April 2015 Blog Posts (20)

“A person can be a person and not know Greek or algebra. But a person cannot be a person and not know God.” (Anonymous)

To be the person God intends us to be, it is imperative that we travel the Way to the Truth of Life [John 14:6].

To get to know the true God, we must live in fellowship with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ [1 John 5:18-21].

To know a rich and satisfying life as a human being, we must stay close to the good Shepherd [John…

Are you bummed out about something today? Perhaps the condition of your nation…your church…your health…your finances…your emotions…or your family? Then I think you’ll find hope and encouragement through the words of the prophet Jeremiah, sometimes called “the weeping prophet.”

As Jeremiah wept during the devastation of his beloved city, Jerusalem, his initial reaction was not to blame the Babylonian invaders for his agony. He blamed God, concluding that his nation’s afflictions…

There’s a popular adage that’s been the chorus of at least a few good songs, which goes like this: “Everything you know is wrong.” That’s not entirely true, obviously (I think), but there’s still a lot of truth to it.

On the one hand, we put way too much stock in our own opinions and experiences, however true they may or may not be. On the other hand—and sometimes even simultaneously—we allow ourselves to become paralyzed by our lack of knowledge, lack of wisdom, or just…

"Christ is not valued at all unless he be valued above all." (Augustine)

Christ invites surrender like no other--He asks to be Master of the human heart.

Christ commands like no other--He demands obedience, not merely applause.

Christ reigns like no other--He rules an empire of love unrivaled by earth's fleeting…

This article makes a provocative statement: "Christianity isn’t just a system of belief. It isn’t a lifestyle. It’s a life transformed by Jesus." 

 “Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.” (Marcus Aurelius]

To live without praying to our Father is to behave as if our Savior were still entombed. To “pray without ceasing” [1 Thessalonians 5:17] is literally to “come to rest” in grace.

To neglect conversation with Christ is to miss the joy of intimacy with the living Lord. To listen for His voice is the prelude to indescribable peace and incomparable…

“God is not in the business of granting wishes. God is in the business of raising the dead, not all of whom are willing.” (Barbara Brown Taylor)

To experience the power that raised Christ from the dead is infinitely superior to gloating in our achievements and possessions. Anything that we let take God’s place in our hearts is a false god unable to…

According to a popular legend, sixteenth-century Spanish explorer Ponce de León discovered Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth. Many people are still looking for the Fountain of Youth in Florida today, but that’s not the subject of this blog.

Many explanations have been offered for what motivated this wild-goose chase. One historian speculated that the adventurous conquistador mistook the natives’ word “vid” (vine) for “vida” (life), which transformed their…

Many Christians today believe—or at least live as if they believed—that Jesus died solely to forgive them; and that because their messes are now cleaned up, they can go on with their lives as if Christ had no further claims upon them. This is, quite simply, not true.

“There is no secret—only—only I am always at his feet, and he is always in my heart.” (A Hebridean princess)

Easter, the high and holy day of the Christian faith, has come and gone. But Jesus hasn’t. He promised to stay with us always, and He is still near. He promised never to abandon us, and He is still our faithful friend. The resurrected Christ keeps holding on to us—reaching out, embracing, calling our name. Jesus invites us to follow Him, to go on…

Throughout history, the greatest heroes have been those who’ve had the greatest challenges to overcome. But isn’t it curious that while everyone wants to be an overcomer, we typically freak out when we’re actually given something to overcome?

That’s exactly what happened to Jesus’ disciples when suddenly confronted with “a furious squall” on the Sea of Galilee one day (Mark 4:35-41).

Perhaps you’re facing a storm of a different kind today. Not “a furious…

The agony of Jesus' sacrifice is the basis of our ecstasy--forgiven and free, we joyfully celebrate life. Read my blog on this subject at http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/

“Cleanliness is not next to godliness nowadays, for cleanliness is made an essential and godliness is regarded as an offence.” (G. K. Chesterton)

To worship the holy God acceptably, we must prepare our inner being by washing with the holy water of His Word. Meticulous hand washing is meaningless ritual without inside purification. Dirt-free hands are good hygiene, but a pure heart is heaven’s prerequisite for holiness.

We are not what we think we…

Faith-steps How many steps of faith does one take in a lifetime? For a believer, the answer is many. As one who has taken more than an average share of faith-steps I am disturbed by the misunderstanding in today’s new age, post-modern culture. The prevailing misconception embraced by much of the unchurched world is that church going Christians are, for the most part, unthinking, irrational, Bible thumping nerds. The Apostle Paul, from whom we get a large portion of our walking orders, and…

                                                A Prayer for Easter

O God, on this Day of all days we bring You our grateful thanks.

How can we see what it means that You defeated human destructiveness?

How can we say how Your rising affects our apathy and disappointment?

Our hearts sing with praise for You, victorious Lord Jesus…

I’ve always struggled to get excited about special days—even great days of celebration like Easter. After all, shouldn’t the resurrection of Jesus be a constant reality in our lives, not just a once-a-year commemoration?

Because Jesus lives, we can have true life as well. We can have fellowship with Him NOW, without having to wait until we get to heaven.

But let’s face it: We don’t just need resurrection power once a year. Even worse, some believers apparently have only…

Based on recent news reports and political talk shows, I’ve concluded that a growing number of Americans want us to be a nation without discrimination. While you probably think a discrimination-free country is a very good objective, you need to be careful what you wish for.

Let me explain…

According to dictionaries, to “discriminate” means to differentiate or make a distinction. So we can reframe my original question like this: Do you really want a country where no one can…

I think everyone feels the need to get off of the proverbial treadmill now and then. I am a true proponent, as I've had many experiences where fifty miles changed both my attitude and my energy level. Just the same, I'm thankful refreshment comes in many forms. I can't always find the time, money or opening in my schedule to satisfy my wander lust. This doesn't mean the pull to get away from everyone and everything lessens to any degree. I still crave a getaway.

That's why I've…

Several friends rebuked me last week when I posted a picture on Facebook of the bloody mass a surgeon removed from my back. Simply too gross and inappropriate, they said.

In my defense, I told them I posted the gory post-surgical picture while I was still heavily sedated. I had hoped all my Facebook friends would rejoice with me at how the fatty lymphoma was successfully removed. But, oh well…

Always looking for illustrations to use in my sermons and blogs, I learned some great…