spiphywarfare

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  • Don’t Be Guided by Emotions

    Years ago, when I was in the 10th grade, I found myself in a situation that would change my life forever. It all started innocently enough in the school cafeteria, where I was having lunch with a friend I had known for eight years. As I finished my meal and got up to leave, I heard a shout, “Hey!” Turning around, I saw a single french fry flying towards me. It hit my shirt, leaving a smear of ketchup.

    Annoyed, I told my friend he would have to clean the ketchup off my shirt. He refused and suggested we take it outside. The next thing I remember is him standing up and turning his back to me. I picked up the chair he had been sitting on and hit him with it. My next memory is of another friend yelling my name while a strong hand gripped my shoulder. Apparently, after hitting my friend with the chair, I grabbed him by the hair and started beating his head against a radiator. In the chaos, I even elbowed a coach who tried to intervene.

    This incident left a lasting impression on me. During the three days of in-school suspension that followed, I had plenty of time to reflect on my actions. I realized that my reaction was driven 95% by personal issues I was dealing with at the time and had only a little to do with my friend’s actions. It dawned on me that if I didn’t learn to control my emotions, I was on a path that could lead to prison or worse.

    Thus began my long journey towards emotional control. It involved a lot of prayer and a humbling realization that I was not nearly as important as I thought I was. This newfound perspective significantly reduced the stress in my life.

    I often see trivial matters causing conflict among professing Christians on social media. Many of these disputes seem like they may stem from personal circumstances and an inflated sense of the importance of one’s own opinion.

    Today, I follow many people online whom I’ve never met and likely never will. At least not this side of eternity. I choose not to engage in battles over minor issues with them, recognizing them as my siblings in Christ. This brings me peace.

  • I Confess!

    What have you been putting off doing? Why?

    I’ve been putting off establishing a regular exercise program again. Why? I am embarrassed by how unfit I’ve become since COVID.

    I really need to stop putting it off.

  • Thankful

    This world has a lot of hate, darkness, and death in it. Looking at Israel and that region, so many groups over there just hate each other. Sad.

    Looking at the moral decay in the West and the embracing of so much perversion and licentiousness, it is everywhere, and people want to spread it to our children. Who would have thought, even 20 years ago, that elementary school teachers would be arguing to talk about their sexual preferences with primary school children?

    Looking at Russia v Ukraine and Israel v Iran & friends, it is pitiful that so many lives have been lost. Looking at the U.S. and the completely bizarre obsession of some women with killing their babies in their own wombs just blows my mind. Totally selfish degenerates.

    Why is this post titled “Thankful” when all this garbage is going on?

    Because there is much to be thankful for, and we shouldn’t let the world weigh us down. Consider Psalm 95:2, which states:

    Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

    We can and should give thanks to our God for His grace, His provision, His Word, His Son, and so much more. He’s blessed me, a nobody, with a good wife, wonderful children, and a grandson. All of whom have made me laugh, made me smile, and made my heart well with pride at times. I look back on parents that loved me, siblings that did the same, and extended family that had great get togethers.

    I had a great career in law enforcement, and my job now pays the bills and offers the satisfaction of seeing things improve. I work with people striving to make others lives better. I guess I always have, come to think about it.

    I have my health, a good church, and a handful of people I consider lifetime friends. We have a house that protects us from the elements and food to eat.

    Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.

    Today, I’ll choose Phillipians 4:8. I choose to dwell on what is good and pray for those suffering. I suggest you do the same.

  • The SBC’s Dilemma

    A little over two years ago I gave my opinion on the Guidepost Solutions, LLC report the SBC paid over $2 million for, despite the fact that Guidepost supports values at odds with the SBC. It wasn’t flattering. I remember at the time thinking that the use of “credibly accused” as a standard was incredibly vague. The SBC continues to host a horribly

    Now the SBC and Guidepost are going through a lawsuit. They’re being sued by Johnny Hunt, former Senior VP of ministry for the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Hunt resigned after the report named him as being credibly accused of sexual abuse. Now, I do think Mr. Hunt did something wrong and sinful, though he prefers “improper conduct.” That’s not the point of this short post though.

    The point is that in his amended filing for damages, Hunt discloses that his position with NAMB paid him a salary of $610,000 per year.

    That is one single solitary position at the national level for the SBC. How much money that solid, pew-sitting Christians are giving to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ is going to pay wayward, disqualified, philandering men outrageous sums? Full disclosure, I stopped tithing years ago for this reason. We opted to use that money to directly impact people.

  • Public what? “Servant!”

    A short post born of frustration.

    My life has been dedicated to public service. It is so irritating when I see people who are public servants who have forgotten the servant part. It matters not if it’s Joe the President yelling, “I don’t work for you!” at a steel worker or some clerk doing menial filing work in some small, local government office.

    We work for the people. We work for the hardworking, taxpayers people of this country, our state, or community. If your salary is funded by tax dollars, dollars forcibly taken from money someone else earned, you better make it worth it.

  • A Christian Nation?

    Browsing through certain social media sites, in particular, the  𝕏  site, one does not have to look far for discussions of Christian Nationlism, often abbreviated as CN. I’d like to address just one aspect of the many different concepts that are debated. One that strangely, in defiance of reality, finds many “leading” Christians on that site agreeing with pagans. That’s the idea that the U.S. of A. was never, and is not now, a Christian Nation.

    Commonwealth of Massachusetts

    One can currently find that Massachusetts, one of the founding states and always a member state, has law right now on the books that prohibits blasphemy. They are found in the General Laws > Part IV > Title I > Chapter 272 states:

    Section 36. Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be bound to good behavior.

    https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Section36

    They backed down from it being a capital offense as they originally passed it while a colony. See Section 3, Chapter 19 of their Province Laws.

    The SCOTUS famously found in Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 143 U.S.457 (1892), and folks don’t like to be reminded of it, that the United States “is a Christian Nation.”

    So, regardless of one’s views on CN, it’s just dishonest to deny that this nation was founded by a Christian people on Christian principles and values.

  • Different Time, Same Tactics

    I’ve been slow-reading through Acts. I consider slow-reading somewhere between reading through and in-depth study. I’ve been in chapters 11-13 for a couple of days, and some things stuck out to me today.

    But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they began to contradict what Paul was saying by reviling him. (Acts 13:45)

    I read that and thought, “Man, isn’t that the same thing religious leaders do today?” When someone saying something they don’t like starts gaining listeners, they become jealous. I’m thinking along the lines of Doug Wilson here.  I’ve seen this passage before and thought it was similar to today, but this time, it stuck out to me how they conradicted him. They didn’t challenge him through reason, they did it through reviling him. They did it through verbal abuse.

    That’s not the only similarity. In Acts 13:50, we see this:

    But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their region.

    Seem familiar? The leaders stirred up women (of high social standing), and then the men began a persecution against Paul and Barnabas. I wouldn’t call myself “highly online,” but I would say I am more engaged in social media than many of my peers. There’s a phenomenon that occurs wherein a woman will come out and say something about a man, again, thinking Doug makes a good example, and the moment she is called out for an error she is surrounded by a flock of men, clucking at the objector and shaming them. It really is pathetic when you witness it.

    The words of Ecc 1:9 are true, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” They are true in our personal lives as well as the society around us. I plead with you, if you consider yourself a Christian, please, get into the Word of God that he has provided. Deception is strong at this point in human history.

    I do not know if this is the end or if we are still in the early church age, but The Father knows. I do know He is faithful. I do know we shouldn’t be fearful. I know that we should be wise as serpents. I pray we are.

    Stay safe. Stay healthy.

  • Seems Familiar (short post)

    An image of Peter and John preaching in the temple.

    Studying the book of Acts currently. As I read chapter four today, I couldn’t help but notice that the acceptable religious leaders of the day wanted to stop Peter and John from preaching. They had left behind any pretense or concern with whether or not it was truth that was being spread. Their sole reason for their actions was to keep the matter from spreading amongst the people (Acts 4:17).

    You see that a lot today with traditional “BigEva” types online, as well as with evangelical influencers that have a decent sized account. When a truth comes out that threatens their position or status, they avoid the substance and work to discourage a truth from spreading.

  • Navigating Division: Thoughts on New Saint Andrews Ad

    Anybody on 𝕏, well, “Christian” 𝕏 anyway, is probably aware of the brouhaha going on due to the New Saint Andrews ad featuring Johnny Cash’s tertiary digit (see below). I generally stay out of the turmoil there because I rarely see any edifying or encouraging words offered to differing views. I’ll try to offer something worthwhile now, though. Why? Because I’ve never been more disappointed by so many people, across the entire gamut, who are generally edifying and uplifting.

    The Ad

    New Saint Andrews Ad

    It seems to be directed towards attracting young men looking to make a stand against the massive cultural rot in society. The uproar comes from the fact that these men must be, among other things, “willing to hoist the Jolly Roger and Johnny Cash’s favorite finger whenever faced with idolatry.”

    I’ll offer my own thoughts on the ad before continuing. That ad would never have seen the light of day if I were someone whose approval was needed before going live with it. That is not how we should present as Christians.

    The Audience

    Now, 𝕏 has all sorts of people claiming the name of Christ. There are blaspheming women who claim to be pastors preaching that Jesus was transgender and KJV only folks who deride any make-up/jewelry, women wearing pants, or using any other translation. There are racist anonymous (and non-anons) accounts constantly using racial slurs against minorities and racist black preachers who can’t answer when asked if white people can get to heaven.

    I’m not writing about any of them here. I’m writing here about brothers and sisters that I see who usually have good insights.

    The Issue

    I think 𝕏 is designed to be divisive, and when we are immersed in it too long, being divisive may become our goal without us being aware of it. I think we tend to want all the people we agree with to know that we agree with them, and not those “other” people.

    I think we may not count the cost of that. The cost is division. If, and it may be a big if, if in prayer they believed it to be within God’s will for them to do that ad, and they were correct, where does that leave you and your condemnation of them?

    Some of the poorest takes that I’ve seen on this controversy have been to a man who literally asked for guidance on how to be a strong, Christian man with a backbone. He’s been ridiculed for being whiny and LARPing about being a man while “real” men are at work and not on 𝕏. This, from his alleged sisters. Is that really how you want to respond to someone asking for guidance?

    The other disappointing thing was that of people assuming motives. They’re doing this so they can feel good. They just want to (insert motivr here). That’s assuming an attribute specifically relegated to God in scripture. You don’t know anyone else’s heart to speak it factually. Just append, “I think” or “it seems” to the front of those statements, unless you really can see their heart. Otherwise, stop pronouncing judgment. Yes, we’re not to speak harshly, but the exceptions to that prove it is not a hard, fast rule. David ate show bread. Jesus told his brothers he wasn’t going to the feast and went. Things we see as violative may not be. Who are you to judge another man’s slave.

    Do you really believe there is a time to kill (Ecc3:3)? If you don’t, your opinion is probably as valuable as Andy Stanley’s. If you do think God actually meant that there are times when intentionally ending a life is appropriate, then I don’t see it as a stretch that there may be a time to “give the bird to idols.” At the same time, I understand Ecclesiastes doesn’t say there is a time for obscene gestures. Just a time for everything.

    None of that changes the fact that a good name is better than a good ointment or that a good reputation is better than great wealth. Saying that it could be appropriate doesn’t require throwing out being humble in spirit, placing ourselves last, or loving our neighbor. Saying it is never appropriate is putting yourself as the judge of your brother.

    A response

    It really wouldn’t be hard to make a post that says, “I don’t think that’s appropriate” and move down the road. Or would it? It doesn’t seem to me that it should be.

  • This is why I go camping

    The dappled light of the sun danced across my face and the surrounding ground I laid on. The wind from the surrounding plains rustled through the tops of the trees in the little valley. It hardly seems right to call it a valley. It was really just a low spot with a babbling creek and a multitude of trees providing much needed shade.

    Staring up through closed eyes, I could see the movement of the leaves. My ears heard the distant calls of various birds, and they sang, “All is well in the world.”