THE BLOG
Topic
- Anxiety 2
- Beauty 1
- Bible 7
- Blessings 1
- Body of Christ 1
- Burden 1
- CEO 1
- Christian Living 197
- Christlikeness 6
- Christmas 14
- Commandments 1
- Community 2
- Conflict 1
- Cults 1
- Culture 1
- DDM 1
- Death 2
- Discipleship 5
- Emotions 6
- Eternity 2
- Evangelism 7
- Faith 2
- Forgive 4
- Freedom 1
- Fusion 1
- Gambling 1
- Gather 2
- God 2
- Gospel 3
- Gratitude 2
- Hebrews 11 1
- Holiness 1
- Holy Spirit 1
- Homosexuality 1
- Humility 1
- Israel 2
- Jesus 9
- Joy 2
- King of Glory 1
- Lying 1
- Missions 3
- Outreach 1
- Pastor Jeff 1
- Perspective 2
- Prayer 8
- Psalm 119 3
- Reading 1
- Salvation 13
- Sanctification 1
- Satan 1
Jesus Only Jesus
With all the angst and tension and partisanship we see and feel in our culture today and even to some extent in the church, what do we do?Quit? Hide out? Ride the roller coaster of emotion? Give up?None of the Above.
I Need You & You Need Me
Years ago I was given this enlightening parable that highlights the way God uses distinctive gifts within His uniquely designed people.
Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school.
Ask Questions – Strategic Questions – More Questions
Do you feel like you're walking around on eggshells these days when it comes to engaging people in our mission field?
People seem to be on edge or unnerved about everyday interactions. People tend to be quiet, look down, or look away when you walk by them. Maybe it’s all the noise of outrage, protest, restrictions, or the fear of cancel culture.
How can we open the door to some interaction that could lead to planting some gospel seeds of truth?
Why you should read the entire Bible this year....
We all know the Bible is absolutely vital to our spiritual life and health. We have heard and read Scriptures like “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18), and “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22).
We say, "Amen! Hallelujah!" and commit passionately to read our Bibles every day.
Christmas Means
One of my favorite quotes around Christmas is this: “Without Christmas, Easter is impossible. Without Easter, Christmas is meaningless.” Both are essential to the meaning, hope, and experience of our Christian life, yet our Lord’s incarnation unfolded the amazing salvation plan of God.
God said it this way: “For the grace of God appeared (Jesus Christ) bringing salvation to all men” (Titus 2:11).
As you ponder the meaning of Christmas this year, I have always benefited from this profound poem that Larry Farthing wrote called “Christmas means.…” Let its truths marinate in your heart.
Christmas Stress Relief
Over the last nine months, we have been treated to the indignities of COVID: uncertainty, fear, anxiety, sickness, death, mandates, shutdowns, and shortages. We’re used to the toilet paper shortages, but now it’s antacids. COVID has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of many and the rising use of medications to treat depression, insomnia, and anxiety (up 15-34 percent before the current wave) along with binge drinking (up 20 percent) is disturbing.
Are you Offended?
I was sent the following message posted on a sign down in Texas by a famous Tex-Mex restaurant named El Arroyo: “Wishing you a happy whatever doesn’t offend you.”
WOW, doesn’t that seem to summarize the sentiment of our times?
Offenses these days seem like another pandemic. They are spreading like wildfire and too many are testing positive with touchiness, edginess, or oversensitivity over virtually everything. Don’t you sometimes feel like you are walking on eggshells around people?
Just Trust Him
I truly appreciate the skill and work of a dentist, but I just wish they could fix my teeth without mouth openers, needles, and drills.
Stephen Erickson once wrote this about choosing a dentist:
Never trust a dentist…
Gushing with Gratitude
I have to admit that I’m an official gravy-sucker. If you’re not familiar with the south, that generally means you love gravy so much you’re even willing to drink it. That’s me; just ask Kim. During our family Thanksgiving, we have lots of gravy and I love to fill my plate with the turkey (white meat only) and all the delectable side dishes and then pour gravy over the whole plate so it saturates everything! It’s soooooo good. Any fellow gravy-suckers out there?
When it comes to general thanksgiving, God clearly tells us to be like gravy-suckers and saturate our lives with gratitude. Just pour it all over our lives and circumstances because we know He is working in and through everything.