Have you ever wondered why God leaves us on this earth after we are justified by faith in Jesus? With all of the pain and suffering this world brings, at times it seems that an immediate rapture into Heaven would be the most loving thing God could provide. So why does God leave us here? …
Category Archives: Christian Living
Providential Breakfast
Perhaps you could call it “East Texas Hospitality.” Or, it may be better described as a case of mistaken identity. Either way, it was funny. I’ve been preaching a series of revival services in Cushing, TX while staying at a hotel in Nacogdoches, TX. This morning, I visited a small café next door to the …
My Fruit Snack Failure
Epic fail. That’s what it felt like. My son, Bryce came home from Kindergarten and announced, “Dad, you forgot to put a snack in my back pack today.” I admit I’m prone to overthink certain things. But all I could see in my mind’s eye was my son sitting alone at snack time with nothing …
We’ve Already Died
Lazurus –what an amazing life –then death –then life –then death –and now life. In John 11, Jesus raised him from the dead. (This is the passage where Jesus wept). In the next chapter, John12, Jesus returned to Bethany to visit Lazurus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha six days before Passover. Naturally, large …
You Don’t Have to Sneak Up On God
The faint sound of little footsteps is followed by a pause, and then the slow opening of the door. It happens the same way every morning. I begin reading my Bible each day in the corner chair of my home office while my son is still in bed. But, without fail, before I finish reading …
Fake Fruit
I remember walking into my mother’s kitchen, picking up the plush red apple, and taking a bite. The bite marks are still there -in my mother’s plastic apple . To this day, it sits in a bowl on mom’s kitchen counter with other decorative plastic fruit. Looking back, the experience is comical. But it is …
Peace in the Difficult Times
I was recently speaking wth a friend about some stressful situations I had encountered through my work over the past years. It was refreshing to speak of the stress in the past tense, rather than present. Looking back, I’m greatful for the stressful experiences. However, at the time, it felt like more than I could …
Snow Day Reflections
It was a snow day. School was out and the office was closed. Bryce and his buddy from down the street were busy playing in his room. I was just settling into the second chapter of a good book when I heard whispering. “Don’t tell my dad what we did.” Classic six-year-old mistake, right? First, …
More Than Forgiveness
I love the way John Stott describes the great exchange we have in Christ. “When we are united to Christ a mysterious exchange takes place: he took our curse, so that we may receive his blessing; he became sin with our sin, so that we may become righteous with his righteousness.” (Stott: The Cross of …
Practice Public Prayer
Growing up in Church, I remember questioning the need for public prayer. After all, didn’t Jesus tell us to go into our closets to pray? And what about His critique of the Pharisees who loved to stand and pray loudly for show? It turns out, however, that Jesus is not against public prayers –He’s simply …