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 enjoy …

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 …

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 and how GOD’s …

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 …

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 …