A Christmas Prayer

One of the features of any Christmas celebration is the longing many of us have to carry the spirit of Christmas into the many long days and weeks and months that follow. How often is it that we think to ourselves that we want to experience the meaning of Christmas ten days out, or twenty, READ MORE

The Anointed King

Just as Genesis 1 sets the tone for all of the Old Testament, so Matthew 1 sets the tone for the entire new covenant given to mankind. In Matthew 1:1 our Lord Jesus is introduced to us as the God who Saves (that is what “Jesus” means), God’s anointed one (that is what “Christ” means), READ MORE

Helping the Spiritually Hungry

I am spiritually hungry. That might be a strange statement coming from a man who has been a follower of Jesus for nearly forty years, pastoring one of the largest churches in a three-state region. But it is true. I am spiritually hungry, and I suspect you are too. Whether you are a seasoned saint READ MORE

The Cry of the Warrior-Poets

Stop for just a moment. Ask yourself from what it is the Lord has set you free. Was it the scaring shame of deep-seated sin? Was it a relationship that was once spiraling out of control, now healed and thriving? Was it a season of depression or anxiety that you thought would never end? Was it READ MORE

Psalm of the Face

Dictionaries tell us that “shame” is a painful emotion caused by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace. What things in your life are causing you to experience shame? This week. Right now. When we feel shame we generally wish to turn away from those with whom we normally feel safe but before READ MORE

Brutal Honesty

If we are brutally honest, all of us have issues of shame and fear and regret in our lives. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard. This reality keeps us from God (Romans 6:23). To what extent are you willing to acknowledge this in your own life? What are the ways READ MORE