renewed vow
My church started the year by having us renew the vows we've made—at one time or another—to the Lord our God. It was a most appropriate occasion for me, for precisely two weeks earlier I had thought through God’s love for me and concluded I was undeniably "fearfully and wonderfully" loved.
I grew up under the doting attention of a loving…
January 24, 2011
Recent research from Barna has revealed that the Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate. What will it take to reverse this trend?
follow Jesus . . . on twitter
Jesus has His own Twitter account. Well, actually, hundreds of them. Search for “Jesus Christ” on the social networking site, and you’ll find a plethora of twitterers all tweeting in His name—some well-meaning and many blasphemous. The most popular “Jesus” on Twitter has over 34,000 followers!
Hmmm. Would the real Jesus use Twitter? I wonder.
“Follow me,” Jesus said to…
let it (all) go
Karl Rabeder is an Austrian millionaire, but not for much longer. He’s giving away his entire fortune, more than 3 million pounds. His 3,455-square-foot villa overlooking the Alps, his six gliders, his expensive Audi A8, his country estate—all will be sold. As Rabeder told The Daily Telegraph, “My idea is to have nothing left. Absolutely nothing.” The money will fund his…
get low
Evangelist D. L. Moody once said, “When a man thinks he has a good deal of strength, and is self-confident, you may look for his downfall. It may be years before it comes to light, but it is already commenced.” This was definitely true of King Uzziah.
Everything seemed to be going so well in the monarch’s life. He lived…
grace of a loving God
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).
The Lord is so gracious to us. He is gracious, because He created us with freewill. With freewill, we have the option to love God or not to love God. He knew the risks that…
the oprah effect
While managing media and public relations for a handful of leading Washington, DC-based nonprofits, I found that nearly every organization I worked for craved recognition on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Their aspiration came as no surprise. Oprah Winfrey, after all, is “The queen of talk, a cultural and financial icon and her impact on business (and charities) is worth billions,” according…
the easy button
I remember a few years ago when Staples came out with the Easy Button. What a great concept. They have a solution for all of your bookwork or homework needs, and you can find it all in their stores. 
Now that was easy.
This reminds me of a life with Jesus. He makes things easy. First, when we're searching for Him,…
sin and self-worth
A youth pastor avoids telling his teenagers that they’re sinners because he doesn’t want to leave the impression that they “suck” (that they’re bad or worthless). A popular author denies that infants are born with a sin nature because that would mean that “babies suck.” And a friend who confessed to an especially offensive sin said, “I guess this means I…
do you have gas?
Yes, that's what he asked me . . . straight-faced! "DO YOU HAVE GAS?"
I know firsthand how our intentions and our mouths sometimes don't work well together. But have you noticed how everyday careless words can either make you laugh or insult you? My daughter and I had stopped at a service station convenience store to get a soda and…
investment advice
A stock market consultant recently suggested, “People should always sell when they have a better place to put their money.” While true, the challenge is recognizing when one place is better than another, which, of course, no one can identify with any level of certainty. I typically respond to this sort of financial advice with a resounding “Duh! No kidding?” It’s…
wisdom of God
1 Corinthians 2:7-8: "The wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—His plan that was previously hidden, even though He made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord."
Have you heard the old adage that says,…
waiting for rain
Competing against the thwap-thwap sound of the windshield wipers, the rain beat a rhythmic pattern against the car. Driving out of town for a retreat with our youth leaders, I was thankful for the chance to spend time with them.
The rain outside, however, fell in contrast to the desert condition inside my heart. His presence real, I felt that Jesus…
depression and healing
The first time I laid my eyes on my daughter Sophie, I was stunned. So sublime was her beauty that I couldn't believe that she was mine. Also stunned, but for a completely different reason, was my wife Jane. We had planned for three children, and Sophie being the third, this meant that she would never have a son.
Boys…
January 17, 2011
Why, as believers in Jesus, is it important for us to be gracious and loving as we interact with people who disagree with us? What if they’re rude, antagonistic, mean-spirited?
