Thriving in Tough Times Part 8

Living in Community “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:10) When I left home on Friday morning the grass needed cutting; when I returned home that night it was cut. It’s my...

Thriving in Tough Times 3

Attending to Physical Priorities “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26) I read the paper yesterday. It’s something I try not to do too often. The...

Thriving in Tough Times 2

Putting Spiritual Priorities Ahead of Physical Priorities “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”...

Thriving in Tough Times 1

Part 1: Adopting a Christian Worldview “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) At one point I was a child of this world – a citizen of its...

Making a Great Sponge

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James...

How to Walk on Water

“‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘Tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said.” (Matthew 14:28-29) You’ve got to admit, walking on water is a pretty neat trick. Only two people in history are...

Success is a Tricky Business

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) I was on the phone with my buddy John last week and he mentioned something Jesus said in 2 Corinthians. Being the red letter expert I am, I informed him that...

How ‘Not’ to Build a Mega-Church

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) As I said last week,...

Jesus: The Motivational Speaker

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23) Some...

Living in the Land of the Lotus-Eaters

“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.” (Mathew 13:7) Remember reading the Iliad and the Odyssey in high school? Maybe not. Homer’s ancient epic poems have been made into movies several times. We’re better at...

Living in Two Kingdoms

I don’t always believe God is real. Kind of shocking, isn’t it? But let me present the evidence. If I believed God was real, I’d believe in what His Son said. I’d take it to heart. I wouldn’t doubt it. I’d have what we...

I Will Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2) I took advantage of the relative quiet over the last two weeks of holiday to finish pre-press edits for the North...