Jan 14, 2012

  Over the past few days, much has been written on the subject and problem of “religion.” Some of this activity was initiated after a short video was released that has gone (using internet jargon du jour) “viral.” When I last checked, this video had collected well over 6 million hits! The video is presented in pseudo-rap style with artsy video...

Dec 27, 2011

  God’s Word inevitably conflicts with the plans of man. For instance, the Word directs us to acknowledge the God of the Bible as the One True God—we are to have no other gods but Him. Yet the sinful heart of man is inclined to persistent idolatry, seeking to satisfy our need to worship and find assurance in anything and everything but the God of the...

Nov 30, 2011

  Each evening, our family gathers together at the dinner table to enjoy the evening meal and some stimulating conversation. This evening was typical. Discussions ranged from shopping adventures, the wild weather we’ve had, and birthday dinners. Then, one of my daughters brought up a new topic. She asked me if I had seen a particular video that was making...

Nov 25, 2011

This coming Sunday, November 27, marks the first Sunday in the season of Advent, which marks the beginning of the Christian calendar. It is the four week period that precedes the day set aside to acknowledge Jesus’ incarnation (December 25). In these four weeks, many Protestants historically have used this time to ponder the wonder of what we read in John...

Nov 21, 2011

  This week, many citizens of these United States will be descending upon temples of American enterprise, malls, to sacrifice expressions of their labors to the god of consumption. We call this day Black Friday, a day where retailers go from being in the red (posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (turning a profit). In recognition of this...

Oct 31, 2011

Just after midnight on October 31, 2011, Danica May Camacho was born in the Philippines. This young one was given the title of the earth’s 7,000,000,000th inhabitant. For the first time ever, the population of the earth is now estimated at seven billion people. For some, the news of this milestone is not a reason for celebration; instead, they see it as a...

Oct 27, 2011

We live on two beautiful acres in the middle of nowhere Illinois. When God moved us from the concrete suburbs of Katy, Texas to the fertile soil of the Midwest, we had dreams of a lush garden filled with easy-to-grow vegetables and fruit trees. Though we had enjoyed our backyard garden in our southeast Texas neighborhood, we looked forward to a more extensive...

Sep 6, 2011

“My mom is always nagging me.” “My parents demand so much of me. I can never please them.” “Sometimes I think I’m just a slave in this house.” In my years of ministry I have had many opportunities to counsel with parents and children in conflict. I have heard the quotes above repeated often. Statements like these can...

May 2, 2011

When I was a boy, I lived a life that some children may consider adventurous– I traveled with the carnival. Bright lights, games, fun music, and junk food galore—it was a life filled with sensuality and pleasure seeking. However, my family wasn’t there just to be entertained. My father owned a few booths, or “joints.” As carnival goers passed by,...

Apr 28, 2011

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. ~ 1 Corinthians 12:26 4/30/11 Update: We spent quite a bit of time on the phone last night with folks on the ground in Alabama. The outpouring of love and help has been amazing. The Body of Christ is coming together and helping all in need....