Finding Strength through God’s Eternal Perspective From Amazon.com: WHEN A CASSEROLE OR A GREETING CARD ISN’T ENOUGH. Grief is one of life’s toughest challenges. During such times it is difficult to know where to turn. Yet in the midst of your deepest despair, God reveals Himself and His promises for a better tomorrow. The NIV Hope in the Mourning Bible works to bring a peaceful sense—in the midst of the coldest...
Read More
When I look at a ministry’s effectiveness, or the impact I’m having as a believer on my world, the questions I ask can be more important than any other factor. My questions must zero in on the heart of the matter, and not measure the outward appearances. For example, when Jesus’ was approached by a rich young ruler, the man’s outward status wasn’t the issue. Neither was the amount of money he could give to...
Read More
The summer of my 12th year, my family climbed into our lizard green station wagon, hitched the pop-up camper to the bumper, and headed West. The humid summer had engulfed Michigan, and my dad saved two weeks of vacation time so we could escape and enjoy the national beauty of Colorado and Wyoming. Thousands of “are we there yet” later, as we drove through the Rocky Mountains the family station wagon coughed and stalled. After a few...
Read More
The world loves to laugh at Christians. They don’t understand living for a purpose greater than ourselves. When we, Christ’s followers, step out and make our intentions front and center, unbelievers are quick to poke fun at our inconsistencies, failures and sometimes outright hypocrisy. For me, this is a problem. I would rather fail while daring greatly than give up and live a mediocre life. Yet shooting myself in the foot with a...
Read More
The Corinthian church was a lot like mine. Young and full of new believers, some had been raised in Jewish faith and came to believe in the Messiah. Others were converts from secular Corinth. The city was a seaport, filled with trade at the crossroads of the world. Diverse and multicultural, Corinth was an ancient New York, New Orleans, or San Francisco. The citizens likely struggled for identity in a melting pot culture immersed in...
Read MoreDuring his hour on the platform, Greg Laurie commented that Christians and church leaders have to be transformed so they can be culturally relevant and authentically connect with the world. Living much of my life in West Michigan, I had to look back at my own journey to faith, and grapple with why his casual transition between point four and five of his notes arrested my attention. Growing up in West Michigan, I have to confess that I...
Read More
“God, I pray you hold back the economic chaos that is flooding our nation. Hold back the political corruption; restrain the social turmoil so that we can reach our destiny.” I listened to this prayer recently in a local church. The pastor passionately asked God to hold back the trends that are harming the cultural, economic, political and social fabric of the United States. To be honest, I was confused. Unless I’m reading a different...
Read More
In the middle of his last conversation, Jesus gives his disciples some of his most comforting and challenging words. He knows what’s about to happen. He’s given Judas permission to betray him and he’s washed his disciples’ feet. Jesus celebrated the Passover meal, and replaced the OT list of rules to earn God’s favor by declaring a New Covenant for god’s people, a covenant of faith in him and a free gift of salvation. Instead of rules...
Read More
In his short books toward the end of the New Testament, the Apostle John weaves his ideas around one or two ideas. The first is the connection between loving God and obeying God’s Word. The second is a bit thornier, and puts an uncomfortable magnifying glass over the top of Christ-followers relationship with the world around us. He writes: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the...
Read More
In the 15th century, Martin Luther wanted to renew genuine worship. For centuries monks had kept the scriptures and sacred music locked away in cold stone churches and monasteries. After the printing press put the Gutenberg bible back in the hands of the common man in the 1450’s, Luther worked to put worship back in the hands, and minds of the common man to fuel the revival that swept Europe, and fueled the Protestant Reformation....
Read More
Find | Follow | Friend Tim