Tag Archives: Rubel Shelly

September 27, 2019 · 4:39 am

Are You a Practical Atheist?

“If a time-traveler from the early Church secretly followed you from Monday till Saturday evening, would they be able to tell you’re a Christian?”

This question raised by John Stonestreet and G. Shane Morris from breakpoint.org caught my attention early yesterday morning.

In a post entitled “Practical Atheists: Living as if God is Irrelevant,” they suggest that for many professing Christianity the answer isn’t really clear.
This is a not a new question or novel topic, but one I haven’t thought about in quite a while. Continue reading →

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August 22, 2016 · 5:11 am

Word of the Week: Holy

HolyLiving

“Seeking holiness rather than happiness is a hard thing to do in the culture in which we live,” wrote John Maxwell, “because so much is geared to happiness—whatever makes you feel good.  In a secular society, happiness is the aim of life.  In a spiritual society, holiness is the thing that we strive for….Happiness is really found in holiness.  But if we try to bypass holiness in our search for happiness, we’ll miss it altogether.  Happiness is a by-product of holiness; it’s a benefit of living a pure life, rightly related to God, self and others.” Continue reading →

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August 13, 2015 · 4:28 am

Should You Live Together Before Saying “I Do”?

Young couple sitting in cafe on summer day and looking at camera

“The headline caught my eye: “Is it OK to live together before marriage’”, wrote Rubel Shelly in a recent Fax of Life.

Shelly said he knew what the answer would be before he read it. So did I! The internet is filled with blogs with titles like “5 Reasons you shouldn’t say ‘I Do’ Before Living Together First.” Continue reading →

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November 17, 2014 · 7:17 am

Word of the Week: Redemption

redemption.WordWeek

Rubel Shelly tells a true story about a fellow named Mark who possessed a passion for the guitar. He bought his first one in 1966 for $175, from the money made from a summer job before his Freshman year in High School. It was a red sunburst Gibson J-45. Mark said “(It) was my pride and joy, my most favorite thing in the world.”

Throughout Mark’s high school and college years his Gibson guitar was his “solace and companion.” He said it was better than medicine to calm his anxieties during times of stress. However, in 1978, some thieves broke into his business in Decatur, Alabama. Among the things they stole was his beloved guitar. While the police caught the thieves, the guitar was never recovered.  Continue reading →

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February 18, 2014 · 6:43 am

Michael Sam, Christians and a Homosexual-Driven Culture

Michael.Sam

“Because I teach ethics and theology, I have read a great many things about homosexuality. For that matter, anyone who reads newspapers or watches TV gets lots of information on the subject these days. Most of it is agenda-driven,” wrote Rubel Shelly, in his weekly Fax of Life. Continue reading →

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November 14, 2013 · 7:27 am

Happiness and Holiness Go Together

Happiness.3Yesterday’s post, “Happiness is a Choice, spoke to the importance of true happiness. Not a pseudo happiness based on the world’s definition, but a happiness that is spiritually focused.  Biblically-based.  And God directed.

Today I want to share a piece written from a little different angle by Rubel Shelly.  While my views on some other spiritual matters might differ from Shelly’s , I found this interesting, insightful and challenging.  I hope you do too! Continue reading →

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November 13, 2012 · 6:31 am

“King David:” The Downfall of a Hero

He was called “King David” by the troops.  He had position. Power. Prestige.  He was hailed as a hero.  Loved by his countrymen.  Feared by His enemies.  And jeered by his critics.  His life had been a series of successes from his youth.  And now the revelation of an illicit relationship has brought him to the lowest point in his life.

No, I’m not talking about King David in the Bible, but General David Petraeus. Continue reading →

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