If you saw Jesus walking on the water, you would report to the world that Jesus couldn’t swim! Your post is an offense. God DOES heal. You are reading the post of a man whose son was healed by God from an incurable brain injury. I am sorry you were not there. A Christian can to the intensive care unit and prayed for him. So, that’s at least one that I know of.

Regardless of your rambling, opinions, and the perceived substance in your warbling words, you are going to die…period. Is that hate speech to say that? Is that a fear based statement? Or is it just…true?

No matter what you say or do, you will meet Him, eventually. And even though you may be skeptical about Him, of totally disbelieve Him, He loves you. He became a man to suffer your pain and take the penalty for your sins. The only thing that will ever separate you from Him is your own, personal unbelief. The ball is in your court, buddy. Have a nice day.

One more thing — Throughout history, people have done horrific things in the name of God. But, none of those things could ever be so horrific as to subvert the truth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. You are still responsible for your actions, under God. I’ll see you soon, prayerfully.

Dave

Boys who show energy and initiative are labeled as sufferers from attention deficit disorder and quickly put on Ritalin. Worse, older masculine ideals are put down as archaic, oppressive, “sexist,” and barbaric. This has led to a degradation of both sexes. Men are increasingly predatory or useless, fathering kids they quickly abandon, leaving their older wives with children, and retreating from responsibility with a cynical demand for equal treatment. If they are less anti-social, they are wimpy, insecure, and superfluous figures. Women, in the name of equal rights, find themselves barren and unattractive after investing their prime years in a career that does not live up to billing in terms of fulfillment. Even if they manage to settle down, masculine virtues like emotional self control and bearing are in short supply among their mates.

My pastor had a serious dialogue with me about my pace at one point sharing your mindset, but not caring for myself very well. He pointed out many men like this, and said, he used to share the same opinion as well, but that many years of experience have moved him toward a more balanced approach.

I was not familiar with a Biblical term or approach called “balance” and it’s taken me some years mulling it with the Lord to “get it” in a way where I valued it from a Biblical perspective.

My pastor left me with this thought: “to honor family above all else is to honor God above all else.”

Paul makes it clear that when a family is taken on, that calls for priority and time. Obviously, we can do more for the kingdom without those responsibilities, but once we choose them, they are to be priorities. He acknowledged that.

Jesus called men to leave family for a short season, and he calls some to that, but even dying on the cross, he had the care of his mother on his mind. He valued care for family.

To take care of those responsibilities gave him peace and joy.

A few years back as I was examining this concept, God showed me at one point that I COULD keep running fast and hard toward Him and toward some goals for ministry, but that I was going to suffer a flat tire because of it if I didn’t allow other areas and people in my life to keep up with the pace and with me…this is balance. Being able to pursue goals AND wait…all at the same time.

Jesus took time for personal rejuvenation and prayer…this is balance. Not running ahead of God.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength”…this part implies the lack of balance and sold out commitment, but the second part, “and the second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself.” These implies a waiting on others, care for them…the inconveniences or relationships and love, prioritizing that just as much as we do pursuing God.

We take care of our human temples which house the Holy Spirit while we are on this earth…keeping them in good working condition for service. We are good stewards of all we have been given, not denying ourselves the care we need to stay strong.

This isn’t what God intended.

No, obedience doesn’t always look balanced to others, no Christian life will. But, we strive for a sense of balance. “For God is a God of order and a God of peace”.

Balance gives me time to recovery and refresh and find new grace for the next tasks, realizing I am not God, but flesh…human. Life wears on me. It tells me to give myself time to recovery between hard meetings so that I have grace for the next. It recognizes it’s limits. It doesn’t want to have left-overs for self, friends, and families, but saves some of it’s “best moments” for them.

Well, I certainly don’t have this in formal form and am speaking very off the cuff here, but I hope these thoughts are valuable to you. I fought them for a long time, but have found them good for my health, refreshing to my marriage, and spiritually energizing. Quite the opposite of an illusion of balance. It certainly doesn’t mean I hit quotas or other people’s ideas of balance, but I seek and find my own sense of balance and health so that I can better serve. That’s balance.