It is possible in spite of great grief, sorrow, loss, discouragement, confusion, pain and broken relationships, to learn how to live in the peace of Jesus and return to peace when ambushed by the anxieties and the brokenness of this life. All of us battle anxiety. All of us struggle to live in the peace of Christ. All of us struggle to remain in perfect peace. However, the Prince of Peace, Jesus, can restore peace to you regardless of how... Read more
In the coming year, 10 million Americans will think about taking their own life. More than 5 Americans will intentionally kill themselves in the coming hour. That adds up to 130 people per day; 3,900 per month; 47,000 per year; nearly half a million in the coming decade. It has long been known that faith plays a protective role when it comes to suicide. Those who believe in God are between four and six times less likely to commit suicide... Read more
How do you and I work out the peace of God in our lives that is already working inside of us? The anxiety you feel right now is an opportunity for God to show you how His peace can still come out of you and overcome the anxiety you feel. His presence of peace in you is greater than the anxiety coming from the circumstances around you. Certainly keep asking God to change your circumstances, but my experience is, God... Read more
Given all the unrest and vitriol on social media, there are many well-meaning people, especially in the believing community, that are “heading for the hills.” Whether people are deleting their accounts altogether or opting to join new platforms over more established online mainstays, there is a mass exodus taking place in the virtual world, or, at the very least, certain sectors of it. Some are retreating for personal reasons, citing mental health and concerns about the stress and anxiety as... Read more
The two of us are long time friends who chat regularly. In recent months, our conversations have focused on what it means to be content during this season of isolation and restriction. Over the course of our lives, contentment has often flowed easily. We have both been fortunate to have loving families, deep friendships, fruitful ministries, and adventures galore. But at other times, contentment has proven to be frustratingly elusive. Almost nigh impossible. Besides the general aches and pains of... Read more
I read recently an article from Life Way Research that said we now live in a day and age in the United States where one-third of all evangelical Christians do not believe Jesus is God. That is staggering to consider! Especially since Jesus Himself said in the Bible. John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, the life, no one comes to the Father except by me. Peter declared in John 6:66, “…where else can we go (Jesus) for you... Read more
We now pay millions to Christian leaders who have fallen morally but refuse to admit they’re wrong. We are sadly sinking to a new low. I am a 1993 Pastoral Major graduate of Liberty University. I attended Liberty with many of my pastor friends in the early 1990’s. I met my wife there and we have been in full-time ministry for the past 23 ½ years at Vanguard Church in Colorado Springs with the Southern Baptist Convention. It has been... Read more
For me, one scene captures the manifold tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic. A friend named Dan was already suffering from Lewy body dementia, a brain disorder that affects thinking and reasoning as well as muscle control. Once a college football hero, now Dan could no longer negotiate steps or even figure out how to sit in a chair. After several years of loving care, his wife reluctantly had to move him into a memory care facility, which she visited every... Read more
The most devastating effects of the coronavirus in America has occurred, and is occurring, amongst those that are the most vulnerable and most invisible in our society: nursing home residents. It is imperative for churches to take up the cause of these individuals and begin to work with governments and institutions to provide for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of nursing home residents and staff. It appears on the surface to be an oddity: why has so little attention... Read more
The street artist Banksy has unveiled new artwork that captures the ethos of this moment. He depicts a child playing with a nurse doll wearing a face mask and cape. Figures of Batman and Superman lie in a wastebasket on the floor. The artist donated his work to the University Hospital Southampton in the UK. Healthcare workers are our new superheroes. Researchers seeking therapies and vaccines for COVID-19 are our harbingers of hope. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, no one... Read more
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