Connecting

Today i connected with God in a multitude of ways. I got out of my rotation early and decided to head up to hemlock trail to do a little prep work for the bible study on tuesday. But on my way it looked as if it was going to rain so i decided to opt for a venti caramel macchiato and a little barnes and noble. Once there i started to read the text , but only moments into my reading i realized how is this going to speak to me if i first dont ask the spirit to come and open my heart to the words to take the markings on the page and make them markings on my heart. I then proceeded to say a quick but now apparently effective prayer that the spirit would move in me and allow me to see Jesus and Truth in the text. I am going to teach (through the spirit of course) on James 2 the section dealing with faith and works. Never had i had such clarity on the issue and never had i been able to use the bible so extensively to solidify the points the spirit was revealing to me. I am a fan of the church fathers and their guide but so much more rewarding and much more reliable is finding support in the word of God. But in short i came to one conclusion that has allowed me to have peace with the issue and that is that faith and works are inseperable. No we can not work our way to heaven and our salvation is based on our faith in Jesus, but belief in Jesus in not an intellecual ascent to certain precepts it is a change of heart and perspective demanding action. So faith yields works and one without the other is dead.

The other way i connected with the Lord to day was after i prepared the study and did some foot work for a little discussion on the canon (to be mentioned later). I headed out to hemlock trail because it looked as if the weather had cleared for the time being. I got to go out and be with God in his creation and in prayer it was great then i got to a spot i borrowed from my friend billy and sat with my feet in the ice cold water and read a book on the rapture and allowed God to speak to me through the book and nature and prayer it was a great way to end a great time in the word.

The canon discussion is one i have been asked about the difference between the catholic bible and the one protestants use. I being an prostolic (catholic/protestant hybrid) am searching for references that are both sensitive to both sides without being judgemental. I have found some good stuff from Mcdowell and from Geisler. But am looking for suggestions. I just would like some historical understanding to the reason and times of the change and if possible an unbashing explination preferalbly from a protestant and a catholic to why the difference. Any books or sites let me know.

But that was my day and a good one at that