I was asked an important question. “Can you tell me how I can trust God more? Is there a book that would be helpful?” Psalm 9:9-11 tells us: “ The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, […]
-Read More“I don’t have enough time.” “When I have more time, I am going be with my family more.” “I always procrastinate.” Our time is our lives. To manage our time well, means that we will manage our lives well. Failure to control our clocks and calendars will mean we are out of control in our […]
-Read More
“Hi, I’m Chris,” said the soft-spoken 20-something as he stood at our door. My husband and I had the secret charge of mentoring him as a first-time small group leader. As the host home for his group, we quickly realized this shy guy had a real ministry. Over the next 12 weeks, we nurtured his […]
-Read MoreSummertime is a time to get out of the grind, relax, re-energize and reconnect with family and friends. Vacation can be a time to indulge in the sweet spot of your life’s passions. Does this sound like your vacation? Or do you come back from vacation exhausted and depressed that you have to wait another […]
-Read More
If you knew a substance was poisonous to someone else’s health, would you give it to them? Of course not, you’d give them a tonic to help cure what ails them. You’d do all you had in your power to make them better, stronger and healthier. And yet, in our culture today we dole out […]
-Read MoreThe first Father’s Day in the United States was observed on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington. The day was proposed by Mrs. John B. Dodd, who wanted to honor her father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran who raised six children alone after his wife died in childbirth. Clearly, Mrs. Dodd took seriously the […]
-Read More
In 1 John 5:3-4 John makes what seems, on the face of it, to be a ridiculous claim: the commands of God are not burdensome. What? Has John not read the Old Testament with its 613 commandments? Was he not there for the Sermon on the Mount, complete with Jesus’ proclamation that his followers are […]
-Read MoreAnyone who has lived in the North has experienced the long cold grey of winter. Your home becomes the warm cocoon sheltering you from the harshness of the outside elements that seem to last forever. Then one day it happens — spring. The warmth of the sunshine parts the grey skies, birds sing, and life […]
-Read More
Members of our congregation often ask me about how to have family times of prayer, Bible study, and worship in the home. What they are inquiring about comes under the heading of “family altar,” which is a “spiritual” way of referring to family devotions—Bible study, prayer and worship in the home. As a pastor I […]
-Read MoreA question from my radio program, Ask the Counselor: Q: How can I gain the ability to control myself and not make a mess of things by just speaking and acting on impulse? A: Self-control is the most important ability for any human being. Without it, we cannot hope to succeed in any way or […]
-Read More
