So, what have I learned?
Sometimes I forget that this blog is not a platform for me to promote myself. Indeed I can’t because for now I remain anonymous. It makes the transparency easier. But it also makes accountability harder. That why there are people who know who I am that read this log and hold me accountable for what I say.
Last week, i told you that my relationship with my future wife was over. I told you that I smothered her. I said that i learned things. So what have I learned a week later?
I still don’t have it all together.
I don’t have it all together
Today, my relationship with my future wife ended. It was not on good terms. It was amicable. But the reason that it was over is because I screwed up.
I love hard. And because I love hard, I have a tendency to smother. I have a tendency to throw 100% in from jump street. and At the beginning, she was throwing 100% in, too. Then, the time came and she left to pursue a degree.
When she first arrive, I was the only person she talked to. I tried to maintain the full force of an “in person” relationship via correspondence, and it was working. Until she started getting friends. Suddenly, I was less a part of her life. Then, still lesser. Then, still lesser.
I interpreted that as rejection and abandonment. As a sign that something was wrong with our relationship. Read the rest of this entry
Young Men, Sex, and Urge Ownership (And Why It’s Not The Girl’s Problem)
I don’t advocate “hooking up” with any girls, like the author of this article does. But, what he says is very applicable to the church. Job said “I have made a covenant with mine eyes.” (Job 31:1) We ought to do the same.
Young men, I need to tell you something; something that maybe your fathers, or your coaches, or your uncles, or your buddies never told you, but something that you really need to hear.
Your sex drive? It’s your problem.
I know you’ve been led to believe that it’s the girl’s fault; the way she dresses, the shape of her body, her flirtatious nature, her mixed messages.
I know you’ve grown-up reading and hearing that since guys are really “visual”, that the ladies need to manage all of that by covering-up and keeping it hidden; that they need to drive this whole physical relationship deal, because we’re not capable.
That’s a load of crap.
You and me, we are visual.
We do love the shape of women’s bodies.
We are tempted and aroused by their physicality.
And all of that, is on us, not on them.
You see, we actually live…
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Malachi and The Question of Love
“‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have you loved us?’ ‘Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ declares the Lord. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob.’”
(Malachi 1:2, ESV).
In this opening theme of Malachi, God shows Israel his love for them, by calling them by the name of their ancestor Jacob. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28-29) was the father of the 12 sons that would later become the nation of Israel. The Israelites were the heirs to the messianic promises. It was through the seed (singular) of Abraham that all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:7 cf Galatians 3:16). This seed and the covenant were passed from Abraham to Isaac, from Isaac to Jacob, and from Jacob to the Children of Israel. Read the rest of this entry
What’s with those “Gesis” brothers?
I believe in bringing seminary education to the masses. This is something I learned in seminary and it is told in a way tat is accesable to everyone.
I had only known one of them, until this morning. My acquaintance with “Exe Gesis” began a few years ago when I learned the disquieting fact that English translations of God’s Word are slightly flawed. But for God’s Holy Spirit intervening with his spiritual understanding of the texts, we’d have no way of knowing God’s exact message.
My providential introduction to “Exe Gesis” has blessed me with God’s truth, while his step-brother, “Eise Gesis,” only seeks to make a point, often at the Scripture’s expense. Let me introduce you to both of them. What is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis? presents both “Gesis” brothers in clear, plain language that must make those high-powered Bible scholars blush. And to facilitate those who would rather listen than read, that page has a button that opens a really slick audio player in another browser tab.
If you take your faith seriously, you no doubt take…
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The Priority of Unity
I’m convinced that God wants his people to understand the priority of unity. Unity is not ecumenical alliances, church fellowships and manifestos and creeds and statements produced by conferences and symposiums and synods and councils. Unity is not affirmation of the same thing, the same visible symbol, whether that be the Doctrine of the Holy Ghost or the Apostle’s Creed, or The 5 Solas of the Reformation or the Westminster Confession. Unity is not when you agree with your presiding bishop, when the church comes to consensus, when every vote is unanimous.
These are expressions of unity. But it is possible to have the expression without having the real thing. The answer to the question of why this is happening is wrapped up in the fact that people are perusing these thing because they believe that they either ARE unity or CAUSE unity. Both of those answers couldn’t be further from the truth.
Unity between each other is the RESULT of our union with God. Plain and simple, if you are not united with him, if you have not lived with him, died with him, been buried with him, been resurrected with him, and are now seated with him, and if he does not dwell in you, you cannot be a part of the unity that Christ so famously prayed for in his “High Priestly prayer” (John 17) “Let them be one, even as we are one”
It is easy to participate in acts of unity without experiencing the reality of unity. Just ask anyone who remained exactly the same after their baptism. They “went in a dry devil and came up a wet one.” They participated in the act, the symbol, but not the reality. Just as we confess regularly the apostle’s creed or the church covenant or the 10 commandments or the church vision statement, without participation in their reality, they are shadows but do not bring the substance.
God is really calling for the church in this hour to wake up and become united with him. That’s the real meaning of John 17: I in you you in me. God in Jesus, Jesus in God. God in us, us in God. Us in each other, and each in other in us.
Again notice the Priority of Unity. Let them be one as we are one. God’s unity came before ours. God’s tri-unity sets the example and pattern for our unity. But until we have the Mind of Christ, haven partaken in the divine nature, having tasted of the heavenly gift, and having the kingdom of God (the Holy Ghost) in us, we can never fully realize the reality that the symbols portray. We can never be really one.
I invite you to participate in the reality. And it’s really simple.
Just change your mind. That is, change how you think about the thing of God, and the things God says and the things God calls sin and abomination until your though align with the Word of God.
Then change your emotions. Feel how God feels. Be angry at the things that anger God, and sin not. Weep at the things God weeps at. Let your heart break by the thing that break Gods Heart.
Then change your will. Decide to do differently, treat them differently, in a manner consistent with your renewed mind, and your renewed emotions.
And above all read the Word, the written and transmitted portion of the mind of God. We are transformed by this renewing of the mind.
When you are united with him, you are united to those that are united with him, and to you i say, welcome to that elusive place we are all trying to reach called unity. Sure looks different than you though it would, doesn’t it?
The Bishop Dr. 