A Knight's Blog

  Many Methodists and African Churches observe Watch Night on New Year’s Eve, “Such extended services were initially observed in Methodist societies several times a year, but over time came to be held on the night of Dec. 31 and into the early hours of Jan. 1. They were a way for Methodist society members to put behind whatever beset them in the old year and make a strong spiritual start to the new year. This kind of Watch Night practice spread well beyond Methodism and became a hallmark of many Black church traditions in the United States.” ( https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-how-may-united-methodists-observe-january-1 )  The idea of a night where you essentially shed the last year and make a strong spiritual commitment for the new year is appealing, like a Christian New Year’s Resolution. That said, making covenants or resolutions can be disappointing because we do not keep them. Rather I think a better use of Watch Night would be to sit in prayer with candles or wh...

  It seems progressively each year getting more bizarre. We had the Covid years of 2020-2021 which    culminated in a greatest distrust in our health, academic, and governmental systems. Then in 2022 Inflation began to strike markets and lead to an already exasperated state for people who were on the edge for the previous years. Then this year 2023 had a war in Gaza that has split countries politically, those standing for Israel and those for the Palestinians, with protests erupting all over the world.  We have been divided over health: vax and anti-vax, we have been divided over race regarding migration and prejudices being stoked, we have been divided over finances, the rich undaunted by inflation while poor get poorer and mid class is no longer middle, we have been divided on religion as Pope Francis I permits blessings by priests of same sex unions, and United Methodists have a major schism of losing 1800 churches ( https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/jan...

  There is pernicious infection in the church, a wicked theology that claims Jews can be saved by the law and need not Jesus, and Gentiles will be saved by the grace of Jesus. This heresy is actually old, it was addressed by The First Council of the Church: “The Jerusalem Council But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”    And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believ...

  At Christmas the focal point is Christ and it should be, that God became human flesh. Sometimes the Father is invoked in The Trinity, but least common and this is puzzling to me is Third Co-Equal Person, The Holy Spirit. How is that The Spirit gets ignored in all the decorations? There is The Mother and Child, Joseph, The Wisemen, The Star of Bethlehem, even Angels. While yes all of these feature prominately at the Birth of our Lord, but this verse is key,  “And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35-38). The whole Godhead is mentioned there and yet not a single ornament or decoration for The Holy Spirit at Christmas?! He mostly only gets a showing a Pentecost if at all, and is depicted as a Dove.  I have a theory that many churches love Jesus Christ the Savior, and even adore Abba Father, “Your a...

  Due to the war in Gaza, Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem and Jerusalem have been cancelled ( https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bethlehem-christmas-celebrations-canceled-israel-palestine_n_65880234e4b03e698a13af79/amp ) and ( https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/november/bethlehem-christmas-cancelled-israel-gaza-jordan-christians.html ) . I do not wish to get into the politics of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict or the War in Gaza, what I do wish to ask, is would Jews be required to cancel Hanukkah celebrations? I understand there are nuances to security, but Christmas is not just some holiday for us Christians. It is the celebration of the Incarnation of God, which is core to our faith!    In the US they go on about The War on Christmas, but this is literally Christmas Cancelled because of A War. Bethlehem is 73 Kilometers (45 Miles) North East of Gaza. Bethlehem is only 6.2 Miles away from Jerusalem.  Why would anyone censor a Major Christian Holiday that p...

  Christmas has become a noise filled holiday. I find myself quoting the Grinch, “the noise, noise, noise!” (How The Grinch Stole Christmas, 2000). And I understand people want to blow trumpets and sing loud bawdy songs. But perhaps that is why I love Silent Night, it is one of few very quit spiritual carols and how we need it!  We are being overstimulated with pings, loud protesters, and all the prattle on the news, social media, vlogs, podcasts, and etc. what we need more than ever is what Amy Grant calls “quiet holiness,” in a loud world. There is this scene in Meet Joe Black where Death says to Bill, “quiet down!” This happens before Death tells Bill great revelations, and I wonder if God is saying the same? “Quiet down!” And listen, for remember The Lord Trinity speaks in still voice, “” ($ and to be heard you must be quiet.  This Christmas I urge you to take one night and try “quiet holiness,” and allow a “silent night, holy night” so that you can be in stillness an...

  There is a haunting song by Casting Crowns that goes like this, “Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping For God became a man and stepped into your world today Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history As a city with no room for its King.”  (While You Were Sleeping, Casting Crowns) For indeed there was no room for Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus at the Inn or houses, which really shows how hard the hearts of people in Bethlehem truly were! A woman is pregnant and needs a place to give birth and no one chooses to give up their room or perhaps squeeze in the Holy Family?! What this tells us is how dead the religion of Hebrews was, that oh they kept Sabbath and food laws, but a Pregnant Jewish Woman needs to give birth and they direct her to a stable?!  Is the Church not like that today? Have we not become like Bethlehem were we keep the Sabbath and do our Christian rituals while women are in our streets like Mary needing help? Have we become as deaf as...