tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2722447614945782871.post5440746633488552480..comments2023-09-12T11:31:20.729-05:00Comments on Straight-Friendly: Where'd They Go?Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01271248501086241494noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2722447614945782871.post-18638727866451722352009-05-11T05:03:00.000-05:002009-05-11T05:03:00.000-05:00Darling Vikki, don't stress! Everything's here for...Darling Vikki, don't stress! Everything's here for your convenience; catch up as you can.<br /><br />Lately, the posts have got longer than usual (longer than I'd like, actually) and I can't really say why. But I realize they ask more time than normal and apologize while also hoping they're worth the time.<br /><br />I miss seeing/hearing from you, of course, but after all these months together, don't fret thinking I'm worried you've gone away. I know you're as busy as the rest of us and, more often than we'd like, "life gets in the way." We gotta do now what we gotta do now to get to do what we want to do later. So take your time and I'll look forward to hearing from you as soon as you get around to it!<br /><br />Great joy and happiness,<br />TimTimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271248501086241494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2722447614945782871.post-51369068209854533332009-05-10T14:19:00.000-05:002009-05-10T14:19:00.000-05:00Hi, Tim.
Sorry that I've been out of touch for a ...Hi, Tim.<br /><br />Sorry that I've been out of touch for a bit. I plan to get caught up on things this week.kkrynohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07727264476742817993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2722447614945782871.post-12586277527493352052009-05-04T01:43:00.000-05:002009-05-04T01:43:00.000-05:00CM, I and probably everyone else here can totally ...CM, I and probably everyone else here can totally empathize with what you say. I think the command to love is toughest when it comes to intolerant believers, because we have to offer them exactly what they're supposed to offer us and everyone else. I personally find a bigoted Christian many times more offensive than a hostile atheist or a mocking non-Christian, because his/her effrontery sullies the One I love more than anyone or anything in life.<br /><br />But what I think and how I feel obviously don't matter to them and can't affect Christ's love for them. If I don't love them as He asks, however, it most definitely impacts His regard for me. When I can't find anything lovable in an intolerant fellow believer, I summon all the strength I can to love them for Christ's sake. Whether or not that moves them--if they even notice--becomes irrelevant, because He sees all and He's Whom I want to please.<br /><br />A local pastor I followed very closely as teenager used to tell his congregation and radio audience EVERY WEEK, "It makes no difference what you think of me, but it does make a difference what I think of you." As a burgeoning gay man struggling with how to honor God yet remain true to myself, I took that to mean, "Man's opinion doesn't matter; pleasing God is what's important." At the time, that's what I needed to hear and I have no doubt it sustained me through my long crisis of faith. But now that I'm at ease with myself and confident of my acceptance, I hear another thing altogether. (And I don't think a day goes by that his words don't ring in my ears.)<br /><br />What we think of others makes a difference in US. "Preacher" (as we affectionately called him) always followed that sentence with this: "I can't allow hate, prejudice, or anything else that separates me from God to keep me from knowing Jesus is the Light of the world." Judging intolerant believers wedges lies of darkness between us and the truth of Christ's light. The ideas combative believers embrace and espouse are hateful, but they are no less worthy of our love and acceptance than we are of theirs. <br /><br />I'm a sinner, you're a sinner, and they're sinners. By judging one another, that's what we're reduced to share with one another. Acceptance and forgiveness, however, raise us all to share God's grace, and whether or not they join in doesn't diminish our lifting.<br /><br />Oh yes, it's tough--probably the hardest thing we'll ever be required to do. But as my dad always says, if it were easy, everybody would do it.<br /><br />CM, my dear and wonderful friend, your comments never cease to inspire me with their introspection and candor--and they always move me to examine my own heart against God's Word. You are a great blessing to me and all of us!<br /><br />Bask always in the truth of Christ's light,<br />TimTimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271248501086241494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2722447614945782871.post-83920857310157173292009-05-04T00:47:00.000-05:002009-05-04T00:47:00.000-05:00Pastor Tim,
I loved when you wrote, "This isn’t H...Pastor Tim,<br /><br />I loved when you wrote, "This isn’t His kind of crowd." Amen. <br /><br />This sermon reminds me of John 8:7, ""If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone..."<br /><br />I struggle with feeling intolerant of the intolerant. Clearly, Jesus wants me to have the utmost love for them, but I often want to shake them.<br /><br />Actually, I feel anguish when I witness people persecuting others in the name of Christ. I immediately think, "How can they defile His Name?"<br /><br />And yet, in judging them, I am demonstrating my own spiritual poverty. Not good.<br /><br />If we give offense, we are at fault for not expressing His love to our fellow man; and if we take offense, we are guilty of not upholding his call to forgiveness and reconciliation.<br /><br />Thankfully, I know only Christ Jesus is the perfect reflection of His Father's love! 'Cause me? I fall down all the time.<br /><br />Christian unity is something I pray for. It saddens me that some 4,000+ sects cannot find unity under the banner of Jesus.<br /><br />But I know peace begins with me, one small step at a time. If I strive to exemplify His infinite love, I assist Christian unity one more baby step.<br /><br />I have got to stop judging the intolerant Christian. We are all at different levels of understanding and we must have compassion for those whom have not rid their hearts of prejudice.<br /><br />Man, though, it is hard.<br /><br />Thanks for another awesome sermon.Britt Elizabeth Verstegenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06973388773198724983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2722447614945782871.post-82512234268611496212009-05-03T22:59:00.000-05:002009-05-03T22:59:00.000-05:00"The business of the kindgom is big and messy and ..."The business of the kindgom is big and messy and potentially uncomfortable... and just what God invites us to with great love." <br /><br />Would that I could engrave that on 10,000 plaques and hang them on the walls of 10,000 churches. It is a messy business, Fran, and we just make a bigger mess thinking we can clean things up.<br /><br />Now I'm keen to hear what you're saying on the St. Edward's blog--will get over there before the night ends!<br /><br />Fran, you know how much I love hearing from you, knowing you're here, and feeling the love in your words. Thank you again and again for this.<br /><br />Peace and happiness,<br />TimTimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271248501086241494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2722447614945782871.post-48081850082793925442009-05-03T20:54:00.000-05:002009-05-03T20:54:00.000-05:00Oh this is so good, really good. God wants nothing...Oh this is so good, really good. God wants nothing to do with faith brawls - amen.<br /><br />I wrote about Sectarian Catholicism on my churchy blog today.... <br /><br />The business of the kindgom is big and messy and potentially uncomfortable... and just what God invites us to with great love.<br /><br />ALL of us!Franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07181529277715646835noreply@blogger.com