Power

My all time favorite book of the Bible is Isaiah. I’ve written and taught about how the LORD gave that book to us twice. The first time to the prophet, 400 or 500 hundred years before the coming of the Messiah, with such vivid prophesies of His conception, life, and death that even a young Jewish scholar, debating a young Catholic girl, admitted that chapter 53 was written about Jesus. Of course, he wasn’t much of a scholar, not recognizing Isaiah when he heard it. He thought the verses were from the New Testament. And the young Catholic girl didn’t even know Jesus as her personal savior. So the debate doesn’t really count for much. I digress…
This wonderful book was given to us again, through the Dead Sea Scrolls, during the era of the first world wars. Confirmation for the skeptic. Encouragement for the concerned. A reminder to the complacent.
Hebrews 4:12 “The word of the God is alive and powerful…”
It is Isaiah that I am thinking of this morning as my husband and I prepare to drive to Albuquerque. We will come home the long way, through the mountains, to enjoy the autumn splendor. This little weekend trips are always time of retreat and worship. We listen to praise music, we enjoy the glory of nature and the quiet peace of each other’s company. We pray.
And it is Isaiah that I am thinking about. It is Isaiah 60:1 that I read before we leave.
Arise, Shine for thy light is come and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon the and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
I go there for reassurance and comfort. These are dark times. The news is full of darkness. My students are playing in the darkness. The stores are full of Halloween demons and such. It’s not Halloween that bothers me. In fact I’m not really “bothered” at all. But this weekend, these past few days, have been very powerful days in the “spirit world”. We had the Autumn Solstice, Islamic Ramadan, Jewish Rosh Hashanah. I know what the Pagans, Muslims, and Jews are doing. What are the Christians doing? Praying I hope.
In my little corner of the world, the community is preparing for the biggest Navajo Fair on the reservation.
It’s like any other state or county fair really. Rides and cotton candy and a parade. But there are a lot of Native American activities: pow wow, dance, pageants, venders. And there is a ceremony going on as I write. It last for about 10 days. There are medicine men and magic - songs for the sick - spirits being summoned. It is important and very secretive. They don’t tell the “outsiders” much. But it is real and it is happening. And it is just a part of the darkness.
For behold, great darkness shall cover the world.
There is a quote in my teacher planner. A secular quote.
“Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness to pull another hand into the light.” Norman B Rice.
I like that.
And there is a old song - which I have referred to many times on my blog. A song from the “March for Jesus” era . Shine Jesus Shine
Fill this Land with the Father’s glory.
Blaze Spirit Blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river flow, flood this nation with grace and mercy
Send forth thy Word, and let there be light.
amen

Theologians

I have spent some time this morning reading the article I posted below and the comments left on the site. I'm not sure who the author is, got the orginal link through Smart Christian. He seems to have a connection with Asbury Seminary. I was interested in the artical because it seemed to go along with my working hypothesis that the early Christians did not interpret certain passages in the same way that many modern Christians (or post modern for that matter) do. And that when in question, it is best to go back, as far to the original meaning as possible. How did 1st Century Christians understand the writings of Paul? I also discovered in my own studies that in the original languages of ancient Greek and Hebrew, there are sometimes multiple meanings of words, and it was the translator's job, through guidence of Holy Spirit, to choose when translating. Most mature Christians at least understand the LOVE thing, how there are 4 or 5 different Greek words which in English come out as LOVE. My resident theologian translated the whole book of Romans with his Greek class in 1989. The professor was a Wesleyan, Greek and Hebrew Scholar. I've taken some troublesome verses (troublesome to me), to the concordances, on line Bible sites, and my Pastor/Husband's dictionaries and have seen for myself, that if one word had been chosen over another, the message changed. It seems to me that Augustine, Calvin, and Luther's doctrines greatly influenced the theology of the translators who chose certian words that support certain doctrines.
Regardless of all that, it was nice to visit a site in which theology was being discussed by well educated individuals. I have seen first hand the dangers higher education poses to the faith of some young men and women. When it is forgetten that the "Fear of the LORD" is the beginning of Wisdom, Truth is sometimes compromised and Seminaries can become Cemitaries. However, the mandate that pastors learn Greek and Hebrew, that preachers aren't to just be prayed over, given a Bible and let go...and Sunday School classes or small groups can't just be left to the leadership of someone who "feels" called or is a willing volunteer...these seem legitimate.
This summer I have heard sermons by some very well educated, very formally educated, traditional and litergical "priests". They have been Biblically sound. A great many born again, Spirit filled, evangelical Christians would have written them off as heretics because of the style of the service, decor of the sanctuary, and name of the Church. Yet these men, and this particualar congregation reach out to the Christian community with words and gestures of peace and fellowship. Lately, as far as religion goes, I've been sitting in the shadows, listening and watching. I've worshiped on Sunday, and prayed as the sun rose, but I'm not part of a Church family, I've fallen away from fellowship with believers. I watch and I listen. I shake my head sadly at the rising fervor of those who believe rapture is closer than ever. If only rapture was true, what a sad farce that teaching is. But who am I to teach against it. I cringe everytime I hear one of those radio preachers talk about how blessed we are to be the elect, predestined for salvation, thanks be to God. It makes no sense to me at all, and seems to be a dangerous teaching...one that nearly killed me. One that I believe was partially to blame for the death of a friend last year. All part of God's perfect, predestined plan?! I visit blog sites that have blasted everyone from Graham to Dobson to Warren. I visit blog sites that condemn Roman Catholics, even self proclaimed Roman Catholics that condemn Roman Catholics. And I watch Roman Catholic teachers on TV, and Pro-Israel, Messianic Jewish teachers. And in the mornings I watch the sun rise from my porch. I pray in my classroom to the sound of Native American flutes and drums played by Native American Christians who have been told by some that such worship music is pagan. I am rambling, and I don't care. this is my site.
Don't take any of this personally.
Don't take the cross of Jesus lightly.
Fathers, your children need you.
I am feeling old and tired. I need another cup of coffee. It is a crisp autumn morning. I have faith but little hope. God bless us everyone.

just a quick note

there is really a lot to say. my prayer journal, written with a real pen has been filling up...but i've been distracted by a very busy schedule, a tooth ache, and the cool autumn mornings, so blogging has taken a back seat. I just found a post, while surfing the blog waves, that I need to study more, so I am hyperlynking it here. I'm not sure how many of my old "friends" who use to like to try to convince me that if I didn't believe in predestination and election I wasn't really a believer, still stop by, but this article might interest them too.