One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the exchange of Christmas letters. Yes, it is a bit ironic because I so rarely send one. However, I love reading the letters … Continue reading Merry Christmas!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the exchange of Christmas letters. Yes, it is a bit ironic because I so rarely send one. However, I love reading the letters … Continue reading Merry Christmas!
A couple years ago one of our neighbors gave my family some clippings from their raspberry bush. My wife was able to get it planted in a good spot in … Continue reading Connected for Life
You find yourself in a pit with a lion. And it is snowing. What do you do? Benaiah found himself in this situation. He chased the lion down and eliminated the threat. As far as I can tell, he was either crazy or an incredible warrior. Or maybe a little (a lot?) of both.
We find ourselves in tough situations all the time. Maybe not “in a pit with a lion on a snowy day” tough, but tough all the same. How do we know what to do? How do we learn what steps to take? Personally, I make a habit of learning from characters described in the Bible. Benaiah is one of those guys that I look at, especially when I need encouragement during a difficult time. Benaiah reminds me that we are to be leaders of character and leaders in the battle. We were designed to take on significant challenges.
Benaiah was an incredible warrior and one of King David’s Thirty Mighty Men. He was the kind of guy that people would tell stories about around the campfire. He was an honorable man and a distinguished leader. He defeated the strongest and most imposing enemies by hand. And he once chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it. Who does that?
The story of Benaiah is a story of character as much as incredible feats of strength. While we don’t have many details, Scripture says he was more honored than his counterparts. King David recognized his trustworthiness when he made Benaiah captain of the king’s bodyguard. King Saul recognized his loyalty when he made Benaiah the commander-in-chief of the entire army. Benaiah demonstrated self-sacrifice as he attacked the fiercest foes while clearly being the underdog.
And yet, I keep coming back to the story of the lion. Why did he pursue that fight? Why did he pick a terrible weather day? Why did he fight the lion in the pit? We’ll likely never know the details of that day, but I speculate that this was simply Benaiah’s lion to deal with. Just as in the battles when he defeated the giants, this was his battle to fight.
We have battles of a different sort today. Our enemy is not flesh-and-blood, but evil and darkness (Ephesians 6:12). 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” The probability is extremely high that you have had encounters with this lion. Maybe you’ve been attacked already. Maybe you’ve heard the roar. Maybe you’ve seen the evidence of him hiding the grassland around you.
And yet there is no reason to fear. The enemy may roar, but don’t pay attention to that. He’s already been defeated. Be ready. Stay alert. Be on the lookout. And when he shows up, don’t be afraid of the fight. Instead, fix your gaze on the Victorious One, the one who defeated the enemy through the cross, the one who saw the beginning and the end, the one who calls us to follow him.
Stand firm and stay alert. This means living with Godly character and teaching the next generation to do the same.
Engage your giants. Don’t be afraid of the fight if it is the right fight. These are your lions to chase and these are your giants to defeat.
Fight the right fights. There are so many things competing for our attention and so many distractions to lead us off course. We must learn to stay focused so we can do what matters most.
You are a conqueror.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 (NIV)
When I picture the night of Jesus’ birth, I imagine the tranquility described by Joseph Mohr in the 1816 hymn, Silent Night. What a night! Jesus, Messiah, God himself, born … Continue reading Silent Night, Holy Night
Quick note: It’s been a while since I’ve posted on my site. 2020 and the first half of 2021 have been quite eventful, to say the least. When COVID shutdowns … Continue reading Fan Into Flames
This article will appeared in The Sheridan Press as a part of a series on health in 2021.
What comes to mind when you think of spiritual health? As with physical health, we tend to think of inward activities – prayer, meditation, devotion, and the like. We would do well to prioritize these inward-focused disciplines. However, spiritual health also involves being outward focused.
As a Christian, I can’t ignore all that Jesus and the Bible said about being outward focused. The Bible instructs believers to consider others above oneself. Here are a few examples: “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:10). “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13). “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:18). And a final example from Jesus, who so plainly and directly said, “This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:17).
The reason we should develop inward-focused health is so we can have an outward-focused impact on the world around us. What good is it to know all of Scripture if those around you have never heard it before? What good is it to amass great wealth if it perishes at the end of your life? What good is salt if it has lost its flavor? You were created to be in relationship with the Father and to love others.
Not long before the crucifixion of Jesus, some religious leaders tried to trap Jesus with a question, “What is the most important commandment?” Jesus replied with two commands that are intricately woven together and inseparable. Quoting the Old Testament, he said, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Spiritual health in the first century – and now in the twenty-first century – must center on these two commands. Love the Lord and love others.
With these principles in mind, here are three simple steps to improve your spiritual health:
In conclusion and in the words of the Apostle Paul, “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:16-17)
Everywhere we look, everything is calling for action. With so many pressing issues (real and perceived), we are pressured for better or worse to react or respond to everything. Many … Continue reading Today.
I certainly have opinions about everything that is going on these days. I’ve shared a few of my thoughts privately with close friends. I’ve refrained from going public with all these thoughts for a variety of reasons but mostly because I’m not totally convinced of my own opinions.
Today that changes. I would like to share a few thoughts and opinions. However, I want to do so in a different way than I’ve been seeing recently. Yesterday morning I woke up and couldn’t shake the question, “what are you thankful for?” So I’m starting a list. In light of everything going on I would encourage you to do something similar.
“Yes, we know that ‘we all have knowledge’ about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.”
1 Corinthians 8:1b-2 NLT
In the second video of this new Tuesday project I offer five tips to help us walk out the promises Jesus made in Matthew 11:28-30.
What are your go to practices? How do you stay confident and strong during any uncertain times?
Also, what do you think about these videos? I’d love to get your feedback!
With everything going on these days we are offering some new online components at our church. Each Tuesday, I’ll be sharing a short piece. I’m certain this project will evolve … Continue reading Tuesday Morning Coffee & Word || Psalm 145