Why? Because Peyton needs to win, and the Colts are not going to be winning for a while. This however, gave Peyton an excellent opportunity to go to a team where he could win a Super Bowl. I said all along that he needed to go San Fransisco or Houston if he wanted to win a Super Bowl in the next few years. Well, Houston wasn’t interested so that wasn’t an option for him. It turned out to be between Tennessee, San Fran, and Denver. Of all three of those teams, I was sure Peyton would take San Fran. But no, he picked Denver.

I still don’t know what it was about Denver that made Peyton want to play there. I think he has some kind of secret crush on John Elway. I don’t know, but I think he made a mistake. Denver plays in a weak division, and they should be in the playoffs next year, but I don’t think they are ready to beat New England, Houston, or Pittsburgh even with Manning. But hey, they beat Pittsburgh last year with Tebow. So, good luck Peyton, I hope I am wrong, and I hope you win a Super Bowl next year.

But Peyton going to Denver means that Tebow had to leave. Tebow has too much of a following to sit on the bench. John Elway obviously didn’t want Tebow as his starter even after Tebow turned his team around last year, and won a playoff game. So, where would Tebow go? Well, everybody thought it would be Jacksonville, but as it turns out, Tebow chose the Jets. At least that is what’s reported.

Apparently, Tebow didn’t like what the Jags were wanting to do with him, and instead was willing to go to New York and be a back up to Mark Sanchez, and come in to run the wildcat. I don’t know how this is going to work out. I suspect that Sanchez will struggle throughout the season, and Tebow will get in the game and pull off a victory in the last minute with his crazy super powers. Then all New York will be crying for Tebow to be there starting QB.

Who knows? All I know is that I like Tebow, and even though he isn’t a great QB, I want him to succeed. He is fun to watch, and he is easy to like. I hope that the pressure doesn’t get to heavy on him, and that being in New York will only give him more of a voice and opportunity to spread His message.

First, as I read the book, the thing that stood out is that Rob Bell doesn’t like the orthodox views of Christianity. It is clear that the Bible’s text is not to be taken for what it literally says. His interpretations are not what anyone who just picks up a Bible and begins to read it would come away with.

Second, as I read it was obvious that Rob wasn’t interested in actually engaging Bible scholars in the actual doctrine of Heaven or Hell. What it seems he was doing was trying to discredit the literal view of Hell with a view that would be popular to a society that rejects the Bible and its message. When you read Rob Bell, he explains things as if his view is the only view that makes sense, without actually stating that it is right. He gives a lot of opinion, talks a lot about culture, goes to the Greek and Hebrew, and when it is convenient for his argument talks about accepted Biblical views of God. To a person who has little Bible training, he seems to know what he is talking about, and his message is acceptable and not offensive.

So some things I learned from Bell.

What does Bell actually teach about Hell?

• It’s a garbage dump, and when asked if he believes in Hell, he answers “yes, I believe my garbage goes somewhere.”
• It isn’t punishment but correction.
• It is here and now in the suffering and evil that people encounter.
• It is a state of being unhappy in God’s kingdom.
• It may be in the after life.
• It isn’t forever.

What does Bell teach about Heaven?

• Heaven is here now.
• Everybody eventually gets there.
• In Heaven everyone will be good and happy, except those who are bad, and they will be in Hell, because Heaven isn’t fun if you aren’t good, so the bad will be unhappy until they learn to be good, then they too will finally be in Heaven.

Bell is a universalist. He redefines Hell so that it is something that is easier to accept. In many ways, I wish Bell was right. I wish Hell was not an everlasting place of punishment. But it is. Bell tries to convince us that the word for “eternal” should be translated as “age.” However, this isn’t true. Check almost every Bible translation and you will see that the translators used the word “everlasting” or “eternal.” Bell wants us to think that all these translators made a mistake but that he has it right. The translators are right. Hell is a place of everlasting punishment.  Bell just throws out the Greek word and claims it should be translated “age” but the word is “aionion” It is an adjective, and it is the same word used to describe “everlasting life.” In the same verse sometimes, such as in Matthew 25. So if everlasting punishment is not what is meant, neither is everlasting life. Bell, never actually says he believes that.

Bell makes the argument that a God who would punish people forever is not a God anyone would want to believe in. He says that isn’t love. What Bell does here is define God and Love by his own standards. Yet later in the book, Bell seems to state that he believes God is sovereign. God is sovereign to Bell when he wants to show that God would not let anybody be punished forever, because a sovereign God would never fail to do what He wants, and that He would be failing if anyone were to actually perish. Bell explains his view that God doesn’t want anyone to perish or miss everlasting life. (But Bell claims that their is no everlasting punishment.) But, Bell doesn’t believe God is sovereign in His choice to determine what love is, or whether He can be good and still punish the wicked.

Bell, speaks little about the reason for eternal punishment. He speaks little about sin. He speaks little about God’s holiness. Bell seems to not understand why Christ actually died on the cross. Bell doesn’t believe someone must actually believe on Christ to receive eternal life, but he mentions that everyone would be saved because of Christ. The problem is that if Bell’s other views are right, Christ didn’t need to die to begin with.

There is just so much wrong with Bell’s views. To me, it seems Bell doesn’t know what he believes. He doesn’t come right out and say he is right. He doesn’t come right out and say everyone else is wrong. But, he does make it clear that he has chosen to live, and teach as if Hell is not something that anyone should be worried about.

I would not recommend any young believer read this book. I would not recommend any unbeliever read this book. I would however, recommend reading Francis Chan’s book Erasing Hell: What God said about eternity, and the things we made up, which I have just started. Also, believe what the Bible says. You don’t have to ask Rob Bell what the Scriptures mean. It is pretty clear on the doctrine of Hell, sin, and the need for Christ.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Speaking of the cruise, it was amazing. It was my first cruise ever, and I can’t wait to go again. The ship was pretty awesome. The food was great. The weather was great almost every day. The stops in Cozumel, Belize, Isla Roatan, and Costa Maya were amazing. Rachel and I snorkeled with a school of squid, had a massage on the beach, ate amazing food, saw some amazing beaches, had monkeys craw on us, zip lined, drove a Land Rover through the jungle, viewed crocodiles on the river, explored a cave, ate iguana, bought some cool souvenirs, soaked in the hot tubs, and agreed we needed to divorce. It was truly an awesome vacation.

Since returning I have moved into my own apartment. This has been a lot of fun. I have been buying and acquiring furniture for the last two weeks. I finally have everything that I need. Well, I still need a bed for Abby, but she likes to sleep in the bed with me anyway, so it isn’t that important right now. The kids love the apartment, and love staying with me. I look forward to my days off so I can be with them. The suckiest thing about this is when I go home to an empty place, and I don’t get to see the kids before they go to bed or leave for school.

I’m not happy about the divorce. I truly feel like I have made every attempt to keep it together, but it takes two. I don’t believe divorce is ever the right thing to do, but in this case it seems unavoidable. Anyway, there is a lot more to it, and it isn’t anyone’s business. I may write about my true feelings on divorce someday, but not now.

Baltimore 17 – New England 34

NY Giants 24 – San Fran 31

For my workouts I have increased my running. Last week I was able to put in a full 21 miles. Two runs of 6 miles, one of 7, and one of 2. My times also decreased with each run of 6 miles. Only 57 minutes now, but I want to get that time down to an even 54 for an average of 9 minute miles. I’m pretty sure I can do it. A run of 6 miles burns about 1100 calories for me, so I am really motivated to keep going. I have also been throwing in more abs, and I can tell that crunches get easier as I lose weight.

This week I hope to run at least 22 miles, and lose another 5 pounds.