There is a lot of debate about why violence has increased in our country, why school shootings are now so common. The debate on one side blames guns and on the other it blames a culture awash with violence. But there is a clear cause that most do not want to acknowledge and a real …
“The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness, and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.” Isaiah 33:5-6 As I read those words this morning one portion stopped me, caught my …
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” As a dad I look back on years when I was keenly aware that my son …
Have you ever sat by a campfire and found, that even hours later, the smell of smoke had permeated your clothes? It lingers, it clings and others can smell it too. Often, as I live in a world that reminds me of Sodom and Gomorrah, I’m aware that the smell of the culture has clung …
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells …
This morning a friend asked me to address suicide and my thoughts on this topic. It’s a very personal topic for me. My niece took her life several years ago and the thoughts of her are still near to all of us. Suicide leaves questions for those have chosen it and for us left behind. …
Faith is an essential part of the Christian life. We came to God by faith, we live by faith, all we have is the result of faith. Faith in God is at the very heart of the Christian experience. There is a chapter in the bible that speaks exclusively of men and women who lived …
A number of years ago I had the opportunity to go sailing with a good friend of mine. Ray was an oil man who had literally gone from struggling to pay the bills to millionaire overnight. In the 80’s it happened to a number of guys, but Ray was a Christian and a friend, so …
We are becoming a world with its fist in the air to God. The anger, resentment, rebellion of our world is growing. We see it in the wars, the riots of our cities, the parade to demonstrate this or that. All around us our world is coming apart at the seams. At the core of …
Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go Where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are …
Lately I’ve been following the last journals of Kara Tippetts and her husband, Jason, at Mundane Faithfulness. It’s a blessing, a grief, a joy, a sorrow….even though I don’t know them personally they have opened their hearts and lives as she has neared her own death from cancer. The reality of death and its heavy …
I’m a Christian. I believe that Jesus is God in flesh, the only savior, the only provision of God for man’s sin. Islam would tell me I have committed shirk. It’s the unpardonable sin of associating anyone with God. I get that. But I truly believe the bible teaches that Jesus is God, the second …
Brittany Maynard just took her own life as she faced a painful end of life from brain cancer. I’m sure there will be many things said about this. Many of those who write about it will be critical of Brittany’s choice. I will not. The whole situation is a sad one. I feel a deep …
These are scary days we live in. ISIS/ISIL beheadings weekly, wars breaking out on every continent, earthquakes, floods, plane crashes, Ebola, zombies, politicians (or are those last two the same thing?), and the fear inspiring news! If you are tempted to fear, our culture and the news will help you. These are fearsome days. Every …
I don’t know if you have ever felt it, that feeling of complete and total failure. It’s one of the worst feelings I have ever experienced. Many struggle with it. Jobs lost, marriages ruined, relationships destroyed, children alienated. All of these make us aware of our weakness and failure to do those things well, to …
The choices this week of a dearly loved comedian, Robin Williams, bring to light a struggle many people live with and battle most of their lives. It’s far too common. Just last year my niece, Dez, committed suicide in a similar way to Robin. It’s sad, tragic, and shocking for many of us who know them …
Proverbs 11:1 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights. Have you ever wondered why a verse like this is in the bible? Have you ever read something and really didn’t know what to do with it? This is a short verse, a pragmatically simple one, that reveals God’s concern for even …
You would think, after reading the bible as many times as I have, that I wouldn’t see much new, but every day I see something I had never noticed before. It constantly amazes me. How does God do this? How does he put so many insights about life and faith in the stories of the …
I live in a time and place in history when fame and popularity are important. In fact, if we can’t find fame from the media we create it through Facebook. With enough friends reading all about us and our lives we have a sense of value, significance, a feeling that we are somebody. Often I …
Often, as I read the Bible, I come to passages that cause me problems. Statements made that challenge me, make me struggle. Here is one that has haunted me for decades, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Phil. 1:21 As I read Paul’s words it’s clear he has a level of …
I wrote these words a few years ago. Today they ring even clearer as our world chases worthless idols. All around us is the quest for the idols of the world…fame, success, money…and yet in the quest for those things we forfeit the most important thing. Your choice (and mine) is simple…worthless idols or grace. …
God does his best work with barren things. He built nations from barren wombs. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was barren and yet from her God built a nation of millions! Elizabeth was barren and from her came John the Baptist. In Exodus 17 God led his people into a barren desert and in a place where …
In the last week our family has been praying for something very specific….….it didn’t happen.Now comes the normal responses of all of us as we seek to know what God is doing… I prayed, why didn’t he answer? This was really important to me, how could he not do it? Is there really a God …
“Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.” -Isaiah 55 This morning, just after sunrise, I went for a long walk in the woods. If you are ever in a place like this you have to walk out into the woods and be still, listen, pray and praise. That was …
Quiet time I think our culture needs a time out….a quiet time out. This morning, EARLY this morning, I’m reading, praying, thinking…and in my ears is noise all around. The neighbors next door fighting, the neighbors behind me hollering at their kids, dogs barking in response, airplanes flying overhead, will you all please be quiet! …
