MAC KIRK

Suffering and the New Math namely God's Math   Romans 8:18     My generation experienced something when I was in grade school which was called the "new math."  Well this seemed to be a different way of doing math, but it all came out in the wash so to speak.  As somone has said, " figures don't lie, but liars figure."  In this Epistle to the Romans the Apostle Paul make some rather astounding statements that add up to God's math.  When we look at suffering, what do we see?  We see suffering and affliction.  Paul says that " I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  The word reckon is a Greek word which means to settle accounts.  You see God's math is different than ours.      The Apostle leads into this discussion with his comment in the verses before, "  The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit , that we are the children of God: and if child

Father’s DAY 2015 “God never withholds from His child that which His love and wisdom call good. God’s refusals are always merciful—‘severe mercies’ at times, but mercies all the same. God never denies us our hearts’ desire except to give us something better.”  Ellisabeth Eliot, well known missionary to the native tribes of Ecuador,  and author who died on June 14 of this year at age 88 She also said this which is a shorter version of the same idea: “Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you.” 1.       Our Lord Jesus Christ sets the example for fathers in attitude of acceptance despite the behavior of others.  Luke 15:2 “ This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them….”  So the Pharisees said about our Lord Jesus Christ.  Receives here is a special Greek word, which means to receive favorably. Also Romans 16:2 and that word is the same Greek word , receiving a believer “ I commend to you Phebe our sister which is a servant of the church..that ye receive her in

Trinity II   John's First Letter ch. 3:14-18 " In the kingdom of love there is no competition; there is no possessiveness or control.  The more love you give away , the more love you will have..." John O' Donohue in A Book of Celtic Wisdom    We have also heard "it is more blessed to give than to receive"  If the truth be told we do not act that way very often.  We try and retain all we can and keep all we can so that we are full of it.  Literally we are sometimes and we find it hard to not control and possess in this life.    I.  John says in our letter that an evidence of our love is life. " We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren." 3:14a   " Crossed over"- the New English Bible. ( this reminds me of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites---And " Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea

I John 4:7-21   Trinity I     " Sometimes I help my mom tenderize the steak"---this is what the yellow cat Cinnamon , Carmel, CA  said as he was licking it.  Petey, Paducah, KS said as he sat on the couch,"OKay , I prefer sitting on couches rather than shredding them.  That's okay isn't it?"  My favorite is Willy , Richmond , VA " I only chewed through those wires so Mom would spend less time at the computer and more time petting me."  ( all from Cat Confessions by Allia Nolan)  Cats have a really bad reputation in many ways. They are seen as independent, un- affectionate and well kittens do anything they want , do they not?  But some cats I heard are even therapy cats.And who has not been comforted by a cat in residence at some place of work?  I remember the cat we used to pet at the Holy Cross Retreat Center in NM we have gone to twice for Clericus.           Cats are very hard to love. You have to figure out each cat. They have individual