How do you like that title? True or false? I read an article with that title today, and I believe it is true. We need to hate EVIL a lot more than we do. Sure, God wants us to love people. But He commands us to hate sin. Do you hate sin? Murder, perhaps? Rape?Continue reading “Christians Should Hate More.”
Category Archives: Abstinence
You Can’t Unsee It.
‘IMPRINTING’ describes what happens to birds when they first hatch. Their minds are particularly fresh, like camera film that has never seen the light. So if their first moments are with their mother, the chicks are drawn to her instantly. But if their first moments are with someone else—a scientist, perhaps—they may be drawn toContinue reading “You Can’t Unsee It.”
Corner Cutting.
Do you cut corners? Do you tell yourself, ‘it will be okay, just this once’? King Saul did. Before one battle, Israel was greatly outnumbered. The Philistine army had “troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore” 1 Samuel 13:5. The men of Israel were terrified and “hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, andContinue reading “Corner Cutting.”
Sex.
There is not much debate about the morality of adultery: most people are against it. Everyone understands that it is the most fundamental kind of betrayal: to sleep with a married person is to destroy a marriage and family and to risk tremendous damage and hurt to innocent children. But about pre-marital sex, the consensusContinue reading “Sex.”
Sex Equals Influence.
Promiscuity often goes hand-in-hand with having no respect for boundaries. And those who “sleep around” are also those who violate other boundaries. But what if a couple is exclusively dating only each other? Well, that is a better scenario than promiscuity. But the risk is that your hearts become deeply connected without commitments. It isContinue reading “Sex Equals Influence.”
Be Not Drunk With Spirits, But Filled With the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18.
Few subjects in America are more controversial than alcohol. It is not so in Europe. C.S. Lewis spoke often of “having a pint.” He saw no problem with drinking. But 100 years after Prohibition, Americans remain divided. We outlawed the sale of liquor to address a serious problem. Then we made it legal again becauseContinue reading “Be Not Drunk With Spirits, But Filled With the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18.”
Can You Control Your Eyes?
Yes. You can. Some people act like it is not possible. But of course, that is ridiculous. You can make good decisions. Job says he made a covenant with his eyes. That’s like a contract. He negotiated a contract or signed a deal with his OWN EYES. “I have made a covenant with my eyesContinue reading “Can You Control Your Eyes?”
Write it Down. Job 31:1-2.
Even after all Job had been through, he proclaimed his innocence. After losing everything—possessions, animals, servants, children, health—he says he is pure. “Let God weigh me in accurate scales, and He will recognize my integrity” Job 31:6. That’s a bold statement for a man who just endured one of history’s most severe smackdowns. Shouldn’t JobContinue reading “Write it Down. Job 31:1-2.”
Report Cards.
What if God offered a report card on the state of your heart? In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus evaluates seven churches, praising them when He can, but also pointing out weaknesses: “You have lost your first love… You are lukewarm….” Job likewise received a “report card” but he got perfect grades. Twice God saysContinue reading “Report Cards.”
Abstinence is Weight Lifting for the Soul. Genesis 16:9.
Such abstinence actually characterizes the lives of mature believers: you constantly see opportunities or “open doors,” but you pray and God is silent and you realize you must persevere where you are: Keep that job. Stay at that church. Mend that relationship. Work out that marriage. You must ABSTAIN from the temptation to quit.
Household Words: 