It’s All About Proximity
I wasn’t planning on writing a blog today. Too much to do. But the first chapter in my daily reading plan was 1 Samuel 3... and here I am. I can’t not write a blog. Young Samuel is serving as…
Not All That
There are several stories in the Bible that stop me cold. They leave me feel uneasy. From my limited human perspective they seem unfair, and all I can do when I read them is to reaffirm my conviction that God’s…
Consult the Lord
I am afraid that there have been too many times in my life that I have not consulted the Lord re: decisions and direction. In personal and ministry-related decisions. You do due diligence. You carefully read all the signs. You…
Bring Your Words
There is something extremely powerful in the words that audibly come out of our mouths. First, and possibly most importantly, because our words are a testament to what is already in our hearts (Luke 6:45). But, secondly, and actually the…
Near But So Far
It was one of those experiences I'll never forget. Two of my colleagues and I were visiting Jordan to explore the possibility of our church getting involved in mission work there. We had been assigned a driver for the duration…
Handle With Care
The story of Uzzah has always bothered me. It seems so extreme. On the surface, it appears that if you or I had been assigned the care of the Ark of the God, stopping it from falling off a wagon…
Where’s Your Tabernacle?
You need a tabernacle! You must have it! It’s a place and time in your life set aside to regularly quiet yourself in God’s presence and, through His Word, by His Spirit, draw near to hear His voice...and be wrapped…
God Watching To Bring You Out
It is an unlikely verse that I believe has the power to change your view of life. You could easily read right past the verse, either in the sweeping excitement of the exodus narrative, or, because since some translations interpret…
A New Thing
We just returned from four days of an amazing pastoral/board retreat. The nature of our leadership retreats changed dramatically back in 2001. Through a very hard situation we were facing as a church and leadership, we abandoned our typical Spring…