There are days that I have doubts... There are days I question the goodness of God.... There are days I look around the world and wonder… As a believer in God, a follower of Christ, and especially, as a pastor, I’m sure some think I’m not supposed to have any doubts. But the reality is that, … Continue reading Doubt and Faith
Category: Jesus
Discouragement
Have you ever been discouraged? The days are lonely and the nights are long. Discouragement typically comes to us because we’ve looked outward and found that our expectations of life or expectations of others have not been met. Problems, especially relational problems, tend to isolate us and discourage us. So after looking outward and becoming discouraged, … Continue reading Discouragement
Can I Get a Witness?
Whatever else we are as followers of Jesus (leaders, teachers, students, pastors, theologians, servants, philosophers, etc.), we are primarily witnesses of who He is and what He's done. Whatever we might become and whatever we might do, everything is subordinate to our life purpose of personally telling others about Jesus. After His resurrection and immediately prior … Continue reading Can I Get a Witness?
Who are you?
Who am I? I work at a church as a pastor, but that's not who I am. I am a husband and a father, but who I am is not defined by my family roles and responsibilities. I'm a huge Texas Ranger's fan, but my identity is not wrapped up with their success or their slumps. … Continue reading Who are you?
Who is the real Jesus?
If we see Jesus only as we want to see Him, we deny the reality of His life on earth, His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead. Not every image of Jesus is the real Jesus… There's the Conservative Jesus—who is against tax increases and activist judges, for family values, and owning firearms. There's … Continue reading Who is the real Jesus?
Second Chances
The famous Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh, tossed away the truth imparted to him in his Christian home and sank into a deep depression and destructive lifestyle. By the grace of God, he later began to embrace God's love again and found he was given a second chance. Van Gogh's life took on hope, and … Continue reading Second Chances
The “R” Word
Over the years, the “R” word has developed a bad reputation. Repentance has often been used as a threat rather than an invitation—spoken as though it were the doorway into eternal life rather than a gracious warning from a loving God. As a result, repentance has been confused with the Gospel itself. But when repentance … Continue reading The “R” Word
Why Bother with the Church?
Over the years, you’ve probably heard people say, “I love Jesus, but I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” Recently, we asked some people why they aren't involved with the church and got some pretty honest answers. Here are a few of the responses: “My parents MADE me go as a kid. I … Continue reading Why Bother with the Church?
Holiness is what I need for Christmas
Jesus didn't come just to make us happy, happy, happy. He came so that ruined people could be declared holy, holy, holy before a righteous God. Happiness is a temporary feeling based on our personal circumstances. Holiness is our eternal standing before God based on the finished work of His Son, Jesus. The LORD God says, Be … Continue reading Holiness is what I need for Christmas
The Messiah – more than just background music?
In December of 1984, during my junior year at Lakeview Centennial High School, the a cappella choir was invited to sing George Frideric Handel’s, Messiah, in its entirety with our rival school (South Garland) at the newly opened Garland Performing Arts Center. Many of us were friends from earlier days at O’Banion Middle School, so we were excited to … Continue reading The Messiah – more than just background music?
following Jesus 