Elliott's Muses

So today across much of the U.S. there's the annual "fright" night, or better known "trick or treat" night known as Halloween. In an attempt to "rescue" this day from the scary thing that it attempts to become, let me point out a few things that you may or may not know about how/what this day has come from. Halloween has it's formation in Christian holiday - "All Hallowed Eves" - is the official celebratory event.   It is called that because it is the evening before "All Hallowed's day", or better known as "All Saints Day". It was back in the 7th century that Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the feast of All Saints Day to November 1st to honor all of the Saints that had gone before them.  Now the Catholic version of "sainthood" is much different from my own concept.  The Catholic church has historically only recognized certain individuals as Saints - because of their exceptional life, witness, a...

It's been a couple of Sunday teachings now on Prayer.  All I can say is that I felt strongly that I was to encourage us to learn more about prayer. I've spent the last two weeks talking about Prayer as Spiritual Warfare and it is important to know how true that is, but it is also relationship.  Here's where I find what Jesus says about Prayer to be so crucial. Matthew 6:5-13 (NKJV) 5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Fath...