Jeremiah’s Blog

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/blog/view/264

http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/desertbeliefs/11031/puresextucsoncom

http://www.fox11az.com/news/topstories/stories/KMSB_20080827_dm_jh_sex.1c58edd7.html

I want to make a few things clear. First we are not doing this for media attention! Second we are not doing this because I want a lavish lifestyle. I lived a much more comfortable life with my former job, and I LOVED it. So why are we doing this. Simple we believe in Loving God and Loving People just like Jesus told us too. That is why we have done so many service projects in the city, that is why we adopted a refugee family from Iraq, and that is why we are dealing with sex, relationships, and marriage. At least 90% of all counseling I have done churched or unchurched have related to these three. People are hurting, maybe not all people, but a lot of people are hurting. We are doing nothing more than trying to love God and love people. ECC’s stated mission is to “Connect People to God and Each Other”. Why? Because Jesus told us to “love God and love people”! We believe people are made with a purpose and that by connecting people to God they will find that purpose. We also believe that people are made to live in community, not fend for themselves, that is why we try to connect people so that we have people to walk life with in joy and pain. To me it’s simple why we are doing what we are doing? “Love God…Love People”!

Yesterday we combined services with Central Baptist Church for a special celebration. The idea of saving your first kiss for the alter was brought up during a special sharing time after the watching a video from Rob Bell called Flame. It was even suggested as far as to say that kissing was wrong before the alter. Now I do not believe that kissing is sin, but I know from experience that kissing almost never stops at kissing. So how far is too far? What are the boundaries?  I guess my view is this. If you want to give God and your wife the ultimate gift concerning your body then saving the first kiss for the alter fits that category beautifully! It is the ultimate gift you can give your spouse; I believe that with all my heart! If however you feel you need to test the waters, what if they are a bad kisser, which by the way is hard to know if you have never kissed anyone but that person, be warned, those memories will always be there. I know from experience that no matter how hard you try, you will not forget them. I wish that every kiss, and everything that I did past the point of kissing was saved for my wife, but it was not. I cannot change the sin in my past, and to a degree I don’t know that I would, as I am often able to help people that I encounter who  are struggling with sins of the flesh.  Besides that I know that I live in Christ complete forgiveness. With all that said, I still know that I missed out on giving a beautiful gift to both God and my wife.  The truth is that once married for awhile the passion does die down some, and if you’re not best friends, committed to a life together, it won’t last. That’s why I encourage people to lay aside the physical desires, because if you can build something that goes beyond the physical, you have most likely built something that will last a life time, and you will have saved everything for the one you would spend a life time with. I know it seems off the wall extreme, and like I already said, it’s not a standard I lived up to myself, but it is something for thought and prayer. You talk to God. I am going to love all of you guys either way. There’s no condemnation here, just me looking back, in hind sight 20/20 vision and sharing my heart! I want to end by saying I LOVE YOU to my wife and I am so happy that I married my very best friend!