The "Frowning Glory"

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  • January 4, 2025 — 10 Days After My Head Exploded – Where’s the Tylenol?

    “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.

    If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:1-10

    Okay, so what is this Cranky Reverend looking at? CR believes this is the scariest Santa ever. He almost looks devilish. And who is he talking to? Is he calling the parents of the children around the world trying to find out who is naughty and who is nice? Perhaps he is one step away from finding who is home or not so he can leave some cheap toys and take away the home entertainment system.

    Watch what you are feeding on! This is what the writer of 1 Timothy is asking and warning. Be nourished on the words of the faith and the good doctrine that you have followed. So Cranky Reverend wants to know, what are you nourished by? What feeds you? That is the question this passage raises before us. What do you feed on daily? What do you put in your mind? What is your habitual input in your life? The sports pages, perhaps? Soap operas? The Dow Jones Averages? TV movies? Best-seller novels? If any of those things are your daily diet, then I can guarantee you will be a spiritually undernourished servant of Jesus Christ, because the apostle makes clear that what you feed on is what is going to determine how effective you become. Not one of them is wrong in itself. We are not to eliminate them, but we are to regulate them.

    That is the point Paul makes. Regulate the things you feed on making sure part of your diet is the Word of G-d. Other “food” can be very dangerously distracting to us and often too easily controlling of our thoughts. The apostle urges Timothy to seek out what really feeds his spiritual life. What we all need is less social media and more Jesus – less political division and more Jesus. That is what Christians need.

    Pastor Dave

  • January 3, 2025 — 9 Days After My Head Exploded – Where’s the Tylenol?

    January 3, 2025 — 9 Days After My Head Exploded – Where’s the Tylenol?

    “But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.” Hebrews 9:11-15

    Uhhhhhhh…..does anyone else see the problem with this piece of Christmas joy? This cute mouse, thinking he or she might have a little Christmas treat, is about to find that Christmas is not the Happ-Happ-Happiest time of the year. Oh but what a metaphor for this Cranky Reverend. CR often feels as if Christmas is a trap. Do you ever see this time of year tricking you into thinking it will bring you happiness, enticing you to take your mind off of troubles – only to wake up in the New Year realizing that nothing has changed. But, even this old Cranky Reverend can remember that, unlike our Christmas mouse who is distracted by the threat of meeting her ultimate demise, Christmas is not a trap – it is the beginning of the promise.

    The Bible tells us that Jesus drew his final breath at three o’clock in the afternoon, an important time in Jerusalem, for it was the time of the afternoon sacrifice, and because it was Passover week, the Passover lambs were being sacrificed at the Temple. It was customary also for the priest to blow a horn at the time of the sacrifice—a ram’s horn, called a Shofar. So at the same time when Jesus breathed his last, the Shofar could be heard. At the sound of the horn, people would stop what they were doing and fall silent for a few moments. And in that time of silence Jesus died. As the Passover lambs were being sacrificed in the Temple, the Lamb of G-d was being sacrificed on the cross. In G-d’s plan, never again would an afternoon sacrifice be needed. This was just as John the Baptist had prophesied: “Look, the Lamb of G-d, who takes away the sin of the world”

    So yes Christmas Mouse, even if you meet your demise today, Jesus promises you life everlasting. How about that Mrs. Clause?

    Pastor Dave