Take ~5 minutes to read this 'COUGARS Daily' which contains snippets from A Slice of Infinity. Invite your family and friends to participate in reading with you daily. Then, consider sharing your comments or faith questions at CougarsDaily.blogspot.com
-And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. worshiped him andAnd they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. (Luke 24:49-53)
-And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)
Truly, Ascension Day, a holy day falling inconspicuously on a Thursday in May, is the bold declaration that we are not left as orphans. In the same post-resurrection body he invited Thomas to touch, Jesus is accessible to us today. He ascended with a body; he shares in our humanity, extending his own body even now; and he is coming back for those in bodies. Christ is preparing a room for us, and we know it is real because he himself is real. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Chad's Comments:
My close friend, Pat Castle, is a teacher at the Air Force Academy. Pat holds a Doctorate and teaches chemistry. The only reason I preface these comments with an introduction is so you may understand the difficult position someone of his faith is in. Being a scientist in a secular university; striving to live out his faith could very likely put his career at risk in a culture that wants to tell you that science disproves God. Here are Pat's comments from today:
* Re-evangelization: The last couple weeks we have shared about how Secularization and Science are purging God from the vocabulary of Western culture. God is with our every breath and every step regardless if we choose to acknowledge Him (footprints in the sand). Secularization and Science are embraced like religions by some...treating them like golden calves that come before God (First Commandment). The founding fathers of American did not intend to separate faith from politics...but prevent a state run church, like Church of England. We are called by Christ to be 'aliens' in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Are we? Like the disciples in the Bible, do we have a real relationship with Christ? Sometimes I use the word "disciple" instead of Christian to differentiate from social Christians (participating for entertainment not for Christ)...like James using "faith" (believing in Christ) and "saving faith" (believing and following Christ). We need to commit to a re-evangelization of ourselves and our Western culture to uncover God in the areas where Secularization and Science have covered Him...making "straight the way for the Lord" (John 1:23). I have plenty of room for re-evangelizing myself (growing closer to Christ)...if Christ was a mirror, the closer I get to the mirror, the more I realize my imperfections (sin). Let's start this re-evangelization by challenging ourselves (love, service, prayer, etc)...and by inviting friends, family, and co-workers to join the LIFE Devotions group (if they agree, I will gladly add their email to the distribution list). Let's pray for the courage to do this...to open ourselves to God's gift of the Holy Spirit who strengthens us for making faith-based decisions (humility, love, obedience) that will cause (in us, our loved ones, and our enemies) a greater conversion (metanoia) to the will of God the Father (Truth) through Christ the Son (Phil 4:13)...Amen!
As a group, I will be challenging you to reach out to a neighbor. To invite someone over to your home whom you have had little to no contact with. This is not an effort to 'evangelize' them on the spot, but simply an effort to begin REAL relationship with them. Be in prayer about whom God would have you invite. More to come.
* Make Space for unbelievers in your life.
* Post your stories of God's intervention on the blog.
* Look for ways to share Awe and Wonder with children - leave suggestions at CougarsDaily.blogspot.com
* Consider joining Life-Devotions (a group of about 100 catholics and protestants sharing their faith through daily devotions and discussion - strong pro Life content)
* The Street Church
* Voice of the Martyrs
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-And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)
Truly, Ascension Day, a holy day falling inconspicuously on a Thursday in May, is the bold declaration that we are not left as orphans. In the same post-resurrection body he invited Thomas to touch, Jesus is accessible to us today. He ascended with a body; he shares in our humanity, extending his own body even now; and he is coming back for those in bodies. Christ is preparing a room for us, and we know it is real because he himself is real. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Chad's Comments:
My close friend, Pat Castle, is a teacher at the Air Force Academy. Pat holds a Doctorate and teaches chemistry. The only reason I preface these comments with an introduction is so you may understand the difficult position someone of his faith is in. Being a scientist in a secular university; striving to live out his faith could very likely put his career at risk in a culture that wants to tell you that science disproves God. Here are Pat's comments from today:
* Re-evangelization: The last couple weeks we have shared about how Secularization and Science are purging God from the vocabulary of Western culture. God is with our every breath and every step regardless if we choose to acknowledge Him (footprints in the sand). Secularization and Science are embraced like religions by some...treating them like golden calves that come before God (First Commandment). The founding fathers of American did not intend to separate faith from politics...but prevent a state run church, like Church of England. We are called by Christ to be 'aliens' in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Are we? Like the disciples in the Bible, do we have a real relationship with Christ? Sometimes I use the word "disciple" instead of Christian to differentiate from social Christians (participating for entertainment not for Christ)...like James using "faith" (believing in Christ) and "saving faith" (believing and following Christ). We need to commit to a re-evangelization of ourselves and our Western culture to uncover God in the areas where Secularization and Science have covered Him...making "straight the way for the Lord" (John 1:23). I have plenty of room for re-evangelizing myself (growing closer to Christ)...if Christ was a mirror, the closer I get to the mirror, the more I realize my imperfections (sin). Let's start this re-evangelization by challenging ourselves (love, service, prayer, etc)...and by inviting friends, family, and co-workers to join the LIFE Devotions group (if they agree, I will gladly add their email to the distribution list). Let's pray for the courage to do this...to open ourselves to God's gift of the Holy Spirit who strengthens us for making faith-based decisions (humility, love, obedience) that will cause (in us, our loved ones, and our enemies) a greater conversion (metanoia) to the will of God the Father (Truth) through Christ the Son (Phil 4:13)...Amen!
Upcoming Cougars' "Neighbor-Day" weekend:
As a group, I will be challenging you to reach out to a neighbor. To invite someone over to your home whom you have had little to no contact with. This is not an effort to 'evangelize' them on the spot, but simply an effort to begin REAL relationship with them. Be in prayer about whom God would have you invite. More to come.
* Make Space for unbelievers in your life.
* Post your stories of God's intervention on the blog.
* Look for ways to share Awe and Wonder with children - leave suggestions at CougarsDaily.blogspot.com
* Consider joining Life-Devotions (a group of about 100 catholics and protestants sharing their faith through daily devotions and discussion - strong pro Life content)
* The Street Church
* Voice of the Martyrs
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