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Joseph, the father of Jesus, was a carpenter. Joseph did not work for free. He earned a living from his carpentry trade. Joseph was able to choose how his income was spent. Joseph trained Jesus in the same trade. Joseph did not do his job for free without estimating...
A lot of what I hear spoken in the Church sounds like the title of a book written by Jerry Cook, “A Few Things I’ve Learned Since I Knew It All.” Jerry wrote this book deep into his life of faith when he had to unlearn some things and then learn new things about God...
Long before I was a pastor, I worked as a police officer assigned as an intelligence agent in an Organized Crime unit. Our most important discoveries were finding the connections between groups of criminals and the organizations they represented. Some of those...
After the recent election cycle that caused great concern for some and a lack of interest in others, it is time to recalibrate our purpose as followers of Jesus Christ. Without a periodic recalibration of our faith, we will drift away from our Kingdom purpose to...
A passion for causes and issues can be a good thing if directed by the Spirit. How we handle our passion will determine if our voice is credible and trustworthy. Our credibility is compromised when we speak from a pool of emotions not yet disciplined by a fruit...
The dream I had last night was vivid and real. It was also very uncomfortable. In the dream, I was a newly hired deputy sheriff somewhere in Texas. I simply appeared on a street amid pedestrians walking on a sidewalk. In the dream, I arrived in full uniform. I...
I watched a sickening video of a man being attacked in broad daylight by two criminals who were robbing him. It was brutal and animalistic. It is upsetting that such blatant acts of violence take place. Lawlessness is on the rise. It is wise to learn how to reduce...
When you speak something that is contrary to an established opinion, an opinion assumed as an unchangeable fact, there will be opposition. When people begin to toss about their favorite proof text of Scripture or their religious lineage to support their opinion and...
The weapon of judgment aimed at you will not hit its mark when faith is present. An unexpected turn of events will leave you amazed at God's power and protection. As I was praying this morning, I saw a warrior preparing to thrust his spear into the heart of a person’s...
There’s an old hymn we should all sing the morning after election results are made known. We need to sing it to recalibrate our hearts. The hymn, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” reaffirms where true hope is founded. The lyrics tell us “On Christ the solid Rock, I...
Today marks the beginning of a pause in measured time. We have entered a process of change and transformation preparing us for a new season not revealed by natural observation or measurement. In the pause, it will feel like time is no longer rigid or stable like hours...
Some followers of Jesus have been taught it is less than spiritual to demand your rights as a citizen. They have been taught our faith should be disconnected from such demands. The Apostle Paul had a different opinion. While he did not preach his rights as the core of...
At the beginning of the Great Depression, my father left home. He was one of many children in his family. He left home so his parents would have enough food to feed the younger kids. He hopped trains across America looking for work. When he made any money, he would...
To properly discern the times requires that several things be present. We must be open to the voice of the Spirit and have the desire to explore a different reality outside the small box of the biased news offered to us by conventional news sources. We also need a...
For a few weeks, I’ve been processing something wondering when it was time to share it. Today, I felt it was time. I was talking with a friend who has been following the Lord for many years. He is a practical man who is not easily influenced by shallow interpretations...