Friday, April 29, 2011
I’m very excited about this weekend at Church of the Redeemer. We’re starting a new series of messages called, “I Want a Happy Family.” Over the next several weeks we’ll explore the key ingredients that make our marriages, families, and all our relationships grow and flourish. This weekend I’ll be talking about “The Secret To […]
Monday, April 25, 2011
This past weekend believers all around the world reflected on the death and celebrated the resurrection of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. What an amazing time this is every year as we remember in vivid and fresh ways what Jesus did for us on the Cross and rejoice in Jesus’ victory over death. But […]
Thursday, April 21, 2011
As we head into Easter weekend, we’re reminded of the incredible price Jesus paid for our sins by giving His life on Calvary’s cross. We’re reminded of the proof of His authority as God’s Son through the glory of His resurrection. Easter is a time for reflection, repentance and cleansing. It’s a time for expressing […]
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
How do you show love? Several years ago Gary Chapman wrote a wonderful book called “The 5 Love Languages.” He described the different ways people both give and receive love. All of us are somewhat different in the way we show love to others. We each have unique ways of letting people know that we […]
Monday, April 11, 2011
Who are your friends? Friends are an important part of life for many different reasons. Because of their power, they must be carefully chosen. Your friends will be one of the most significant influences in determining where you end up in life. Our friends greatly shape our destiny. Wise choices in friends bring blessing. Foolish […]
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Some things are forgettable. They’re not worth remembering. Their impact on our lives is so insignificant that they easily slip from memory. Other things in life should be intentionally forgotten. The memory of them is destructive, restrictive, debilitating, burdensome and painful. Nothing beneficial comes from thinking about them. These things are best left behind, and […]
Monday, April 4, 2011
How is your self-image? Self-image is the way we view ourselves. It’s important because it affects our relationships with others, and even impacts our relationship with God. It determines, in significant ways, the course of our lives. Two dangerous extremes exist when it comes to self-image. The first is an over-inflated ego — what we […]
Monday, March 28, 2011
Are you a Christian? This is a very important question. To honestly answer this question we first need to understand what it means to be a Christian. The term “Christian” was coined to describe a 1st century group of people living in the near east city of Antioch. When believers in Jesus living in Jerusalem […]
Friday, March 25, 2011
One of the most valuable things that can happen to us in life is to really get to know others –– to know people for who they really are –– their heart, personality, nature and character. Knowing who someone is helps us to understand them, appreciate them, and have insight into what they do and […]
Monday, March 21, 2011
Attending to the smallest details can make the biggest difference. What seems insignificant often turns out to be very significant. This is especially true when it comes to serving others. Paying attention to little things is huge. Failing to pay attention to them is huge also. Going the second mile when serving others is a […]
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Have you ever put on a shirt, blouse or sweater and accidentally buttoned the second button in the first button hole? It doesn’t take long to realize that something is wrong. Your clothes are twisted. They just don’t feel right, and they certainly don’t look right. Once you discover the problem the remedy is simple […]
Monday, March 14, 2011
Remember the last time you said something that immediately embarrassed you. Seconds after the words slipped past your lips you were kicking yourself mentally for saying something so ridiculous, so insensitive, so juvenile, so unnecessary. Or how about the last time you made a decision that soon proved to be a bad one. Maybe impulsiveness […]
Monday, March 7, 2011
It starts as a gnawing feeling of embarrassment, chagrin and shame. Our conscience smarts as we think about something we did, said or thought, or something we should’ve done that we didn’t. This inner sting, this warning light of the soul, is called guilt. It reminds us of when and where we have gone astray […]
Monday, February 28, 2011
There’s a horrible disease that’s silently destroying lots of people. It’s usually hidden and very subtle. It can go undiagnosed and unaddressed for years, and in many cases, for a life time. It wrecks lives, marriages and friendships. It hinders personal effectiveness and restricts personal potential. It steals a person’s peace and joy. It relentlessly […]
Monday, February 21, 2011
Have you ever felt isolated and alone in a crowd of people? While everyone around you seemed to be mixing, mingling and connecting, you felt uncomfortable, awkward and out of place? We all experience moments like this. At some point, everyone battles internal demons of inferiority and insecurity. These dark emotions can cause us to […]
Monday, February 14, 2011
One of the realities of our spiritual journey is spiritual warfare. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are targets of spiritual assaults. The Apostle Paul addressed this reality: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the […]