Things I Think…
1. It shouldn’t be a surprise that evangelicals supported politicians with moral values condemned in Scripture…they make the same deals with pastors…
2. Pastors will be paying $100,00.00 a seat to “pray” with Trump. As that money will come from the congregations, I thought this outrageous… until I realized that many would consider this a legitimate use of their giving…the poor will always be among us…
3. One way or another, we all got Covid. Reaction to the vaccines and social restrictions have changed this country like nothing in my lifetime. Unfortunately, pandemics really do happen and we’ll be wiped out by the next one because we politicized the last one…
4. January 6th will be viewed quite differently by history than it is by Christian nationalists…
5. My biggest inner conflict is between my love for animals and my love of steak…
6. I’ve spent extended time with a dog for the first time in a long time…and they are so very noble and good when allowed to be..
7. I really enjoy talking with people who are wrestling with matters of faith and doctrine…I don’t enjoy talking with people who are certain about these matters as much…
8. Spiritual oppression is a real thing…I may talk more about how I know this at a later date…
9. It’s interesting (to me) that oft times the theologians I get the most clarity from also bring a lot of murkiness to other aspects of theology….we all see through a class darkly…
10. The more I think about it, the more I think the conversion of the Phillippian jailer in Acts 16 has some normative characteristics…especially in the radical change in behavior and thought that accompanied it. Without a change in thought and behaviors can anyone claim to have been saved from anything?
1. regarding 1-2…
…its good to point out the lack of morality of Trump and the hypocrisy of turning a blind eye to such…
…until you get charged with TDS.
Deflection in action.
2. regardings animals 5-6…
We recently found out a former neighbors across the road, an elderly gentleman with a golden retriever, was abusing his dog physically. Few things make me want to take a swing at someone more than animal abusers…including those that abandon animals on the side of the road.
3. your number 7…
Recently heard someone read a quote…wish I could remember it…that said that those who spout off the most about stuff, actually know the least. Those who listen more than talk are usually the smarter of the two.
2 ears…1 mouth.
Dan,
I have no self control when it comes to people abusing animals…and I’ll just leave it at that…
1. & 2. Hey, if you’d like, I could write some articles about Trump and evangelicals. 🙂
4. Without a doubt. Except for the faux historians who model their work off the likes of David Barton.
5. George Washington looked forward to naming our foods differently than the animals from which they come, maybe so that we wouldn’t feel as guilty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ62EfUKI3w
6. Have the cats been apprised of your behavior? Or is this a deep, dark secret that you are sharing with us?
Number 2 events. God will directly judge it on the spot. Just because fire does not fall in the moment does not mean he will not give over those people to a legion of lying and unclean spirit which is a judgment as they defile themselves with their filthy lucre.
In one way, Trump is making it much easier to discern the anti-christs among us.
I love the way some of the KJV words sound.
The fire from the eyes of Christ will either purify or judge us.
#7 – Ain’t that the truth? One would think when discussing an infinite, all-knowing, all-powerful being a little humility would be necessary. But some people figure out all the answers, somehow, and get very angry if challenged at all. I’ve started reading Tim Keller’s Reasons for God, and so far, appreciate his humility in handling the subject matter.
# 10 – Now that’s interesting considering past conversations. Wouldn’t mind you unpacking that a bit.
Number 2 events. God will directly judge it on the spot. Just because fire does not fall in the moment does not mean he will not give over those people to a legion of lying and unclean spirit which is a judgment as they defile themselves with their filthy lucre.
In one way, Trump is making it much easier to discern the anti-christs among us.
I love the way some of the KJV words sound.
The fire from the eyes of Christ will either purify or judge us.
Josh,
Calvin called the Scriptures Gods baby talk…we can just glimpse so much of these things.
As to #10…I’ll need to unpack that a bit later…swamped for a bit…
KevinH,
The cats kind of grew up with the dog…Liam allows me to feed him and speak kindly to him….but he’s not allowed to sleep in the room. 🙂
vic,
The spirit of anti-Christs is so thick you can cut it…who knew the church would be the first deceived?
#2 Nauseating.
Just lost my lunch.
During a recent episode of the “Ask NT Wright” anything, I was reminded why he’s one of my new adopted spiritual fathers (by the way, I still count Chuck as one).
“Tom” as he goes by very transparently described problems he’s found with those in the academic/scholarly crowd, and prefers and benefited more by the teaching and example of “simple faith.”
He was very tender and respectful and really blessed me.
Against my wishes, Jesus never provided the 2nd mortgage (let alone the first) for me to attend seminary like I wanted (we’ve come a long way from “freely you have received…'”).
I found myself wanting to have a beer with him (don’t really like the taste, but I’ll occasionally partake for a bro), and after hug him like my favorite uncle I’ll never see again.
Then I remembered, he’s not an American, when he talks about it it’s brief and very respectful (a lot more than I want to be) he doesn’t understand the church marrying Ro–, oops!, I meant the RNC, and doesn’t think the rapture is the single most important doctrine (one way or the other) from Gen-Rev, which allows him to share very practically helpful teaching.
Also, because he doesn’t push the “we’re outta here” focus, he doesn’t contribute to stressful living based on credit and other ways generally speaking of being less effective for the kingdom.
I say all this because often when I listen to him teach about loving God and your neighbor, I find myself thinking he would’ve made a great CC pastors in the early days before flogging of the “model,” Fox “news” (don’t trust any of them btw), and now UFOs, conspiracies, etc., sadly the diet of whom Jesus entrusted them to feed.
UnCCed,
I’m a student of Wrights…I get a lot out of his teachings.
I don’t think anything he teaches would fly in CC…
I was going to meet up with Kevin to attend the prayer event with Trump, but my Visa was denied.
C’mon, Bob, that was supposed to be a secret that you and me were going.
But it was probably the Deep State that denied your card.
Kevin and Bob,
Man, I knew you guys were up to something!
@ 10 , I’m studying Acts and this mystery fascinates me, how to even begin to speculate the Philippian jailer’s “new reality”: What was the Philippian jailer’s next day like? Did he continue, ‘business as usual’? I can’t fathom that. His story will be an amazing one to hear when Jesus makes all things new.