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As I was reading through Revelation, I came upon similar language to what the Lord spoke on the Cross when He said, “It is finished.” “Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture, he said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of sour wine was sitting...
For the last few decades, theories and assumptions about the book of Revelation and the timing of its events have been taught to the Church. It has been a pick-and-choose exercise, leaving out some of what is described in John's writing, assigning it to the past or as...
I hear, both in the corporate world and within leadership circles in the Church, the phrase, "Taking someone to the next level." Entire courses of instruction and counseling are developed to take someone to whatever "the next level" means. That next level is defined...
Most of us are aware of Paul's warning to Timothy about what will happen in the last days, "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times, some will turn away from the true faith" (I Timothy 4:1). We quote this verse with regularity but fail to realize...
A reminder of past prophetic words spoken over someone is of greater value than hours of counseling. Counseling is primarily about helping individuals manage their emotions and respond effectively to life's challenges. A prophetic word is different. It leads us like a...
Yesterday, while I was sitting in our garden, the first butterfly of the year visited us. As I watched the butterfly perch atop a flower, I had enough time to capture its photo, and then it flew away. In grade school science class, we were taught about the process of...
Many believers whom God wants to use in profound ways have not yet experienced what the Lord has planned for them. These believers are waiting for God to do something through them that will change the course of their lives. They are waiting for God to act, but God is...
There are times when we want to be with someone or experience something that Satan will prevent our physical connection. Paul addressed this issue in his first letter to the Thessalonians,"We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but...
Today, as it was when Paul wrote his letter to the Church in Colosse, people have promoted theories about Jesus that mixed pagan ideas about the Lord with scriptural truth. These false teachers mixed their ideas with astrology, magic, and Judaism, presenting Jesus as...
At some point, our maturity in the Lord will reach an important and life-changing point. At that point, we will finally decide that all this world has to offer us is a lie, and we must initiate a departure from its false promises. In the closing verses of Galatians,...
I was walking through the historic cemetery in our town and noticed that someone had installed a statue of Jesus facing one of the tombs. At first glance, I recognized the statue as someone’s expression of their faith based on a particular expression of their belief...
Our acts of obedience can appear like a massive game of dominoes across a floor. One act of obedience will lead to another, taking us to places we never imagined. The same is true for our disobedience. We can think our weaknesses have derailed God's will for our...
It's essential to know the boundary of our calling. Stepping outside that boundary can make us vulnerable to things God did not plan for us to experience. Demons are waiting to attack those who step outside those boundaries. When Paul defended his apostolic authority,...
The phrase "the new you" has been used by health specialists, diet promoters, and plastic surgeons who promise a dramatic physical change that will transform a life. While such promises can have a positive effect, they are not new. Only our appearance changes by these...
When Jan and I pray for people who do not know the Lord, we specifically pray that the veil of their unbelief would be removed. Our prayer is simple: "Lord, make yourself known to them." When that blinding veil is removed, remarkable results have happened. Those who...