Healthy relationships supply less stress, better healing, healthier behaviors, a greater sense of purpose, and a longer life. 1  All five reflect in the human sphere the benefits of a healthy relationship with God. Trusting that God is in control is a stress relief valve. God is described as “Sovereign LORD” 285 times in the Bible (NLT). “But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful thing

How do we fit into God’s master plan? It is often a mystery. We do the good works He has ordained for us (Ephesians 2:10), but we scratch our heads after the fact, wondering why He wanted us to do them. I have scratched my head more than most. Not much hair left on top of that old head! My ministry felt like I was plunging my fist into a bucket of water and then withdrawing it. The water (representing the congregation) repeatedly returned to its placid state as if nothing had

God’s commands test our faith and challenge our natural reactions. Let’s consider some specific examples, such as be joyful always, the pray without ceasing verse, and in everything give thanks: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT). Does that sound like you during a traffic jam, or when someone cuts you off while you are driving? I confess that it isn’t

Perception Isn’t Reality Perception is reality. Is it? Not even close. These three words don’t define Reality, which I describe as an accurate depiction of all that is and how everything relates to everything else. Reality isn’t relative and individualistic. Only God can accurately define it. Jesus is the final judge of what is true and what isn’t (John 14:6). I Get What This Statement Says I get what those who state that perception is reality are saying. For example, our per

All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. As we shall see, all believers are part of the human family, but not all those in the human family are part of God’s family. Surprisingly, the term “sons of God” doesn’t only apply to human beings. Spirit beings are also referred to as the sons of God (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Psalm 29:1; 82:6; 89:6; Gen 1:26; 3:22; 6:1-4; 11:7). They are like God in that they are spiritual beings, but they are dependent on Him and no

It is Monday, and my wife is frustrated. The same could be said for Tuesday through Friday, with a weekend hangover. The frustrater is her job. Her company assigns cases for her to review without adequate training. Some of her fellow workers have recently quit because every gram of enjoyment had been squeezed from their jobs. The performance expectations are high, while the empowering resources are meager. Many Christians are also daily frustrated. The Earth has made many orb

Understanding the Need for Prayer "Pray for me!" This request often fills my inbox. Many of those reaching out live in Africa, India, or the Philippines. I have never met them and know little about their lives. So, how do I pray for them? This question deserves thoughtful consideration. In the churches I have served, members often share specific prayer requests. For example, “My husband had a heart attack and is in intensive care.” These requests highlight a common theme: man

Self-image is how we see ourselves. For example, I am a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, coach, pastor, and creator of digital content, among other things.   Self-esteem is how we value our worth, competence, and importance. Often, our conclusion emerges from comparing ourselves with others. Regardless of our abilities, such comparisons are the food on which an inferiority complex feeds and grows. Moses demonstrated such a complex in the wilderness when God assigned him t

Guilt comes in two flavors, objective and subjective. Objective guilt is legal guilt. If we break traffic laws, we are objectively guilty, whether we feel guilty (subjective guilt) or not. Guilt is more than a feeling we get of remorse or self-condemnation. The Bible describes objective guilt as universal for humanity, with the whole world being guilty before God (Romans 3:19). We have all broken God’s laws.  Whether we feel like lawbreakers is irrelevant. We are guilty befor

What do people need for life in the twenty-first century? Abby Watkins lists the necessities. They include an adequate food supply, water free from pollutants and diseases; facilities to dispose of human waste, adequate healthcare, shelter, education, and access to information. 1  As you will soon see, these things are clearly insufficient to provide complete satisfaction and contentment. Forty-four percent of Americans say they are “very satisfied” with the way things are go

How will we spend eternity? It depends. Have you noticed that when we are having fun, time passes quickly? It hitches a ride on a snail’s back when we are in pain. Perhaps that is an eternal principle for the blessed and cursed.   How we spend eternity is connected to our choice to worship and serve God or resist and rebel against Him. God “set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV), and we will spend it somewhere. But where?   All people have one of two eternal

Bill Nye, the Science Guy, believes the finish line is the end. At death, he believes, you cease to exist. It is over. You are finished. There is no afterlife. There is nothing beyond the finish line.   He says, "You had your kids; your genes are passed on, and you expire.” “You lose your faculties as you run out of steam, and that is just how it is." 1 He does not expect to give an account of his life to God or anyone else. Surprises will abound in the afterlife!   Adam Silv

I treat suffering like a poisonous snake. I would guess you do too.   But following Jesus inevitably brings suffering. That brings repeated faith crises to us who avoid discomfort. Our commitment to God’s will and ways arm wrestles with our desire to flee from pain. Which will prevail? Willingly enduring suffering demonstrates what we value.   Do we love our family enough to suffer for their sake? Do we love our Lord enough to suffer for His?   The Christian life includes bot

People without hope quit. Darkness swallows them alive. 1 Peter provides hope when our faith is severely tested .   Some first-century Christians were beaten (Acts 16:16 -40). Some were stoned to death (Acts 8:54-60). Some were jailed and executed (Acts 12:1-5). Many became lion chow.     Despite their afflictions, living hope sustained them, and they did not deny their faith. Like them, we will inevitably experience persecution if we seek to live godly in Christ Jesus (2 Ti

Years ago, off the coast of Massachusetts, a submarine rapidly sank after another ship rammed it. The entire crew was aboard. Other ships rushed to the scene.   A diver placed his helmeted ear on the vessel’s side and listened. Someone was tapping Morse code: “Is there any hope?” Are you filled with hope?   Hope rests on a sturdier foundation than a clear conscience. Your conscience is not trustworthy. Continued involvement in sin desensitizes it. Paul had a clear conscience

“For the French, and for most other people on this planet, U.S. elections are actually more decisive than our own in shaping our lives…. If there were any fairness in the world, we should all be able to vote in American elections.” 1     What U.S. elections are on the world stage is true in our relationships with others. Most of us relate to one or more people in such a way that our decisions are more important to their long-term well-being than their own decisions.   The par

A pastor’s church board criticized him in front of the congregation. They read a list of his inadequacies and shortcomings. They fired him.   Shooting him would have been more humane. He left the full-time ministry for more than a year, trying to reassemble the broken pieces of his life.   Leaders, like lightning rods, attract bolts of criticism. That is as sure as sunrise and sunset. That is also true of anyone who tries to do something significant for God. Jesus faced it re

Some jobs intimidate us. We are afraid of failure. Nehemiah’s approach to difficult jobs teaches us how to face daunting challenges.   Principle 1 – Do your homework   Nehemiah was not a plumber who knew how to fix a leak. He was the king’s food and drink tester. For the challenge he faced, he needed a different set of skills.   His assignment was to lead people he did not know in rebuilding a wall they might think unnecessary. Surprisingly, he volunteered for the job because

Almost everyone has a boss. Even bosses have bosses. Bosses greatly influence us. Sometimes, they greatly irritate us.   An employee wrote his justification for buying a new computer to his boss. The boss re-wrote it to show him how it should be done. Then he turned it down!   Most of us think other people should change. But we have learned we cannot make it happen. Nehemiah faced a similar situation. His response provides crisis management training for the rest of us.   The

Broken Heart Syndrome Broken heart syndrome is a medical condition caused by extreme emotions or stress. It interferes with the heart’s...