viewoutsidethepew

Since you were brought back to life with Christ,
1. focus on the things that are above;
2. keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things;
3. put to death whatever is worldly in you: your sexual sin, perversion,  passion, lust, and greed (which is the same thing as worshiping wealth)
4. get rid of your anger, hot tempers, hatred, cursing, obscene language, and all similar sins;
5. don’t lie to each other;
6. be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient;
7. put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you;
8. above all, be loving;
9. let Christ’s peace control you;
10. be thankful;
11. let Christ’s word with all its wisdom and richness live in you;
12. use psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and instruct  yourselves about {God’s} kindness. Sing to God in your hearts;
13. everything you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(read all of Colossians 3:1-17 God’s Word to get the whole story)

I hesitate to write this. Religious people tend to heap contempt on experiences like I will describe. Atheists act with equal contempt. I find, though, in the cyber-world of blogs, a crowd of witnesses for whom this, I pray, will inspire and encourage for the work of Paraclete which they also pursue.

In 2005 I became very ill with Crohn’s Disease, and would have died if my wife had not persisted in a search for medical care. For those few days between death and the life the treatment restored I lived in acute awareness of the spiritual world. Even for some time afterwards I had visions so vivid I often could not tell a vision from “real” life until sometime later.

Since then the visions have come rarely.

But last night a vision came (intense, realistically real and clear). The meaning did not arise immediately. Read more…

“This is the way God’s children are distinguished from the devil’s children. Everyone who doesn’t do what is right or love other believers isn’t God’s child” (1 John 3:10 God’s Word).

“Dear children, we must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words”
(1 John 3:18 God’s Word).

Today, January 6, is Epiphany. When I led worship this was, in many ways, the highlight of the celebrations that close out the calendar year. The word is Greek and means “appear, become visible”. Originally it was a day to celebrate the baptism of Jesus because on that day God spoke from heaven and declared Jesus to be a special Son like no other. That has its own day still, but I liked to celebrate the visit of the Magi as is now common in liturgical circles.

Why? Read more…

How you treat other people, directly or indirectly, actively or passively, reveals your soul. “What enters a person’s mouth does not cause dirtiness, but what exits the mouth, this causes dirtiness” (Matthew 15:11, my translation). Read more…