Artandicon's Blog

  • Meaning of the Crucifixion

    Most of us have grown up on the teaching that Jesus is “The Lamb that takes away the sins of the world,” this is known as the Substitution or Atonement of Christ. He is the sacrifice instead of us, that sets us free from the bondage to sin and death.     What if instead, Jesus…

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  • Generation to Generation: Learning to be Free

    “The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” ~~ John 8:35-36  With all the Paula Deen jambalaya on the airwaves lately about her treatment of African-Americans and her misplaced desire to have a…

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  • The Butter Queen

    “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness,  we lie, and do not the truth…” ~~ 1 John 1:6  Oh, Paula Dean, the Butter Queen! Once you were everywhere seen, but now you just seem awfully mean. Or were you just good at hiding your true self until you got…

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  • Making Sense of Grief

    “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.”~~ Jeremiah 31:15  We crossed the Isthmus of Corinth to the Old City to hike among the ruins of Acro-Corinth. Two famous and sacred springs flow there…

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  • Why Do The Righteous Suffer?

    “When I looked for good, then evil came unto me;   and when I waited for light, there came darkness.” ~~ Job 30:26 Easter morning may not be bright and sunny; at least the Weathermen aren’t predicting that this weekend. However, for Christians today, we can celebrate because we know the rest of the story. That…

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  • Doing Battle With The Dragon

    “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, 
but the victory belongs to the Lord.”  ~~ Proverbs 21:31  As I journeyed with my group along the Silk Road on the fourth day of our pilgrimage, we saw the twin peaked volcano Mount Erciyes, on which St. George of Cappadocia was said to have slain…

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  • We Journey By Stages

    “And Abram journeyed on by stages towards  the Negeb.” ~~ Genesis 12:9 “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor” (Deut 26:5) is likely the first affirmation of faith in the Bible. It speaks to a people who began their lives with a call from God to journey in faith: “Go to the land that I will…

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  • Merry Stressmas Everybody!

    “The kiln tests the potter’s vessels…”  ~~ Ecclesiasticus 27:5  I was baking cookies all day Friday, my oven never going higher than 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  This is a great test for butter, sugar and flour: leave it in that heated box too long and the smoke detector just outside the kitchen door will start its…

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  • Hard Work, Community & Individual Success

    “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”          ~~ 1 Corinthians 12:7 “If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” President Obama lit up the ratio and TV talk shows a while back with this statement because 60% of Americans…

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  • People, Politics, and Mute Buttons

    “Indeed, there have to be factions among you,  for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine.” ~~ 1 Cor 11:19  Red State, Blue State. Latest polling numbers. Romney chooses Ryan—Breaking news! Pick Bump, Attack Dog, Spin Doctors, and Campaign Ads. I’m already warming up my remote and I long ago quit watching…

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