For as much as I love to write, wouldn't you think that I also love to read? For some reason those things should come in tandem. For me though, they don't. It's frustrating. I really wish that I loved to read or even liked it more than I do. Now, don't get me wrong, if I get a hold of the right book, I'll read it all. But the way it is for most books is that I get them and then I am hard pressed to get passed the first couple chapters. That really bugs me.
I have a list of books that I really want to read, but at this rate, I'll never get through them all in this lifetime. Hmmm, I feel a New Year's Resolution coming on... read more books. In the sidebar I'll make a list of the books that I both recommend (having actually read them) and a list of books that are on my list to either finish or start (and then finish).
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Pastor Under Siege
How sad it is to read and learn about the immorality that Pastor Haggard has confessed to. Of course the first reaction that I had was one of shock and anger at him for engaging in such horrible things. But almost instantly, the Holy Spirit moves in my soul to transform my anger from being directed at this man and redirecting it toward Satan.
Satan is by far the father of lies and deception. I don't know Pastor Haggard but based on the reputation of his church I am certain that he has touched many lives for the sake of the Kingdom and I am certain too that he has been fed many lies from the evil one. Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving him a pass for the wrong, immoral decisions that he made on account of Satan, I am just suggesting that someone who has the potential of influencing so many lives for the good of God's Kingdom is a real threat to Satan and he will go to great lengths to cause him to fall.
In his statement to his church Pastor Haggard says that the poor decisions he made were a direct result of a life long struggle that he has had. He isn't specific about what the struggle has been, but I would just venture to guess that it all began as a young man struggling with pornography. Perhaps no one was available and bold enough to teach him about the life long ramifications of such actions. What starts out seeming like a harmless, one time thing that feels good for a moment can easily turn into a life long addiction. And for Christ followers it's an addiction that is a battle every day of their lives.
I believe that the problem is that the church is only beginning to scratch the surface of addressing this issue that is as real as anything else. Sure, it's a tough one to tackle, but leaving it unaddressed and un dealt with will surely lead to more and more scandals just like this one. Men of God are being attacked! The very nature of who God created them to be is being attacked by the enemy. Men are sexual beings and in its purest form this is a beautiful thing, but the world (Satan) has tainted its purity so completely that its difficult to even see its beauty. Again, I will say that though I don't know the details surrounding the fall of Pastor Haggard, I am convinced that the world's view of sex and sexuality had some part in it. And further I am convinced that the drug use that he admits to was a means by which to temporarily and falsely clear his conscience.
At this moment I have such compassion for this man. I am appalled at his actions and his confessions and quite frankly, I am disgusted by them. But I am furiously angry at Satan because I know that it is he who at some point fed Pastor Haggard enough lies and deceived him to the point of failure. My hope for this man of God is that he will recall what Jesus did for him, for us all. I also hope that the Holy Spirit would move those around him to love him with Christ's love and despise the sin but love the sinner.
Satan is by far the father of lies and deception. I don't know Pastor Haggard but based on the reputation of his church I am certain that he has touched many lives for the sake of the Kingdom and I am certain too that he has been fed many lies from the evil one. Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving him a pass for the wrong, immoral decisions that he made on account of Satan, I am just suggesting that someone who has the potential of influencing so many lives for the good of God's Kingdom is a real threat to Satan and he will go to great lengths to cause him to fall.
In his statement to his church Pastor Haggard says that the poor decisions he made were a direct result of a life long struggle that he has had. He isn't specific about what the struggle has been, but I would just venture to guess that it all began as a young man struggling with pornography. Perhaps no one was available and bold enough to teach him about the life long ramifications of such actions. What starts out seeming like a harmless, one time thing that feels good for a moment can easily turn into a life long addiction. And for Christ followers it's an addiction that is a battle every day of their lives.
I believe that the problem is that the church is only beginning to scratch the surface of addressing this issue that is as real as anything else. Sure, it's a tough one to tackle, but leaving it unaddressed and un dealt with will surely lead to more and more scandals just like this one. Men of God are being attacked! The very nature of who God created them to be is being attacked by the enemy. Men are sexual beings and in its purest form this is a beautiful thing, but the world (Satan) has tainted its purity so completely that its difficult to even see its beauty. Again, I will say that though I don't know the details surrounding the fall of Pastor Haggard, I am convinced that the world's view of sex and sexuality had some part in it. And further I am convinced that the drug use that he admits to was a means by which to temporarily and falsely clear his conscience.
At this moment I have such compassion for this man. I am appalled at his actions and his confessions and quite frankly, I am disgusted by them. But I am furiously angry at Satan because I know that it is he who at some point fed Pastor Haggard enough lies and deceived him to the point of failure. My hope for this man of God is that he will recall what Jesus did for him, for us all. I also hope that the Holy Spirit would move those around him to love him with Christ's love and despise the sin but love the sinner.
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