OLD TESTAMENT: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Literal Religion: “The Word of the Lord” is following the Law. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” Spiritual grace: “The Word of the Lord” means loving others in the Love of Jesus. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “O dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD.” Did you feel the Grace? Grace is being able to raise your eyebrow instead of your voice! PSALM: 130:1-8 Literal Religion: “Hope” is depending on God to do for us what we want. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “in His word I hope” Spiritual grace: “Hope” is how we feel in His Presence. No matter what happens we never know what God will do next. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “in His Word I hope” Did you feel the Grace? Legalists have the right to remain silent, but they do not have the ability! Read more
Year A Fifth Sunday in Lent Bottom Line Meditations
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Mar 24, 2014
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Mar 20, 2014
John 9:1-41 “Open wide the eyes of my soul.” John got grace. Now, all of us got grace in the eyes of the Lord. Our issue is to let grace get us. John got grace spiritually. He also “got” grace rationally; that is, he understood the difference being in or out of grace makes in our life by moving from the rational physical to the conscious spiritual. This chapter is one of the best of his exercises. It is tricky in that for the first thirty nine verses we are talking about physical blindness, then in the last three verses he jumps into writing about spiritual blindness. The purpose is to find out if the reader can make the shift. It is good practice to see if you can get the Grace. Read more
Year A Fourth Sunday Sunday in Lent Bottom Line Meditations
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Mar 17, 2014
OLD TESTAMENT: Samuel 16:1-13 Literal Religion: “See” and “Look” are physical. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “The LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Spiritual grace: “See” and “Look” are spiritual. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “The LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Did you feel the Grace? Legalists are like slinkies, not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see fall down the stairs! Read more
Third Sunday in Lent
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Mar 13, 2014
John 4:5-42 The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” Here is a woman who is rejected by her peers. She has had four husbands and the man she is living with is not her husband. We must realize what it meant to be a divorced woman in those days. Women did not divorce their husbands. Only husbands could divorce. Women were considered “property”. The tenth Commandment was not to covet a man’s donkey, property, or wife. The woman was among those included as donkeys and other property. All that was needed was a signed piece of scrap paper and saying three times, “I divorce you.” That was it. In other words, she had been rejected by four husbands. They might have married her for the physical reason. When they got through with her they dumped her back to the market. Read more
Year A Third Sunday Sunday in Lent Bottom Line Meditations
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Mar 10, 2014
OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus 17:1-7 Literal Religion: Quarreling is the reason they were put out of the Presence of the Lord. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD” Spiritual grace: Being out of the Lord’s Presence is why they were quarreling. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture. “because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD” Did you feel the Grace? If grace agreed with legalism both would be wrong! Read more
Year A Second Sunday Sunday in Lent Bottom Line Meditations
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Mar 03, 2014
OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis 12:1-4a Literal Religion: God called Abraham to leave his homeland to go to a country He will show him. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.” Spiritual grace: God calls us to leave our worldly homeland to go to a spiritual country He will show within us. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture. Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.” Can you feel the difference? Read more
First Sunday in Lent
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Feb 27, 2014
Prosperity followers believe God wants Christians to be rich! There are millions of faithful followers of Christ who live in poverty. If this is so, why isn't everyone in the church a millionaire? Their answer: It's God's will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty. It's God's will for you to pay your bills and not be in debt. God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us. I want to be wealthy and God wants me to be wealthy too! “Who would want to get in on something where you're miserable, poor, broke and ugly and you just have to muddle through until you get to heaven?” God wants us to be prosperous. To be happy we need to have money to pay our bills, send our kids to college bless, be a blessing to other people. Read more
Year A First Sunday in Lent Bottom Line Meditations
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Feb 24, 2014
OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis 2:15-17 Literal Religion: To “die” is physical. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. The serpent said to the woman, “You will not die.” Spiritual grace: To “die” is spiritual death. (They both died spiritually not physically). Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture. The serpent said to the woman, "You will not die.” Can you feel the difference? Legalism is a five mile walk punctuated with disappointments! Read more
Transfiguration Sunday
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Feb 20, 2014
This story of the Transfiguration is one of the most significant stories in the Scripture. There was Jesus, Elijah and Moses. What did they all have in common? Much! They were talking to Jesus about their Exodus. Each one was involved in a type of exodus experience. Elijah was caught up in whirlwind and the flaming chariot. Moses led the Exodus of the children of Israel out of the slavery in Egypt. Now Jesus was to have His Exodus being resurrected from the grave. Peter displayed his legalism saying. “Rabbi it is good we are here. Let us make three booths one for you one for Elijah and one for Moses.” Mark adds almost in astonishment, “He did not know what he was saying.” Read more
Year A Transfiguration Sunday Bottom Line Meditations
Posted by Paul Edwards (Fr. Paul) on Feb 17, 2014
PSALM: 99 Literal Religion: God is in the cloud. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.” Spiritual grace: God IS The Cloud. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture. “He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.” Can you feel the difference? His religious literalism is improving. He's missing the mark much closer than he used to! Read more
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