Blog
No matter how well-informed one might appear, the New Year and all the events that transpire within its borders are still unknown. I am sensing that 2024 will provide more surprises than it will security. Our trust in God will be our best ally when surprising and...
On several occasions when a topic causes people concern, I’ve heard people too quickly toss out the dismissive label, “Fear sells.” At that point, they ask their listeners to relegate the issue to the sidelines and move on with life unconcerned. We should never be led...
I’ve been reading through the book of Jeremiah. It has been a depressing read even though an occasional nugget of hope will appear in its pages. Chapter after chapter we see Israel disobeying God and the Lord sending foreign troops to overcome them. I was exhausted by...
In the 1920’s and early 30’s my father lived in Modesto, California, in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. Irrigation canals crisscrossed the valley providing water for thirsty crops. My father told me of the times when he and his friends would tie a rope to the...
You are stepping into new territory. It is like a construction site where new concrete walkways are being poured. The forms God has set up to define your path are being filled with the equivalent of spiritual concrete. God has set these forms to hold the wet...
Jan and I were walking along a country road near our home. On our walk we walked by a familiar flag we had seen many times before. It hangs from high within a large oak tree. As we passed the flag it was just at the right moment to see the rays of the sun shining...
Removing an archaeological artifact from its original context removes it from its place in history. Archaeologists cringe when someone walks into a museum with a newly discovered piece of history hastily dug up from their latest backyard project. In doing so they...
Yesterday, Jan and I stopped to visit Silver Falls State Park outside of Salem, Oregon. We had been on the road for a few days so stopping to stretch our legs and take a hike was a great decision. We walked along a well-marked trail that bordered a steep canyon...
“Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.’” Habakkuk 2:2 I used to think the words of Habakkuk were about simplicity. I am sure it can be interpreted that way, but today I see it more from the...
Jan and I were invited to lunch by our friends, Tim and April Matteson who live in Reno, Nevada. They wanted us to meet Graham Cooke. At lunch we talked about many things. One story really stuck in my mind. When Graham is in his hometown each day he frequents a local...
We are at a critical juncture in our national history. In these uneasy times knowing what motivates our response to the turmoil that is taking place will be an important discovery to make. Review your thoughts and actions to see if you are living with the mindset of...
I was just reading my bible and had to place it down in order to answer my phone. During the call I heard the pages begin to rustle as a fresh breeze blew through the window and into our living room. As the wind blew the pages began to turn one by one suddenly...
As a young boy, I grew up in a wonderful Baptist church in Los Gatos, California. Calvary Baptist Church was surrounded by the orchards that once filled the densely populated Silicon Valley of today. Our church had a traditional sanctuary with stained glass windows...
Pentecost was a launching point - not a destination. Once launched Pentecost became a reoccurring work of the Spirit continuously released over the course of the last 2,000 years. In each and every new season of the Church there will be a Pentecost moment. It is messy...
As a kid growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, I saw a lot of strange things advertised and purchased by American families. We were impressed with anything plastic. One of those plastic items was the clear plastic couch cover my parents had installed to save our family...