My Online Faith Journal

    I was reading in 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 where it says, "but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom that none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."  I noticed that Paul talked about a "hidden" wisdom that he speaks with with those who are mature believers and I thought about what it means by "hidden".     In the 3rd century, there was a belief system called "gnosticism".  The gnostics believed that they had a secret wisdom that others did not have.  Among other things, they believe that the flesh or material things were bad and that the spirit was good.  Since the two could not mix, they developed a hierarchy of angels or spirits that help mediate between God and man.  A lot of people think that the apostle John was refuting the gnostic system of beliefs when he said, "The W

    In the book of Ecclesiastes, the prophet wrote these words, "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven- A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up."  Prov 3:1-3    I've seen that in my own life and work.  Things seem to move in patterns.  We go through a season of growth, then pruning, then testing, then waiting, then watering, then rebirth.  When I left Philippi, I told the church that God calls people to places and he calls them away.  He moves by his own times and seasons, not ours.    The important thing is to see that each season has its purpose.  When I wait, it tests my faith, so that I am ready for the next step that I must take.  When I am pruned, it is for the purpose of more growth.  When things die or move on, then it makes room for other things.  Each season has its own jo

       When I first started work as a chaplain, the ministry that I worked for was a non-denominational ministry started by a guy named David Peterson called "The Shepherd's Staff".  I remember it very well because it had a picture on the logo of Jesus carrying a staff and also a lamb that he was carrying.  The image is taken from John 10 where Jesus calls himself the good shepherd.  I have been thinking about these verses and what it means that Jesus would call himself that.         Jesus often used images found in daily life in the New Testament to teach.  He pointed to water, light and a door.  Jesus would use parables to get people's attention and was a master storyteller.  Jesus tells us in John 10 that he is not a shepherd who is a hireling.  In other words, the sheep are his and he puts himself at risk to protect them and watch over them.  In fact he says, "even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." Joh