Today I want to address something that sometimes comes up in conversations. It’s kind of a big one. Someone will say, “Because of all this bad stuff happening in my life I feel like God is punishing me.” Have you ever said something like that? Have you ever felt it? I get where it comes … Continue reading Punishment? Or consequence?
decisions
God told me to _______
“God led me.” “God directed me.” “God told me to _____.” Maybe you’ve said something like that before. Maybe you’ve heard someone else say it. It’s often comes from a very sincere place: Someone (maybe even you) prays to God about something, and then has a strong feeling that they should act in a certain … Continue reading God told me to _______
If you’re in a hole, quit digging
Proverbs 26:11 says: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” In other words, if you keep making the same foolish mistake, you’re like a dog who keeps returning to its own vomit. Gross! When we take a moment to think about the mistakes we’ve made, many of us probably think … Continue reading If you’re in a hole, quit digging
Tempted? Do this.
We live in the age of the quick fix. And when it comes to temptation, our impulse for instant gratification can lead us astray. So if you're human and deal with temptation, here's something that will help.
Is easier always better?
Our culture promotes convenience, comfort and quick-and-easy. But when it comes to faith, does God always make your life better by making it easier?
Until we are aware of God’s marching orders
Life is full of decisions. Small ones, easy ones, tough ones, and over-sized. But how do you make decisions in a faithful way? That is true to what God’s purposes might be for your life? Well, you’re right. That’s a big question. But here's some advice: Consult God FIRST. Carl George writes, “Until we are … Continue reading Until we are aware of God’s marching orders
What a flame is to dynamite
After summarizing some research on self-esteem, John Ortberg describes an internal question that a lot of people ask when approaching a challenge: “When you face a difficult situation, do you approach it, take action, and face it head on, or do you avoid it, wimp out, and run and hide?” When you face a difficult … Continue reading What a flame is to dynamite
Your John 3:16 moment
I had planned on writing about something else today. But a congregant just passed away and I felt the need to share this question with you. Are you ready for your own death? Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t think about it until it’s too late. In previous eras, people thought about death a lot … Continue reading Your John 3:16 moment
The view from the top
Every day we’re faced with choices about what route we’re going to take. These come in the form of decisions. A lot of them are simple. You don’t even have to think about them. But there are also difficult choices. These are choices like whether to do the right thing or the easy thing; whether … Continue reading The view from the top
Judging an idea on its abuse
There are a lot of good ideas out there. But a lot of these good ideas are told to us by flawed people or by flawed organizations. Let me tell you what I mean and then what it means for you. Some people discount your ideas simply because you’ve been inconsistent with how you live … Continue reading Judging an idea on its abuse
