Recently my wife and I have been going through a rather difficult situation. We lost our jobs and our former company is going under. We are short-selling our house. My wife is six months pregnant with our first child. We didn’t have company insurance so our medical bills are $1,000.00 per month. We need many things, and we sort of need them now. Have you ever been in such a situation? I imagine you have. Now the issue becomes how we go through this time. I’m not saying I’m in the wilderness and I’m not saying that my own mistakes caused this situation. I’ve sought God and I firmly believe that this is a change of season. When the brook dried up God told Elijah to go to the widow. God always supplies everything we need, but sometimes the resource He uses changes. I’m here to encourage you if you are in a difficult time, and I want to discuss appropriate attitudes while in the trenches. It’s been over three months now since we lost our jobs. I’ve spent many days fired up in faith, and I’

Recently I read an article that said if Christians try to remain on an emotional high forever then they are destined to burn out. It basically said that we should expect and allow emotional lows (as if that’s what God intends) for to do otherwise would inevitably lead to downfall. So we should allow the downs to prevent getting down. But I don’t believe that. I believe we can, by living in the Spirit and constantly focusing on God, permanently remain on a very high emotional level. I believe God never designed a single emotional roller coaster, that those are the devil’s rides. I believe God never desired for us to experience personal temperature changes. When Jesus said that He will vomit out the lukewarm, I believe He was saying we should be hot all the time. I can hear the David Crowder Band song You are My Joy, which begins, “And He set me on fire, and I am burning alive.” God “maketh His angles spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:7).” “John [the Baptist] answere

On Friday we went to A Night of Hope presented by Joel Osteen Ministries . It featured Joel and his wife Victoria (and some other members of the Osteen family) encouraging people to draw closer to God and have faith that God has good plans for our lives. The event also featured some great Christian music. Previously I hadn't thought much of his ministry. It's not that I disliked him or thought he wasn't a genuinely anointed man of God, but I just felt it wasn't really for me. I'd like to discuss that and show you why His ministry is actually great for me, and why it would be great for you too. When you see Mr. Osteen on television you see this smiley Texan talking about how God loves you and only has wonderful things planned for you. Some find this encouraging, others find it nauseating. I've heard many criticisms of him and his ministry. I believe the most potentially valid criticisms concern his not discussing sin and the importance of holiness. Now I haven’t

I would like to discuss certain aspects of Biblical economics. I know that many people view the Bible’s statements on money differently. So we’re going to use some common sense (Gasp!) and hopefully help you reexamine some of your opinions on the spending of money. First of all let’s discuss preachers and money. Recently I heard about someone being disgusted because a preacher drives a Lexus. Never mind that he pastors a huge church and it’s the cheapest Lexus, apparently the combination of preacher and Lexus just doesn’t work. Which should we attack first, the preacher or the Lexus? Let’s start with the Lexus. Are we to say that a Lexus in and of itself is a bad thing? I don’t think anyone makes such a claim. Is the engine too much or the electronics too nice? Perhaps the leather is too comfortable? Maybe all those are true, but you never hear that side of it. In general, no one has a problem with people making Lexus automobiles. So who should drive them? Who should be ri

Recently I considered how many Christians refer to other Christians as "Brother John" or "Brother So-and-so." We often refer to a fellow Christian as a brother or sister "in the Lord." But let me show you that we are actually much closer than that, and how the real nature of our relationship should change how we deal with each other. “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (1 Corinthians 12:27).” "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another (Romans 12:5)." "For we are members one of another (Ephesians 4:25)." You see the Word of God actually says that we are members of the same body, and in fact that we are members one of another. WHAT? I am a member of you and you are a member of me? Is that real or possible or some mistranslation? Check out what Jesus prayed - "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine ow