A new beginning

It's life time to move on. Please, visit my new cyberhome at daleschultz.info. My new blog can be reached from my home page, or bookmark,

daleschultz.info: the blog

Moving into this web site, my new blog continues in the spirit of Together, my pastoral blog; however, if you're reading here the comments about the “Daily Scripture(s) for Prayer and Study," then you want to watch for that content to be transitioned to another site in the near future.

My ministry with St. Philip's United Methodist Church continues, and pastoral content will be posted to the church's website.

This blog will be discontinued on, or about, September 1, 2008.

Mind control

Today's Scripture for Prayer & Study: Philippians 4:8
I've spent a lot of hours with this text, preparing to preach it in tomorrow's sermon. A western-educated, rational thinker, I want to see (and do!) a natural logic to these words as a life-lesson.

Years ago, I read Norman Vincent Peale's book, The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Mastering the Problems of Everyday Living. This book is a practical classic; its application seems almost too simple to be true. Dr. Peale's insights are rooted in his Christian faith. His inspirational work continues through Guideposts with helpful lessons about how to think.

A good friend recently transitioned from Christian pastoral ministry to clinical hypnosis therapy. Jon often describes his work as intensive, intercessory prayer. He helps people to think in healthier ways to enrich their lives. Whether through self-study (reading), or professional guidance (therapy), our thinking can be improved. Scientific evidence supports the validity of these efforts.

The Bible supports it, too. One of the disarming, albeit controversial, basic beliefs of the Christian faith is stated well in The Articles of Religion of The United Methodist Church:

Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually. (From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2004. Copyright 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.)

The Scriptures also give us the guidance in Christ, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, to live beyond our 'own nature inclined to evil.' With faith in Jesus, read Philippians 4:8 again. Now think about these things.

An attitude inventory

Today's Scripture for Prayer & Study: Matthew 5
Verses 1-11 are called the "Beatitudes." They are attitudes for our being - how Christians live in response to life circumstances. With a cursory reading, these seem obvious to us.

Each requires a willingness to set aside and live beyond our innate reactions to challenging situations. When we read these as an attitude inventory, they help clarify how we are thinking about what and who troubles us.

About righteousness

Today's Scripture for Prayer & Study: Psalm 18
The Psalmist writes, singing a sure confidence not only that God will act, but how God will act. The Psalmist knows the nature of God. The Psalmist also knows him/herself, and is willing to acknowledge that publicly:

The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness ... (v. 20a)

The Psalmist isn't boasting. S/he knows that righteousness is a reflection of obedience to God.

This way out of ourselves

Today's Scripture for Prayer & Study:
John 14

Jesus' personalized promise to those who follow him isn't politically correct. Even some Christians are appalled by Jesus' blatant exclusiveness, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one (italics mine) comes to the Father except through me." (v. 6)

God is certainly available to everyone; none are excluded expect by their own choosing. This text is a good direction-check for we who choose to be Jesus' disciples. Are you living Christ's way out of yourself toward God?

Your way of thinking

Today's Scripture for Prayer & Study: Ephesians 4
"Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person." (vv. 23-24, CEV)
God has endowed our minds with amazing power. The way we think, what we think about, can create specific physiological responses. If your thinking is making you into a new person, then what kind of a person are you becoming?

He helped me learn how to laugh

Was George obscene? At least profane.
Irreverent? Often.

Nevertheless, he helped me learn how to laugh. At the common, the ordinary. The often absurd.

Rest in peace, George Carlin.

Thinking

Today's Scripture for Prayer & Study: Philippians 4:8

The conscious focus of my brain's effort is not only what I think about, but how I think.

We can (and do) dwell on all kinds of things, sometimes to confusion. With these specifics:

• truth
• nobility (not of a monarchy, but of a quality)
• purity
• loveliness
• admirability
• excellence
• praiseworthiness (stuff worth a positive comment)

our lives are changed.