ACTS 19:21-41
There are two brilliant men, who are brothers of this preacher of the Word. Respective of the birth order, one is a chemical engineer and the other a bio-chemical engineer. On another day may the writings reflect the distinctive difference between the two areas of study and work. Today, the bio-chemist emailed to people close in relations a note under the subject: "Stay Safe". Sensing the deep sincerity, I paused to prayerfully read his words of shame and pain with compassionate concern.
Shame must we be to continue a world of terrorism on our neighbors and relatives. Pain comes with the reality that "... there's trouble all around us these days ... one (you and I) must never take life for granted ... I don't know who the guys below are yet, but I am familiar with Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville ... My first assignment in Demilitarization was as a sub-contractor with" TB, "also out of Huntsville ... Along with being the Engineers for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (engineers for all shuttles), they manage all scientific efforts at Redstone Arsenal ... At the end of my first assignment in Utah, I opted to return to a Maryland Project and passed on the opportunities at Redstone Arsenal (Mother and Daddy were ailing) ..." (written by BJR, Sr., my brother, the bio-chemist).
He followed the above noting Mother's Day less than two days away at the time of his reading an article reporting a chemical explosion today (May 7, 2010) on Redstone Arsenal. Two men were taken from Huntsville, Alabama to medical facilities of the University of Alabama. Mothers boys blessed to become men have received heroic attention in Alabama during 2010. The University of Alabama football team heard fans cheer: "roll tide" as they became the National Football Champions in the NCAA. On this day in Alabama, pause came upon us, and we acknowledge two heroic sons as men of courage and honor. Injured for the sake of peace and aim for safety - yours and mine.
The work in the early movement of Christianity among Jews and Gentiles, alike, found men of Mothers in daily need of safety as they represented the "Way" - Jesus as the Christ. Men and women confused by the challenge to their cultural practices and spiritual understandings rose against sons, who became men of the Way. In the midst of them, it was the teacher Paul, who was allowed to bring peace unto them in words on reality. It was a fellow Jew that was pushed through the crowd to stand and deliver a call to listening and order as he said: "... we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion." What are we to fear? Alexander could not represent Paul or the essence of the Christian movement over against the worship of idols. Alexander did represent the human calm in the midst of the storm. Because he was pushed forward, he became the source of calm for the sake of safety for all. In the end, he led the terrorizing crowd to a blessed dismissal and the assembly came to a halt.
Brave are the men burned for our safety in the search for peace on earth. May we pray for them as they lay in pain given the shame, which still rocks our nation and world.
Mother, born on May 13, 1928, died on April 15, 2002. What days of smiling must be in heaven. She is a witness to her "knee baby" and bio-chemist (a sandwich of delight to her between the elder son and baby boy) calling for prayer. One of Mother's favorite singers was Marvin Gaye, who once delivered a song relevant for the ages: "What's Going On." There is no justification for the violent state of living in our local communities, nation, and global existence. What can we do to stay safe? (I pause to ask my brilliant brothers and you)
Alexander was pushed to take a stand for righteous, and used cognitive reality to bring a people to calm and dismiss the outrage caused by some who were refusing to hear the plea for the violence to end. Do all you can to stay safe in a world of terrorism. When you have done all that you can for safety, then STAND and be not a contributor to the hate. STAND and be assured that you are not alone, because the Lord, who arose and lives is standing with you. We are winning, are you with US?
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy and grant us peace on earth. Amen.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Sincere Ministry in Jars of Clay
2 Corinthians 4:1-19
Challenges to my personal life has caused people, who once shared in my sincerity to question the "ideal ministry", which I remain called to deliver. I understand their position. They do not have to understand or accept my decisions. The ministry has never been about my life. This ministry granted me will always be of God and about the workings of the Holy Spirit as revealed in Jesus Christ. Paul describes it as a "treasure in jars of clay." The power for sincere ministry is from God, so we may be "hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck, but not destroyed." (4:8-9)
Itinerant ministry is a way of life. It is the life I have known from the cradle and hope for into the grave until the resurrection. It is the sincere ministry known to me, which time to time has me on the edge of homelessness. Living on the edge, you give up or give out or STAND. One pastoral appointment to another within the episcopal system of the United Methodist Church has yielded one or more cities in the United States of America on an average of every four years to be considered home. Since 1976, my pastoral record reveals having been appointed 34 times between eight parishes. The tenures have ranged from 7 months before accepting a "an appointment by selection" to 119 months in a third "appointment by selection." (Types of appointment are not the concern of this message)
In only one of the appointments was a family house purchased. Even then, there was an investigation as to what, how, and when, not by the local church members but someone, who seemed to have thought himself to be wiser or smarter or even better. The pursuit gave an appearance of coming out of piety or envy or perceived power. So much time was wasted. Time that could have been used to acquire over 100 acres of property to develop the ministry. (An opportunity given before Joel Osteen even dreamed his dreams of such a leap of faith) We did not need to raise money, the owners were going to donate the properties that included buildings. All we needed was a letter of affirmation of the special appointment to develop sincere ministries of reconciliation, especially racial reconciliation.
Time that could have been shared in forming a health coalition with the local hospital system, which was part of the planned ministry. Time that could have been given to the interfaith ministries, including Ba Hai, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Time that could have been shared on the outreach ministries that included thousands of listeners and viewers and volunteers from Conway to Atlantic Beach back across to Murrels Inlet. Time that could have been given to campus ministry formed in partnership with Coastal Carolina University. Time that could have been spent helping construct the International Peace Wall that was built in partnership with elementary schools and Carolina Marks with Hilda Dail. Time that could have enhanced our partnership established with Sun News Media, and our two television shows on the Christian channel as well as our radio broadcast. Time that should have been given to our chaplaincy to Conway High School football team and the local community centers in Conway and Atlantic Beach. Time that would have strengthen our pastoral counseling ministry through the Grand Strand Pastoral Counseling Services. Time that would have enlarged our membership with the connectional ministries of each of the local United Methodist Churches that were to assist us in forming ministries out their facilities. Time that may have helped our partnership with the Community Technical College. Time so precious to our partnering with the golf course -Witches Links. Time for our partnership with International Paper and the historic Belin Church. Oh so much time wasted, which would have placed us the forerunner for the Air Force Base housing and chapel. Oh the shared time in ministry would have yielded global impact from our annual Racial Inclusiveness March on Myrtle Beach. Shared time in our music academy could have produced church musicians for church north, south, east, and west. And what about the children taught dance and Bible in the development of the Christian Education Ministries? Wasted time...
Instead, a house bought in 1992 would be questioned in 1996, after the death in 1995 of the bishop, who had appointed us in 1991 for the purpose of delivering racially inclusive ministries, and had relocated us back to the city of my birth after three years (we had fulfilled his requested appointment). During such times, it would be great to have a place where you are at liberty to mature in the faith and reconcile with God as a "wounded healer". (Henri Nouwen)
As 1985 was ending, my brother sent me a poem, which I would pick up for reasoning as I was being confronted:
Challenges to my personal life has caused people, who once shared in my sincerity to question the "ideal ministry", which I remain called to deliver. I understand their position. They do not have to understand or accept my decisions. The ministry has never been about my life. This ministry granted me will always be of God and about the workings of the Holy Spirit as revealed in Jesus Christ. Paul describes it as a "treasure in jars of clay." The power for sincere ministry is from God, so we may be "hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck, but not destroyed." (4:8-9)
Itinerant ministry is a way of life. It is the life I have known from the cradle and hope for into the grave until the resurrection. It is the sincere ministry known to me, which time to time has me on the edge of homelessness. Living on the edge, you give up or give out or STAND. One pastoral appointment to another within the episcopal system of the United Methodist Church has yielded one or more cities in the United States of America on an average of every four years to be considered home. Since 1976, my pastoral record reveals having been appointed 34 times between eight parishes. The tenures have ranged from 7 months before accepting a "an appointment by selection" to 119 months in a third "appointment by selection." (Types of appointment are not the concern of this message)
In only one of the appointments was a family house purchased. Even then, there was an investigation as to what, how, and when, not by the local church members but someone, who seemed to have thought himself to be wiser or smarter or even better. The pursuit gave an appearance of coming out of piety or envy or perceived power. So much time was wasted. Time that could have been used to acquire over 100 acres of property to develop the ministry. (An opportunity given before Joel Osteen even dreamed his dreams of such a leap of faith) We did not need to raise money, the owners were going to donate the properties that included buildings. All we needed was a letter of affirmation of the special appointment to develop sincere ministries of reconciliation, especially racial reconciliation.
Time that could have been shared in forming a health coalition with the local hospital system, which was part of the planned ministry. Time that could have been given to the interfaith ministries, including Ba Hai, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Time that could have been shared on the outreach ministries that included thousands of listeners and viewers and volunteers from Conway to Atlantic Beach back across to Murrels Inlet. Time that could have been given to campus ministry formed in partnership with Coastal Carolina University. Time that could have been spent helping construct the International Peace Wall that was built in partnership with elementary schools and Carolina Marks with Hilda Dail. Time that could have enhanced our partnership established with Sun News Media, and our two television shows on the Christian channel as well as our radio broadcast. Time that should have been given to our chaplaincy to Conway High School football team and the local community centers in Conway and Atlantic Beach. Time that would have strengthen our pastoral counseling ministry through the Grand Strand Pastoral Counseling Services. Time that would have enlarged our membership with the connectional ministries of each of the local United Methodist Churches that were to assist us in forming ministries out their facilities. Time that may have helped our partnership with the Community Technical College. Time so precious to our partnering with the golf course -Witches Links. Time for our partnership with International Paper and the historic Belin Church. Oh so much time wasted, which would have placed us the forerunner for the Air Force Base housing and chapel. Oh the shared time in ministry would have yielded global impact from our annual Racial Inclusiveness March on Myrtle Beach. Shared time in our music academy could have produced church musicians for church north, south, east, and west. And what about the children taught dance and Bible in the development of the Christian Education Ministries? Wasted time...
Instead, a house bought in 1992 would be questioned in 1996, after the death in 1995 of the bishop, who had appointed us in 1991 for the purpose of delivering racially inclusive ministries, and had relocated us back to the city of my birth after three years (we had fulfilled his requested appointment). During such times, it would be great to have a place where you are at liberty to mature in the faith and reconcile with God as a "wounded healer". (Henri Nouwen)
As 1985 was ending, my brother sent me a poem, which I would pick up for reasoning as I was being confronted:
- "HOMETOWNS, USA"
Somewhere In America... There're Places You'll Want To See, Where Waving Flags Tell The Saga Of A Land For The Free!
Where Working Moms With Things Undone And Dads Who Punch The Clock, Come Together And With Fun Help The Ones Who Have Not;
Where Old Folks Like Young Folk Hurry To Find A Vacant Park Bench, To Tell A Story, Swap A Glory Or Discuss The World's Defense;
Somewhere In America... Somewhere Close To Me... A Waving Flag Tells The Saga Of A Land For The Free!
Where Country Girls View The World While Strolling Down Main Street, And City Girls Doing Curls - Can Still Sweep You Off Your Feet!
Where Homeboys Like Cowboys Displaying Nerves Of Steel, Went Riding Off To Hanoi To Keep Our Freedom Real!
An All American Team... A City At The Edge Of A Bay, Where People Like You Are Found - Hometowns...Of The USA! (Bernard # 25DEC85)
Jars of clay...where within are ministries of men and women, human beings seeking to fulfill the image of God in the mission of Christ.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, and grant us a place, grant us a home, grant us peace. Amen.
Luonne Abram Rouse
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Divine Is The Family of Faith
Ephesians 6:10-20
Islam is not the enemy of Christians. Christianity is not the enemy of Muslims. Christians and Muslims have it wrong, enemies their religions of never been. People of both faith groups need to look in the mirror and pray the enemy away. Who or what is the enemy?
The enemy is opposition to the will of God. The nature of God is for believers to do good and live in righteousness. Followers of God cannot be soft on the doing of the will of God. In the Holy Scriptures of Jews and Christians, there is a teaching describing the duty of believers, which is also relevant to Muslims. Ecclesiastes 12:13 reads: "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone." (NRSV)
Religious leaders opposing the above may be suffering from the "spirit of the enemy". The spirit of the enemy will enlarge the ego of human beings, so as to have them yearning for fame and recognition. If for some reason they are denied their wishes, then they reflect a nature of passive-aggressiveness. After having presented themselves in the soft manner taught in the love nature of their faith, shame and pain in being disappointment, even in small matters, causes them to war against their so-called opposition. What should we do, when it seems that our views are not acceptable to humanity?
People of Islam and Christianity should take the "leap of faith", when it appears they are in bondage to the spirit of the enemy. Blind to the reality of being in opposition to the will of God, persons entangled by the ways of the enemy points the finger at others as being the reason for the discord. They refuse to accept that the current disappointment resulted from their living or speaking in opposition to God's will. What is the will of God?
Islam and Christianity are marked by love as the will of God. When love is lived among Muslims and Christians, then divine is the family of faith. The agape of God has diversity in the ways and means of being expressed. However, current scholarship has an understanding that the compassion required of Christians and Muslims challenge them to live the faith they proclaim and be born anew through prayer, repentance, surrender, and contentment. People of faith in both of these religions would benefit to seek unity in the midst of diversity, coming to the Lord for an understanding of ecumenism. Ecumenism has to do with the ability to lay down your differences, so as to love the children of God from all walks of life. Ecumenism is the laying down of bitterness and praying for peace with justice, while maintaining your righteousness though others appear to have abandon the same.
We need the power of prayer to heal our land. Theology being the study of God in relation to humanity, there should be an acceptance of a school of thought that is blessed. It has to do with the thought of brothers and sisters born into "creation", not made by man, being relatives by way of the Divine Allah - God. Really? Yes, really. Look at the latest communication concerning Franklyn Graham and President Barack Obama, then you say ...
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us, so that we may accept each other in the divine family. Amen
Islam is not the enemy of Christians. Christianity is not the enemy of Muslims. Christians and Muslims have it wrong, enemies their religions of never been. People of both faith groups need to look in the mirror and pray the enemy away. Who or what is the enemy?
The enemy is opposition to the will of God. The nature of God is for believers to do good and live in righteousness. Followers of God cannot be soft on the doing of the will of God. In the Holy Scriptures of Jews and Christians, there is a teaching describing the duty of believers, which is also relevant to Muslims. Ecclesiastes 12:13 reads: "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone." (NRSV)
Religious leaders opposing the above may be suffering from the "spirit of the enemy". The spirit of the enemy will enlarge the ego of human beings, so as to have them yearning for fame and recognition. If for some reason they are denied their wishes, then they reflect a nature of passive-aggressiveness. After having presented themselves in the soft manner taught in the love nature of their faith, shame and pain in being disappointment, even in small matters, causes them to war against their so-called opposition. What should we do, when it seems that our views are not acceptable to humanity?
People of Islam and Christianity should take the "leap of faith", when it appears they are in bondage to the spirit of the enemy. Blind to the reality of being in opposition to the will of God, persons entangled by the ways of the enemy points the finger at others as being the reason for the discord. They refuse to accept that the current disappointment resulted from their living or speaking in opposition to God's will. What is the will of God?
Islam and Christianity are marked by love as the will of God. When love is lived among Muslims and Christians, then divine is the family of faith. The agape of God has diversity in the ways and means of being expressed. However, current scholarship has an understanding that the compassion required of Christians and Muslims challenge them to live the faith they proclaim and be born anew through prayer, repentance, surrender, and contentment. People of faith in both of these religions would benefit to seek unity in the midst of diversity, coming to the Lord for an understanding of ecumenism. Ecumenism has to do with the ability to lay down your differences, so as to love the children of God from all walks of life. Ecumenism is the laying down of bitterness and praying for peace with justice, while maintaining your righteousness though others appear to have abandon the same.
We need the power of prayer to heal our land. Theology being the study of God in relation to humanity, there should be an acceptance of a school of thought that is blessed. It has to do with the thought of brothers and sisters born into "creation", not made by man, being relatives by way of the Divine Allah - God. Really? Yes, really. Look at the latest communication concerning Franklyn Graham and President Barack Obama, then you say ...
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us, so that we may accept each other in the divine family. Amen
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