The SIN Elephant in the Room

“Let’s love people enough to help them leave their own pity parties so they can spend their lives drawing attention to God rather than themselves.” “The compassionate side of you will be tempted to comfort everyone who weeps, but that isn’t always the most loving thing to do for them.” —Francis Chan Sometimes, we absolutelyContinue reading “The SIN Elephant in the Room”

Disconnection Causes Tripping

This morning, I am reminded my friend and mentor, once told me “ministry is seductive”. I’ve pondered her words for years and asked God to guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus as I write and speak. One day as I prayed, the Holy Spirit helped me think about myself as a water hose.Continue reading “Disconnection Causes Tripping”

These are not the days not to do your homework!

I was worried and teary-eyed. I remember looking at my wise, older friend who had faced so much heartache, but had so much joy, and said, “But, what do I do?” She looked at me and smiled and said, “You keep seeking Jesus through His Word. You diligently guard your heart and mind in Him,Continue reading “These are not the days not to do your homework!”

Let’s speak truth in a world that hates it.

I believe as a country, a church, and as people, we are being deceived by false prophets speaking empty oracles. The prophet Jeremiah talks of false prophets and empty oracles. He says the false prophets “walk in lies and strengthen the hands of evildoers so that no one turns back from his wickedness” (23:14). Doesn’tContinue reading “Let’s speak truth in a world that hates it.”

Keep on, there’s a HARVEST!

In an attempt to flee temptation, I decided to drop off the extra box of yummy doughnuts from this weekend’s company to my skinny, sugar-loving mom. As I was leaving, she asked me to wait so she could read to me what she had just learned from her book on Revelation. Her almost eighty-year-old fingersContinue reading “Keep on, there’s a HARVEST!”

The thing about hanging out with sinners…

When people spend time with you, do they see Jesus in you and desire to follow Him more? Zacchaeus, that wee little man, who climbed the Sycamore tree and invited Jesus to dine with him, was well known for his sins (Luke 19:7). But after spending time with Jesus, he repented of his sins andContinue reading “The thing about hanging out with sinners…”

Wise words spoken quietly…

”Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard. Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.” (Ecc 9:17) In this world, we have many “rulers of fools” shouting their opinions from stages and platforms. Celebrities, professors, news-pundits, and others seem to have more influence than ever before, though often their opinions are increasinglyContinue reading “Wise words spoken quietly…”

His little girl

I’ve not processed the words I’m about to write. I have cried at just the thought of them. My Daddy is not here this Fathers Day. He left to be with Jesus in January. It’s the first without him, and it hurts so incredibly much. I want just one more hug. I want to hearContinue reading “His little girl”

Jesus is honest about the cost of following Him.

The man who reclined at the table, so long ago, listening to Jesus teach, thought it sounded great! He exclaimed, “Blessed is he who shall eat in the kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15) He was ready to make his dinner reservations in Heaven. But our honest Savior wanted the man (and all of us) toContinue reading “Jesus is honest about the cost of following Him.”

Will you be able to stand?

Right now, we are seeing the winds of hard days and our “cancel culture” blowing away those who aren’t planted with deep roots in biblical truth. Psalm 1 compares those who follow God to a strong tree planted by rivers of refreshing water and goes on to say, “The ungodly are not so, but areContinue reading “Will you be able to stand?”

Let’s remember this, and do this.

Have you ever wondered if some people are just too messed up for God to save? Have you possibly ever wondered this about yourself? But the thing is, the impossibility of the gospel is pretty much the whole point of the gospel. God makes this clear when Jesus called Levi (Matthew), the tax collector, toContinue reading “Let’s remember this, and do this.”

Her Journal.

She was just twelve when I snapped this picture of her journal. A few years have passed but she’s still seeking God. She’s studying. She is trying to understand. She’s hiding God’s Word in her heart. For years, she’s watched her parents do the same. A while back, she and I were discussing a passageContinue reading “Her Journal.”

Tuesday of Holy Week. All she had.

Jesus spends most of Tuesday of Holy Week teaching and being questioned by the religious leaders in order that they might trap Him somehow. Were they jealous of His following? Did they feel threatened by the authority with which He taught? Or did they reason, if they could trip Him up, they might surely proveContinue reading “Tuesday of Holy Week. All she had.”

Be BOLD in a GOOD way!

I suppose we all have our own list of reasons we fail to talk about Jesus and what the Bible says is true when we could. Maybe we don’t feel prepared. Maybe we leave it up to the preachers. Maybe we hate conflict and want everyone to like us. Maybe we are afraid our businessesContinue reading “Be BOLD in a GOOD way!”

It’s HARD to die to self!

It’s far from easy.It’s stinking hard. It’s a hard and holy thing to die to self.And you aren’t the only one struggling with it. For many, who walk with Jesus, it’s a slow thing as we learn little by little, year after year, to die to things that don’t really matter and hold on toContinue reading “It’s HARD to die to self!”

Whose SON is HE?

“What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” (Matt 22:42) Friend, we can’t just move past those words. Slow down. Pay attention. What do you really think? “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” (Matt 22:42) For if the Christ, the Christ of this Christmas we are aboutContinue reading “Whose SON is HE?”

It’s embarrassing to moms everywhere…

Jesus clearly tells his disciples he will be condemned to death and will rise on the third day (Matt 20:17-19). And you’d expect to read of the disciples awe-filled response. But instead, the mother of two of the disciples, James and John, starts lobbying for her sons to have prominent seating in the Kingdom. It’sContinue reading “It’s embarrassing to moms everywhere…”

Those who solely follow their feelings are their own gods.

Instead of looking for ways to follow God closer, many, even many who call themselves Christians, look for loop-holes. They quote scriptures that affirm their feelings and ignore the ones that don’t. In all actuality, they are their own gods who foolishly trust their hearts—hearts that the Bible tells us are deceitful above all things.Continue reading “Those who solely follow their feelings are their own gods.”

A few thoughts to help us discern our hearts regarding judging

I know many of you, who follow this page, have hearts that love the Lord and want to follow Him closer. Most also know, the Bible tells us our hearts can be deceitful above all things and hard to understand (Jer 17:9). Yesterday, we looked at Matthew 7:1 about judging. I really like what theContinue reading “A few thoughts to help us discern our hearts regarding judging”

The small church in America

I’ve learned to keep my eye out for a steeple. It often peeks above a hill as I turn the corner and finally see the small church. Oh, the Lord has had me share in some big churches with parking lots like theme parks, but mostly it’s been the small churches where I’ve found myselfContinue reading “The small church in America”