Do you feel something’s missing in your Christian life? Paul arrived in Ephesus and met some disciples. I don’t know how long he spent with them before he noticed the Holy Spirit was missing from their lives. "'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said to him, ‘No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit’” (Acts 19:2 NASB 1995) If Paul had met me early in my Christian life, he would have noticed something missing in my life Continue Reading
Confirmation After Faith {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP}
Sometimes when we beg the Lord for confirmation or a sign, what we’re really saying is that: We don’t want to walk by faith- we want to walk by sight.We don’t find His direction in Scripture enough.We don’t take Him at His Word that He’ll always be with us. God’s leading often asks us to 'go' without us knowing the where. Or to follow with hope instead of with certainty. His confirmation often comes after our faith has grown. “God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the Continue Reading
Looking Back to Move Forward {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
Early in the spring, I had the opportunity of interviewing Laureus “Sport for Good” Ambassador Grant Lottering. After reading about his extraordinary story, I was curious to meet the man who escaped death. While training for the 2013 World Masters Championship in Italy, Lottering was pronounced dead after a horrific accident. He was revived on the scene and taken to the local hospital, where doctors worked strenuously to save his life. For the next 12 months, Lottering underwent 11 surgeries, Continue Reading
Worship Beyond Music and Church {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP}
What does worshiping God look like in our daily life? How can we worship the Lord with our life? Because we often limit it to church services. We went to worship this morning. Join us Sunday for worship. Or it becomes about music intended to lead us into God’s presence. These are both good, good things. Gathering with the family of God for corporate worship is biblical and powerful. And anointed music that speaks directly to our hearts, carrying us before God’s Continue Reading
LINKUP: Lessons from the Parable of the “Rich Fool” {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
A substantial part of the preaching of Jesus in the New Testament is recorded in parables. Parables tell a story, not about something that happens in real life, but a one-time fictitious event written in a simple, vivid way that engages the audience. One cannot underestimate the importance of the parables in the gospels, especially since scholars generally regard them as words that we can confidently credit to the historical Jesus. When Jesus spoke in parables, he did not create a new Continue Reading
How to Keep a Clean Conscience {Recharge Wednesday}
As a young adult I joined a bunch of singles at a skating rink. “You must be a good dancer,” I said to my partner. “I’ve never danced,” he said. “My church prohibited dancing.” Skates allowed him to enjoy the rhythm of music without feeling condemned. Paul wrote that all people have some sense of right and wrong and awareness of God (Rom. 1:18-32; 2:14-15). However, our consciences are imperfect barometers. They can be ignored, seared, suppressed, and overly sensitized. Continue Reading
