Read It While You Can

15 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Chan, harsh, hell, tongue

There’s been some debate recently about hell being a literal or figurative place and some mud-slinging to go along with it. I’ve stated my position of ignorance in the past (March 22, 2011 Blog) and still want to be more in tune with what God would have me do today and live it out than argue with someone about hell. At any rate, with any book about anything controversial more books will come out with the other argument and I guess my good buddy (I don’t really know the guy but he makes me think) Frances Chan has responded to Rob Bell’s book and below is a link for an excerpt. I appreciate Chan for bringing out things that I overlook at times. For instance, I can get rolling with the argument that hell is for bad people who do bad things and Chan points out that the Bible says people who talk harshly about others are those very folks doing bad things. Now, I know for a fact that there is some gossiping going on at lots of church buildings because a) I’ve heard it and b) I’m pretty sure I’ve joined in before and a good bit of that gossip fits under the category of speaking harshly about others. Something to think about…

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Here’s the link to Chan’s excerpt. I’m not sure if I can legally borrow it or not but I’ll give it a whirl and hope it simply makes you think.

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Chan on hell

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Grace and peace to you.
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The Babbling Brook

19 Tuesday Apr 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in fire, heaven, hell, Las Vegas, Possum Kingdom

≈ 2 Comments

That’s kind of how I feel about this post today. Just babbling. I’m on my way to Las Vegas. Woohoo. I’ve got $5,000 in cash and I’m ready to win big. Truth is I’m on my way to Vegas and I have $40 in my pocket because I don’t see myself gambling too much. One the last trip I wagered $3 and won $6 I think. I am OVER THE TOP. Ha-ha. I’m ready to take care of business (the real reason for the trip) and get home.

I saw the lead-in to Entertainment Tonight Monday night and wanted to throw the remote at the TV. The Royal Wedding? Seriously, is that the most important thing people have on their plate? Contrast that with a Facebook post by a friend on Saturday that he was with his church youth group in downtown Dallas trying to serve the homeless.

I’m glad I’ve attained perfection so I can criticize others.

That’s a BIG joke folks. Still, how much press can 2 people getting married receive as well as Charlie Sheen and whether Susan Lucci is going to join Desperate Housewives? Do these people not know the Rangers game is on TV?

I don’t know what to say after watching the news and watching the homes burning near Possum Kingdom lake except, “Lord, send rain and protect the firefighters and others who are putting their lives on the line and those who are volunteering their time.”

I’ve been keeping up with some Facebook posts by several who are debating the existence of a literal hell. It’s another argument that does draw some interest from me but one that, in the end, matters little to me. Maybe it will be a bigger issue to know these answers one day but for now, I just want to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and serve others as I believe he has called me to do and prepare for an eternity in heaven. Now, I’m not going to start telling everyone to enjoy life on earth and live it up because they have a free pass to heaven because I don’t believe that is what the Bible says but if I get to heaven and it’s filled up with people who claimed to be non-believers, murderers, drug users, liars, and whoever else God decides is worthy to be there, I’ll say HALLELUJAH and ask to be pointed to the fly fishing area. (I also want to know where the golf course is so I can go say hi to Rick.)

To that end, if and when I have all the facts about everything God knows, I’ll share it here. Until then, I’ll post what I believe, be willing to listen to other ideas and try to know more about my incredible father and Lord.

Grace and peace to you.

Helen Waite

23 Wednesday Mar 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in heaven, hell, love, Rob Bell

≈ 2 Comments

I always get a kick out of the sign I see in some businesses that say something like “our credit manager, Helen Waite, handles all requests for credit. If you want credit, please go straight to Helen Waite.”

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I’ve spent some time reading more and more of the fallout surrounding Rob Bell’s new book, “Love Wins” and the question of what Bell thinks about hell. I’ve found a blog from a pastor who lost his job because he no longer believes in a literal hell full of fire and eternal torment. I’ve found a blog written by someone who thinks he’s on the fringe of religion and think the discussion of hell is a complete non-issue. I’ve found a blog that defends Bell and I’ve found a blog that shares how people have labeled Bell a universalist and heretic.

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Sadly, I don’t know enough about the titles people are given (I’m still trying to ascertain exactly what liberal and progressive means in the churches of Christ) so I can’t speak to what Bell is or isn’t and, I would guess, that applies to the people who have taken to name-calling. However, it has made me stop for at least a brief moment and think about what I believe about the concept of hell and has made me realize it’s another one of the many things I need to go deeper in studying. It has also reinforced the idea of God’s love and the importance of living in the knowledge of that, more important than anything I can be doing right now.

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It has also opened the door on thinking how I feel about the wars we are engaging in and the justification our country has made for getting involved. If love conquers all, why are we dropping bombs. If heaven is the place we really want to go, why are we killing people we fear? In Ephesians, we are given the tools we need for battle and I can’t remember where we get the bullets, grenades and bombs in the deal. Does it mean I’m a pacifist? It very well could. I’m already past agreeing with the death penalty in any form or fashion. Does it make me weak? Maybe in some eyes but it is where I’ll have to live on faith.

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Grace and peace to you.
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Kids and Hell

22 Tuesday Mar 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in heaven, hell, love, Rob Bell

≈ 1 Comment

A compelling title? Two different subjects today.

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A mother of two teenage daughters gave me a napkin that cracked me up. It says, “I’ll have a caffe mocha vodka valium latte to go, please.” Cracked me up.

Rob Bell has come out with a new book titled “Love Wins” and it seems he touches on the topic of hell and whether it is a literal place and the book seems to have started a firestorm of it’s own. I’ve heard from friends things being said online and read some stuff on Facebook and can’t help but wonder what difference it all makes.

I’ve heard people in the past rationalize their faith by saying something to this affect, “I rather follow God and find out there is no God than not follow God and find out hell is real.” I guess my thoughts today revolve around the knowledge that God is love (says so in the good book!) and I have become compelled to follow God and love him back because he LOVES me and gave his son for me. I can’t imagine loving my children simply because they are afraid of me and I can’t imagine God loving me if I was “loving” him just so I wouldn’t have to go to hell. I understand the consequences of bad actions because I got my fair share of spankings when I was a kid but I love my parents because they loved me, not because they had me cowering in fear.

All that to say, it’s sad to me when Satan wins a skirmish by getting Christ-followers up in arms about a book someone wrote debating something that isn’t completely spelled out in God’s word, at least not to my level of understanding. On the other hand, I do believe heaven is real, it’s the place where God exists and heaven is the place he has prepared for me and that’s where I want my focus (but it doesn’t mean I know what heaven is all about either).

I hope the arguments soon cease, that God is praised and glorified and that people who don’t know God will know that he loves them so much, he sent his only son to die that whoever believes in him will be saved.

Grace and peace to you.