Villanova University defines a Roman Catholic homily as “a scripturally-based reflection which provides food for thought about the challenges of living as a Catholic in today’s busy and hectic world.” (We take exception to that definition in its use of the term, “scripturally based.”) Read on. With that definition and caveat under our belts, we note that Pope Dangerous gave a homily at his inaugural mass on Tuesday March 19, as a crowd of 150,000-200,000 listened. The recent resignation of the previous Pope, the election of a new one and ...

It was November of 2007, and I found myself in San Diego, California to attend the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. I remember the day well, because I was delighted by the mild weather as I drove to a popular hamburger place to meet with a young man who had contacted me via my web site. I’ll call him “Arthur.” Arthur was not a pastor, nor an academician. He was not a scholar, nor a ministry leader. He was simply a passionate young man who loved to talk and blog about theology. Frankly, I was looking forward to s ...

They (that ubiquitous group that rules the world) say the name of the game in Washington is power. Our elected leaders have enough of (our) money and theirs to fund the lifestyles of generations of their children and grandchildren who will rise up and call them blessed. Since they have stuffed their offshore bank accounts, tax dodges, and tax shelters with their lucre, they turn themselves to the acquisition of power. The power to control others is a heady wine, which has intoxicated many an elected official and a bureaucrat. (an unelected ...

God, Satan, and Sandy Hook Elementary By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. www.notbyworks.org December 17, 2012 Like most of you, I presume, I find myself unable to get the horrific events that took place this past Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut out of my mind. I just keep thinking of the terrified children and grief-stricken parents. It is all so very, very tragic. I attended elementary school myself in nearby Danbury, so this tragedy hit pretty close to home for me. My family has friends in Newtown. As I heard ...

The Evil in the “Lesser of Two Evils” By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. Some 700-800 years before Christ, the nation of Israel faced the darkest hour in its history. The people had completely forsaken God. The rule of law was virtually non-existent. Worship of false gods was rampant, as was ritualism, hypocrisy and internal strife. It was a terrible time for the nation that led ultimately to the defeat of its capital city Samaria. The prophet Hosea was an eyewitness to the fall of Samaria. His prophetic message was born out of intense personal ...

A Measure of Assurance? By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. May 18, 2010 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." (John 10:28) My favorite kind of cookie is chocolate chip. There is scarcely anything better than a hot, just-out-of-the-oven, homemade chocolate chip cookie with a cold glass of milk. When I was a teenager, I used to make them myself, using Mom's family recipe. The first time I did, though, turned out to be quite a fiasco. You see, the recipe card was so old and ...

Reign, Reign, Go Away! By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. April 8, 2010 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world...(Rev 12:9) And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (Rev 6:2) Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons...evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, ...

Spiritual Somnambulism By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. April 1, 2010 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6) Several years ago newspapers recounted the story of a young girl who fell to her death while sleepwalking. One dark night, she slipped out of a window in her little room which was situated at the very top of her house, and while still asleep walked back and forth on the roof for several min ...

You Might Be a Fool If... By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. March 18, 2010 He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. (Proverbs 17:27-28) Jeff Foxworthy has developed quite a following with his patented You might be a redneck if... jokes. It doesn't matter how many times I've heard them, he always makes me chuckle. Now be honest....you laugh at them too. For instance, you might be a redneck if: ...

Turn Down the Volume So I Can Hear! By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. March 11, 2010 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. ...Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalm 46:1, 10) We took the children to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo last night. It is always an enjoyable outing. By nearly unanimous vote, the favorite event was bull riding. Only two cowboys managed to hang on for the entire eight seconds. What fun it was to see the look in the k ...

What Matters Most By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. February 24, 2010 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9) Allow me to paint a picture in your mind. It is a bright, sunny day. A gentle breeze is blowing. It's not too hot or cold-just an overall pleasant day. So you decide to embark on a joy ride through ...

Bright Lights and Other Distractions J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. February 17, 2010 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. (Proverbs 17:24) Teaching a fifteen year old how to drive poses a number of challenges. In the first place, many of the skills we use for driving are instinctive or intuitive, and come with practice. For example, you cannot teach a first-time driver how to react when an empty bag of feed corn flies out of the back of a pick-up truck in front of you, and blows right into your ...

Life Is Not a Game of Go Fish J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. February 11, 2010 He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet. (Proverbs 27:7) Recently I was playing a game of Go Fish with my eight year old son, Landry. It is quite entertaining to watch a child's mind at work. This particular game of Go Fish was especially fun because the cards were not the usual numbered playing cards. Instead, they contained a variety of photos-a bicycle, a rain coat, flowers, a lobster, etc. I could see Landry's wheels t ...

No Comparison By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. February 3, 2010 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:8, NIV) Logos Bible Software recently came out with a major new release, Logos 4.0. Actually, it is a complete rewrite of Logos 3.0. I have used Logos for over ten years as an indispensable tool in my ministry, as well as my personal Bible study, so I upgraded the very ...

Leggo my Ego! By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. January 21, 2010 Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:2) I had the pleasure of attending a Pastor's Conference in Orlando this week with several hundred pastors from around the country, and even a few from around the world. I say "pleasure" because indeed it was edifying and challenging to hear some of the keynote messages that were delivered throughout the conference. God truly has blessed the body of Christ with some gifted men of God ...

Is Haiti a Harbinger? By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. January 14, 2010 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:6-7) The calamitous events in Haiti this week have left the rest of the world feeling helpless as we watch the victims being pulled one by one from the rubble. What a terrible tragedy ...

Lord, Please Send More Bears! By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. January 6, 2010 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. (Proverbs 17:12) Have you ever been cornered by a wild animal? Few things are more terrifying than the sight of a ferocious animal determined to attack. Just ask Allena Hansen, a 56 year old woman from Caliente, CA. She had an unfortunate encounter with a bear and had to endure ten hours of surgery to her face and head to repair the damage done by the mauling. Doctors say she is lucky to be aliv ...

Never Look Back? By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D. www.notbyworks.org December 31, 2009 "Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug." (Isaiah 51:1) The maxim "never look back" is a frequent refrain of visioneering experts and leadership gurus. "Don't dwell on the past," they insist. "Look to the future," they proclaim, "so that you won't be paralyzed by the past." In some respects this is not bad advice. After all, the ...