Some people are so outward about their faith that they turn off people. They are always trying to convert people with their words. Others say we only have to be good examples and keep our mouths shut. All of us know Christ followers who are judgmental concerning those who don’t have the same beliefs as them or not transparent about…
Sometimes God seems far away. We perceive He isn’t listening to us. Events in our lives are running out of control. Things aren’t coming together or making sense. Injustice runs rampant in the world. People struggle under the weight of great burdens. Our family is experiencing that right now with a large hospital bill after an expected visit…
We all grow up with negative conditioning. We hear words like, “Children are to be seen and not heard,” or “You will never amount to anything.” After the age of five, most people stop dreaming. They settle for mediocrity rather than pursuing their passion. Those who accomplish anything in life aren’t satisfied with the status quo, but continually…
Building good relationships is complicated and challenging. Life becomes so frantic that we don’t take time to listen to our spouse in marriage or give focused attention to our children. God has made women and men different, not only physically, but in their emotional life. Men want respect. Women desire love. Women’s concern is the home and men’s focus is often the…
It’s easy to become distracted, even with good things. Work at the office involves getting through our daily “to do” list to meet deadlines. Once we arrive home, we go through an endless round of meal preparation, laundry, mowing, repairs, etc. Family members need attention and a listening ear. We don’t want to neglect our friends either. In the…
We underestimate the impact we have on others for good or bad. We go through our day oblivious to how and what we communicate to others. People are desperate for an encouraging word. In contrast, criticism and complaining negatively affect a family, church or family. Recent studies show that encouragement is a key to attracting people…
Have things occured in your life that didn’t make any sense? It could be a divorce, job loss, accident, close friend who turned against you or other unexpected event that completely baffled you. Wouldn’t it be nice to have life run smoothly without any bumps along the way? Certain events, especially the challenges we face in life, point us…
Why does it seem hard to live a good life? We experience fear, shame and then try to control others. A prior blog encouraged us to repent of our sin, but even that seems difficult. We know what we are supposed to do, be we just can’t get the motivation or power to do it. What…
What causes office politics, strife between people, complaints, selfishness, worthlessness and much of the unhappiness in the world today? John the Baptist was concerned about these issues and His work was preparatory to the ultimate solution. An internal fix was needed to make the world a better place!In the midst of man’s manipulations and schemes…
Economic recession, bank failures, huge government deficits, job losses and terrorism can strike fear in any one. Have you known someone who always wanted the final word? He or she gives a neat and tidy solution to the above problems that experts are still trying to figure out. Deep down that person was probably fearful and…
How do you respond to tough times like a divorce, job loss, soured relationship or addiction we can’t overcome? In our heart, we want to be available to help others, but these trials keep us self-focused so it becomes difficult to serve our fellow man. Are our good works sufficient without the power of God? God uses human hands as instruments to…
The day-to-day grind of life can be boring and tedious. We long for excitement. Even those working at compelling jobs often get tired of the routine. We may pursue indoor activities like woodworking or dancing for a change of pace. Others prefer outdoor activities–gardening, sailing, golfing, hunting or fishing. Marriage is the most significant relationship of life, but it can lose its spark…