Rash reactions are never best. In the moment, when we’re swimming in emotions and anger threatens to pull us under, a sudden outburst feels best. But if we give in, we say and do things we wish we’d never said or done. I remember, years ago, a certain man would write railing letters to me. […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Proverbs
Shield Your Eyes, Guard Your Heart: A Message to Those Struggling with Pornography
If you’re reading this article, you may be searching for answers to a problem that’s eating you alive: pornography. If so, let me assure you— you’re doing the right thing by getting help. Pornography is more dangerous than you may realize. It isn’t just about what you see. With each illicit image comes a destructive […]
Read MoreDoes God Care about Our Suffering?
Agonizing in prayer over a difficult leader who was causing conflict in my church, I asked God to remove him and to protect my family and me. As senior pastor, I became the target for a few disgruntled people that this man had secretly poisoned against me. Eventually they demanded my resignation, threatening to disrupt […]
Read MoreThink Theologically, Not Logically
I confess to you, at times I doubt God’s purpose and promise. I say that to my own embarrassment. When things haven’t worked as I thought they would, when I received a no instead of a yes or a yes instead of a no, when I couldn’t unravel a situation and fit it with the […]
Read MoreThree Cheers for Graduates!
If you are graduating this year, good for you! Graduation represents finishing . . . something a lot of people find hard to do. To broaden the words of the great apostle Paul, you have “finished the course.” I congratulate you. Your IQ, your exam grades or your class of degree do not interest me […]
Read MorePeace that Exceeds Understanding
Peace. Whisper the word to yourself and you can almost feel your heart relax. When you’re at peace, you feel an inner confidence that things are not running wild—regardless of the circumstances. Your mind is at rest. Your heart doesn’t flutter with anxiety. Your focus is clear. But far too often, peace is like that […]
Read MoreHow to Make Zero Progress this Year
With the dawning of a new year comes a deluge of resolutions, reminders, and exhortations. They all follow similar how-to themes—how to increase your efficiency, how to make every moment count, how to lose weight, how to invest your time wisely and productively. Well, just for fun, I’d like to take the opposite tack. I’m […]
Read MoreFaith in the Workplace
You invest more than one-third of your life at work. Punch the clock, turn on the computer, start your engines at 8 a.m., rest a few minutes at noon, but keep your mind and body in gear till the sun has set. Then tomorrow—repeat. Sound familiar? So how can your relationship with God grow in […]
Read MoreStrengthening Your Grip on Money
Now there’s a fitting title! Especially in a day when our current accounts need month-to-month resuscitation to survive mind-numbing government deficits and debts. Unlike those who receive incredible salaries for playing games, making movies, singing songs, and pumping oil, most of us are forced to face the fact that the only way we’ll ever see […]
Read MoreThe Plan in a Child’s Heart
A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of understanding draws it out. (Proverbs 20:5) To make this verse even more practical, let’s think of this “plan” in these terms: “A plan in the heart of a child is like deep water, but a parent of understanding draws […]
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