spiritual maturity

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 […]

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

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

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).   

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

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

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.

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.

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

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