28 Saturday Aug 2010
Posted in Personal
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My Cry Ascends
First, before I get onto the reflective part of my post, go check out this new worship CD. I never recommend worship CDs anymore…but this one is rocking my face off, especially Paslm 68. Isaac Watts’ words +Celtic flavoring + men’s choir in unison + 6/8 time signature = SCRIPTURAL AWESOMENESS!
20 Friday Aug 2010
Posted in Personal
I went to dinner last night with a couple of guys who are starting seminary with me this fall. I don’t know them very well, but I invited them to join me for a drink at Bar Louie. We had a good time talking about the Gospel and necessity of its clear proclamation.
We also talked about the Church’s response(s) to homosexuality. And we talked about our dating types. One of them asked me mine…and I pretty well shut up. I described the girl I’d liked in college because, in all truthfulness, she does tend to represent an ideal for a potential mate to me. But I wasn’t forthright about my attractions. I hesitated and then back-pedaled.
Why did I do that? Was I afraid of being dismissed? Was it that I don’t want to be “that guy?”
26 Monday Jul 2010
Posted in Personal
God perceives the imperfections within us, and because of His love for us, urges us to grow up. His love is not content to leave us in our weakness, and for this reason He takes us into a dark night. He weans us from all of the pleasures by giving us dry times and inward darkness. In doing so He is able to take away all these vices and create virtues with us. Through the dark night, pride becomes humility, greed becomes simplicity, wrath becomes contentment, luxury becomes peace, gluttony becomes moderation, envy becomes joy, and sloth becomes strength. No soul will ever grow deep in the spiritual life unless God works passively in that soul by means of the Dark Night.
–St. John of the Cross, as quoted in A Beacon in the Darkness
27 Thursday May 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
In Paul’s letter to Titus, Paul lays out some protocol for those in Titus’ pastoral care. In verses 1 & 2 of chapter 3, Paul exhorts Titus to “remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” As an evangelical who edges closer to confessional Christianity each passing day, I affirm the authority of Scripture to determine faith and practice. So let’s look at the context in which this exhortation is given.
03 Sunday Jan 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
I spent the evening with a dear friend and his boyfriend this evening. I haven’t seen this friend in a very long time and it was wonderful to meet his boyfriend and get caught up on friendship stuff. I have found that it is an excellent idea to let folks whom I love know that I love them unconditionally, whether or not I agree with their decisions, like their sins (because I am aware that I sin…a LOT), or think they could be more moral. What I’m supposed to do is to call them (as myself) to repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Christ.
26 Saturday Dec 2009
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
culture, experience, false teaching, homosexuality, relationships, repentance, Scripture, self-help, theology
One of the guys in my same-sex attraction group sent the following email out to the guys right before Christmas. I finally had a chance to read it and respond, so I thought I’d share that with you, the folks who read my blog.
01 Tuesday Dec 2009
Posted in Uncategorized
I was a teacher for a while in public schools. My student teaching experience was in an affluent community comprised of white, Jewish and students of international origin. The kids were all descendants of doctors, lawyers and community pillars of some sort or other. My teaching experience was in a district which was predominantly low-income, one parent (grandparent, that is) families.
26 Thursday Nov 2009
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One of the most frustrating things I think I’ve ever encountered as a Christian is praying for someone who seems to only drift further and further away from you in the process. No explanation, no anything.
God is merciful, though. Other friends of mine who are seemingly far from God are brought near by the Spirit’s work and come to repentance.
I’m thankful that our great God and Savior is one who brings sinners near…even me.
And yet, I need to hear the Savior’s call…”pray and do not lose heart.” So often, I lose heart. These words are an encouragement to me. I love that Christ has given his Church this wonderful encouragement.
29 Thursday Oct 2009
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
books, false teaching, Gospel, prayer, relationships, repentance, Scripture, theology, worship
Luke 18
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
1And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'” 6And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
27 Tuesday Oct 2009
Posted in Uncategorized
Grace to you and peace from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
–Galatians 1:3-5, ESV
Gay and Evangelical 