How do you get past feeling discouraged? Right now, I don’t have a clue. Discouraged feels like a brick wall in my path. Ever been there? Maybe for you it’s fear or hopelessness or some other emotion. How do you get past it? What To Do? I’ve been writing this week about my idea that […]
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“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them…” [Exodus 20:3-5a] What do I worship? That question’s been gnawing at […]
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… Jesus really meant what He said? Condemn: to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil…to judge unfit for use or consumption. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus … [Romans 8:1] What if that were true? I know—it’s a complex theological statement. But what if it were as […]
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Happy Monday. Sometimes I worry that I’ll run out of ideas for word-of-the-week—seems like a silly thought since there are a LOT of words from which to choose. This week I’m thinking about… WORSHIP I’m not very good at worship. I don’t sing well, I can’t stand and wave my arms, and frankly my mind […]
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Happy Saturday! Have you heard about BloodWater Mission? I think they’re addressing one of the most basic, pressing needs in the world. And I absolutely love their approach. I encourage you to watch this video, visit their website, and see if it’s something you might want to get behind. If you can’t see the video, […]
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Do you ever feel like you just don’t belong? Here’s some potentially shocking news: you don’t. You and I are strangers in a strange land. We live in enemy-occupied territory. It won’t always be that way—the rightful leader will be back one day. But what are we supposed to do in the meantime? Christians seem […]
Continue readingMore TagHow To Damage Your Relationship With God
What are your keys for building—or destroying—your relationships? I ran across a list the other day, one psychologist’s list of relationship killers. No groundbreaking information, but it got me thinking about my relationship with Jesus. It’s clear that relationship is God’s primary intention. Jesus’ central mission was to restore open, transparent interactions with God, others, […]
Continue readingMore TagHere, There, And Stuff That Matters
Does it really matter? I ask myself that question a lot. What’s “it”? Whatever I’m doing that’s consuming my time and attention. I’m all in favor of relaxing and having fun, but I want my life to be about stuff that matters. So—how do I decide? How do I know if “it” really matters? Last […]
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Happy Monday—the second week of the last quarter of 2010. Today’s word-of-the-week is sort of strange, because I’ve been thinking about… LUST My small group is studying the book of Esther—last week we read Esther 2:1-18, which is all about appetites run amok. We tend to associate lust with sexuality, but it’s really broader than […]
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I usually reserve Saturday for sharing something inspirational from another source, but today you’re stuck with more of me. Sorry. This clip from my recent retreat traces a reflection on the opening verses of Mark 2. Please forgive the very informal video quality. If you’d like to know more about bringing this workshop to your […]
Continue readingMore TagWho’s In Charge?
Who’s in control? Ultimately, of course, God is in control. But what if we narrow the scope a bit? If I think about myself and my own reactions or responses, who’s in control? I asked that question earlier this week in a group of eighth grade boys. How do you think they answered? I worked […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat’s The Value Of Stuff That Matters?
How do you decide what really matters? How do you balance what’s fun, interesting, or rewarding with what matters? I know about the platitudes—what matters to me is what matters to God. That’s true enough, I suppose, but it doesn’t always help me know if what I’m doing right now is work that’s worthy of […]
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