There is much good advice in Hebrews 12, including verse 14: Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (NKJV). Most people who bring up the idea that we need to be “holy” have no way to talk about it but to give us rules to follow that they would have us believe […]
One of my heroes pointed out to me recently a sports team proverb: “What you are at practice is what you will be during a game.” If you are not working hard to be ready for opportunity, opportunity will be missed to the point of maybe not even being recognized. If you are questioning your effectiveness in ministry, or your […]
When someone asks you to help them, how do you measure the answer? Will you only serve me if I agree with you about a thousand things? Or, only if I agree with you about the important things? Will you serve my cause only if I have spent a certain amount of time serving your cause? Jesus serves people with […]
Are you most comfortable when you know ALL of the rules and feel like you are complying with them and are, therefore, blameless? Even the rules that Yahweh gave to Israel in order to make them His nation can’t make you able to walk in righteousness. Only discerning the voice of the Ruler will make you have true comfort, and […]
The Finish Line on your most important project is out of your reach and out of your control. As you approach it, it could change distance and direction. The adventures between where you are and where it is are yet to be surprising. Or astonishing, or disappointing… The Start Line, however, is right in front of your toe. Any changes […]
A man had two sons. One was anxious to receive his inheritance, so he asked for it. The man gave each son his half of the estate in response. The son who was anxious went out and wasted his inheritance. The other son stayed home and ran the farm. One day, the anxious son realized that his father had not […]
Keith Greene was a musician, worshiper, and world class evangelist who met Jesus during the Jesus Movement of the 60’s & 70’s. He died in a plane crash while evangelizing in South America. During his concerts, he would inspire evangelists in the crowd to charge the gates of hell to bring back unbelievers from damnation. He would convince everyone in […]
In “Knowing Religion,” I said that religion is a product of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In 2 Corinthians 4:6, Paul said that God knows how to talk to light. He told it to shine, and it did! God, Who knows more than that about light, is shining light in our hearts so […]
In Acts 9, the Spirit of God told Saul to expect a man named Ananias to come to him and restore his sight after he was blinded on his way to Damascus to harm believers. The Spirit also told Ananias that Saul was expecting him, and that his sight would be restored when Ananias prayed for him. Being led by […]
Paul, letter to believers in Rome: “…to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (8:6) Carnal (flesh-related) mindedness IS death. Instant impact. No waiting. Great for the impatient. Spiritual mindedness IS life and peace. Just as fast, by faith. When someone mentions the name of someone who annoys you, do you miss hearing […]