Angie Cox Is A Blogger

Well, the cat is out of the bag. My wife, Angie, is now a blogger! You can check her out over at AngieRCox.com. She’ll be blogging periodically about family, life, church, and our struggle with infertility. Drop her a note, she’d love to hear from you!

Also check out my father-in-law’s blog (he needs to post) at DannyRKirk.com and our friends, Jeff and Terri Chadd.

Fireproof Your Marriage

Go here: http://fireproofmymarriage.com/. See this movie!

For whatever reason, it seems God has brought couples into our lives that need marriage help. In fact, it’s epidemic today. For every one of them, I recommend seeing this movie. In fact, I think everyone should see it. It has multiple presentations of the gospel in a very accurate way. It addresses pornography, emotional coldness, the threat of divorce, and the restoration of a marriage the hard and real way, not the syruppy, sappy way Hollywood presents it.

Go.

Fireproof Your Marriage

Every couple ought to go see this movie. Marriage brings out the best and worst in us, and I watch Satan driving wedges between husbands and wives on an almost daily basis. But your marriage is worth fighting for.

Fireproof Trailer from Steven St. Clair on Vimeo.

The Greatest of These is Love

Saturday night, I had a wonderful opportunity to perform my first-ever vow renewal service for one of our Deacons and his wife. It was their fortieth anniversary and they celebrated with about a hundred friends or so in a beautiful setting. While speaking about the virtues of a godly marriage, the passage from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians about love brought me to my knees (at least in my heart that is).

I suddenly realized that I’ve had a tendency at times to become a little bit like “sounding brass.” That is, I say all the right things to people, but inside my heart, I still struggle with issues that are the opposite of love. I began to insert my name where “charity” appeared and turn each descriptive statement into a question…

• Does Brandon suffer long, like love? Sometimes I’m impatient.
• Is Brandon always kind? At times I become unkind because of a critical spirit.
• Do I envy not? Perhaps this one is not as much of a struggle, but sometimes I do look around and think, “why does that guy have it so easy?”
• Do I refrain from self-promotion? One of the most difficult aspects of ministry is dying to the praise of others.
• Do I refuse to be “puffed up?” Pride is the root of most of our sins, mine are no exception, especially considering that pride takes on different forms.

You get the picture. Love is the principle thing, the most important of all virtues, the defining attribute of God (though He defines love, not visa versa). We can have tremendous faith, be great public speakers, or even servants who bend over backwards, but if we don’t do it all with love, it fails to glorify God and our efforts become wasted. Love is dominating, it’s everything.

I think we sometimes get a little sidetracked by focusing on our outward behaviors and assuming that they will make us holy and godly. The reality is that what happens on the inside of our souls is of far greater significance.

I enjoy stopping at Lambert’s restaurant in Springfield, Missouri. It’s “the home of the throwed roll” and the dining is always a great experience. Just inside the front door is an antique “love meter.” You put the quarter in and it tells you what kind of lover you are. It’s silly, of course, but the principle is worth noting. Why not take Scripture’s love test on a regular basis. Are you loving like Jesus? You see, His name always fits the passage perfectly.

Ten Years… And Counting!

Today marks our tenth anniversary as a married couple. I’ve done quite a bit of reflecting back on that very special moment when we were pronounced husband and wife by my father-in-law. I showed up at the church a few hours before the wedding and it was pouring down rain. I wanted to wait until it slacked off and until I could be sure I wouldn’t see Angie a moment too early. She was inside wondering if I was re-considering!

I wasn’t re-considering, and I haven’t since. I wouldn’t trade the last ten years for anything in the world. We’ve had a precious daughter, served a couple of great churches as Pastor and wife, Angie has earned two degrees (I’m on the very long-term educational plan), and we’ve made a whole lot of great friends along the way. We’re thankful to God for the fruitfulness of these years and can’t wait to see what God has in store for the decades to come.

A marriage, when lived out biblically, is designed to show the world how much Jesus loves His church and how much they can accomplish together in the redemption of lost mankind. I wouldn’t dream of putting forth the image that we have one of those perfect, never-had-an-argument, syruppy-sappy, always romantic relationships. If you do that, nobody believes you anyway and you probably get on everyone else’s nerves. Nonetheless, I’m proud of the marriage we have. We don’t ever have to question one another’s faithfulness and commitment, and we’re slowly learning to communicate and to compliment one another in a way that glorifies God. I’m so very thankful for all God has blessed us with… to Him be the glory!

The Lost Tomb of Jesus

It has taken me several days to sit and write my conclusions about the Discovery Channel documentary on The Lost Tomb of Jesus. I find it ironic how dramatic the title seems when the tomb is neither lost (they’ve found it), nor does it contain Jesus (”He is not here; He is risen…”). Kind of like those “lost books of the Bible” which are also not lost, nor are they in the Bible. Overall, this film is intriguing drama at best. It’s very entertaining and gives a glimpse into the world of modern biblical archaeology.

The makers of the film, particularly the Director Simcha Jacobovici, seem to begin with some very unfounded assumptions. In the first few minutes, the entire debate is framed by the rather strong suggestion that the disciples must have stolen the body of Jesus and relocated it to a family tomb. Not only does Matthew, an eyewitness of the risen Christ, deny this charge in his gospel, but it seems rather hard to accept in light of the military protection of the tomb during the days following Christ’s crucifixion.

Names are slowly collected from the various ossuaries excavated from the tomb in 1980. A mathemetician then determines the statistical probability of these names not belonging to the family of Jesus. He eliminates one name because of a lack of connection to Jesus’ family, rather than allowing the unexplained name to contradict the theory. He then divides his odds by four (a randomly and arbitrarily chosen number) to account for possible bias (in the “facts”??). He concludes that there is only a one in six hundred chance that the tomb does not belong to Jesus.

A genetics labratory in Canada examines DNA from the dusty remains of “Jesus” and some from the remains of “Mariamne” and determines that they were not brother and sister. Jacobovici then brazenly asserts that they must have been husband and wife. The geneticist later explained that there could have been many other possible relationships such as being paternal cousins. Jacobovici adds to the assumptions that Mariamne must have been Mary Magdalene, who must have been an early apostolic missionary. Further, they must have had a son, referenced by John as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” This tall tale is given no credible evidence whatsoever.

Needless to say, the film proved nothing. It was well-presented, but what it presented was loosely pieced together conspiracy and cover-up theories concerning the resurrection, supposed marriage, lineage, and burial site of Jesus. In the end, Jacobovici, with little understanding of biblical Christianity, asserts that his findings pose no threat to the theology of Easter at all. Rather, he asserts, we simply need to see the ascension as a spiritual one as opposed to a bodily one.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus has been attacked before. Thus far, no credible evidence has ever been offered that has contradicted this central tenet of Christianity. Nonetheless, what bothers me most about films such as these is that they present romanticized pictures of the obscure possibilities of “what might have been.” Armchair theologians everywhere will utilize the information in negative ways, often questioning whether there are any important issues at stake or not.

The film? Well done. The theories supported by the film? Hogwash. The effects of the film? Unpredictable given our current biblically illiterate, culturally desensitized Christianity. We are well past the time to “study up” and prepare for the lies that will be circulated more and more concerning the Lord Jesus Christ as we approach the soon coming of Jesus.

My Sweetheart, My Angie

Let me make a few confessions. First, I’m a helpless, hopeless romantic. I often don’t have a clue how some guys pull it off. They come up with these dynamic plans for a special date, a day at the spa, etc. When Valentine’s Day approaches, I go into panic-mode. I can’t think of what to buy, how to surprise my honey, or how to “wow” her socks off.

Second, I’m not the emotional type, the ooey-gooey, syruppy, sappy kind of guy. I don’t cry much during romantic comedies or Hollywood-produced dramas (though I can get choked up during a classic like Milo and Otis). You’d think, being in the ministry, I’d be better with words. The reality is, I can’t always put all of my thoughts into words, much less on paper.

Third, I’m madly in love! I’m proud of my marriage. I’m grateful for my wife and the love we share. Though I have a long way to go and “He’s still workin’ on me,” you’d be hard-pressed to find a guy as committed to faithfulness in marriage than me. I’m wrapped up in my wonderful wife!

She’s the one whom God has used to keep me close to Him. She’s a spiritual thinker and has a heart for ministry to ladies. She keeps my head on straight. She’s not afraid to honestly criticize my dumb ideas and she’s the first in line to praise my successes. She works, not only so that our family can have adequate health care, but also because she has a calling to help hurting people. She counsels kids who have problems, who rarely get told that they’re worth anything.

She’s beautiful too. Her smile can be sweet, cute, or a little crazy looking, but I’m always thrilled to have her smile! More than any of these, she’s an awesome Mom! Our little girl is the apple of her eye and the utmost concern of her heart. She comes from good stock (had to plug the in-laws) and is determined to pass on the rich blessings she’s received.

Is she a Proverbs 31 “woman of perfection?” No. Only Jesus could live up to that, and He’s the “son of man,” not a daughter. Nonetheless, there’s nobody else on this planet that could compete for my affection. I love my wife, I love being married, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.

Israel - Purchased by God

“So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:…” -Hosea 3:2

Imagine the scene. A slave block is in the center of the marketplace where dirty, naked, abused and neglected slaves are put on display before the bidders. One after another their prices are named and they become the property of another owner. Gomer was destitute, abandoned by her lover whom she had presumed had cared enough to provide for her needs. Now she had been tossed aside to be transferred to another at the price of a common slave.

She hears a familiar voice bidding for her. As she gathers the strength to look up, her eyes lock with his… her husband, Hosea. He’s bidding for her and he’s willing to pay any price to have her back. Imagine the wave of emotion that must have passed over Gomer’s broken heart. When her presumed lovers had abandoned and discarded her, the husband to whom she had brought nothing but heartache and shame is now willing to put a price on her to purchase her back to himself.

The scene echoes the New Testament scene of God’s purchase of Israel through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus. While Israel had stooped to idolatry and had rejected their Creator in the flesh as Messiah, God continued to love them. He paid the ultimate price, giving His one and only Son as a supreme sacrifice for her sins. That’s redemption! That’s the purchase price God is willing to pay for all of the Jews, and for all of the Gentiles too. He is mighty to save and He is ready to redeem!

He has paid for your freedom. He wants to own you so that you might be set free to serve Him for all of eternity. Have you climbed out of the gutter of life to find Him as Savior? Have you stepped off the auction block of slavery to sin into the freedom of knowing Him personally and eternally? He’s ready to receive you today, if only you’ll come home to Him.

Assuming Headship In the Home

“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”—1 Corinthians 11:3

It is in our very human nature to resist authority and to tend toward rebellion. Therefore, when one speaks of our need to “submit” to the headship of another, we automatically cry out “Tyranny!” But God is far wiser than we are. Paul made a rather bold statement about headship in the home and no matter what may make sense to us, God’s plan is always better, always smarter.

WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Marriage Must Be Defended

“Marriage is honorable in all…” -Hebrews 13:4

Perhaps the hottest social topic of the moment is the Federal Marriage Amendment, scheduled for vote on the Senate floor in the next few days. The liberal pundits have come out screaming that this is simply a ploy by President Bush and conservative Republicans to drum up votes for the November election. That may, in some respect, be true as no politician is immune to the temptation to “play politics.” But as a Christian, am I merely being duped into focusing on an issue because my conservative leaders have pulled the wool over my eyes? Hardly.

For me, as a conservative Christian, the Federal Marriage Amendment is an issue today because of the pressing need to defend the basic institution of society against attack by a liberal minority. Scripture is an eternally binding revelation of God upon my life and I’m to stand for its truths. If Jesus is Lord of who I am in church on Sunday, then He is equally Lord of who I am as a citizen in the voting booth.

The fact is, no Amendment would be necessary were it not for the imminent threat that at some time and place, a judge will reinterpret the law, override the will of the people, and choose on the side of immorality to defend gay marriage and thereby redefine what marriage is. This judicial relativism has the potential to stray far beyond the realm of normality. Who is to say what marriage is? Perhaps it could be polygamy? If such radically immoral groups such as the “Man-Boy Love Association” had their way, it might be that marriage could be a union of a grown man and a young boy. Will that be the future of marriage?

I cannot presume to speak for the world, but I can, as a Bible-believing Christian, stand for my beliefs in the public square and I’ll not be shamed into the corner for doing so. The Old Testament revealed that a marital union was to be between members of the opposite sex. The New Testament plainly clarifies that marriage should be between one man and one woman, thereby excluding polygamy. For me, as a Christian, there is only one alternative - marriage must be preserved as between one man and one woman alone. If a Federal Marraige Amendment is what it takes to protect this timeless institution from the threat of jucial activism (a reality, not just a “Bush term”), then so be it.