Profound and Sometimes Preposterous Ponderings of Pete

Last week, St. Elijah's monastery in Iraq was destroyed by ISIS.  It was the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq.  It was about 1400 years old.  At first, I was outraged. "Another terrorist act by ISIS!!"  Then I was saddened by the loss of an ancient piece of archictecture. But my final emotion was laughter.  ISIS' hatred of Christianity led them to destroy a building.  A building.  Those of us who are true believers and followers of Christ know that He does not reside in a building but in our hearts.  ISIS is so uninformed.  Do they really believe that destroying an ancient artifact is the same as destroying the faith?  I would be saddened if there were people inside at the time.  If I was the government of Iraq I would be very angered.  Not only did they destroy a historical national treasure, but they also destroyed a tourist attraction which eliminates money from their coffers. ISIS may be shooting themselves in the feet. ...

     One of the big stinks now being shown all over Facebook again is breast feeding.  My wife has breast fed all of our children and breast milk has been established as the best food for a growing baby.  Even the misogynistic old school ob-gyn doctors agree on that.  What makes it even more amazing is God created women and their mammary glands in a such a way that the chemical composition of the milk automatically changes as the baby grows and his or her nutritional needs change.       So what is the big deal?!  My 12 year old daughter told me about a meme she saw where it compared almost naked Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus to a fully clothed blanket covered mother breast-feeding her baby asking the question why the former is OK but the latter is not.  So it came to me to what it boils down.  So obvious.  No one will call it.  Sex and jealousy.  Breasts are supposed to be for sex, in a man's mi...

Eph 6: 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh. And blood, but agiainst the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God they you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 27 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplic...

So it is 2016.  2015 was a whirlwind.  We were blessed with a trip to the Philippines, our business went up very high and then down very low.  God has continued to show us, me in particular, that he is in control.  Unfortunately, I too am a member of "stiff-necked" generation.  I keep wanting to have control.  I am not patient and my faith is not even the size of mustard seed.  God still loves me.  I never ever question his abilities.  Never. Can He do it? Absolutely!  Will He do it?  No clue.  Jesus says in Matt 21 that if I have faith whatever I ask for in prayer I will receive.  In James I am warned about asking for the wrong things. So what I can logically conclude is that even if I ask for the right things I will not receive them because I have no faith.  This is a dilemma.  So what do I do? Ask God what to ask for? Seems circular.  " Father God, I know you know what I need and apparently I have no clu...

A friend of mine who is on the worship team at church said something to the congregation with which I agreed and yet wanted to further expound. She said that she did not like most of the Christmas songs.  I agree. After I became Christian, the bulk of the songs seemed superficial and very unchristian.  They seemed that way because they are.  So it put me off to all Christmas music for a while.  The veneration of only the season and the traditional icons of the season was just wrong. Then I started listening to the Christmas hymns which I liked the best anyhow, and I saw the joy in them again.  As with many hymns, the 3rd and 4th verses hold the meat.  Let me show you: Hark The Herald Angels Sing Hail! the heav'n born Prince of peace! Hail! the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die: Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second bi...

I can't resolve this. Maybe one of you can. I have been to the Philppines and I have seen real poverty. Not American poverty but real poverty. It is the Chistmas season and I am beside myself. How can I eat drink and be merry when I know that children are scarring their hands by pulling nails from planks so that their families can eat today. Or that 13 + year old girls are being sent to the big cities to become prostitures so that their families can eat.  Or that many of those girls become so addicted to drugs that they get pregnant, give birth, and their babies starve to death. Merry Christmas!? I know that in Matthew 26:11 Jesus that we will always have the poor with us but that was in context with explaining to his disciples that his time here would be short. How do I reconcile any of this? I have met these people. I have preached to these people. I have touched and been touched by them. Again, Merry Christmas?! Jesus Christ, being God, became one of us (see Phil 2:5-11)to take ...

Rom 3:“There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands;     there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away,     they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good,     not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves;     their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16     ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified fre...