Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Reflection:

Paul’s final exhortations provide us with practical help in living out this encouragement to not grumble nor argue. As children of God, we are to Rejoice! Be full of joy! Celebrate God all day, every day! Why? Because we know that the Lord is near, He lives among us. This is what changes everything. This is what transforms our anxiety to peace in our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. No longer do we need to fret or worry about life, but rather we can present our requests to God by way of prayer and with thanksgiving. And now we are free to fix our thoughts on things that are excellent and praiseworthy, true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, and lovely.

Responding to the Transmission:

Let’s put these things into practice and weave them into the fabric of our lives - the way we think, the way we feel, the way we pray, the very essence of who we are as children of God. With overflowing thankfulness, let’s rejoice for we know that the Lord is near, and that the God of peace will be with us!

The Office of Student Life's (OSL) Mosaic Center for Culture and Diversity is currently seeking student interns for the Fall 2012 semester! Complete the attached application and submit it to The Mosaic Center.

Diversity Educator Interns - The Next Evolution in UMBC's Campus Community-Based, Positive Social Change Efforts!

Diversity Educator Interns will facilitate students’ engagement in multicultural/diversity-related education, collaboration and community-building.  Founded in 2004, the Mosaic has a proud history of student-visioning and vibrant programming. Interns are an integral part of the Mosaic’s future as a student-driven and campus community-centered space. 

DiversityEducator Intern positions are more than just jobs; they are unique opportunities to contribute to innovative, reflexive and social change-based education, respectful and civil dialogue, equitable and accessible resources, and inclusive evaluation processes within the UMBC community. 

Interested in learning more? Contact Lisa Gray in the OSL Mosaic Center at mosaic@umbc.edu or 410-455-8478.  

Political Science professor Tom Schaller tackled legalized gambling in his June 12 column for The Baltimore Sun, “Casinos are no game-changer for Maryland finances.”

With the recent opening of the Maryland Live! Casino in Arundel Mills, hopes are high that the expansion of gambling in the state can aid in issues with the state budget and local economy via tax revenue, spending by tourists, increased job creation, and other potential benefits.

Schaller, however, noted a 2002 column of his which detailed the complexities of legalized gambling, arguing that many of the forms of gaming introduced in Maryland over the years hold greater appeal for the working-class demographic of the gambling community (scratch-off tickets, lottery, Keno, etc.), while the higher-stakes live-dealer tables favored by more affluent gamblers have yet to be legalized here. The professor then lists a few statistics showing the relatively slight financial return of casino receipts on state budgets, though he does conclude that “casino receipts are not unlike income tax increases on the top 1 percent: Alone they cannot solve the government’s revenue problems, but they do make a difference at the margins — which is why most taxpayers are keen on both.”

Did you know The Bookstore has the iPad 3? BOOM NOW YOU DO.

• Participation in the program for two years (Fall 2012 thru Spring 2014)
• Participation in a full time 10-week summer research program in the summer of 2013
• Participation in an interdisciplinary research project part time during fall and spring semesters
• Participation in a bi-weekly biomathematics journal club during the academic years you participate in the program
• Depending on course background, students may be asked to complete at least two additional courses in mathematics/statistics or biology (in a discipline outside of the major)

Philippians 2:12-16a (NIV)

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life.

Reflection:

What’s the “therefore” there for? Paul has just taught that the basic reality of salvation is our personal union with Christ. And that to be in Christ is to be saved. It is because of Christ that we can now work hard to show the results of our salvation - obeying God with deep reverence and fear. And this obedience keeps us on the path of following God to shine like starts in this warped and crooked generation. What an awesome calling, what an amazing privilege, what a life worth living! We cannot do this on our own, and by His design He has planned and purposed so much more as He pours out His Spirit on us together as His people. God is already at work in us, giving us desire and power to live this out.

Responding to the Transmission:

As children of God, let us continue to imitate Christ’s humility and hold firmly to the word of life. Let’s thank God for the work that He has already begun in us, and let’s ask for a single-minded heart that will live to please Him. May our churches, may our campuses, may our missional groups, may all of God’s people be blameless and pure as we shine like stars in the sky.