From the world's perspective, strength is a universally and undisputedly positive quality. It's is admired in every realm of life—from the successful business leader to the Olympic athlete. And it brings with it the utmost honor and prestige.Yet, when it comes...
In today's world, entertainment rules the day. As author Neil Postman wrote in his book, we are "Amusing Ourselves to Death." Whether it is video gaming, television, Netflix, internet or sports—Americans love mindless escape, as we hang out in various worlds of...
These tumultuous times are pushing many believers toward a necessary redefinition of the meaning of life. Things we counted on in previous years (a stable society, basic foundations of morality, core behavioral values) are threatened by a rapidly changing culture....
What defines your life? Good Christians know the "right" answer—but what is our real answer? In truth, what defines our life are the things that dominate our thinking and consistently spark our interests. The real definition of our life can often be reduced to...
A.W. Tozer wrote, "Wrong ideas about God are not only the fountain from which the polluted waters of idolatry flow; they are themselves idolatrous. The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts as if they were true." It is a tragic error to imagine a "god"...
I often hear church leaders talking about the paramount need for discipleship in the church, rightfully so. Across the nation, we sponsor major conferences on the theme of "discipleship." Occasionally I will meet a church staff member who serves as a "Pastor of...
Fairly often I encounter Christians who describe God "speaking to them." It is as if the Almighty actually verbalizes His unique direction right into their eardrums. Frankly, I am skeptical. I do not hear voices nor to do I see detached hands writing...
Every true believer understands the pressure of life "under attack." We are objects of the opposition of an enemy who hates our Savior. Because we are Christ's prized possession, we are targets of the devil's animosity. His intention is to "steal, kill and destroy."...
My first recollection of an identity crisis dates back to my childhood reading of the book titled, Are You My Mother? In this story, a baby bird hatched while its mother was away. This placed the little fledgling right into the middle of its own identity...
Imagine a master conductor gearing up to lead a large symphony orchestra in a beautiful rendition of Handel's Messiah. The strings are tuned. The woodwind section is ready. The brass section is in place. The percussionists are set. The conductor steps to his platform...
One of the recurring themes of the Bible is the tendency of the human heart to complain, either to others or to God. One is unacceptable; the other can be helpful. Let's explore the nature of complaining and when it is acceptable, when it is not.The...
When history looks back on the days in which we are living, one inevitable headline will feature the dramatic escalation of anger, protests, and even riots—–taking aim at hotly debated concerns and even our recently-elected president. Regardless of the...
Every biblical Christian understands that our battle is not against "flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). We are...
I like to say that "the worst of times are often the best of times—they just don't feel like it at the time." As counterintuitive as this seems, anyone who has been through tough times while drinking deeply of the grace of Christ knows it's true.This week, I had...