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Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
Pastor to Pastor

The Best Thing in the World

Is just out of this world.

Columbanus (15)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2.15

Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4.23

Solomon’s advice is sound, especially when we remember that Jeremiah warned our hearts can be deceitful and misleading (Jer. 17.9). Too easily do love for God and neighbor get nudged out of focus by other, lesser loves – my time, my diversions, my pleasures, etc. Outward things can seem like a shortcut to happiness, but they can lead us to a jungle of unnecessary entanglements and ugly passions.

Columbanus warned his monks always to love what they should: “No other outward thing ought to be loved, according to the reckoning of truth, except eternity and the eternal will, which is inspired and quickened by the Eternal, Wonderful, Ineffable, Invisible, Incomprehensible, Who fills all things and passes beyond all things, Who is present and yet eludes our grasp. The wise man should love nothing here, since nothing lasts; for there eternal things are with the Eternal, here transitory things are with the mortal. Thus it is perilous to dwell amongst deceptions and deceits, and not to see the truths you ought to love…” (Sermon III)

Love for God is the highest virtue and the highest calling of every believer. Everything in our lives should pale by comparison with the love we have for our Redeemer.

However, too often we let love of temporal things and love of people put a damper on our love for God. Instead, if we can focus on what we ought to love above all else, we’ll find the grace to give thanks for life’s good gifts and to bear up under the trials and struggles that come with seeking to grow the Church and make disciples.

Resources for Shepherds
If you haven’t visited our Resources for Shepherds page lately, I encourage you to do so. I’m pursuing a series of Insights on Paul’s teaching about the work of the Holy Spirit from Romans 8. This is not the usual go-to place for learning about the Spirit, but what Paul teaches here is vital.

You’ll also find summaries of articles, brief book reviews, and recommended websites, journals, and podcasts. Make a point to visit weekly to see new resources to enrich your Kingdom worldview and strengthen your walk with the Lord.

May I humbly encourage you to download a free copy of my A Reading Journal from our bookstore (click here)? These summaries of articles from journals, periodicals, and websites, together with a handful of book reviews from the past 10 years, can be a helpful resources for building out your own Kingdom worldview, and sharing it with others.

Men, join us Tuesday mornings at 10:00 Eastern for 30 minutes of seeking the Lord for revival. We use a psalm to guide us as we join via Zoom in this important work. To join, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

From the Celtic Revival
Here’s an excerpt from Crosfigell, our twice-weekly teaching letter featuring insights from the writers of the Celtic Revival:

The [monastic] family of Ruadan consisted of three fifties continually; and they received their livelihood without any human exertion on their part, save only prayer and intercession of the Creator, and the daily performance of divine psalmody, in praising the Lord continually for the manner in which they received their sustenance.

  - Anonymous, Life of Ruadan (16th century, from an earlier ms.)[1]

From childhood, Irish children who were set aside for the work of ministry learned to read, pray, and sing the psalms. Psalm-singing/praying featured large in the spiritual communities that energized the Celtic Revival. Did they know something we don’t? Read more about Ruadan’s community and the role of the psalms in their lives and ministries by clicking here

Check out our Celtic Legacy podcast and the other resources available on our dedicated Celtic Revival home page.

T. M. Moore.

Please pray

Pray that God will bring to our Fellowship men who are committed to realizing more of the presence, promise, and power of His Kingdom. If you’d like to learn more about becoming a Brother in The Fellowship of Ailbe,
click here to watch a brief video. If you’d like to talk about Membership, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll send you some additional information.

Please pray that God will move many of those we serve through this ministry to share with us financially in its support. If the Lord moves you to give, you can use the
Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal or Anedot, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

[1] Plummer, p. 311.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
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