Author Archives
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Under The Dome and Other Closed Systems
I only saw one or two episodes of the TV series. I had actually, you know, read the book: Stephen King’s Under the Dome. It’s a crazy story about an impenetrable semi-sphere that appears in the sky and surrounds a… Read More ›
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Thy Kingdom Come, part IV
The Kingdom of God, the True Gospel: “But He said to them, ‘I must preach the Kingdom of God…I was sent for this purpose (Luke 4:43, NAS).” “Soon afterwards, He began…proclaiming and preaching the Kingdom of God (Luke 8:1,… Read More ›
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Eight Things I Learned about Church Life and Ministry from Baseball
One: Nobody bats 1.000. In baseball, the very best offensive players only get it right about a third of the time; the rest of the time they are out (sometimes down and out). In this Christian life, clinging to the… Read More ›
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Maybe Gene was Right and Failure is Not an Option; I’m Still Not Sure (Part 2)
I have had lots of input since my last post (link here). Many, many folks have been insistent that, in Christ, failure is not an option–if (and this, I think, is a big IF) we are honoring His call and… Read More ›
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Thy Kingdom Come, part III
The Kingdom vs. Salvation: Luke 17:20-21 (NAS/KJV): “Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the Kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, ‘The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be… Read More ›
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With Respect, Gene, Failure Is An Option
They made a movie about it; they called it, “Apollo 13.” The film dramatized the heroic and herculean efforts by the ground and space crews to get three astronauts home after a malfunction that cost the Apollo 13 crew their… Read More ›
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Owls Don't Pronounce the "T"…
So it’s “Who” not “Hoot.” I bring this up because I was at a football game the other day where the team mascot is an Owl and people frequently say, “Hoot! Hoot!” I keep pointing out that it’s “Who” and… Read More ›
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Thy Kingdom Come, part II
Myles Munroe wrote a book a few years back entitled, Rediscovering the Kingdom. This book breaks down much of what anyone would need for understanding the Kingdom. He aptly describes a kingdom this way: A King and Lord –… Read More ›
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Thy Kingdom Come, part I
Created to Rule: Ezekiel 28:11-19 (NAS): Again the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “You had the… Read More ›
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A Girl Named Sue — "The Middle" — And Rejection
Lately, most likely due to the parched land of the television desert known as “late summer viewing,” we had stumbled across voluminous repeats of a show called “The Middle.” [I know, some of you are leaning snobbish right now because… Read More ›
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Flesh vs. Spirit: Kingdom Mindset, part VII
Galatians 5:16-26 (NAS): But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in… Read More ›
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Some Assembly Required
There are word combinations in the English language that I love: “Pepperoni, Sausage, Extra Cheese,” hovers near the top of the list. There are word combinations in the English language that I despise: “While you are up, can you…?” Note… Read More ›
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Learning to Count
2 + 2 = ?? You know the answer to that math puzzle, don’t you? And yet you hesitate because you fear there is some bloggish mystery about the equation that will result in a case of the chagrins if… Read More ›
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Flesh vs. Spirit: "God Just Wants Me To Be Happy," part V
Philippians 3:8 (NAS): More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish… Read More ›
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Flesh vs. Spirit, part IV
Hebrews 4:15 (NAS): For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Matthew 16:24 (NAS): Then Jesus said to His… Read More ›
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Flesh vs. Spirit, part III
Romans 7:24-25 (NAS): Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the BODY of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 8:1-2 (KJV): There is therefore now no condemnation to them… Read More ›
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Yes, the Church Definitely Stinks! Letter to an (Absent but Vocal) Church Critic
[In response to a Facebook post about the sad, sin-plagued state of the church today. Names have been withheld, changed, or translated into Common Eldarin & Westron to avoid offense.] My response: Guilty.As.Charged. Is the capital “C” Church, and are… Read More ›
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Flesh vs. Spirit, part II
“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please (Galatians 5:17, NAS).” Self-discipline is… Read More ›
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Flesh vs. Spirit, part I
“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please (Galatians 5:17, NAS).” There is… Read More ›
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Penciled In
I was a young Air Force officer, likely insufferable and most certainly highly enamored with my own early success. I was moving on up; on the “fast track” (though early promotions were not yet possible at my career stage). I… Read More ›
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Two Kingdoms
“…there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The KINGDOM OF THE WORLD has become the KINGDOM OF OUR LORD and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15, NAS).” “For He rescued us from the… Read More ›
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Of Sin and Consequences and Scooter Scars
I was at a seminar or conference somewhere; I don’t remember where. What I do remember is that one of my favorite speakers was there; in fact, he’s the reason I decided to attend said conference. Chuck Swindoll has, since… Read More ›
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Ephesians 4:3-6 (NAS): Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in… Read More ›
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Circling for a Landing
Do all dogs do this? All the ones I’ve ever had did. They would approach their favorite landing spot…pillow…dog bed…my bed (sigh)…and they would begin the process. They would circle and tramp and circle and tramp and circle and tramp… Read More ›
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Betsy Was My First
Betsy was my first. She rolled over me like a hurricane; because she was, well…a hurricane. Did you think something different? Shame. I was a kid living with my family in a mobile home in Biloxi, Mississippi. You can call… Read More ›
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Kingdom Power and Authority, part III
Ephesians 4:3-6 (NAS): Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another… Read More ›
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Kingdom of God: Power and Authority, part II
“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly…not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live… Read More ›
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God is Not an Elephant — But Most of the Rest of Us Are
My last time in Zambia I had an interesting encounter. After a couple of days work with some remote churches, my hosts and I were heading back to Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city. En route, we stopped at a roadside… Read More ›
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A White Carnation for Mom
It’ll be a white carnation for me this year. Some churches turn Mother’s Day into some kind of crazy contest: the mother with the most kids; the mother with the most kids present that day (the kids, of course, having… Read More ›
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It's Not Easy Being Green
Kermit the Frog, here. Years ago Kermit, the only huggable frog (all others are prone to slime and hopping about), sang a song about his amphibian pigmentation problems, “It’s Not Easy Being Green.” [This was before the word “green” had… Read More ›