Blog
Unforgiveness will take us to places we don’t want to go. It will also cause us to do things we would never imagine we would do. Our only safe way to live a life of faith when someone wrongs us is to forgive them, even when forgiveness is the last thing we want to do....
In prayer, I saw an image of bowls in Heaven filled with the prayers of God’s people. Because the prayers were aligned with God’s will, they gave off the fragrance of incense. Scripture tells us about those bowls. It describes the Lamb of God approaching the...
When Jan and I lived in Billings, Montana, our home bordered an irrigation ditch. I would hike along the ditch several times a week. One day, I felt impressed to veer off the path to look around. As I walked through the sagebrush, I came upon something unusual. I saw...
When I look down at the gear shift area in my truck’s center console, the shift knob indicates several choices that will create motion. The only position that produces no movement is neutral. Perhaps my car’s transmission is a metaphor for life. Without...
We all react with disgust when we see a video of evil brutality or images of an inner-city burning in protest. The problem comes when we fail to realize the deeper issues in play that brought these images into view. Being willing to move past our initial emotional...
The world “collapse” came to me this morning. It’s not a very positive word, but it is part of life. One dictionary defines collapse as: “to fall or cave in; crumble suddenly.” I remember looking out from the roof of our apartment in LA during the Rodney...
When someone attempts to shame you into silence, their attack only reveals the weakness of their position and the shallowness of their character. Don't take it personally. Turn away, and don't respond. Let God be your defender.
In the last few days, I have been reading through Proverbs. Proverbs is one of those down to earth, practical sections of Scripture that helps us navigate life with wisdom. This morning I read, “If you do, you will lose your honor” (Proverbs 5:9). The context of that...
In this pandemic, pastors are getting input from all sides. This has caused me to want to be more sensitive to the challenges they are facing. This is not a comfortable time to be a pastor. Not all of the input they receive is kind, loving, or sensitive. Since pastors...
As I was pondering what is taking place in our culture, in my mind’s eye, I saw the image of a small clothe bag being held by someone. Immediately, I knew the hand was God’s hand, and the bag was filled with gold. It was a visual metaphor of what God wants to do...
Over the years, I've noticed we can make Scripture say what we want it to say when our opinion on a subject has become entrenched and unmovable. I know this because I have been guilty of the practice. Like you, I have “proof texts” for everything I think an opposing...
Learning to discern the difference between personal preference and conviction is an important distinction to make. Personal preference is something we all have because we have been uniquely created and live within different lifestyles and social environments. We can...
Prophet Wanda Alger recently shared a word that caught my attention, challenged me, and brought clarity to some of what is taking place in this unique moment of history, "Though your love for me is strong, your love for acceptance is stronger. Though your commitment...
When we read about Jesus entering the temple and turning over the tables of the moneychangers, our interpretation of that event is viewed through the lens of our worldview. Our worldview, no matter how right we think it might be, is only a partial view of a greater...
This morning, I was reading the results from our state and local elections. I am familiar with one of the men who was seeking office. He lost. I prayed a simple prayer, “Lord, help him turn his disappointment into worship.” Over the years, like you, I have...