Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
PHall | August 3, 2018
A new YouTube “genre” is “Reaction Videos.” People listen to music they haven’t heard before and react; while viewers react in the comments to their reactions. Strange, (but should I admit) curiously entertaining! This got me thinking…What would a reaction video look like: * to us during a sermon? * to our family arguing? * […]
PHall | August 3, 2018
The ASK Prayer and Study Method Jesus famously preached to ask, seek, and knock in prayer (Matthew 7:7). We should pray while we study: A – Technical Study: When we are spiritual youths we ask, “What does this text mean?” S – Personal Study: As we mature we personally see the need to do more […]
PHall | August 3, 2018
Never ask a question you don’t want to know the answer to: “Were you talking about me?” I got asked that question after a sermon by a visiting gentleman. I said “no” and still don’t know why he asked. A guilty conscience whispers loudly! “Does that dress make me look fat?” I said that to […]
PHall | August 3, 2018
There are difficulties in recovery. Regardless of what we are recovering from, the body, spirit, mind, and emotions are not always in sync. It reminds me of Jesus lamenting “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). What we want is not always what we want. Yes you read that last sentence […]
PHall | August 3, 2018
Truth versus Tradition. This is continually the battle in practicing religion. Tradition is not necessarily wrong, and is impossible to escape. If, to escape traditionalism, you vow to never do the order of services the same, that becomes your tradition! When is tradition wrong? How can we tell if it is contrary to truth? Let’s […]
PHall | July 3, 2018
Do Christians have an easier time loving their enemies than tolerating their fellow Christians? Both are commands (Mt.5:44; Eph.4:2). Both are covered in the latter part of Romans 12. More importantly, both are covered in the cross. Jesus died for those mocking him to His face, standing at His feet. Jesus died for those who […]
PHall | June 16, 2018
Miscellaneous Thoughts on the 2 Greatest Commands: 1) Why is loving God the greater command? It is because God is greater than ourselves and neighbors. 2) Loving God is not only the greater command, it is the foundation command. It is impossible to truly love God and not love our neighbors or ourselves. When we […]
PHall | June 16, 2018
“Not long ago, I was reading the Sermon on the Mount with a rabbi. At nearly every verse he showed me very similar passages in the Hebrew Bible and Talmud. When we reached the words, ‘Turn the other cheek,’ he did not say this too is in the Talmud, but asked with a smile, ‘Do […]
PHall | May 31, 2018
Jesus was narrow-minded. If that doesn’t sound like the Jesus you have heard about, keep reading. Jesus was narrow-minded about the Law. He believed it could be understood (and misunderstood – Matthew 22:29), that truth was accessible, and should be applied (Luke 10:26-27). Post-modernists don’t only exist in secular circles. Jesus was narrow-minded against raising […]
PHall | May 21, 2018
Jesus stated: Matthew 18:3: ““Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus very literally did this when the Creator of everything became a baby, and lived in subjection to his parents. Becoming like a child means many things but one thing is evident […]