If everything is predetermined and imposed, then all we would need to do is show up. Right? The concept of accounting for all of the challenges in life is antithetical to the idea of trusting God for everything. The negativity consumes us when we seek a predictable pathway with everything fully revealed like a big bang in the sky.    The unknown is actually a major part of our walk with...

I have forgiven them, I promise! OK, fair enough…but then why are you still fighting the battle to be “right” or “make them pay” or to “get justice” as if they were sitting in a chair staring at you from across the room.    As I rev today’s early morning motor, a warm burst of air is taking the chill off my space and set the soundtrack on low with its steady and soothing hum. It’s a perfect...

We speak about 15,000 words every day and will always fall short of God’s standards along the way! It is inevitable that we will slip somewhere in the normal conversational flow of life. Rarely intentional, the offenders just tumble out of our mouth without even a thought of being wrong or hurtful. It’s a fact that we must own—our words have the potential to deeply injure others. OUR DUAL RESPONSIBILITY ONE:...

It’s easy to let the FUTURE be something that we simply “wait for” and “let happen.” God says DON’T DO IT!    This affects life in general and specifically our walk with Christ. It also comes into our work and career. However, it is not about us doing God’s work and architecting the future on our own. That’s playing boss and it’s wrong.    Our future is in God’s hands, of course. ...

Easier said than done, right? Of course! But we can get to this glorious place and experience its bountiful blessings if we trust God’s promises. If we believe that God is in full–not partial–control.  If we release the hurt and allow the healing.    It’s all about EXPECTATIONS.    More specifically…it’s a matter of pushing aside our UNMET EXPECTATIONS and stop...

God wants us to pray for protection as we pull out of the garage each day with him as the driver. He wants us to pray in advance  for protection on every part of our life–health, family, church and business relationships, finances, our future, our hope—all of it. But praying for this protection once a week at church or even once a day as we start our journey is not enough! He wants us...

To stand out for Christ in a world swimming in excuses, we need to take ownership for our wrong-doings. We need to accept blame for our mistakes. And then we need to let God use our shortcomings for good. Our culture may expect Christians to be faultless, but we do not need to live without fault in order to have an impact for Christ. Because we cannot, of course, live without fault. But when we repent...

God says fear is unacceptable, yet we still fall prey to this powerful foe! Fear is a natural, human reaction to our surroundings and the machinations of living. It is not possible to completely remove it from our life. But we can stop thinking we can control things by being fearful. Yet our culture has taught us that fear is part of the package we get in life. We are told to endure the constant...

Our entire value system is under siege as the world slides into a bizarre paradox where the unreal is real.   Cosmetically appealing slop is supported by a media that feeds it inexorably to a panting and ever-expanding audience. The tabloid explosion is feeding our fascination with the prurient. TV talk shows have become theater to help us feel better about ourselves because can tell ourselves...

Our vulnerability to Satan’s Voice Villain in our ear increases with each new mistake we make or bad feeling we entertain.  This negativity creates a damaging self-perception that we are not worthy and cannot be like Jesus. Then we mistakenly start thinking we are no good for others, no good for our families and friends, and no good for God.    It’s a search-and-destroy mission...