ICEMANforChrist

2 Corinthians, Chapter 7, Verse 15 And his heart goes out to you all the more, as he remembers the obedience of all of you, when you received him with fear and trembling. We know that if our fear gives way to a deep sense of peace and joy when we seek to be reconciled to God; then it is the holy fear of God and we are on the right path. Let those turn to me who fear you and acknowledge your decrees. (Ps. 119:79) Today is my deceased father’s birthday. My father was not always a blameless and upright man but he had a great devotion to St. Jude. He always swore it was St. Jude’s prayers and intercession that brought him home from the war in the pacific and maybe it was. He got my grandmother to sign the papers and he was in combat before his 18th birthday. He was a ghost diver during WWII; his job was to scuba dive in before invasions set up radio beacons for the invasion and avoid detection or capture. He went on 26 missions with 11 others in frogman teams. The norm

2 Corinthians, Chapter 7, Verse 11 For behold what earnestness this godly sorrow has produced for you, as well as readiness for a defense, and indignation, and fear , and yearning, and zeal, and punishment. In every way you have shown yourselves to be innocent in the matter. Satan is indeed our adversary but let us focus on what our Lord tells us. I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear . Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. (Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 4-5) The Masculine Spirit [1] In America we are gradually seeing the wholesale destruction of the masculine spirit. We are so confused many of us don’t know which bathroom to use. Is this just another attempt by Satan to kill the body as God created it? Men and women need to value themselves and value the beneficial characteristics of masculinity and to

Today is my grandson Joshua's birthday please pray for his intentions. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 7, Verse 5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—external conflicts, internal fears . The devil is the author of fear . The opposite of fear is not bravery but love. Christ showed his love for us by breaking the power of the devil by overcoming death.  He showed us His love by sharing our human nature. He asks us in the gospel to love as He loved. ”I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) Christ therefore restores Gods original intend to give man life eternal and voiding the death that the devil had brought into the world. The fear of death is a fear based on the false conception that death marks the end of a person’s kindred with God. Jesus deliberately allied himself with us in order to be a merciful and faithful high priest in our behalf; expiating our sins as one who ex

2 Corinthians, chapter 7, verse 1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God. All are called to the vocation of love. We express this vocation of love via marriage. All are called to marriage to the Holy Spirit as was our Lady who out of her perfect love gave forth the Son of God, Christ our Lord. Yet, this love; this marriage of the spirit of God with ours can be expressed in normally three vocations: that of a Holy single life who serves via their chosen career; then there is the call to religious life where a soul makes promises to a religious order and finally there is the love of male and female in sacred union to bring life and love into the world. We are all called to be Holy. We are all called to be greater than ourselves. We are all called to service that is perfected through the fear of God and expressed in our humility, generosity, chastity, patience, temperan

2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we are clearly apparent to God, and I hope we are also apparent to your consciousness. Paul here is talking about the judgment seat of Christ. All will be judged on what they accomplished or failed to accomplish while sojourned here in flesh on earth. Imagine if at your judgment you discovered that you were using inches and feet as a measuring tool when all the time God was using the metric system. (The metric system has been legal in the US since 1866. However, we still don’t understand it.) According to John Maxwell we may be received into the kingdom but our rewards could be different. Rewards versus Inheritance [1] 1) We are indeed saved by the merits of Christ; but our reward will be based on our service. 2) We are given freely God’s grace; but our reward will be given in proportion to our work. 3) We receive the Kingdom because the Holy Eucharist forms

1 Corinthians, chapter 16, verse 10 If Timothy comes, see that he is without fear in your company, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am. Sometimes God chooses a person to do his work that is not a winner of the popularity contest. Timothy seems to be one of these. Even Christ Himself was disdained when only the 12 remained. Therefore have courage if you are doing the work of the Lord and you are not winning everyone’s BFF. Instruction on Calumny [1] Is calumny a grievous sin? When the occasion is important, and the slander is deliberately uttered, with evil intention, when one’s neighbor is thereby grievously injured, and his good name damaged, every one may see how grievous and detestable, in such a case, this sin is. Is it sinful to disclose the faults of our neighbor? To make public the faults and sins of our neighbor uselessly, merely for the entertainment of idle persons, is always sinful. But if, after trying in vain to correct his faults and

1 Corinthians, chapter 9, Verse 27 No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. Paul is telling us that as Christians we must set the example and be all things to all. We must as is sometimes attributed to the sayings of St. Francis, “preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.” This is the first premise of leadership. As leaders, especially Christian leaders, we must demonstrate the Be, Know and Do attitudes of Christ. That is we must become an “Alter Christus” or another Christ. We must BE to others as Christ would. We must KNOW spiritual principals as Christ does and we must act or DO in the world as Christ would. Feast of Saint Ann, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary [1] ALL that we know of St. Ann is that she was married to St. Joachim of the tribe of David, and lived with him in all virtue and piety, but for a long time was childless. This she bore with all patience, till at last the Lor

1 Corinthians, chapter 2, Verse 3-15 3  I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, 4  and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. It is God’s desire that we be wise not in the way of the world but in the ways of eternity. Human wisdom [1] Greek tradition of wisdom was based in  argumentation's . The Greeks lived to argue. Arguments (discussions) & logics were entertainments. Interests in philosophies and rhetoric was based not only what is said, but how it is said. Always looking for something profound (deep meaning) Jews have their wisdom tradition which includes the wisdom  Literature's . 1. Job – story of a man who did right & suffers 2. Psalms – classic wisdom, praise, laments, etc 3. Proverbs – classic wisdom: do right & no suffering 4. Ecclesiastes – meaning o

Romans, Chapter 13, verse 3-4 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil. Do you wish to have no fear of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval from it, 4 for it is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid , for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer. What we are talking about here is blind obedience or loyalty. Paul concludes that believers are to render obedience to governing authorities and by doing so they render obedience to God from whose power all authority comes. Paul deduces that kings and magistrates rule by consent of God, but it is the responsibility of these authorities to make just ordinances and to enact laws that support decency. Caesar is not entitled to obedience when such obedience would nullify God’s prior claim to the believer’s morality. National Tequila Day [1] another Hedonistic holiday--Note: Humility and its source

Romans, Chapter 3, verse 10-18 10 “There is no one just, not one, 11  there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. 12  All have gone astray; all alike are worthless; there is not one who does good, [there is not] even one. 13  Their throats are open graves; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps is on their lips; 14  their mouths are full of bitter cursing. 15  Their feet are quick to shed blood; 16  ruin and misery are in their ways, 17  and the way of peace they know not. 18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.” There is no hope except in Christ; all are broken vessels. Yet, by the gift of fortitude we endure; seeking Him who is our salvation. As we read in the gospel: Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace

Romans, Chapter 3, verse 10-18 10 “There is no one just, not one, 11  there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. 12  All have gone astray; all alike are worthless; there is not one who does good, [there is not] even one. 13  Their throats are open graves; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps is on their lips; 14  their mouths are full of bitter cursing. 15  Their feet are quick to shed blood; 16  ruin and misery are in their ways, 17  and the way of peace they know not. 18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.” There is no hope except in Christ; all are broken vessels. Yet, by the gift of fortitude we endure; seeking Him who is our salvation. As we read in the gospel: Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace

Acts, Chapter 27, verse 29 29  Fearing that we would run aground on a rocky coast, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. Paul was under arrest and was an inmate on a prison ship bound for Rome, when the ship he was on, was in danger of being sunk. Yet, God had not abandoned Paul. His faith saved him and also the crew. Paul in this case really did lead from behind. The Law of Influence: An Inmate Takes Command (Acts 27:4-44) [1] 1.       Paul built trust which influences his jailer, Julius, to allow special privileges, noting his trustworthiness. 2.       He took the initiative by stepping in when action was needed. 3.       He possessed good judgment through his use of wisdom and experience. 4.       He spoke with authority and credibility based on earlier actions. 5.       He showed optimism and confidence by speaking boldly. 6.       He gave encouragement to the hopeless that feared their survival and loss at sea. 7.