With our busy get-up-and-go lifestyles, it might seem more difficult than ever to find time for God or where we can fully make time for the essential aspects of the Christian life like prayer and Bible reading. Yes, like working out or eating healthy, it comes down to the priority and importance of those things […]
GOD & POLITICS
Our modern-day oil & vinegar?
The presidential race was nothing short of a disaster, not because of who won, but because I’ve never seen politics like this in my lifetime. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both brought out the worst of anything they could dig up on the other. It was rarely, if at all, about policy or demeanor. There […]
UNCOMMON UNITY
Enjoying the company of others who are different from ourselves through the unifying work of Jesus
Community, or lack thereof, is an epidemic sweeping our nation. We’ve replaced face-to-face conversations with text messages and quality time in the company of other people with time on Facebook. The contrast between these things cannot be overstated. There is a generation of Millennials who seem to value relationships less than previous generations and who […]
THE MISTAKEN IDENTITY OF CONFIDENCE
False humility and boasting in the Lord
I have a strong sense of confidence in the Lord and trust the abilities that God has given me. Some people have unfortunately mistaken my confidence for pridefulness and thought they should correct me. Chastising a person for self-assurance is a common practice, because we don’t want to be prideful or boastful in our own […]
14 INEXPENSIVE DATE IDEAS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Fun Excursions both Economical and Ecological
You can do something more meaningful that giving chocolates on your Valentine’s Day this year. What are some inexpensive ways to have fun and enjoy this season, and at the same time respect and help our environment, God’s creation? Even with these challenges you don’t have to be dateless or bored. It is possible to […]
WHAT DOES DISCIPLESHIP MEAN?
On what Jesus means by "come and follow me"
When I became a Christian, I didn’t know what discipleship was, and in all honesty, years after giving my heart to the Lord, I still didn’t. After five years as a follower of Jesus, the senior pastor of my church took me under his wing. He was an example of a mature Christian in my […]
Mountains of Impact
Your Spheres of Influence and The Gifts You Take into Them
I’ve always believed I was born with big dreams in my heart. I’m sure some were accumulated along the way, but large aspirations and dreams have always seemed to be present within me. It’s these dreams and lofty goals that I feel make up part of who and what I’m called to be. I was […]
Unsteady Steps
One man's search for the meaning of life
His name is Darryl. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and is the child of two parents who divorced when he was two years of age. His father had a serious drug problem and his mother left him to be raised by his grandmother. Though he was raised at an early age without parents, his […]
THE SECRET SIN OF THE CITY
Exposing Twenty-First Century Sex Trafficking
I‘d be remiss if I didn’t start out with a confession; like many, I had no clue that there was such a thing as sex trafficking. Sure I’ve heard biblical stories of men working for the right to marry their wives, I’ve read history books of our nation’s poor choices in enslaving African Americans, and I’ve […]
RELATIONSHIP REBOOT
What does it mean to be born again?
I gave my life to Christ on Christmas Eve, 1994 in Riverside, California at Harvest Church. Harvest Church is better known statewide for its “Harvest Crusade” festivals every year that pack the Anaheim Angels baseball stadium. The senior pastor, Greg Laurie, leads the meetings every year by bringing the same “why we’re in need of […]