It seems as though disasters have become an inevitable part of life these days. COVID-19 restrictions have resulted in devastating consequences for many of us. I have been ministering to many hurting people the past few months, and do you know what I have found? People facing tragedy need encouragement more than they need explanations. […]
In Genesis 15:11 we find some interesting words. “Some vultures came down … but Abram chased them away (Genesis 15:11). The Lord told Abram that he was preparing to make a covenant for him and he asked him to make a sacrifice. Abram was to sacrifice the animals on an altar he had built. He […]
As I approach my 45th birthday in Jesus, it is very clear to me that I am still growing and I have yet much to learn. Since the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior on May 18th, 1975, a whole lot has changed! But I am not a finished work of grace – yet. […]
A friend of mine operates a non-profit reptile sanctuary called Forgotten Friend. He has a love and appreciation for snakes, lizards and turtles that most people do not have. That may explain why they are usually forgotten. The idea of a forgotten friend is playing around in my heart and head today. The concept is […]
When we go through a difficult season like the one we are currently in, we want answers! Our craving for reason is rooted in our most basic human needs. We long for stability and predictability. We crave control. We cope better when we can connect all the dots. But here’s the problem – life doesn’t […]
We have been living under the mandate of social distancing for about six weeks now. Churches have closed and locked their doors. Millions have become instantly unemployed, and some areas of the country have been totally locked down. These are scary times in which we live. But the resurrection story as found in John 20:19-23 […]
Take it from a guy whose been doing it for 43 years–ministry is difficult! It’s very hard and it takes a lot of energy to accomplish it all. In life, the “why” always determines the “how long.” If you don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’ll never stick with it. The reason always […]
I just got home after having an iron-sharpens-iron lunch with a close friend of mine who is on staff at a megachurch in Lancaster County. We talked about the way the Corona Virus is impacting our society and even the church. Canceled trips, quarantines, falling stock markets, and isolationism are the emerging realities that we […]
I’m a messed up human being. I don’t mean that I’m particularly deranged – just that I was born broken and have reached the plateau of adulthood carrying some flaws with me. The biggest flaw? I believe lies…sometimes. Here’s a law of life that can’t be avoided or broken: the way I think determines what […]
Mankind has been an inquisitive sort since the dawn of creation. I mean, the squirrels who pounce around in my yard do not seem to be perplexed about anything. They just mosey about trying to remember where they buried the acorns in my mulch bed! Humans are another story. We have questions and we want […]