My wife is one of those people who love to plan where and what we are going to eat as a family. She grew up with a mom and dad who loved to cook unique and special meals. She has shared with me countless times great memories she and her family had around the dinner table. We have tried to create a loving atmosphere around the dinner table with our kids as well.
I haven’t met too many people who don’t love to eat! We spend a lot of time and planning on what would satisfy the cravings of our stomachs. I don’t know about you, but a pepperoni pizza is sounding pretty delicious for lunch today!
The Bible tells us, “Man does not live on bread alone, but every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”; which means there is another way [...]

Have you ever had more questions than answers in your relationship with God?
Do you feel as if sometimes the Lord has forgotten you completely?
Does life with God feel like He is hiding and you are seeking? Nothing like a game of hide and seek with God. It’s not fair. He wins every time!
Well, you are in good company. Read Psalm 13 and listen to the painful and honest prayer of King David.
1How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and [...]

A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man.
Proverbs 12:2
“Hey, would you mind doing me a favor? Would you mind picking up my kids from school today?” Have you ever heard that? Sure you have. Favors are requested and given all the time in our culture. It’s our way of helping each other out, making life a little more manageable. We hear it at home, work and in different facets of relationships. Everybody needs a little help some time.
In our Western culture favor has been basically stripped of its original meaning and intent. God and His favor over and toward men is a Biblical thought. While picking up someone’s children or feeding their dog over the weekend is kind and helpful, it pales in comparison to God’s favor as He designed it to rest on men and women in His kingdom. It [...]

What kind of help does the Holy Spirit provide for believers today? Jesus gives part of the answer in John 14:25-26
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
What an incredible promise Jesus leaves with his disciples and us! Think about it for a moment. Is there anything that God the Father wouldn’t have full knowledge of? He is an expert in all things. Our glorious Father promises to teach us in all things through His Holy Spirit.
As a minister I have always said, “It is our role to remind people about the promises found in scripture.” According to King Solomon, there is nothing new under the sun. So, [...]

Throughout Proverbs, we hear strong instruction for our need of wisdom in our daily lives (marriage, family, business, church and relationships.) The book of Proverbs has both spiritual and practical applications for just about anything we face in our spiritual journey.
Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is [...]

Sometimes the best blogs are just a reminder from the written word of God. If you are facing difficult situations, rest in the truth of this Psalm.
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the [...]

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Last week, a rare archaeological discovery was made in Northern Israel. Archaeologists discovered a ½ meter statue of Hercules, which they say was dated to the second century.
In Greek mythology, Hercules was the son of the Greek god Zeus, and the mortal mother Alcmene – the wisest and most beautiful of all mortal women. Hercules was said to surpass all mortal men in strength, size and skill. How did Hercules become such a powerful mortal according to mythology? It was because his father was the Greek god, Zeus.
While this is a mythological story, we as saints of the most high have a real Heavenly Father who sits on His throne in heaven. While we live in these mortal bodies, we’re [...]

Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV) I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
“Lose heart” is a term that we use to describe times when we are no longer motivated to finish what we started. We lose heart because we have lost sight of the mental picture we had inspiring us in the beginning. Busyness, stress and long overwhelming seasons that seems never to end all attack our hope.
Hope is a key component to staying motivated in anything you do in life. It’s the source of energy and life that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and the partnership He offers to us daily. That’s exactly what the scripture means when it says “we [...]

Recently, I had a conversation with a dear friend of our family concerning raising children. If you have children you know the hurdles, hurts and struggles that accompany the role as a parent. My friend was facing some of the real challenges of being a parent and needed encouragement.
Everything that I have learned about parenting came from wise parents, the Word of God, several Godly books and the experience of being a father. We thank God for all of these tools!
One of the main purposes of parenting is to display God’s love to a child, so that when they are older they will follow the Lord’s voice; “the first time, right away and with a happy heart.” We were mentored by countless friends to raise Tucker and Ellie with the motto, “Obey the first time, right away and with a happy heart.” For [...]

In Daniel 6:10-23, the Old Testament gives an account of a miraculous story of Daniel thrown into a lions’ den. I think everyone is familiar with this particular story of the extraordinary faithfulness of God.
Daniel’s story became even more applicable to me after spending hours studying on the topic of freedom. Recently, I purchased Bob Hamp’s teaching from Gateway Church on the Foundations of Freedom. I recommend it for everyone.
Bob makes a stunning statement in this series of freedom that brings truth to all of us: “God will always give you what you need. Often our greatest struggle is not in what God has given us but our perspective of what we needed and or understanding what he has given us.”
I am sure that when Daniel was tossed into the lions’ den, he quickly came to the conclusion that he needed God to get him [...]