Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend. John R.W. Stott “In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that…
By this time, a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. Luke 15:1 The Message Here’s a brief definition of “reputation” according to dictionary.com. “The estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community or the public generally; a good name.” So, if people…
One day, children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.” After laying hands on them, he…
Here’s an intriguing thought: as you approach retirement (whatever that may mean), people often lose their curiosity about life. While this may not apply to you, it certainly resonates with many. Curiosity is a quality that requires cultivation and is sustained throughout your life. It’s often associated with childlike wonder and something to be embraced…
Observation is a lost art. I’m always fascinated by the life of Sherlock Holmes, either reading or watching some version of Sherlock Holmes investigating a crime. The fascinating part is his uncanny ability to see what other people can’t see. It’s called the power of deduction. I especially love how the great detective can tell…
Repeat it, remember it! I recall one of my high school teachers telling the class his philosophy for education. We heard that four-word mantra for the better part of the semester. This simple admonition to his students has been repeated over and over again. It turned out to be rather helpful. “The more often you…
Filling out forms at the doctor’s office is incredibly frustrating. You can pre-register and fill out every conceivable form, but when you actually get to the office, there’s always more. I know this is just a “pet peeve,” but it’s not just an inconvenience; it’s busy work. That being said, I genuinely want them to…
Truth is the standard I want to use to define and describe my life. I would aspire to people saying things like,“He was and is a ‘truth-teller.’” Actually, that’s not too noble because it is the standard laid out in the Scripture for every Christ-follower. Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore each of you must put off…
Stress, problems, difficulties…put in your own personal synonym and you’ll still find the truth of the following statement: “These situations tend to bring out the best and the worst in people. “ You’ve seen it and you’ve experienced it. Hard times can cause some people to “rise to the occasion” and become more than they…
Trying to please everyone is exhausting. It can be frustrating because not everyone shares your priorities. Early on in my journey with God, I was taught that pleasing people was a no-no. A verse from the book of Galatians was often cited as the “text-proof” evidence: Galatians 1:10, the Apostle Paul asks, “Am I now…
Here’s the age-old question: “Why does God allow bad things to happen to us occasionally?” For some, it feels like it happens “all the time.” We are especially prone to asking the “why” question when bad things happen in our lives. I’ll provide the “textbook” answer. It’s because it gives us the freedom to choose,…
What defines something as “good”? We all judge situations, categorizing them as “good” or “bad.” But have you ever considered the criteria we use to determine “goodness” or “badness”? This question came to mind when I heard a friend say, “This situation is bad, but God is still good.” I’ve said the same thing, and…
Deadlines. I don’t know about you, but it seems that my life is constantly driven by deadlines. I need to get this done, finish this project, read this book, and all of these things, plus a myriad of other tasks, are all pushed forward by a looming deadline. Now, let’s clarify what a deadline is.…
A few years ago my wife and I purchased a backpacker’s water filter. We were hiking in areas where it would be wise to have the ability to take stream water, filter it, and then drink it without fear of contamination. It was crazy to watch a video that the manufacturer provided. It showed a…
From what I understand, during the construction of the Interstate Highway system, several sections of roadway were engineered without curves or dips, resulting in straight sections as long as possible. One such stretch, spanning over 80 miles between Phoenix, Arizona, and Yuma, Arizona, was exceptionally straight. While this might sound like a dream, it also…
This may seem pretty basic for most of you, but I find there is a recurring issue in my life, so I thought I’d blog about it. Here’s my observation: I tend to wake up in the morning with a “bent” or an “attitude.” Before reading the Bible, praying, checking my schedule, or even initiating…
Growing in leadership requires personal commitment. Most people understand this. But, applying this to ‘church world’ takes it to another level. It requires a spiritual commitment and personal choices associated with it. Choices determine your character. Your character is shaped by the day-to-day decisions and challenges you face. If that is true (and I believe…
Some of you might have heard of Ted Lasso. He was the lead character in a sports comedy-drama television series. It was based on a character who was formally an American college football coach and was hired to coach an English soccer team. Most expected him to fail miserably, but his leadership, optimism, and humor…
I was asked to write a book review for Amazon. Since I enjoy reading and the author, it was a “no-brainer.” But, it prompted me to think: “What if I asked a friend to write a review of my life? What would that look like? Would it be skewed because he is a friend? Would…
John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” As a pastor, I’ve interpreted these words through the lens of ministry, emphasizing the significance of Jesus in my work. He is the…
So, right out of the gate, I want to talk about emails. You just can’t seem to live without them. I use them to communicate with friends or even future friends. But I got to thinking about why I choose to open one email over another. It comes down to the subject line. You know,…
This blog post is relatively concise and straightforward. Why don’t we always mean what we say? I understand that this is a broad statement, so let me clarify. While I was watching hearings on Capitol Hill, people were being “grilled” by “lawmakers” about their fitness to serve in the incoming administration. I could only watch…
“The universe doesn’t revolve around you.” You’ve heard this before and said it yourself. But here’s the crux of it: most of our lives are spent preoccupied with ourselves. We worry about what might happen to us and how our feelings might be hurt. It’s not inherently negative, but it narrows our perspective and limits…
“No one can know the future.” You’ve heard that said, and so have I. And to a large extent, it’s true. For the sake of full disclosure, I don’t believe in fortune tellers, but I do believe that there are things that are “knowable” about our future. Our future is not a matter of reading…
According to the National Library of Medicine, a worldview encompasses a collection of attitudes, values, stories, and expectations that shape our thoughts and actions. It is essential to address five fundamental issues that any worldview must address: Origin, Identity, Morality, Destiny, and Existence. The origin question, “Where did I come from?” has captivated humanity since…
One day, I’ll be gone. So will you. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s true. We will leave this present world, and we will die. I’ve always thought it weird to completely ignore something inevitable. Now, so more bad news. Unless you’re Abraham Lincoln or Neil Armstrong, people will probably all but forget you…
I was listening to the lyrics to a song the other day. The song is titled “I Lose My Ability.” The title sort of bugs me, so I had an attitude before I heard the words. I was thinking, as it relates to being a Christ-follower, it must mean I lose my ability to make…
What’s your first thought when things don’t go your way? Is it disbelief? Maybe it’s anger? Is it resignation to the situation? The reason I ask that question of you is because I ask myself the same question. I came upon a familiar passage that gives me insight and comfort in the midst of a…
I experienced something very cool last week. A pastor from Argentina stayed in our home for ten days. We did all the stuff friends would do. We introduced him to our friends. We ate together. We attended church. We told stories. We laughed and cried together. All this cool stuff and guess what??? We didn’t…
Whatever gets your attention gets you. Maybe it’s because we live in a sensory-saturated world. There are a million things trying to grab hold of you. Advertisers are constantly looking for ways for you to consider their product or service. People will bend over backward for you to notice them. Hey, when you’re on a…