It is unfortunate that some people have chosen to pit medicine against faith as though they were somehow adversarial. I believe these two forces should be seen as complementary, not as contradictory. After all, both your faith and the doctor are aiming at the same goal—your healing and wholeness. My persuasion is that medicine and faith can be integrated and complementary. They do not need to be adversarial toward or isolated from one another. … read more
George Whitefield (1714-1770) has been rightly called “America’s Spiritual Founding Father.” Born, raised, and educated in England, he made thirteen trips across the Atlantic and had an unparalleled spiritual impact on the American colonies. … read more
I am no sports analyst, but I’ve seen several games, especially in basketball, where a team gets overly cautious, and instead of playing to win, they simply begin playing not to lose. Usually this happens late in the game and often coincides with a surge of momentum and increased effort from the opposing team. … read more
Having the life and ministry God wants us to have is not totally up to God; it is dependent or contingent upon our response to His will. Sometimes God tells people things they don’t feel they can do or accomplish. Perhaps they looked at themselves, their surroundings, and their resources and concluded they don’t have what it takes to do what they heard God say. And if that is all they looked at, they may be correct! … read more
A genuine faith in God leads you to commit completely to Him. Commitment is a responsibility given to believers by God. Failing to take care of your responsibility cannot be credited to anything or anyone but you. It’s up to you to hear from God by faith. It’s up to you to trust the plan of God, and it’s up to you to handle your responsibility of commitment to God. … read more
If you will let faith work in you, it must be more than a problem solving method. It must change you as a person, and it must change your perspective. Have a faith bigger than if you get a new car. Have a faith bigger than if your plans are all fulfilled. Make your faith more about heaven, and more about what is yet to come. Make faith more about heaven than it is about earth. I see three types of faith taught in the New Testament. … read more
September 5, 2017 – Lisa and I just returned from an attempt to go to Florida. When we reached Dallas, we were advised not to go further. In addition to the cancellation of those meetings, we will also not be going to Savannah, GA this weekend either. What is a minor inconvenience for us is potentially catastrophic for thousands, if not millions, of others. With many still reeling from Hurricane Harvey’s effects and with Irma’s overall effects yet unknown, thought it good to share a couple of thoughts about storms from a biblical perspective … read more
God has provided us with an instruction manual for life’s situations called the Bible. Contained within the Bible are the spiritual laws of God. God’s spiritual laws are eternal, carry a higher level of authority, and surpass the earth’s physical laws. Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity in the 1600’s, but the law was there since the beginning of creation. … read more
All those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior have been given a measure of faith. What we do next with that faith is entirely up to us. In Pastor Gerald Brooks’ most recent book, Anchors of Faith, we are taken through many examples from the Bible where someone’s faith, or lack of it, affected the situation for better or for worse. Our faith has potential. That mustard seed sized faith we are all given when we accept Christ is our responsibility to grow and nurture. Don’t let your faith stay small. Challenge it and see it flourish and become strong, hearty, and useful. … read more
I can feel fear trying to trap and suffocate me like a spider’s web. The doctor is fiddling with the ventilator, trying to reset it to bring up Mike’s O2 count, and all I can hear are the doctor’s words on repeat as I stare at each machine and digital display, each one shouting out, “He’s going to die. He’s going to die!” NO! Mike will live and not die. He will live and declare the works of the Lord. I keep repeating this over and over while the doctor and nurse adjust the machines and talk together. The readings keep dropping, dropping to even more dangerous levels. Sally Ann is frozen, her eyes fixed on the numbers … read more
God’s plan is to bring multiplication and increase into our life. Each of the seven Laws of Increase defines a different aspect of increase according to God’s definition, challenging our existing definitions, presumptions, and motivations to pursue increase. … read more
