A few years ago, my wife and I were vacationing at Lake George with some friends. One afternoon we were leaving our favorite spot for cappuccino and scones, dodging tourists milling about everywhere and going in and out of little shops...

Jesus and his disciples encountered a fierce, storm intended to capsize the boat and drown them, before reaching the region of the Gadarenes. This storm was so severe and the waves so violent that the disciples feared for their lives. In fact, these same disciples who saw amazing miracles at the hands of Jesus and witnessed..

Israel was in crisis because of God’s judgment on their sin. The people had been led away from God by the wicked King Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel. In order to get their attention...

Gideon was a wheat farmer who lived during one of Israel’s most challenging eras. The book of Judges records several cycles of God’s judgment of Israel’s sin. God lifted His hand of protection, followed by enemy attack and oppression, then national repentance and the rise of a leader/deliverer to bring victory over the enemy...

“Experience is the teacher of all things.” - Julius Caesar. It seems most people have things that they desire to change about themselves in order to produce a better life. We make our financial plans, buy gym memberships, and enroll in professional development classes...

Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were serious, professional fishermen. Many fishermen, even hobbyists, are dedicated and nearly fanatical in pursuing a catch. They are always optimistic and just on the verge of catching the biggest fish ever...

We humans were made for relationship. In fact, our destination is usually tied to the relationships we develop in life. I would argue that – contrary to popular belief and hundreds of motivational books – we need other people to reach our full potential...

Years ago, one of my family’s favorite TV shows was the Food Network’s smash hit, “Iron Chef America.” This cooking show pitted the best chefs from around the world in a test kitchen to see whose cuisine reigns supreme.

The parents of baby Moses certainly went through a season of calamity. After nervously waiting nine months, it became clear. The new baby was a boy, and Pharoah had declared a death sentence on him before he had drawn his first breath... 

If Jesus told it to us today, this parable might go something like this…

Recently there was a certain businessman, a real wheeler dealer. Everything he set his mind to do, he accomplished with great success. If he purchased stock, he bought low and within a short time, sold high. If he built a high-rise, there’d be a boom in new businesses needing office space. If he dug an oil well, there would be a revolution somewhere...

There’s a battle raging within all of us for control over our minds. It is a spiritual principle that where the mind and heart go, the life follows...

Wounds from the past have a way of showing up in our present lives, regardless of the passage of time. But we suppress and hide it, we try to ignore it, we develop tough exteriors to mask it from others’ sight, and often develop elaborate coping mechanisms to co-exist with it. 

Unfortunately, this happens to me a lot because I am as they say, directionally challenged. I can drive to the same location many times, and yet still forget how to get there, which means I am hopelessly bound... 

Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but we do actually get to choose what we think about...

“Together” is a special word in Scripture. It’s used hundreds of times, and whether we realize it or not, the basic principle is that God commands His blessing on our...

It used to be, to win a trophy in a sports competition, you actually had to win. Now you only need show up! In the participation trophy culture...

Dissension and disagreement are everywhere these days, laced with vitriol of the worst kinds. It is almost impossible not to see it. Lines have been drawn, sides have been taken, and people have concluded that if you are not with them, you are against them. 

Jesus was known for saying some shocking things: love your enemies, pluck out your eye, cut off your hand, hate your parents.

Some men are amazingly strong; in fact, their feats seem superhuman! We admire their physical abilities, like 7’9”, 510lb Agnus MacAskill...

One of the reasons why so many of us love the Apostle Peter is because we can relate to his most obvious weakness – foot-in-mouth disease! 

Have you ever questioned why moral scoundrels prosper, and wondered if it really pays to live a life of integrity?

Hagar, the Egyptian slave of Sarai, was probably justified in her anger. She was thrown into a family drama she never asked to be involved in, and was made to suffer for it...

In 1 Kings 18, the prophet Elijah is famous for challenging the prophets of Baal to a supernatural “duel” of sorts. The winner would settle the question of who was the real, true God...

The ability or freedom to choose is one of the greatest gifts God has given to us. His word makes it clear that our free-will choices have very real consequences that affect our lives positively or negatively. In fact, if we are to ever break free from ordinary and mundane lives... 

It’s just part of the human condition. We choose a direction to go in life, make our plans, and when the inevitable trouble detours us, we struggle with all our fleshly strength to get back on plan. We stay up late at night, trying to “fix” things that have gone off track...

Most of us are familiar with that old Christmas favorite, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. It’s a type of modern-day parable; it teaches us a valuable spiritual lesson in the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an angry rich man who was confronted by the reality of his wasted life accumulating and hoarding wealth.

In one moment of time, young Mary’s life was forever changed. As the angel of the Lord spoke about her future, Mary went from an obscure Jewish teenager to the hand-selected mother of the long-awaited Messiah. Everything changed when she understood her destiny.

What do you do when life doesn’t work out like you’ve planned? Whether you’re young or old, man or woman, black or white, rich or poor – the fact is, life often doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would. Suddenly need a “Plan B.”

When the prophet Elijah battled the prophets of Baal and called down fire from Heaven, God answered with such strength that it not only consumed the offering and the wood...

Believe it or not, the devil is not your greatest problem in life. Although he can tempt and launch deceptions at you, the fact is, he cannot make you do anything. Yet we so often blame the devil for our missteps and misfortunes...

The story of David and Goliath is one of the most beloved in the Bible. It reminds us that with God, all things are possible. This story is so famous that the expression “David vs. Goliath” has become part of our mainstream conversation. 

Have you ever had a close friend abandon you in your hour of need? Or share a confidence that exposed, embarrassed, or hurt you? Has someone you loved and trusted intentionally hurt you?

There is inherent power in doing the little things. In fact, some of the most notable people who changed history knew this, even as they accomplished great and noble strides for humanity. We should pay attention to their words of wisdom...

Broad roads are easy to travel. It’s going along to get along. It’s blending into the surroundings in order to avoid standing out. It’s not only sins of commission, but also sins of omission. But broad roads of all kinds lead to a wrecked life.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Or better, what should our lives look like as followers of Jesus Christ? Contrary to some people’s opinion...

There have been many times in my life where it seemed that it was over, the curtain had closed, and the dream had died. It looked like the situation was unchangeable, that I had blown the opportunity and simply could not recover.

We have all had times in our Christian lives when we’ve hoped for something that did not materialize, set a goal that was defeated, or dreamed big... 

Anyone who is getting older (or is simply overly scheduled), should realize the blessing of appointment alerts. In case you have no idea what that is...

Jugglers make it look so easy. They start with three balls in the air, and we think, yeah, I could do that as our hands start making juggling motions...

Many Christians believe we are currently living through the very last of the Last Days (aka The End of the World As We Know It). And those paying attention to the nightly news, ranting on social media, or the culture war raging around us would likely point

I remember when I was growing up, there was a lot more competition between Burger King and McDonalds than there seems to be these days. And as you may remember, the brilliant marketing slogan for Burger King was, “Have it your way at Burger King!”

There is a popular saying that goes, “no man is an island.” What that means is that we humans are not meant to do life alone. What we do and say affects others and what they do and say affects us.

Despite the numerous promises found in the Bible, people often fail to see the breakthroughs that God wants us to experience. God is faithful to do what He has promised, but spiritual breakthrough is not a one-sided endeavor. 

Even in the best of life’s seasons, we all go through storms. Everyone experiences trials, tribulations, and on occasion, catastrophic physical storms...

When King Saul had finally exhausted the Lord’s mercy because of his evil deeds, He sent the prophet Samuel to anoint a new king from the sons of Jesse...

Still waters is a word picture David used to describe a feeling of peace and tranquility. Indeed, when I need to settle myself down and renew calm on the inside, I go down to the shore of a nearby lake. I sit quietly watching the waves roll in, gently and rhythmically...

What is it that you love to do so much that you are willing to wreck your budget for? Dine at a fine restaurant, score tickets to a major league ballgame, award winning Broadway show, or escape town for a weekend ski-retreat?

Jesus is the most important and influential person who has ever lived. No one has so affected art, literature, music and drama, as much as Jesus. No one else has attracted such a multitude of followers and worshipers, from every nation, tribe and tongue (as well as critics and enemies) as Jesus.

Sometimes it looks like we have lost the battle – a sudden financial downturn, a bad news report, the scale won’t budge except by moving upwards. But we know that even if it looks like we have lost a fight, God is the author of our lives, and He is not content with letting the devil have the last word. 

Fear not. It’s an admonition repeated often in Scripture as God encouraged His people to take control of their emotions and overcome them. 

It’s often been said that our greatest power is our power to choose. This bit of conventional wisdom usually accompanies weight loss plans, debt management seminars, or career change blogs... 

Has life ever hit you so hard that it’s left you questioning God?

Your boss lays you off. The industry you prepared years in school to enter collapses. Your spouse of 25 years says they don’t love you anymore, and leaves. The doctor says it’s cancer.  The teenager you raised in church gets arrested. The loved one you held up in prayer for healing, dies anyway

Throughout their lives, many of God’s kids carry around a big, heavy, burlap bag called guilt. We pick up this heavy burden of guilt from many different places, don’t we? For example, we pick up the bag of guilt from...

Just a few years ago, most people felt like they were on pretty solid ground. But now they find themselves in circumstances they would never have predicted. People are feeling anxious and are dealing with unprecedented pressures...

Relationships really matter, and recent scientific research supports this conclusion.

In a famous study on what lifestyle attributes make for human health and longevity, the Alameda County Study, researchers tracked the habits of nearly 8,000 residents of Alameda County, California, for decades.

If you’ve turned on the news lately, it is easy to be hit with discouragement. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the bad news that seems so commonplace. But we must keep in mind that even in the best of times, the enemy whispers lies, playing on our insecurities and fears, and casting discouragement in order to keep us down.

Doesn’t it seem at times, that modern life has become a circus?Sometimes we’re the juggler, trying to manage all the family, career and life responsibilities, or the tightrope walker, trying to walk that line between living for Christ and the constant pull of the world.

Why do people make New Year’s resolutions?

It’s an interesting tradition, isn’t it? The holidays have passed and the overindulgence is painfully obvious. Many people are still on vacation or winter break and find time for personal reflection. The turn of the calendar year feels like a clean start, and a chance to do things differently: eat better, exercise more consistently..

So many of us have been through epic battles over the last few years, and have suffered crushed hopes, physical damage and loss, or financial devastation. We’ve survived the battle, but now go through our days like Jacob, walking with a limp.

God, in His grace, has given us Scriptural promises for every barrier, obstacle or problem we may face, including things like sickness, worry and addiction. These “barriers,” whether big or small, simple or complicated, are actually just anything standing in the way of experiencing God’s best intention for our lives. 

Why does it seem that “peace on earth, good will toward men” is inapplicable in holiday traffic? Or at Black Friday sales. Or during Christmas dinner with disagreeable in-laws? The way most of us celebrate the holidays causes extraordinary mental stress, and difficulty in keeping our lives in balance...

As nations around the world are facing tough economic times, people are wondering how their governments are going to address the shortages of food and fuel that are approaching critical levels in many areas. 

Are you a planner, a list maker, a box checker? Do you like to have every detail of the Christmas season planned weeks in advance, gifts bought and wrapped by Thanksgiving, dinner reservations made, and show tickets picked up early? These are all good and noble goals. 

Contrary to popular belief, men and women are not created equal!

Now, if I left that truth there without explanation, many of you would get angry and stop reading. In today’s culture, we are all about equality, even affecting the words we use, like “humankind” instead of “mankind,” or stores offering “unisex” clothing.

And this is how the book of Jonah ends. Not with a “happily ever after,” rather, the story of Jonah ends with the prophet becoming frustrated, sun-scorched and throwing a pity party. 

According to the psalmist, vision is the key to living a happy and blessed life.

The reasons are many. When you and I have no vision for our lives, we will have no drive or discipline; we don’t know what to aim for, or direction to take. We don’t know how to focus our talents and energies and abilities to achieve a goal.

Sometimes it’s a very long journey from “Egypt” to the “Promised Land” in our lives. After the excitement of deliverance from bondage to Pharoah, we set off into the wilderness, thinking it’s only an 11-day trip to a new life of freedom and prosperity. 

What is God really like, His true nature? Depending on one’s upbringing and theology, we have all developed personal views of what God is like; these ideas are also likely very different from our neighbors’ views. 

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, whether it’s conflict in marriage, on the job, with a friend or family member. It’s so inevitable that it happens at times when you’d least expect it to. For example, conflict arising with your spouse as you’re driving to church. Does this sound familiar? 

Jesus made some hard statements during His earthly ministry. Some, like many of the parables, were hard to understand...

His Church is the center of His focus; it was created to be salt and light in this dark world. As a whole, we are the Body of Christ, working together, each bringing our specific gifts, talents and finances to do the will of the Father.

His Church is the center of His focus; it was created to be salt and light in this dark world. As a whole, we are the Body of Christ, working together, each bringing our specific gifts, talents and finances to do the will of the Father.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus (God incarnate, Who demonstrated amazing power to do miracles), spent so much time in prayer? Scripture often records Him waking “a great while” before dawn to go off alone and spend time in prayer

These are some truly exciting times to be alive! We Christians have won some significant spiritual victories lately; hopelessness is turning back into faith and a confident expectation of God’s goodness. However, making progress for the Kingdom of God rarely comes without cost.

It’s a very simple truth – our lives are short. Human existence is but a breath, a moment. The wisest man in history pointed out that our days are numbered and that we should never forget this uncomfortable truth

Just look around – you can’t help but notice that we are living in some truly bizarre times! This crisis, that crisis. Feuds and divisions. Immorality becoming normalized. Natural disasters hitting at record size and strength, and anything but natural!

Many people struggle with the effects of their past mistakes, such as saying words in haste or anger that damage relationships, or making life-altering decisions which ended in failure or disappointment.

Asking God questions like why God, when God, or what now, God, is not wrong. If we’re honest, it probably forms the basis of much of our prayer life! 

Are you a generous person? Here’s a quick “self-check.” Can you honestly say…I routinely volunteer to help other people in need, I make financial contributions to many charities...

We all need hope to live, otherwise, we will just give up.

Some time ago researchers at Duke University decided that they would put the phrase “where there is life, there’s hope,” to the test, to see if it’s really true. 

Sometimes it's difficult, even for the most optimistic, to watch the news and not become discouraged by the state of the world these days: rising food and fuel prices, unemployment and injustice seem to be the rule of the day. 

Contrary to many skeptics’ opinion, the Bible is not simply a collection of ancient religious documents, filled with mythology and fantastic stories. Over the last century, especially, archeology and historical studies have proven the facts of many of the people, places and things discussed in Scripture. 

During His ministry on earth, Jesus made some pretty shocking statements: Love your enemy | If someone slaps you on the face, turn the other cheek | In order to follow Me, you have to hate your mother and father | Give 10% of all your financial increase to My house….

Several years ago, there was a highly acclaimed movie that came out called “War Room,” which centered on the importance of the personal prayer closet. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend renting it tonight and watching with your whole family! 

Getting a “good education” makes for a generally more fulfilling life, from finding better job prospects and higher wage earnings, to more interesting life experiences. It's a promise made by high school guidance counselors, parents, and recruiters everywhere, as a sort of secular “promised land” for ambitious, hard-working students.

Have you ever struggled to flip a mattress or move an oversized sofa all by yourself, and thought help, I need somebody? Or ladies, have you ever struggled to reach the back zipper of a dress without success, and thought help, I need somebody! Or you stand in front of a closed door, with hands full of heavy groceries, thinking hello?! I need someone...help!

If anyone needed “grace for the grind” during his earthly ministry, it had to be the Apostle Paul! He gave us a glimpse of what it means to be faithful in difficult circumstances in 1 Corinthians 11:22-28.

The past two years have truly been a time of testing and stretching for the church of God. Congregations which had not previously developed an online presence and a skilled production team found themselves at the beginning of lockdown scrambling to keep connected to their church members over the internet.

With apologies to baseball fans everywhere, football is actually America’s most popular sport...

Names are very important in the Bible. Parents would often choose a name for their new baby that described the circumstances surrounding the birth, or contained a blessing for the baby's life and destiny...

Have you ever had an issue that has defined you? Something that has hindered you and sapped your life of its strength? Perhaps a habit or addiction has stolen your identity, damaged your relationships, wounded your family, drained your finances, crushed your hope, dreams and aspirations... or made you feel powerless and insignificant.

For anyone paying attention to politics these days, it’s no great revelation to say that we are a deeply divided nation, especially regarding issues touching on race. While we have made significant progress in some areas, there remains much to be done.

Have you ever traveled down a “broken road”? That is, has your journey in life ever been detoured by the disappointment of unmet expectations, poor choices, abuse or addictions? I'm sure we all have, because the truth is, life is filled with broken roads. 

For many families, reading Charles Dickens'  A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve is a tradition that goes back generations. It's a classic story that speaks to us through its unforgettable and timeless characters...

There are so many traditions at Christmas time, from picking out a fresh tree, hanging lights and decorations, baking cookies and drinking hot chocolate, to Christmas movie marathons and going to grandma's house for dinner.

Impossible! It’s a word we have heard throughout human history. The Wright brothers were told no one can make an aircraft for man to fly in...it's impossible!

Are you a “glass half full” or a “glass half empty” kind of person? It seems to me that some of us are genetically wired to be “half full” people; we have this tendency to look on the bright side of things and be full of hope. And some of us aren’t. Some of us see hopelessness in every situation, no matter what.

There is so much to be thankful for in this life. God blessed humanity with a beautiful world to live in, the opportunity to have meaningful relationships with others, and the offer of eternal salvation for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. People can be thankful when there is needed rain, or sunshine after lots of cloudy days.

The floating axe head miracle in 2 Kings serves as a great teaching metaphor of a common, modern problem: even when doing everything right, Christians can lose their passion, or their “edge” in life and ministry.

My grandfather was a real “man’s man.” I remember him as being big and strong, even with the prosthetic leg he had from the knee down. When he would put it on, he would say, “It’s time for me to become The Bionic Man,” and back then, I believed he really did have a super robot leg like Steve Majors on the TV show.

Of all the things we could say about social media, one thing is certain: it should remind us that our lives are on display for all to see. Posting photos, sharing links and writing comments opens up our lives...

If you’ve been around church people for any length of time, you’ve undoubtedly heard them say, “God spoke to me, and told me to….” And maybe you’ve wondered, whatever do they mean by that?

Years ago, there was an article in a prominent fashion magazine that stated supermodels were the most envied women in the world. It said today’s pretty women, supermodels, represent a new breed: mannequins with sex appeal.

Have you ever played the game called Scruples? It's a popular board game from the 1980s that asked the players questions regarding everyday ethical and moral dilemmas.

Whenever bad things unexpectedly happen to us (like a job lay off, an unfaithful spouse, or a shocking doctor’s diagnosis), we can be knocked off our “spiritual balance.”

According to a recent article in Business Insider, the family unit continues to be under attack. It is likely that 39% of marriages today will end in divorce, and that divorce can be financially devastating.

It’s often been said that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting to get a different result.

When I look around the world today there seems to be a happiness vacuum. There are more hurting people, hating people and hopeless people than there are happy people.

I heard a joke recently about two store owners who were bitter rivals. Their stores were directly across the street from one another...

One of the tell-tale signs of being at the very end of the Church age is people gradually moving away from the things of God...

Many years ago, I became a young pastor of a small church in Connecticut. One day a man who had been attending for a while approached me...

It seems like everywhere we look, there are deep divisions based on political beliefs, perceived offenses, actual offenses and personal opinion. 

In our modern "don't judge me" culture, it can be difficult to keep ourselves free from compromise and the influence of the world.

Every believer's life is a spiritual race of sorts, complete with unseen obstacles and potholes of temptation...

Until about 20 years ago, no one really knew who Jabez was.

It’s amazing what desperation will cause us to do...

“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’  Now when they had left the multitude...

Have you ever felt like life has caused you to lose yourself?

Many years ago, when my children were much younger, I would routinely come home after a long day just to find a toy laying in pieces on top of the counter.  

In this digital age, our lives seem to revolve around our mobile devices... 

There’s an old saying that goes when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!  

Memorial Day is upon us again. It’s the holiday that kicks off summer... 

Recently I noticed some difficulty reading small print, so off I went to the optometrist to be examined... 

There is something deep inside us that knows this simple truth: prayer should be...

Perhaps when you read the title of this article, it puzzled you, but you read it correctly. There are many benefits of having an enemy.