Rainbow Sherbet Saints
RAINBOW SHERBET SAINTS Spiritually groomed in a church culture that emphasized the practice of separation, I learned in the early days of my journey with Jesus that it was my presumed responsibility to be suspicious of those who were different than me. At various points I remember hearing well-meaning (but misguided) Christians speak about God’s expectation…
Pastors, Pulpits & People in the Pews
One of the strangest, most unfortunate aspects of the modern church is often found in the expectation of what happens in the pulpit from those who sit in the pews (or, more commonly, chairs). Somewhere before I was saved in 1994, it must have begun its slow creep into local churches. I’ve been a Christian…
For Those In-Between
Today is part of the process. Today is neither the beginning nor the end, simply another day wherein your great God works on you a little more. Before there was a physical you, there was an intent for you, the divine idea of you in the infinite heart of God. Then He sovereignly chose when…
What the Enemy Says About You
There’s a great character study on a not-so-famous fellow in the Old Testament named Gideon. If his story was rewritten today in a modern scenario, Gideon would have been a nerdy underachiever who flunked out of community college, took a minimum wage job, and spent the bulk of his time in his parents’ basement playing Xbox while occasionally…
When Your Awe-Tank Hits Empty
Recently, the Holy Spirit and I hunkered down in Psalm 63 together (you may wish to pause right now and read it yourself so you will understand more of what I am about to share). Trekking through those familiar verses, a well-known stirring began to move again in my heart. This stirring within is a…
Holy Spirit: When & Why I Changed My Views
Some of you are familiar with my testimony as it pertains to my theological shift in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s regarding the person and work of the Holy Spirit. I learned so much incredible theology from those who poured into my life after I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord in 1994. As…
The Salted Slug in the Church
“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” – Luke 13:3 Jesus wrapped volcanic words like those above in a blanket of love, sensing no inner conflict when doing so. God’s Son did not give a preface or disclaimer to what He was going to say. He just stated the…
3 Holy Spirit Gifts We Must Pursue
For many years I did not believe in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. In those days, when I read First Corinthians, chapters 12-14, I understood those references to things like prophecy, miracles, healings, and tongues as being gifts to the historical church that no longer had present day availability to Christians. Around 1999,…
The Trickle Before the Torrent
The longer you are an active participant in the Kingdom of God, the more your citizenship allows you to see. To be a Christian is far deeper than asking Jesus into your life, being water baptized, joining a church, behaving morally and learning theology. While all of these things are good, they also can serve…
About God’s Timing
“When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” – Galatians 4:4-5 What a remarkable thought: there was a fullness of time that God had ordained into which He would…