“He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalms 112:7) No fear of bad news…Does that describe you? I realized just recently that the Lord is not ready to put my picture next to that verse. And while there are occasions when I do respond to bad news with a steadfast heart that trusts the Lord, there are more times when I am frightened by the bad news that comes my way. Ironically, this particular crisis of faith didn’t come […]

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8:17) In 1981, a Jewish Rabbi wrote a penetrating book, Why Bad Things Happen To Good People. Rabbi Harold Kushner looked at suffering through the life of his son, who was diagnosed with progeria, a childhood disease that sees a child age by decades in just a few years. Kushner, like most of […]

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16) It won’t be too very long before your church will be touting it “Friend Day” or “High Attendance Sunday. The names may vary, but you get the point. It’s the one or two designated Sundays during the year when your church asks you to invite someone who is unchurched. “Make a difference,” they will tell you. “Be a real friend and help Jesus change a […]

“I call on you, O God, for you will answer me, give ear to me and hear my prayer.” (Psalms 6:9) Many of us have already heard the joke about life’s three greatest lies. You know: I’m from Washington and I’m here to help; the check is in the mail; and, I’m praying for you. While we laugh at the humor that lurks behind those words, we are embarrassed to admit that few of us rarely live up to the promise: “I’m praying for you”. Now, don’t get […]