A Prayer for March
As we go into a new day,
We thank Thee for all
Thy mercies, and we beseech
Thee that this day
Thy strength would pilot us,
Thy power preserve us,
Thy wisdom instruct us,
Thy eye watch over us,
Thy ear hear us,
Thy Word give us sweet talk,
Thy hand defend us, and
Thy always guide us.
'Pop Goes the Gospel'
Welcome to the March 2010 edition of Pop Goes the Gospel blog carnival. Each month we travel around the blogosphere to offer posts to encourage and challenge you as we take the Gospel into Pop Culture.
Although we only had a few submissions this month there is still plenty of food for the soul, and engaging content to peruse. Take time to read each article and be sure to comment that to let the author know you read their article here. Now on with the Carnival! Peanuts! Popcorn! Candy Apples!
This month we feature a brand new blog on Pop Goes the Gospel. John a newbie to the blogosphere will attempt to relate his experiences as a father to his relationship with the Father. We welcome John and be sure to stop on over to his blog and give him a hardy welcome from all of us seasoned bloggers. It is wise to encourage each other in their walk with the Lord. There may come a time when you will need a word of encouragement so be sure to sow some seeds of encouragement so you too can reap a full harvest in due time.
John McCollam presents Fathers and Sons posted at Spirit Work. John’s first post to his brand new blog is an insightful look at fatherhood.
NCSue presents What kind of “justice” is that? posted at IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING. NCSue offers a great post on true justice from God‘s perspective. Justice is not retribution but restoration. Now then the next time you hear the word justice see if it meets the biblical standard for just and right.
Trent Cotton presents The Christian Sword ? The Guard posted at Christian Men-Christian Warriors. Trent is back with yet another great post this one of a series on the sword of the spirit. Trent does a great job and his site is worth the time it takes to glean some goodness from the word of God.
Jasmine Smith presents 25 Essential Android Apps for Bible Study posted at Accredited Online Bible Colleges, saying, “If you haven’t made Android your major mobile device, perhaps the following Bible study apps for may convince you to go that route.” If you are an android user then this list of aps is for you.
Bible SEO presents Christian Guitar Lessons, Chords & Tabs posted at BibleSEO Blog, saying, “Top free resources for Christian Guitarists, offering free guitar lessons, chords, tabs.” If you play guitar then spend some time strumming through this list of instructional sites for the Christian guitar player.
John Laugherton presents 25 Ways to Use the Kindle for Bible Study posted at bible college, John takes bible study to the Kindle platform with an extensive list of the benefits of using the latest technology to make your bible study byte size.
Joe Plemon presents The Money Quiz: Do You Serve God or Money? posted at Personal Finance By The Book, saying, “Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters. This quiz will help the reader see how he is doing.”
Megan presents Inspired By Fiction: Olympics and Scripture posted at Inspired By Fiction, Megan wins the Gold for her observations of the Winter Olympics. Athletes compete for a crown that one days fades but as Christians we are seeking a crown that never fades. Well done Megan and welcome to the carnival.
Darcy Bell presents The Overwhelming Concept of “Father” posted at HE said what?, saying, “Fatherhood is a concept than all Christian men should understand, but few often do.” Darcy offers a well written post regarding the responsibilities of being a Christian husband and father. If more dads would think this critically about their responsibilities to those under their care society would be better served. Well done Darcy and thanks for sharing your posts with us. This is a must read for dads and husbands everywhere.
That concludes this edition.
Submit your blog article to the next edition of pop goes the gospel using our carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
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The Feast of the Presentation, often called Candlemas, commemorates the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the presentation of Christ in the temple, which took place 40 days after his birth as Jewish law required. According to Mosaic law, a mother who had given birth to a boy was considered unclean for seven days. Also, she was to remain 33 days “in the blood of her purification.” Luke tells us, quoting Exodus 13:2,12, that Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem because every firstborn child was to be dedicated to the Lord. They also went to sacrifice a pair of doves or two young pigeons, showing that Mary and Joseph were poor. Once in the temple, Jesus was purified by the prayer of Simeon, in the presence of Anna the prophetess. Simeon, upon seeing the Messiah, gave thanks to the Lord, singing a hymn now called the Nunc Dimittis:
Lord, now you let your servant go in peace,
your word has been fulfilled:
My own eyes have seen the salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Simeon told Mary, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against, (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” Simeon thus foreshadowed the crucifixion and the sorrows of Mary at seeing the death of her Son.
The name Candlemas comes from the activities associated with the feast. It came to be known as the Candle Mass. In the Western Church, a procession with lighted candles is the distinctive rite. According to post Vatican-II discipline, (if possible) the beeswax candles are to be blessed somewhere other than where the Mass is held. Often your local parish will hand out candles, or you may bring your own, to be blessed before the procession. These may be saved for later use in your home. After an antiphon, during which the candles held by the people are lighted, there is a procession into the church. During the procession to the church, the Nunc Dimittis is sung, with the antiphon “Lumen ad revelationem” (Luke 2:32). This procession into the church for Mass commemorates Christ’s entrance into the temple. Since Vatican II, the feast is reckoned a feast of the Lord (as opposed to a feast of Mary), and officially designated “The presentation of the Lord.”
Egeria, writing around AD 380, attests to a feast of the Presentation in the Jerusalem Church. It was kept on February 14th. The day was kept by a procession to the Constantinian basilica of the Resurrection, with a homily on Luke 2:22-39. However, the feast had no proper name at this point; it was simply called the 40th day after Epiphany. This shows that the Jerusalem church celebrated Jesus’ birth on the Epiphany Feast (as is common in some Eastern Churches today).
In regions where Christ’s birth was celebrated on December 25th, the feast began to be celebrated on February 2nd, where it is kept in the West today. In 542, the Emperor Justinian introduced the feast to the entire Eastern Roman empire in thanksgiving for the end to a great pestilence afflicting the city of Constantinople. Perhaps this is when Pope Gregory I brought the feast to Rome. Either way, by the 7th century, it is contained in the Gelasianum Sacramentary. Pope Sergius (687-701) introduced the procession to the Candlemas service. The blessing of candles did not come into common use until the 11th century.
While some scholars have asserted that the Candlemas feast was developed in the Middle Ages to counteract the pagan feasts of Imbolc and Lupercalia, many scholars reject this, based on Medieval documents. While the feast does coincide with these two pagan holidays, the origins of the feast are based in Scriptural chronology. Some superstitions developed about Candlemas, including the belief that if one does not take down Christmas decorations by Candlemas, traces of the holly and berries will bring about the death of the person involved. In past times, Candlemas was seen as the end of the Christmas season.
Candlemas Day was also the day when some cultures predicted weather patterns. Farmers believed that the remainder of winter would be the opposite of whatever the weather was like on Candlemas Day. An old English song goes:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,
Go winter, and come not again.
Thus if the sun cast a shadow on Candlemas day, more winter was on the way; if there was no shadow, winter was thought to be ending soon. This practice led to the folklore behind “Groundhog’s Day,” which falls on Candlemas Day.
Today, the feast is still celebrated on February 14th in some Eastern Churches, including the Armenian Church, where the feast is called, “The Coming of the Son of God into the Temple.” Most churches celebrate it on February 2nd.
So whether it is a religious celebration or simply a weather forecasting gimmick February 2nd holds different significance to different people groups. A parallel can be draw between Simeon’s forecasting the life and death of Mary’s child Jesus with the farmers forecasting an early spring if there was no shadow cast on February 2nd. Punxytawny Phil causes quite a stir around these parts each year when thousands gather at Gobblers Knob to witness the ceremony. This annual celebration turned a small town in Western Pennsylvania into a tourist attraction. In fact there is a statue of a ground hog right in the center of town.
Punxytawny Phil may be the main attraction on Ground Hog day but as Christians our focal point should be Jesus Christ and the cross. It was the shadow of the cross that Simeon saw that day when Jesus was presented to him at the temple for dedication, and it is the shadow of the cross that can turn your wintertime of hopelessness and despair into a springtime of renewed life. So whether there is going to be an early spring or a much longer winter really depends on how you view the shadow of the cross and not the shadow of the woodchuck.
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A View from the Nest Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor
Insight from the Journey across the Sky
And the light goes on shining in the dark; it is not overcome by the dark. John 1:5 (BBE)
Traveling East on the PA turnpike late Christmas Eve a strange thing happened. As I was approaching the city limits of Philadelphia the sky grew brighter and my visibility increased greatly. It was like the sun was starting to rise. The only problem was the clock read 1 AM, far too early for a sunrise. But the closer I got to the city the brighter the sky appeared. I was amazed at how much light was being refracted off the low cloud cover and the light intensity being reflected off the snow covered ground. I do not recall ever seeing anything like this before in my life and I was truly awestruck. In fact I had to double check the time to make absolutely sure it was only 1 AM.
Light is an amazing thing. It does not take a lot of light to illuminate the night. Prior to reaching Philadelphia I had logged over 200 miles of dark stretches of the PA turnpike. I drove past several cities and did not notice this daylight effect until reaching the outskirts of Philadelphia. I really do not understand the science behind this strange lighted nighttime sky but it was truly a remarkable experience.
Since it was Christmas morning I thought it was appropriate that the sky would be illuminated by a mysterious light. Astronomers will probably be able to explain to me how exactly the night sky appeared as if dawn was approaching and I would enjoy any knowledge that could be shed on this phenomenon. My little bit of research for this article did not uncover anything but I am sure there is an explanation.
Today the Christian church celebrates Epiphany, the story of the wise men coming to Jerusalem from the East to follow a light seen shining in the Eastern sky. They too were amazed at the bright light in the Eastern Sky and sought out the meaning of it. They traveled to Jerusalem for they knew that a King of Israel was born, and Jerusalem was the seat of government so that is where they went to inquire of the new kings birth. Herod called all the chief priests and scribes together to inquire of the scriptures as to were exactly this king was to be born. Wouldn’t it be nice if our own government leaders would take time to inquire of the scriptures to explain the times and seasons.
Now when the birth of Jesus took place in Beth-lehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is the King of the Jews whose birth has now taken place? We have seen his star in the east and have come to give him worship. And when it came to the ears of Herod the king, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And he got together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, questioning them as to where the birth-place of the Christ would be. And they said to him, In Beth-lehem of Judaea; for so it is said in the writings of the prophet, You Beth-lehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the chiefs of Judah: out of you will come a ruler, who will be the keeper of my people Israel. Matthew 2:1-6
Unlike the wise me I, on the other hand, was heading East to join family and friends for Christmas day. I was not in search of a King, nor was I following a star, but because of this nighttime illumination I was reminded of the real meaning of the season. God’s magnificent creation was proclaiming all over again that Jesus is the Light of the world, and He had come to illuminate the darkness. Anyone who follows after the Light will not stumble around in darkness but have the light of life. John 8:12 NKJV
Have you seen the light? Has your life been illuminated by the light the shines in the darkness? Are you like the Wise men of old seeking the King whose star was seen shining in the Eastern sky? One day Jesus is going to come again and his coming will be like a light shining from East to West. Will you be ready when He appears?
Because as in a thunderstorm the bright light coming from the east is seen even in the west; so will be the coming of the Son of man. Matt 24:27 (BBE)
But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)
Along for the journey
A View from the Nest www.eagleviews.org
Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor
Phillipians 3:13-15 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The rearview mirror has a purpose when driving. It allows you to see what is approaching from behind, and aids you in lane changes and backing. There are times when the rearview mirror can be very useful, but if we were to drive by the rearview we would have to be backing up and not moving very fast.
Life is meant to be lived forward. It is meant to be faced head on and not backing up. There are many who cower in fear with each new day because they have been entangled in the snares of the past. The shackles of past failures continue to haunt there present circumstances. But like a fresh new canvas, each sunrise brings with it brand new opportunities to start all over again. There is no need to continually look backward. There is no value in retaining the past with its failures and successes because each new day brings with it even greater joys and opportunities.
Continually gazing into the rear view mirror will cause many wrecks along the highways of life. I fear there are way too many living their life with a rear view. They are stuck looking backward to perhaps a better time or a missed opportunity. With their attention constantly rearward they fail to notice the opportunities that lie ahead. They may even wind up missing the off ramp to success by their insistence on backward reflection.
The Apostle Paul admonishes the Phillipian believers to forget what lies behind. There is no value in clinging to the past even if it has been riddled with much success. Paul knew that resting on past accomplishments or regretting failures would only hinder future endeavors. Both success and failure can hinder future attainment if we allow ourselves to live in reverse. So by contrast Paul says to forget the past and focus on the future. He admonishes us to look for even greater things which lie ahead, which can be found by aiming high. Setting our sights on the not yet rather than look at the what was.
So as highway 2010 lies ahead, let us all see where this road may lead us. To those who are keeping their focus on things above, the journey will be exciting and joyful. Yes there will be potholes along the way. There will be roadblocks and detours, but in the end, if we do not quit, we will arrive right where God intends us to be.
But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)
Along for the journey
"...that where I am you may be also." Jn.14:3
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. (Matthew 6:33)
Daily Bible verse plus a picture of God's creation following Wayne Cordeiro's "The Divine Mentor" format.
"Come and hear, all you who fear God. Let me tell you what he has done for me." - Psalm 66:16
Daily Thoughts and Meditations as we journey together with our Lord.
Sermons and Devotions
Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor
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