You're Saved, You're Sexual ... You Struggle, Let's Talk
“Keep in mind that when sin is viewed superficially, it is dealt with superficially.” -Erwin W. Lutzer When something gets me really mad, or really scared, I do something about it. When something seems technically wrong but excusable, I shrug it off. So what I deal with seriously, combining decision and action, tells you a lot about what really matters to me and what doesn’t. Continue Reading
Update: Tomorrow, January 14, I will be discussing this on-air with radio host Kevin Bolling on his show Knowing the Truth. To hear the show tomorrow, click here It was pretty bold of The Learning Channel to present last night’s show “My Husband’s Not Gay.” Continue Reading
“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
"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many part." -Poem by Shakespeare Believe it or not, that tow-headed 17 year old is me playing Oscar Madison in a 1971 production of The Odd Couple at Wilson High School of Long Beach, California. Continue Reading
The married man who uses porn, commits adultery, or gives himself to other kinds of unclean behavior breaks trust. He’s in a covenanted relationship with a woman he pledged himself to, probably with the best of intentions, but somewhere along the way he’s given himself permission to indulge. Sometimes there are problems in the marriage his wife is largely responsible for, and she’ll need to ‘fess up to that if things are to improve, but that can never excuse his sin. Other times (and I find this true more often than not) it’s a pretty good Continue Reading
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. - Genesis 2:25 Shame wasn’t part of the human vocabulary until sin entered the picture. Adam and Eve were, as countless paintings and films suggest, innocently erotic and erotically innocent. No clothes and, I daresay, no inhibitions. That was then, and then was worlds away, ages ago. Continue Reading
Why Bother? Today’s church is being asked – pressured, really – to follow the culture’s lead, and the culture is leading towards wholesale approval of homosexuality. So Matthew Vine’s new book God and the Gay Christian is a fresh, eloquent, and well publicized addition to the pressure. If Vines had authored an argument for immersion baptism as opposed to sprinkling, or for a Mid-Tribulation Rapture viewpoint instead of a Pre-Tribulation one, or for the continuation of the gift of tongues as opposed to its extinction, then I’d say Yawn to Continue Reading
“Our quarrel was such A way of loving so much.” -“Reunited” by Peaches and herb Healthy couples fight. Not too often; seldom viciously; never violently. But they do fight, and usually, to my thinking, they’re better off for it. Continue Reading
"Bad marriages don't cause infidelity; infidelity causes bad marriages." -Frank Pittman While watching a remake of Anna Karenina (Tolstoy’s classic take on infidelity and tragedy) I was reminded that adultery, once a scandalous topic, is now the stuff of everyday news and routine tv shows. It’s one of the commonest sins practiced today, so the act of straying outside covenant bonds may have lost its shock value. But its entertainment appeal is solidly intact, since the sin of saying I Do to one then Let’s Do It to another still draws Continue Reading
A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers. -Ruth Bell Graham Continue Reading
“So maybe my nature does draw me to you. That doesn’t mean I have to go with it. I can say yes to some things, and no to some things that are gonna Continue Reading
I’m a logician. No matter how wrong I am, I can always convince myself I am right. -Jarod Kintz Continue Reading
Then said Evangelist, 'If this by thy condition, why standest thou still?' He answered, 'Because I know not where to go.' -Pilgrim's Progress Been Continue Reading
“For the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.” - James 1:20 Some stories put me in touch with my inner murderer. This one’s a pretty Continue Reading
{ Fascinating coverage, Joe. I'm curious to know more about what can/has been done to change the mental state (versus physicality) of people with gender dysphoria,... } – Apr 27, 3:50 PM
{ Your ministry and perspective is a tremendous blessing. Thank you for sharing your struggle and what God has taught you through it. As a compassionate... } – Apr 26, 9:38 AM
{ Joe- as always, excellent writing and research! And I love how you always remember to talk about the heart of God. I can't imagine what... } – Apr 25, 7:12 PM
{ I WAS SICKENED WHEN HE TOLD THE STORY OF HOW GOD MADE HIM & LOOKED DOWN & DECIDED HE WOULD GIVE HIM THIS GENDER ISSUE... } – Apr 25, 6:49 PM
{ Your honesty, and courage are as phenomenal as your insight Mr Dallas. Thank you Sir. } – Apr 25, 2:51 AM
{ Joe, that is why we love and respect you so much: you always speak the truth in love and have always been transparent about your... } – Apr 25, 12:48 AM
Gungor and the Fallible Jesus
“And even if He (Jesus) was wrong, even if He did believe that Noah was a historical person, or Adam was a historical person, and ended up being wrong, I don’t understand how that would deny the divinity of Christ,” “The point is it wouldn’t freak me out if He was wrong about it, in His human side.” “Even if Jesus knew that Noah and Adam were mythical, but knew He was talking to people who thought they were real, that’s another possibility.” -recent comments by Christian singer/songwriter Michael Gungor Maybe this hits you hard; maybe Continue Reading