In my trial to keep my license as a minister, a focus of the questions was about whether or not I had forgiven my ex-wife. This is a fair question to ask a minister. Bitterness in the pulpit is a dangerous thing. And we are commanded to forgive. However, the accompanying piece was conspicuously absent. … Continue reading “Proscribing Patience For Adulterous Spouses But None For Faithful Spouses”
Et tu, Brute?
While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” – Luke 22:47-48, NIV Discovering adultery is a punch-drunk experience. It is … Continue reading “Et tu, Brute?”
Divorce Is NOT Worst Outcome Following Adultery
The speaker in the above clip from The Gospel Coalition, which is a theologically Reformed group of like-minded, evangelical Christian leaders, is Pastor Erwin Lutzer. He is a longtime senior pastor at The Moody Church in Chicago, IL. Pastor Lutzer does radio shows espousing his evangelical views and is a very prolific writer publishing … Continue reading “Divorce Is NOT Worst Outcome Following Adultery”
Pastor Matt Chandler on the De-churched
A major danger during the time of adultery discovery and divorce is to lose one’s faith. Pastor Matt Chandler does an excellent job in this brief clip explaining how that can easily happen. He even names divorce as one of potential catalysts. Maybe you can relate to this clip? I can. It felt extremely unjust … Continue reading “Pastor Matt Chandler on the De-churched”
Honest Psalmist
Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me. All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me. You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend. -Psalm 88:16-18, NIV And so ends Psalm 88. In total darkness. My best friend told me … Continue reading “Honest Psalmist”
Stupid Things Naive Christians Say…
After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a … Continue reading “Stupid Things Naive Christians Say…”
Is it really “just” an emotional affair?
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. – Ephesians 5:3, NIV (emphasis mine) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks … Continue reading “Is it really “just” an emotional affair?”
Mourn with those who mourn
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. – Romans 12:15, NIV Our churches and families would be so better off if we lived by these words. “…mourn with those who mourn.” Mourning is what is happening for faithful spouse upon discovering the dastardly betrayal. We mourn so much: lost dreams safety and … Continue reading “Mourn with those who mourn”
A Recovering “Nice” Minnesotan
Hi, my name is David, and I am a recovering “nice” Minnesotan. “Nice” Minnesotans are notorious about not saying what we think or sharing how we feel directly. That does not mean it never comes out. It just usually comes out passive aggressively, dontcha know 😉 While I love how neighborly my fellow Minnesotans can be, this … Continue reading “A Recovering “Nice” Minnesotan”
Fickle Is Fully Fake Repentance
“Get busy living or get busy dying.” – Andy Dufresne in Shawshank Redemption “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” – … Continue reading “Fickle Is Fully Fake Repentance”