Philipians 4: 4 and 5

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice!
5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
- New Living Translation

4 Always be full of joy in the knowledge of your church.  I say it again – rejoice!
5 Let everyone see that you are in church every Sunday morning.  Remember, the Lord is coming soon.  What better place for him to find you than in an institution that you hold in such reverence that it has replaced him as your God?
- Modern Church Translation

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
- New Living Translation

28 And we know that God will give health, wealth, and prosperity to those who claim to love God and are called to be part of their pastor’s purpose.
- Modern Church Translation

Matthew 6: 1 through 4

1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  

3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  

4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

- New International Version

1 “Be careful to keep a record of all your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men.  If you do, you will win the approval of your peers, and can also benefit financially from your giving.

2 “So when you give to the needy, tactfully promote the charities that you support in whatever way you can.  I tell you the truth, you will not receive the acknowledgement you deserve otherwise.   

3 But when you give to the needy, also make sure you hold onto all the necessary documentation, 

4 so that you can take advantage of the various tax write-offs.  Then the government, when it comes to tax time, will reward you.

- Modern Church Translation

* This MCT is another great submission from Daniel at ‘Like a Mustard Seed‘

Mark 2:17

17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough.”

- New Living Translation

17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor-sick people do.  Healthy people should form a Sunday morning social club and call it ‘Church’.  I have come to call sinners, but don’t think that means I expect those who are healthy to help me do that.  I realize those sick sinners are scary.  All you healthy people should stay so wrapped up in all your churchy things that you don’t have time for sinners.  Maybe other than to invite them to your church.  If they don’t accept your invitation then to hell with them, literally.  You did your part by inviting them to church.”

- Modern Church Translation

1st Corinthians 1: 26 through 29

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.

27 Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important,

29 so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

- New Living Translation

26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that many of you are wise in the world’s eyes.  You are also powerful and wealthy.  That is why God called you.

27 God deliberately chose those of you who are powerful, wealthy, and wise to run his churches.  It is your job to use your money and strength to manipulate , control and shame those who are poor.  After all they would be rich and powerful like you if they weren’t so foolish in the ways of the Lord.

28 God chose the cut throat model and practices of industrial and business worlds to be the same principles that lead his churches.  

29 In that way your non-churched friends will understand when you brag about the power you have in your church and they will pat you on the back and stroke your ego.

 -Modern Church Translation

Matthew 7: 15 through 20

This entry was submitted by Daniel from the blog ‘Like A Mustard Seed‘.  It’s really good.  I know you are going to enjoy it.

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  

20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

- New International Version

15 “Don’t concern yourselves with false prophets.  Outwardly they look just like sheep, so what difference does it make if they are ferocious wolves on the inside.  

16 You won’t be able to recognize them by their fruit.  After all, people pick grapes from thornbushes, and figs from thistles all the time.  

17 Likewise, not every good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree doesn’t necessarily bear bad fruit.  

18 Sometimes good trees bear bad fruit, and bad trees can also bear good fruit.  

19 Just because a tree doesn’t bear good fruit, doesn’t mean it will be treated any differently than the others.  

20 Thus, It is judgemental and self-righteous to try and discern people according to their fruit.

- Modern Church Translation

Romans 11: 33 through 35

33 Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods!
34 For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be his counselor?
35 And who could ever give him so much that he would have to pay it back?
- New Living Translation

33 Oh,what a wonderful God we have!  If I learn enough of his wisdom and gain enough knowledge he will make me rich!  How wonderful for me that I have my pastor and denomination to help me have perfect understanding of his decisions and methods!
34 For only they can know what the Lord is thinking.  Only they are pure, holy, and righteous enough to put in a good word about me to God.
35 After all, my pastor and denomination has done so many great things for God that he owes them.
- Modern Church Translation

Recent Comments

A few weeks back I implemented disqus comments on my blog.  I really like the way they were threaded.  You could reply to a specific comment and the reply would appear directly below the comment you were replying to.

However, I have had lots of problems with it. Lack of notifications of new comments, comments that were not spam were being marked as spam by the disqus system as well as some other problems.

I have decided to remove disqus from all three of my blogs.  I spent hours trying to figure out how to import all my disqus comments back to the blog.  After being thoroughly frustrated trying to track down that information on their site I gave up.

So, if you commented on any of the last few posts they are gone.  Feel free to comment again if you would like.  But you will have to do it on this post and tell me which one you are commenting on because when I removed disqus it closed comments on all the threads that originally had disqus.  If not I understand.

In short, they have a great idea but the service simply doesn’t work as advertised, and when you have a problem answers are nearly impossible to find.  I am going to try to slowly copy and paste them all back from the disqus website

Hopefully it will work.

Mark 10: 42 through 45

42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them.
43 But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,
44 and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.
45 For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”

- New Living Translation



42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them.
43 But among you it should be a little bit different.  Whoever wants to be a tyrannical king, or controlling official in my church should not call themselves kings.  Rather they should give themself a title like Pastor, Evangelist, or something else that sounds awe inspiring.
44 You can still live like a king because you will have a congregation full of subjects.
45 For I, the Son of Man, came here to give the clergy the power to subjegate others, so they each have their own kingdom.

- Modern Church Translation

Galatians 1: 6 and 7

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way
7 that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.
- New Living Translation
 

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from church, which so graciously called you to give your money, time, family, and thoughts over to it.  Giving these things (as a cheerful giver of course) will allow you to buy salvation from the church through their exclusive knowledge of the eternal life given through Christ.  You are following a horrible way that could lead you to fall into the agonizing torment of hell at any given moment.
7 You think your way is the Good News, but it is actually the Bad News.  You are a fool leading others fools to hell with you because going to church is the only way to know the truth concerning Christ.
- Modern Church Translation