IHS TOGETHER / EVANGELICAL CHURCH ALLIANCE INTL.

Warning, No Lines Painted: from the book "The Sole Balm" by Elmon Krupnik 2017

 As I was driving home to Phoenix this past weekend late at night, a flashing road sign alerted me that road construction was ahead and that no lines were painted on the road.  The yellow and white lines on the road are important because they tell us the lanes that we are in on the highway, set the boundaries, and tell us when we can pass.  It was interesting and at times scary to be traveling down a highway late at night with no boundaries and no guidance.  It made me realize how important those lines and boundaries are for protection and for safety for myself and others.  I had taken those lines for granted.

 I thought about the lines and boundaries (laws, regulations, orders, ethics) that are the boundaries, the painted lines that govern our lives.  The purpose of those lines is to protect me and to protect others.  Without those lines in my life, my life would be without order; rather, it would be chaos.  Proverbs 2:6-8 states, “For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”  We need to ensure that our lines are based on God’s wisdom, because that will create balance in our lives and guide us in the direction that God wants us to go.  Without that guidance and balance, we will get off of the road that we should be on and lose our way.  Let us remember to look to the true source of guidance to make sure that we are walking within the right lines.   

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Warning, No Lines Painted: from the book "The Sole Balm" by Elmon Krupnik 2017

 As I was driving home to Phoenix this past weekend late at night, a flashing road sign alerted me that road construction was ahead and that no lines were painted on the road.  The yellow and white lines on the road are important because they tell us the lanes that we are in on the highway, set the boundaries, and tell us when we can pass.  It was interesting and at times scary to be traveling down a highway late at night with no boundaries and no guidance.  It made me realize how important those lines and boundaries are for protection and for safety for myself and others.  I had taken those lines for granted.

 I thought about the lines and boundaries (laws, regulations, orders, ethics) that are the boundaries, the painted lines that govern our lives.  The purpose of those lines is to protect me and to protect others.  Without those lines in my life, my life would be without order; rather, it would be chaos.  Proverbs 2:6-8 states, “For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”  We need to ensure that our lines are based on God’s wisdom, because that will create balance in our lives and guide us in the direction that God wants us to go.  Without that guidance and balance, we will get off of the road that we should be on and lose our way.  Let us remember to look to the true source of guidance to make sure that we are walking within the right lines.   

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Warning, No Lines Painted: from the book "The Sole Balm" by Elmon Krupnik 2017

 As I was driving home to Phoenix this past weekend late at night, a flashing road sign alerted me that road construction was ahead and that no lines were painted on the road.  The yellow and white lines on the road are important because they tell us the lanes that we are in on the highway, set the boundaries, and tell us when we can pass.  It was interesting and at times scary to be traveling down a highway late at night with no boundaries and no guidance.  It made me realize how important those lines and boundaries are for protection and for safety for myself and others.  I had taken those lines for granted.

 I thought about the lines and boundaries (laws, regulations, orders, ethics) that are the boundaries, the painted lines that govern our lives.  The purpose of those lines is to protect me and to protect others.  Without those lines in my life, my life would be without order; rather, it would be chaos.  Proverbs 2:6-8 states, “For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”  We need to ensure that our lines are based on God’s wisdom, because that will create balance in our lives and guide us in the direction that God wants us to go.  Without that guidance and balance, we will get off of the road that we should be on and lose our way.  Let us remember to look to the true source of guidance to make sure that we are walking within the right lines.   

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Warning, No Lines Painted: from the book "The Sole Balm" by Elmon Krupnik 2017

 As I was driving home to Phoenix this past weekend late at night, a flashing road sign alerted me that road construction was ahead and that no lines were painted on the road.  The yellow and white lines on the road are important because they tell us the lanes that we are in on the highway, set the boundaries, and tell us when we can pass.  It was interesting and at times scary to be traveling down a highway late at night with no boundaries and no guidance.  It made me realize how important those lines and boundaries are for protection and for safety for myself and others.  I had taken those lines for granted.

 I thought about the lines and boundaries (laws, regulations, orders, ethics) that are the boundaries, the painted lines that govern our lives.  The purpose of those lines is to protect me and to protect others.  Without those lines in my life, my life would be without order; rather, it would be chaos.  Proverbs 2:6-8 states, “For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”  We need to ensure that our lines are based on God’s wisdom, because that will create balance in our lives and guide us in the direction that God wants us to go.  Without that guidance and balance, we will get off of the road that we should be on and lose our way.  Let us remember to look to the true source of guidance to make sure that we are walking within the right lines.   

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Warning, No Lines Painted: from the book "The Sole Balm" by Elmon Krupnik 2017

 As I was driving home to Phoenix this past weekend late at night, a flashing road sign alerted me that road construction was ahead and that no lines were painted on the road.  The yellow and white lines on the road are important because they tell us the lanes that we are in on the highway, set the boundaries, and tell us when we can pass.  It was interesting and at times scary to be traveling down a highway late at night with no boundaries and no guidance.  It made me realize how important those lines and boundaries are for protection and for safety for myself and others.  I had taken those lines for granted.

 I thought about the lines and boundaries (laws, regulations, orders, ethics) that are the boundaries, the painted lines that govern our lives.  The purpose of those lines is to protect me and to protect others.  Without those lines in my life, my life would be without order; rather, it would be chaos.  Proverbs 2:6-8 states, “For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”  We need to ensure that our lines are based on God’s wisdom, because that will create balance in our lives and guide us in the direction that God wants us to go.  Without that guidance and balance, we will get off of the road that we should be on and lose our way.  Let us remember to look to the true source of guidance to make sure that we are walking within the right lines.   

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Judging Others (From the book: The Sole Balm by author Elmon Krupnik 2017)

During this past week, there have been headlines regarding the misconduct of leaders in our nation.  People have asked me what is my opinion regarding these headlines.  I would not give an opinion, because I do not know all of the facts.  The Bible tells us to be careful about judging others. 

 Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”  Christ is telling us to be careful in our judgment of others, because, in the same way that we judge others, we will be judged.  “Judge not” is a prohibition against rash and hasty spiritual judgment.  The prohibition is not against forming tentative opinions and evaluating facts.  John 7:24 states, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”  We are prohibited from making hasty and rash judgment that is not based on all of the facts.  Proverbs 18:13 states, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”  Human judgment is partial and tentative.  Final judgment belongs to God, and God alone.  We are not to usurp God’s judgment by our own. 

 By our own repentance, faith, confession, and obedience, we have enough struggles as individuals to worry about.  Our energy would be better focused on our individual relationship with God rather than the judgment of others.  Let us strive to focus on removing the “beam” in our own eye before we focus on the “splinter” in the eye of our brother or sister, because our final accounting is to God. 

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Judging Others (From the book: The Sole Balm by author Elmon Krupnik 2017)

During this past week, there have been headlines regarding the misconduct of leaders in our nation.  People have asked me what is my opinion regarding these headlines.  I would not give an opinion, because I do not know all of the facts.  The Bible tells us to be careful about judging others. 

 Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”  Christ is telling us to be careful in our judgment of others, because, in the same way that we judge others, we will be judged.  “Judge not” is a prohibition against rash and hasty spiritual judgment.  The prohibition is not against forming tentative opinions and evaluating facts.  John 7:24 states, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”  We are prohibited from making hasty and rash judgment that is not based on all of the facts.  Proverbs 18:13 states, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”  Human judgment is partial and tentative.  Final judgment belongs to God, and God alone.  We are not to usurp God’s judgment by our own. 

 By our own repentance, faith, confession, and obedience, we have enough struggles as individuals to worry about.  Our energy would be better focused on our individual relationship with God rather than the judgment of others.  Let us strive to focus on removing the “beam” in our own eye before we focus on the “splinter” in the eye of our brother or sister, because our final accounting is to God. 

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Judging Others (From the book: The Sole Balm by author Elmon Krupnik 2017)

During this past week, there have been headlines regarding the misconduct of leaders in our nation.  People have asked me what is my opinion regarding these headlines.  I would not give an opinion, because I do not know all of the facts.  The Bible tells us to be careful about judging others. 

 Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”  Christ is telling us to be careful in our judgment of others, because, in the same way that we judge others, we will be judged.  “Judge not” is a prohibition against rash and hasty spiritual judgment.  The prohibition is not against forming tentative opinions and evaluating facts.  John 7:24 states, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”  We are prohibited from making hasty and rash judgment that is not based on all of the facts.  Proverbs 18:13 states, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”  Human judgment is partial and tentative.  Final judgment belongs to God, and God alone.  We are not to usurp God’s judgment by our own. 

 By our own repentance, faith, confession, and obedience, we have enough struggles as individuals to worry about.  Our energy would be better focused on our individual relationship with God rather than the judgment of others.  Let us strive to focus on removing the “beam” in our own eye before we focus on the “splinter” in the eye of our brother or sister, because our final accounting is to God. 

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Judging Others (From the book: The Sole Balm by author Elmon Krupnik 2017)

During this past week, there have been headlines regarding the misconduct of leaders in our nation.  People have asked me what is my opinion regarding these headlines.  I would not give an opinion, because I do not know all of the facts.  The Bible tells us to be careful about judging others. 

 Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”  Christ is telling us to be careful in our judgment of others, because, in the same way that we judge others, we will be judged.  “Judge not” is a prohibition against rash and hasty spiritual judgment.  The prohibition is not against forming tentative opinions and evaluating facts.  John 7:24 states, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”  We are prohibited from making hasty and rash judgment that is not based on all of the facts.  Proverbs 18:13 states, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”  Human judgment is partial and tentative.  Final judgment belongs to God, and God alone.  We are not to usurp God’s judgment by our own. 

 By our own repentance, faith, confession, and obedience, we have enough struggles as individuals to worry about.  Our energy would be better focused on our individual relationship with God rather than the judgment of others.  Let us strive to focus on removing the “beam” in our own eye before we focus on the “splinter” in the eye of our brother or sister, because our final accounting is to God. 

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik

Judging Others (From the book: The Sole Balm by author Elmon Krupnik 2017)

During this past week, there have been headlines regarding the misconduct of leaders in our nation.  People have asked me what is my opinion regarding these headlines.  I would not give an opinion, because I do not know all of the facts.  The Bible tells us to be careful about judging others. 

 Matthew 7:1-2 states, “Judge not that ye be not judged; for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”  Christ is telling us to be careful in our judgment of others, because, in the same way that we judge others, we will be judged.  “Judge not” is a prohibition against rash and hasty spiritual judgment.  The prohibition is not against forming tentative opinions and evaluating facts.  John 7:24 states, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”  We are prohibited from making hasty and rash judgment that is not based on all of the facts.  Proverbs 18:13 states, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”  Human judgment is partial and tentative.  Final judgment belongs to God, and God alone.  We are not to usurp God’s judgment by our own. 

 By our own repentance, faith, confession, and obedience, we have enough struggles as individuals to worry about.  Our energy would be better focused on our individual relationship with God rather than the judgment of others.  Let us strive to focus on removing the “beam” in our own eye before we focus on the “splinter” in the eye of our brother or sister, because our final accounting is to God. 

Blessings to all,

Chaplain Krupnik