Archives 2022

Archives 2022 (18)

NEWS FROM THE CENTER FRIDAY DIGEST March 4, 2022 - Manhood, Bruce Jenner, Sports and Pastors

Is it all just a matter of function? I mean, much more than generally speaking, a woman firefighter will not be able to carry people down a ladder. And that argument holds true for women's sports, where men, as a sex, are biologically stronger in so many different ways. But is that all there is?

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NEWS FROM THE CENTER FRIDAY DIGEST February 25, 2022 - The COVID Symptom No One Talks About: Fear

When I received my positive COVID test I was prepared to deal with the body aches, fever, lung congestion, and even the fatigue. I was not prepared for the one symptom no one talks about: fear.

I am old, overweight, have COPD, heart stints, and artificial joints. Ever since March 2020, I have been consistently told by my medical professionals, “If you get COVID, you will die.” My doctors instilled in me a fear that the only place I would go is to the funeral home if I visited my grandchildren, went to the store, worshipped in my church, or flew in an airplane. The media and the government added to the fear as I heard daily case numbers, hospital shortages, death rates, shelter in place orders, and mask mandates. I was led to believe that if I ventured outside without a mask I would either die or cause others to. I lived in fear.

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WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2022 - OVERWHELMED BY JESUS – GRACE IS LIKE THAT!

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s reading is Luke 9:32–35, where the Scripture tells of this mountain experience with Jesus:

32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw [Jesus’] glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

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NEWS FROM THE CENTER FRIDAY DIGEST February 18, 2022 - Raising Awareness of Education Options

National School Choice Week is a charitable and non-partisan effort to raise awareness of effective K-12 education options. This year, it [ran] from January 23-29. According to its website, “Every child is unique, and all children learn differently. Some children might succeed at the neighborhood public school, while others might fit in better at a charter, magnet, online, private or home learning environment.” . . .

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NEWS FROM THE CENTER FRIDAY DIGEST February 11, 2022 - Father Knows Best?

God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). He gave Adam and Eve to each other. He made family the foundational building block of human society. Marriage and family are good. God created us to thrive in and through the family. Furthermore, our Lord uses the imagery of human marriage and human fatherhood to teach us to understand His relationship with us.

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WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022 - WHAT OTHERS MEANT FOR EVIL!

WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2022

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s reading is Genesis 45:3-7, where the Bible tells us of this event toward the end of Joseph’s life:

³Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.⁴Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! ⁵And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. ⁶For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

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NEWS FROM THE CENTER FRIDAY DIGEST February 04, 2022 - Christianity and Culture: God’s Double Sovereignty

Should Christians get involved in politics? Yes, as part of our vocation in God's secular kingdom. The goal should not be necessarily the election of Christian rulers, nor to make America a "Christian nation." Rather, it should be to apply God's law in our social relationships and to establish justice and righteousness in our land. Abortion, for example, is a monstrous crime against the weakest and most defenseless in our society, and Christians are right to work against this evil, as against many others. Christians in politics must play by political rules, whether hard-ball power plays or the arts of compromise and consensus building. The church should be gentle and loving, while never compromising its doctrines. The rough-and-tumble of the political process, however, means that Christian politicians should not be prevented from exercising power or from making a tactical compromise by the charge that to do so is "not Christian." That confuses the kingdoms. Christian politicians, however, like all politicians, must exercise their power justly and in accordance with God's law.

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WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 - LOOK WHERE TRUE BLESSINGS ARE TO BE FOUND!

WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s reading is Luke 6:20-23, where Jesus says to His disciples,

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.²¹Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.²²Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. ²³“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.

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WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2022 - TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD!

WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2022

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s reading is from Luke chapter 5 where the Bible says,

4 When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break…..8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”…10 Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

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WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022 - Jesus - He Brings Real Celebration to Life!

WORD FROM THE CENTER: MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s verses are portions of John 2:1–11, where the Bible says,

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and… Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine”…. Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So, they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

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