“The Gospel is not a truth among other truths. Rather, it sets a question-mark against all truths. The Gospel is not the door but the hinge. The man who apprehends its meaning is removed from all strife, because he is engaged in a strife with the whole, even with existence itself. Anxiety concerning the victory of the Gospel–that is, Christian Apologetics–is meaningless, because the Gospel is the victory by which the world is overcome. … It [the Gospel] does not require representatives with a sense of responsibility, for it is as responsible for those who proclaim it as it is for those to whom it is proclaimed. It is the advocate of both. … God does not need us. Indeed, if He were not God, He would be ashamed of us. We, at any rate, cannot be ashamed of Him.”
“…For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…”
~1 Thessalonians 1:4-5
The Lord of all creation is our Lord. He is unquestionably the King of kings and Lord of Lords whether we will to acknowledge Him or not. His glory and His majesty are displayed for all to see (Romans 1); and yet, many refuse to honor Him as God, nor are they thankful for the great steadfast mercy and kindness He has lavished upon us.
Each breath we (all people) take is a gift from Him who upholds and sustains all things (Hebrews 1:3). Even the blasphemer who blasphemes His most HOLY name is only able to do so by the grace of Christ who is longsuffering, calling all to repentance and faith.
“Out of the mouths of babes…”
He silences all by displaying His glory through the weakest of vessels; demonstrating and confirming that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). All are without excuse; and all will one day confess Jesus as Lord (Psalm 2).
In our brokenness, and in our fallen state, the Lord has still kept us as the stewards of His creation (Genesis 1:26). He has shown us mercy and kindness. And though guilty before Him, deserving of His wrath, He has provided His righteousness to those who believe and place their faith in Jesus Christ; who died and was resurrected for our Salvation (Romans 1:16-17).
“What is man…”
Who are we that the Lord would be mindful of us? Who are we that He would call us gently to repentance and faith; and profoundly remind us in the birth pains of creation that He is God and we must look to Him for our eternal hope? We are without hope in and of ourselves, for our own righteousness is an illusion and worthless before God (Isaiah 64:6).
How short is our time on this earth. We are as the grass and flower of the field; here today and called into eternity tomorrow (1 Peter 1:24; Psalm 103:15-18). As we look at the wonders of His hands, let us fall to our knees in prayer, praise, and exultation of God most high. While today is still today, let us repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ; the God of our Salvation (Isaiah 55:6-9); for there is no other name “under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” ~Romans 12:1-2
Each day I must present my entire being as a living sacrifice to God. I am to offer up my life to His will; forfeit all my desires and dreams to Him that He might use me according to His good pleasure.
With renewal of mind I must seek transformation into the likeness of Christ, and not allow myself to be pressed into this world’s mold. This must be a daily striving, so that through the strength found in Jesus I might keep myself free from worldy corruptions that would hinder my discerning the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
v.3-8
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” ~Romans 12:3-8
I am an individual member in the body of Christ, and individually we form the Church -which is the body of Christ; we are one in Him (for in Christ we are knit together, and He is the Head of us all).
Each of us have a place, and a part to play, in the Body of Christ. Carefully, intentionally, and with fearful and sober judgement I must seek my place based upon the Faith the Lord has gifted me with (Ephesians 2:8). What are my gifts, O Lord? How may I use them to Your glory? Where shall I serve? Where have I been called?
Whatever they may be, may I use them appropriately in proportion to the faith that our Father in heaven has granted.
v.9-21
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” ~Romans 12:9-21
In all things, love must be genuine. To present myself as a living sacrifice to find and discern that perfect will of God, to find my place, I must strive to work out my salvation with much fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13).
Do I hate what is evil (especially that evil which is within myself) more and more each day? Do I cling to that which is good; primarily Christ and the things of Christ? Is there a change in my life that is contrary to the sin nature to which I was once enslaved? Do I love my brethren (1 John 4)? Do I love even my enemy?
Though I struggle, may I give each day to the Lord, that I might continue to be transformed into the image of Christ. May it no longer be I that is seen, but Christ in me that is seem by the world around me.
“Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional,illogical minority,and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
~The 2007 winning definition from an annual contest held by Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term.
Six years ago today, my wife and I stood before the justice of the peace and pledged to spend the rest of our lives together. It was a small ceremony witnessed by my parents, her mom and grandparents, and our two closest friends.
Maybe we were naive, but I am pretty sure that both of us were certain that it would smooth sailing from there on out, but things were not to be so.
Soon after, I made life miserable for my wife. We argued…a lot. I was quick tempered, I threw things, I was verbally abusive, and I scared her. After our daughter was born things only got worse. I would go to work, and when I came home I wanted little to nothing to do with my family. I would push my daughter away -who only wanted time with daddy- so I could indulge in video games or whatever else it was that I filled my time with.
Eventually my wife went to visit her family back in California with the intent not to return. It was late one night, I was playing on my laptop, and suddenly the air around me felt thick. I had a pit grow inside my stomach, and I felt sick. I realized what I was doing, what was happening, and what I was doing to my family.
I hated myself.
Shortly after I went to counseling for anger management. Long story short, issues came up, I was sent to a specialist, and I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. It was then that I realized I was becoming my father; angry, absent, and only present enough to be destructive. I hated who I was becoming, and I needed to change.
I broke down. I fell to my knees and cried out to God. I didn’t want to be that person, but I didn’t want to change, and I needed the Lord’s help if I was to change. I submitted myself to Scripture, to the Lord, and sought to be conformed into the image of Christ; and slowly I began to change. I talked to my wife on the phone numerous times, and she returned home to give me another chance.
By grace, and by the mercy of the Lord, my wife and I persevered. I have become a new person since. In Christ, I am breaking the violent circle of my family’s history, and my wife and I are stronger than ever.
I learned so much; like love is not a feeling, but an action that takes work. It is obedience to the Lord, and it is something that must be faced daily.
In Scripture husbands are commanded:
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.”
It is our responsibility -husbands- to be the spiritual leaders of our home. It is a great weight placed upon our shoulders, and to obey we must daily submit ourselves to Christ. The Church can be ugly at times. It can be difficult. It can be rebellious. But Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her. He perseveres as author and finisher, and likewise -husbands- we must persevere. And it begins and ends in Christ.
Today, by the grace of God and by His mercy, I celebrate six years of marriage. Six years that almost weren’t.
1 Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
3″Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6″As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7I will tell of the decree:The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
v.1-3
The proclamation of Jesus Christ and the cross as the sole means to salvation, redemption, and reconciliation is offensive to a world satisfied by, and trusting in, its own sin. To the lost and spiritually dead these things are foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:1-31); and the foolish (Psalm 53:1) want no reminder of God (Romans 1:18-24) because a confession of His existence brings with it responsibility and consequence (John 3:17-21).
It should come as no surprise that the people of the earth would gather in cacophonous assembly to vainly seek an end of God. We should not be confounded by their desire to rid (even violently rid) themselves of the MASTER’s yoke.
v.4-6
Though try as we might, who can resist God? He scoffs at the vanity of those who would dare to undermine His will, for He cannot be resisted. He has established His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, above all (Hebrews 1). By no other name can we enter into the glory, the mercy, and the grace of God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12).
And though longsuffering the Lord is, there will come a time when His patience shall end and He will execute His righteous judgement upon the earth (Matthew 24:36-51).
v.7-12
The Father has set His Son on His holy mountain; to Christ belong all nations, and all peoples. Every knee will bow before the Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:9-11) whether it be by grace or by shattered knee caps (Psalm 2:9).
Therefore, while there is still time, and today is still today, do not harden your hearts (Hebrews 3:7-19), but submit yourselves in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ lest you perish in your ways. “…Blessed are those who take refuge in him…” (Psalm 2:12) for in Christ, and in Christ alone, there is peace with God (Romans 5:1).
“…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” ~Isaiah 55:11
I was taught of a God who never interfered with the free will of men. He didn’t meddle in the affairs of our lives. He simply patiently waited for us to realize how much He needed us; and what he was willing to trade for us. He rolled the dice and hoped that we would play along. How lucky He must have been to have things go His way so far. Maybe it is His reactionary powers that keep Him one step ahead of us powerful men.
Or maybe that isn’t who God is at all, but rather an idol crafted in the image of men for the sake and pleasure of men. The God of Scripture declares Himself sovereign. From His lips have come the ordinances of His good pleasure, and who will be able to resist His will?
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
v. 1
It is difficult not to desire the way of the wicked. Sin is enticing and fun for a season. The comforts of the world rest here, and in the counsel of the wicked we have friendship with the world. In a sense there is peace, or rather what some would mistakenly call peace. There is acceptance, and a sense that one could find and have the whole world.
It can be so incredibly enticing.
But it is the man who rejects these things -rejects the world- for the sake of the Lord who is blessed. The man who lays aside himself to follow in the ways of the Lord will stand; for he loves God above all else, and his love is a response to the love which God first had for him (1 John 4:7-21).
v.2
The delight of this man is in the way of the Lord. The Lord and His Word guide him safely through the darkest night and the most frightful storm. The Law of the Lord is a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path (Psalm 119:105). And though the world may seek to surround him in misery and sorrow, it is the Lord who sustains him in peace and joy.
v.3
He -this blessed man- is rooted in the Lord; trusting in His Word. He is sustained by faith in an unfailing God. He is not a hearer of the Word only, but also a doer of the Word (James 1:21-24); producing the fruits of the Spirit at the right time, and in the right season according to the providence of the God.
Though he stumble and struggle along the way, his leaf -this tree rooted in the Lord- shall not wither. He will not be taken away from the promise of our Salvation in Christ! He shall prosper in all he does, for what he does is that which the Lord instructs him. Our Father leads him, and Christ is his MASTER! Merciful is our God upon His children!
v.4
But the wicked, in contrast, are not so. The enticing ways of men are an illusion offering false peace and false joy. The world, confident in itself, proud of its darkness, and sure of its ways, shall be utterly shocked when -like chaff- all their ways are cast aside as dung and defiled garments (Isaiah 64:6). Their iniquities take them away from before the Lord who will cast them out according to His righteous judgment.
v.5
They will not be able to stand in the judgment of the Lord. They shall have no place in His house, nor at His table.
v.6
For the Lord knows His own; He calls them to Himself (Romans 8:28-30). The blessed man is blessed for his trust, and his life, are in Christ; in Whom he finds redemption, reconciliation, and peace with God. His delight in the Law of the Lord is a result of the regeneration and faith the Lord has granted him. He is saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10), and not by his works. Nothing done by his own hands has made peace between him and God
The wicked, who have hated God, and who have delighted and trusted in themselves shall be cast out from the mercy of the Lord. They shall enter into the fulness of His wrath; condemned forever (Revelation 20:10-15).
We are without hope in and of ourselves, and our very best is as a defiled garment before the Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 64:6). It is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6), and no work of our hands shall save us. Repent, turn to God, and place your faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16), for there exists no other name by which men are Saved (Acts 4:12).
What is wrong with us? It seems that the media has become little more than a distributer of entertainment news with only Cliff’s Notes on the things that truly matter. The current civil unrest, protests, and violence happening in Iran at this very moment merits more news coverage than it has currently received (which is very little). As pointed out by Philip Defranco , it has been YouTube videos uploaded by the people in the midst of the conflict that have given the loudest voice to the situation, and still the coverage is receiving little attention.
For those of you that don’t know, the Iranian people are protesting against the oppression they are subjected to by their government. They are demanding their natural, God given, liberties be granted to them. And of course when you live in a country like Iran lead by madmen such as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, things inevitably have turned violent. Their government is interested only in protecting itself; not the people, and if the people become a threat to a broken and oppressive system, the government starts shooting.
I wonder why American media hasn’t brought more attention to the situation in Iran. Most likely the reason is if they can keep you unaware, they can keep lying to you and telling you that everything is fine. It isn’t.
Something has to give. This, I believe, is the reason why terrorism is on the rise. These religious zealots, these old men, have had the people under their strict rule of thumb. They could do and say anything in the name of their faith, and if anyone rebelled, it was heresy and they could be killed. Many of these men (if not all) could do anything they wanted to a woman, and it was HER fault. By fear and compulsion they could have and do what ever they desired.
But the winds are changing and the tides are shifting, and these old men, these radical zealots, who by compulsion have held their position through fear, are being met with a desire for change, and a hope for freedom. This is why they have launched attack after attack after attack. This is why they HATE America and the rest of the free world so, because we are a symbol of the freedom that the people in places like Iran desire. We were born from a rebellion against oppression, and our thriving nation can be seen as an example of what could be if the people choose to act.
Follow, watch, and don’t let what is happening in Iran be ignored. As one YouTube user posted on my channel said:
“[T]he Lord loves the Iranian people . I pray that change is in the wind and that the Lord will send His Spirit with the Gospel to touch hearts in Iran . And the King Of The Universe will move for these precious peoples sake . Amen . Jesus Christ came for each of them , as for the rest of the World.”
~yarekim5932
Don’t let this situation be ignored. Write about it, talk about it, share the videos being uploaded on YouTube. Call your local news station and demand to hear more about what is going on in Iran, and less about what is going on in the life of (insert current “hot” celebrity here).
“In the beginning, God created the
heavens and the earth…” ~Genesis 1:1
Father, you were before all things; existing in eternity. Lord you are the author of time, the author of life, and the author of history -which is your story.
You did not require our insight, nor sought our foolish widom, but sovereignly declared Your will be done. All things were ordained by Your word. All things were -from the beginning- in Your hands. And even our wills could not resist You.
You knew each one of us. You knew how we would attempt to resist You at every turn. You, O Lord, knew the plight which would befall us. And You knew the people who You would call Your own.
I cannot help but tremble in my heart knowing that You knew the sacrifice You would make for Your people. That from eternity past, You knew that Your Son would have to die for us.
And not for us solely, as our arrogance would have us believe, but for Your glory, and for the glory of Your Son whom You love.
“…And the Spirit of God was hovering
over the face of the waters.” ~Genesis 1:2
Heavenly Father, holy God, what was in your heart moments before You issued out the command “let there be light”? Before You set all things in motion, Lord what filled Your heart? Anticipation? Joy? Excitement? Love and compassion?
I imagine it was love and compassion behind Your irresistible voice. I imagine it was Your great and awesome glory which spread out creation before Your mighty throne.
Though close or far my imaginings may be, I am certain that it was for the love of Your Son whom You have glorified before all creation that drove the work of Your hand. Willing to display Your glory for all creation to see.
O that Your precious Son was to be a ransom for His bride! That He would condecend to the world below, and God Himself would tabernacle among us!
I cannot even begin to place my arms around that Cross bore for us! The wrath we rightly deserved, paid in full by the Son to the Father; to redeem we unworthy wretches.
Merciful Father in heaven, O this thing You have done for Your people. For us who were once lost, but now found in You; Saved by grace through faith, which is a gift of Your hand.
Mat I never fully fathom Your mercy and Your grace.
I’m coining a new word: Watchdogism(s). I used it last night in regards to the watchdog-like behavioral trend I have increasingly seen in the Christian theological blogosphere. The problem is not limited to the blogosphere, but can be found also in various web forums, chat rooms, and other media where Christians gather.
It seems that we are forgetting to allow love to abound in all wisdom and discernment in our search for truth at all costs. And while truth must be had, there must also exists love, for ought we not to likewise love as the Father loves?
To borrow from a phrase I had heard many times from Pastor Joel Kirtley: Love without truth is heresy, and truth without love is brutality. And I am beginning to think we are leaning towards more and more brutality. As if we are never satisfied with being where we ought to be, instead choosing to lean either far right or far left.
I have to wonder, is this brutality truly being done for the edification, education, and exhortation of the church, or is it rather satisfying the intellectual and need to be right idols that some have formed for themselves. Of course it is difficult to tell who is who because these -who are as lost as the sheep they burden- seem like champions of faith because of their extensive intellectual knowledge of Biblical truths.
I think many of us have a fear of standing up to the watchdogs because they are in fact intellectual giants. Let us not, however, fail to remember that David through our God laid Goliath flat out cold.
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
~1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Christ is the center of our most holy Faith. It is to Him that we are to lift our eyes, and into His image that we are to be conformed. Scripture is to be applied Scripturally; and such is saturated with love for the children of God, why then are so many of us being marked by our lack of love? I am not saying that disagreements, disputes, debate, and lively discourse are marks of a lacking of love; but I am saying that by our fruits we are known.
So watchdogism and watchdogisms. These are my new words. Feel free to use them.
I’ve taken a break from reading the various big names in Christian blogging. I am starting to note a tone of arrogance and legalism among my fellow writers, and it is frustrating to see a rise in spiritual policing, and a decline in the edification of the church.
From many of these writers I have learned the “whatnots” to stand clear of if I want my conversion assured. It seems quite the load of rubbish. Who are these people trying to be? The next Spurgeon? The next Calvin? The next Wesley?
I wonder how much of this is done out of a pure love and reverence for Christ, and how much of this is done for the sake of intellectualism and the need to be right.
Maybe it is to my benefit that I am losing faith in our community. This watch dogism has to give somewhere. The ridiculous notions unspokenly asserted by some of the more prominent writers that we be perfect is no less than absurd.
I am a sinner saved by grace. If I dare to say that I am without sin, I make God a liar. How I feel about my sin, and what I do about that sin is another matter. However, I am not too certain that we need big brother over our shoulder more than we need Christ in our lives.
This evening, as I overlooked the city lights, I reflected upon all that the Lord has seen me through. I thought about where I began in life to where I find myself today. I considered the things that have held me for so long; idols that I have given myself over to more times than I’d like to confess.
It has been nearly four years since my mother lost her fight with cancer. After her death I had to face many demons that could no longer stay caged. I made a mess of most of what I laid my hands to. A history of abuse and neglect, and of brokenness and godlessness, came pouring out for the world to see.
My father was the first fight I had to face. There were times I felt so alone in my struggle, but I realize -more now than then- that I was never alone in my battle. My wife and my youngest brother were the greatest support I could have ever asked for. And as I faced a man whom I had feared and despised, yet also loved dearly, my wife and my youngest brother were there to help me find the words to express my experience. And during the pinnacle of the confrontation, they were a strength to help me accept conclusion, separation, and an understanding that it is okay to walk away.
The church of my youth has been the struggle that has been with me to this day. I have been in the Navy six years now. I have been away from that place for six years, and yet it still has had an immense impact on my life. I’m no longer part of that church, nor that non-denominational denomination. And I think, that finally, this struggle is coming to an end.
There came a place where I had to name names and stand in awe of what our Father in heaven has seen me safely through. It was in this place where I spoke candidly and openly with someone whom I had once respected and revered greatly. A man whom I, partly by my affinity for idolatry, and partly by indoctrination, had placed upon a pedestal and saw as wise and great.
Though dialog was rough and edged at first, it has since smoothed and refined, and I have learned -once again- it is okay to walk away. I’m not so certain that I really ever belonged to that place, or that I could ever really call that place home. There were many wonderful and sincere people I had met there, as well as many people who are there for their own purposes and agendas, yet never -with only very few exceptions- did I meet anyone whom I could feel comfortable or safe around.
I think somewhere along the way I believed I could have a home in a place that was never really home, and being considered a lost sheep by some who still inhabit that place is so very strange to me. I could not have been more different from those people. I could not have been more unequally yoked than I was there. And now, after a time of sparse dialog, I think I finally understand that.
I’m twenty-seven years old now. I have a wife and a daughter. I’ve accepted a theology generally hated by that place, and I am a member of the Southern Baptist Convention. I’ve lived in different parts of the country, as well as in a different country, and I am now -just now- starting to grasp that I want to call home a place that never existed as such for me.
I consider Martin Luther when he said, “Peace, if possible, but truth at all costs.” This is where I differ greatly in terms of my walk with the Lord. It seems, even still today, that peace is held higher than truth in that place. Even when I was much younger, I could not live that way -even though secretly I wanted to.
It is time to grow, I suppose, and accept what I never really wanted to accept. We are only hurting each other in this vicious dance of who was right and who was wrong. What happened is what happened, and we are who we are; no amount of discussion will change that. I’m okay with that, and because of love I am okay with that.
He is not my pastor, as they are not my elders. They are my brothers and my sisters in Christ. And like I am, they too are broken. What binds us together is Christ. I am certain that this is as it should be. No apologies, just forgiveness; and I can forgive much for I have been forgiven of so much.
“…Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, ”Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, ”Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.“
~Luke 7:47-50
Six years ago today, my wife and I stood before the justice of the peace and pledged to spend the rest of our lives together. It was a small ceremony witnessed by my parents, her mom and grandparents, and our two closest friends.
I’m coining a new word: Watchdogism(s). I 
