Delight
God’s delight in me (and you) is not performance based. Sometimes I need to be reminded of that, and I figured that you might need a reminder too. This past winter our 8th grader tried a new...
View ArticleDelight (part 2)
I have to be honest. I couldn’t wait to get to the pool that afternoon and watch Drew swim. I think the parents in the stands were more nervous and anxious than the boys on the deck. An excitement and...
View ArticleProvocation and Offense
This past January, I had the privilege of attending a lecture at Calvin College by author, speaker, and researcher Gabe Lyons. In his presentation, Lyons made an interesting assertion that has...
View ArticleWhat Are the Ramifications of Provocation?
The idea of being provoked yet not offended started me thinking about a few things—not just personally but vocationally as well. Certainly, this challenge has personal ramifications for us all, but it...
View ArticleOffended
Last time, I ended with a couple of questions to ponder relating to offense and provocation and then presented a passage of Scripture for our mutual consideration. The second question asked, “Is it...
View ArticleOffended (Part 2)
Here’s the biggest difference between offense and provocation: Offense shuts out, isolates, and flees from, while provocation runs toward, invites in, and opens up. An offended brother is more...
View ArticleMy Chains are in Christ
Brief Outline: Background information: Paul had a special relationship with the church at Philippi. He expressed it in Philippians 1:7, when he said, “I have you in my heart.” Imprisoned in Rome,...
View ArticleUnderstanding the Times (part 1)
The world has changed quite a bit since I was a boy—from radios to iPods; from 13-inch black-and-white TVs to 50-inch flat screen HDTVs; from war bonds to computer viruses; from letter writing to...
View ArticleUnderstanding the times (part 2)
I wonder what would have happened if the men from Issachar (back in 1 Chronicles 12:32) would have acted without understanding? I wonder what would have been said of them if they had simply pursued the...
View ArticleUnderstanding the times (part 3)
The men of Issachar understood the times. But that’s not all they did. Anyone can look out their window and tell whether or not it’s raining. These men did more than just know the times. They...
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