Reflecting the Book
Sun Stood Still
[Joshua 10:12-14] On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man.”
What?!? …
From release to reconciliation (son meet the father)
This series of posts is winding up. It’s a story of abandonment to hope in my personal relationship between me and my earthly father. But it’s a metaphor for the Gospel too.
As I’ve covered previously, the wound of abandonment led me to restlessness; which mercifully led to a release of the Spirit, finally resulting in me being reconciled to my earthly father, the original source of my abandonment.
Once God released me of my anger I immediately felt compassion toward my earthly father. My hatred and bitterness toward him were gone. Compassion replaced hatred.
So, I tracked …
Leadership 101 – Part 8 – Humility
Love
Example
Accountable
Discipline
Equip
Respectable
Servant
Humility
Augustine thought that humility is rather important. “Humility,” he said, “is the foundation of all the other virtues; hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” In other words, if we’re not humble, there’s nothing genuine about the rest of our character. Strong words!
J. Oswald Sanders agrees. “Humility is the hallmark of the spiritual leader. A leader’s humility should grow with the passing of years, like other attitudes and qualities.”
So what does God’s Word have to say about it? A lot… …
From restlessness to release (thanks to Tim McGraw)
If you’ve been following this series of posts (i.e., From abandonment to hope). The last post focused on how feeling abandoned leads one to a sense and perhaps even a lifestyle, or approach to life, of restlessness. To be a restless person, one feels like a spiritual vagabond. It’s the James 1:6 principle of having “two minds”.
For me at least, I cultivated this approach to life until I was almost 39 years old. I could see its effects in my life but felt powerless to change it deeply. Instead, I expressed internal power through an …
too far gone to be a trophy ?
After speaking to a team of athletes this past week, one of them came up to me and said … “Mike I don’t see how God’s grace could possibly apply to me. I have done too many really bad things in my life. It’s far too late for me.”
This young man is missing the intent of God’s plan of redemption which began even before the fall of Adam and Eve. Jesus, a wonderful part of the Trinity, came to earth for the broken. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been … Jesus can …
How to Raise a Pharisee
I am always on the look-out for good advice because most days I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to raising my kids. One thing is sure though: I want them to know and love Jesus Christ. So with that in mind I bring you this…
Carey Hardy, Senior Executive Pastor at Grace Community Church, recently gave a seminar at the Shepherds’ Conference on How to Raise a Pharisee, which contains a number of helpful reminders of what not to do as a parent:
1. Majoring on …
one and out
A sports headline in a Texas newspaper yesterday read:
“One and Out for Knight”. Basketball’s March Madness is designed to give you one chance to win a national championship. If you lose … your done.
In the real world called “life” … God created you to live once on this earth. The Heavenly Father gave you the free will to choose forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. If you’ve decided to live your life excluding God and His Son … you lose … you’re done. And what’s left for you is an eternal separation from God and His …
Maddie's letter
The other day when I came home tired from a 12 hour work day my wife handed me a letter we received in the mail and said … “here read this … this will cheer you up.” It was a letter from our 7 year old grand daughter Maddie who lives in Iowa.
The simplicity and sincerity of Maddie’s words brought a sense of delight to my heart that was beyond explanation.
What made the whole thing really special was this …
… she took the time to remember us and include us into her life. Maddie’s timing was perfect, by …
Leadership 101 – Part 7 – Servant
Love
Example
Accountable
Discipline
Equip
Respectable
Servant
Of servant leadership, Warren Wiersbe says,”To put it plainly, shepherds serve their sheep. Shepherds know their sheep and can call them by name. They lead their sheep to places where they can find food, water, and shelter. They protect the sheep from enemies, they appy oil when the sheep have been cut or bruised, they enable the sheep to be useful in growing wool, providing milk, and reproducing after their kind. When any of the sheep go astray, the shepherd goes after them and seeks to bring them back.”
Jesus referred to Himself as a servant. …
Kids Say Some Funny Stuff
If you would have been in the bathroom with my 3 year old son Jacob and I on Thursday night you would have heard the following conversation take place…
Dad: “Jakey, do you know where your poopey comes from?”
Jacob (with passion): “From my BUTT!”
Dad (both of us laughing): “Yes, you are right. But do you know what makes your poopey? What is it made of?”
Jacob (thinking): “Stinky socks?”
Dad (both of us laughing): “No, it comes from the food in your stomach. …
