Blog
When fear and terror are on the rise, people want honest answers on how to wisely live their lives. Our awareness and preparedness should never be allowed to displace our trust in Jesus as our Deliverer. However, He never wants us to become so naïve that we dismiss...
King David had it all: the prestige of his office and the power to do as he wished. The undisciplined possession of those two things is a deadly combination if they are not submitted daily to God. The repeated misuse of prestige and power has been revealed since time...
As 2025 begins, we need to make an adjustment. We need to adjust how we respond when people attack us for having a differing opinion. These attacks are especially painful when they come from within the Church. Those who speak such things will eventually bring shame...
The title of Jerry Cook's book, "A Few Things I've Learned Since I Knew It All," seems to express what many of us are experiencing as we discover the shallowness of our opinions in this heated time of social unrest. The title of Jerry's book has become an anthem over...
When a friendship is healed and restored after an experience of misunderstanding and separation, it forms the deepest kind of friendship. If something takes place that separates good friends, and they come back together through mutual humility and forgiveness, a...
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...