I’ve been sacked by a staph infection for the past week and that sent my mind into hyper “thinking mode” about lots of stuff. One prominent theme has been to take the focus off me and my pain and concentrate on OTHERS. So that’s what I have been doing. And since this blog is in a month-long focus on God’s LOVE, my thoughts quickly moved to how believers are called to love OTHERS.     ...

God made me to be me and you to be you. He LOVES me and you and everyone as we are, and who he would have us become.    That sets up this often-overlooked teaching from God: COMPARING ourselves to others is extremely dangerous.    “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” 1 Corinthians 15:10    That verse carries a sacred responsibility for me and you and everyone to live...

Yesterday was a very tough day for me. Battling intense pain from a staph infection, I prayed for strength and then leaned into the headwind and moved forward. That took all the DISCIPLINE I could muster. Later in the day while working with colleagues, the word DISCIPLINE was peeking through just about everything we discussed.    That full day of dancing with the word DISCIPLINE marinated...

Have you ever tried to FIGURE OUT the people bobbing in and out of your life? Of course. All of us spend considerable time trying to understand the parade of people we encounter. And while we’re working on that impossible task, we try to present ourselves in a certain light so people in our midst can FIGURE US OUT.    It’s one big dance with a lot of bad dancing as everyone tries—unsuccessfully,...

I’ve been setting and reaching goals for my entire adult life. There is NO DOUBT that GOALS have been a significant force and benefit for me—in every part of life–over many years. GOALS ARE GOOD. But do they deserve to be the sole driver of our activities in life, including our faith walk with Christ? NO.    Modern society has held up GOAL-SETTING as a core value for hundreds of years....

I woke up this morning thinking about how much POWER is packed into the word CHALLENGE when a Christian applies it to their walk with Jesus. Self-challenge. NOT group challenge. Internal, introspective challenge. NOT external, judgmental challenge.    I am thinking of CHALLENGE in the context of exposing pathways for spiritual growth, NOT imposing guilt that would cause our faith to regress....

I have been swimming in thoughts about the immense power of Satan’s DARKNESS ever since yesterday when we embraced God’s truth that Christians who love his LIGHT are living out their new birth. I could not shake it all day. And here I am this morning still wondering if Christians are AFRAID OF THE DARK.    It doesn’t take much looking to find darkness in our world. It is a monster preparing...

Written by Bruce Springsteen and made famous by Manfred Mann, the song BLINDED BY THE LIGHT is loaded with imaginative lyrics over a catchy beat. But the title itself has punched an indelible imprint on my faith walk. WHY? Because it raises two important questions every Christian should consider: 1) Does God’s bright light BLIND or BLESS you? 2) Does it cause you to LOVE?    Christians who...

I’ve spent my entire adult life accumulating knowledge in multiple areas and disciplines—including my faith. I was laser-focused on stimulating my mind. Filling my brain. Growing my understanding. I thought it was serving me well, but God pointed out its errant course by teaching me that I had misused my learning by focusing it INWARD. I had combined the “RIGHT FACTS” with a “WRONG HEART.”   ...

Yes, it’s true…we are to love our enemies. Love the people we dislike. Love the unlovable. Christians and unbelievers. Deceivers and manipulators. Bullies and brutes. ALL OF THEM. Our expression of God’s love is not built on PERSONAL feelings and natural inclinations. It is embedded in his command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 This is not like picking players for our fantasy football...