One life

Proverbs 18:23 "The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults."

Are we still insulting the poor? How do we answer to the plea for mercy? This video by Christian Charity World Vision should help us to open our eyes.

NT Wright on the End Times (Second Coming)

Meditations for the Holy Week (TUESDAY)

Luke 22.24-53

A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

‘You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

‘Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.’

He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?’ They said, ‘No, not a thing.’ He said to them, ‘But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, “And he was counted among the lawless”; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.’ They said, ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ He replied, ‘It is enough.’

He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’ Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.’ [[ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]] When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?’ When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, ‘Lord, should we strike with the sword?’ Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!’

Meditation of the day
Jesus gave the example of servant leadership, challenging us to be accountable for our actions. It is a call to be vigilant; are we? it is a call to persevere in prayer; are we persevering, steadfast in the King? It is a calling to be vulnerable, are we willing to be vulnerable and reach out our hands to ask for God's help, grace and will? It is a challenge to do conquer without swords but by self-giving.

Collect of the day

Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Anglican Meditations for the Holy Week (MONDAY)

The following material has been taken from ANGLICAN MAINSTREAM

am: Ps 51
pm: 69:1-23
Jer 12:1-16; Phil 3:1-14; John 12:9-19

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: The term “Holy Monday” carries over from the Eastern Orthodox Church for Monday and Tuesday of this Week also known as Great and Holy Monday and Tuesday. On these days, an icon of the "Bridegroom" is placed in the center of the church, portraying Jesus wearing the purple robe of mockery and crowned with a crown of thorns. Also the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated, at which the faithful may receive Holy Communion from the reserved Holy Mysteries.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: For the Apostle Paul, we see today that he spends a good bit of time that there is the need for perspective and self-reflection. As a matter of fact he calls all that he has done he has just spent time explaining to the Philippians Christians of little consequence and in fact, it is worthless. WHY? Because he has met and encountered Jesus Christ and everything, is worthless compared to knowing him? This Week in Holy Week, we are given a profound opportunity through the liturgical journey of the church to come face to face with the power of the cross and reconcile our lives with the price Christ had to pay to save us. This is not a week to be complacence and to look forward to a nice holiday. Rather we should be aware that here is much to
do in this journey, if we want to attain the prize of which he speaks . As we consider the words of St. Paul today and moving through this Holy Week, let us ponder our reasons why or why not we are on the road to accomplish the prize, which is Christ Jesus as Risen Lord.

PRAYER OF THE DAY: I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me. Amen - - (Psalm 142)

Holy Monday Discipline – Take some time to study about what the church teachings on poverty and the Christian response is to be. Ask yourself how significant your life response has been. Such thoughts will not only help you serve Christ, but you also add into yourself a wider perspective about difficult issues. Or Think about this….Mary used costly perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet. What is valuable in your life today? Time? Money? Relationships? How can you use these things to honor Jesus?

True femininity

Watch Nooma 021 | She in Faith & Spirituality  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Thanks Filip for sharing this!

NT Wright on evil & satan

Gateway: A Church for the emerging generation

Interview with John Burke from Gateway Church

The Ordinary Radicals

The Ordinary Radicals - Trailer from Jamie Moffett on Vimeo.

The Teapot

There was a proud Teapot, proud of being made of porcelain, proud of its long spout and its broad handle. It had something in front of it and behind it; the spout was in front, and the handle behind, and that was what it talked about. But it didn't mention its lid, for it was cracked and it was riveted and full of defects, and we don't talk about our defects - other people do that. The cups, the cream pitcher, the sugar bowl - in fact, the whole tea service - thought much more about the defects in the lid and talked more about it than about the sound handle and the distinguished spout. The Teapot knew this.

"I know them," it told itself. "And I also know my imperfections, and I realize that in that very knowledge is my humility and my modesty. We all have many defects, but then we also have virtues. The cups have a handle, the sugar bowl has a lid, but of course I have both, and one thing more, one thing they can never have; I have a spout, and that makes me the queen of the tea table. The sugar bowl and the cream pitcher are permitted to be serving maids of delicacies, but I am the one who gives forth, the adviser. I spread blessings abroad among thirsty mankind. Inside of me the Chinese leaves give flavor to boiling, tasteless water."

This was the way the Teapot talked in its fresh young life. It stood on the table that was prepared for tea and it was lifted up by the most delicate hand. But that most delicate hand was very awkward. The Teapot was dropped; the spout broke off, and the handle broke off; the lid is not worth talking about; enough has been said about that. The Teapot lay in a faint on the floor, while the boiling water ran out of it. It was a great shock it got, but the worst thing of all was that the others laughed at it - and not at the awkward hand.

"I'll never be able to forget that!" said the Teapot, when later on it talked to itself about its past life. "They called me an invalid, and stood me in a corner, and the next day gave me to a woman who was begging for food. I fell into poverty, and was speechless both outside and inside, but as I stood there my better life began. One is one thing and then becomes quite another. They put earth in me, and for a Teapot that's the same as being buried, but in that earth they planted a flower bulb. Who put it there and gave it to me, I don't know; but it was planted there, a substitution for the Chinese leaves and the boiling water, the broken handle and spout. And the bulb lay in the earth, inside of me, and it became my heart, my living heart, a thing I never had before. There was life in me; there were power and might; my pulse beat. The bulb put out sprouts; thoughts and feeling sprang up and burst forth into flower. I saw it, I bore it, and I forgot myself in its beauty. It is a blessing to forget oneself in others!

"It didn't thank me, it didn't even think of me - everybody admired it and praised it. It made me very happy; how much more happy it must have made it!

"One day I heard them say it deserved a better pot. They broke me in two - that really hurt - and the flower was put into a better pot; then they threw me out into the yard, where I lie as an old potsherd. But I have my memory; that I can never lose!"

The End

Primoz Trubar, a Kingdom Story in Slovenia

Due to my professional engagements, I'm visiting the beautiful city of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. I am attending the First European Food Congress, where several subjects related to food such as health, nutrition, consumer behaviour, safety, etc. are being thorougly discussed.

Anyway, yesterday, on my way to the registration desk, I noticed that there was an exhibition in a nearby museum about a man called Primoz Trubar, and I could understand something about "protestant" in the title (my Slovenian is null). So, after registration, I visited the aforementioned museum. The guide told me the following story:

Primoz Trubar was a Bible believing Christian, who played a very important role in the history of Slovenia. He was very much influenced by the German reformers. The desire of his heart was that every Slovenian person could read the Bible (translated by Jurij Dalmatin). Therefore, he dedicated his life to the development of the Slovenian language. First he wrote a Catechism (a basic introduction to the faith), and he developed the first Slovenian alphabet (abecedarium). He didn't stop there. He founded several primary and popular schools where all children, boys and girls could go to learn the alphabet and other subjects like how to live decently in society. Moreover, Trubar was the pioneer of secondary education in Slovenia. Today's Slovenian language would not have existed if Trubar would not have taken the calling and contributed to the "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven". He was working FOR the Kingdom of God!

After few years, he was forced to exile in Germany ... the politics of the Austrian-Habsburgs in close collaboration with the RC Inquisition yielded in the persecution of this man. Tubar's work was prohibited and even the mention of his name was banned from all history textbooks until the early XX Century. In 2008 the Slovenian people celebrate the 500 anniversary of the birth of this man of God's Kingdom. Vindicated after centuries of forcedly being forgotten. The official Slovenian Government address can be read here. The official site of Trubar2008 is here with more detailed biographical information.

It was an inspiring visit!

Earliest Christian church: archeological findings on de divinity of Jesus

I found the following story at sydneyanglicans.net A documentary film will be released in 2009 including archeological and historical evidence of how early Christians worshiped, and their understanding of Jesus as God. I'm posting the first part of the article here, and it can be read in full here.

"The Life of Jesus film crew has gained rare access to an archaeological find that cements historical evidence early Christians worshiped Jesus as divine.

Dr John Dickson, the series’ host and co-founder of the Centre for Public Christianity, will guide viewers through the remains of an ancient prayer hall unearthed at Megiddo in central Israel.

“The inscriptions on the mosaic floor are remarkable,” Dr Dickson says.

“One of them names a benefactor called Gaianus who is described as a centurion. Another mentions a woman called Akeptous who ‘…offered this table in memorial of the God Jesus Christ’.”

The inscriptions cast more doubt on claims made by prominent atheists and popular authors that Jesus’ divinity was an invention by the fourth century church.

“Here is extraordinary physical evidence from the century before Constantine and the Council of Nicaea that Christians, including Roman officials, were worshipping Jesus as divine,” Dr Dickson explains.

THE FULL STORY CAN BE FOUND HERE.

More on Lambeth and the 'S' day

In the previous post, I assumed wrongly that the voices of ex-gays were not heard in Lambeth. Actually, in the market place, and amongst all pro-gay activists, there is one prophetic voice as reported by VirtueOnLine.

Speaking of ex-gay or post-gay, the Zacchaeus Fellowship is here bearing witness to the transforming power of Christ's love in our lives. "As men and women who have struggled with same-sex attractions, we seek to be a voice of hope to the church and to others who share these struggles. We encourage the Church to stand firm in proclaiming to everyone who experiences same-sex attractions that Christ offers them new life and hope." Not with this crowd. Inclusion means never having to repent or change your life.

VirtueOnLine reports are worth to read.

Keep praying and let's see what happens!

Decisive day in Lambeth: the 'S' day

Early this morning the BBC announced that today is THE day. Bishops will talk and reflect on human sexuality (that's why I called it the 's' day!)
The agenda for today can be found here. Even more, later today a theater play will be performed on the stories of gay Christians.

Funny enough, Bishops have been listening to one side of the story. But Peter Ould made the point in a recent post: the voices of those Christians who once were gay and today are not gay anymore have not been heard! He clearly mentions Andy Comiskey (the founder of Desert Stream Ministries, now in Kansans), Mario Bergner, an Anglican priest from Redeemed Lives Ministries. There are other Anglicans like Martin Hallet the founder of True Freedom Trust who deserve to be heard, or that should have had more room and space in all this process. Probably they were heard before.

A good article on the Anglican Crisis can be found here.

Again, let's pray, wait and see.

On the Anglican Communion: Reform from within!

I have been following the current events in the Anglican Communion. At this very moment, more than 250 Bishops and in total about 1000 bishops, clergy and lay leaders are reunited in Jerusalem, at the Global Anglican Future Conference 'GAFCON' , praying and listening God on His will for the future of the Anglican Communion.

What we are meeting for here is not to plan to walk away. We are meeting to renew our commitment, to renew our faith, to get a sense of direction of what we can be as Anglicans. We do not want to start a new Church. (Archbishop Orombi, Uganda)

The Anglican leaders are searching for a renewed commitment to evangelism and the proclamation of the Gospel of King Jesus, despite the growing influence of secularism in society. They are looking for a refreshed way to tell the world that King Jesus has actually never forsaken his people and God's creation.

The West is losing a Christian discourse at the very time it needs it most. Let us pray we are able to recover our Christian nerve in the West and to make sure the Gospel is not lost. (Bishop of Rochester, UK)

The Anglican leaders understood that there is indeed a need to keep the unity of the Church, and that their voices are much more important within the context of the Global Anglicanism than becoming a separate Church. What a challenge!

the agenda is now reform from within rather than starting a breakaway conservative Anglican church (Times Online)

Some Emergent stuff (no words, just pics)

More HERE

Faith Foundation? please!

Sunday mornings I normally listen to the BBC's reporting religion. Obviously, BBC reports from a very liberal, open minded and inclusive point of view. It is nevertheless something I like to listen, since in between the paraphernalia of all roads lead to god, there are often very good testimonies of Christians worldwide that obviously shine in between the philosophical mixture.

Last Sunday, the report focused on the former UK's Prime Minister Tony Blair's Faith Foundation. He is calling to all faiths to come to a kind of concerted action to tackle hunger, poverty, malaria, etc. And this man thinks that doing "good" will eventually bring the expected era of light. What was more shocking, was that Blair would always mention devoted Christians such as Martin Luther King Jr., and fill his mouth with the examples of such Christians bringing changes to their societies. I wonder why he could not find such examples in other faiths ...

I find still odd that when it is convenient, Christians and Christianity are used as 'examples', but when it comes to actually let Christians even the option to preach the good news of King Jesus, they are silenced and prohibited to preach. But actually, the only ones who can make changes for the sake of populations and the whole creation are those who believe that Jesus is actually the King and not the ruling system or the philosophies of the world.

Anyway, Blair is not necessarily someone who has any moral authority to bring faiths into conversation. He is an apostate of the Christian (Bible believing) faith, trying to play the game of " a bit of compromise here and there cannot harm", without realising that in the practice he is asking Christians alone to compromise to better understand the others. I wonder what our forefathers in the faith would have thought of these initiatives when they were being brought to the stake ...

Good intentions Mr Blair. But forget not that good intentions with no firm foundation on certain Rock, will be sooner or later overwhelmed by the storms and winds of a fundamentalism that denies the goodness of God the Creator, and the Rule of King Jesus.

UK banned the father and allowed mixing animal and human genetic material

I have been following via BBC (at home) and Anglican Mainstream (through internet) the current debate in the UK about the recent bills under consideration. I don't know where common sense has fled. Maybe Her Gracious Majesty can still veto the recent bills.

So, to start, Times Online reported that the new right of women is to have children without a father. The full article can be read here or here. It is one of the main social victories of single women and lesbian couples, or is it? The paradoxical part of this story, for those who have ever been involved in pastoral care, is the fact that many manifestations of inner brokenness are actually the consequence of dysfunctional families, and definitely due to the absence of the father figure. Shame! The worst part of this story is that nobody will tell these children about the Christian God that is a father for the fatherless ...

The other story had to do with the hybrid embryo research. The full story can be found here. Some of the advocates say that use of hybrid embryos could be good for finding cure to degenerative diseases such as Parkinson. Gordon Brown's own child is affected by a chronic degenerative disease. This bill also allows the "production" of "saviour siblings", or more clearly to make viable children to be used to save the life of the older sick sibling.

Finally, the legislators have also kept the 24 weeks term where abortions can be performed. Full story here. I want to quote MP Edward Leigh words:

In modern Britain the most dangerous place to be is in your mother's womb. It should be a place of sanctity

I wonder, have the common Brit ever seen a youtube video on abortion? The series on the Silent Scream are available here, here, here, here, and here. There are also videos on the results of abortion, see here. This testimony could help.



Other video about the abortion business in Spain (Warning: it's a shocking video!!!) ... Shame!

Is 57.1 The righteous perish,
and no one ponders it in his heart;
devout men are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.

2 Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.

3 "But you—come here, you sons of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

4 Whom are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?

5 You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.

6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
they, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In the light of these things, should I relent?

7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.

8 Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked on their nakedness.

May God be merciful! Jesus is Lord! Marantha, come Lord Jesus with your restoring righteousness!

Psalm 119

This famous photo, taken on 5 June 1989 by photographer Jeff Widener, depicts an unknown man trying to stop the PLA's advancing tanks.

The first time i saw the previous picture was on the newspaper. It was impressive to see one man standing against the powers of this age, the powers who only know ruling by force and oppression.

When I was adolescent, several testimonies of radical Christian men and women coupled with definitely sound Kingdom teaching, also inspired me to live my Christian life in a radical way, standing firm on the Scripture. It was a challenge particularly in an environment where the Bible wasn't really appreciated. But it was also a challenge in the midst of a Church that was growing exponentially in numbers, but not even arithmetically in Bible knowledge, and in the doctrine of the Apostles. All winds of doctrine came further as hurricanes to the Body: "prosperity" and "faith" gospels, neo-gnosticism with escapist theories, biased Calvinism mixed with biased Arminianism and Pelagianism, or the recently discovered "Gehena" doctrine (which is the equivalent of purgatory for some Evangelicals), revivals with lots of external manifestations ... Wonder why it was so difficult for many, including myself, to have a safe haven, a safe port. When I look this small list, I can see many of my old days friends having taken one or the other or all roads at different times. The only safe place has been for generations and generations the Bible.

But during my life, I discovered that compromising the Bible and the teachings of Gods Kingdom normally had a negative effect in my life. Each time i not only had the intention to live according to the "majority", following the current of the thought of this world, but actively did so, found myself in places where I now wish I would have never been. My youth friends went all also to explore different spiritualities, religion, places and philosophies. And we all learned, each time followed by the next, that the only safe place to go back was and remains the Bible.

Of course, I would not have ever dreamed those days that once in the far future (almost 20y later) I would be living in Europe, in the intellectual environment of Darwinian science, neo-liberal economy and flexible orthodoxy. Since nothing is new under the sun, I found in the Bible (of course), that other men in the past experienced with similar challenges.

Psalm 119
g Gimel
17 Do good to your servant, and I will live;
I will obey your word.

18 Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.

19 I am a stranger on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.

20 My soul is consumed with longing
for your laws at all times.

21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed
and who stray from your commands.

22 Remove from me scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.

23 Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.

24 Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors.

So from this humble blog, a single voice lifted to encourage those like Greg Venables or Tom Wright who stand firm in the faith! Your example is followed by many, and your testimonies are an encouragement to believers all over the world.

Ik ben tolero

Recently Kris Vleugels' mailing list brought to my attention the newest tolerance campaign in Belgium. His statements are clearly posted at actiegezin. The campaign organized by Mme Katheleen Van Brempt, the Flemish Minister of Equal Chances has been followed by the media and some groups due to a very tricky and controversial slogan. The full campaign basically aims at making Flemish society more tolerant with homosexual people and reduce the discrimination against same sex attracted people, highlighting the difficulties faced, particularly by youngsters, in the acceptance of homosexuality as their identity.

I think that everybody agrees with the fact that all humans deserve respect, equal chances, and opportunities. In that context I would oppose to any kind of intolerance and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Still, I think that the wording of the campaign is a bit out of boundaries. The campaign starts with the very famous 'f' word. That does not need translation. It curses homosexuals and heterosexuals both at the same time, and then lifts up the "toleros" (the tolerants). In my humble opinion it insults/offends gay people as well as heterosexual people. I wonder, why not to be proactive and creative in the communication strategies? That the campaign wants to shock is clear! But trespassing the limits of respecting the "other" by using such wording is at the very least questionable.

Obviously, there is a huge debate. Lots of discussions going on the issue, including in the Christian sites. Obviously, the younger generation of Christians are debating it in the forum of the Breeze site.

I was simply astonished by the following statement:

Wie zijn wij christenen om aan een ander onze normen en waarden op te leggen? (signed truthseeker)

Translation: Who do we think we are, Christians, to impose our values on others?

Today at lunch, my friend Samuel reminded me that adulthood is also about knowing your beliefs. Such comments from Christians trying to play the "cool" are a post enlightenment misunderstanding of the Gospel. This makes me think that we are not to "impose" anything by force. That was the failure of the Inquisition. But we can indeed embody a different lifestyle, a lifestyle fueled by the love described in 1st Corinthians 13. Love has also to do with truth. Love has to do with remaining firm and unmovable in the faith of the Resurrected Jesus for the sake of the whole society.

Be blessed!