Paul warned us that our true enemy is not physical or material, but spiritual. In this battle, we are our own worst enemy. And the most effective tool that our spiritual Adversary uses against us is our own “busyness.” Our own desire to get more done in less time is what kills us spiritually. If […]
Prayer is the most fundamental spiritual act. It is the first spiritual discipline our parents teach us. “Now I lay me down to sleep,” is ubiquitous with childhood. We hold hands around the table and thank God for the meal. Children watch and they learn that there is something special about closing your eyes and […]
The Spiritual Disciplines are the exercises a Christian uses to build up her spiritual muscles. Just like curls or bench presses, pushups or situps, the spiritual disciplines are tools any Christian can use consistently to get stronger spiritually. Over the next two weeks, I hope to work through some of the most important exercises. Practice […]
Do you feel stuck in a rut in your spiritual life? It happens to all of us. We experience times of strong spiritual growth and then life starts to get in the way — we bury our heads in a mountain of “to-dos” and the consistent work of spiritual growth gets sidelined. It can be […]
I hate to wait. I try to organize my life is such a way that waiting takes up a minimal amount of precious time. Doctor’s offices, traffic, lines, lunch appointments, purchases — I don’t like to wait. My only defense is that I am a product of my culture. We live in an “on demand” […]
I’m a “practicing father” right now. I like that term — practicing. It’s used by both the medical and legal professions. Why is that? Because they recognize that what they do is hard and complicated and none have arrived. So they are always practicing their craft, honing their skills, always learning, always improving. The […]
The New Year is still very young. Make prayer a priority this year and watch how God will bless you! Here are three Scripture passages you can pray over your New Year! 1. Prayer of Hope ’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not […]
The Magi are well known and loved by all. They traveled from afar at great sacrifice to bring gifts to baby Jesus. They have much to teach us. However, what about the women of the Christmas story? There are three wise women who have a lot to teach us about the Christmas spirit. The […]
Who are you? Identity is a hot topic right now. One of the greatest truths of the bible is that God loves you just the way you are (Rom. 5:8). Yet, God doesn’t want you to remain exactly the way you are. He has created you to grow and change. He sent his Son, Jesus, […]
There are record numbers of people voting in this election, so far (compared to other mid-term elections). This is a good thing. However, for some there is a temptation to walk away from it all. We seem to live in an anger-filled, 24-hour a day, 365-days-a-year election cycle. And the question for many Christians is: […]
