Starting today Americans began reaching for their wallet to spend money on Christmas. By the end December, that spending will reach nearly ONE HALF TRILLION DOLLARS! And that’s just one part of what can only be described as a frenetic, 40-DAY NOISE WAR. But I do not want to argue any of that today. My goal here is to address the CANNIBALIZATION of our mind-share and heart-share that takes place between...

It is impossible for me to fully articulate the depth of my thankfulness today. But there is ONE THING that stands out beyond the TANGIBLE and deeply appreciated provisions I have received from God—and that is the bundle of less-visible INTANGIBLES. Like the way God lifted a bulging burden…soothed a pulsating pain…and healed a reeling relationship. Like the way he brought a man into my life who,...

It has been excruciating to watch the “Camp Fire” march through and consume the quaint mountain town of Paradise, California. That pain is palpable for me because the incredible beauty of Paradise was what enticed my wife Cindy and me to escape periodically from our college stress 25 minutes away in Chico. The horrific images passing in front of my eyes over the past couple of weeks have prompted...

Our lives are a composite picture of our decisions and choices—over 35,000 every day. In the next 20 years we will make over 2 MILLION of them! Many of these choices are INCONSEQUENTIAL. When to eat. What to watch. How to act. When to sleep. What to click.    But along the way we will make CONSEQUENTIAL decisions that anchor our life mosaic. Some will be life-changing in exhilaratingly positive...

Christians have been debating for a long time whether having a GOAL-DRIVEN PLAN is good or bad, right or wrong. On one side…    Those who argue that believers who have goals and plans are WRONG because it demonstrates a lack of trust in God and ignores the need to “wait on God.”    On the other side…    Those who insist that God WANTS us to set goals and establish plans....

Our culture today considers Godly KINDNESS to be synonymous with the world’s definition of being NICE. But that is, simply and soundly, WRONG. Believers who fall for this head fake are sure to compromise their faith. Godly kindness and being nice could not be more different. Biblical kindness supernaturally changes our hearts to express Christ-like love to others even if they don’t deserve that treatment.    One...

After all, being indifferent is showing a lack of interest or concern and looking at things as irrelevant through an apathetic lens, RIGHT? Yes, that is exactly what the dictionary will tell you. But there is an important, life-changing twist to this story…praying for spiritual indifference is ANOTHER MATTER!    Godly indifference is focused solely on being OPEN to God’s Will in a...

Some of us have taken our brokenness too far and allowed it to be justification for avoiding spiritual growth so we can continue our “comfortable-as-a-shoe” life that we label AUTHENTIC. That life is anything but authentic. It is authenticity run amuck.    All of this stems from and revolves around our feeble view of God’s transforming power that keeps us from understanding and embracing...

I am at one of those fork-in-the-road predicaments right now as my life continues to unfold and wend along God’s purpose highway. Of course it’s scary. Of course it’s full of uncertainty. Of course the fear monster keeps trying to steal the scene. Surely I am not alone. Each and every believer is either moving toward or facing the same challenging decision point.    After praying again this...

The epidemic wind of PRETEND CHRISTIANITY is blowing around the world with sweeping and devastating force. People are hiding their doubts and masking their uncertainty in a continuous charade to show everyone they are spiritually mature. That their life is perfect. That they have “got it all together.” Believers chasing this pretend faith have no idea that its polar opposite counterpart–the...