As our country approaches post-quarantine life, I’m noticing a shortage of sound critical thinking. Rather than objectively analyzing the issues, many Americans are just reacting to salacious headlines. It’s no secret that most news organizations try to influence more than inform. They’ve politicized every issue for years, presenting their point[...]
In a recent podcast I addressed the question, “Could coronavirus ignite revival?” The conversation around this question continues to grow. While God can certainly use this crisis to position us for revival, the key is the response of God’s people. As a matter of fact, in 2 Chronicles 7:14, He[...]
“Do not let your heart be troubled…” John 14:1a We’re living in troubling times. The health and economic concerns flooding the news and social media can be distressing. Yet, the world has always been full of troubles and always will be. That’s why the context of today’s verse is[...]
“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3 The analogy of the Lord as our Shepherd occurs throughout the Bible. Of course, that makes us sheep, which isn’t exactly a flattering comparison. Sheep aren’t smart. They tend to stray[...]
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.” Psalm 23:1–2 Many commentators believe that David wrote Psalm 23 in his later years, reflecting on his life. Although David the shepherd became David the king,[...]
“The Lord is my shepherd…” Psalm 23:1a The 23rd Psalm is extremely familiar, even outside of Christian circles. We associate it with comfort in grief because of how often it’s read at funerals. In reality, this Psalm is more a song about life than about death. It portrays the[...]
It’s no secret that church attendance is on the decline. The research is clear. Yet, when Americans are surveyed about religion and spirituality, the overwhelming majority say they are Christians. These two facts don’t compute. Why do so many professing Christians view church as such a low priority? I think[...]
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Some version of this statement is attributed to Edmund Burke (1729-1797), George Santayana (1863-1952), and Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). I think this statement is so often repeated because it’s based in truth; and it still resonates. Those words[...]
Lately I’ve been struck by the number of hyphenated-Christians emerging in the American Church. We hear the various religious views of Baptist or Presbyterian-Christians, Republican or Democrat-Christians, White or African-American Christians, and Male or Female-Christians. The most recent is LBTG-Christians. What? I guess that makes me a white-male-heterosexual-Southern Baptist-Christian.[...]