“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” -Luke 7:47, NIV The amount of gratitude ought to match the amount forgiven. This is one lesson I take from Jesus’ teaching in this verse. And it is an important spiritual lesson … Continue reading “Ask: Where is the loving much?”
Category: Reconciliation
On Cheater Requests To Meet Up Post-Divorce
For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? -2 Corinthians 6:14b, NIV Cheaters requesting post-divorce meetups is such a strange phenomenon to me. I know from reading others’ experiences that this is a real phenomenon. My cheater wanted to meet up after the fact (see post here). … Continue reading “On Cheater Requests To Meet Up Post-Divorce”
Escaping to Romantic Fantasyland
“This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’” -Proverbs 30:20, NIV It is pointless to engage in “reconciliation” efforts while a partner continues cheating. You are wasting time and treasure. The worst piece of advice I got was to take my focus off … Continue reading “Escaping to Romantic Fantasyland”
Repentance And Restitution
“If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.” -Exodus 22:7, NIV But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I … Continue reading “Repentance And Restitution”
Good Friday, Proof That Sin Is Serious Stuff!
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” -Matthew 27:22, NIV Sin is serious stuff! It is not the sort of thing that God sweeps under the rug. God does not turn a blind-eye to sin. His character requires justice is done. The debt must … Continue reading “Good Friday, Proof That Sin Is Serious Stuff!”
Misreading “The Unmerciful Servant Parable”
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants….” -Matthew 18:23, NIV This is the opening verse to a famous parable Jesus told to illustrate our need to forgive others. It is often labeled something like “The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant” or something like that. Here … Continue reading “Misreading “The Unmerciful Servant Parable””
A Picture Of Repentance From Jonah
7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: “No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop … Continue reading “A Picture Of Repentance From Jonah”
Obviously taken him or her back?!
“‘Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts….’” -Hosea 2:2, KJV Obviously, take him back?! Much “Christian” teaching places such an emphasis on keeping marriages “intact” that they insist … Continue reading “Obviously taken him or her back?!”
The Insane Church-y Pressure To Appear “Forgiving”
They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace. -Jeremiah 6:14, NIV The pressure from Christians to appear forgiving towards adulterous spouses or exes is incredible. This pressure was enshrined in my ecclesiastical trial to retain my minister’s license. They probed around … Continue reading “The Insane Church-y Pressure To Appear “Forgiving””
Book Review: THE SUBTLE POWER OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE by David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen
–A Book Review– The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse: Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church by (Pastor) David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen Much of my work on this blog is dealing with spiritual abuse surrounding infidelity discovery and its aftermath including divorce. The literature for Christian faithful spouses on … Continue reading “Book Review: THE SUBTLE POWER OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE by David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderen”