When you and I lie we sometimes tend to treat the problem as one of self-protection. We lie because we can’t allow others to know what we really are inside. The hard truth is that you and I are born liars. We are blinded by self-interest (Proverbs 4:19; Psalm 58:3). Lying is the extension of a self-centered nature. You tend to lie in three types of circumstances. First, when you fear a consequence so much that you will do anything to avoid it. Second, you tend to lie when there is something you eagerly desire, and fudging the truth a bit seems to be the best way to get it. In both situations the reason for the lie is the […]
Yearly Archives: 2017
175 posts
How do you know peace in times of conflict or fear? Where do you find encouragement when life’s relational struggles threaten overwhelm you? How can you be confident when fear and doubt begin to creep into your thoughts? There is only One who brings peace and confidence to your troubled world. His name is Jesus Christ. Your savior is supremely confident. His confidence flows from his humility. Think about that. Jesus is confident that he can always trust his Father. God the Father has given his son his sheep. No one can take them away. That means no one can take you away from the strong hand of your Savior. Jesus is confident in his Father, you can be confident […]
Is the weather personal? But before you answer that here are some more basic questions. Is your everyday world controlled by a personal God who has a purpose for all that you encounter? Or is life on earth just a matter of random chance? Or is your life governed by impersonal forces that take no account of the moral decisions that you make each day? If you decide for either random chance or an impersonal force then you must conclude that God is silent. But, if you understand that both the creation and the daily events of life are under the control of a personal God, the events of each day take on an immediate sense of importance. In his […]
Early this morning the Sun passed directly over the equator on its journey towards the Tropic of Cancer. Most of us did not stop to think or be thankful for this particular demonstration of God’s care. The reality is that he will be faithful whether he is asked to be or not. Because God is who he is, he can’t be anything but faithful to his promise he made to Noah thousands of years ago and to all of his promises. In our human interactions we are accustomed to unfaithfulness on many levels. Politicians throughout history have earned the reputation of being unfaithful to their promises. Relationships are remarkable because unfaithfulness is more common than faithfulness. So, doubt tends to […]
Cancer attacks healthy tissue and turns it toxic. Modern medicine attacks these toxic cells with surgery, poisonous medications and lethal radiation. The question becomes whether the human body can survive the treatment. Two years ago the decision was made to attack my cancer with a combination of toxic chemicals and targeted radiation. The plan was to eliminate the toxic cells.before they spread throughout my body. Your battle with sin is very much like my battle with cancer. Sin attacks what God made to blessings and turns them into something ugly. Sin is far more deadly than cancer. Sin has plagued my body and spirit since my birth. There is no medical cure for sin. The only cure is to take […]
Saint Patrick is remembered as the man who drove the snakes from Ireland. Each March 17th, the color green is worn with pride and various forms of celebration erupt in western Europe and America. However, the real story of St. Patrick is one of a man on mission. Not a mission to drive out snakes and party but to bring the power of the gospel to his Irish captors. In the fifth century, as the Roman Empire was collapsing, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland from his native Britain. He was 16 and was entrapped in slavery. Six years later, he escaped and returned home. In all of this God was at work in his heart. […]
A man once came to Jesus and asked him to settle a dispute between him and his brother. But instead of resolving things as the man had wished, Jesus turned the conversation in a completely different direction. He chose to address the more immediate issue of greed. As always happens when Jesus addresses the heart, our eyes are opened so that our understanding about something we thought we understood is radically changed. We don’t think of greed as wanting make sure that we are treated fairly. We don’t consider ourselves greedy when we make financial security our highest priority. But Jesus does! Greed is easy for us to point out in others: someone reaching for that extra helping of food, […]
Selfishness, lies, anger, self-pity, cruelty, come naturally to your children. On the surface these sins appear out-of-character for the infant in your arms who just wants to be warm, fed and held close. So, when the ugly indicators of a dark heart emerge, it is easy to be surprised and taken aback. Too often the response to dark hearts is to increase creature comforts, to focus on the external issues as if children were still infants needing to be warm with full tummies and a clean diaper. Thus a nasty reaction to a sibling is often attributed to being tired or hungry. While it is important to be sure physical needs are cared for, dark hearts have a much deeper […]
Jesus teaches his disciples what prayer should look like in Matthew 6. Then he makes several observations regarding the impact that prayer should have on your everyday life. He speaks of heart allegiance, worries about food, clothing, life’s basic necessities, and how long you will live. He feeds the birds and tells you that you are more valuable in his eyes. He contrasts all of these concerns with the reality that God knows all that you truly need and more. The first portion of Psalm 139 beautifully and intimately describes how God knows everything there is to know about you. He even knows your thoughts before you have them. The exact days that you will live have been determined by […]
Communication is part of everyday life. Perhaps nothing else brings such a combination of joy and frustration than the way we communicate with each other. Here are some biblical guidelines to make your communication more productive and effective. Check your Heart Attitude Consider others more important than yourself. Philippians 2:3-5 Let love be in control Love is patient, love is kind. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It always protects, always trusts. From 1 Cor. 13:4-7 This passage is not a test to apply to your spouse as a defense, but a reality check for your own heart. Be an Epic Listener Don’t answer with your words or […]