Hello all!

Wow .. it's been a while. I need to get back in this habit. It forces me to take a few minutes and just think. I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed last Sunday's discussions. Sometimes the topics are not easy even though we know what we should believe, the opinions still vary in their degrees. The thing I always get strength from is when we can have open discussions, lots of involvement and run out of time before we finish the study!

So the thought today is, strangely enough, "the thought". I have read another (short) chapter in the book sent to me by a long time friend. The book was written by Jimmy Carter over 20 years ago titled "Our endangered values". It is not a long book. The chapters are short and succinct. I have read only 4 chapters so far but I already see that I will be reading more of his books. A closing sentence in one chapter reads "They are quite interesting and helpful to me, and over the years I have acquired an insight into the beliefs and interests of many other religious people. The "they" he is referring to in this sentence closes the chapter after discussions of his interactions with people of many different and even non faiths.

This opens back up my question of "the thought". Have you ever wondered why you believe what you believe? Why others do, or don't. What is the foundation of "you". Is there one? Matthew 16:18 says "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Jesus wasn't building on the man (Peter) but on the answer to a question he posed to the disciples, "Who am I". And the answer from Peter was, with no doubt or hesitation, "This is what I believe". Not someone told me this or I heard discussion about that. I believe and that's all I need to know.

We don't need to be hateful with our beliefs. Or dominating. Or high and mighty. See Isiah 64:6. What we do need it to know is what we believe. And why. What we truly believe. And we don't need to hide from it. Or think that it is somehow not sufficient. Quite the opposite.

When you read the book (I hope I have convinced you) there is a story in CH 2 about a woman lighting a candle during a service. Let this story enlighten you.

See you tomorrow!

Mark