Isaiah 44:22 NLT If I choose not to risk, if I go the “safe” route and determine not to promote either salvation by grace or a lifestyle of grace, what are the alternatives? Four come to my mind, all of which are popular these days. 1. I can emphasize works over grace. I can tell […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: Failure
When God Says “No”. . .Pray
When nobody is around and when we’re able to be absolutely honest with ourselves before God, we entertain certain dreams and hopes. We want very much by the end of our days to have _________________________ (fill in the blank). However, it may well be that we will die with that desire unfulfilled. Should that occur, […]
Read MoreThick Glass
One of the realities of raising a neurologically disabled child is what I call “thick glass.” Thick glass is the clear yet mostly impenetrable divider between a parent’s unconditional love for his or her child and the child’s seeming total lack of response—that disheartening vacant look. Parents grieve behind thick glass, ever longing to touch […]
Read MoreRedeeming the Seasons of Life
Some years ago I surprised my family by taking them to “Disney on Ice.” When I pre-purchased the tickets, the salesperson warned me that they offer no refunds. “Fine,” I said and scribbled the date and time on my calendar. As the date approached, I watched my daughters’ excitement reach a fever pitch. Not even […]
Read MoreHow to Stop Expecting Perfection
Not being a bumper-sticker freak, I find myself turned off by most of the stuff people announce on rear windows and back bumpers. But years ago I noticed one I’ve never forgotten. For some reason, it stuck in my cranium as firmly as on chrome. You’ve seen it dozens of times: CHRISTIANS ARE NOT PERFECT, […]
Read MoreFacing the Tough Stuff of Inadequacy: When the Truth Comes Out
Imposter. Pretender. Fraud. Call it insecurity, fear of failure, or an identity crisis: Most men are driven by an unspoken, and often unacknowledged, sense of inadequacy. What’s more, they fear that their inadequacy will be exposed and their true identity will be revealed. They will be found out as the poser they really are. Posing […]
Read MoreWhen Jesus Fails Your Expectations
John the Baptist struggled with his own sermon. He had preached about the Messiah’s kingdom coming with power and justice. But instead, Jesus’s ministry centered on preaching and on acts of mercy, and John found himself unfairly wasting away in prison near the blistering shores of the Dead Sea. Gentle Jesus hardly seemed the political […]
Read MoreSancti-fried
We’ve all been there. Slowly climbing the narrow road of the Christian life, we suddenly take a bad step and end up blowing it . . . again. The progress we had made along that precarious path becomes pointless as we slide down that craggy ledge and find ourselves once again brushing the dirt off […]
Read MoreIt’s Not About You
I need to underscore a foundational fact: God’s goal is not to make sure you’re happy. No matter how hard it is for you to believe this, it’s time to do so. Life is not about your being comfortable and happy and successful and pain free. It’s about becoming the man or woman God has […]
Read MoreHow Can I Deal with My Fear?
Question: I was hurt in the past when some relationships went bad, and now I’m afraid of starting new relationships. When I attend church, I keep to myself. Even at work, I don’t talk much with people. I know that’s not right. How can I honor God and point others to Him without building relationships? […]
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