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These two little words are like conversational Teflon. Nothing sticks. The tough questions are deflected, enabling you to continue down the same path without being bothered. You can hide a lot of unpleasant stuff behind “I’m fine” … the fears and frustrations in your career, the dysfunctions in your marriage and family, a crisis of faith, even your addictions—at least for a while. It’s like using a band-aid to cover a gaping wound. ... read more

I have always loved Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, especially the scene when the dying Beast finally gets Belle to love him. Then the unexpected happens: he comes back to life, no longer as a beast, but as a real man, alive, filled with glory, hope, and love. I am always mesmerized by this scene because it speaks to my own longing for resurrection.... read more

In Matthew 6, Jesus asks, "Why would you store things up here where they will eventually fade away when you could store things in heaven that will last for eternity?"... read more

Sexual sin, greed, and abuse of power have existed in the church for centuries, so it's nothing new for leaders with influence to fall. In the early Church homosexual activity was common enough that St. Basil warned the younger monks to keep themselves cloaked to avoid arousing the older monks.... read more

From the mid-1930s to the late 1940s C.S. Lewis met with a group of literary friends every Tuesday and Thursday in an Oxford pub to enjoy good beer and good conversation. They discussed literature, writing, and life. Their pub, the Eagle and Child, is still there today. It was in this environment within this circle of friends that heavyweight works like Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia were forged. ... read more

Suffering. Who wants to talk about it? Yet what man doesn’t want an answer to his own suffering? The surprise of the New Testament is that no final, explicit answer is given for our own individual pains and tragedies. The answer presented instead is something completely unexpected—the suffering Jesus.... read more

Every man needs to be prepared for the battles that will come and to be aware of his blind spots. Temptations and idols are issues for ALL of us, and this has devastated men throughout history. But God is for us, not against us. John 10:10 says that Jesus came so that we could have life—and not just life, but an abundant life.... read more

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a familiar story. Even to those who don’t follow Jesus, the idea of going out of our way to help others, missional living and social justice are things that many people will rally around and lock arms with others to make a measurable difference in the world. But the context of this parable is important, especially to those who claim to follow Jesus. The Parable of the Sower and how Jesus used it is found in Luke 10:25-37. ... read more

When I read the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-36), I feel like taking my shoes off. I am standing on holy ground. Here we see Jesus beginning to feel the weight of His impending crucifixion as it bears down on Him. The terrible physical suffering lay ahead, but that did not hold the most dread for Him; it was separation from His Father. By bearing our sin, He would be cut off from the One in whom He had lived His whole life. Jesus went to pray in that garden to find... read more

There are no fashion items or tech-toys on this list. That list is a moving target, constantly changing, being outdated and updated. This list is timeless and essential because it’s compiled by our Heavenly Father who wants to give good gifts to his children. Here it is: ... read more