Oct. 30, 2017

Yeah I know, it’s been nearly a year since I blogged on here, but wanted to share a couple of cool notes from my morning Bible reading. In Luke 8:40-56, a bleeding woman touched Jesus in a crowd of people. According to Luke, a doctor, the woman had been suffering from her bleeding condition for 12 years and had spent all she had, only to yield no cure.

All it took was one touch of the tassel of Jesus’s robe to heal her. Despite all the close contact in the crowd, He immediately knew power left Him. He singled her out of the crowd and told her that her faith had healed her.

Amazing that all we have to do is believe. No matter what religion tells you, it is merely faith in the truth and power of Jesus Christ that can change our lives. It doesn’t mean things are always great. But it does mean that things are always okay when we believe.

There was nothing special about the tassel of Jesus’s robe. He didn’t tell the woman she was healed by touching His robe. She was healed because she believed. Nothing has changed since then.

Nov. 25, 2016

Spencer and me had a chance to visit Moody Church in Chicago last Sunday and it was truly a blessing. The sermon from Dr. Ed Stetzer is linked. If you carry your kids to a service, take advantage of the TMC Kids classes. Spen had a blast.

May 7, 2016

Sorry for the lack of updates. Changing careers has consumed my time. I’ll do better. I have joined the street team to promote Brian “Head” Welch’s new book, “With My Eyes Wide Open, Miracles and Mistakes on My Way Back to Korn.” So you’ll see quite a bit of promo. That said go to Amazon or your favorite book shop and get a copy.

Feb. 3, 2016

Matt: 5:5 says “The gentle are blessed, for they will inherit the earth.”

My HCSB study guide points out the gentle can be interpreted as those who stubbornly trust God even when they don’t understand their circumstances. That’s the definition of my life at the moment. Praying I trust, even without understanding.

Jan. 15, 2016

Jeremiah has become maybe my favorite book of the Bible. In 33:3 God tells us to call to Him and He will answer and tell is things otherwise incomprehensible.

Not only will He answer us, He will tell us things we cannot know for ourselves. That’s pretty amazing. Skip back to 32:17, 27 and God says one of the most awesome things in the Bible: “Is anything too difficult for Me?”

The answer is no. Grasping that would change our lives dramatically.

*Sources: Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God

Jan. 11, 2016

Reading from Hebrews 10:19-20 this morning about reverence to God. Henry Blackaby wrote that if we truly understand the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, we can never go to God without a sense of awe.

Personally I know I don’t appreciate the pain Jesus put Himself through to forgive me. God demands holiness from His people. His son paid the ultimate price for it so we could go to them with faith and confidence.

Christ suffered an unfathomable death. If we could only fathom some of it, Blackaby is right, we would treasure prayer, worship and scripture.

Dec. 23, 2015

Tonight through Friday are prime times for us as parents to read the Bible to our kids.

The Christmas story is the greatest story, so before or after Charlie Brown and The Grinch, pop open Luke 2 and read 20 or so verses.

That’s the best gift we can give this time of year.

Dec. 18, 2015

Was reading Matthew 7 this morning, the last of the three chapters in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, picking out points to write about.

There are a lot of good ones, forgiveness, judging, trusting in full faith to do what God asks for a fulfilling life…

But to simplify it even further, it all goes back to a God big enough to squish the world with his hands. He could do that, but chooses rather to seek us close to Him.

Trusting God is hard. That’s why verse 14 says the road is narrow and difficult to get to Him.

Dec. 16, 2015

Matthew 6:30 is short but one of the Bible’s sweetest verses. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He talks about how God clothes the flowers and the grass of the fields.

If He does that for withering nature, how much more will He do for us, His greatest creation?

Matthew 6 is the ultimate answer for human anxiety. We have anxiety because we doubt God’s desire and power to provide for us. He wants to and will.

Dec. 4, 2015

The insight from Mark 9:38 goes way beyond its surface. Jesus’ disciples rebuked a man who was performing miracles in Christ’s name but wasn’t in their regular circle.

Jesus scolded them for rebuking a man doing God’s work. That happens often in this day. People worship God in more way than ever, including through rock ‘n’ roll.

Don’t judge people for worshipping the Lord differently than you do. Some use hymns. Some use heavy metal. Celebrate with one another, not against.

Oct. 7, 2015

I hear a lot of worry and outrage, even from Christian leaders, in America that Christians are starting to be persecuted within our borders.

Instead of worry, there should be celebration. Christians frankly aren’t doing enough if they are not being persecuted. Jesus was. The apostles were. They were persecuted to the point of death. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul wrote of his sufferings – lashes, rods, jail, robbers – all for which he was thankful and found Christ’s peace.

We should be grateful that American Christians are finally being persecuted. It means Christians are living as Christ commanded, in faith.

Sept. 2, 2013
Reading from James this morning, there is a neat note about persecution. Persecution is a sign that you are being used by God. If we are not being persecuted to some extent, we are likely not living in His will.

James also talks of trials – that strengthen our faith – and how faith without works is dead. In the Old Testament, Abraham’s faith was put to the ultimate test and he offered his son as a sacrifice. God proved him faithful and saved Isaac.

Even the demons believe. It’s not enough to live a life fulfilled – a life of joy and peace that God has laid out for the taking.

Feb. 14, 2013

Hey, hey it’s Valentine’s Day. The day we go out of our way to prove we love our spouses. God does that every day for all of us. We could learn something from Him. Happy V-Day all!

November 7, 2012
I’ll be the first to admit that I am stunned of how our nation has re-elected a president who openly defies the teachings of God. That said, we must continue to pray for our nation and our leaders that all of us will seek God’s desires for us. God’s desires for us are perfect and only for our good. Winning souls is more important than winning elections, even if the election makes an already tough task that much tougher.

July 17, 2012

God in a Box

I read a verse from the classic story of Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 this morning and one word popped out at me. In Luke 9:13, Jesus’ disciples answered his request to feed the multitude by saying, “We have ONLY five loaves and two fish…”

Jesus’ very disciples, the ones closest to Him did what we do every day. They put God in a box. God is capable of so much IF we just let Him have control. We pray for healing. We pray for revival. We pray for our spiritual lives. Imagine what would happen if we really believed he could do it.

May 31, 2012

I don’t claim to be a Bible scholar, but most days I try to share a verse or thought or two. Feel free to add yours as well. We all need lifting up and your words may do that for someone who needs it.