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October 30, 2014

As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us (repeat chorus as needed)

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I’m still working on three things Jesus demands from me: that I not worry (Matthew 6:34) that I turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) and that I forgive (Matthew 6:15). Strike three. I’ve never thought of myself as an unforgiving, grudge-holding kind of guy. But for whatever reason, I’m now seeing many things I just haven’t let go of. And I’m talking about old things, ancient history from childhood, or junior high days, or very young adulthood. Which is interesting, because candidly, I’ve been messed with pretty badly in recent years. In Continue Reading

Filed Under: Relational Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 29, 2014

Amazing Grays

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Our local paper ran a feature story awhile back, written by a self-identified evangelical Christian and titled “There is Something in the Air. Can You Feel It? Grace.” Great start. Nothing turns me on like a consideration of God’s grace because, after all, where would I be without it? But then it all went downhill, as the article celebrated the growing acceptance of same sex marriage, even among believers, as evidence of a “great grace awakening.” She went so far as to call it a Third Great Awakening which is “broader” than traditional Continue Reading

Filed Under: Doctrinal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 27, 2014

I Was Born Again This Way

btw

“And having been set free from sin you became slaves of righteousness.” -Romans 6:18 Pop singer Lady Gaga made a huge splash with a dance single extolling the virtues of self-love, self-congratulations and general self-celebration in her song Born This Way. The lyrics proclaim that whatever we are must be good simply because it is, so God must have intended it. There’s plenty of room for theological debate right there, in light of scripture’s clear explanation of our fallen nature, but never mind. A primary point the Lady makes is that birth Continue Reading

Filed Under: Keeping It Clean Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 24, 2014

The Best of Times; The Worst of Times

Calvary Worship Center

I’m having a blessed weekend in Colorado Springs, speaking at Calvary Worship Center, a Calvary Chapel congregation out here in the Springs. The weather and general scenery couldn’t be more beautiful, and I had the pleasure of speaking to a pastor’s luncheon today, followed by some terrific Q and A on current ministry challenges. I’ll be speaking at the main services tomorrow night, and three times Sunday morning, so your prayers are surely appreciated. I need anointing and clarity, and God grant that He use me to strengthen His people. But Continue Reading

Filed Under: A Cuppa Joe
October 23, 2014

Your Dark Stinky Basement

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Years ago I leased office space in a charming old historical building in our city. It was a three story affair with nooks and crannies everywhere, including a basement and, beneath the basement, a crawlspace for storage. Several different pastors, counselors and attorneys worked out of this building, all of us proud of its rustic charm. Until the day when we walked in and got a whiff of something nauseating. We couldn’t tell where it was coming from, but it permeated the place. We opened all the windows the air the rooms out, then searched Continue Reading

Filed Under: Relational Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
October 22, 2014

Beastly Me

Beast

So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.  - Psalms 73:22 Continue Reading

Filed Under: Doctrinal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 21, 2014

To Love, Honor, and Scrutinize

Scrutinize

“Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and half-shut afterwards.” -Benjamin Franklin Some of us have that backwards. We marry without duly scrutinizing our perspective spouse, then we scrutinize like bloodhounds after the fact. And worst of all, the spouse doing the scrutinizing often thinks she or he is doing what’s right, with the purest of motives, and can’t be criticized. Which is too bad, because lots of marriages are suffering from one partner’s habit of spending way too much time correcting the other, and the others’ habit of Continue Reading

Filed Under: Marriage Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 20, 2014

Where Love and Sorrow Meet

Cross

“When Jesus calls a man”, Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “He bids him come and die.” No getting around that. The claims of God on our lives are as unmistakable as His grace – unmerited favor with a death sentence attached. Jesus said as much when He declared:  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (Matthew 16:24) But given the fact I’m no Messiah and the world’s sins will hardly be expunged by any crucifixion I go through, I’m left to ponder exactly what sort of cross I’m to carry, and how my Continue Reading

Filed Under: Keeping It Clean Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 17, 2014

Top Ten Movie Quotes

Movie Quotes

Having loved films the better part of my life, certain lines from certain movies have always stuck with me. Since the weekend is a time many of us consider what movie to go see, I thought that, while we’re in the mood for a flick, we might consider some of our all-time favorite movie lines. Here are mine, in order from 10th Favorite to #1 Favorite. (And I’d love knowing what yours are, too.) Favorite Quote #10 -from A River Runs Through It  (1992) “For it is true that we can seldom help those closest to us. Either we don’t know what part Continue Reading

Filed Under: A Cuppa Joe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
October 16, 2014

Houston and Homosexuality Part II: In Praise of Squeaky Wheels

Texas

Update Yesterday I posted on Houston Mayor Annise Parker’s subpoena of pastor’s sermons and communications, an extraordinary move by any standards. In response to a lawsuit filed by petitioners whose signatures had been invalidated by the Houston City Council, a number of local pastors received court orders to turn over all records of any sermons they recently preached on the topics of homosexuality, transsexualism, and the Mayor herself. But wheels far squeakier than me were talking as well. Coast to coast objections to a city government Continue Reading

Filed Under: Relational Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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