There are desperate moments in life when it seems all hope is lost. The circumstances are overwhelming and there seems to be no way or reason to go forward. It happens to good men and bad men alike. I have been fortunate to have only seldom felt...
Everyone sins. But some people sin in a way that transgresses more than social norms, they transgress the criminal law by stealing, murdering, and the like. Is there a single psychological characteristic that could be identified with every criminal...
5th Station of the Cross And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus. Luke 23:26 Sometimes, without permission, you and I may be forced...
Today is my number three son, Kaenan’s birthday. He is 26 years old. Wow. While I love my daughter, my three sons and I have that special father – son bond. While they are each unique in their God-given personality, they are definitely...
Christians have been persecuted throughout the ages and right from the very start. Our Lord and Savior was accused of the crime of ‘misinformation’. Hmmm, sounds vaguely similar to what is happening in our time. The cancel culture of His...
I made a decision to follow Jesus in 1980, some 41 years ago. There have been seasons when I have been very close to Him, and others when I followed at a distance. Its when we are distant that we run the risk of denying the very One we love and who...
There have been times where I have failed to speak up for the Lord, righteousness, etc. and simply concealed my Christian faith and allegiance to Jesus. How about you? Other times, I have unequivocally and at some cost, identified with Him. The same...
I’ve been watching The Mandalorian with my wife. The Mandalorian is part of a religious sect of bounty hunters. When together they talk about how they go about life and business and say to each other “This is the Way”! To which the...
We live in a pretty amazing world. I’m a guy who likes to get outdoors and into nature. One day I want to go to the Maldives, Philippines, Italy, Peru,… the list is pretty long. I enjoy learning about the our world’s history as...
Things in my life don’t always turn out as others promised or even as I expected. I have a saying “man plans, God laughs”. How about you? Do you find your plans can go awry. Isn’t that the idea from Robert Burns’...
I enjoy starting my day with a similar routine. Part of my pattern is reading a chapter from the Bible, journaling, and praying. Some have called this “intentional intimacy”, “devotional” or “time alone with God”...
I remember getting a shot in the doctors office. My doctor would squeeze my arm and say “its going to sting for a minute”. Ready? I like that he prepared me for what was to come. It still hurt, for awhile. But, the anxiety was lessened...
Critics are everywhere. They have never built anything, they only tear down. Don’t worry when they criticize you. Jesus was uniquely targeted by religious leaders who tired to trick Him into saying something contrary to scripture or the rule...
It’s hard for me to accept ideas that didn’t originate within me. That might just be human nature. When I am trying to solve a problem and get stuck, then I look at a youtube video, call my dad, or ask an expert. Maybe its pride, maybe...
I have experienced some really great moments in life. Watching Bono of U2 sing ‘Where the Streets Have No Name”- live in concert, being on the court as my team wins a basketball game with a ‘buzzer beater’, seeing each of my...
Ever have one of those overly involved micro managing bosses? The one’s that check on you every 10 minutes, measure everything and squash all creative ideas? Jesus is quite the opposite! He told a parable that indicates He gives lots of...
I have confessed to my wife at certain times that I can’t actually read her mind. But, often I think I can know what is in someone else’s heart. Its human nature to judge one another’s actions and presume to know their motivation...
I’ve met very successful, nice, charismatic people. Their talent and often genuine concern for others made them attractive and often rich. Nothing wrong with that. But, sometimes they lack the one thing they really need- to be rich toward God...
I love that scene in Indiana Jones, where “Indy” has to follow a clue that will help him avoid the giant saw blade on his quest to find the Holy Grail. At the last second he realizes “the penitent man will pass” and he falls...
On my best days I find I am praying continually. It’s as if I am in a constant conversation with God and He is influencing my words, thoughts and deeds. In a survey of people who attended church the first time or first time in a long...
Sometimes asking the right question makes all the difference. The religious leaders wanted to know “when” the kingdom of God was coming. What they really needed to ask is “what”, “where” and “who” the...
Things change! I often say, “there are seasons for everything”. The problem is no one knows how long a season will be, good or bad. Certainly, this Covid pandemic has been a long one, perhaps will go on a bit even after vaccinations...
I feel worse when I offend or sin against someone, than when they sin against me. When people mistreat, speak evil, or fail to keep their promise, I tend to be quick to forgive. Maybe its because I have been forgiven so much. When I fail or harm...
Show me a miracle and I will believe! Before I was a follower of Jesus, I negotiated with God on those terms. God, “do this”- then, “I will believe in you and give you my life.” Then it happened, I was called on the carpet by...
I have been pastor to single people in two churches. I grew very fond of so many. It seemed that many felt ‘second class’ in some way, especially if they had suffered a divorce. I often reminded them of the 3 greatest single people in...
Some investments pay back really well. I put some money in my money market account from 2001-2007 and it was growing by nearly 20% per year! We can invest our time, money, talent in all kinds of things. Pastor Rick Warren reminded me that the...
I find myself sometimes getting a bit angry at people who hold a vastly different value system and who cause a great deal of turmoil and pain in others lives and even their own. But, God continues to develop in me compassion for the lost. I’ve...
When I officiate marriage ceremonies I remind the man and woman that this becomes the preeminent relationship. I often say, your spouse will be the first one you bring good news to. And should any difficulty, its them that you go to first, all...
I am looking forward to the next life… heaven! But, I don’t think most people really want to go to heaven. And I don’t blame them. The understanding they have of heaven is very incomplete and often flat out wrong. Heaven seems...
Have you ever been to a wedding reception and placed at Table 19? We were! Its a longer story, but a mix-up between the separated parents of the bride, and my wife were asked to get up and move to another table. It was the ‘leftover’...
I didn’t have the advantage of ‘growing up’ in church. Knowledge of who Jesus was and what He had done, came to me later. Further, I was not part of the Jewish heritage which had the ancient scriptures, prophets, and traditions to...
There are so many aspects of life that are uncertain. The length of our life, the stock market, traffic on the 91 freeway, even… how our kids will turn out. We must live with a certain degree of it. However, there is one thing for certain. The...
It seems that the divide in American politics is greater than ever. When the speaker of the house tore up the president’s state of the union speech on national TV, it was crystalized. But, there is a greater divide. The divide that God sees...
I have some new endeavors and plans for worldly riches in this new year. The truth is, there are always opportunities for riches in our world. My better plans involve how to be ‘rich toward God’… and to use my time, gifts, and...
Nobody likes phoniness and hypocrisy, not in themselves, and especially not in leaders. When those in positions of authority require others to do or refrain from doing something, but they themselves are exempted, they lose a certain amount of...
Certainly there have been flawed people in Christian leadership who have tarnished the perception people have of Christianity and God. But, that doesn’t excuse anyone. I came to Christ because of the consistent reflection of the light of the...
When my brothers and I were young, we would open our Christmas gifts with great anticipation, and so often… get everything we wanted. We were pretty fortunate. Then, we would call our friends and see what they got! When we pray, Jesus said we...
It has been the testimony of Christians for 2000 years that they “hear from God”. Maybe its not an audible voice, but I would attest that God does lead and guide me. He gives me thoughts above and beyond my own. He moves my emotions and...
In this life we applaud the great, best, richest, well known, and highest. They are the achievers, conquerers, and masters. And perhaps some acclamation is due. When I begin to rank myself and compare to others I am heading into a cul-de-sac of...
I didn’t have the advantage of growing up in church. So, understanding what it means to follow Jesus was foreign to me for a good part of my life. Never was he more clear than when He told the disciples one of the pre-requisites is to die to...
I can think of no worse news than when a child passes away. The loss of a child is nearly unbearable. I don’t know how people do it without faith and the hope of a heavenly reunion. It cannot be God’s will. Yet, it happens. For some, its...
Before I put my faith in Jesus Christ, I was both interested and curious but also rightly afraid of Him. He struck me as so unique, powerful, intelligent, and humble. For certain, He is one who ‘reaps where He did not sow’. That sense of...
I like gardening and seeing my plumerias, in particular, grow and blossom. Jesus likened the kingdom of God to a field: His Word is the seed, and we (people) are varying types of soil- hard packed, rocky, thorny, and good! In honesty, there are...
I think we all suffer a bit from our tendency toward creating our own “self-made” religion. We have accumulated and formulated for ourselves an array of ethical standards, belief about origins, the next life, and God as well. In doing...
I have had varying levels of authority in my life. Some of that authority is relational and some is positional. I certainly grew up under the authority of my parents. I heard a pastor say “I only have authority, because I am under...
In the classic ‘coming of age’ book and movie- The Outsiders, in a final scene in the Windrixville church, Johnny says “stay gold Ponyboy”. He encourages Ponyboy to maintain his innocence and goodness. Its a reference to a...
And He raised His eyes toward His disciples and began saying, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed...
Now it happened that Jesus was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath, and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you...
I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a...
The Chosen – Series (Levi, from the Tax Booth) And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. ...