FIRST OFFICIAL REJECTION

 

"I’m afraid we got turn downs from the agents to whom I submitted your summary."

 

I received this email  just this afternoon while in Disney.

back to the drawing board.

MY BOOK WRITING ODYSSEY

The efforts continue to create a perfected manuscript of my first novel. 

I have actually had a bit of interest in California for my project and I hopeful that a literary agent with much vision, good connection and divine patience will take me under his or her wing and and shepherd my book into a marketable item, wit maybe a movie to follow (we can all dream). 

On a trip in the Ozarks, there was a new story that would have eroded some of plot. Trish, who is right over 99% of the time, said God was stirring me to complete the book faster. 

It helped. I wrote the final sentence and so when I got a call from LA on another issue, I mentioned it.  That fellow could not help me directly, but he knew a guy and so on.   

I will keep this going as a history of what I hope will be the first of many in the series, Lord willing. 

Dave

This inspires DADs and HUSBANDs

This poem comes from his book, Poems for Patriarchs available at: VisionForum.com

The Patriarch
by Doug Phillips

More noble than the valiant deeds of shining knights of yore,
More powerful than earthly plights that make the rich man poor,
More kingly than a royal throne or a lion with his pride,
Is he whose babes sleep well at night sure Daddy will provide.

There is a spirit in this land and Jezebel’s her name.
She’s calling you to leave your home for power, fun, and fame.
She wants your wife, your children too – she’ll never compromise,
Until your house is torn in two by listening to her lies.

But though a hundred thousand million men may fall prey to her lures,
And wives en masse leave home in search of “more fulfilling” chores,
Though preachers praise, and friends embrace, her pagan plan of death,
Stand strong and quit you like a man with every blessed breath.

Stand strong and rise, O man of God, to meet this noble call,
The battle is not new you see, it’s been here since the Fall.

Your wife is your helpmeet, my friend, and not another man’s,
So care for her and keep her far from Mistress Jezi’s plans.
Protect, provide, and give to her your undivided life,
This is the dear one of your youth, your precious bride, your wife.

And rally to those tiny ones who trust you for their care –
A lifetime spent discipling them’s a lifetime pure and rare.
For when they put their hand in yours and know a Daddy’s love,
You’re showing them a picture of the Father from above.

Look not toward worldly goal or gain, or for your liberty,
Look only into their sweet eyes to find your ministry.
Devote your heart and sacrifice and make your manly mark –
There is none so great as he who finds his call as patriarch.

Do you want to Argue or to Seek Truth?

FLOOD OF IDEAS v. 

IDEAS OF FLOOD

Before engaging in too much argument, I am now trying to ask folks if they are actually seeking Truth, or if they are just wanting to argue. 

The reason is that those seeking Truth may actually stay logical for a few moments longer than those just wanting to argue. 

For instance, a friend told me of a person who gave her the old "there are flood myths all over the world" argument. 

Correctly understood, this SUPPORTS the proposition that a Flood actually occurred. It does not tell you which one happened, or which one

is the most accurate, but it supports that the flood is in the consciousness of most of mankind in some form.

That takes you to the task of comparing the myths.

However, I have to remain patient as people who have barely glanced at these issues add and subtract all kinds of things from the Biblical Account that they rail against.

Recent examples:

-A fellow said that freshwater fish and eels could not exist for a year on the Ark

Of course, that is not even implied in the Biblical Text. (There are explanations for the fish survival, but the point is the adding to part).

-A "Documentary" on Tv calculated that it would take so long to load "every variety of animal that has ever existed into the Ark, even at 2 per second"

Again, that is just not what the text says. It says every type, or in modern day, every species. There are thousands of dog breeds, but there once two canines.

Modern science supports that easily.

But honestly, the "straw men" that are erected by folks arguing the "scientific" view when they have barely read what they argue so hatefully against drives me up the proverbial wall.

By the way, if they answer that they do not believe in Truth, they have disqualified themselves from ever arguing anything, for all time with anyone.  

Think about it.

Christians and Lawsuits-- Should A Christian Sue?

 

As a Christian, and a lawyer, I have been asked about this many times.  As with any question, we should consult the Scriptures first.

The Biblical text that is most often cited is Paul’s letter in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8:

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church!  I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!  The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. (NIV)

Let’s look at the passage carefully. The kind of cases involved in the passage are described in the text:

A “dispute,” that is “trivial” in nature, “between believers,” involving being “cheated” and “wronged” and this dispute could well be judged by a “man of little account in the church.” 

The type of actual dispute is not revealed, but from the description above it is clear that it involves a matter that is between two believers, where one feels cheated or wronged and appears--to others at least--as “trivial” in nature. The Bible expressly states that legal action in that situation is shameful.

An example of that might include a Christian church member suing another member for slander for unknowingly sharing partially false information in a prayer request about her, and hurting her reputation.  Or, it could involve a dispute between two members of a church suing one another over the giving of a poor reference for a job. (Yes, both of these are unfortunately based on real cases).

There is little doubt that these bring the reproach of men upon the church, and are horrible examples. However, Paul himself resorted to law twice when he was wrongfully arrested as a Roman citizen.  He also used the threat of law in Acts 16:37. When one examines the Biblical admonition carefully, there is a clear distinction depending upon the type or nature of the dispute.

For instance, cases that I handle generally involve serious injuries or death. Any case involving grievous injury or death, by definition, is not at all “trivial.”  I hasten to add that 98% of cases settle without trial, so even the most serious cases rarely see a courtroom. Mediation, which is based on Matthew 18, is often used with great success.

Further, these types of serious disputes are rarely actually “between believers” in any real sense. For instance, if I represent you because you were paralyzed when a truck rear-ended your car, I have to name the negligent driver of the truck (who may be a Christian) in order to obtain the compensation due from his auto insurance.  Recall as well, that insurance is purchased to assist us all in paying for accidental acts that may harm someone, and to help protect our assets in that event. It is exceedingly rare for any case to cost an insured driver one penny personally. Many cases are against large corporations that, of course, do not have souls, and therefore cannot be believers.

I may represent a Christian, against a nursing home chain for neglect in allowing terrible bedsores. This is usually a large corporation that often put profits over people. These cases are clearly not what is banned in the Corinthians passage.

Finally, cases that I handle, against negligent drivers, doctors, hospitals and nursing homes are not at all the type of cases that can be resolved by “men of little account in the church.”

While there are many other types of law, the type that I deal with is mentioned frequently in Scripture. Much of our civil injury law (called “tort law”) is actually based on the Bible’s passages.

For instance, the law governing dog bites in Tennessee states that if my dog is not known to bite I have no liability for it doing so. However, if my dog has a vicious nature and is known to bite then I am liable in tort law for all damages. Compare, Exodus 21:28:

If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull must be stoned and the owner also must be put to death. However, if payment is demanded of him, he may redeem his life by paying whatever is demanded.

Or, look at the law regarding a slip and fall on a premises owned by another. If I create a condition that I know is dangerous and leave it as a virtual trap for another, I am liable in civil damages. Compare Exodus 21: 33:

If a man uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit must pay for the loss;

Other interesting accidents in Scripture include the negligent attaching of an axe head to an axe handle such that it flies off and kills someone while chopping wood (Deut. 19:5); and the dropping of a stone on an unseen man (Num. 35:22).

Also, the negligent person has a responsibility as well.  Sometimes people talk of lawsuits being a way of making another person responsible for one’s own misfortune. But, if not for lawsuits generally, we may still have Ford Pintos with exploding gas tanks on the road, burning people alive after very minor car accidents. The medicines we take would not be so thoroughly tested.  Nursing homes would not be under any incentive to give better care.

As you can see, the Bible does not forbid lawsuits, but it gives us much direction. Here is a Biblical checklist that may be helpful in evaluating a potential claim:

1.              Is this matter “trivial?” (If so, overlook it.) (1 Cor 6:2 & Col 3:13).

2.              Is this matter solvable by involvement of others at church? (1 Cor 6:4 & Matt 18:15).

3.              Are my motives selfish or vengeful? (If so, stop). (Phil 2:3)     

4.              Have I tried to resolve my claim before suit or court? (Proverbs 25:8).

 

In the end, some will say, my cases are about money. I understand the criticism.

 

However, as I may tell a jury, “Don’t give her money---give her back time…give her back years of pain…give her back a life without this suffering…give her back her quality of life.  But if you cannot give these things, then compensation is all we can ask for. It gives her freedom and it gives her choices. That is all we have to offer her.”

 

David B. Peel

 

Atheist Arguments

ATHEIST ARGUMENTS

I have had some arguments made against the truth of my faith in Christ, but they seem to be getting worse. As a former atheist myself, I have always made myself available to those seeking truth who have honest questions. I have questions too, sometimes. 

However, most of my discussions or debates with non-believers have been very respectful. Even when we do not agree, we need not be disagreeable. 

Lately, I am concerned about a trend in these discussions. The arguments are getting, well, silly. It was not always so. I enjoy a good give and take about truth.

For instance, both believers and non believers have questions that are not answered in most churches:

-When were the dinosaurs alive? Do they really appear in the Bible?

-Who did Cain marry? 

-Why does a good God allow suffering in the world?

However, here are some recent naïve quotes from those I have witnessed to:

“Jesus is only one of multiple figures in history and religion, and was not unique.”

Jesus was and is the most unique figure in history. Born unlike anyone else (virgin born Son of God), lived unlike anyone else (healed the blind, lived perfectly, forgave sins) then and died unlike anyone else (only stayed dead 3 days as He promised).  So, yeah, except for the way he was born  lived and died, nothing unique here at all.

“The sign of a fish became the symbol of Christianity is because Jesus was a Pisces.”

This was really said by a college student.  He thought he sounded smart. 

“We do not know what the original Greek in the New Testament actually said.”

Lots of Greeks scholars and preachers will be shocked that they do not know the language or the text they studied all their adult lives. We have many thousand manuscripts that date to near the time of the writing of the New Testament.

“Jesus was a vegetarian and where the Bible says He ate fish, it meant ‘relish.’”

The same Greek word used in these passages is used in connection with dragging in nets of fish.   Vegans sometimes use that argument to support their lifestyle. But, unless the fisherman also went fishing for relish, Jesus ate fish.

“All religions are the same.”

As mentioned above, Christianity is as different as its Founder. From Hindu to Buddhism, and Mormanism to Islam, a person’s soul must find its way to a pleasant place through works of some kind. There is no other religion that ever purports to assert that God’s own Son did the work that we could not, and invites anyone of any race or age to just trust in Him for salvation.

He invites you....