Spirit Gives Birth To Spirit

      2 Peter verse 1 was the final stone to fall in the wall.  2 Peter says specifically it was written by Peter the disciple.  And goes on to say, " 16  For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.   17  He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” [ b ]   18  We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19  We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable,and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20  Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.   21  For prophecy never had its origin in the human

     Too many people read the bible like it is a modern history text book. Sure, there are some parts of some books, like Kings, that read like a historical account.  But there is widespread use of the Gospels like they were historical accounts like we would see in a modern high school text book.  What is wrong with this?  Well even a modern high school text book is biased and written to make a point.  Don't you think the Nazis would have written a different account of the war in their text books? But regardless, the Gospels are far removed from this.  I can prove it.  Look at your bible. Is it written in English?  Then the New Testament is a translation of a of an account of Jesus spoken in yet another language.  Or perhaps you actually read it in the original Greek.  Jesus didn't speak Greek.  He spoke Hebrew.  Greek trained scribes took collections of stories and compiled Mark.  Which was in turn taken by more Greek trained scribes who compiled accounts passed on through wo

 All Christians everywhere are waiting in breathless anticipation of the second coming of Christ. It gives hope and bolsters us. It holds us up and presses us forward toward growth. It comforts us when we lose a loved one, because we will meet them again on the Last Day or when we go to Heaven, whichever comes first. It helps us remember what Jesus did for us. I firmly believe Jesus' death and what people call his Resurrection is the single most important event in human history. It overturned the rule of the world. It made the last the first, the least of these the greatest, as well as the first the last. It made death bearable, because it lost its sting. It inspired a movement that has lasted more than two centuries and brought countless good to the poor and underprivileged and outsiders of this world. But what if we are waiting for an event and missing the point?    What if the second coming of the Christ is not an event measured by the definitive date markers of history

     To grab on to God with both hands, one has to let go of religion.  I have been a Christian for more than 20 years.  And I think I can sum up the point of Jesus' ministry in a simple statement: "Let go of religion and hold on - with every fiber of your being - to God."  What makes me think this?  When Jesus came into this world, he came into a system of beliefs that had strayed far from the simple faith of Abraham.  It was a system of religious oppression headed by the Teachers of the Law: the Pharisees and Sadducees.  They required strict adherence to a set of laws as a requirement for men to commune with God.  There were strict rules of what sacrifices had to be made (doves, bulls etc) in restitution for sin in order to be right with God.  Jesus came and threw all of this out.  He upturned the money changers tables and sacrificial animal dealers that took up shop in the Temple.  He told people, including women, "Your sins are forgiven," shocking "the

     It was a Sunday morning like any other.  I got up at 6:00.  I pulled on pair of jeans and a warm flannel from the pile on the floor. I went to the gas station for a smoke and a diet Pepsi.  My wife was trying to get a few more minutes of sleep before the baby woke up.  You see, she is a worship leader at a small church in South Lyon, a half hour north of our home in Ann Arbor. Every Sunday she wows the congregation with her beautiful singing voice and the talent of the band she inherited when she started there a few weeks ago. I came home as my wife gently roused our little girl from her peaceful slumber by turning on her mobile that plays spring frogs and birds chirping.  Delia sleepily stirred to the little frogs and lions swirling lazily overhead.  After her morning meal, I changed her diaper and clothes and we all piled into the car.  I really love these Sunday mornings because we get to the church at 8:00, my wife goes to rehearse with the band, and Delia goes to play in the

Baby Rules (0- 6 months) Epidural, epidural, epidural The car is the ultimate crib Drive thrus are your friends Spotify music mixes are magic Babies can smile on day 2 (contrary to medical opinion). Answer why with "because BabiesIsCrazy." Every little sound is not cause for alarm Dog and cat are great distractions Happy babies might not laugh much Sleep when the baby sleeps Food is fascinating You don't need all the must-haves the baby stores tell you you need Things to sit your baby in save your sanity Get everything used Except for a crib and mattress Clothes are good for about 3 weeks. Zippers are God's gift to parents Don't need no stinkin' shoes When you figure something out, it will change People have a lot of worthless advice Follow your intuition Mommy is the ultimate calmer. Daddy doesn't have breasts. Lean on family Friends with change Baby is the center of the universe.  She knows this. Breast milk is gold.  Don

     I think we should not be afraid of some more unorthodox views on the origin of Jesus. Sure, he could have been incarnated as a human instantiation of God, miraculously born by a virgin against the laws of nature. But could there be other explanations? Could there be other explanations that still take the essence of scripture into account?  I have a couple of musings that I would  like to share.  They, of course, will sound outlandish.  But keep in mind I am making a point: they are no less likely than Jesus formed in the womb without an egg and sperm by a woman directly impregnated by God.  Stick with me through these first two paragraphs to get to my point.      I have often thought that we will eventually master time travel.  Physicists have already moved objects through a warp of space and time in theoretical models.  They have successfully simulated sub-atomic particles travelling through time and have discovered that time travel is possible. What if Jesus, as a baby, were s