Category: Writings

“A whole person allows the reversibility in a relatively conflict-free fashion. He or she refrains from insisting on being only agent or object…. The reversibility is itself a form of action…. A whole person is neither threatened by reversibility nor incapable of enjoying either position in a relationship” Dr. Roy Schafer

I have learned in wisdom that to become and remain versatile in our relationships with others is not only rewarding but also critical to maintaining the health and well being of those relationships! Failure to be versatile enough to be both agent (the one who enacts love and concern on the other) and object (the one who is enacted upon in love and concern by the other) in our relationships, usually, is the death bell tolling, pitching an alarm that change is critical if we are to avoid a painful demise of the relationships we hold so dear! Love requires the versatility of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in a way that leads all participants to the litany of both agent and object! This versatility is powerfully gained through deep self reflection, prayer, and a willingness to act unselfishly as it relates to the other person (ego)! Many of the detrimental consequences we experience in relationships as a result of a breakdown of this paradigm could be altogether avoided if we employ this versatility as an initiative to such a complex dilemma! In the final analysis, we are the benefactors of healthy and whole relationships if we have the courage and moxy to remain versatile and not selfishly insist upon occupying the throne of self entitlement! (Another oil point from Theology Nation)

-Bishop Dr. Guy A. Cox

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The own search for the secrets of the heart, which are unfathomable-“for God knows the secrets of our heart.” When the confusion of reproaches and excuses, of wishes and fears makes everything in us opaque, God sees in all clarity right through to the bottom. There, however, God finds the very name that He Himself has inscribed: Jesus Christ. – Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer-

Reading this profound discourse of inner reflection, I am reminded that not long ago I found myself standing in the deeply painful and precarious place of eulogizing a new born baby before her young, grieving, and confused parents who couldn’t (understandably) make sense of the deep tragic loss they were experiencing for the very first time in their young lives. I knew at the outset that there were no words, apologies, sentiments, etc. that would heal such a deeply broken place of personal loss. That my eulogizing this young precious life was more of a matter of deep respect for the sanctity of life than a balm of healing for her heart broken young grieving parents. It would take a lifetime to only begin the healing process this young couple would so desperately need to undergo. The eulogy, succeeding processional to the grave site, and subsequent grave site burial served, in many respects, as a deep humbling agent and reminder of just how precious and fleeting life is and can be. In the final analysis, grace and faith could not remove the deep sense of pain, grief, and personal loss experienced by all present and involved. However, because the Lord knows the depth of every human heart and its present condition, grace and faith could provide a powerful dignity to live through such an overwhelming and insurmountable experience. (Just reflecting in the early morning hours)

-Bishop Dr. Guy A. Cox

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“He who questions the commandment of God before obeying has already denied Him.” Pastor Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer> The commandment one contemplates here is “They that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.” My father and mother planted the seed in my young spirit growing up that I was to tell the truth even if it drew negative consequences. Even now in my maturing years to stand aloof from the clear and present truth is extremely taboo and even convicting for me so that this principle of truth stands saliently above all other principles in my life except for love. A keen observation would note that there are different presentations and expressions of truth so that I must qualify my extrapolating here by saying that I am referring to “Divine Truth” or in other words, the Lord’s Word as expressed through command to humanity. The issue taken here is that in the 21st century many people say they want the truth and even go as far as to expect and even demand that the truth be presented to them and when the presentation is made they reject it for a sweet and equivocal lie that appears as truth. This self eclipsing of “Divine Truth” is what allows many of the destructive and deathly manifestations that occur in our lives to happen and then we immediately question the Lord’s sovereignty and faithfulness. To reject His Divine Truth, expressed through the commandments of His word, is to deny Him; and dialectical reasoning would conclude, that we should not entertain the Lord’s solidarity with us no more (and certainly even with a greater sentiment) than we would lend our solidarity to the one who rejects us. Many people use the expression “my truth” however, our truth pales in comparison to His truth because we do not possess the power to enforce our truth absolutely. He alone possesses this absolute power. Understanding this revelation should open up our spirits and cause us to embrace this impenetrable ontological reality which will remove us from the estranged place of rejecting Divine Truth and the perils in tow. I have experienced the weight of rejection from colleagues, family members, my children, spouse, church family, church members, etc. for giving the Lord’s truth in a given situation and have been perplexed at the response of hostility as if they would have rathered received a well dressed lie. Our worship and lives cannot stand on a firm substratum if we reject “Divine Truth”. (Just reflecting in the early morning hours)

-Bishop Dr. Guy A. Cox

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I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. ( Isaiah 65:1) Much of what we see in the church today could be termed as enlightment philosophy but it is not true unadulterated service to our Lord! Preachers and teachers are building their brands instead of pointing others to the Holy King of the only kingdom that can never be destroyed by any other power/authority (which is demonic hubris as satanic expression). The word of the Lord is delivered “for us” and not “against us”. The word of the Lord is used like a platter rather than a mirror; it is served for our hedonistic and nominalistic desires instead of being served as a revelatory pruning force designed to remove sin (estranged thoughts and behavior) and invoke holiness in our lives. Many Christians are good practitioners of religious effort and not sanctified believers whose lives rise and fall at the commandment of our Great King. The Prophets of the Old Testament called Him “Lord God” and the Apostles of the New Testament referred to His Son as “The Lord Jesus Christ”! “Lord” meaning His servants are to respond to His commandments not contemplate them and adjust or remove what we don’t like in order to not truly change to be more like Him. In much of Christiandom in the modern era we say “God” with no reference to His “Lordship” in our lives. Like much of the Enlightenment philosophy of previous eras we are in control of our destinies and “God” is only needed like a genie let out of His bottle to fulfill our every command. This is unacceptable to all of us who are truly sanctified and serving under His Lordship. We have great churches in America led by great names and yet in many of the messages delivered in our houses of worship terms like sin, repentance, estrangement, rebuke, holiness, sober, etc. are unemployed in favor of terms that are more inspirational and unprovoking of holiness and divine change. The Lord is calling to a Holy nation within this nation (1 Peter 2:9) in order to bring America out of its estranged state and back to His Lordship! (Just reflecting in the early morning hours)

-Bishop Dr. Guy A. Cox

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(Philippians 3:20) For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” “Our citizenship is in heaven” is a declarative statement to believers of all generations that our strength, hope, security, validation, recognition, etc. is not rooted in the humanistic systems of this present world which are bombarded with wickedness that operates in the high places of these systems! These systems were originally designed by the Lord to be a Theocracy where He as King would rule over us as His people for our health and well being! These systems over the course of human and world history have become distorted through humanistic and satanic influences leaving a wake of deathly manifestations that were never intended by their Original Creator! Believers have lived with these distorted systems and their deathly manifestations for many generations and that is why it is paramount that every believer must understand that we are in this present world but not of its distorted systems! We must also realize that we are to walk by faith and not by sight, which means, that we must deal with the situations, circumstances, and vicissitudes of life based on the internal reality of our conviction of the principles of our Father’s Word and not on the external distortion of reality that occurs before us existentially! We must recognize that when unfavorable situations arise before us through humanistic/satanic influences we have our Father’s Spirit present within us to “lift up a standard” against the prevailing order! Notice the words, “a standard” meaning the Holy Spirit guides us through His principled wisdom which supercedes all other forms of wisdom which are contradistinctive and antithetical to what our Father originally designed for our health and well being! The Holy Spirit guides our hearts and minds to a contrary disposition of what is the prevailing order no matter how popular or decadent it may be in order to protect us from the deathly manifestations that will undoubtedly occur when evil has run its course! No one can answer to our Heavenly Father for us no matter how much they love us or how close they may be with us, therefore the principles of His word must be our determining factor when making decisions concerning our lives and nothing and no one else! This brings to past my favorite verse in all of scripture: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 1 Peter 3:15 (Another oil point from Theology Nation)

-Bishop Dr. Guy A. Cox

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