ICEMANforChrist

  Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost   Acts, Chapter 27, verse 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.     ...

 First Saturday ST. GREGORY THE GREAT-SKYSCRAPER DAY  Psalm 145, Verse 19 He fulfills the desire of those who FEAR him; he hears their cry and saves them.   In this psalm the singer invites all to praise God. The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise; they climax in a confession. God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship, a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. [1]   I would like to focus on the word desire from verse 19 above. I like to hike and pray. One day I was hiking in the Fay Canyon area of Sedona, Arizona and I was reflecting on the seven deadly sins and the opposing virtues of our Lord sermon on the mount. As I was hiking and musing over the words that are associated with the deadly sin of lust: such words as long for, hanker for, hunger for, yearn, crave, and desire.  In my mind I repeated desire, desire, desire and I asked our Lord what do you want me to desire? As I asked that question, I l...

  First Friday   Acts, Chapter 27, verse 22-25 22 I urge you now to keep up your courage; not one of you will be lost, only the ship. 23 For last night an angel of the God to whom (I) belong and whom I serve stood by me 24 and said, ‘Do not be AFRAID , Paul. You are destined to stand before Caesar; and behold, for your sake, God has granted safety to all who are sailing with you.’ 25 Therefore, keep up your courage, men; I trust in God that it will turn out as I have been told.   God calls all peoples to the one covenant whether they be Jew, Muslim, and Catholic or in this case roman pagans. Courage only the ship will be lost. As men we make ourselves ships; ships which are the symbol of our values and our idealism. If our values and idealism is not in compliance with the covenant our ship will break up.   Jeremiah 31:31-34: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not ...