Merry Christmas!

Hope the holiday brings cheer...no...hope you bring cheer to the holiday. God bless you all, and I’m still praying for you, V.

Delzzup

Yb eht kcal fo esnopser ot eht suoiverp tsop, I esoppus rehtie gnihtyreve si gniog ylhtooms rof uoy, ro uoy yllautca od etah em won, ro ebyam uoy tsuj t’nevah daer ti tey. M’i ylno yrros I t’ndid ekam siht tnemtimmoc elihw ti dluoc llits tifeneb uoy. Ym remrof noitissop saw ot yrt ot tsiser ni ym nwo htgnerts, dna taht t’nsah dekrow. Uoy yam ton eb eht eno, tub fi I yrram niaga, I tnaw ot evig ym efiw eht tsom detoved evol taht I ylbissop nac, dna fi ton, s’ereht on esnes ni gnitpmet flesym. S’ti a gnilifed, gnitpurroc ecneulfni, dna I tnaw on trap fo ti eromyna.

I have decided

I promised God that I will no longer knowingly or intentionally look at anything immodest or obscene. This would even include real people that I would happen to see out in public as well. Even if a very close friend should ask if we could view something together, I would say that the Lord has convicted me concerning this and I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I just can’t participate. This is a solemn vow that I have taken. If I should ever look at anything inappropriate, even so my vow remains in effect. Praise the Lord, who has called me to and virtue and purity. There is only one exception to this: Genesis 2:25 (and this only applies to people who are currently married to each other). What you do with your eyes is your own business, but I have decided to follow Jesus. Matthew 5:27-28 is my guide, as well as the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.

Happy Thanksgiving!

And I’m praying for you.

Circumlocutions I have heard

“I’m doing such-and-such” could mean “I’m planning to do it.” “I’m thinking of doing it” could mean “I’ve already done it, and now I’m thinking of it.” “My last spouse...next spouse” could mean “I’m not remarried yet, but I’ll let you think I am.” Who can tell? Only the speaker knows for sure.

Oh, well.

I tried, but I lost. He’s an old friend; how can an ex-husband compete with that?

Living as a Christian

Living the lifestyle of a believer in Jesus is a lot like a baby taking his first steps. I mean, you take a few steps and then fall flat on your face. But do you stay on the floor? No! you get back up again. This insight into repentance and obedience to God gives me hope that some time soon I will be where the Lord wants me to be, and on my way to greater success in my Christian walk. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Proverbs 24:16a)

Read this.

I thought I’d share this with you. It’s the Our Daily Bread devotional for today.

http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/10/26/devotion.aspx

Learning to lean (on Jesus, that is)

Consider: The Lord has promised to supply all our needs. This means that if He does not give us something, we must not need it after all, and it would be a sin to take it for ourselves. This is especially important to me as I have been waiting for signs of His leading concerning Valerie, and then everything just fell apart, right when it appeared the most promising. Do not misunderstand me: I’m not saying I don’t want her anymore; But if it appears that the Lord will bring her back and he does not, I guess my person, identity, and character is not bound up in human companionship after all. But I’m still praying and seeking the Lord’s will for her and for me. I care very deeply about her. In the mean time, Jesus is teaching me how to lean on Him.

I thought so

If anyone checks this blog, please comment so I know it’s still getting read.

Cynical Ol’ Me

I bet no one reads this post. Prove me wrong.

Dirt is not a part of you

Sin, like dirt, can be washed away. It is not a permanent part of who you are. So if you find that you carry the dirt of the world around you, take heart; that dirt can be washed away and you can be clean. How often do I need to remind myself of that! Stay close to Jesus, and He will keep you clean.

Worth a reading, I think

Here is an article I came across today on the topic of cohabitation. Although it’s about ten years old and there are some statements in it to which I must take exception, I think on the whole it gives a balanced approach to the social data available at the time, and there may be much that we can still learn from it today. Please read the whole thing carefully before passing judgment. True, many of the statistics are undoubtedly out of date; but the vast majority of the conclusions drawn from them, even back then, are still relevant for today.

http://www.smartmarriages.com/cohabit.html

Πορνεία: What makes sex right?

Πορνεία (por NAY ah) is the word in our Greek New Testament commonly translated “fornication” or “sexual immorality.” So why am I writing about this topic? It’s because the moral relativism in our culture has led many to redefine the word to suit their own particular preferences.

My question is this: what makes sex between a man and a woman something that God intended, and even smiles upon? Is it mutual consent? Not at all. Sex without consent is just forced πορνεία, or rape. Well, then, is it love? Again, no. Sex without love is just consenting πορνεία. Is it commitment? No. Sex without commitment is promiscuity, and so with commitment would simply be πορνεία between only two people.

There’s only one thing that turns what otherwise would be πορνεία into something beautiful that God created to be mutually enjoyed: a marriage covenant. Without it, sex is reduced merely to a game we play with each other’s bodies. Stop settling for second best; do it God’s way.