Category: Theology

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

_________
This is from the Daily Office in the Book of Common Prayer according to the Episcopal Church.

“Be careful about one thing only,” says the Lord – “your relationship with Me.” – Oswald Chambers (cf. Matt 6:25)

Stop getting distracted by a hundred and one nonessential things. Stay focused Jay. The only thing that really matters is your relationship with God. It doesn’t matter whether the Bible is inerrant, what matters is that God is inerrant.

Stop buying books. Seriously, stop! The only thing you should be buying is a good Bible and books on prayer and solitude. And then read them. Pray them. Focus on living the Way instead of studying the Way. You learn in the doing.

Again, all questions should come back to how this affects my relationship with God. If it interferes with my prayer time, my solitude, or my spirituality, it should be avoided. This includes family and friends. God must be first.

But family is second. Their relationship with God should be the priority here. Sacrifice for their good. Spend quality time with them, but not at the expense of your prayer life.

Remember, be careful about one thing only, your relationship with God.