THIS is what it's all about!

Beautiful

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Philippians 4:8

Walk this way...

This short post is meant to be a gateway for the raging masses and adoring fans of Curtville, who, sadly, don't know where to find one of the most greatest preachers and Bible scholars in the world today.

People...may I introduce Pastor John MacArthur. Check out his ministries website www.gtycanada.org. I particularly like watching his TV episodes and listening to his sermons. His books are "pretty okay to!" - Mr Miyagi (if you have to ask who Mr Miyagi is may I suggest renting The Karate Kid). The Lord Jesus has, without a doubt, used this man (John MacArthur, not Mr Miyagi) in my life.

Enjoy the site y'all.

The 'net in the Deck

Here I sit. Madly typing away. I'm not typing quickly or in a fast way when I say "madly". I'm typing and I'm mad. Why? Because things in my little world are not how I want them to be. This is the kind of person I am - the reactor. I react to pretty much everything. So, what is the latest thing attracting my ire? The internet!

Out here in the outback know as Waldeck I have "high speed" internet. Of the many things I knew would change when we moved here from Calgary I thought the internet was not one of them. I have suddenly noticed within the last two weeks how crappy my internet connection has become. You see, I am a gamer. I love computer games! I am into one right now, Call of Duty 4, that I play online. Well I have been noticing lately that whenever I try to play I am not able to get onto a server because I have a high ping rate. When I say "high", that's exactly what it is. I surfed the net to get some answers about this and other gamers say their high ping rate is in the 150 to 200 zone. Well, that's my normal ping rate. My high has been 2500 to 3000, but mostly in the 1700 to 2300 range. What does this mean for poor ol' Curt? No winding down at night in my man cave destroying evil foes and bad guys. Why is this so? I pay for "high speed". Should I not get what I pay for? Are there different "high speeds"? Who determines what is high speed? Is there a range? I had high speed in Calgary and it was a rare exception that I could not get onto a game server to play. Out in Waldeck, forget about it!

So, this little tragedy plays out, and I am its mad victim. I don't mean that I'm going mad, I mean...you know!

*sigh*

The mirror

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? I mean REALLY looked? What do you see? Every single day I view a figure. Blue eyes, stubble of hair on my head and chin, a little bit of a crooked nose from a little "incident" in Grade 9, a little bit of a tire around the waist. It's all in passing though. Brief moments in the morning and at work in the bathroom. Fleeting. The mirror just reflects an image but doesn't get to the heart of that image - the "who" of it.

Who am I? Am I what I do? Am I a group I'm associated with? Am I the letters after my name (Okay, I know. I have no letters after my name. Gimme a break!) I have started to question this today. Why? It's because of my rampant sin. Weird, eh? I have discovered that I find it very easy to measure myself against other people - and I always come out on top. I see their garbage, their attitudes, their life and I measure it against mine. Of course, theirs is All bad (okay, I'm a nice guy so I sometimes give them little charities here and there in my assessment) and mine is all good (okay, I'm not ALL good so sometimes I back off on my greatness...just a little). It is in the times of being confronted with my sin, when I see what I do and how I go about doing it, that I realize what a tremendous hypocrite that I am. I can't even bring myself comfort by telling myself that others are this way as well because I see the lie in that - I'm still measuring myself by others. I realize how much (and I don't think I really realize HOW much) I have offended God and His Son, Jesus Christ, who bought me with his Life. When I measure myself against Him, I'm hooped! AND, it seems the only time I do a serious measure of myself against Him is when I am face to face with my sin.

I am me. I KNOW I am no better than anyone else, although right now I feel I am worse than everyone else. Inwardly so pious and all-knowing and then to have to see that I'm not, that I'm worse than the people I've measured myself against. I find in these moments that I am like the tax collector who could not even LOOK towards heaven but beat his chest saying, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!" I'm no longer that Pharisee who looks down on the sinner and tsk tsk's at how bad he is.

I am the sinner that I look down on.

Discussions on homosexuality

I have recently involved myself in the giving of my opinion on the issue of homosexuality on the blog of a friend. This friend had started a discussion on this subject to open the lines of communication and engage in discussion about this as kind of an addition to some classes he is offering at his Church. It's pretty cool, actually, that the Church he heads is willing to tackle this issue and to not move into it with all guns blazing, "die homo die" kind of mentality that seems to be, at least behind the scenes, the real feeling of lot's of Christians. From what I can gather in his blog there are those in his church from this lifestyle. My friend invited all to share their comments but they had to do it by using their real names, no anonymous postings, and it had to be in the spirit of open communication. He would write a post and then people would comment on it. I couldn't resist so I offered my two cents.

My post basically entailed this approach: If we're Christians we must go to the Word of God and see what He has given us in His Word on this subject. It was not in a spirit of anger, antagonism or anything else. I also included some of my observations on what I have read about homosexual and lesbian people who say they are Christians and that God blesses what they are doing. My post was responded to by a lady who is a lesbian and from what I could gather, in a relationship with another woman. Essentially, she said that the Word of God was not clear on the issue, and that I have never known a gay or lesbian couple of faith and that she knows that when the two of them are together everything is right in the world and her life - they love each other.

I have gone back and read and re-read that post, and others after it, numerous times in order to understand it. I have come to some conclusions and I'm sure will reach other conclusions as I ponder it. #1 - I really do believe the Word of God is clear on the subject. I can't understand how anyone can read the verses associated with homosexuality and say the Word isn't clear. What I think, however, is that because this is such a huge part of a person's life (it's who and what they are) hearing that a loving God condemns this behavior puts them over the edge. #2 - I have never knowingly met a gay or lesbian couple who say they are Christians. I've know a few gay and lesbian couples, but none who are Christians. They are about as normal as anyone else is. And, the ones I have known are pretty nice people. #3 - I've no doubt whatsoever that this lady and her partner love each other. In fact, I would go so far as to say (of course I don't know them at all) that their relationship may even be more stable and "better" than a non-homosexual or non-lesbian relationship.

The thing is this: These last two realizations have NO impact on what scripture says AT ALL! Scripture should be a guide for our thoughts and actions, not vice-versa. If scripture says something I'm doing is wrong, how I think or feel about it NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. As soon as this is posted it is immediately labeled as hate, intolerance, anti-gay, backwards, etc. In this day of tolerance there is very little of it when a person brings the Word of God to an issue - to ANY issue. When a person agrees with something there is smiles and warm fuzzies up the wazoo but when a person disagrees...bye bye tolerance. Now it's offensive and hurtful, and hate mongering and homophobia running rampant.

I do not hate people in this lifestyle. Those I have known, as I've said, are pretty nice people. But that has nothing to do with sin. I'm a nice person and I'm RIDDLED with sin! I'm in a committed, loving relationship and I'm full of sin! When my wife and I are together, all in my world is right, but I have the darkest heart on the planet. If what the Word says is ignored we're left with an "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" mentality. If the Word isn't clear on this subject then how do I know it's clear on another? The Word is the Christians guide for..."teaching, reproof, training in righteousness..." The Word is our solid Rock. I do not tell a person in this lifestyle that they're in sin because I hate them. I do not say that God condemns this behavior (it's not the only behavior he condemns) because I think I'm above them or want to hurt them. The Word shines the light on our sin and, hopefully when it is exposed we are driven to God. This is the point: To share the love of Christ with a person in the hope that they will see their sin and come to Christ in repentance and for forgiveness. This is true for a homosexual and a non-homosexual. However, if a person thinks they are doing nothing wrong, and are told they are only doing what God created them to do, and continues to ignore what scripture says then when the Word says, "God gave them over...", He really does give them over to it. I'm sure it's the most wonderful, blessed feeling in the world but those great feelings have nothing to do with what the truth of the matter is. We have what the Word says and if this is ignored, and the pleas of people calling a sinner to repentance or ignored then how long before God gives a person over? What must He do to make it more clear? As Jesus said, "If you don't believe what Moses wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" - John 5:46

I do not hate homosexuals. I'm not from the Westboro Baptist mindset ("God hates Fags!"). I just have to say that a person can bring the Word of God to a situation and speak on a subject or issue from the Word and it's not hate. The Word is clear. And Jesus Christ died to save sinners, the homosexual and the non-homosexual.

This cat has no hat!

This is Gilbert. Gilbert is our cat. Okay, he's not really our cat but he really likes it over here. We often find him on our deck waiting for the girls to come out and show him some affection. Many times we will pull into the driveway and he will come running over from our neighbors place, meowing ferociously and purring contentedly once the girls smother him. World, meet Gilbert!

Gilbert will often come to our door and stare at us mournfully. As if we are withholding from him the very essence of life.






VICTORY!!!