I have often noted that Jesus said we are to be children all our lives. He, further, emphasizes that we need to be like little children. The result is that the gap between what we are today and what the Bible says can be daunting. We also have gaps in terms of meeting people’s needs around us. Are we good enough? It can all be too much for us, and we give up or shrink inside ourselves. How does God …
Jesus says he hates divorce and says we men need to love our wives, and wives need to respect their husbands. No sex before marriage is also clear and so wise. Let’s think how we can do better from that base by looking at Christian marriage and newlyweds. Translating for a marriage counselor, Chinese-English-Chinese, a wise American Christian older woman said to the young Chinese woman. “Do not give too much of yourself at the start of the marriage. Hold …
Except God. His command to be perfect is found in Matthew 5:48. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Let’s look at 2 issues arising from such a bold statement of Jesus from which he does not apologize at all. Jesus says just before this that if we just look at a girl in lust, we have committed adultery. He says that if we are angry with a brother that is equal to murder. He sets the bar …
Power money and Christian accountability are topics that need to be raised together. They often are not enough. I think. What does the Bible say? Proverbs 30:9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Jesus said we should be a servant if we want to lead. James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each …
I am a first generation American Christian ESTJ dad who is very rule bound married to a first generation Chinese Christian ENFJ. Both of us have a very strong J meaning we are a very black and white rules family. My wifes’s black and white is about responsiveness in relationship. Our 3 kids are 14-18 and one is one semester into a US college. The boy is the second child. They are ESTJ, INFP and ISFP/J. How Do we raise …
Hmm, what about priorities in Christian Life? I love my wife. My kids are precious. I also love the birds near our home. My job and the house we own, I also love. I love my country and am politically center right. Oatmeal is part of my every morning routine and am not as happy if I cannot. I love God and am His forever. Now when all these needs and wants come at once, which is most important? What …
What is Christian marriage? Funny question to ask in a blog post when so many books have been written. What does the Bible say about marriage? How is that relevant to us? In Genesis 2:24, the Bible says, 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. God does not say this about my Mom and me or my wife and our kids. He says this about husband and …
Really? Desire More is the path to life? Doesn’t desire cause our problems? So, I grew up in a family where my parents saw emotion and desire as the enemy. This led me to have a favorite color of gray and really a gray life. I first discovered that God wanted me to feel when I was 25. However, that does not mean I could clear away all the wrong attitudes and habits I had. I married a woman who …
In early morning I went running in my new neighborhood along a Yangzte river delta stream in our City in Wuxi, China. I noticed that not many people were out, but other runners were out. 80% were men running alone like me and 10% were couples out walking together and 10% were women running alone. Here I see again that by creation design women and men are so different. In the evenings in China women gather to do line dancing …
What is fair? Fairness or one love one another? My family is starting to send kids to college in quick succession. As such, we are liquidating the rental house we own to help pay for it. I am thrilled by how it has gained in value even while we sometimes could rent it out these 8 years. But here is the hitch. I like things to be stable and not change. Um, my 2 younger children and wife like change …
