by steve | Dec 1, 2023 | Kingdom Living
Well, I suppose starting December with a blog post on Christmas is not a bad idea. After all, even non-believers tend to get excited about Santa Claus, children and presents at this time of year. (Eggnog and Fruit Cake are still up for debate, though) But using an almost unheard of Old Testament Minor Prophet, Zechariah, for the subject might need more explanation. “Where’s the relevance,” you might wonder. We have been working our way through those hidden gems of the Minor Prophets in our church family, and I believe the message of Zechariah is particularly encouraging for us as we move into the Christmas season. Track with me and see for yourself. (more…)
by steve | May 9, 2016 | Just Life
“I lift up my eyes to the hills; where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of Heaven and Earth.” That was my theme. David’s prayer from Psalms 121:1-2 is what I carried with me two weeks ago when I headed out to Kenya to help with an amazing ministry called Marked Men For Christ. The purpose of MMFC is singular and that is simply to build stronger men for Jesus Christ. That is exactly what we did with around 325 men from several nations all converging near Nakuru, Kenya. For my part, I had the privilege of leading two prayer teams during our time there and the transformation in the lives of men was miraculous. Below is a link to the report I gave yesterday at Cypress Crossings. Part of the message was ministry report but most of it was a sermon of encouragement. I hope it will be a blessing to you in your walk. Thank you again to everyone who lifted this project up in prayer and financial support. The time was incredibly productive with even eternal ramifications.
Lift Up Your Eyes from Cypress Crossings on Vimeo.
by steve | Apr 11, 2013 | Just Life, Kingdom Living
Well this stinks! Ever felt that way before? Ever said that out load before or even thought it under your breath with only yourself and God as the audience? Yup; me too. We’ve all been there. The truth is that life does stink at times and those who appear to constantly live above the fray and claim no pain are probably not dealing with reality and know a Christianity other than what I know. When I read the Bible I don’t see perfection, at least not on this side of eternity. No, I don’t see “health and wealth and lack of problems.” I see . . . stink. I see real life in the Bible and the kind of life that we experience here in the 21st century. While the Bible was inspired by God, it was written through human agents who breathed the same air and problems we face today. They were human and at times their lives stunk as well. Elijah felt suicidal. David wept bitterly. Paul spoke of anxiety regarding a dear friend near death. Even Jesus, God in flesh, spoke of the problems of his age and ours and the fact that just like they hated him, they would hate his followers as well. Yes, I see loads of stink in life and in the Bible, but I also see hope. (more…)
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