"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:16
Each year I find it helpful to confess my sins to those that are regularly engaged with me through these postings. First, as an act of obedience, second as an act of healing, and third to seek accountability. While confessing all my sins would use up all the gigs on my Typepad account, I have enclosed those that were the bigger struggles. I always call this "Coastal Confessions" as it is a favorite lyric of mine, "I've got some coastal confessions to make, how about you?" Further, I am usually at the coast when I write this, not this year. This year our family is with the Hall family enjoying the clean crisp air of Colorado.
I confess I was angry about my health this year. From the fall I took last November that kept me from doing many of the things I enjoy until July, to this long term sinus thing that has created all kinds of aggravation. Instead of looking at this as a time to be patient, reflective, or as discipline, I have shown nothing but anger and frustration. I have not had joy in all seasons. I have surgery next month and hope this will help, but I will attempt to approach all of this with a better attitude. In comparison to what many people are suffering, my issues are not worthy of such silly anguish.
"Hurry is not of the devil, it is the devil." This famous saying has application to me this year. I confess I have spent less time in prayer and contemplation over the last twelve months as I have kept myself moving at light speed. My personal time did not include the communication, meditation and reflection it should. I have shown nothing but disdain for quiet weekends and attempted to fill them with constant action. Stillness is a necessity in life.
With hurry has also come the failure to pursue others. I confess this as one of the big sins of 2013.
I confess my language has been too colorful this year. I throw this back to the hurry and lack of stillness. The power of life and death is in the tongue. I confess and seek to offer more discipline to mine.
Mea culpa.
I am thankful to those that read these posts and that engage in a dialogue with me about the various subjects. These posts are mainly for my children and their children as a record of what I find most important in this short life, but when I learn of your thoughts and the way certain discussions encourage you, I am encouraged.
I am thankful for your input and interaction. I enjoy debating, and I am grateful for those that disagree with me as well. May we continue to "work out" our salvation.
May 2014 find you in Christ's common and saving grace.
"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
I agree with Phil Robertson, homosexuality is a sin. God said so numerous times throughout history and that is good enough for me. And I have no issue with him stating Biblical truth in modern vernacular - I welcome it. Whether a Christian or an Evolutionist it is obvious to the casual thinker that an egg and an egg don't make a child and there is nothing sacred or sanitary about a pecker in a pie-hole.
Phil also professed a truth in our faith when he said, "you just got to love them". That is true too. Love does not mean we accept Gay as normal. It means we offer kindness and friendship, but continue to offer truth and something better. Rebuking is something we do with those that profess to be Christian, not those that don't (2 Tim 3:16). I rebuke Christians that boycott as this is not a Biblical approach. And since everyone is communicating this boycott via social media it is how I am sending my rebuke. Until someone has come to know Jesus, why would we expect them to like his guidelines?
The Apostle Paul said avoid "Christians" that were sexually immoral (1 Cor 5:9-10).
A&E is not a Christian company and I don't expect them to know truth or to support it. So what are we all surprised about? Why are we shocked when people that don't follow Jesus, don't like what He had to say?
For those of you who say Jesus never said anything about homosexuality, you are wrong. Jesus claimed to be God, the God who gave us the Law. He said He came to fullfil it, not replace it (Matt 5:17). This is simple Christian truth. He offered a choice instead of death, and now that is what we are to offer (John 3:17).
At most, A&E has made a stupid business decision because someone in their marketing department doesn't really understand why so so many people watch the show. They think we watch it because we are curious about hillbillies. But as my friends Darrin Kirby and Mike Scott say, "We watch it because we relate to them. " Or, this could be a genius marketing ploy!
So now most of Christendom has asked us to boycott A&E, and now Cracker Barrel because they pulled the merchandise. Dumb idea.
We should watch more of DD on A&E! We should send the ratings for the reruns through the roof and show how we appreciate and relate to Phil and Kay and then turn it off when the stupid Rodeo Girls and Stay at Home Dad shows come on.
We should continue to enjoy our scrambled eggs at Cracker Barrel and when we go to pay, ask them to tell their manager we wish we could buy a Happy Happy Happy t-shirt.
Boycotting for Christians is moronic. Why? Because you pick and choose what you boycott - which means you lose the argument outright. The current administration does not reflect Christian views on life, but you haven't left the country. Every credit card company offers benefits to homosexuals , but you still run up debt. Gay Day still happens at Disney and you still go. Oh, I guess you forgot James Dobson told you to stop going.
The people that want us to boycott A&E will then turn the channel over and watch Modern Family.
Where does it end? Do you not buy a coke and candy bar from the guy at the Stop & Go because he supports Islamic Law? Do you not buy a home because an illegal alien help build the frame?
When I was in media we used a tool called Scarborough. It helped us understand the habits of our audience. When I was with KLTY I kept asking if I could approach the agency that represented Miller Light and get them to advertise on the Jon Rivers Show in the morning. Reason being, Evangelical Christians were the largest consumers of Miller Light!
God gave us free will. He created us perfect, eternal, and sinless. Then, He did what anyone who wants to be loved for who they are. He gave us a soul and a choice. He made us in His image. He has free will and He imparted that to us. We chose poorly. "Yet, while we were sinners Christ died for us." He made a way for us to reach Him knowing we would be unable to follow the Law in the flesh.
All of us in our lives have committed the worst sins against God. Yet he didn't avoid (boycott) us, he pursued us. His Spirit spoke of grace and mercy. He spoke to our minds and our hearts. He said believe, confess and work out your salvation. Is this not the image we are to emulate as followers of Christ? To pursue the sinner and offer hope?
Gina and Destiny are the waitresses I see two mornings a week at Cracker Barrel in Benbrook, Texas. They are attentive, kind and interesting people. They did not make the decision about DD products and I will not punish them. I know a lot about their lives, dreams, and families. On many occasions I have had the opportunity to share faith with them. I will not stop. I will keep going to see them. I will continue to be a Christian that tips more because I am a Christian. I will continue to provide honest answers to honest questions.
To those that are Christians:
Stop this foolish boycott behavior. God didn't boycott you even though you should have been avoided like sin itself.
Yes, speak truth without fear of men. Don't overreact when it is rejected. Jesus said it would be. Stop with the shock - we were already told about all of this 2000 years ago.
To those that are gay just in case you stumbled upon this:
We are not out to get you. Our faith is not about hate, but grace. We know God has something better for you, and yes, this means not being in a homosexual relationship. Nature itself shows that there is something better. God created two very different people (male and female) because all of His personality would not fit into just one human. He says when a man and women join together, they are one. This is a reflection of Him as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Two physically different - personally different people come together as one person. It helps us understand how he is One, yet three unique persons. We stand on marriage between a man and women, as this is one way the world understands the living God. He commanded us to be this way and we just can't tell the God of the universe we don't like His plan.
