What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word "abomination?" I'll give you a hint ... it has to do with a topic that's super controversial in the Christian community right now. Among other references, you may have heard this verse quoted a time or two on the topic I am referring to: "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. -- Leviticus 20:13 There it is. The biggie. The issue of the day. At this point, your pulse may be quickening for one of two reasons. Perhaps you consider yourself a gay Christian, and you're Continue Reading
3 Important Differences Between Amusement and Joy
Want to be happy? Me, too. And having that desire doesn't make us shallow people. I've heard some Christian teaching to the effect that "joy" is different than "happiness," that joy is deep whereas happiness is shallow. You know -- happiness depends on circumstances, but joy can be had regardless of the externals -- you've heard the drill. There's some truth there, but it's possible to get a bit religious with this. We can end up squelching joy if we insist it's not even an emotion. Truth is, it's pretty difficult to separate joy from happiness. According to Webster's, happiness Continue Reading
Why Your Pain Matters Just as Much
Debbie and Laurie were very close friends, and as such, they supported each other in the ups and downs of life. When Debbie's ten-year-old daughter was tragically killed in an accident, Laurie rose to the challenge. She provided the emotional support her dear friend needed. Being there for Debbie became Laurie's focus for a season, and understandably so. But something subtle happened inside her during that time. Something that wasn't good for her heart. You see, every time she faced something difficult, Laurie found herself comparing her suffering to Debbie's. And her pain Continue Reading
Why I Don’t Worry About Jinxes
Have you ever felt nervous about causing bad things to happen by mentioning a run of "good luck?" Have you kept quiet about how glad you feel that you haven't had car problems in six months, or no one in your home has gotten a cold this winter? This is another anti-biblical cultural paradigm that has crept into our thinking. I'll bet I've heard the phrase at least twice a week lately, sometimes from Christians. "I don't want to talk about (my hope, dream or blessing) in case I jinx it." Really? Recently, I read through the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). In the middle of Continue Reading