the perfect painter
This week I spoke with a man whose life is gripped with addictions. His past and present are both so full of sin that he walked into my office with head down and back bent with guilt. Not a pleasant picture. In addition the problem worsens because … as a high school science teacher and basketball coach for 31 years … I wanted to fix this guy. But like dozens of previous situations like this … I quickly discover I can not. Only Jesus and the power of His Holy Spirit is the supreme healer. I am nothing … just …
remember 11
I remember the first time I realized the value of someone making a sacrifice for me to live in this country. I was around 11 years old in 1960 when I went fishing with my dad’s Uncle … I think his name was Uncle Jim. I sat in his boat in his Arkansas farm pond staring at the red scars on his face, neck, and arms. Uncle Jim had fought in WW 1 and was a victim of “poisonous gas warfare”. In 1969 my college room-mate and basketball team-mate dropped out of school and joined the U.S. Marines to operate …
surrounded by police
I was invited to speak at the Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers Annual Breakfast last Saturday at Judson College. Sitting in my truck in the parking lot before the breakfast … I was praying for GOD to give me the right words … HIS words. Knowing that in a few minutes I would be surrounded by “cops” including three Police Chiefs and the FCPO National President … I suddenly felt intimidated. It was time for GOD to step in. Just then Omar, a friend of mine, called me on my cell phone and asked if he could pray with me. …
Come on God, I'm 2 for 3
2 for 3 ain’t bad … especially if you’re a major league baseball player. Since most players have a batting avererage of much less than .300 … to be a .666 hitter would make you the highest paid baseball player EVER . But, if you were to be King over God’s people then 2 out of 3 would not be good enough. God spoke through Moses in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 17:14-17) and laid down three expectations for future Kings: #1. they should not accumulate large amounts of horses. #2. they should not accumulate gold and silver. #3. they should …
our lips
I stood outside a beautiful church on State Street in downtown Chicago listening to two police officers carrying on a conversation that was packed full of foul language and pathetic sexual references. Then they both walked into the church at the same time that I did, stopped and knelt down to pray in front of an alter. Within a few minutes they walked back out to their squad car where their conversation continued using the same God dishonoring language. Now I’m not suggesting that all cops act in this way … but Jesus had something to say about this kind …
