I opened my Bible recently to the book of Zechariah and skimmed through its pages. I discovered it filled with promises; promises of return and restoration, promises of blessing, promises of prophecy fulfilled and sins forgiven. After thumbing through the chapters, I returned to the first page of the first chapter and began to read. Right out of the gate, …
Hero of Humility
Since humility is our proper posture in life, we might as well humble ourselves. Since the Lord humbles, we might as well choose humility. In any endeavor, it helps to have examples and the leadership of others to follow. In the case of humility, the list is probably shorter than in other endeavors. However, there are names and stories that …
Honor Matters
I was speaking with a friend who recently visited the Holy Land. On the trip was an 81- year-old Franciscan priest who served as their group’s spiritual guide each day. As they visited the sacred sites, the very places where Jesus walked and lived, the priest leading them would approach the sites with reverence and awe. Many of the group …
Cindy
My sister Cindy loved our family. Since each of us kids departed for college, we had not all lived in the same place. Greg left home first and headed to Tulsa to attend Oral Roberts University. Cindy headed south to Lakeland, FL to attend Southeastern College. A few years later, I also left for Tulsa and ORU. After graduation, both …
Serve
James and John had the courage and nerve to approach Jesus with an outrageous question. This was after they had followed Jesus around Galilee and Judea for three years. By this time, they knew Jesus well. They said to Jesus, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask (John 10:35 NIV).” Jesus welcomed their inquiry by responding, …
Keeping Love Alive in Marriage & Honoring Marriage through the Seasons
My lovely wife Carrie has a beautiful heart for ministry. She is a teacher who loves to encourage others in their spiritual journeys and in their hunger for God’s word. She is also an amazing leader. Over the past few years, Carrie has partnered with iRefresh Ministries to produce some short video encouragements. Sheryl Kloehr, who leads iRefresh, has been …
What do you believe about God?
I have read and heard many times that what you believe about God is the most important thing about you. I believe this to be true. So what is it that you believe about God? So much for beating around the bush! When Jesus walked the earth, He declared that He was God’s beloved son, that He had come from …
The Desert
As a family, we have encountered some difficulty in recent months. In many ways, it has felt like a wilderness or desert season. By this I mean a season that is barren and desolate, dry and dusty. A season where things rich and lush have disappeared and abundance has been replaced by sparseness. I have never lived in or near …
Waiting
I don’t know anyone who likes to wait? Whether we are standing in line to make a purchase, to enter a sporting event or to ride a ride at an amusement park, nobody likes the waiting part. When my kids were younger, we stood in what appeared to be an endless line to ride the Kali River Rapids at Walt …
Relationships Matter
This past week, Carrie and I had the privilege of speaking to a middle school assembly at a local Christian School on relationships. I thought I would share the highlights with you since the topic is so important and since it is February, the month we celebrate love on Valentine’s day. I hope you enjoy! There is nothing more important …