Dumb Idols - Spiritual Thoughts of Daniel J. Clausen

Saint Paulinas of Nola (354 – 431) was a distinguished lawyer who held several public offices in the Roman Empire. After the death of their son, Paulinas and his wife Therasia gave away all of their property and riches and dedicated their lives to the poor. Paulinus was chosen bishop of Nola by popular demand. Among his close friends was St Augustine of Hippo. Paulinus’ writings include a letter to Crispinianus, a soldier in the Roman military. Paulinus exhorts Crispianus, a Christian, to leave the military and devote his life to God. His letter is below. Letter 25, to Crispinianus 1. Though I am unknown to you personally, I already know you in spirit. Victor, my dearest son in the Lord, ensured that I knew you, though distance separates us, by telling me of your scrupulous life. So I have begun to love you as a future comrade in Christ, for Victor recounted to me how he was an associate and attendant of your mess in that worldly military service in which you are still occ...

To the parents of ignorant children, Parents, your children have souls which God expects you to nourish with at least as much care as their physical needs. Who will teach them if not you? No one is surprised to hear that a ship put out to sea without a compass has sunk or run aground. Why should we be surprised to see children wander far from God, when they have received no spiritual direction? We see a pattern set for us by the saints of old. David, busy king that he was, thought it his solemn responsibility to instruct his son in the way of the Lord: 'Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind.' (1 Chron. 28:9). And what need I tell you of Timothy's mother and grandmother, who taught him the Scriptures from the time he was a child? I believe a man calls in question his own Christianity if he does not bother to acquaint his child with God and the way the leads to Him. I will even go so far as to say I've never k...

Non-Violence in the Early Church For those who are unconvinced by the consistent, recurrent testimony of Scripture, and the plain example and practice of Christ and the Apostles on the subject of Christian Non-Violence, I present the exhaustive list of quotations from the early Church in the first 400 years. Featuring quotes from hearers of the Apostle John and hearers of theirs. Justin Martyr (100-165) “ We who formerly used to murder one another do not only now refrain from making war upon our enemies, but also, that we may not lie nor deceive our examiners, willingly die confessing Christ. We who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlike weapons,— our swords into plowshares, and our spears into implements of tillage, — and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who was crucified.” "We do not wage war agai...

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which is, being interpreted is, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' . . .  And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost." - Mark 15:34, 37 The last words of Christ dying on the cross are disturbing to many. They look and say, "See? Even Jesus despaired in that great hour," or "See? Even Jesus felt like God had abandoned Him."  No doubt, the travail of the crucifixion would be enough to break even the best of us, however, there is a more likely, and I daresay, a more encouraging understanding on these pained words.  First, some cultural context Back in first century Jewish culture, and even in some communities in the present day, it was the standard practice of all children to memorize Scripture, that is, the Old Testament. Scribes and scrolls were scarce in those days - not everyone had more books than they know...

"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:14) The name of God, as revealed to Moses, has become a thing of great mystique to the world. Translated as "I AM" in most modern translations, it is commonly understood to mean, "I exist", "The Self-Existent" or "The One Who Is." It is a name that the Jews have considered too sacred to utter, and as a result, the proper pronunciation of it has been lost to time. Many transliterate it into vocalization as "Yahweh." None of what I just explained is wrong or improper in understanding. However, there is a profound meaning of the Name that stands as one of the greatest markers of prophetic significance in all of Holy Writ. In ancient Hebrew, like ancient Greek, the alphabet is multi-purpose, not merely letters, but also numbers. They had no numerical system, but each letter...

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  To name any fear a man may have, he may as well just assert that he has a fear of  death.  Either the stated fear directly leads to death, or else, the fear pales in comparison to death itself. It is the most natural of torments: the striving to be alive at all costs. What man would not admit a moment of hesitation when peering over the void? Who would deny the paralysis that comes from envisioning all fade to black before our eyes? Now, before we are consumed by such thoughts, let me bring light to that darkness by proclaiming what has been done:  "As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death, he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." - Hebrews 2:14-15 This passage tells us something:  First, most ...

This is a long introduction that is worth your time, but if you'd like to skip to THE LIST, Click Here. Before I get into this, let me say, it has been suggested I make too much of "non-salvation issues." I will say that I do make much of them, but only because Christ said to "make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded." He commanded more than believing on His name, but rather, an entire moral and ethical system, a worldview, even an entire Kingdom Culture, which is to be observed by those who gain citizenship therein. I know that teachers will be held to a greater account of judgement (James 3:1), and I will not hold back to teach what I believe is the whole counsel of God. (Acts 23:20) Recently, I came upon the name of a movement that is what I essentially believe, having never known before that there was a "group" of people who thought as I did. Now, I won't go so far as to throw my weight...