A Christ Follower: The Journey

And this will be a sign for you: A virgin (a sexually inactive/never active sexual woman),  will reproduce a child. Over the years I have sat through more than one religion class whose basis is that of what they call "higher criticism."  This name seems to imply that their interpretation of the facts is higher or better than that which was taught for millennia, and one of the things that would invariably come up over the holidays is a statement that goes something like this:  "The Virgin birth of Mary is a biological impossibility."  Usually, I would allow this to be said and then challenge my professors ability to be an expert on matters of biology or zoology. Then I would set about to prove them completely wrong.  At least one of them apologized to the class for being inaccurate in his "Pontifications." First the scientific term for Virgin birth is based on two words: Partho and genesis.  The actual term is parthenogenesis.  The defi...

Philippians 4:6-8 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "Tis the season to be jolly!" Really?  Maybe so? Maybe not? Let me ask you.  Throughout the year, and during Advent when we celebrate Christ Jesus coming into the world, do you ever feel worried? Does anxiety get the best of you?  What about your level of tension?  Is it real? does it get higher?  Would you admit it if you were anxious?  I hope  you would admit it because Paul, in this passage, is providing each of us with a plan for coping with anxiety,  and it is a plan that will really work. Don't Do It At first glance, Paul seems a bit preachy when he says  "Don't be anxious about anything,"  Sadly, many take this as you and me being given another rule about what not ...