Blog
It is not wise to try to negotiate with an offer of evil. It is wise to run from temptation. Without that integrity, we risk missing the destiny God has planned, prepared, and positioned us to walk in. One of the most dramatic examples is the life of Joseph. He was...
During one of the years when we lived in Berlin, Germany, Jan and I began receiving unsettling phone calls in the middle of the night. A female voice spoke disturbing things in perfect English with a German accent. I could hear other voices in the background. The...
In these many years of following Jesus, one thing never ceases to touch the core of my soul and fill me with real joy: when brothers and sisters fully reconcile. Without it, we are much like Cain against Abel—competing, dividing, and even destroying someone. To love...
I attended a very conservative Bible college that changed for the better over the years. I can still remember buying a laminated Scripture reference note sheet that had one section titled, “Problem Scriptures.” These problematic Scriptures were ones the author felt...
A desire of mine each day is to see world events through the lens of Heaven. I need to see the bigger picture behind the social divisions and wars. I need to see what God sees and what He is doing. To see Heaven’s perspective, I read Isaiah’s astonishing prophecy that...
Jan and I have commissioned leaders in the Church, graduating students, and those in the business world with this Scripture from Isaiah 11:2 and Revelation 1:4; 4:4-5; 5:6). Jesus Christ is the Spirit-Endowed One. May the sevenfold dimensions of His Spirit be your...
It’s God’s nature to save His people and overthrow His enemies—an action we did nothing to earn or win. His salvation has always been for Israel and the whole world. His love moves Him to make our deliverance His cause. Yesterday, I wrote about those who walked in...
I am writing about people who were betrayed by their political and religious leaders. Internal dissension, civil war, and deterioration had opened a door to self-destruction. To devour one’s brother or sister is to devour oneself. There had been two hundred years of...
Two events today took place in America that are prophetically significant. One event is the celebration of our nation's 250th anniversary—a Jubilee year. The second thing that happened was when Kelsey Pfendler completely surprised herself by breaking the record for...
Isaiah’s word of encouragement and strong warning from the Lord is for us today. He prophesied to King Ahaz of Judah that the imminent invasion of the Northern Kingdom and Syria into Judah would not succeed. Ahaz needed to guard his heart from discouragement and...
Restoration begins with a revelation of God's holiness. Like Isaiah, we need to see more than our sinfulness and the sin of our nation. We need to see God’s brilliant presence, greatness, and authority. The fallen nation of Israel and her rebellion is so devastating...
On my summer breaks as a young boy, I used to help out in my dad’s construction business. Dad built houses, and he also owned a house-moving company. I was always working each summer. Dad would assign a project to me and then go elsewhere on the job site. When he...
The book of Isaiah is like reading what is happening in our nation and our world at this time in history. The prophet Isaiah has visions from God concerning Judah and Jerusalem. These strong words are for us as well. Isaiah began by saying, “Listen, O heavens! Pay...
Going about my day last Thursday, I noticed I felt unsteady on my feet and had trouble with my balance. I thought I was just having an off day, but by early evening, I knew something was amiss. Jan and I decided I needed to go to an immediate care facility. They told...
A Lamp Into Our Souls Jan and I met at Multnomah School of the Bible. I rented a cheap, dank, dark, little basement room of an old house off campus. It had a dirt floor, no bathroom, and a tiny wood stove (but no firewood) for heat. I shared the basement space with...