Blog
Sometimes, a person is so given over to sin that the consequence of their sin must run its course. It’s like what happened with Pharaoh, who laid upon Israel the bondage of slavery, and throughout his enslavement of God’s people, he and the nation suffered a course of...
Each night, before bed, I pray that the Lord will protect us during the night hours. Last night’s prayer was different. I was given the impression that I was to add something to my prayer in the form of a request. Knowing I am approaching the last lap of my earthly...
The Church can become numb to the reality of hell’s power to imitate works of God in an attempt to deceive God's people. Hell can also do signs and wonders, but only to a point. The devil will use everything at his disposal to deceive us, even using the power of magic...
A friend of mine is a scientist by training. He is a measured man who sees life from a unique scientific perspective. He evaluates available evidence to come to his conclusions. Something happened to him and his young family this week that affirmed his ability to...
This last week, I had a variety of conversations centering around the ministry of a pastor. Having spent 35 years as a pastor, even though it was not my primary gifting, I learned a few things about the role. When it comes to processing the word “pastor”, I have come...
Growing up, when my parents had adult conversations, I would occasionally hear them make comments that didn’t register with my young mind. As I grew up and matured some of those colloquialisms were finally understood and made sense. One such comment was, “They were...
When a religious spirit attempts to control the message of salvation it makes the message complicated. Additions, qualifications, and hoops to jump through are added to the Gospel to make it as difficult as possible for people to experience the love of God. Years ago,...
Throughout the day, I record brief thoughts and impressions on my iPhone. I capture them for future use for writing or teaching. This morning, I went through 27 of those recordings and deleted them all. I deleted them because they sounded good at the moment, but...
It’s going to be hot for the next few days here in southern Oregon. The “low” temperature last night was 61. That would be a nice warm day if it happened mid-winter. I was sitting in my writing chair long before the first faint light of the new day appeared. Finally,...
This is for some of you a season of life that resembles a wagon master trying to steer his horses without reins. A disconnect has taken place from your ability to control the direction of certain aspects of your life. This is not a work of hell. It is a God-ordained...
This morning, I had just finished some writing and heard in my spirit the phrase, “downstream thinking.” Immediately, I saw the image of a stream and knew the imagery was the metaphor for something the Lord wanted to say. A stream bisects our valley. It is called Bear...
While we argue over issues of opinion and focus our prayers on those topics, others in the American West are facing situations whose outcomes will be life or death. We pray a great deal about our opinions hoping they become the norm ignoring the more substantial...
Some in the Western church have forgotten that real and dire eternal consequences await those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said of Himself, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me”...
The American West has been in what some are now calling a Millineum Drought. This is the worst drought in recorded history. Lakes like Powell and Mead are at historic lows. Fourteen states that rely on the water from these lakes for homes, communities, and farming are...
There are some circumstances in life where we can’t outrun what is coming. In these situations, we are not left without a way of escape. With God, there is always another option. In Oregon where Jan and I live, if you take a trip to the coast you will notice signs...