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...

I gave myself a huge CHALLENGE this Easter and I’d like YOU to consider taking it on, too. Here’s the story to set the stage for a unique and powerful approach to the most significant day on any calendar on planet earth…    Holy Week has historical and life-changing significance because it is the story of Jesus beginning—and completing–his journey to the Cross on our behalf. That’s...

I did NOT wake up today thinking this specific line: “God is Good” even though I KNOW he is. Like millions of other Christians, I use that line “God is Good” occasionally to acknowledge something he has done. Of course that’s great. But I want to REGULARLY claim “God is Good” over and over again. Especially at the start of every day.    “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”...

I bought a YELLOW CHAIR yesterday after pledging for over 30 years to never, ever make that purchase. You are no doubt wondering right now how buying a yellow chair could ever rise to being worthy of a blog? Let me explain.    The chair is for our house. But that’s NOT the story here.    This story is about how early in my faith walk I allowed an ugly YELLOW CHAIR to control my...

Things didn’t go according to plan yesterday and I landed in a deep pool of pain. My initial reaction was, mistakenly, to summon my own horsepower to counter the situation. But then the RIGHT RESPONSE popped up on my mind’s screen: Recognize my INADEQUACY without God and go to him IMMEDIATELY.    OK…so far, so good. But then I wondered: WHAT EXACTLY SHOULD I DO AND THINK?    Since...

Most of our fears are tangible and easily described. You know…heights, disease, oceans, flying, failure, death…to name but a few. But the sneakiest and most dangerous fear of all—for me–is RARELY discussed.    It’s this people-pleasing trap—FEAR OF MAN (FOM).    I wrote about this subject last year, but I did not hit it hard enough. Today, I will because this fear is stalking...

Christians should strive to give and take no offense, right? Of course. After all, we are to love one another (John 13:35). But there will be times—HOPEFULLY VERY FEW–when we must risk offending someone with our words. Wounding words. Hurtful words.    How can a Christian speak hurtful words? That’s wrong, right?    For the answer to that, we look to Jesus. In his last days...

You’ve no doubt experienced the humiliation of catching others trading hurtful glances and whispering something negative about you or someone you love. Uncomfortable at minimum and crushing on the other end, that scenario prompts me to ponder a couple of questions: How much gossiping do you suppose is going on in heaven right now? If gossip is ARROGANT and FOOLISH, why do believers so easily succumb...

This just in from our global online tribe: I thought my faith was strong, but the world seems to be rooting for me to slip or fall down. Am I alone in feeling this?    NO, you are not alone. The world IS rooting for you, me, and all Christians to fall down. It has become SPORT for people to cheer when a holy man or woman falls. They ignore sins of the wicked and, at the same time, magnify...