Last month’s focus on the imperative (what must be done) of FULLY RELEASING CONTROL of our life to God has us moving rhythmically down life’s lane. But that lane cuts right through the WORLD and its hazards, hardships, and hurts. That’s why the natural next step this month is to stress a second imperative I call REJECT THE WORLD.    The best way to kick off that imperative is by realizing...

After wrestling with how to fully RELEASE CONTROL of our life to Jesus for the past 30 days, today we close out that effort by focusing on the foundational, keystone habit—embedding GOD’S WORD in our head and heart.    Early in my faith walk I thought memorizing Scripture was all about showing people how close we are to God—a Spiritual Show Off. WRONG!    I have since learned...

Life on planet earth has always been tough. But there is something different about RIGHT NOW that startles our attention away from a peaceful pasture and puts it on zip line to a dark forest of fear. The pandemic seems to have dropped a net over all of us and made us question our safety. Wonder about our security. Tremble over our future.    If there was ever a time where we needed a strong...

My recent focus on the spiritual imperative (what must be done) of FULLY RELEASING CONTROL of our life to God has finally hit the stretch of road most of us would rather avoid–ANGER. But we’re going to tackle it head on by taking this unpleasant reality out of our hands and releasing it to God. Ready?    There are millions of Christians everywhere on this planet wondering why they...

This just in from our global tribe of 1.1 Million online followers: “I have been a Christian for 11 years but wonder why I constantly doubt my salvation.”    Every Christian on the planet has at least wondered about the depth of their salvation, if not whether they were really saved by God in the first place. It happens. But when that thought pops up, we need to immediately call it a LIE...

All month we have been addressing the IMPERATIVE—what must be done– for Christians to fully RELEASE CONTROL of their life to Jesus by immersing themselves in God’s Word and then: Repenting; Trusting; Committing; and Praying.    Difficult? It certainly was for me early in my faith walk. That’s when I stacked the deck AGAINST myself by allowing an ugly yellow chair to CONTROL my life.    I...

This just in from our global online tribe: I want to show GOD’S LOVE in my life but it never seems to happen. Why do I fail even though I’m trying hard?    This is a great question about an imperative (what must be done) God gives his followers: TO LOVE.    Trying to manufacture this on our own ignores the Lord’s exhortation to “…arouse God’s Love” in 1 Timothy 1:5.    a·rouse:...

Thinking of ANSWERED PRAYERS from a Biblical perspective hits play on a stream of images rolling through our mind’s projector. We see stories of Diseases Destroyed. Sight Restored. Food Produced. Seas Parted. Attackers Defeated. Death Reversed.    We see GOD at work in those bring-in-the-band answers to prayer. Start-the-parade answers to prayer. Shoot-off-the-fireworks answers to prayer.    All...

William Shakespeare had life in the 21st Century pretty much figured out when he wrote in 1599: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”    EXACTLY! That IS the reality of life on earth in the 21st Century.    Millions of people, good people, are acting on the world’s stage. Playing one role at work. Another at home. Another at church.    God...

THIS JUST IN FROM OUR GLOBAL ONLINE TRIBE: When I am buried in a burden caused by a circumstance or by another person, I feel trapped by Satan with no way out. What should I do when that happens?    This is a great question because Satan loves to use our painful circumstances and problems to drop us into his dark and dirty prison. And you’re not alone. Every believer faces this challenge...