Every church has at least one. That person who after service, has “a word” to share with somone. Hearing something to which they see a correlation in scripture, they jump at the opportunity to share “what God said” about their situation. It isn’t a bad thing necessarily. It could be a word of encouragement in a time of despair, or comfort in a time of suffering. It’s someone who loves the Word of God, and wants to

Long before Facebook memes, I saw a sign that read, “Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?” Boy could I relate. Like when the electric bill would come in the mail, and the “balance due” exceeded the “new balance” in my checkbook. (Okay, who am I kidding, my way of “balancing” my checkbook was to change banks) Let’s just say I was pretty sure it was more than I had at

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Before you buy that t-shirt, bumper sticker, hat, wristband, coffee mug, bookmark, poster, or get that tattoo, let’s talk. We often see this scripture quested when one completes an extreme physical challenge, like a marathon, triathlon, or in my case, two flights of stairs. I don't doubt their sincerity when they say it’s God who gives them strength to get up at 4:30 in

The untimely death of a cousin brought my extended family together for a graveside service. After the closing prayer, I walked across the cemetery grass to say hello to my Grandmother. In a wheelchair beside her, was the Pastor of her church, Reverend E.M. Replogle. Reverend Replogle began pastoring the Gospel Lighthouse, a small Pentecostal Church in West Fresno, Ca, in 1950. He was in the final years of his ministry, and while his body was frail, he

It was late in the afternoon, and I was on a flight from Minneapolis to Dallas. Kathy called to say our brother wasn’t doing well, and I should come as soon as possible. Johnny had undergone surgery to address internal bleeding, and while successful, the damage was worse than anticipated. He was also in the midst of fighting a second round of cancer, and multiple rounds of chemotherapy had taken its toll. He was tired, and coming through such an aggressive surgery would make his recovery

Ephesians tells us “speaking the truth in love” helps us grow spiritually, and can shape us into the image of Christ. Speaking the truth absent of love, can be divisive and may actually hinder God’s intent. Speaking the truth is easy. Speaking the truth in love, is not. The Word of God is alive, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It divides the soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of our