Comments for http://covenantoflove.net Fri, 18 May 2012 07:06:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on The Christian Delusion Pt.1 by Derek Suchard http://covenantoflove.net/book-reviews/the-christian-delusion-pt-1/#comment-14594 Derek Suchard Fri, 18 May 2012 07:06:53 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6266#comment-14594 I'm very interested in how the authors of the book define the question 'is it true?' If they are limiting themselves to provable, historical proof, then I don't envy them their challenge. If they are focusing on the promises/commitments of faith, then their arguments can be very interesting, up to a point. For they will only be able to argue the truth of the provable. The inability to disprove the unprovable is as much beyond them as the proof of the unprovable is for the faithful. When reading this book, don't only question their answers...question their questions. I’m very interested in how the authors of the book define the question ‘is it true?’ If they are limiting themselves to provable, historical proof, then I don’t envy them their challenge. If they are focusing on the promises/commitments of faith, then their arguments can be very interesting, up to a point. For they will only be able to argue the truth of the provable. The inability to disprove the unprovable is as much beyond them as the proof of the unprovable is for the faithful. When reading this book, don’t only question their answers…question their questions.

]]> Comment on The Christian Delusion Pt.1 by John http://covenantoflove.net/book-reviews/the-christian-delusion-pt-1/#comment-14532 John Thu, 17 May 2012 13:16:30 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6266#comment-14532 Hi Derek, such a journey can be rich, rewarding and renewing. It is also important to share it with someone who cares about you. Not just someone who will try to argue you into believing, but someone who will listen and love you and allow you to be honest and allow you to uncover the wisdom and desire in your heart. I have been a pastor for 42 years. I have lived with many questions about the truth of my faith over the years. I have found, in the end, that when I asked these questions prayerfully (which is an act of faith) I have always found "the truth". After the last question, that led me to a huge transition in the way I believed in God, Christ and the Spirit, I realized that for me God is "Truth" and the search for truth is a journey of the head and the heart. Blessings P.S. this search may disconnect you from the faith you have had, it is a letting go of ways that we believe that worked for a period in our lives and change as we grow up. It may be darkness, but it can be a holy darkness, like a dark night of the soul, where our search for truth, or God, leads us to a deeper connection with the Sacred/Holy/Higher Power..... Hi Derek, such a journey can be rich, rewarding and renewing. It is also important to share it with someone who cares about you. Not just someone who will try to argue you into believing, but someone who will listen and love you and allow you to be honest and allow you to uncover the wisdom and desire in your heart. I have been a pastor for 42 years. I have lived with many questions about the truth of my faith over the years. I have found, in the end, that when I asked these questions prayerfully (which is an act of faith) I have always found “the truth”. After the last question, that led me to a huge transition in the way I believed in God, Christ and the Spirit, I realized that for me God is “Truth” and the search for truth is a journey of the head and the heart. Blessings P.S. this search may disconnect you from the faith you have had, it is a letting go of ways that we believe that worked for a period in our lives and change as we grow up. It may be darkness, but it can be a holy darkness, like a dark night of the soul, where our search for truth, or God, leads us to a deeper connection with the Sacred/Holy/Higher Power…..

]]> Comment on The Christian Delusion Pt.1 by Wade Sikes http://covenantoflove.net/book-reviews/the-christian-delusion-pt-1/#comment-14526 Wade Sikes Thu, 17 May 2012 11:26:21 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6266#comment-14526 Derek, I too have at times struggled with my faith. Four years ago, I reached a make or break point, and I asked God, if he was real, to reveal himself. He did. Long story short, the past four years have been an amazing walk. my prayers are with you as you take this journey. Check out closertotruth.com for some good information from both sides of the fence. Derek, I too have at times struggled with my faith. Four years ago, I reached a make or break point, and I asked God, if he was real, to reveal himself. He did. Long story short, the past four years have been an amazing walk. my prayers are with you as you take this journey. Check out closertotruth.com for some good information from both sides of the fence.

]]> Comment on The Christian Delusion Pt.1 by Don (Greywolf) Ford http://covenantoflove.net/book-reviews/the-christian-delusion-pt-1/#comment-14523 Don (Greywolf) Ford Thu, 17 May 2012 11:09:24 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6266#comment-14523 I'm Native American, and if I turn my back on the Creator, my life ceases to have value and I lie to myself. I have had too many real encounters in my life to fall for the human teachings of men who never knew God in much depth. Attending Dad's church does not a believer make us. A person who has had a taste of the real deal, never turns back. Did any have a meeting with the Holy Ghost??? I don't just believe my God exists, but I have had genuine stirrings in my heart and soul, much like the words of John Wesley when he reported that his heart was strangely warmed. It is as much a feeling as it is a knowing. Ask for my magazine stories of a God who not only answers prayer but at times showed up on my doorstep. Where eagles fly, Don (Greywolf) Ford Author of "Royal Ferdinand" and Death & Taxes" both at Amazon I’m Native American, and if I turn my back on the Creator, my life ceases to have value and I lie to myself. I have had too many real encounters in my life to fall for the human teachings of men who never knew God in much depth. Attending Dad’s church does not a believer make us. A person who has had a taste of the real deal, never turns back. Did any have a meeting with the Holy Ghost???

I don’t just believe my God exists, but I have had genuine stirrings in my heart and soul, much like the words of John Wesley when he reported that his heart was strangely warmed. It is as much a feeling as it is a knowing.

Ask for my magazine stories of a God who not only answers prayer but at times showed up on my doorstep.

Where eagles fly,
Don (Greywolf) Ford
Author of “Royal Ferdinand” and Death & Taxes” both at Amazon

]]> Comment on Ontario Gives Green Light To Right Light District by Sermon Illustrations http://covenantoflove.net/culture/ontario-gives-green-light-to-right-light-district/#comment-14514 Sermon Illustrations Thu, 17 May 2012 05:33:59 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6144#comment-14514 Did the local Church body have an opinion on their right to work? Did the local Church body have an opinion on their right to work?

]]> Comment on The Christian Delusion Pt.1 by Dave Leigh http://covenantoflove.net/book-reviews/the-christian-delusion-pt-1/#comment-14513 Dave Leigh Thu, 17 May 2012 05:22:16 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6266#comment-14513 Derek, I will be watching and praying. I took a little departure from the faith at one point after walking with the Lord for about 25 years. The season of atheism that followed was the darkest and most empty time of my life. Yet it only hardened my heart until finally God broke through me. You have no idea how barren and cold the cosmos is without him, if you've truly known him, when you find yourself a prodigal in a far off land. Like the prodigal, I "came to myself" and discovered that while I had abandoned me, God never did. He was with me the whole time. But even the greatest Christians have had such struggles. You may want to read Schaeffer's True Spirituality next. Derek, I will be watching and praying. I took a little departure from the faith at one point after walking with the Lord for about 25 years. The season of atheism that followed was the darkest and most empty time of my life. Yet it only hardened my heart until finally God broke through me. You have no idea how barren and cold the cosmos is without him, if you’ve truly known him, when you find yourself a prodigal in a far off land. Like the prodigal, I “came to myself” and discovered that while I had abandoned me, God never did. He was with me the whole time. But even the greatest Christians have had such struggles. You may want to read Schaeffer’s True Spirituality next.

]]> Comment on Would Paul Allow Bikinis? by Derek Ouellette http://covenantoflove.net/uncategorized/would-paul-allow-bikinis/#comment-14492 Derek Ouellette Wed, 16 May 2012 06:49:10 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6259#comment-14492 Because this is widely a grey issue I tend to avoid laying down clear laws to the matter. But I'll suggest two scenarios where I think context would deem bikinis inappropriate: in a setting dominated by Christians who feel it is wrong. To do so in that context would be to incite division where I believe the scriptures would plead with you to abstain for the sake of unity and wear our bikini on another occasion. The second scenario I would suggest is if you are with a Christian brother who is weak in the Lord and heavily struggling in that area. Help the brother out not just with your words ("Suck it up bub, I am empowered woman christian who can wear whatever I want") but with your actions, ("God has given you the grace to overcome this struggle, but I'm not going to make it more difficult on you by wearing this bikini"). This is not holding the woman to fault for the struggles of the guy (as if someone is not allowing a woman to be a woman or whatever), this is a sister in the Lord choosing to help a brother in the Lord with words amd actions. Because this is widely a grey issue I tend to avoid laying down clear laws to the matter. But I’ll suggest two scenarios where I think context would deem bikinis inappropriate: in a setting dominated by Christians who feel it is wrong. To do so in that context would be to incite division where I believe the scriptures would plead with you to abstain for the sake of unity and wear our bikini on another occasion.

The second scenario I would suggest is if you are with a Christian brother who is weak in the Lord and heavily struggling in that area. Help the brother out not just with your words (“Suck it up bub, I am empowered woman christian who can wear whatever I want”) but with your actions, (“God has given you the grace to overcome this struggle, but I’m not going to make it more difficult on you by wearing this bikini”). This is not holding the woman to fault for the struggles of the guy (as if someone is not allowing a woman to be a woman or whatever), this is a sister in the Lord choosing to help a brother in the Lord with words amd actions.

]]> Comment on Would Paul Allow Bikinis? by Troy Crider http://covenantoflove.net/uncategorized/would-paul-allow-bikinis/#comment-14491 Troy Crider Wed, 16 May 2012 06:26:39 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6259#comment-14491 Thanks for writing this Derek. It does read a bit more balanced than the extremes, and for that, I'm grateful. However, after reading in the end where you say "The bottom line is that Christians in particular should be mindful of their context. Be mindful of their actions. And be mindful of the body of Christ.," one wonders about the possible scenarios, context, or settings, in which the voice of the Spirit of Wisdom might lead not to wear bikinis. How would you bring clarity and understanding in regards to that? Thanks for writing this Derek. It does read a bit more balanced than the extremes, and for that, I’m grateful. However, after reading in the end where you say

“The bottom line is that Christians in particular should be mindful of their context. Be mindful of their actions. And be mindful of the body of Christ.,”

one wonders about the possible scenarios, context, or settings, in which the voice of the Spirit of Wisdom might lead not to wear bikinis. How would you bring clarity and understanding in regards to that?

]]> Comment on What Is A “Functional” Egalitarian? by Derek Ouellette http://covenantoflove.net/feminism/what-is-a-functional-egalitarian/#comment-14481 Derek Ouellette Mon, 14 May 2012 17:43:40 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6233#comment-14481 Thanks for the thoughts Derek. That's an interesting perspective: God calls people to function in certain ways precisely because they are not gifted in those roles in order that they may rely on his grace and not on their own strength. That's counterintuitive to be sure, and goes against the grain of how giftings and roles in the church are usually taught and understood by both sides. Thanks for the thoughts Derek. That’s an interesting perspective: God calls people to function in certain ways precisely because they are not gifted in those roles in order that they may rely on his grace and not on their own strength. That’s counterintuitive to be sure, and goes against the grain of how giftings and roles in the church are usually taught and understood by both sides.

]]> Comment on What Is A “Functional” Egalitarian? by Boot http://covenantoflove.net/feminism/what-is-a-functional-egalitarian/#comment-14474 Boot Mon, 14 May 2012 01:56:12 +0000 http://covenantoflove.net/?p=6233#comment-14474 I do share the complementarian conviction that the scriptures place the heavy spiritual responsibility of the home…on the shoulders of men.” So my question is then, where do you say, in the scriptures the spiritual responsibilty of "the home" (children, decision making etc) is placed on the shoulders of the husband (to the exclusion of the wife)? I do share the complementarian conviction that the scriptures place the heavy spiritual responsibility of the home…on the shoulders of men.”

So my question is then, where do you say, in the scriptures the spiritual responsibilty of “the home” (children, decision making etc) is placed on the shoulders of the husband (to the exclusion of the wife)?

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