God endows us with gifts so we can make him known. God endues the Olympian with speed, the salesman with savvy, the surgeon with skill. Why? The big answer is to make a big to-do out of God. Brandish him. Herald him Magnify your maker! Scripture says, “If anyone speaks let him speak the oracles of God; if anyone ministers, let him do so with the ability God supplies so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen! (1 Peter 4:11). So, exhibit God … Listen Now
You’ve had enough of human love…haven’t you? Enough tabloids telling you that true love is just a diet away. Enough mornings smelling like the mistakes you made while searching for love the night before. Don’t you need a fountain of love that won’t run dry? You’ll find one on a stone-cropped hill outside Jerusalem’s walls where Jesus hangs, cross-nailed and thorn-crowned. When you feel unloved, ascend this mount. Meditate long and hard on heaven’s love for you. Both eyes beaten shut, shoulders as raw as ground beef, lips bloody and split. Fists of hair yanked from his beard. Gasps of air … Listen Now
After Christ’s forty-day pause in the wilderness, the people of Capernaum tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:42-43). He resisted the undertow of the people by anchoring to the rock of his purpose; employing his uniqueness to make a big deal out of God everywhere he could. And aren’t you glad he did? Suppose he had heeded the crowd and set up camp in Capernaum, reasoning, “I thought the whole world was my target … Listen Now
What of those who die with no faith? My husband never prayed. My grandpa never worshiped. And, so we ask, “What about the one who never believed?” How do we know he or she didn’t? Who among us is privy to a person’s final thoughts? Who among us knows what transpires in those final moments? Are you sure no prayer was offered? A glimpse of eternity can bend the proudest knees. Could a person stare into the yawning canyon of death without whispering a plea for mercy? And could our God, who is partial to the humble, resist it? He couldn’t … Listen Now
Doubt. He’s a nosy neighbor. He’s an obnoxious guest. He’ll pester you. He’ll irritate you. He’ll kick the stool out from under you and refuse to help you up. He doesn’t offer solutions, he only raises questions. Had any visits from Doubt lately? If you find yourself going to church in order to be saved and not because you are saved, then you’ve been listening to him. If you find yourself doubting God could forgive you again for that, you’ve been sold some snake oil. If you are more cynical about Christians than sincere about Christ, then guess who came to … Listen Now
When we traveled with our young daughters, I carried our plane tickets in my briefcase. When it came time to board, I’d stand between the attendant and the child. As each daughter passed, I placed a ticket in her hand. She, in turn, gave the ticket to the attendant. Each one received the ticket in the nick of time! What I did for my daughters God does for you. He places himself between you and the need. And at the right time, he gives you the ticket. Wasn’t this the promise he gave his disciples? “When you are arrested and … Listen Now
In the summer before 8th grade, I made friends with a guy named Larry. He was new to town, so I encouraged him to go out for our school football team. It was a good news/bad news scenario. The good news? He made the cut. The bad news? He won my position. I tried to be happy for him, but it was tough. A few weeks into the season Larry fell and broke a finger. I remember the day he stood at my front door holding up his bandaged hand. “Looks like you’re going to have to play.” The … Listen Now
Tears represent the heart, the spirit, and the soul of a person. To put a lock and key on your emotions is to bury part of your Christlikeness! Especially when you come to Calvary. You can’t go to the cross with just your head and not your heart. It doesn’t work that way. Calvary is not a mental trip. It’s not an intellectual exercise. It’s not a divine calculation or a cold theological principle. It’s a heart-splitting hour of emotion. Don’t walk away dry-eyed and unstirred. Don’t just straighten your tie and clear your throat. Don’t descend Calvary cool and collected. Please. … Listen Now
If we are saved by good works, we don’t need God— weekly reminders of the do’s and don’ts will get us to heaven. If we are saved by suffering, we certainly don’t need God. If we’re saved by doctrine then, for heaven’s sake, let’s study! But be careful, student. For if you’re saved by having exact doctrine, then one mistake could be fatal. That goes for those who believe we’re made right with God through good deeds. I hope the temptation is never greater than the strength. If it is, a bad fall could be a bad omen. And those … Listen Now
You need not be afraid. The Lord understands and even knows the numbers of hairs on your head. Why did Jesus grow weary in Samaria, disturbed in Nazareth, and angry in the Temple? Why was he sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee, sad at the tomb of Lazarus, and hungry in the wilderness? Why? Why did he endure all these feelings? Because he knew you’d feel them too. He knew you’d be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not the pain of the body, the … Listen Now
