MAC KIRK

 The Holy Child  Luke 2:15-21    The Child is the reason for the season.  I have seen that  , " Jesus is the reason for the season",  and that sums it up well.  But it has to be unpacked so we can know more as the Shepherds " made known abroad the saying (the words spoken orig.) which was told them concerning the Child." 2:17 1. I note first that Mary " was treasuring (kept) up these things, and pondered them in her heart." 2:19 She pondered and the word is " Origin from sun and balló Definition to throw together, hence to discuss, consider, meet with NASB Translation confer (1), conversing (1), helped (1), meet (1), met (1), pondering " from Biblehub.com She discussed and treasured these things about the Child. "Treasured is suntereo to keep close, preserve Usage: I preserve, keep safe, keep in mind, keep close." ( Again Biblehub.com) ---Can this be our attitude as well to those things of the Angels, heaven, the Babe's birth, the S...

 Merry Christmas.  Dec 25, 2022     Our world is spinning is it not? Wars, inflation, anger about politics or you name it...?  It seems we did not really learn the lessons of Advent.  People seem quick to judge, and criticize when really all we are really trying to do is be thoughtful and helpful.  Advent was about stopping and listening to God and ourselves as well as others, instead of going off on others with undue words and thoughtless harm....if I can put it that way.    Today's Gospel in Luke reminded me that fear is a part of being just who we are as people ---even people of God.  The orig language in Luke 2:9 says, " And an angel of the Lord stood by them ( shepherds), and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and                                                              ...

 I John 5:13-17  " In the Sunshine"   I remember in Science in grade school,  we were told to put a plant in the dark, and also one in the sunlight.  Which one grew?  The one in the light!  The Christian who is sure of their spiritual state is like the plant in the sunshine.  They will grow, and will have many benefits flow from their assurance in God. 1.  This was John's purpose in writing this letter.  5:13 Assurance of eternal life.  " These things I have written to you, in order that you may know that you have eternal life, you who are believing in the name of the Son of God" He ends the letter by telling us why he wrote us at all.  That we may know.   Definition: know- be aware, behold, consider, perceive Usage: I know, remember, appreciate.  Biblehub.com John wrote his Gospel 20:31 " these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life i...

 I John 5:6-12 Witnesses to Christ & What Does it Mean to Believe? I have been reading again slowly through The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.  Let me share one portion that relates to our faith in Christ for eternal life: " Ignorant- I think of God and heaven. Christian- So do the devils and the damned souls. Ign- My heart is a good one. Ch- But how do you prove that? Ig-It comforts me in hopes of heaven. Ch- That may be through its deceifulness; for a man's heart may minister comfort to him in the hopes of that thing, for which he has yet no ground to hope... Who told thee that thy heart and life agree together? Ig- My heart tells me so Ch- Except the Word of God bears witness...other testimony is of no value. ---It goes for several pages, but it appears Ignorance has never trusted in Christ for salvation, and he sees no relation to his life in how he lives it.  This got me thinking. How many of us may know the truths of Scripture and good theology, but we have ...

 I John 5:1-5   Born of God and believing results in Faith, love and obedience As we continue through Advent,  means "coming"---the weeks before the birth of the Christ Child, it is a time of preparation and self-examination.  We are not very good at this really.  It may need a lot of quiet, turning off our devices and talking with a trusted confidant about our lack of love and compassion for others rooted in God's Word.  John has a comment for us in his letter about this whole area of not going with the flow of the world: " The real link between the three tests is seen to be the new birth. Faith, love and obedience are the natural growth which follows a birth from above..."  John R. W. Stott , The Epistles of John I John 5:1 "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." ( the fact is that the verb tense in the original language betrays the true meaning here.....present tense- action in the believes word ; perfect tense in the is ...

 I John 4:13-21 John Calvin said this ," It is a false boast when anyone says that he loves God, but neglects His image which is before his eyes." What do have in common with our Christian brethren? 1. 4:13 God has given us both of the same Spirit. We know we abide in Him because of the Spirit He has given to us. 1:3 of this book " the fellowship we have is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ"  So because of this we have fellowship, ( in common ) with each other. When I attended Princeton Seminary in the 93-94 Semesters for continued training in Ethics for the Army, I had some reservations about going there at all.  Oh, they ordain women , oh they are liberal, oh and the list went on of my concerns.  But what I found when there was a respectful attitude toward others, and a wllingness to let all opinions come to the fore, with the result we reached a consensus of sorts.  No, we did not agree on every point, and I was surprised to see they never really ever ...

 Cats and Christians I John 4:7----- I John 4:7-21       " 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 , when we have gone to  for Clericus ( a pastors' meeting and retreat). ...

 Hebrews 11:32-12:2 " Just when the caterpillar thought her life was over she began to fly"  I saw this on Friday morning from 'Mindful Christianity' This describes our human experience and our Divine journey to a better place.  Now, we weep, we crawl, and sometimes we just mess it all up.  Sound familiar?   Our lives are short, marred by sin and end in death, but that is not the end, is it?  A glorious future awaits us with Jesus in heaven and all those who gone before us.  But we have to do the trip here in faith. What is faith?  The original word is pistis. " pistis is a persuasion from God that we receive as He grants impulse ("divine spark"; cf. the Heb hiphil form of believe, ---- Faith is always the work of God and involves hearing His voice – whereby the believer lays hold of His will (cf. J. Calvin). It really means---(be persuaded, come to trust); faith." Biblehub.com Now as we heard read in the Letter to the Hebrews 11 we have a "C...

 I John 4:1-6  Spiritual Road Test.  An elaboration of the Belief, (Doctrinal ) Test.     What do we do when trying to buy a car?  ---Look at it carefully? Take a road test?  Take a person along who knows about cars before laying down any money?  Or as the old Baptist Chaplain in the Army used to say, " Look under the hood, and kick the tires!)     Should we not be as careful and discriminating as when we look at the place that teaches spiritual truth that affects our families and our souls? 4:1  I John-  " Beloved, believe not every spirit..."   " If you don't behave as you believe, you will end by believing as you behave." Bishop Fulton Sheen Test - dokimázō (from 1384 /dókimos, "approved") – properly, to try (test) to show something is acceptable (real, approved); put to the test to reveal what is good (genuine). See 1384 (dokimos). 1381 /dokimázō ("to approve by testing") is done to demonstrate what is good, i.e. ...

 I John 3: 21-24  Soaring Above the Rain Clouds   Have you ever experienced one of those days when everything is going your way?  " O What a Beautiful Morning, O what a Beautiful day!  I've got a wonderful feeling everything's going my way" ( from the musical " Oklahoma")    A bit ago we saw that are times when our hearts will condemn us , vs. 20, and may happen to believers when things are not going as planned, or sometimes from no fault of their own.  The Confession of faith tells of times when God withdraws His light .   In 3:21 of I John God continues to talk to believers, " Beloved"  and he says when our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.  These are perhaps spiritual mountain top experiences ( after a Retreat or Renewal/Revival) .  Or we may climb a large hill , or such, with rain all the way up, to have the sun burst out when we reach the top?   Have you ever traveled in an airplane /...

 I John 3:19-20 .  " Encouraging our Hearts"  " Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life's calling and the prudence of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, "I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not." But somehow, from somewhere, Abraham Lincoln received the encouragement he needed, and the achievements of his life thoroughly vindicated his bout with discouragement. " (Today in the Word, MBI, December, 1989, p. 20,  Swindoll, You and Your Problems Transformed by Thorns, p. 58.) " We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him, in whenever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things." I John 3:19-20  Our hearts may sometimes need r...

 I John 3:11-18   Love is Visible in our Lives   "It’s not always your business to pay attention to every controversy or news story. We’re not called to always be in this state of anxiety and to be all worked up. If I’m constantly reading my phone or watching YouTube or whatever I’m missing the real world, I’m missing what is actually out there, and I am being that distracted, I’m not focusing on what the actual call of my life is. If you’re all in a frenzy, you can’t shoot straight. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled,” and I take that seriously. If the news is troubling you in this unproductive way, turn it off!"  from the article below I found. "Just another day in the life of a cowboy priest" by Nathan Beacom , Plough Articles for the week … article I came across on Friday when I sum up the thoughts for the week on the text.  "Father Bryce was born and bred in Wyoming in a reasonably religious home, but priesthood was not on his radar. He w...