I randomly ran across a blog post by what appeared to be a very sweet young couple who were worship leaders in their church. They had a dilemma and were asking their readers for input.
While leading a praise song, one of the lines spoke of “drowning their enemies.” As they sang they began to wonder, “Is it right for Christians to want to ‘drown their enemies.’” They wanted to know what their readers thought.
I decided to not respond because my initial thoughts were not very kind. They were: Continue reading →
Everyone loves to have Pete show up. He makes you feel good about yourself. The problem is, when Pete comes, Danny isn’t far behind. Danny leaves you feeling discouraged, like a loser. We love Pete but don’t invite him because Danny will surely follow.
I thought of that scenario recently when I read: Proverbs 11:2.
When pride comes,
then comes disgrace.
But with humility comes wisdom.
Pride and disgrace are traveling buddies. Humility and wisdom are also traveling buddies.
If I invite Pete Pride to the party – into my life – I can be sure Danny Disgrace will soon be knocking on the door. In the same way, if I walk through my day accompanied by Humility, I am told that Wisdom will join the party, too.
Every day, I need to regularly check to see who is walking beside me. It’s important to have the right companion because I know who will join us. Pride will bring Disgrace along. Humility will attract Wisdom. And Proverbs 3 says when Wisdom is along many other wonderful traveling buddies show up too, including long life, riches, honor, peace, and blessing.
Solomon thought this lesson was so important that he stated it another way a couple of chapters later.
Proverbs 13:20 Walk with the wise and become wise, a companion of fools suffers harm.
Notice, I don’t have to be a fool to suffer harm. I just need to hang out with fools and harm will soon pay me a visit. In the same way, I don’t have to be very wise, just wise enough to hang around wise people, and I will grow in wisdom.
Have you seen this principle in your life?
Samson did. Saul did. Nebechaddnezer did. Haman did. I’ll bet you can name a few examples of people alive today who have experienced it, too. Sure enough, Pride and Disgrace still travel together. But, so do Humility and Wisdom.
So, who are you walking with today?
As for me and my house, …….
___________________________ Proverbs 29:23 Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. Proverbs 18:12
Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor. Luke 14:11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
In light of the tragedy at Lakewood Church in Houston I felt it might be good to take another look at the question: Would Jesus have armed guards at His church? Please don’t jump to conclusions but track with me till the end here.
I know all the logical reasons why this is necessary but so often Jesus didn’t do the “logical” or the “necessary.” So I genuinely wondered what would Jesus do?
Jesus did have an armed guard at a prayer meeting. Peter sprang into action defending Jesus by cutting off a man’s ear. Jesus rebuked his protector, told him to put the weapon away, healed the wound and quietly went with the intruders to His death. (Luke 2:50+)
Additionally, He witnessed the slaughter of his apostles and thousands of followers even up until today when many are still brutalized and killed for following Him. But, for His precious flock in America, surely He approves of armed men gunning down any who threaten to do them harm. Right? Continue reading →
In 2005, the year Israel turned Gaza over to Palestinian control, my wife Jana and I had the privilege of going into Gaza with one of our missionaries who served there. We were warmly welcomed into the homes of several Palestinian Christian families. As the wives served tea and the children played on the floor around us, I asked about their lives as believers in such a hostile environment.
They openly shared how isolated they felt – distrusted, even hated, by most Israelis because they were Palestinian. Yet, they were despised infidels and traitors to most Palestinians because they were Christians. My eyes were opened as they shared stories of atrocities they had suffered from both sides. Continue reading →
Recently, while in Turkey, I was asked a very thought-provoking question by a church leader. “What is the most encouraging thing you see happening in the world today?”
Because I lead a worldwide mission ministry, I’m sure he expected some 30,000-foot view of exciting things happening in the nations. Like, the fact that more Muslims are coming to the Lord than at any time in history. Or that Latin American churches, in increasing numbers, are rising up and sending missionaries to the nations. As exciting and encouraging as those developments are, I realized something else encouraged me even more. Continue reading →
I’m troubled by the fact that most churches today have a covert team of armed men wandering the halls and guarding the entrances. I know all the logical reasons why this is necessary but so often Jesus didn’t do the “logical” or the “necessary.”
Actually, once Jesus did have an armed guard and that person sprang into action defending Jesus by cutting off a man’s ear. Jesus rebuked his protector, told him to put the weapon away, healed the wounded man and quietly went with the intruders to His death. (Luke 2:50+)
Additionally, He witnessed the slaughter of his apostles and thousands of followers even up until today when many are still brutalized and killed for following Him. But, for His precious flock in America, surely He approves of armed men gunning down any who threaten to do them harm. Right? Continue reading →
Last month, while Jana and I were with our missionaries in Rwanda, East Africa, I received this alarming text.
Two of our long-time missionaries in the jungles of Guatemala, Jim and Bonnie DeHart and Bonnie’s sister, Ellen Coon, were killed in the crash of Jim’s small plane. The shock wave it sent through our staff and missionary family reminded us again of the dangers missionaries, in fact, all of us, face every day.
A few days later, I received this text from another CTEN missionary, Continue reading →
What heinous heresy is afoot?
Don’t read the Bible? Grab the torches and pitchforks!
A number of years ago I discovered a new way to “read” that revolutionized my time in God’s Word. I recently shared this with a few friends who said it is making a huge difference in their lives.
I was fixing coffee for my wife, Jana, and I pulled out a special Christmas cup. It says, “Let Heaven and Nature Sing.” That caused me to start singing (silently, to spare Jana’s ears) the wonderful Christmas carol, “Joy to the world.”
As I hit the start button on the coffee maker, I got to the part that says, “He rules the world” and I stopped.
“Wow,” I thought, “that is a message we all really need to be reminded of at this time – He rules the world.” Continue reading →
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I randomly ran across a blog post by what appeared to be a very sweet young couple who were worship leaders in their church. They had a dilemma and were asking their readers for input.
