I was trapped in extremely heavy freeway traffic yesterday and that was very unusual for a Sunday—even in Orange County. Creeping along inch-by-inch, I the only thing I could think about was the delay’s CAUSE. I wanted to get past the choke point IMMEDIATELY! Even as those thoughts were forming in my mind, God was warning me to avoid treating my trials like this freeway jam on the sun-splattered 405...

It’s true! Early in my faith walk I was in a state of panic over what “might happen.” Over what was “around the corner.” Over what trouble “was next.” It was a horrible way to live and it nearly destroyed my walk with God. Our culture has taught us that fear and worry, just like stress, are part of the package we get in life. We are told to endure the constant pressure of life’s uncertainty and to...

We’re living in a dizzying world of technological wonder and pervasive social media power that deludes us into thinking we can control EVERYTHING on our own if we “purchase an APP” to navigate the ebbing tides of life. Just one debilitating consequence of this warped approach is believing the lie that no adversary can disrupt our arrival at the destinations we manufacture and pursue without God’s...

It was early in my faith walk when God used Peter to help me show hopelessness the exit door. “But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, how happy you are! Do not be afraid of anyone, and do not worry.” 1 Peter 3:14 GNT    I learned that Peter is making it crystal clear that Christians have a secure and abundant future with God for eternity. And he is stressing that we are not...

Why do so many believers lack the confidence needed to activate their faith, utilize their gifts, and live out their purpose for Christ and his Kingdom? Indeed, why are we afraid of our own shadow? The parable of the wise and the foolish builders illustrates how important it is to build one’s life on Jesus and activate our faith. There are two kinds of people whose hearts reveal their actions: hearers...

“This is hopeless…everything is hopeless…life is hopeless.” “What good is my faith in God if the pain of life keeps coming?” “I’m going to let go because taking the spiritual road is not worth it.”  Those are just a few of the thoughts I had early in my faith walk during an excruciating painful stretch of road. But God is now using that experience to help other Christians in the same predicament....

It was very early in my faith walk when I looked at the Bible as sacred and important, but largely DEAD AND DORMANT in terms of being a part of my life on a daily basis. It’s a massive understatement to say that I was wrong. God’s Word is ACTIVE AND ALIVE.    “The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet,...

Wait! What? The start of football season means it’s time to study the Bible? Kind of… With American Football camps opening across the country, it’s a great time to think about how the apostle Paul uses the example of physical exercise to illustrate a great spiritual truth.    “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both...

God’s truths are not to be shelved for the future! The Holy Spirit speaks in the PRESENT TENSE, and that’s why we are to respond immediately. Every command of Scripture calls for immediate obedience. Take a look:    “If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God, as they were that day in the desert when they put him to the...

Learning to obey God takes practice under the always mounting difficulties of life and in response to more and more requests for our time, attention, and heart. Learning to obey God is not a one-time anointing. Learning to obey God is a PROCESS. Growth in Christ produces spiritual maturity that is then fueled by what the book of Hebrews led me to call “Learning Obedience.” Take a look…    “But...