H - E - Double Hocky Sticks

A handful of topics bring heat to any friendly discussion. Hell is certainly one. The concept of eternal punishment is so daunting, one can scarcely see where the discussion should begin. To begin to understand Hell, one must try to understand the God who created it. This is true of any ultimate question concerning life, death, and purpose. Yet, our so-called understanding of God is our fatal flaw.

William and I were fishing at a pond in the woods south of town last week. A pack of dogs immerged from the tree line, and one came charging toward me, hair bristled and teeth gnashing. I stood up straight and shouted as loud as possible, “NO!” The dog stopped twenty feet from me, turned around and led the pack back into the woods.

To correctly understand that situation, I had to correctly understand the dog. I could have opened my arms wide to embrace the dog with a hug saying, “I believe all dogs are loving dogs.” I could have done nothing saying, “I don’t believe wild dogs are dangerous.” I could have turned and ran saying, “I believe what my heart is telling me, and it’s telling me I should run.”

Any one of these misunderstandings would have resulted in a catastrophe, and yet these are the same mental gymnastics we apply to our understanding of God. We believe God is tolerant and no real threat to us; therefore we can simply follow our heart. But if we’re wrong in our understanding of God, the consequences are infinitely worse than a dog attack.

The only viable option is to seek revealed truth, being an understanding of God provided by God himself. This revelation came as God inspired men to record His words. We know this divine record as the Bible.

Exodus 34:6-7 says, “Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, . . . But He will not leave the guilty unpunished.”

This brief passage reveals God as not only good, but his goodness is at such a perfect level that sin in His universe will not go unpunished. Yet at the same time, his love is so vast that he came in the person of Christ to receive the punishment for us. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

According to God’s own revelation, the goodness of his character requires the existence of Hell as a just punishment for a sinful rebellious humanity. The bottom line is God is who He is, so rather than expect Him to be less than He is, lets embrace His truth and bow before His Christ.

Dating Advice for Girls

I thought dating stress was gone forever once I got married, but God was playing a joke on me. My dearest Emily, as well as her friends, are now playing with the “in a relationship” status on Facebook. Dating is one of the most exhilarating and most frustrating experiences in life, and this is especially true for the young Christian lady.

It’s bad enough that the pickings are so slim for Christian girls as few young men have been willing to truly turn from sin and commit to a life of following Christ. But many times even Christian boys lack the qualities essential for a healthy dating relationship.

So how can a young Christian girl gain crucial insight into a boy’s character before she even begins any kind of “relationship” with him? What does a girl often possess as an incredible tool to help determine a boy’s integrity? Surely God has not left young Christian girls to navigate these shark-infested waters alone.

Great news, girls. God has provided you with an incredibly powerful equalizer for the frontlines of dating. It is called “DAD.” That’s right, girls, there is no one on the face of this planet who cares more for your safety and well-being than that one man. Not only is he your personal polygraph machine and expert in teen-boy psychology, but he is willing to personally run his own background checks.

So how can you utilize this powerful tool in screening potential gentleman callers? This brings us to the ominous INTERVIEW. Oh my, gives me chills just thinking about it. Listen girls, don’t underestimate the power of this single event, because not only is your dad able to see through a boy’s false motives, but this is an essential step in determining a boys character. Because if he doesn’t have the brass to stand before your dad and ask for permission to get know you better, then he is not willing to shoulder the risk of being rejected. And that is an indication of weak character, poor leadership, and impure motives.

If a boy cannot pass this basic test of decency and integrity, then he is not yet ready to get to know you better, and may never be. And if your dad is not available to conduct this simple interview, I would be happy and honored to provide this service free of charge.