Author: Brother Brian

Brother Brian currently serves within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Catholic School System. He is currently in his twentieth year of teaching.

Special Posting: Jesus the Miracle Baby

“18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.) ~ Matthew 1:18

The birth of Jesus is a miracle because of the many events which led to his birth and all the preceding miracles which followed. The greatest of these miracles was that of love which allowed Mary to say yes to the Arc-Angel Gabriel when she accepted God’s will. It was love which allowed Joseph to finally look past the laws of man and comply with God.

 “19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” ~Matthew 1:19

The story however really begins with the prophet Jeremiah who states;

“5 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.” ~ Jeremiah 23: 5-6. 

Jeremiah lived some six centuries before Jesus.  In fact there are more than 300 prophecies which talk about the messiah.

“6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” ~ Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah consequently was even further removed on the timeline living some  700 years before Jesus.

According to the prophet Daniel who provided a chronology of events that included the revelation that the Messiah would be rejected before the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem. His prophetic prophecy was extremely clear  as it relates to the Romans who destroyed the Temple in 70 AD, some 40 years after Jesus was crucified, all of which is found in the Book of Daniel,

“25 Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.” ~ Daniel  9: 25-26.  

Daniel lived some 500 years before Jesus.

This list goes on and on, as it relates to those who talked about the future and for those prophetic prophecies which came true with the birth of Jesus, all leading to the idea that they indeed came come from God. But despite this basic evidence we also have the events of why Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem in the first place. In fact one could argue the taking of a sinus was inspired by God so that the prophecy would be fulfilled. Never the less on the night Jesus was born Angels from God came down to announce his birth to the shepherds in near by fields as found in Luke,

“8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” ~ Luke 2:8-20. 

As all these events where taking place the star shined high in the sky and reportedly grew in intensity as the night wore on. It was this star that led the Three Wise Men to Jesus as found in Luke who writes,

” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” ~ Luke 2:9-12. 

In researching all these events everything as it is written is inspired from start to finish by God. Each person who was involved was affected in a deep and personal why most of them being touched by Angels in dreams. In the fabric of the birth of Jesus is miracles guiding the way. Miracles are the only way to explain  Jesus from the start of his life to the end, but He at birth fulfilled every major prophecy and it cannot be denied that Jesus is the son of God. It is for these reasons and hundreds of which I did not mention that we celebrate His birth, and celebrate this miracle babe.

Amen,

Merry Christmas 2011

Reflections 2: The Source of Happiness pt.2

” 1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on”(Luke 21:1-4, NIV). 

It is the attitude of most people who when told to give money they ask, “Why?” or they ask, “What is it going to be used for?”  Some ask blantelty, “What do I get out of it?” Then again others may say, “But I only have a dollar… sorry.” If this sounds familiar then odds are you too have said or felt like saying these words. It is so tempting to ignore our real responsibilities to God. But Jesus found the perfect way of making this same point without making it adversarial in how he chose to reveal the differences between giving freely of yourself, which is indicative of giving over everything you have without any motives guiding your actions, and that of giving because you are comfortable, having more than you could ever need. In truth, this kind of giving is done not because you need to give back to God because God gives to you, but out of a matter of statues and for the ability to brag among the movers and shakers the powerful and elite. This story harkins back to last weeks posting in-which I laid out the fine line of what makes a person truly happy verse what does not. How to begin that journey and some of the pitfalls one needs to look out for. Truly I say to you money is not the instrument that makes people happy, nor can it buy Gods loyalties, love, and forgiveness. So to continue with this great lesson of happiness I want to make this point perfectly clear, what makes a person happy as it relates to money should be found in the vast amounts of giving to those who do not have any, helping those who can not help themselves, and to give back to God because he has so blessed you. Putting God first in your life is where it  begins and where it will end, everything in between is on you, whether or not you listen faithfully to God or not.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you”(Hebrews 13:5, NIV). 

True contentment is found in the knowledge that God has so blessed us by choosing to giving us life. His most important of miracles is that of the miracle of man.  Life is what needs to be prized above all things and is what we do not have the authority to take from anyone. Again, money can not buy life, as created by God, for only God can make it, grant it, and thus take it away. Only God can destroy your immortal soul. Again, no amount of money or material wealth will save you, and all the efforts by man to do so will be cast down and be in-vain. God does not want money or material things, he wants a real relationship with you. Perhaps the most important relationship we will ever have will be that personal relationship with God Our Father.

So am I advocating that money is evil? That rich people are evil? Or the rich are inherently damned because they are wealthy? Absolutely not, for there have been many rich people who have been the most holy of persons. In doing research on this topic I was surprised to find out that a number of the Catholic Church’s Saints where wealthy, some coming from noble families. They however knew that their money or statues was not the thing which really mattered rather they used their resources to spread the word and blessing of God, money or statues just made it happen faster. What really mattered was the contentment in their heart by the act of their charitable giving and the intrinsic rewards given back to them by God. Through these means where they enabled to share with the disadvantaged, with people who needed their most basic of needs to be met, and the most noble of acts the construction of churches and cathedrals which became the instruments in bring millions of lost souls closer to God.

I have personally known people who where very wealthy, well connected, popular, and or people who on the outside would have been perceived to be snobbish or prudish. But for as much as they seemed this way their heart was made of pure gold, and the blessing of God where all about them. The power of God’s love, mercy, and grace was within everything they did and in one case  in particular a true friend of mine had gone through much of the same ordeals as I have and she overcame it all by showing her love, mercy, and understanding. She used the love of God to give her strength in the hardest of days, and her beautiful smile and most enigmatic support she freely gave to others was both unselfish but also refreshing to say the least. She once was rich and now she is poor, (monetarily speaking), she is still rich with the love of God. What I find to be truly inspiring is in the way she over came a grave illness and not once but three times within this past year and a half almost died. When others counted her out she over came it. When her voice was robbed from her because of her illness she found other, very creative ways,  to communicate always very loving and nurturing. The power of God is so strong in her nature she shines with happiness and love every-time I would look upon her, it was so strong in her it was infectious. Her poor health robbed her of her job, her savings, and still she shined with the blessings of God. She lost her apartment and her hair, but it seemed not to matter at all. She once was a star, a true talent in her time, but because God is centered in her life nothing but the fruits of Our Lord is what really matters. My mother always says, “Life can take almost anything away from you, but you can not loose sight of who you are as a person and within that you must hold onto your faith because without this you have nothing and are in real trouble.” (This message I truly want to dedicate to Johnie who true is a real source of inspiration. May God continue to bless you all the days of your life.)

“Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God”(Ecclesiastes 5:19, NIV). 

Therefore, the need to see your blessing from God is where you find your happiness, each time you see the gifts set before you, there you will find your riches, and each time you wonder what to do with it all, he is there urging you to share your wealth with those people you know and love, and also those you don’t. Because in reality everything belongs to God, your money, your home, your wife and children, even your family belong to God, but most of all your soul was created and given freely to you by God. Thus there is no real reason on this Earth that we should be depressed and blind to our blessings, there is no reason why we should abandon our faith and live in darkness absent of God, for Our Father has promised to always be with you, to helping you, to love you, and to guiding you every step of the way. So run the race, never stop, never give in, run the race straight to Him who is in heaven waiting for you and for me and all people under the sun with his arms loving outstretched. Living your life this way will bring you absolute, miraculous, fabulous, outlandish  happiness….

Amen

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A HEALING CHANT

Sing this softly / hardly making a sound exhaling with each individual breath emptying your lungs of air, letting it penetrate your heart.

“To you my Lord in heaven this I pray… I want to learn how to love you to the end of my days…I want to embrace you fu-l-ly. I need to learn how to be m-or-e like you. I need your un-de-nia-ble peace. I want to know you so that my sins are washed clean… I want to walk with you in your king-dom.”

Close your eyes singing… for the Lord relies

“Take my hand that I offer to you…Take the fruit of my sp-i-r-it too. Ask for forgiveness so shall it be done. Healing your heart…renewing your soul. For I accept you just you are. Take my hand that I extend now to you…take now my blood of sal-va-tion too. I will love you to the end of all time…I will embrace you because now you are mine. I will love you un-con-di-tion-al-l-y…My peace is in you and shall never de-part. I will walk with you giving you a-l-l of my str-en-gth. I will love you to the end of all days…I will embrace you because you sing my praise. Your body now is clean…for I have also washed your face…all because you have a-s-k me. For I am with you now and always.”

Reflections 1: The Source of Happiness

“You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.” ~ Matthew 5:13

Jesus Christ stated that we are like the salt of the earth, for in us we preserve His glory, His love, His mercy, and His forgiveness, much like salt is used to preserve foods for our consumption and nourishment. I find it hard to talk about happiness without first making the correlation between Gods glory, love, mercy, and that of His forgiveness to that of the source of our own personally happiness. For when I read the Bible it becomes perfectly clear that we find happiness not in others, not in our own deeds;  it cannot be found in the pursuit of money, lust, or in any other type of greed. But rather true happiness is found and sustained in our spiritual growth, in our belief in God, it is found within our heart as we should first center our lives on Gods teachings and his Words and less on ourselves, our wants, or our ambitions.

In this reflection I want to illustrate how we often times look to other people to make us happy, we look to things, or accomplishments, and sometimes some of us look to the approval of a good deed waiting for the assurance that comes with the serenade of a job well done. The Happiness series I hope will guide you on a different kind of path which redirects your source for happiness from that of self, to that of living a life directed by God. It has been through my own personal experiences that which I testify through this series of posts that has lead me on a trek where I seek not to please others, myself, or to satisfy some inner craving based solely on the desires of this world, which will pass away, but rather on acting on behalf of God, doing his work, impacting others in a positive manner daily and the inner happiness I have found no matter the situation because I have based my life on Our Father in heaven. This path in which I speak is the source and the starting point to finding your true self, but I must warn you, it is a hard road, it is devoid of any kind of easy attainment and it is not for the weary but for the people of God who are ready to put away the world and pick up their own cross.

The first sin we must deal with on this road to personal happiness is the bad habit of judging others for it is written;

“1 Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, 2 for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others.” ~ Matthew 7:1-2

Because of this, I tell you to put away your judgmental heart. For how can you be truly happy when like children you see what your neighbor has done, or not done in following a rule or not following a rule and then behind their back you complain saying to others, “If it was me I would have done…”  For I ask, “How do you know you would or would not have done something unless you ware that persons shoes and lived and experienced life as they have, unless you assumed their place,  who are you to judge the actions of another person?” Be happy for those who faced the test and that passed it. Let nothing of ill words come forth from your mouth. For in putting this into practice you will guard your tongue against any kind of false witness, from lying, cheating, or steeling another person’s glory that has been assigned and or blessed by God. In the observance of this you will show respect, receive respect in kind, you will show yourself honorable, and receive grace in return. In this you will find happiness.

Secondly,  the sin that must be dealt with swiftly is the compulsion to want to punish others for what you have perceived they have done to you. For this is revenge and goes hand in hand with a judgmental heart. For the Apostle Paul wrote very clearly;

“17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay’, says the Lord. 20 Therefore, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him: If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coats of fire on his head.’ 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” ~ Romans 12:17-21

For in observance of this you shall find hardship within the judgments of man, but will find great favor with God. For where there is great favor there is great happiness and even more love.

Thirdly, cast away with all sincerity the trapping of this world. Throw away the beast inside you which clutches to things which you cannot take with you when you die. Stop measuring others worth to you in terms of usefulness or of money. People are not valued by God in this manner, and to be like God you must resist the temptation to measure others, both in their personage and their deeds. Again it is not up you to judge, to take revenge, to punish, nor is it your place to measure with an inadequate scale for it is written;

“1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” ~ Romans 12:17-21

Therefore, it is just that you turn around and leave this place of the judgments of others, and look into yourself and ask, “Am I not a sinner too?” If one has the compulsion to measure, then measure one’s self. I often times find this exercise helpful when I feel the need to spout a judgment onto someone who has made me upset or mad. Walk into a room at work or at home, looking around at everyone who is present before you and then ask yourself, “If this room was on fire and I had the key to unlocking the door that leads outside and away from the heat of the blaze, who amongst these people would I save if given a choice?” If the answer is anything less than everyone then you failed the test. Because God wants to save every last person on this earth who has ever lived, or will live. Happiness is found in the pursuit to being as much like God as we can be. You cannot be happy if you are judgmental because within that action you have thus become angry and rebellious. Angry and rebellious people by design are not happy people.

Fourthly, find it within yourself to let go of those things people have done against you, give it to God, be merciful to those who are without mercy, be forgiving to those who refuse to forgive you of your transgressions for it is written;

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven.” ~ Luke 6:37

I am constantly reminded how often Jesus forgave others, how fast he was to forgive. He was quick on his feet in pardoning the women who committed adultery found in John 8:3-11, or the women who bathed his feet with her tears found in Luke 7:47-50, and let us not forget the murderer who was being crucified with Christ found in Luke 23:41-43. These three references are but a small sampling of Jesus and the acts of absolute forgiveness that he had demonstrated openly. I testify that forgiving is the key to happiness, because within it; do you then find absolution. When you pray ask God to forgive others who have hurt you first before yourself as it is written;

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that you’re Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” ~ Mark 11:25

In the observance of this you find humility, and in humility do you find your humanity.

May God bless you all and keep you safe this holiday season.

Amen

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Special Posting: Growing in your Relationship with God

I believe that God wants to communicate directly to each and every one of us here on earth. I believe that God brings about new methods for us to communicate with him and each other so that we can build our faith in him, through the collaboration with each other. I also believe that there are so many of you out there who have been asking for a way to communicate directly with me, so you can learn more and grow more in Christ Jesus. I think everyone knows I am first an educator and I love the idea of using technology to accomplish everything I have stated above for the sole purpose of bring people to God. Therefore, I am happy to announce that I have created a Facebook page so that everyone can collaborate, can send me personal messages, and so we all as one community in Christ can help each other lead a more Christ- centered and Christ-directed life. As we continue to grow spiritually I ask all of you who read weekly to use the new Listening Faithfully Facebook page as a way to help cleanse or purge your personal sins through confessing them as you seek help for those sins which have placed a massive burden upon your shoulders. In doing so you will claim the fullness of the Spirit, and I believe that you will experience a deep relationship as you walk closer to God that in short will enable you to grow in Christ. I hope everyone enjoys this new Facebook page and I am excited to be able to offer it to all of you first.

If you have troubles finding it on the Internet  then please send me your email address and I will send you a personalized invite.

Send your emails to: listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com

Subject Header: Personal Invite to Listing Faithfully Facebook Account
God Bless,

Reflections: Thanksgiving Message 2011

“Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” ~ Mark 3:34-35

What does God really want from us? Why would Jesus deny his own mother and brothers in public and instead elect to keep teaching in the temple? What is Mark really saying to us? Finally what does any of these things have to do with Thanksgiving? Well to be certain Jesus was very much about his father’s work. He was very much about teaching and healing and spreading the word of God. So much so he would be twice found in the temple with his family asking for him to come out and go with them. Once when he was a young boy and then again on this Sabbath day. The miracle he had worked had less to do with the act of healing a man with withered hands and more to do with his message, the meanings found within the symbology of his actions and words. Jesus knew he was surrounded by men with hardened hearts, supposed teachers of the Mosaic Laws. He knew they would be questioning him at every turn, testing, and judging everything he did. In many ways trying their best to trick him and find fault within him. But our Lord and Savior was too clever for them, as his message was about the old versus the new. The Pharisees now have become guardians of the old and outdated and Jesus the fresh and the new, representing the new agreement with mankind. In retrospect Thanksgiving is about this very thing, the old ways of Europe put down and the new ways of living had been found within the cultivation of the pilgrims’ relationship with the Indians.

The first of all new commandments is to love one another. The pilgrims knew this, they taught the Indians this, and on many levels the Indians taught the first pilgrims the meaning of respect and love in their kindness in helping them to survive in a harsh environment, all of which the Indians did not haves to do. Just as Christ Jesus did not have to forsake his place next to God and elect to become a servant and the sacrifice for all mankind.

I think it is very evident to what God wants from us, what he demands from us, and I am very thankful that we have set aside a day in order to celebrate all the things in our life we have to be thankful for. Because when we do this we celebrate God, we celebrate the message, the symbology behind the story of giving to each other freely not expecting anything in return.

So Mark was making the point that even though the law was interpreted as being one way and against common human decency then we need to reach out and find the spirit of the law which is of a higher nature. So in this instance it was believed one does not work on the Sabbath, even if it is to heal the sick, tend to the dying. But in the example Jesus clearly showed the hypocrisy of this and how this directly contradicts his first commandment, of loves one another. Healing the sick on the Sabbath was not work, but an act of kindness and love.

So on this Thanksgiving day I want everyone to look deep down at what you have, the food you are eating, and the warmth that surrounds you, and remember that God is with you, remember that he made all things possible and what you have he granted. Take this day to thank him first, take this moment to ask his blessing on your life and that of your family. Show your mercy through your actions and help those who can not help themselves, love one another as God loves you.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

May God bless you all and keep you safe this holiday season.

Amen

Special Posting: Time-Sensitive

Last Sunday I published a posting which introduced a special cause that will fund a computer club for a private school in the inner city of Los Angeles. I explained that many children have in the past seven years greatly benefited form the Technology Team, but now economics have threatened the very existence of the program. What we need is 104 people to donate $100.00 by clicking on the following link:

Badges

The money will only be deducted from your credit cards when the target amount is reached. This is time sensitive as we must collect all the funds no later than December 15, 2011, at which point the school will begin to discuss the possible closing of all summer programs that would include the Technology Team for the summer of 2012. Please help Listeningfaithullyblog.com collect the necessary funds to secure another year for these students in need. Please act now!
God Bless

Special Posting: The Commandment of Giving

“15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22: 15-17, NKJV, Pg. 958).

I accept you as you are. I love you as you are. For God made you, who am I to quarrel with God. So, I love you and accept you as you are. Shouldn’t this have been the real attitude of the Pharisees? Wouldn’t their faith had been stronger, their hearts more pure if this was how they accepted Jesus? But no, they chose to test the Lord, they chose to plot and plan against him. But I say to you, isn’t this human nature? So what did the Lord do, one might ask?

“18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. 20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22: 18-21, NKJV, Pg. 958).

If you are a follower of Listening Faithfully you know I don’t ask for money in return for reading what is posted here on the blog. It is my personal and firm belief that you give to God what belongs to him in your own way, hopefully in church. Thus, from time to time I receive messages asking me why I don’t have a donations page, because if I did, they wrote, readers would donate money. To be truthful I resist this temptation of collecting donations because I want there to be a free spirit of giving and sharing here. I truly enjoy writing this blog and every week I receive over 300 messages from people who tell me they enjoy reading what I post. It’s a fair exchange in my view; it is also in line with the gospel. However, even Jesus accepted the charitable giving of others. So in the spirit of charitable giving I am writing this special posting and I will ask only one thing; that being if you truly feel the calling of God, tugging away at your heart to give or to contribute or to donate, call it what you will then, I suggest for you to read about both our Foreign Giving and Domestic Giving or causes which are near and dear to my heart, and I know after reading about them they will be near and dear to your heart as well.

(Currently we are still collecting all the information necessary to fully bring to light the Foreign Giving which can be found on the Foreign Giving tab. Please read next week’s special posting.)

Before I begin I would like to quote one of my favorite Lutheran Ministers who writes so eloquently about giving in the name of the Lord, to help those who are furthering Gods work here on Earth, Dr. Richard P. Bucher, from Lexington Kentucky writes, “I’m not referring to the laws of tithing which God imposed upon the Old Testament believers. These will be discussed later. I’m referring to the moral law of the Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal. The Seventh Commandment is not merely about stealing–it is about stewardship. The Seventh Commandment reminds us that God is the owner of everything. “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein” (Ps. 24:1) is the constant refrain of Scripture. When we steal from our neighbor we are ultimately stealing from Him who gave to our neighbor in the first place (James 1:17). Since God owns everything, it follows that we own nothing: we are merely stewards (managers) of God’s possessions” (Bucher, Richard P. Dr., Sermon: Christian Giving In God’s Word), retrieved: October 23, 2011, from: http://www.orlutheran.com/html/stew.html

Domestic Giving:

So with this in mind and the proper mood set, here are the two suggestions. As an educator in the inner city schools of Los Angeles there are many children who are raised in absolute poverty. After eight years of working in these communities I am still struck with awe to how many people there are in need in what most would consider being the wealthiest nation on earth. But, nevertheless I see this poverty, I see the destructive nature of this poverty and I often wonder how I can have the biggest impact? In reading the scripture I find that Jesus helped people, curried them of their illnesses and he even raised the dead, one person at a time. God loves all of us and he is interested in us in detail. So from these two truths I conclude that God helps those who he has established a personal relationship with. So I am writing to you so you may know the personal relationships to the community to which I serve so lovingly.

Each Year at Ascension Catholic School, in association with STARK NET, and other contributors a special summer program known as the Technology Team is hosted. Students from grades 5-8 are welcome to join and learn during four weeks of their summer break all the inner most workings of the computer. They do wonderful projects like taking computers apart, cleaning them, and then putting everything back as they found it. Reformatting hard drives and reinstalling the operating system. The students learn skills of problem solving, how to conduct proper internet research as they find the prices of new computer components. They write the Tech Team News Letter and at the end of the four weeks give a PowerPoint presentation before their parents showing off everything they have done during the four weeks they attended. The course emphasizes computer literacy in the highest order. It is fully in line with the ISTE Standards, and is taught by a teacher who is really passionate about the subject matter and the student’s future success. Unfortunately, each year there are students who are turned away because they cannot afford the meager $150.00 it costs to attend during the summer. This tuition is imposed upon the families of the students who want to join because the Tech Team T-Shirts, Flash-Drives, material, computer components, and the teacher’s salary are all elements which need to be compensated for. Normally the salary component would not be an issue, but teachers are not paid during the long summer months. The school has done fundraisers and has managed to secure minimal support for scholarships for a few of the students who are in the worst need lowering the $150.00 tuition down to just $100.00. Ironically each year the course material becomes more complex and more activities are added to make the program more robust and in this it is truly Gods hand being shown as children from all over the community come to sign up and participate in this extraordinary summer program. What ways so heavy on my heart in the mist of such awesome work being done for the Lord at Ascension is that each year the Technology Team teeters on the cusp of not happening due to the lack of funds as our economy becomes worse and worse. Like my mother use to say, “You cannot drawl blood from a turnip.”

So it is with a heavy heart I see this valuable program being sidelined due to no funds, and the hope is that with just the support of 105 people donating just $100.00 not only will the students in the inner city of Los Angeles be able to enjoy another year of the technology team, but they will be able to receive this program free of charge. For the first time with only 105 generous people the members of the Technology Team will receive the funds to not just take the computers apart, but also research, plan, budget for the purchasing of the components for their very own computers that at the end of the course will they be able to take home and use for school work. As a teacher of technology I cannot conceive of a better gift we can give to our children, that of a tool they can use to succeed, one that will benefit them for many years to come as they move through life as lifelong learners and become computer literate. All it takes is just 105 generous people to make this dream come true for children who are raised in absolute poverty.

So I say this to you in my appeal, “I accept you as you are. I love you as you are. For who am I to argue with God who created you as you are. For I say to you it was the Lord thy God who has given you everything, all your money, your worldly belongings, your career or calling, your wife or husband, and your children, and your family all of which our Lord has so richly blessed. For it was the Lord who asked you to give unto God what belongs to God, whom commanded you to love your neighbor as you love yourself.(Matthew 22:34-40)”

If you would like to sponsor this program then please click on this link:

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I thank you on behalf of Listening Faithfully Blog and promise to update everyone on the progress once this program is funded completely. For a list of all the costs associated with running this program please write me personally at: listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com.

Challenge Question: If giving of one’s self, time, money, belongings, and food is the will of God, then why aren’t more people doing it? For more scripture on Giving please see: http://listeningfaithfullyblog.com/2011/07/24/814/

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

Special Posting: Faith and Love Equals Miracles

“13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” (Matthew 8:13, NKJV, Pp. 1481).

Is it true that anything is possible for the Lord? Is it possible that we all have this magical healing power deep within us that when Jesus conveniences us to just believe in him we are miraculously healed? Is there anything he cannot do, anyone he cannot heal? Well, according to the Bible, and certainly this Roman centurion would exclaim that this man, his enemy, is indeed the Lord, and that there is nothing he cannot do for you if you have enough faith in Him.

“5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help, 6 ‘Lord’, he said, ‘my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.’ 7 Jesus said to him, ‘I will go heal him.’ 8 The centurion replied, ‘Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes; I say to my servant, ‘Do this, and he does it ”(Matthew 8:5-9, NKJV, Pp.1480- 1481).

This Roman, commander of many, did not have to find Jesus in order to have his servant healed. He could have just as easily sent one of his many soldiers to find Jesus and bring him to his house.  But instead we see that this Roman Centurion found the Lord himself, on behalf of his servant. This act stands out because it was an act done out of deep love for his servant. How many of us would have sent someone else to go fetch the doctor? This centurion makes a point in telling Jesus that he is undeserving to have him in his house, but instead he tells Jesus to say the words for his servant to be healed, and with just that proclamation he would believe it. How many of us today would be strong enough to have such faith? The miraculous thing is that this centurion was a believer first, roman second. He was a gentile and in many ways the enemy of the Jewish people at that time, and for him to exhibit such faith makes anyone one of his time, let alone of our time pale in comparison.  But from this centurion, he exhibits the qualities needed to accept Jesus, and to believe that Jesus is the master of the impossible, for he demonstrated unshakable faith and love which is the prerequisite for miracles.

“10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing teeth. 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.’ And his servant was healed at that very hour” (Matthew 8:13, NKJV, Pp. 1481).

However, it was not just this servant, not just this one centurion, but countless people who found Jesus and asked for his healing touch, each and every one of them healed. Each and every one of them exhibited faith first, and found Gods love second being poured out over them in a healing embrace of agape love and nurturing grace. The list is very extensive ranging from Lepers, paraplegics, blind, demonically possessed, adults and children alike consumed in fevers, and all who were on their death bed, stretching across all four gospels, and on into Acts. The impact of faith as it is connected to healing is undisputable, but amazingly people today find ways not to believe. They hear that their disease is insurmountable, or that they have to take drugs that will alter their looks, hiding behind the shame of whatever ails them instead of openly accepting it, and then having faith in God, in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who can heal them.

In retrospect the greatest example I can find in the bible is the death of Jesus himself. His body beaten and broken, the life sucked out of him, and his blood spilled all over Israel and still he rose the third day, his body renewed. Jesus’s faith in his father was the miracle, because Jesus knew what was to happen and it was on faith he would rise again, as God did not reveal all the mysteries to his son. Much like God doesn’t reveal all the mysteries to us. It is often times in our deepest, darkest, depression, and sickness is it then we have the strength to find God, because everything else has been stripped away. God is love, therefore he wants your healing, and he wants your faith in him. It is the most logical act we can do, but it is the hardest to master. We can be healed if we allow ourselves to believe in God, and let his hand touch our hearts, and make us whole. There is nothing too big for God, nothing to complicated, nothing to crooked that God cannot make it straight again. There is no wound, no emotional hurt that He does not have the cure for. Simply put, there is nothing he cannot do if only you believe.

I want to dedicate this special posting to two people who I know and who are currently fighting two different but equally devastation and life threatening diseases. Both of these people are members of our larger faith community and I just wanted to reach out to them today with this message of hope, and to let them know we all here are praying for them each and every day for thier speedy recovery. Normally I would mention their names, but their families have asked that I do not reveal their names, at least for now. I also promise to keep everyone here at Listening Faithfully posted to their recovery.

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

Reflections 4: Virtue of Chastity

“27 You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a women lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” ( Matthew 5:27-28, NKJV, Pp. 1476).

How many people in today’s world look at the opposite sex and think, “Wow! How awesome it would be to get (him / her) in my bed for a night? Lord…the things I would do to (him / her)!”  I know it’s a blunt statement, but the question has been one that thousands of different articles in any self-respecting women’s magazine has asked and answered a million times over. How many married men look at unmarried women with this one singular thought in their mind, “I could get away with it!” Presidents, Governors, Senators, Congressmen, and Hollywood Stars, and entertainers alike have sensationalized this unseemly activity, therefore indirectly indorsing sexual misconduct and promiscuity.  How many of them have gotten caught? While we are on this topic how many women have extra marital affairs because their husband were on a business trip or is emotionally not present in the relationship? Safe to say more than 50% of American women have these sexual encounters when their husbands are gone, i.e the very popular websites called, Find New Passion, Affairs Club, Dating Married Women, and Affair Link, all of which make a mockery of the institution of marriage. So then you might ask, “What if the women or man is separated from their respective spouse, not quit divorced yet? Is it ok then to go night clubbing, bringing the opposite sex to your house or apartment for the soul purpose of fulfilling some emotional need before the final papers are signed? Is this too adultery?” There is example after example of how we, (the people of the world), fall to Satan’s temptation of “Lust” ignoring the commandment of Jesus to guard against this invasion of the mind and soul, and instead practice Chastity!

At the risk of sounding old fashion, perhaps a little hypocritical, the idea is that if you are married you are in a relationship which God has blessed. Why would you through that relationship away at the first, second, or third little bump in the road? Unless there is adultery Jesus does not condone getting something extra on the side, nor does he condone divorce.

“31 It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for martial unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced women commits adultery”( Matthew 5:31-32, NKJV, Pp. 1476).

Together these two passages have convicted the world of adultery. So the question now must be asked, “Is it as cut and dry as this? Or does God forgive, and bless people who fall in love after divorce, who eventually get married and establish a true partnership in loving matrimony and faithfulness?” More importantly, “Can trust blossom where there once was adultery?”

It has been my experience that if one person in the relationship, (i.e. husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, or even friends with benefits), have the notion or secretly plan to meet up with someone else outside there committed relationship for any reason, then that person takes on the burden of guilt. Because their sin is so great one or both relationships will fail. That person will be caught in a lie, or in a half-truth, the weight of their sin causes them to refuse their partner such things as information of their whereabouts, and even withholding sex from their partner. The defying silence as the communication between the devoted partners wane is what destroys trust and will kill the once blessed relationship. Satan’s attack isn’t complete as he seeks to destroy the illegitimate relationship with the guilt he used to destroy the ligament relationship. Remember, Satan wants you alone and defeated. There are as many reasons under the sun for these things to happen, but among the top three reasons you will find that money, loneliness, or simple lust is the culprit, the tools that Satan often uses to divide and concur. Therefore, it has been said that, “When you prize money over relationships, the relationship fails every single time” (Anonymous, 2011).   One could easily replace the word “money” with whatever the true cause of being unfaithful was in the first place, and get the same outcome. Jesus knew this, hence his comments on lust and of faithfulness in Matthew 5:27-28 and 5:31-32. No one likes the feelings associated with being taken advantage of, or being hurt by the one special person in their life who it was once thought, if not whole heartily believed, that would never disgracefully destroy and misuse their love in such a despicable manner. In fact it is of my humble opinion that “adultery”; or if you are not married then the term; “cheating” is the most selfish act a person could ever do against their beloved!

With all this said, we come to the purpose of the Virtue of Chastity. In short, the best description I could fine happens to come from the Catholic publication of the, New Advent, which states, “Chastity is the virtue which excludes or moderates the indulgence of the sexual appetite. It is a form of the virtue of temperance, which controls according to right reason the desire for and use of those things which afford the greatest sensual pleasures” (Melody, J. 1908, transcribed for New Advent by Potter, Douglas J., 2009)[i]   The phrase, “Abstaining from sexual contact” comes to mind. Again, at the risk of sounding old-fashion there is something to be said about the practice of courtship, dating, or wooing your partner into romantic love for the innocent purposes of abstaining from sexual intercourse until after marriage. The virtue of chastity demands self-control, propagates good health and hygiene through the embracing of moral wholesomeness, and is directly linked to the moral attribute of being honest with yourself, your family, your community, and to the world. If chastity is practiced in a romantic relationship then love is allowed to take root because trust, caring, nurturing words and actions have become the foundation. Within this the temptation of the sin of lust is defeated as there will never be placed into your mind and heart or that of your partners mind and heart the need to seek sexual satisfaction elsewhere for any reason. The ability to ignore these more carnal desires and from being distracted by or influenced by hostility, temptation, or corruption is directly in line with the moral obligation you have with your partner. Thus, upholding a higher level of trust, love, commitment, confidence, with your spouse or partner that in return fills the heart with God’s perfect love and perfect faith within those relationships where chastity is practiced.

It is not up to me to say whether God forgives those who have purposefully destroyed their family’s to hook up with someone else, or for those who have been unfaithful for the top three reasons listed above, or for any reason what so ever, but I can point out that the Bible holds a plethora of dysfunctional characters who have done all the above and more and still found favor with God. My favorite of these is King David.

“2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing.  The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5 The women conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” (2 Samuel 11:2-5, NKJV, Pp. 439).

One could say that King David’s actions with Bathsheba where no less sinful than anyone living in modern times. But the point of this scripture isn’t the commonality of his sin rather the blatant disregard for the sanctity of marriage, the disrespect paid to Uriah, and the defiling of Bathsheba. The other point is it takes two people in order for there to be adultery in the physical sense of the word. Therefore, both are just as guilty, because both parties acted upon carnal desires, or lust. However, interestingly enough we find out later in the Bible that King David was a man after Gods own heart, but undeniably David’s life after Bathsheba had increasingly become more difficult, because of their shared willingness to participate in adultery. On the other hand it cannot be denied that King David was still favored by God.

“22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him; ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13: 22, NKJV, Pp. 1711).

Can we then deduce that God condoned David’s lustful ways? Absolutely not! David was just as human as anyone of us today, just as flawed, just as much a sinner, and in need of God’s mercy to the same degree as we do today. I would be lying if I said that God will not forgive you if you ask for forgiveness. The real path to God, to forgiveness rests within your own heart. “Can you forgive yourself of adultery?” Or if you were not the adulterer but instead found out that your partner committed this sin against (God first, themselves second, you third), then ask yourself this question, “Can you forgive your spouse, partner or loved one of adultery?” The knife cuts both ways, especially once understanding fully that chastity is the commandment from Jesus, from God as it is the only way to forgo the sin of lust which leads to adultery.

So whose example should we take if not our Lord and Saviors? How about JOB who stated,

“1 I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. 2 For what is man’s lot from God above, his heritage from the Almighty on high? 3 Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? 4 Does he not see my ways and count my every step?”(JOB 31:1-4, NKJV, Pp.762)

JOB’s words of wisdom can be applied to both men and women equally, and if we go back to King David, what was his wage for the sin of adultery? According to Nathan who was sent to King David by God to deliver to him a message of disaster and ruin for his wicked ways;

“11 This is what the Lord says; ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel. 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 but because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die” (2 Samuel 12:11-14, NKJV, Pp. 441).

The son of King David and Bathsheba conceived from the adulteress affair, the cause that made David have Bathsheba’s husband Uriah killed in battle. The sin of adultery which led to murder, God then demanded the life of an innocent child, but the true punishment upon David as he agonizingly stood ideally by, completely powerless to do anything to save their son, was in fact found within his torment of having to watch the life of his son be extinguished. This was the collective wage of King David and Bathsheba’s sin of adultery.

Our Lord God sees everything we do. He sees our achievements, our epic failures. He sees our acts of charity, and our sins. God gives, but He also takes away. God forgives, but he also punishes. The Lord Almighty is gracious and yet stern in his commandments. He guides us in the ways of righteousness and holds our hand when we need his comfort, and he is so eager to take back our hand after we have pulled away from him through sin. Through Moses God demanded we do not commit adultery, for it is sin, perpetrated through the temptation of lust. But as surely as He commanded us not to sin in this fashion he gave us a Heavenly alternative, that of the Virtue of Chastity.

Challenge question: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” But most of us have. So what is our wage for this sin? Will it be as JOB stated, and King David suffered?

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you.

[i] Melody, J. (1908). Chastity. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved July 29, 2011 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03637d.htm