Jim Wallis on how to change the world…

I agree with Jim Wallis of Sojourners who wrote this on the Sojourners Blog...not in total but it's very thoughtful10 Decisions You Can Make to Change the WorldThe common good and the quality of our life together will finally be determined by the personal decisions we all make. The “commons” — those places where weContinue reading "Jim Wallis on how to change the world…"

What if Jesus is more merciful than we can ever imagine?

There is an account in Luke 7 that goes like this ...11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. AndContinue reading "What if Jesus is more merciful than we can ever imagine?"

If you really want the fruit of patience to ripen in your life, give yourself a break!

If we want the fruit of patience to truly ripen in our lives, we must squarely face this question:"Why do we repeatedly give other people the benefit of the doubt but regularly beat ourselves up for making mistakes?"There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, says Paul in Romans 8.  And Jesus himself squarelyContinue reading "If you really want the fruit of patience to ripen in your life, give yourself a break!"

Three short phrases to ensure you will definitely kill a good confession

  Ken Sande says if you want to make a confession utterly worthless, use one of these three phrases.   “I’m sorry if I’ve done something to upset you.”   What do people hear when you say this?  Often, “I don’t know that I’ve done anything wrong, but since you’re obviously upset, here’s a tokenContinue reading "Three short phrases to ensure you will definitely kill a good confession"

Mistakes I make almost every day…in mentoring others

These are some of the mistakes I make a lot in talking with people...Trying to Fix the person.  (I can't even fix myself.  So what is it in me that wants to fix you?)Working hard to Diagnose the problem instead of discussing the greatness of the person with whom I am talking. (If you seeContinue reading "Mistakes I make almost every day…in mentoring others"

God loves us and he really, really likes us, too

The inimitable Dallas Willard died yesterday at age 77.  From Dallas Willard:“We must understand that God does not 'love' us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as 'Christian' love is sometimes thought to do. Rather, out of the eternal freshness of his perpetually self-renewed being, the heavenly Father cherishes the earth and eachContinue reading "God loves us and he really, really likes us, too"

Always look at the context as you ponder ministry in God’s Kingdom

Yes, Jesus fed the 5,000.  Yes, he walked on the water, even beckoning Peter walk on the water, too.  These are amazing events.  Both are recorded in Matthew 14.But look at the context.  Look at the whole scene.1.  At the beginning of Matthew 14 John the Baptist gets beheaded.  Yes, the one of whom itContinue reading "Always look at the context as you ponder ministry in God’s Kingdom"