Monthly Archives: May 2017

17 posts

Why Is God Good?

God is good because of who he is. He is not good because of the beauty of nature. He is not good because of who is or is not the president. He is not good because I am happy with my circumstances. He is not good because I deserve it. He is not good because I have good health. He is not good because I live in apparent safety compared to others. He is not good because it is a beautiful day. God is good simply and profoundly because his own being and character defines goodness.  God is good even when our lives are torn by despair. God is good when a storm brings destruction. God is good when the […]

Memorial Day: The Courage of the Fallen

War is part of the human experience. War highlights the worst and best of humanity. The worst is easily grasped. The lust for power and self-importance reaches its fullest expression when lives are sacrificed to feed man’s cravings for domination. Over the centuries, countless millions have been slaughtered and maimed to feed the blood lust of the powerful. People grow to live for the carnage. War is the ultimate stage to display the ugliness of the human heart. But, war also allows us to see the best of mankind. There are those who answer the call to war because they know their own lives have no meaning if lived only for themselves. Men and women with a clear vision face […]

Middle School and Worldview

Kids in middle school really are in the middle! The first years, the toddler and kindergarten years, the focus was on authority. This is where kids learn the most important life lesson of all – Who is in charge? Then they enter the challenging years of in-between. No longer in need of direction and protection for almost everything in their lives they are still not ready for the responsibilities of youth. They are beginning to think about God independently, but are still connected to what their parents believe. They are in the middle! Life in the middle years isn’t easy. Your middle schooler hears things.  She hears the taunts and the temptations of the schoolyard. She knows the darkness from […]

Stress Can Be a Good Thing

Stress is part of life. There is no way to avoid it. But what you can avoid is the fatigue and disorientation of continuing stress. When stress comes you can either turn to God and his word or you can rely on your own judgement and watch the stress deepen. Trusting in God leads to peace. This means stress can lead to peace. When you attribute short, curt answers and a contentious spirit to stress, the stressful situation has overcome you. There is much in life that can be overwhelming. But God remains in control of his world. Stress can and should remind you that God is faithfully in control. So, stress can lead you to peace. Proverbs 3:7-8 teach […]

The Pursuit of Contentment

Discontent comes when you believe things are out control. Discontent happens when things don’t go the way you believe they should. Discontent happens when you think you don’t have enough. Discontent is the enemy of healthy, loving relationships. When getting ahead in life is measured by the things you acquire or by the approval of others discontent thrives. In short, living for things that you cannot eternally possess results in futility. Listen to what Paul says about contentment: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” I Timothy 6:6&7. This is why you must aggressively pursue contentment. It is not enough to just want to be […]

Christianity Is Not a Spectator Sport!

Christianity is not a spectator sport where you sit in the stands and cheer for your team. Christianity is about being on the playing field and engaging in hand-to-hand combat. It is important that you accurately identify your enemy. You will be tempted to believe your enemies are the people and circumstances you encounter. When this happens your energy is spent fighting the wrong target. This is precisely what your true enemy wants! You need the wisdom of God’s Spirit found in his word to identify your actual enemy. Otherwise you become like the fool in Proverbs who is clueless about why he is frustrated and struggling. But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no […]

All In or All Out

The warrior was huge, ruthless, arrogant. His presence produced fear and anxiety. No one dared to challenge his strength and skill. Combat with him meant certain death. Goliath was a force that would not be denied. The mere thought of him meant sleepless nights and restless days. Do you have any Goliaths in your life? You don’t have to be a warrior to encounter a Goliath. Is there a relationship that seems hopeless? Do you have fears about your kids? Are you a slave to lust? Does your anger seem unconquerable? You know what I am talking about. In your spiritual battles does it seem like that you are fighting with Goliath himself, where winning is not even a consideration? […]

Mothers

A time to celebrate, a time to cry, a time of sweet memories, a time to forget, a time of thanks, a time of regret, a time of anticipation, a time of disappointment. Mother’s Day is all of these things and more. Mothers are part of God’s great plan that binds all of us together in the fabric of life. Mothers are not just some random adaptation of a blind evolutionary scheme. God designed the human race to come from one mother, Eve, and from one father, Adam. At one point in human history, there were just three of us, a mom, a dad, and a little boy. If you had a time telescope, you could look back and see […]