need a personal trainer ?
After a three year absence, I finally returned to a boyhood hobby I’ve enjoyed for more than 40 years —- bird hunting.
In the last week I had both the time and the opportunity to hunt pheasants in Iowa and Illinois. (I’ll take Iowa any day)
In each state I hunted behind some well trained and enthusiastic bird-dogs. One German Shorthair and three Labs. Now I know from experience that these dogs required many days of consistent training and discipline in order to be good at what they were bred to do —- hunt birds.
Well, the Bible explains that I …
"don't ask me to live like it"
Question: Once you have come to the place in your life where you’ve confessed your sins and self-centeredness to Jesus, asked Him to change you through repentence, and then claim His name as a “christian” … what’s next ?
Answer: A gratitude of love that seeks obedience, that’s what !
I wonder what God thinks when people say they love Him and claim the name “christian” but are living in disobedience by …
* not reflecting the goodness and forgiveness of Jesus.
* rarely going to church.
* rarely praying.
* never telling someone else about the eternal security found in …
Radical
Did you hear the big entertainment news story today? Britney Spears crossed the line of faith! Can you imagine that? She’s decided to forgo her crazy ways stating they were “hollow” and that she was only temporarily filled up with her extravagant lifestyle.
Britney claims that she had an encounter with a Christian that did not pass judgment upon her despite her well known shenanigans. The person showed her kindness and compassion. Once a friendship was forged the Christian confronted Britney and it was the turning point that made her realize that despite her accomplishments she was not guaranteed a place …
joy or "stuck on stupid" ?
More times than I like to admit I get “stuck on stupid”.
There are times at home, or at church, or while driving around the busy Chicago suburbs that I get irritated over the most rediculous things. Then I carry around this irritation for a day or two … or more.
My wife doesn’t say or do the right thing at just the right time.
Men in my ministry act like they belong in a bar rather than in a Bible study.
A driver cuts me off and then gives me “the finger” because I looked at him too long at the intersection.
What …
homework horrors ?
When I was in Junior High and High Scool I used to really hate homework. And assignments in college were a total drag. I would much rather be hunting, fishing, playing ball, or just messing around outdoors.
So what happened to me ? … I became a science teacher.
For more than 30 years I not only gave assignments … I had to read and correct those assignments for about 250 students per year. Isn’t God funny ?
Every one of us still has work to do each day. The real question is not whether or not we actually …
homework horrors ?
When I was in Junior High and High Scool I used to really hate homework. And assignments in college were a total drag. I would much rather be hunting, fishing, playing ball, or just messing around outdoors.
So what happened to me ? … I became a science teacher.
For more than 30 years I not only gave assignments … I had to read and correct those assignments for about 250 students per year. Isn’t God funny ?
Every one of us still has work to do each day. The real question is not whether or not we actually …
Is this the right way ?
Traveling around the Chicagoland area I often get lost … even with “mapquest”. I have said to myself … “Is this right way ?”
Our journey through life will come to an end some day … it may even be today. So if today is that day … how do you know that you have been on the right road – the road that ends in God’s Kingdom ?
The Bible says in Proverbs 12: 28 …
“In the way of the righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.”
So you might ask “how do I attain this “righteousness” … …
the Muslim mind-set viewed first hand
Last week I visited a Muslim mosque. I called ahead so they knew I was coming.
I sat in the back of the room filled with 200+ Islamic men all facing east and preparing for the prayer ritual and “sermon” from their leader.
The Islamic leader’s BOLD message included these thoughts about Christians:
“Christians say they stand for love … but they sell drugs to our children and teach them to dishonor their parents. Christians convince our women to dress like they do and then our Muslim men are tempted into sexual sin and adultry. They say their book, the …
I was addicted
For many years I suffered from an addiction. It wasn’t even a secret …everyone knew about it.
I was addicted to myself.
I did everything I could to satisfy whatever drove me. Baseball. Basketball. Hunting. Coaching. Alcohol. Tobacco. Drugs. Other women. … the most important thing in my life was me.
Then after years of growing sick and tired of myself … GOD began to move in my heart. Subtly HE directed me to church, then into HIS word, and then to HIS Son. HE changed me.
Psalm 34 may be a brief expalnation of my life …
what are they saying about us ?
What a challenge it is for American Christians to live in such a way that the people around us would see GOD through what we say and do. And then reflect God’s goodness with genuine heartfelt gratitude and joy.
There could be no greater compliment for our nation than this one found in Psalm 126: 2
“… Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ “
This kind of Godly respect comes from an obedient heart. Perhaps it’s time you and I had a heart examin and asked GOD to remove the garbage we …
