Before I came to Regeneration, my accountability partners and I regularly talked about pursuing purity. Interestingly, though, none of us ever asked what exactly we meant. What I was after was a complete absence of sexual sin. That was my definition of purity. I’d say something very different today. (As a matter of fact, I’m about to.) Purity is not primarily about an absence of something sinful...
The Macaroni and Cheese Effect
At their core, your desires are not the problem. They’re a gift, pointing to a good, God-given desire. And this is true even if the desire you’re feeling is for something sinful. Usually when I go on a dinner date with my wife, we make a simple meal for the kids before we go. Chicken nuggets, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, or fish sticks. They love it. I’m a sucker for the macaroni and cheese:...
Domain
The battle for purity is a battle for dominion. And your body is the domain in the balance.
Replay: Bait and Switch
(Originally posted in March 2012. Enjoy!) It’s a form of fraud. A store offers a great item at a great price, but when you show up, that product is gone and you’re shown something “just as good” but at a higher price. If you recognize the scam, you turn on your heels and leave empty handed. There’s a spiritual version of bait and switch, too. And most people buy it hook, line, and sinker...
Walking
More than ever, we're being asked where we stand regarding sex and sexuality. Here's my brief reply.
Vagabond
If you’ve seen an alleyway lined with blankets and cardboard boxes or an underpass flickering with the light of empty oil drum fires, you’ve had a glimpse of a vagabond fellowship. It’s a place where the beat down and broken find an accepting community, but one where they remain broken.