Tuesday in Week 8 of Pentecost
I have not commented on the ongoing slaughter and disorder in the middle east, nor will I now. I simply want to encourage anyone who might read here to pray to God that the leaders of all factions and governments involved there might be given humility and wisdom and the courage to work toward bringing peace to that part of the earth.
Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer 1979)
Daily readings
Numbers 35:1-3, 9-15, 30-34 Romans 8:31-39 Matthew 23:13-36This glorious passage in Romans lets us know we are saved,
nothing can now come between a believer and the Lord! Praise God!
Then we have the woes Jesus proclaims to the Pharisees. So many Christians today are of the Pharisee type. Preaching a religion of laws instead of one of the Grace of God. Woe to them. Of course the truth is there is at least a bit of Pharisee in every person, we are all naturally inclined to a
Theology of Glory instead of a Theology of the Cross. We find it very hard to accept the truth that we are saved by the Grace of God through Faith, and not through some little bit of effort on our part. Surely we must do something, some little gesture of obedience to God? Nope. We are saved by grace through faith, period. As our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, "It is finished."
There is a nice description of the difference between the
Theology of Glory and Theology of the Cross on the Issues Etc. web site. Check it out
here.