Is Jesus Mr. Rogers with a beard?
Jesus is passionate. He is not Mr. Rogers with a beard. His objective is not to be a nice guy …
Category Archives: Vault
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” ~Apostle Paul
The enemy is constantly trying to find ways to trip us up. God is strong and He wants us to …
“The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” ~Jesus
Jesus didn’t say what He wanted to. His words were from our Heavenly Father. The origin of what He said was …
“Your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” ~Jesus
12 years is a long time. She had tried everything. No one could help. They all tried but it was …
Transform a life in a moment #goeverywhere2015 #whyibelieve
Imagine Christians all over the world, standing together in a single moment in time, declaring their faith. Imagine millions receiving the …
“I am making everything new!” ~Jesus
King Jesus, the Messiah, has already won the victory. He is seated on the throne. It is done. There is nothing …
“Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living.” ~King David
How do we get wisdom? From the world? From reading books? By watching TED? Wisdom comes from God and it …
Are you desperate for God? Are you lost without Him?
Am I desperate for God? This is the air I breathe This is the air I breathe Your holy presence …
What is the new plan?
So God had an old plan before the new one. It was the plan based on following lots of rules …
“My word that goes out from my mouth will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” ~God
God has a purpose in what He says to me. There is something He has in mind to accomplish. And, …
"I know that love, especially God’s love, is not on your working agenda. " ~Jesus
King Jesus, the anointed Messiah, is direct with us. He can do nothing but say what He hears His Father …
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” ~Apostle Paul
Can I out dream God? I can’t even come close to out-dreaming God. My mind can’t imagine what He can. …
“Keep his commandments.” ~Apostle John
It is fairly normal to question our relationship with God. Just think of Thomas. Jesus loved him and chose him …
“Jesus, the Messiah, is the same yesterday and today and forever.” ~Author of Hebrews
Jesus is both Savior and Master. Who He was yesterday is who He is today and is who He will …
“I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.” ~King David
Can I go morally bankrupt? It is possible. Without God’s word and promises stored up in a sufficient manner, we …
I will never forget September 11, 2001
Originally posted on The Culture Alternative:
I will never forget that day. I was in Syracuse, NY. Originally I was scheduled to…
“It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him.” ~Apostle Paul
There are some things to be embarrassed by. There are some things to be proud of. We have an extraordinary …
“In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.” ~Jesus
King Jesus, the Messiah, could nail it. And nail it he did. All of life should be about doing what …
"Keep open house; be generous with your lives." ~Jesus
King Jesus, the Messiah, wants us to radically open. He links this to being generous. Everything we are belongs to …
“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus, the Messiah, has some work for us to do that is not futile. His work is always good. We …
“And where does that leave our proud religious claim of having a corner on God? Canceled.” ~Apostle Paul
Being “religious” carries some weight with God doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not a bit. Not even a little. Being Jewish or …
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” ~Gandhi
It is so very easy to fall into the trap that someone else will change what we so love to …
Are we seeing the parade of God’s salvation and deliverance out of destruction?
Are we seeing the parade of God’s salvation and deliverance? Seriously. Can we see it? Can we see King Jesus, the Messiah, out …
“Master, I knew that you are a hard man.” ~A man to God
One of the themes I hear about almost everywhere I turn is about how good God is and what a …
“I am the bread of life.” ~Jesus
I love bread. I love all kinds of breads. I love bread with butter. I love bread with oil. OK, …
"The Son gives life to anyone He chooses to." ~Jesus
Jesus makes it clear he has authority, even to give life. King Jesus, the Messiah, challenges us to understand this. It is …
“Make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing behind the scenes all along .” ~Apostle Paul
Is my task to be open? Yes, I should focus what God is doing and make it clear to everyone …
“This mystery in now out in the open.” ~Apostle Paul
Is life all still a mystery? No, it is not at all. Much about God’s world came seem mysterious. The good …
“I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.” ~King David
It is so easy to become distracted. King David knew that so very well. I am thinking it is even …
"Don’t you dare test the Lord your God." ~Jesus
Satan comes to us and subtly makes suggestions. Or, maybe they are not so subtle. Satan may even quote scripture …
“They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life.” ~Apostle Paul
We all know some “know it all’s”. We also pretend to know things we really don’t. There are some things …
“Whenever anyone turns to the Messiah Jesus, the veil that covers their heart is taken away.” ~Apostle Paul
Whoo Hoo!! This is very good news. Since I have turned to Jesus, the Master, I am seeing Him face …
“Let me set this before you as plainly as I can.” ~Jesus
Jesus is very plain and clear what he says to us. Jesus challenges us listen and hear what he says. …
“So I greet you with the great words, grace and peace!” ~Apostle Paul
We need to get back to using blessings when we greet people and leave. How powerful it is to be …
“It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out.” ~Apostle Paul
Something happens when we choose not to follow God’s goal for our life (sin). There is a downward spiral. It …
“We’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times.” ~Apostle Paul
Will I throw up my hands and walk off the job? No way. I have to be clear about that. I …
“I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth” ~King David
God wants us to say it. Say it out loud. Say it to our self. Say it to others. God, …
“Jesus talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God.” ~Luke
What is Jesus’ favorite thing to talk about? It is the way things work in God’s world (Kingdom) where God …
“There’s one thing left.” ~Jesus
Jesus knows. Jesus sees what is in our heart. Jesus knows the “one thing” that we need to deal with. …
“Love doesn’t force itself on others.” ~Apostle Paul
God doesn’t force Himself on me. He is love and love doesn’t know how to do that. God has given me …
“These women worked for the Message of good news as hard as any of us.” ~Apostle Paul
Am I working hard for Jesus? Am I working as hard as the Apostle Paul? Or am I hardly working? …
“It’s a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights. ” ~King Solomon
I get into arguments sometimes. Not pleasant to admit but it is true. God’s goal for me is to not …
“Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten.” ~Apostle John
Here is a great promise. It is to everyone. No exceptions. And …. it is a bold promise. We serve …
Guest blog: Curt Swindoll — 4 “Wake Up Call” Statistics for Church Leaders
Today’s blog is from Curt Swindoll. Curt (@CurtSwindoll) is the executive vice president for strategy at Pursuant, a comprehensive fundraising consultancy …
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Messiah.” ~Apostle Peter
What a gift it is to know our Master Jesus. It isn’t anything I have earned. Our Father just loves …
"I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!" ~Jesus
Jesus, the Messiah, challenges us to be public, to tell all about His Father’s love, to be radical in our …
“Though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do.” ~Author of Hebrews
How do we learn trusting-obedience? This is not an answer we want to hear. We learn trust and obedience by …
“I will not forget you!” ~God
I see it! I lean in. God holds His hand out to me. My name is carved into the palm of …
“Jesus solved the sin problem for good—not only ours, but the whole world’s. ” ~Apostle John
Has the problem of missing God’s goal for our life been solved for good? Yes, it has. Our Messiah and …
"The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing." ~Jesus
As mothers and fathers, we understand the love that we have for our children. Magnify that by a factor of …
Is God over the hill?
God is not over the hill. God is not past His prime. He is God. He is great. God is the same today …
Where does my identity come from?
Jesus knew before he selected Judas that he would betray him. He wanted him as a part of the 12 …
Who did God put in charge of salvation?
Who did God put in charge of salvation? Man? No. There is no way we have what it takes for …
"When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself." ~~Jesus
Jesus calls us to a higher standard than the way of this world. He is in charge of the new …
Am I too bold in what I ask of God?
Am I too bold in what I ask of God? Or am I not bold enough? He has a heart …
"If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that." ~~Jesus
We live in a world where there is conventional wisdom. We have a culture of success and infatuation with the …
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus the Messiah.” ~Apostle Paul
There is a whole lot of shaking going on. It isn’t about the economy or politics. The shaking is God’s …
“Great and powerful God, determined in purpose and relentless in following through.” ~Jeremiah
God is God and nothing is impossible for him at all. God is great and powerful. God never runs out …
“As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.” ~King Solomon
God spends a lot of time talking about the heart. God longs for me to have His heart. That is what …
"You’re more than happy when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less." ~~Jesus
We are always looking for more. We want to be better. We want to develop. The reality of who we …
“His father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” ~Jesus
God is incredible good. God is looking for me. He feels compassion for me. His heart pounds when He sees me. …
“God determined the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene.” ~Apostle Paul
Is this the latest, most faddish message? No, God doesn’t deal in fads. His message of Good News to us …
“Long before we first heard of the Messiah, he had his eye on us.” ~Apostle Paul
God has a plan. Stop and think about that. God has a plan. That is stunning but what may feel …
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment.” ~Jesus
Oh my goodness. We live in a world where a critical spirit is par for the course 24/7. It is …
"Get up, take your bedroll, start walking." ~Jesus
Jesus has the authority to heal. And He does. When He says something, you can take it to the bank. …
“So faith comes from hearing.” ~Apostle Paul
Want more faith? How would that happen? Did you hear Him? Seriously. Did you? Jesus is talking to us. Jesus …
"I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama." ~Jesus
Jesus has it all together. All the complexity we see. All we don’t understand. Jesus sees it simply. He understands it …
Where is God’s Holy Spirit leading us today?
After his baptism, Jesus learned to live, in the present, with the power of the Holy Spirit. He was baptized …
“If my goal was popularity, I wouldn’t bother being the Messiah’s slave.” ~Apostle Paul
Is my goal popularity? The Apostle Paul was clear that wasn’t his goal. He knew what his goal was. His …
“We’re writing hoping that you’ll now see the whole picture as well as you’ve seen some of the details.” ~~Apostle Paul
We hear a lot about seeing the “big picture”. The Apostle Paul clearly got that. He realized it is easy …
Digital Ministry: Create heartfelt experiences
There comes a time where we have to make a decision. What will we invest in? It is a serious …
“Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient.” ~Author of Hebrews
We have the promise. It has not been fulfilled yet. We can receive it today even though in the past …
“Change your mind. God’s kingdom is here.” ~Jesus
Jesus is not after behavior modification. Jesus wants heart and mind transformation. That is His challenge to us. Will we love …
“After his death, Jesus presented himself alive to them.” ~Luke
The Apostles were absolutely convinced of Jesus resurrection from the dead. Luke, the author of Acts, is careful to document …
"I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide to act." ~Jesus
Jesus only does what he hears the Father say to do. That is His standard for us as well. We …
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Master.” ~Apostle Peter
It just keeps rolling on. Over and over again. God’s grace. God’s peace. Multiplying infinitely and never stopping. This happens as I …
“Do your best with them.” ~Apostle Paul
How often do I dog it, not giving my best? Paul challenges us to live differently. We have opportunities every …
“May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you.” ~Apostle Paul
How is it that I persevere? How will I become mature? My will power can get me so far. That …
"Beat it, Satan!" ~Jesus
Jesus understands Satan’s approach. Three times Satan tempts him. Jesus quotes God’s word and then uses his authority to send …
“You don’t find God’s wisdom lying around on the surface.” ~Apostle Paul
We don’t find God’s wisdom in the popular philosophies that are floating around. This is not about the “success mentality” …
“Comfort one another with these words.” ~Apostle Paul
Jesus died and rose again. We have reassurance that one day we will all have a huge family reunion. Those …
"You can trust my decision because I’m not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders." ~Jesus
Jesus can be trusted. Jesus doesn’t have a self serving bone in His body. Jesus only does what He sees the Father …
“Refuse to have anything to do with those among you who are lazy and refuse to work the way we taught you.” ~Apostle Paul
This is something to think about. Paul is very strong in what he says. We must encourage believers in the …
“Because Jesus honored God, God answered him.” ~Author of Hebrews
Jesus is all about doing what He sees His Father doing. He listens to God. Jesus doesn’t do anything without …
Pope Francis’ Speech on the Poor and Indigenous Peoples
Pope Francis spoke about the problems faced by the poor and indigenous peoples at the Second World Meeting of the …
“You need to keep a sharp eye out for competent men—men who fear God, men of integrity, men who are incorruptible—and appoint them as leaders.” ~Moses
God shows us how to choose leaders. These are the best principles to apply in all cases, particularly political. Our …
“It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people.” ~Author of Hebrews
This is in fact stunning. How can I characterize His sacrifice? It was perfect. There was nothing lacking in it …
Are you good enough to be better? “Abound in this gracious work also.” ~Apostle Paul
God has done some amazing things in my life. But, He says to me, “Are you good enough to be …
"The one who listens to you, listens to me." ~Jesus
Jesus is very clear. If someone listens to me, they are listening to Jesus. Jesus grants us His authority. His words …
How long is a trillion years to God?
Our Father is the everlasting God. He has always been and always will be. What is it like to see …
“Love never fails.” ~Apostle Paul
Some people hear the message in their mind. “I am a failure”. Hearing it doesn’t make it true. We don’t want to go there. …
"But my purpose is not to get your vote. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved." ~Jesus
Jesus has a focus. He isn’t trying to be popular. He wants us to be saved from a life of …
My Bible from 1970 when I was 16. Look who gave it to me!!
I must admit that most of my reading these days isn’t with physical books. I am an avid on-line / …
“How can a young person live a clean life?” ~King David
We are on a great journey. We need a map. We need direction on how to reach our destination. How …
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works.” ~Jesus
I am to be a light. I should bring out God’s colors into the world. God is not a secret to …
“They trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives.” ~Apostle Paul
There are some “real” atheists. There are also many who believe there is a God but don’t believe in God. …
"Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage." ~Jesus
Jesus challenges us and gives some good advice. Focus on today’s needs and not long term plans. It runs counter …
“In marriage a man becomes one flesh with a woman—no longer two individuals.” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear. Jesus doesn’t equivocate or hedge. Jesus is all about love but he is also clear about marriage. …
"If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal?" ~~Jesus
Sometimes we get so proud of ourselves for doing what anyone can do. Jesus challenges us not to see things …
“God wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.” ~Apostle Paul
When you are thinking about someone all the time, it is clear you love them. They are the focus of your …
