And The Moon Rose Over An Open Field…
August 14, 2009 by Administrator
Filed under Motivationals
And the moon rose over an open field… So it goes in Simon & Garfunkel’s classic song “America”. These 8 simple words are perhaps the most eloquent turn of phrase in all popular music–and a lyric that should serve as a strong metaphor for Progressive Christians and all those who seek the pathway to God.
When the moon is close the horizon, hovering just above the open fields or cityscapes, it appears incredibly large, as though we could almost touch it. Yet as it rises in the sky it becomes smaller and feels beyond our grasp. It all comes down to a matter of perspective. When the moon is closer to the horizon and our world, we can better perceive its grandeur. But when it is above our heads, there is nothing to relate it to except the tiny distant stars and planets. The moon becomes just another heavenly body beyond our reach.
The same can be said of our relationship with God, the Father. The further away that we place him in a heavenly mansion in the sky, the less tangible and real he feels. But when we begin to see God and the Holy Spirit working today (in the living hour) all around us–in friends and strangers, neighbors and family, and in every living thing of this green Earth, the larger and more magnificent he becomes. This, of course, is why Jesus of Nazareth tells us the Kingdom of God is “at hand”1 not in the heavens above.
Although he doesn’t realize it, Paul Simon’s traveler ultimately finds “America” while laughing on the bus, playing games with the faces, his traveling partner imagining the man in the gabardine suit was a spy. We are to find God the same way.
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To read about Saadi, Barack Obama, the Gulistan, and Islam, please go to: For the Sake of God.
- After John had been committed to prison, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God: “The time has come, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14-16 [↩]
Mark – Gospel 3 – Satan Can’t Drive Out Satan
April 14, 2009 by Administrator
Filed under Mark
On another occasion Jesus went in to a synagogue, where there was a man whose hand was withered. 2 And they watched Jesus closely, to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, so that they might have a charge to bring against him.
3 “Stand out in the middle,” Jesus said to the man with the withered hand; 4 And to the people he said: “Is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath? Or harm? To save a life, or destroy it?” 5 As they remained silent, Jesus looked round at them in anger, grieving at the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man: “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretched it out; and his hand had become sound. 6 Immediately on leaving the Synagogue, the Pharisees and the Herodians united in laying a plot against Jesus, to put him to death.
7 Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, followed by a great number of people from Galilee. 8 And a great number, hearing of all that he was doing, came to him from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Edom, from beyond the Jordan, and from the country round Tyre and Sidon. 9 So Jesus told his disciples to keep a small boat close by, for fear the crowd should crush him. 10 For he had cured many of them, and so people kept crowding upon him, that all who were afflicted might touch him.
11 The foul spirits, too, whenever they caught sight of him, flung themselves down before him, and screamed out: “You are the Son of God”! 12 But he repeatedly warned them not to make him known. 13 And Jesus made his way up the hill, and called those whom he wished; and they went to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named ‘apostles,’ that they might be with him, and that he might send them out as his messengers, to preach, 15 And with power to drive out demons.
16 So he appointed the twelve: Peter (which was the name that Jesus gave to Simon), 17 James, the son of Zebediah, and his brother John (whom he surnamed Boanerges, meaning the sons of thunder), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, 19 And Judas Iscariot, the man that betrayed him. 20 Jesus went into a house; and again a crowd collected, so that they were not able even to eat their food.
21 When his relations heard of it, they went to take charge of him, for they said that he was out of his mind. 22 And the teachers of the law, who had come down from Jerusalem, said: “He has the devil in him, and he drives the demons out by the help of Beelzebub, their chief.” 23 So Jesus called them to him, and answered them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 When a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot last; 25 And when a household is divided against itself, it will not be able to last. 26 So, if Satan is in revolt against himself and is divided, he cannot last; his end has come!
27 No one who has got into a strong man’s house can carry off his goods, without first securing him; and not till then will they plunder his house. 28 I tell you that men will be forgiven everything: their sins, and all the slanders that they utter; 29 but whoever slanders the Holy Spirit remains unforgiven to the end; he has to answer for an enduring sin.” 30 This was said in reply to the charge that he had a foul spirit in him.
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and stood outside, and sent to ask him to come to them. 32 There was a crowd sitting round Jesus, and some of them said to him: “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.” 33 “Who is my mother? and my brothers?” was his reply. 34 Then he looked around on the people sitting in a circle round him, and said: “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
To read the next chapter of the Book of Mark, please go to The Gospel of Mark – 4.
This Online New Testament Gospel of Mark is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.
Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learn Thai Language books and eBooks, as well as works on progressive spirituality.
The Second Coming Is Now
March 9, 2009 by Administrator
Filed under Motivationals
March 9, 2009 by Administrator 6 There appeared a man sent from God, whose name was John; 7 He came as a witness: to bear witness to the light that through him all men might believe. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to bear witness to the Light. 9 That was the true Light which enlightens all who come into the world. 10 He was in the world; and through him the world came into being, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, yet his own did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him he gave power to become Children of God, to those who believe in his name. 13 For not to natural conception, nor to earthly passions, nor to human will did they owe the new life, but to God. 14 And the Word became Man, and dwelt among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the only Son sent from the Father, full of love and truth. 15 John bores witness to him; he cried aloud—for it was he who spoke: “‘He who is Coming’ after me is now before me, for he was ever first;” 16 Out of his fullness we have all received some gift, gift after gift of love; 17 For the law was given through Moses, but love and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever yet seen God; the only begotten Son, who is ever with the Father—He has revealed him. 19 When the Jews sent some priests and Levites to John from Jerusalem, to ask, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed and did answer: “I am not the Christ.” 21 “What then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he said, “I am not.” “Are you ‘the prophet’?” He answered, “No.” 22 “Who then are you?” they continued; “tell us, that we may have some answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am the voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness; make straight the way of the Lord,” as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 These men had been sent from the Pharisees; 25 And their next question was: “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor yet ‘the prophet’?” 26 John’s answer was: “I baptize with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; 27 He is coming after me, yet I am not worthy even to unfasten his sandal.” 28 All this took place at Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was then baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and exclaimed: “Here is the Lamb of God, who is to take away the sin of the world! 30 It was of him that I spoke when I said: ‘After me there is coming a man who is now before me, for he was ever first.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but, that he may be made known to Israel, I have come, baptizing with water.” 32 John also made this statement: “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of the heavens, and it remained upon him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water, he said to me: ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him—he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 This I have seen myself, and I have declared my belief that he is the Son of God.” 35 The next day, when John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 He looked at Jesus as he passed and exclaimed: “There is the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus. 38 But Jesus turned round, and saw them following. “What are you looking for?” he asked. They answered: “Rabbi,” (or, as we would say, “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come, and you shall see,” he replied. So they went, and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was then about four in the afternoon. 40 One of the two, who heard what John said and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him: “We have found the Messiah!” (a word which was being interpreted as the ‘Christ’). 42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Fixing his eyes on him, Jesus said: “You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called Kephas” (which means a stone). 43 The following day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip, and said to him: “Follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, and a fellow townsman of Andrew and Peter. 45 He found Nathanael and said to him: “We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law, and of whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph’s son!” 46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” asked Nathanael. “Come and see,” replied Philip. 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said: “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 “How do you know me?” asked Nathanael. “Even before Philip called you,” replied Jesus, “when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael exclaimed, “you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel!” 50 “Do you believe in me,” asked Jesus, “because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You shall see greater things than those! 51 In truth I tell you,” he added, “you shall all see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” — To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 2. This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths. Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learn Thai Language books and eBooks, as well as works on progressive spirituality. February 15, 2009 by Administrator 4 The two disciples went, and, finding a foal tethered outside a door in the street, they untied it. 5 Some of the by-standers said to them: “What are you doing, untying the foal?” 6 And the two disciples answered as Jesus had told them; and they allowed them to go. 7 Then they brought the foal to Jesus, and, when they had laid their cloaks on it, he seated himself upon it. 8 Many of the people spread their cloaks on the road, while some strewed boughs which they had cut from the fields; 9 And those who led the way, as well as those who followed, kept shouting: “‘God save him! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! ‘God save him from on high!’” 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple courts; and, after looking round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. 12 The next day, after they had left Bethany, Jesus became hungry; 13 And, noticing a fig-tree at a distance in leaf, he went to it to see if by any chance he could find something on it; but, on coming up to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 So, addressing the tree, he exclaimed: “May no man ever again eat of your fruit!” And his disciples heard what he said. 15 They came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the temple courts, and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers, 16 And would not allow anyone to carry anything across the temple courts. 19 As soon as evening fell, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 As they passed by early in the morning, they noticed that the fig-tree was withered up from the very roots. 21 Then Peter recollected what had occurred. “Look, Rabbi,” he exclaimed, “the fig-tree which you doomed is withered up!” 22 “Have faith in God!” replied Jesus. 23 “I tell you that if anyone should say to this hill: ‘Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!’, without ever a doubt in his mind, but in the faith that what he says will be done, he would find that it would be.” 24 “And therefore I say to you: ‘Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be.’ 25 And, whenever you stand up to pray, forgive any grievance that you have against anyone, that your Father who is in heaven also may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” 27 They came to Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking about in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the councilors came up to him. 28 “What authority have you to do these things?” they said. “Who gave you the authority to do them?” 29 “I will put one question to you,” said Jesus. “Answer me that, and then I will tell you what authority I have to act as I do. 30 It is about John’s baptism. Was it of divine or human origin? Answer me that.” 31 They began arguing together; “If we say ‘divine,’ he will say: ‘Why then did not you believe him?’ 32 Yet can we say ‘human’?” (they were afraid of the people, for everyone regarded John as undoubtedly a prophet). 33 So their answer to Jesus was: “We do not know.” “Then I,” replied Jesus, “refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.” To read the next chapter of the Book of Mark, please go to The Gospel of Mark – 13 This Online New Testament Gospel of Mark is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths. Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learn Thai Language books and eBooks, as well as works on progressive spirituality. December 23, 2008 by Administrator 6 Jesus answered: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one ever comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had recognized me, you would have known my Father also; for the future you will recognize him, indeed you have already seen him.” 10 Do not you believe that I am in union with the Father, and the Father with me? In giving you my teaching I am not speaking on my own authority; but the Father himself, always in union with me, does his own work. 11 Believe me,” he said to them all, “when I say that I am in union with the Father and the Father with me, or else believe me on account of the work itself. 12 In truth I tell you, those who believe in me will themselves do the work that I am doing; and they will do greater work still, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask, in my name, I will do, that the Father may be honored in the Son. 14 If you ask anything, in my name, I will do it. 15 If you love me, you will lay my commands to heart, 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you always—the Spirit of Truth. 17 The world cannot receive this Spirit, because it does not see him or recognize him, but you recognize him, because he is always with you, and is within you.” 18 “I will not leave you bereaved; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will still see me; because I am living, you will be living also. 20 At that time you will recognize that I am in union with the Father, and you with me, and I with you. 21 It are those who have my commands and lay them to heart that love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them, and will reveal myself to them.” 22 “What has happened, Master,” said Judas (not Judas Iscariot), “that you are going to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 “Whoever loves me,” Jesus answered,” will lay my message to heart; and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our dwelling with them. 24 Those who do not love me will not lay my message to heart; and the message to which you are listening is not my own, but that of the Father who sent me.” 25 “I have told you all this while still with you, 26 But the Helper—the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you all things, and will recall to your minds all that I have said to you.” 27 “Peace be with you! My own peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, or dismayed. 28 You heard me say that I was going away and would return to you. Had you loved me, you would have been glad that I was going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And this I have told you now before it happens, that, when it does happen, you may still believe in me.” 30 “I shall not talk with you much more, for the spirit that is ruling the world is coming. He has nothing in common with me; 31 But he is coming that the world may see that I love the Father, and that I do as the Father commanded me. Come, let us be going.” To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 15. This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths. Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learn Thai Language books and eBooks, as well as works on progressive spirituality. December 23, 2008 by Administrator 6 “Although your hearts are full of sorrow at all that I have been saying to you. 7 Yet I am only telling you the truth; it is for your good that I should go away. For otherwise the Helper will never come to you, but, if I leave you, I will send him to you. 8 And he, when he comes, will bring conviction to the world as to sin, and as to righteousness, and as to judgment; 9 As to sin, for people do not believe in me; 10 As to righteousness, for I am going to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 As to judgment, for the spirit that is ruling this world has been condemned.” 12 “I have still much to say to you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 Yet when the Spirit of Truth comes it will guide you into all truth; for it will not speak on its own authority, but it will speak of all that it hears; and it will tell you of the things that are to come. 14 It will honor me; because it will take of what is mine, and will tell it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine; that is why I said that he takes of what is mine, and will tell it to you. 16 In a little while you will no longer see me; and then in a little while you will see me indeed.” 17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another: “What does he mean by saying to us: ‘In a little while you will not see me, and then in a little while you will see me indeed’; and by saying ‘Because I am going to the Father’? 18 What does he mean by ‘In a little while’?” they said; “we do not know what he is speaking about.” 19 Jesus saw that they were wanting to ask him a question, and said: “Are you trying to find out from one another what I meant by saying: ‘In a little while you will not see me; and then in a little while you will see me indeed’? 20 In truth I tell you that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will suffer pain, but your pain shall turn to joy.” 21 “A woman in labor is in pain because her time has come; but no sooner is the child born, than she forgets her trouble in her joy that a baby has been born into the world. 22 You, in the same way, are sorry now; but I shall see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy. 23 And at that time you will not ask me anything; in truth I tell you, if you ask the Father for anything, he will grant it to you in my name. 24 So far you have not asked for anything in my name; ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” 25 “I have spoken to you of all this in proverbs; a time is coming, however, when I shall not speak any longer to you in proverbs, but shall tell you about the Father plainly. 26 At that time you will ask in my name; and I do not say that I will intercede with the Father for you; 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from the Father. 28 I came out from the Father, and have come into the world; and now I am to leave the world, and go to the Father.” 29 “At last,” exclaimed the disciples, “you are using plain words and not speaking in proverbs at all. 30 Now we are sure that you know everything, and need not wait for anyone to question you. This makes us believe that you did come from God.” 31 “Do you believe that already?” Jesus answered. 32 “Listen! A time is coming—indeed it has already come—when you are to be scattered, each going his own way, and to leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have spoken to you in this way, so that in me you may find peace. In the world you will find trouble; yet, be of good cheer! I have conquered the world.” To read the next chapter of the Book of John, please go to The Gospel of John – 17. This Online New Testament Gospel of John is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths. Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learn Thai Language books and eBooks, as well as works on progressive spirituality. 
John – Gospel 1 – Beginnings: The Word As God
Filed under John In the Beginning the Word was; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God; 3 Through him all things came into being, and nothing came into being apart from him. 4 That which came into being in him was life; and the life was the light of all; 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness never overpowered it. Mark – Gospel 11- Parable of The Vineyard
Filed under Mark When they had almost reached Jerusalem, as far as Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two of his disciples. 2 “Go to the village facing you,” he said; “and, as soon as you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has ever ridden; untie it, and bring it. 3 And, if anyone says to you: ‘Why are you doing that?’ say: ‘The Master wants it, and will be sure to send it back here at once.’”
17 Then he began to teach. “Does not scripture say,” he asked, “‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves.’” 18 Now the chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began to look for some way of putting Jesus to death; for they were afraid of him, since all the people were greatly impressed by his teaching.John – Gospel 14 – Christ Is The Way
Filed under John “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s home there are many dwellings. If it had not been so, I should have told you, for I am going to prepare a place for you. 3 And, since I go and prepare a place for you, I shall return and take you to be with me, so that you may be where I am; 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 “We do not know where you are going, Master,” said Thomas; “so how can we know the way?”
8 “Master, show us the Father,” said Philip, “and we shall be satisfied.” 9 “Have I been all this time among you,” said Jesus, “and yet you, Philip, have not recognized me? Those who has seen me have seen the Father, so how can you say then: ‘Show us the Father’?John – Chapter 16 – The Spirit of Truth
Filed under John “I have spoken to you in this way so that you may not falter. 2 They will expel you from their synagogues; indeed the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think that they are making an offering to God. 3 They will do this, because they have not learned to know the Father, or even me. 4 But I have spoken to you of these things that, when the time for them comes, you may remember that I told you about them myself. 5 I did not tell you all this at first, because I was with you. But now I am to return to him who sent me; and yet not one of you asks me: ‘Where are you going?’”
