Category Archives: relationships

Spiritual Refuge

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Why go to church? Surely one compelling reason is refuge…

Is there no refuge from strife?

Is there no place of refreshing where a man can prepare for the battle of life?

Is there no place where two or three can gather in Jesus’ name, to forget for the moment all those things that divide nation from nation and race from race, to forget human pride, to forget the passions of war, to forget the puzzling problems of industrial strife, and to unite in overflowing gratitude at the foot of the Cross?

If there be such a place, then that is the house of God and that the gate of heaven. And from under the threshold of that house will go forth a river that will revive the weary world.

From J. Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism (1923, and still in print), page 152.

How families currently function

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Today’s “Pastor’s Briefing” email (from Focus on the Family) included the following. Some is encouraging (not as bad as I feared), but overall it is pretty sad…

[my comments are inserted within the brackets]

Families Still Eating Together

According to a new poll commissioned by The Associated Press, 60% of those who live with families said they sat down with family for dinner at least five nights in the past week. The research also revealed:

• 25% of families have the television turned on during dinner [why put such an obstacle in the way of conversation?]
• 50% of families feel pestered by phone calls during this time together [only half? Love your family more…]
• E-mailing or texting on a cell phone is constantly taking place during dinner for 5% of families [I suspect its actually higher]
…
The poll was conducted November 5-9 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media, and was based on phone interviews with 1,006 adults. [MercuryNews.com]

The Bible reminds us that some gatherings are made worse because of the behavior of some present (1st Cor. 11:17, But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.)

Let us strive to do better!

Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together”

pdb