"Watch your life and doctrine closely"
Fear does its best work in the night. I wake up at 3am struck by a terrible thought stirred by a bad dream. Some fearful situation enters my mind and I wonder how I would handle it. What if something were to happen to one of my kids? What if I lost someone I love?…
You are praying, but even as you do so there are doubts. You’ve proven sinful yet again and go to the Lord asking for mercy, but it seems there’s no way he’ll grant it this time. Surely, you’ve worn out your welcome…surely he’s tired of forgiving someone who can’t seem to get it right over…
It should have been an easy victory. So easy, in fact, Israel decided not to send their whole army. Instead, they sent a meager 3,000 troops who, they felt, could easily defeat Ai. But that’s not what happened. What should have been an easy victory turned into an embarrassing defeat and the loss of thirty-six…
I parked my truck and opened the door into the darkness of the morning. All alone on the country road, I began warming up before starting my run. Over the course of the next few miles, I might see one or two cars on the backroads, which makes them a great place to exercise. However,…
‘Tis the season for “best of the year” lists! So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite reads for 2021 in no particular order: Deep Discipleship by J.T English How can churches develop deep disciples in a time when so many are highly influenced by social media, the news, etc? English precisely…
Last week I preached the funeral of a dear friend and sister in Christ. The Lord used her as a constant reminder of his amazing grace to me and so many others. I knew her as Mrs. Jo, and she passed away at the age of ninety-eight. Every Thursday she came to Bible study eager…
We absolutely hate it. It’s vile and wretched and rarely the answer we want to hear. Yet, unfortunately, we often find it a regular part of life. What is this four-letter response that leads us to wince when we hear it? Wait. None of us like to wait. Whether it’s the DMV or the line…
As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw a little blonde dash across the playground like a gazelle. I couldn’t believe how big she had gotten in such a short time. In the backseat of the van my daughter squealed with excitement. We hadn’t seen our former foster daughter in over a year but…
Regeneration is God implanting a new life, a new disposition within us. In that moment, we go from our natural mindset that opposes God to a new spiritual mindset that knows and loves God. Such a change is so drastic, Jesus said it’s like being born again (John 3). A newborn shows signs of life…
Healthy competition can lead us to work harder and achieve more than we ever thought possible. However, competition’s ugly cousin, comparison, promises to help us achieve more but often leaves us in despair. It debilitates and discourages, leaving us feeling insignificant and purposeless. It reminds us there is always someone else who is more successful,…