In Colonial days students learned to read from The New England Primer, which featured a number of Christian maxims such as, “In Adam’s Fall, we sinned all.” This statement, like others in the Primer, incorporated biblical truths into basic education. From childhood, students came to understand that all human beings are sinful and fallen creatures. While many schools today abandon these truths in favor of relativism, syncretism, and multiculturalism, many Christian parents instill in their … [Read more...]
The year that was
When I look back over my shoulder at the past 12 months, I don’t want to ever repeat the year but at the same time I am so grateful to the Lord for the experience. While it was a year of amazing opportunity, it was also a journey through a dark valley of uncertainty and disappointment. The opportunities stretched and pushed our faith like an athlete working out with weights to prepare for an event. Personally, Sharon and I joined a legion of other families walking through the dynamics of … [Read more...]
Six things to know about finishing well
Who wants to come to the end of something and say, “Oops!” Or, “I really messed up!” Or, “If only I had . . .” Whether you are talking about closing out an event, a career, a year, a life or a chapter in your life, you want to glance back over your shoulder and see that you finished well. Years ago, an author/speaker challenged me to consider my birthdate and the reality of my end date. Then he said, “What are you going to do with the middle?” He went on to say that no matter how you … [Read more...]
Marxists, judges, elections and random thoughts
One of the great under-reported aspects of the Ferguson upheaval has been the presence of Marxist and Communist groups among the agitators that continue to destroy property, loot and cause general mayhem. They should be closely watched by state and federal law enforcement. Consider this paragraph as reported by Bloomberg News: “Some who gathered around a burning police car Nov. 24 wore the trademark mask of Anonymous, the online activist collective. The group, which has taken part in the … [Read more...]
Kicking off the season – don’t pillage the village
We’re hardly past Halloween and it’s already started: the holiday shopping craze. Earlier every year, isn’t it? Now let me quickly point out that I can tolerate a lot of shopping. I actually have an extremely high threshold for that kind of thing. But I noticed a few weeks into last season’s Christmas shopping mania that my stamina had started to wane. I think a lot of it was because instead of “Christmas spirit,” a lot of the people I ran into had more of a “bliss-less spirit.” No … [Read more...]
What you should know about Chrislam
Christians sharing the gospel in Muslim-dominated countries take incredible risks. And converts from Islam to Christianity are routinely banished, imprisoned or murdered. So, how do Christian missionaries teach Muslims about Jesus when Islam denies His deity and death on the cross? And how do new converts from Islam to Christianity worship Jesus without inviting severe persecution? One answer is Chrislam, the bringing together of Christianity and Islam. Proponents of Chrislam say that … [Read more...]
Five Biblical Response to Ferguson
A few days ago, we hosted the Heartland Prayer Summit 2 in Ferguson, Mo. It was an amazing experience. No doubt the Lord heard men and women of God calling out in faith. Now history records the brokenness of our culture. Ferguson is permanently scarred. However, our God remains faithful to His people. He is the hope for change and restoration. Our priority is to draw near to Him. One of the facilitators for the prayer summit is Bill Elliff. In response to the tragedy in Ferguson, he … [Read more...]
A witness born in blood
In Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury depicted book-burning as a way to control the masses. The government in that dystopian future wanted to stamp out dissenting voices. In their place, people were given access to “parlor walls,” which were giant flatscreen televisions airing sappy entertainment and sports. Even Bibles were discarded in the trash or burned. The story’s hero eventually discovered a country hideaway where individuals had memorized entire books. Because a war broke out … [Read more...]
KC mission won’t buckle under media scrutiny
In his book, The Media in America, John Tebbell observes: “the media ... have been prime shapers of our culture and political development, to an extent never witnessed in human history.” Christians are rightly concerned with the media today that is committed to advancing a moral and social agenda that flies in the face of Biblical teaching. Take for example the Nov. 16 Kansas City Star article headlined, “Legally married same-sex couples won’t be allowed to stay together at City Union … [Read more...]
New rifle and scope, but missing the mark
A buddy and I headed to the gun range the other day so I could show off my new rifle. I’d spent quite enough money on the rifle and scope, so I decided to save a few bucks by mounting the scope while sitting at the kitchen table instead of paying a professional to do the work. We warmed up with my buddy’s rifle, a tried-and-true beauty built from a 77-year-old German Mauser. He’s a far better marksman than I am, but I was hitting the target within 2 inches of my point-of-aim at 100 yards, … [Read more...]
Grateful Beyond Measure
“Your PET scan is clear.” When you’re facing the prospect of melanoma cancer cells exploding within your body, that is amazing news to hear. That is exactly what my Sugarbabyluv, my Sharon, was told this week. We are so grateful for the host of friends in Missouri and across the nation who took hold of the altar of God and pleaded for her healing. Thank you for being intercessors on our behalf. Using surgery, radiation, dietary changes and faith to address the tumor and rogue cells, we … [Read more...]
Turning in thanks to God
“ And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?” What a sweet, warm feeling it is when a child spontaneously grabs a mom or dad and exuberantly says, “Thanks!” Everyone is smiling and feeling good for the moment. The child is like the leper who ran back to Jesus and glorified … [Read more...]
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