I just returned from spending a couple of weeks in Europe–my first vacation in seven years—and want to share something that God grabbed my attention with along the way. It’s a new way of looking at a verse I have read many hundreds of times: “A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.” Proverbs 10:5 (GNT) This verse...

A shallow FAITH ANCHOR–or worse, one that stays in the boat—makes it difficult to fully believe that God is in control and we aren’t. And it produces two very real THREATS to our walk with God: 1) It makes it more difficult to fight through the challenges of life; and 2) It makes it more difficult to model Christ in a way that helps others reject Satan’s lies and endure the tests and trials...

Early in my faith walk, I was NOT curious about ANYTHING related to God. I was too busy chasing prestige and power. Money and mansions. Success and satisfaction.    Looking back on that now prompts me to ask myself when my curiosity died.    cu·ri·ous: eager to know or learn something.    God gives children a natural curiosity about life and its wonder. He gives them...

“You’ll Never Amount To Anything.”   You may not have heard those exact words spoken in that exact way, but I would guess all of us have heard that message in one form or another at some stage in our life. I certainly have. Both as a kid and later as an adult Christian falling prey to the dark voices pinging my inner ear and piercing my fragile heart.   Hearing that damning message, in any...

Early in my faith walk, I thought KINDNESS was “being nice” to people. Of course that’s true, but Christian kindness has so much more depth and meaning. We need to ask Jesus to understand what that brand of kindness looks like.   Let’s start with what kindness is for a Christian.   Jesus modeled kindness as a character trait that came out of him every day of his ministry. Even while suffering...

Recognizing our INADEQUACY without God is a SPIRITUAL IMPERATIVE, right? Yes, it is. And one of the most menacing roadblocks to that end is PRIDE.   PRIDE is a swamp with percolating quicksand teeming with alligators. A swamp that triggers a welter of bad thoughts and bad behaviors. A swamp where pain and despair keep us from: 1) Recognizing our INADEQUACY without God, and 2) Being transformed...

Early in my faith walk I used to think the Holy Spirit was a mysterious force that had little to do with my faith. Talk about MISSING THE MARK. But that’s ok because God showed me the truth and I have not been the same ever since. Seriously.    It seems like the Holy Spirit gets less attention than God the Father and Jesus the Son. I’ve had that thought numerous times and I know others...

This recurring question was peeking at me through today’s new dawn as it faithfully unwrapped its fresh dose of radiant hope: “WHO IS MY GOD, ANYWAY?”   Why is waking up to this particular thought not a surprise to me? Because even the most mature Christians periodically ask themselves that question.   It’s a POSITIVE sign that we are craving to know more about the Lord of Heaven and earth....

Retreating to the balcony has dramatically changed my walk with Christ and TRANSFORMED my life. Will YOU take the BALCONY CHALLENGE for 2022 and record what you see below?    The story is built around a balcony metaphor and pivots off God’s command for self-examination to “search me and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23).    For me, going up on a metaphorical balcony and looking down...

My thoughts today are bouncing like a tormented pinball between this glorious spring morning unwrapping its beauty for the day AND what seems to be a RISE in the “ANGST LEVEL” in Christians worldwide. I can see it in the hundreds of comments coming into this ministry.    My gut says “c’mon, Mark, it’s ALWAYS been like this…we live on earth, not in heaven.” Of course that’s TRUE.    But...