Spiritual Growth

Whew! It’s over, the trouble has passed.    That’s what I used to think earlier in my faith walk when a trial or test ended.    I was wrong. God wants us to do more than celebrate “surviving” our trials like we’re passing a freeway-clogging accident. The “more” is asking him to identify opportunities to […]

It’s true. And it was scary.    It happened during my run as a Corporate CEO when I was swept away by hopelessness. I had accepted Christ 20 years earlier, but never fully surrendered my life in obedience to him. There was a sports car in my mansion’s garage, but I was spiritually bankrupt.   

That’s how I viewed what was happening early in my faith walk when I had no spiritual discernment; never opened the Bible; and certainly did not have a relationship with Jesus.    I know, it sounds like sheer nonsense now. But back then, it was my reaction to all of the things that didn’t “go

That was how I viewed Christian ministry early in my faith walk. I know, OUCH.    I avoided anything related to ministry for over 20 years. Playing on a continuous loop in my head during that time were images of me on a bike handing out “Christian stuff” somewhere on the globe’s other side.   

Bible literacy is at an all-time low, but DEVOTED Fellowship may be losing out to HANGING OUT Fellowship!    New Testament Christians didn’t just have fellowship, they devoted themselves to fellowship!    Obedient to God’s Word, these early believers made it a priority to meet together with other believers in fellowship with Christ–Koinonia in the

I’m not proud of it, of course, but it’s true nonetheless.    I had accepted Christ, but did not have a relationship with God. When I heard people proclaim that Jesus is the light of the world, it simply did not register. Without that foundation, I stood no chance of being a light for Christ

That is exactly how I saw it early in my faith walk. I was immature and naïve.    Looking back on that now makes me sad because it was then, is now, and will always be FALSE for two key reasons: 1) We all will need some kind of breakthrough at some point; and 2)

I was floating in a slipstream of doubt and fear early in my faith walk and could not make a move toward God’s outstretched and beckoning hand.    I felt like a frightened first-time parachutist who loses their nerve and cowers in the plane’s belly as the pilot screams: “Jump! Jump now!”    So it

Early response in an emergency is important. The earlier the response the better. That’s why we venerate our first responders and respect them so much.    I was thinking today about the application between faith and first responders and realized that God wants to be our very own first responder on call 24/7, 365 days

I’m convinced that encouragement is one of the most powerful blessings in God’s Kingdom. That’s why I want to share with you today a few thoughts of encouragement that came to me this morning during my quiet time with the Lord. My prayer is that they encourage you and help brighten your day so you