Two decades ago, I preached in a nation that has long been known as a hot spot for animosity, conflict, and violence between two specific people groups. The church that hosted me was made up of people from what I will simply call social group A. It was interesting because the people were born again, and yet culturally … read more
If you are a basketball fan, you know exactly what a full court press is. It brings a noticeable intensity to all that is happening on the court. If you are not a basketball afficionado, let me paint a picture for you, because I believe the “full court press” is a powerful analogy to what is happening in many peoples’ lives today. When a team scores in basketball, the other team takes the ball out of bounds and passes it back in so they can bring it to the other side of the court where they will hopefully score also. … read more
The word “unprecedented” is being used quite a bit relative to the crisis that the world is currently experiencing. The term “unchartered territory” is also being used. People don’t like uncertainty and the unknown, and they certainly don’t like the sense of “threat” that seems to be in everyone’s face. In short, these have been unnerving times. … read more
Here’s what is not helpful when a house is on fire: Cite statistics on how many people die in different ways than in house fires. Downplay the significance of the fire because it only appears to be in one small section of the house and probably won’t turn into anything significant. Debate on whether to alert your neighbor, because after all, it might violate their right to privacy. … read more
As Lisa and I prepare to head back to Australia next month, we do so with some really great memories. When we finished our first year of Bible school in the spring of 1980, our very first venture in ministry was to Australia. It was quite an initiation into faith and ministry for us at that age (we were 21 and 22 years old at the time)! … read more
There are many moral, ethical, and practical implications in what the Bible teaches, but at the core of God’s involvement in our lives is the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. There are descriptions in the New Testament of how the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer—a work that actually starts before we even come into faith. … read more
I was attending a church service once, and during the worship time the congregation sang some of the newer worship choruses. This was followed by a seamless transition into one of the beautiful, old hymns of the church. It was a powerful and moving time of worship, and I appreciated the richness of both the new and the old—both were Christ-exalting, and God’s Presence was readily sensed in both. … read more
We are at a time of the year when everyone is looking for discounts. Maybe you got up super early on black Friday and fought the crowds, or perhaps you scoured the internet on Cyber- Monday endeavoring to snag one or more gifts at a deep discount. Everybody loves getting a great deal on gifts, don’t they? But some things in life are so sacred that only paying full price is appropriate. God paid full price for us when Jesus died on the cross—truly the debt of our sin was paid in full. … read more
Have you ever had a preconceived idea of what you thought you were going to do, only to have God interject a different plan—his plan—into your agenda? How did you deal with that? Were you flexible, and did you willingly make the required adjustments? All of the great biblical heroes experienced and responded favorably to a divine interruption. God disrupted their regular routines in a huge way. … read more
When he died in 1791 at the age of 88, Wesley had traveled 250,000 miles ministering the Word of God (much of that on horseback). He had preached 42,000 sermons, and authored 250 books and pamphlets. Throughout his life and ministry, Wesley experienced and witnessed many expressions of the supernatural power of God. He recorded several healings … read more
The part that seemed to be getting my attention was the “Prone to wander” part. Looking at things from the perspective of the new creation, I want to dispute that. I want to say, “I am a new creation in Christ. I have the life and the nature of God on the inside of me. I do NOT want to wander away from any sense of closeness with the Lord.” I like that position and approach. At the same time, I have to recognize that even born-again people still have the flesh and the mind to deal with, and that can create a distracting pull on people. Some manage it better than others, but even great spiritual leaders like Paul said that he had to manage fleshly elements; he was not immune from the influence of the flesh. … read more
When King Jehoram had reigned for eight years and died at the age of thirty-two, we learn that “no one was sorry when he died” (2 Chronicles 21:20). They didn’t even bury him in the royal cemetery. What is that all about? The Old Testament is far more than simple history; it contains powerful lessons and examples for us today. Paul states, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” It is vital that we study the lessons of the Old Testament and find the appropriate personal applications that God has placed there for our benefit. … read more
Jesus’ death on the cross was so effective and so final that no one would ever have to add anything to what he had done. Jesus would never have to come back and die again for the sins of the world or for anyone’s sins. No human would ever have to supplement Jesus’ work with his own religious activities or efforts in order to come into right standing with God. What Jesus did was enough; it was sufficient, and it was absolutely effective. … read more
If we are not careful, we will fail to realize how much our own labors (and whatever results might occur) are actually undergirded and enhanced by the labors of others who have gone before us. I don’t want to be that person “who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple.” We have all benefitted from and built upon the labors of others. I remember one time preaching in a service and giving an altar call. A handful of people responded and I had the privilege of praying with them as they placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. … read more
In a day when mega-churches with multiple campuses receive so much attention, it is important to always remember that God doesn’t just care about numbers, statistics, and masses of people; he cares about individuals. It is vital that we never forget the importance of one soul, of one person. We love the m-word: multiplication. We love another m-word: multitudes. All this is good, but it is not good if, in the process, we forget the value of the individual, of every person. … read more
We see Paul conducting a leadership meeting in a “retreat” venue in nearby Miletus with the elders from the church in Ephesus. In Acts 20:17-38, Paul presents the example of his own life and ministry to demonstrate how they are to serve Christ. He presents such vital topics as humility, consecration, perseverance, and doctrinal content, and he provides details about the serious nature of their God-given responsibilities. … read more
It should go without saying that a Christian should not read the Bible the way a superstitious person might read a fortune cookie. Messages in cookies typically tell people what they want to hear, but the Bible tells us what we need to hear. I’m absolutely not against a Christian reading and being inspired by a single verse or an inspirational quote—those can be helpful sources of encouragement to us. I am concerned, though, that many people today treat Scripture as though its sole purpose is to provide encouragement and motivation … read more
All through church history, the Holy Spirit has manifested himself to heal, bless, deliver, and empower. As wonderful as it is to learn about the “notable works” of God (Acts 4:16), it is also important to recognize and appreciate the full spectrum of the Holy Spirit’s activities, including his more subtle activity. Instead of having a broad appreciation for God’s comprehensive work, the disciples tended to focus on a more spectacular aspect. For example, they were exuberant that demons were subject to them when they used the name of Jesus. … read more
Dysfunction has become a popular buzzword in our society. Some hear the word and think of a medical abnormality—some organ or body part is not working correctly. Others think of an unhealthy family situation where trust and peace have been badly eroded. Yet others hear dysfunction and think of a business or government setting where communication is poor and incompetency abounds. God himself is a God who functions. In my book, Your Place on God’s Dream Team, I share that the Father plans, the Son performs, and the Spirit perfects. … read more
People love predictability. I like knowing that when I do certain things, I will get certain results. Isaac Newton communicated this regarding the laws of motion when he stated, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In other words, if I take a rubber ball and throw it down hard, it will rebound or bounce back at a similar velocity. Spiritually speaking, the Bible refers to the laws of sowing and reaping: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Unfortunately, especially in the short term, the laws of human interaction are not as predictable as the laws of physics … read more
The reality is that (1) God is good and (2) we live in a fallen world with much pain. God is not the source of our pain, but is the source of our comfort. As much as we want to be positive people and “stay on the victory side,” there is much to be said for the awareness of our need for comfort and to be comforters. British Minister, F. B. Meyer said, “If I had my ministry over again, I would devote far more time to the ministry of comfort and encouragement.” … read more
Often in life, it seems that we face situations where the numbers are not in our favor. Circumstances, people, statistics, time, etc. can all seem to be working against us. Feeling outnumbered, alone, and isolated can breed all kinds of misery, including hopelessness, self-pity, and despair. In these cases, it is vital to remember that God is the Supreme Difference Maker! Never forget that God + One = A Majority! David wrote Psalm 142 from a cave, not from a palace. He felt trapped and was overwhelmed. … read more
If a bridge is out, and someone puts up a sign informing me of that, is that a negative thing? Does a person really love me if they see me heading toward catastrophe and neglects to warn me? Jesus said more about hell than any other person in the Bible, and yet he was (and is) the greatest expression of love ever known or revealed to man. Vance Havner relates, “When I pastored a country church, a farmer didn’t like the sermons I preached on hell. He said, ‘Preach about the meek and lowly Jesus.’ I said, ‘That’s where I got my information about hell.’” Was Jesus just “selling fire insurance?” … read more
When John Wooden coached men’s basketball at UCLA (he led the team to ten national championships), he was a stickler for details, and he was a very strong proponent of teamwork. He even taught his players the precise way to put on their socks and to tie their shoes to help prevent the formation of blisters. Wooden insisted that this would help keep the players healthy and on the court. Even when it came to putting on their socks and tying their shoes, Wooden was essentially saying, “We don’t do it that way; we do it this way.” … read more
Vance Havner asserts, “Popularity has slain more prophets of God than persecution ever did.” I think that could also be applied to the pursuit of popularity as well. Richard Niebuhr noted that essential themes of the Christian faith were being stripped from Christianity through liberal theology. He summarizes (in 1937) an anemic, neutralized “gospel” with these words: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a Kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a Cross.” I think that Niebuhr encapsulates the four areas … read more
