“Overwhelmed or Underwhelmed?”

Meeting a Celebrity

She could not wait to meet Kirk Cameron. The Hollywood star was at an area bookstore to sign copies of his new book.

As a teenager, she’d diligently followed his acting career. His magazine pictures and posters covered the walls in her room. Now a Christian, Cameron was using his celebrity platform to promote his faith in Jesus.

Waiting in line, this wife and mother planned what to say when she met him. She rehearsed it several times. When she stepped before the actor, he smiled and said hello.

In response, her body shut down.

Knees turned to jelly. Throat closed up. Mind went blank.

“Fifty Shades of Grace”

A Message from James Watkins

I like how James Watkins talks about Fifty Shades of Grey. With his permission, I am reprinting his February 10 post.

Fifty shades of grace

Someone asked me, why am I so bent out of shape by the best-selling book and now major movie, Fifty Shades of Grey. It’s certainly not because I hate sex. I’ve written three books celebrating sexuality and lifting up the sex act as the highest form of intimacy and pleasure on earth. It’s because I am so pro-sex that I am so anti-Grey!

The apostle Paul writes: “As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband (Ephesians 5:31-32).

Throughout the Bible, sexual intercourse has been used as a symbol for the unity and intimacy that God wants to have with himself and his people. (He used circumcision as a symbol of faithfulness to him! And called unfaithfulness to him “adultery.”) God is so pro-sex that the Bible devotes an entire book, The Song of Solomon, to the celebration of sexual pleasure—with some pretty graphic images!

I believe that’s why God gave us strict and detailed commandments on how sexuality is to be expressed. And that’s why I believe the enemy tries so hard to degrade, demean and devalue sex. We see it in porn, in child sex trade, sadomasochism, and many, many other perversions of God’s original design.

So, that’s why I’ve spoken out so strongly against Fifty Shades of Grey. (I suspect the sadistic main character’s name, Christian, is a not-so-subtle attempt to further sully the name of Christ—and sex.)

But here’s the good news! God’s grace has made a way for everyone—no matter his or her sexual past—to experience a relationship with him that far exceeds any earthly symbol. (Sex is just an pale preview of what pleasure awaits Christ’s followers in heaven.)

Click to learn how you can experience God’s love and fifty shades of grace!

Copyright © 2015 James N. Watkins from www.jameswatkins.com

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you know Fifty Shades of Grey has pulled my chain. I'm offering this essay to use free on your blog or Facebook as long as a) you don't make any changes and b) include credit line. I strongly believe this book and film are part of campaign of the enemy to drag God and his wonderful gift through the gutter. Thanks for spreading Fifty Shades of Grace! 

Thank you, James Watkins, for sharing your thoughts with us.

What about you? What would you add to the conversation?

David

“Letting Squeaky Wheels Squeak”

Constructive vs. Destructive

Constructive criticism is like cough medicine. Not pleasant, but good for us.

If a problem should be addressed or a task could be done better, this info is gold. Even if it comes wrapped in a complaint, the goal is to help us improve.

Destructive feedback is like brushing one’s finger against an electric hedge trimmer while it’s on. (Not fun. I have the scar to prove it.) It hurts badly and doesn’t help the situation.

Some negative people are “squeakaholics.”

One drop of oil on their squeaky wheel is too many, but 1,000 drops are not enough. No matter what we fix now, later they’ll return about something else that’s broken.

My snarky side wonders if, in heaven, such people will fuss that the streets of gold are too shiny.