward the east. And by seven steps people would go up to it, and find its vestibule before them.
I watched last night before me
an ugly duckling become an elegant swan. she stood their amongst cat calls. Salivating wolves licked their chops. Because she did not look anything like talent. She opened her mouth in triumph, her voice flew out fluttering, wiping tears that appeared in front of my dirty eyes, wings cleansed my dirty frame, I had seen an ugly duckling, but now I saw her beauty take flight.
1095 The Crusades: What was the reason for Crusading? Why did one Crusader say, "Indeed it a just and splendid judgment of God that this place should be filled with the blood of the unbelievers, since it had suffered so long from their blasphemies?" (Shelley 207) The Crusaders, noble in birth, mostly illiterate, ignorant of the words in the bible, grew into a sea of blood hungry sharks. Deuteronomy 17:6 (The Message)
6-7 But only on the testimony of two or three witnesses may a person be put to death. No one may be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The witnesses must throw the first stones in the execution, then the rest of the community joins in. You have to purge the evil from your community. Numbers 35:19-21 (The Message)
19 "In such cases the avenger has a right to kill the murderer when he meets him—he can kill him on the spot.
20-21 "And if out of sheer hatred a man pushes another or from ambush throws something at him and he dies, or angrily hits him with his fist and kills him, that's murder—he must be put to death. The avenger has a right to kill him when he gets him.
Genesis 9:6 (The Message) 6-7 Whoever sheds human blood, by humans let his blood be shed, Because God made humans in his image reflecting God's very nature. You're here to bear fruit, reproduce, lavish life on the Earth, live bountifully!"
2 Samuel 14:6-8 (The Message)
5-7 He said, "How can I help?"
"I'm a widow," she said. "My husband is dead. I had two sons. The two of them got into a fight out in the field and there was no one around to step between them. The one struck the other and killed him. Then the whole family ganged up against me and demanded, 'Hand over this murderer so we can kill him for the life of the brother he murdered!' They want to wipe out the heir and snuff out the one spark of life left to me. And then there would be nothing left of my husband—not so much as a name—on the face of the earth.
8 The king said, "Go home, and I'll take care of this for you."
Our LORD is a Mighty LORD he REIGNS....from Heaven Above he reigns... he is what it is all about! In him we are assured. In him we find living water; outside of him is the blood in the Nile. In him Joy! In him pain but a pain that rewards in the end because in humility we will be shaped into men ready to drink from the living fountain. I am ready to march around the temple with my trumpet in hand. Knock and he will answer! Be ever ready for the new earth to be revealed in time... he sees and he knows... Amen!
Apr 6, 2009
I was a sailor, I was lost in sea I was under the waves, before love rescued me I was a fighter I could turn on threat Now I stand accused of things I've said
Love comes to town, I'm gonna jump that train When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down, But I did what I did before love came to town
Used to make love under the red sunset, I was making promises I that were soon to forget She was pale as the lace of her wedding gown, But I left her standing before love came to town
Ran into a juke joint when I heard a guitar scream, The notes were turning blue as days as a little dream As the music played I saw my life turn around, That was the day before love came to town
Love comes to town, I'm gonna jump that train When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down, But I did what I did before love came to town
I was there when they crucified my Lord I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword I threw the dice as they pierced his side,
But I've seen love conquer the great divide
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!!
Enjoy the Video
I was a sailor, I was lost in sea I was under the waves, before love rescued me I was a fighter I could turn on threat Now I stand accused of things I've said
Love comes to town, I'm gonna jump that train When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down, But I did what I did before love came to town
Used to make love under the red sunset, I was making promises I that were soon to forget She was pale as the lace of her wedding gown, But I left her standing before love came to town
Ran into a juke joint when I heard a guitar scream, The notes were turning blue as days as a little dream As the music played I saw my life turn around, That was the day before love came to town
Love comes to town, I'm gonna jump that train When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down, But I did what I did before love came to town
I was there when they crucified my Lord I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword I threw the dice as they pierced his side,
There are no perfect causes or perfect systems that are stainless from the blood of sin. Crusaders were not exempt from rape or plunder.
Crusaders were at home when cooking and eating Mohammedans, because Crusaders objectified them as demons praying to a warrior god. One food critic on his first crusade gave heathen-flesh a Zagat Rating, "This is better than spiced peacock."
4:167Lo! those who disbelieve and hinder (others) from the way of Allah, they verily have wandered far astray.
4:168 Lo! those who disbelieve and deal in wrong, Allah will never forgive them, neither will He guide them unto a road,
4:169Except the road of hell, wherein they will abide for ever. And that is ever easy for Allah.
4:171O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One God. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender.
4:172 The Messiah will never scorn to be a slave unto Allah, nor will the favoured angels. Whoso scorneth His service and is proud, all such will He assemble unto Him;
4:173 Then, as for those who believed and did good works, unto them will He pay their wages in full, adding unto them of His bounty; and as for those who were scornful and proud, them will He punish with a painful doom. And they will not find for them, against Allah, any protecting friend or helper.
Genesis 16:12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”
The battle began here when Abraham and Sarah doubted that they would bear offspring. (Gen 17:17) Sarah tells Abraham to make an heir through her maid Hagar. Abraham listened and conceived a child with Hagar. This action was not of God because God had promised Abraham an inheritance. And the covenant was between Sarah and Abram not between Abraham and Hagar. (Gen 12:13)
Sarah was angry and resented Hagar. Sarah took her anger out on Hagar because she did not dare to confront her husband, the lord of the Manor Abraham.
This offspring , Ishmael was the father of the people who would become the Arabs. These Arabs would hear the call from Mohammad about Allah. This group would battle with the Christians and Jews over the holy-land and Abraham's inheritance.
Whom was the first to be born from Abraham? Ishmael! The "First Born" had a right to the inheritance because of man's legal apologetics. But God had promised the covenant between Sarah and Abraham, (Genesis 17:7) and said "I will establish my covenant with him." (Genesis 17:19), so Isaac gained the inheritance.
The battle over Abram's Inheritance will be waged until the end of time.
2Samual 3:34 "Your hands were not bound; your feet were not fettered; as one falls before the wicked you have fallen.”
Manzikert August 25, 1071
The Byzantine Christian Empire (the Eastern Roman Empire) was crumbling apart.
The luxurious baggage train dragged and slowed the 200,000 Byzantine soldiers down.They continued the heavy march towards Manzikert. Seljuk Steppe warriors knowing their territory used classic hit and run tactics that continued to weaken the Byzantines. The Seljuks seized the opportunity to attack the Christian Soldiers as they grew more and more confused. Finally they seized the king Romanos IV.
This would be the beginning of the end for the Eastern Roman Empire. ___________________________________
When the Seljuk Sultan seized Romanos it is chronicled that the following discussion occurred:
Alp Arslan: What would you do if I were brought to you as a prisoner.
Romanos: Perhaps I'd kill you, or exhibit you in the streets of Constantinople.
Alp Arslan: My punishment is far heavier. I forgive you and set you free.
Shakespeare on the Crusades: Henry IV: I As far as to the sepulchre of Christ-- Whose soldier now, under whose blessed cross We are impressed and engaged to fight-- Forthwith a power of English shall we levy, To chase these pagans in those holy fields Over whose acres walk'd those blessed feet Which fourteen hundred years ago were nail'd For our advantage on the bitter cross. But this our purpose now is twelvemonth old, And bootless 'tis to tell you we will go: Therefore we meet not now.--Then let me hear Of you, my gentle cousin Westmoreland, What yesternight our Council did decree In forwarding this dear expedience.
WEST. My liege, this haste was hot in question, And many limits of the charge set down But yesternight; when, all athwart, there came A post from Wales loaden with heavy news; Whose worst was, that the noble Mortimer, Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight Against th' irregular and wild Glendower, Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken; A thousand of his people butchered, Upon whose dead corpse' there was such misuse, Such beastly, shameless transformation, By those Welshwomen done, as may not be Without much shame re-told or spoken of.
KING. It seems, then, that the tidings of this broil Brake off our business for the Holy Land.
Student Reciting from the board: "The Pope is the sun, the kings are the moon. The pope is the the light, the moons received that light." A book is closed a candle is blown out. The church elongated into people's day casting a shadow that required obedience to Papal Rome or risk being cut off from their church, and their effective lives. Rome cut off not only men but whole countries, for the feudal LORD represents more than just a household but represented their subjects in their community!
"I seem to find myself, as it were, in some of the earth nor wholly of the serenity of heaven, but by the Grace of God I seemed lifted in a mystic manner from the lower ends to the upper sphere." Suger the Abbot of St. Denite (guiding the rebuilding between 1137 to 1144)
Lifting up higher in arched finger as if picking grapes from the outstretched branches. 500 churches went up. Reaching out like the tender waves collecting sand off of the rocky beaches. High standing alters went up. Aspiring like a great cedar, the high middle ages attempted to build a stairway to heaven. White-washed steeples promised renewal.
We go back to a time when mysticism was a strong pulsating heart. We walk down the corridors of a monastery that is protected inside a cave. The cave is dark. The darkness is thick; like your moving within a cloud. A torch in your left hand allows you to view pictures on a wall. You look closely now at one of the pictures; you see a painful moment in your own historic quest. The pain has been there for a long time and has begun to corrode your heart.
(Father Thomas Keating speaks of releasing your grip on Religion and walk in the faith that could save your hardening heart.)
Ego sum rex Romanu a super grammatica: As "king of Rome" he was above "grammar!" He would rather kill by the sword, than kill by a well crafted letter.
I am sure others want to play the part of God, starring themselves. Once up then down, up and down. The Pope felt he needed to guard the church. His focus was on outward forms, but gave no consideration to a god that is greater than boundaries.(Three O's)
Charlemagne's physical empire was blessed by the Christian Leaders who feared losing their battle between the Muslims and Pagans. Charlemagne hammered up a fence between the Muslim outer world and the Christian inner world.
But Charlemagne re-opened the battle between the empire and papacy.
A thorny rose of cultural renewal grew between the fence posts.
A woman pass menopause could have a child? beyond reason?
The Pope laughed.
How could the Church survive? beyond reason?
Pope Leo III saw that his Church was threatened from many sides. He knew he needed a body guard. So he shuck hands with Charles the Great to endow a drafted plan of protection for the Church.
1 At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, "Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?"
2-5For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me.(The Message)
"Hey I did this so I am the Good A+ Student." The Law Creates "Good Students" who can regurgitate and make an A, but once the final is over they have not stored the learning to their undeveloped heart. There is a Problem: Exam Time is not at one place, or one time, it is 365/24/7.
Pope Leo III rode amongst the peasant fields. The fields laid muddied. There were no signs of wheat. Peasants were starving and getting angry. The Pope appeared to pray in vane. Muddy paths slowed his movement to a crawl. Leo's black nag neighed.
Sound of horses moving quickly mixed with the Nags cries. Leo kicked his horse in its ribs to get it to move, faster. Kicking the horse did nothing but make the neighing louder. Pope Leo panicked when he saw the horses. Pope Leo III was captured. The palace guards took him to a Greek Monetary where he was charged with adulatory.
By Polycarp 55 Associated Mideivel Times: ASGARD/ Honored that the English used my name to name Friday.
"Frau Holle"they borrowed a lot of my legend.My favorite line from that story by the Grimm Brothers is, "Since you have let the reel fall in, you must fetch it out again." Women are stronger than men, just look at birth, no man in his right mind would want to go through it Baldr, I truly did not think that the mistletoe would be a threat to him, a strong lesson that I should account for all things, old or young, gigantic or small...
Vandals refused to take care of their fingernails. I hate men with dirt under their fingernails,
Odin such a control freak, he was so mad at me for frolicking with my servants, heck they are my servents, serving me
"With what troops of diseases are we beset on every side." Matthew Henry on Leviticus 13
As a kid I was convinced that if I dug long enough I could get to Shanghai China. I would get there and then pop up on a busy street in an audible orient.
As I scratched at the ground bugs would run away. The bug universe is similar to the sins that abound in my heart. The more I repent, the more I find things that lay hidden in my human knowledge learned over time. Knowledge created ate at my heart; eventually killing my child like wonder, rotting my mind as if it was a worm inside an apple. Sin would lead me to a life like a rotten core to be thrown into the garbage can.
Repentance kills this process of degradation, and all I am left with is a harmony with Christ Jesus.
Gregory the Great believed that our sins committed after baptism needed to be purged through Penance (sincere heartfelt repentance, confession and works of merit).
"Be hold the severe judge Jesus is about to come; the terror of that might council of angels and archangles is at hand. In that assembly our case will be tried and yet we are not seeking patrons who will then come to our defense. Our holy martyers are aready to be your advocates; they desire to be asked, indeed if may say so, they entreat that they may be entreated. Seek them as helpers of your prayer; turn to them that they may protect you in your guilt." Gregory the Great quoted in (Shelley 188)
Gregory the great came to power in 590, during a windstorm that seemed to blow out the fragile Christian Light. The Lombards, lead by their King Albion, had slayed bishops, robbed monasteries, and burned up cultivated fields. The plague had laid waste to the people of Europe (a third of Europe died). Gregory felt the pain that Christianity was going through, "A kind of fire seems to provide my whole body: to live is pain; and I look forward to death as the only remedy."Gregory helped his Parish Lambs battle through the assaulting devils; diabolic devices would not undo the Church; the lambs would not faint into the terrible chaos.
Roman Providences appeared destroyed by fire, everything looked like the dark side of a lunar landscape. The dead piled up like giant baskets of unwashed laundry.
Our first glance would be wrong: seeds laid waiting for a renewing rain that would fill up a growing earth. Pope Gregory the Great was called to the Papacy.
War is red. White fields laid ashen ready for seeds to sprout. Burned up trees stand in testimony for the people whose blood was spilled. Bodies decomposed into the field making it fertile. Low hanging gray-clouds were ready to burst open with rain; to wash the pagan sins away. England was being shaped through bloodshed and renewal, into a "New England closer than ever before to national unity, and with a native genius of her own. Henceforward an immortal spirit stood forth for all to see."
Winston Churchill,A History of the English Speaking People Volume One, the Birth of Britain.
Feb 11, 2009
Ireland was important in the awakening to the Gospel in England. The 12 Apostles of Ireland were part of the 1st movement of the good news of Christ. The 12 Apostles of Ireland were:
St. Finian St. Ciaran of Saighir St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise St. Brendan of Birr St Brendan of Clonfert St. Columba of Terryglass St. Columba of Iona St. Mobhi of Glasnevin St. Radhain of Lorrha St. Senan St. Ninnidh St. Lasserian St. Canice Finnen of Magh Bile
We will be looking at one of these Apostles, St. Columba of Iona.
Clovis was frustrated by the news of a Holy Lord who held eternal victory. He had put his fortunes on the backs of German Gods, but now he heard of a new Gospel... but this made him tear his hair out: "Bolderdash, how can the One God create heaven and earth from nothing? Questions I have many, but faith I have one. *Jesus Christ, Clothida says thou art the Son of the Living God, and thou canst give victory to those who hope in thee. Give me victory and I will be baptized. I have tried my Gods and they have deserted me. I call on thee. Only save me. And thy saints will become our new Gods."
The wall, the shroud between Gentiles and Jews came down when Christ died for humanities' sins. He first came to the Jews the lost sheep of Israel. He was a leader for the prodigal sons who had grown away from their father. Jesus could not be contained only to the Jews, the Gentiles would be healed as well.
Matthew 15:26-27 (The Message)
26He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs."
27She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table."
The trend of exclusive rights to Christ continued when the Christians became the majority tribe. But, this trend had allready been broken from the birth of our Saviour when Magis showed up to celebrate.
Sheenm Fulton J. Life of Christ New York: Doubleday 1970.
The night was growing cold and his arms were tired of beating the same rhythm over and over again. He knew it was time he should be headed out.
He laid his hammer down, flipped off the houses lights, and opened the car garage.
His Ford Station Wagon sat ready, filled up with gas, and ready to hit the road for at least a 1,000 miles. He wanted to be anywhere but here.
He loved his Ford Station Wagon because it had fake wood trim. The wood trim reminded him of the mighty oak of Valhalla. He turned on the radio to Laramie Wyoming's Folk Alley, a fitting song played as he backed out of the driveway:
I love you baby, but I`m gonna have to say goodbye. Woman, I got to move, I really got to fly. Same thing every morning, Tell me what`s it all about. I get those same old blues every night." I miss you already, baby, more than words can say. Seems like I`ve been gone twenty-four hours, more like a million days. I love you baby, you know I woudn`t tell you no lies. If you don`t believe I love you, look at the tears standing in my eyes. (Eric Clapton)
As Thor departed the earth was scorched and the mountains cracked and the house was laid barren.
If you don`t believe I love you, look at the tears standing in my eyes.
Odin sat by the crossroads, a nap sack was strung on his shoulder, he was singing:"And now he's blown it; upside down; And hell's the only sound, We did an awful job, And now we're just a little too late." His eyes were full of desire, and his mind was ill at ease.
He dragged a stick in the dirt.
He was growing cold; to keep warm he remembered a fire in the hearth. He remembered smoke filling the hall with pleasant aromas of cooked meat: bear, rabbit, fox, and deer.
He remembered the relationship he use to have with the various Celtic tribes: a time his poetry was searched before big events, "what does Odin say might happen today. I was the gate to victory and plenty in the hunt. What happened to the magic I use to bestow...are the conotations just dust blowin' in the wind? I wish it did not hurt so much to lose sight of my people!"
Did Ireland have snakes before St. Patrick rid the island of them? Nope, but here is the story!
Young Christian Patrick became imprisoned and tethered to a number of swine. Patrick prayed he would find freedom. He escaped onto a ship carrying a cargo of hound dogs headed to France. Then he joined a monastery on an Island of the Mediterranean Sea; then becaming a missionary to those who had earlier imprisoned him.
Bishop Miser in an excerpt to a letter to his Church:
These Franks have horrendous manners! They eat with their left hands. They mix milk and meat, as they salivate like dogs. They drink and drink and then dance, dance, dance, on tabletops. They see our LORD as a "Glorified War Lord." A LORD who makes slaves to him, or else die at his righteous broad-sword.
Response: Dear Bishop Miser, Go with God Speed, and love on these heathen men. Jesus fulfills the clean laws. In cooperation,
