Home / 2010 / August

• Answers About False Teachers & Discernment

  In Christian Opinion, SeriousFaith / 31 August 2010 / 5 comments

  

  I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine. We disagree on several Christian issues and I felt our conversation would benefit others. I’ve made it very generic because I’m not trying to dispute my friend publicly. The dialog just gave me the opportunity to answer some common questions, so I thought I would post them. Before I do that, I’m sitting here wondering “WHY?” I bother with this topic. All it does is result in criticism and lost readers. But we shouldn’t base our opinion and Truth on popularity. Say it with conviction and let the chips fall where they may. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Shouldn’t You Be More Careful About Calling [...]

   

• The Basic Christian Life: How to Cure Your Worldliness – Part 11

  In Faithful, SeriousFaith, Teaching / 26 August 2010 / 2 comments

  (Click here to search for all the posts in this series…) James 4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (NKJV) In this day and age of self-esteem, self-focus, self-improvement, self-love, self-forgiveness and self-worth any talk of humility and denying yourself is cast off as the old fashioned ramblings of the out of touch religious zealot. It’s a good thing Jesus wasn’t born in the 21st century. Nobody would leave their therapeutic pews long enough to listen to the self-esteem robbing message of the Sermon on the Mount. James wouldn’t get much of a following either. But way back in those archaic and unenlightened days of the early church, James was very clear about what we need to [...]

   

• You’re Wrong, I’m Right, End of Discussion

  In Opinion, Parenting, Personal Opinion & Commentary / 26 August 2010 / 4 comments

  I received a response to my parenting post the other day that is absolutely typical of the self-righteous and high-minded declarations frequently made by the politically correct today who based their convictions on nothing more than emotion, personal experience and culturally popular ideas. I had dared to mention in the post that physical discipline of children is necessary and appropriate for most parents. Oh, what controversy. Oh, what barbarism. Obviously my love for children is a complete farce and should be now be suspect to all enlightened modern parents who KNOW that the idea of physical discipline is a return to the Dark Ages… a promotion of abuse and violence… and most terribly a possible violation of the holy grail of parenting: the precious self [...]

   

• I’m In A Funk and Life Seems Like a Burden

  In Fulfilled, Personal Discipline, Personal Opinion & Commentary, Self Improvement / 25 August 2010 / 10 comments

  

  I got an email from a long time close friend. We are alot alike in personality, stage of life, work, etc.  He told me he’s in a real funk and can’t seem to figure out why, or how to shake loose. He expected me to give him the “suck it up”, “buck up”, “quit whining” speech (which is appropriate sometimes) but as I read what he wrote I saw some other possibilities… some things I know a lot of people can relate to. I wanted to give you the essence of how I responded to him AND ask you for your advice and comments. Maybe we can all learn something together.  I’m going to divide up my response by giving you the nutshell of each [...]

   

• My Kid Punishes Me When They Don’t Get Their Way

  In Parenting, Personal Opinion & Commentary / 19 August 2010 / 2 comments

  

  I recently had a conversation with my friend Roy about a parenting situation that is pretty common. We both thought this might be something others would appreciate so he graciously agreed to let me put it up here for you to read. The premise is this: our kids often resort to punishing us in one form or another when things aren’t to their liking. It might be passive rebellion, withholding love, defiance, a lack of cooperation or a generally poor disposition… but in some form they make us “pay” for not bending to their desires. Maybe you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing this but I know from my countless conversations with parents, this is a common situation. So here is my dialog with Roy. [...]

   

• Gospel For Profit

  In Christian Opinion, SeriousFaith / 18 August 2010 / 6 comments

  

  When people teach publicly, it is right to call them out publicly and comment publicly, whether in support or rebuke. Recently, I stomached a few minutes of some of the most sickening “Gospel for Money” I’ve ever heard. I’m not sure who needs rebuked more: the guy teaching it, the people broadcasting it or the people greedily soaking it up. Steve Munsey is false teacher selling the Gospel for money (and a HORRIBLE Bible teacher, if it’s even possible to attach his name to those words). I’ve been watching some of his “teaching” on the mostly embarrassing “GodTV”… I’m jotting down his actual points as I listen: God instituted Pentecost for people who need financial breakthrough (what an insult to the true reason for Pentecost). [...]