Confession

Confession is a spiritual discipline and means of grace. It is a way in which we connect to God in a healing manner, opening up to all sorts of possibilities of transformation and renewal. Without confession, we remain stuck in our sins and hang-ups and prejudices.

Confession means telling ourselves the truth--about us, about our situation. To confess means we agree with God that a deed or thought is wrong. We can get so used to the unhealthy mess we’re in we think that it’s normal, when it is anything but. Confession means waking up to reality, seeing life from God’s perspective, claiming ownership of our choices, and taking off our blinders so we can see clearly what’s wrong and what needs to change.

Confession is the first step of repentance, a turning away from actions that are hurting us and others. Repentance is surrender to the Lordship of Christ, a change of heart and direction. We won’t change direction till we realize we’re on the wrong path.

Confessing our sins before God tells God something He already knows. Yet the act of confession draws us closer to God and helps us experience His grace. In confession we humbly make ourselves vulnerable and dependent. We do more than bring information; we bring our hearts.

Rest in grace

-from a book review in Christianity Today magazine...

"We do not have to compete for grace, mine for it, earn it, or pay for it. It does not come and go. We can only rest in grace, thus becoming agents of grace. When we rest from our frantic labor, we are being asked to trust another that everything is going to be okay. We don't have to save ourselves; we are being saved. We do not have to fret and flail and snatch. We are being cared for."

Koran controversy

I'm waiting for someone to threaten to delete a Koran from a Kindle or other e-book device. Seriously, this whole matter is distressing on many levels. The Florida fringe minister got his 15 minutes, so now let's concentrate on relevant ways to resolve the hostility. On a related note, someone wrote TIME magazine claiming that people in our country don't want Moslems to build mosques. This is ridiculous--the concern is over the LOCATION. It seems a good time to ask the question WWJD? Also, whatever happened to "Blessed are the peacemakers"?

Eye-witnesses

An Iranian cleric has proclaimed the Holocaust as "superstition", in spite of the fact that eye-witnesses are still around today to testify to the truth of this horrific event. I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul reminding his Corinthian readers that over 500 people saw the resurrected Christ. It was as if he were suggesting, "If you don't believe me, ask them!" For some people, no amount of evidence will suffice. Refusal to believe keeps people in the dark; it's as if they don't want to know the truth.

Chaplain (CPT) Dale Goetz

Chaplain (CPT) Dale Goetz was killed in action in Afghanistan Monday. He was assigned to the 1-66 Armor Bn, 4th ID. This is the first Chaplain combat death since 1970.

We who serve or have served in harm's way know full well the risks of military service, but none of us like to dwell on this; our lives are in God's hands. Our intention is to carry out our mission and return home.

The Apostle Paul never served in the military, but as a tentmaker he compared death to the striking of a tent, folding it up, and moving on to our permanent home. Soldiers spend a lot of time in tents, looking foward to homecoming...but for some, their lives are cut short by the nature of war. Ch (CPT) Goetz served within a chain-of-command, but his ultimate Commander was the Lord Jesus Christ, Who has promoted him and welcomed him to his true home.

Let's remember Dale's wife and three children, and pray that they will find peace in the midst of their pain.

PRO DEO ET PATRIA.