The negativity of our culture can be overwhelming at times, but Christians are calledto be light. Light is about sharing the truth. Let’s focus on the light of truth we are toshare.Christianity teaches that we are the special, intentional creation of the one trueloving God. We are made by Him in His image (Genesis 1:27). Whatever our race,educational or economic level, we are all profoundly valuab...  Read More

     It has been said that we live in an “Eeyore culture.”  Sadness and depression permeate America today.  It’s not surprising when most are feeding on a steady diet of news and media focused on scandal, division, and disaster.  In contrast, Christians are to be marked by joy.  Joy is even listed as one of the defining virtues of a Christian (Galatians 5:22,23). The Scripture says, “Blessed (Happ...  Read More

       Author Max Lucado once said, “We are what we think” (Tame Your Thoughts, 4). Our thoughts are powerful. The great escape artist Houdini was famous for showing up in a town to put on a show of amazing escapes.  He would get positive media attention by having the local sheriff lock him in a jail cell and then escape in front of reporters.  However, one sheriff only pretended to lock the cell ...  Read More

Paul once wrote “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). We are to exhibit a Spirit led character. Our lives are to be marked by the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23): love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. How do we as Christians practically “live by the Spirit” and how are we “led by the S...  Read More

     We live in an angry, hostile culture.  Recently I was teaching about Joseph of Genesis in a local halfway house.  I was talking about how Joseph forgave his brothers even though they sold him into slavery.  This forgiveness goes against our natural inclinations.  To forgive is to “give mercy instead of judgment, to give kindness instead of retaliation, to give pardon instead of punishment” (U...  Read More

       In our American culture Jesus Christ is generally respected, even beloved.  Unfortunately, it’s usually some silly putty form of Jesus.  A Jesus that we try to squish into the image we want.  Silly Putty Jesus is always kind, tolerates every lifestyle no matter how sinful, and always votes the way we would. In contrast, the Biblical Jesus towers above us making claims that are shocking.  In...  Read More

This week I attended the General Membership Luncheon put on by the Chamber of Commerce, it included a dessert auction for the United Way of the Tanana Valley Annual Giving Campaign.  It’s a fun event that happens each year.  People donate remarkably, delicious desserts and the crowd bids on them.  Some cakes went for over $1,000!  I’m told $11,025 was raised for the campaign.  That money goes to t...  Read More

A fascinating little book in the Bible is from the prophet Habakkuk. He lived at atime of great wickedness in the Jewish southern kingdom of Judah. He lookedaround and saw all the injustice and oppression that was occurring among hisbeloved people. He cried out to God to do something. I am not sure what answerHabakkuk expected, but I do know that God’s answer was a surprise. God told theprophet th...  Read More

      This week I have been studying the short book of Haggai.  This little-known prophet Haggai was called to prod the Jewish people who had returned from exile in Babylon to restart their project to rebuild the temple of God.  They were commanded to rebuild a physical temple, the central worship center for Israel. Most of us are called to rebuild something in our lives.  Is there an area of your...  Read More

      Can we all agree that there are some serious problems with mankind?  We listen to the news for even a few minutes, and we see stories of crime and cruelty.  The wickedness and brokenness are not just out there within “them,” but it’s warped all of us.  We look in the mirror and see a person who is sometimes proud, impatient, unkind and selfish.  God made man is His image, beautiful, unique, ...  Read More

     I recently spent some time in Indiana where I grew up.  I had the privilege of reconnecting with old friends again.  While there my eighty-one-year-old mother asked me to drive her an hour to visit a long-time friend of hers.  I took her to see her friend who now lives in a memory care unit in Plainfield, IN.  When we got to the room her friend lit up with recognition.  She could not remember...  Read More

      In the profound story of the Israelites escaping hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt in the book of Exodus there is a great showdown between the God of the Bible (Yahweh) and the fake gods of Egypt.  God sent mighty plagues of judgment on the wicked Egyptian empire for their many sins, including oppression and genocide.  Each plague was an attack on the power or domain of one of the suppos...  Read More