Blog
This time of year, when spring arrives, I like to sit in our front yard amidst the blooming trees and the early sprouts of new life coming to our garden. As I sit in the warmth of the sun, I like to read. This morning, I was reading through my daughter’s...
Remembering God’s goodness and His greatness protects us from all forms of deception. Today, the Lord is testing the Church, calling us to remember and not forget how He worked in us in the past so we will continue to hold true to Him in the future. After Joshua died,...
The Church has always been tempted to become more like the nations where we live than to remain a distinctly different kind of people. From the beginning to the end of our lives, we will be tested to determine the quality of our faith and who we will worship. Life is...
Over the years, maybe like some of you, fellow believers have accused me of various things. I’ve had labels attached to me created by someone’s misunderstanding and premature judgment. These accusers are a very small group of people who see this world through their...
The Lord brings correction to His people from time to time, especially those who claim to speak for God. To do this the Lord used the prophet, Micah. Micah preached to both Israel and Judah during the same time as Isaiah. He denounced both kingdoms' oppression,...
The prophet Amos wrote about something called a plumb line. A plumb line is a construction tool used by builders. It uses a weight attached at the bottom of a rope or string that employs gravity to provide a straight up and down measurement. Once aligned, a builder...
Some believers have allowed their anger and disgust to become a condemning voice within the Church. They are using their undisciplined emotions to employ the same tactics and labels used by arrogant news media sources and biased social media commentators. In the...
This morning, I brought Jan flowers, a card, and a gift to honor her on Valentine’s Day. I am thinking back fifty-five years ago to our first date. One night, I entered the cafeteria at Multnomah University, where we were students, then known as Multnomah School of...
When we think of a prophet in the Old Testament, we have various understandings about who they were. Some of God’s prophets were simple people whom the Lord used to reveal profound truths. Amos was a shepherd and a sycamore fig farmer. He was a matter-of-fact kind of...
Not all nations follow the Lord. Until those nations align with the Lord, even in their unredeemed state, they can still extend honor to other nations that have chosen to follow the Lord. This applies to all nations regarding the Great Commission the Lord spoke over...
Every new season of change requires that we readjust our grip to ensure we are taking hold of what matters most to God. We need to regain that grip because a shaking is coming and instability is on the rise. “So, take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen...
I had a very vivid dream. I was surveying the building of a new home Jan and I would occupy. The home would sit atop a bluff looking out over a shoreline. As I walked around our construction site, I looked over to the next building site and saw Kris Vallotton from...
Until we realize the completeness of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins and what living in the New Covenant means, we will be motivated by a troubled conscience. That troubled conscience will cause us to think that making a personal sacrifice or offering another resolution...
Some efforts that began with good intentions have become infested by the termites of greed and corruption. Over time, the consuming power of greed and corruption so compromises the structure that it must be demolished to start over again and rebuild its purpose. We...
Each of us has been given the ability by the Lord to become a blessing to others. A bestowed blessing may be completely opposite of what a person is feeling or experiencing. The words of a blessing invade and, at times, contradict their assumptions. “The person who...