Today in Church History, Leap Day Edition

February 29, 1528: Patrick Hamilton, a follower of Martin Luther who had returned to his native Scotland to preach the Reformation, is burned at the stake on orders from Cardinal David Beaton. In retaliation, Protestant nobles assassinated the cardinal. This event effectively began the Scottish Reformation. 

February 29, 1692: The Salem witch trials in colonial Massachusetts begin when Tituba, the female Indian servant of Reverend Samuel Parris, and Sarah Good are accused of witchcraft. Parris initiated the hysteria by declaring, "In this very church, God only knows how many devils there are." By the time other area pastors were able to calm the town, 19 suspected witches had been hanged and 150 imprisoned.

                                                                                 - Christianity Today

"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you remember Christ crucified and be silent."

                                                                               —John of the Cross

OK, another Cat Picture...

Since it is Monday morning, and I had so many people who accosted me for not liking cats, here is a Monday Morning Cat...

The perfect church service,would be one we were almost unaware of. Our attention would have been on God.                     
                                                                                    - C.S. Lewis

Today in Church History

February 25, 1570: Pope Pius V excommunicates England's Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, declaring her to be a usurper to the throne. It was the last time a pope "deposed" a reigning monarch.

February 25, 1536: Anabaptist Jakob Hutter is tortured, whipped, and immersed in freezing water (to mock baptismal practices), then doused with brandy and burned. King Ferdinand had ordered the persecution of all Anabaptists because of a few violent, millennialist revolutionaries in Munster, Germany—even though most Anabaptists were pacifists and renounced the Munsterite rebellion.

                                                                                       - Christianity Today

If we were faced with real persecution, suffering, and sacrifice, many of us would really decide how much of a Christian we really are. I share this thought with my faithful blog readers not judgmentally toward you, just soberly and reflectively, for us to ponder today.

Funny Cat Pictures...

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Today in Church History

February 23, 155 (traditional date): Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, is martyred. Reportedly a disciple of the Apostle John, at age 86 he was taken to be burned at the stake. "You try to frighten me with fire that burns for an hour and forget the fire of hell that never burns out," he said. The flames, legend says, would not touch him, and when he was run through with a sword, his blood put the fire out (see issue 27: Persecution in the Early Church).

February 23, 303: Diocletian begins his "Great Persecution," issuing edicts that call for church buildings to be destroyed, sacred writings burned, Christians to lose civil rights, and clergy to be imprisoned and forced to sacrifice. The following year he went even further, ordering all people to sacrifice on pain of death (see issue 27: Persecution in the Early Church).

February 23, 1455 (traditional date): Johannes Gutenberg publishes the Bible, the first book ever printed on a press with movable type. (see issue 16: William Tyndale)

February 23, 1685: George Frederick Handel, composer of the oratorio "Messiah," is born. He died in 1741, having spent the last six years of his life in total blindness.

                                                                                            - Christianity Today

What Do You Think?

“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.” 

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Is there any area of life that this applies to? Let me know and either comment on this or send me an email. 


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Strange and Weird Laws

In Tennessee, it is against the law to drive a car while sleeping.

In New York, it is against the law for a blind person to drive an automobile.

In West Virginia, only babies can ride in a baby carriage.

                                                                                    - strangefacts.com



I am sure that there is some spiritual applciation to at least one of those. Like, some people are sleeping as they are driving down the spiritual road of life...and THAT IS ILLEGAL!

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Why Pray Meetings

Wow, last night's Why Pray? meeting was fantastic! Thank you for all who showed up and was a part of our meeting. It was fun to hear about how we are experiencing (and have experienced) God's presence. 

For anyone who reads this blog, take a few moments, right now to stop and pray for the community you live in. Pray that the light of God's Spirit penetrates darkness, breaks down barriers, and that his love shines brightly in the homes surrounding your home.

One question for today...How will you experience His presence today?

Pray for FCC Southside!

Interrupted.

“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.” 
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

For Parents

Parents are the last people on earth who ought to have children.
                                                                              - Samuel Butler

Strange, But True....

Every day 20 banks are robbed. The average take is $2,500!
                                                            - StrangeFacts.com

Ski Trip Pics

Tiff and I on the lift...

Steve Henry, Lexi, Tiff, and Me

The girls have visors on, and look like characters

from the Star Wars movies!

Your Enemies

“Jesus Christ lived in the midst of his enemies. At the end all his disciples deserted him. On the Cross he was utterly alone, surrounded by evildoers and mockers. For this cause he had come, to bring peace to the enemies of God.”     - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Ski Trip

We had a great time on the Church Ski Trip! A BIG thank you to Michelle for leading this. Although we have several really good skiers from FCC, I witnessed several people in our group wipe out and eat snow, me included. Zach tried stopping one of his falls with his face. Ouch.

In Steve's case, he fell as he was getting on the lift!  Don't worry, Steve doesn't read my blog and won't find out about this. :-)


After hitting the slopes and checking into our hotel, our group went out for dinner. As a warm-up to our dinner, I decided to sing a duet with an old friend, Jake. 

Oh yes, I also want to mention that Pastor Greg did not fall once! At least that is what he is telling everyone who asks him.


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It was funny when I read it the first time.

I washed a sock. Then I put it in the dryer. When I took it out, it was gone. 
 - Rod Schmidt

Daily Discipline

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, rightly observed, "We have to practice strictest daily discipline; only so can the flesh learn the painful lesson that it has no rights of its own."

A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep. - Saul Bellow

A dear friend of mine, 'The Bishop,' sent me that quote a few weeks ago. Almost too heavy for me to think about this morning. I do think that this would apply to many in our culture today who sink massive amounts of time, resources, and energy into the physical, ALL THE WHILE, investing little to nothing in their spirit.

In my humble thought, the need for the illusion would be to stave off and even numb the inner man, as to keep feeding the outer man.   

Mom and Dad Shopping at Disney's Marketplace

   

Mom's Idea of Shopping....

Dad's idea of shopping.

Thoughts for the Southside Why Pray? Group

"Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails." Watchman Nee

_

Last One (Prior Post)

She even sent me a mug of the mug she drank out of. Sad. Wish I could be at Disney World right now.


Thanks Mom for reminding me (all day long) that I am not at Disney World. 

5th pic from Mom (See Prior Post)

Another Update. Great. This is a picture of the Splash Mountain ride at the Magic Kingdom, taken today. This used to be my favorite ride. Thanks a lot mom.

Not funny...(See prior post)

She sent me an update. I hope she doesn't do this ALL day.

From Florida with Love...

My mom just sent me this text from Disney World. I think she is trying to make me jealous of her vacation.

It is working. I hope she stops texting me. :-)

Persistence

"I look at a stone cutter hammering away at a rock a hundred times without so much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow it splits in two. I know it was not the one blow that did it, but all that had gone before." - Jacob Riis


I believe this is really important for the genuine Christian to realize about prayer. It reminds me of the parable of the persistent widow. Blessings on you today!

Thoughts from my Devotions

"Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers." - Sidlow Baxter

Sometimes....

...you can just look smart. 

Can you think of a better caption? I want to hear it. 

Wanna Help?

I am working a couple of sermon series for later this year. One is based on being a follower and disciple of Jesus and taken from the 5th chapter of Luke. If you have any thoughts, ideas, jokes, or illustrations please email me. Here is an illustration that I found and like very much.

The following are actual responses from comment cards given to the staff members at Bridger Wilderness Area in 1996:

Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill.

Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the areas of these pests. 

Please pave the trails…Chair lifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them.

The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals.

A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call…

Escalators would help on steep uphill sections.
A MacDonald’s would be nice at the trailhead.

Too many rocks in the mountains.

Citation: Mike Neifert, Light and Life (February 1997), p. 27