Apr 11, 2011
A Better Way to Define Ourselves
Posted by John Gilkenson in | Comments (0)
Back sometime in 1987 or so I was attending a church that over time I discovered had some aberrant doctrine sprinkled in with some orthodox Christianity. I was there for a little over a year until God, by His grace, showed me the errors of the church and helped me to move on to another more healthy gospel living body. I was not the only one who God delivered from this church, that was not only aberrant in its teachings, but also had some cult-like tendencies to it, but shortly after leaving there, a major split arose within the congregation andRead More...
Mar 13, 2011
God is Free
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Watching news about the tremendous devestion in Haiti is something that I wish I could avoid. I cannot imagine how it is for the people there who have scarce resourses to begin with, yet have to deal with losing entire families from an earthquake that left their country without any working government. Along with that, the nation will have great difficulty even receiving the aid that compassionate people worldwide are hoping to give to them. It is my prayer that people of faith will pray and not grow discouraged as we get further reports about this great tragedy over theRead More...
Jan 02, 2011
Childlike Confessions
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My wife had a recent conversation with my youngest son where he asked her if she "ever had an idea that she thought was a good idea, but then decided it wasn't a good idea and ended up feeling real bad about it." After a couple of questions to feel Rhys out, to see what was going on that little head of his, she told him she has made some poor judgments and she was curious as to why he would bring this up. My 10 year old then blurted out what might be described as a confession similar toRead More...
Nov 30, 2010
Perhaps Our Undoing
Posted by John Gilkenson in | Comments (4)
I am not one to be pessimistic about the current state of world affairs. Alright, I'm lying. There is much to be concerned with regarding the 21st century world landscape, the current monetary crisis in the United States perhaps being the most pressing. Certainly though, there are many other problems facing human kind that could make one wonder if an impending apocalypse is on the horizon. I can see why many may feel that way, yet I also know that "there is nothing new under the sun" and events such as this have happened before in the 4000 years ofRead More...
Nov 05, 2010
Something Other Than God
Posted by John Gilkenson in | Comments (0)
I've often heard that God is okay or acceptable in small doses. Many folks, at least from my experience, seem to suggest that being too serious about God violates some sort of social dignity or protocol. Maybe it comes back to that old, yet highly venerated aphorism..."Everything in moderation" Of course, being serious about God, like anything else I guess, means you are an enthusiast or fan of a higher being. And fan, deriving from the word "fanatic," is something the general public in their nice, safe, cozy world is not exactly comfortable with. This is understandable, theRead More...
Oct 27, 2010
Missed Opportunities
Posted by John Gilkenson in | Comments (5)
Fear, doubt, worry, business, apathy…these are just a few of the excuses, and in some cases sins, that lead many of us who pilgrimage planet earth to have occasion where we will look back and lament over “missed opportunities.” This could be as simple as the grown man who remembers being a shy teen and fearing asking the pretty girl out to the prom. Later on, perhaps single or in an unhappy marriage he may then wonder “what might have been.” This is one of many examples of what may be a "missed opportunity, "Read More...
