Love your enemies. (Matthew 5:44)Pray for those in authority. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)Take the lower seat at the table. (Luke 14:10)Your will (not mine) be done. (Matthew 6:10) Ouch! These are difficult teachings for those of us who want to be in control. But Jesus wants us to let go. He wants us to surrender our …
We’ve all made mistakes. But the more time we spend looking at our past, the less time we spend looking at God. “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”(C.S. Lewis) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive …
People place limitations on you. They look at test scores, evaluations, diplomas (or lack there of). They look at your past. Then they tell you what level of potential you have. Many times, we even limit ourselves. Listen closely. “With God all things are possible.” It’s His calling on our lives and our willingness to …
My first year as the coach at Kentucky we broke the school record for wins. It wasn’t because of my coaching. It was because the players themselves wanted to go in the opposite direction from the year before, when they broke the school record for losses. It’s impossible to drag people along to change their …
As a baseball coach, knowing what to say during a mound visit may determine the outcome of a game, or even the future effectiveness of the pitcher. Does the pitcher need motivation? Does he need focus? Does he need encouragement? Does he need a firm ‘talking to’? When I send out these text messages each …
“Jesus is life. As Creator, he gave physical life to our bodies…As Savior, he is the One who alone gives spiritual life to our dead hearts.” (Paul David Tripp) “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you …
We all struggle from time to time. When it comes living a life of righteousness, we often fail. When we do succeed, it’s easy to become proud (that is even worse). We should not allow our failures to keep us from Jesus. He forgives, He helps us up and points us back in the right …
The older I get the more I realize what I don’t know. The good news is that it’s not about us knowing more, it’s about knowing God more. “Christianity is not primarily about lifestyle change; it is about knowing God.”-Michael Reeves Jesus said:“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, …
There are some who don’t believe, because someone has made it hard for them to trust. There are some who want to talk to God, but because it’s been so long or they are so ashamed they mistakenly feel God doesn’t want to hear from them. From experience, I can say, that is not true. …
Author Patricia Ennis once said that we should “view ourselves as a precious vessel God crafted for a unique purpose.” God has given each of us spiritual gifts. When we don’t use our gifts, the world becomes less than it could be. “If others don’t use their gifts, you get cheated, and if you don’t …