Do we know what Biblical masculinity and femininity is? It is not “toughness” and “weakness”.

When we address our identity, it should start with “Do you know Jesus?” We need the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus has already done enough for me. “Even if” He does not do another thing, I will follow Him. Healing can become an idol. Can you still follow God if you have that thorn in the flesh?

We need to have a theology of suffering, an “even-if” understanding. Even if I never marry… Even if I never get the degree… I will choose to follow you God, even if ________

We are mistaking intensity for intimacy. Do we know what true intimacy is? Lose the drama.

When we are weak, we are strong. Jesus’ most powerful moment on earth was not when He was born the virgin birth or walking on water. His greatest and most powerful moment was when He was weakest and most humble, when He was on the Cross.

Our prayer should be: “God help me see this the way you see it and show me my own sins and woundedness.”

“We expect access to the sacred without cost, without thought, without pain, without waiting.” – David F. Wells

Emotions are a deep part of our faith and we cannot dismiss it. But God is not just a teddy bear that gives butterfly kisses. He is an all-powerful and all-knowing Creator that it is not all about feelings. He knows and He feels. No more, no less.

We are not defined by our symptoms of sin, but by our relationship with God. Anything less in our expectation is blasphemy of Jesus on the Cross. Our salvation from His sacrifice is ultimate.

Our relationship with Christ is not based on our desires, but His desire for us.

We do not control God with our prayers. Our prayers are a request from us to God. He knows the journey and what is best for us. If we assume we know what is best, then we are saying we know better than God and have made ourselves an idol. Can we let go and let God?

Temptation is not a sin but an attack. Jesus was tempted.

“The Christian ideal has not been tired and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” – G.K. Chesterton

Do we have an understanding of what Biblical discipleship looks like? Barna Research found that 81% of Christians say maturity is “following the rules.” (cite Barna website)

Notice the cultural influence of Romans 1:24-37 in the Message. If we have no understanding of American homosexual influences, we might miss this. We assume that it is okay, yet if we are uncompromising, we notice this is about lust versus love only.

So God said, in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!

Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn’t know how to be human either—women didn’t know how to be women, men didn’t know how to be men. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it—emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches.

Grace is not blind tolerance or an unknowable concept. It is not a free pass to do anything nor something that only applies to Christians. We need to have a firm theology of grace and many Christians have no idea.

One of the most dangerous places you can be is a Christian bookstore. They can teach a message and philosophy to you without knowing their whole theology. Can we subscribe to a teaching from an author that believes that the virgin birth and Trinity are not necessary?

We need to remove the “hot topic” and wounded emotions from the judgmental attitudes and approach this with Christian hearts.

The question has never been if we will love the homosexual community. Jesus tells us to LOVE ALL. The question is if the Christian faith will allow/accept leadership to incorporate homosexuality.

We should not be over or under-reacting to the homosexuality movement. We must look at the Biblical perspective as well as the biological and human development factors.

Consistent in everything. Heterosexual or homosexual situations are not different.

It is amazing that we are dedicating 6 solid hours to how youth ministry interacts with homosexuality. Youth culture demands it and we are responding big!

Pursing Wholeness: The Role of Discipleship

Games in the morning are a good thing, but my brain needs more coffee first…