Month: February 2011
-
You don’t have to be Amish, but you are called to be separate!
Many would-be followers of Christ try to live while holding onto polar extremes: they want to be ‘hip’ and ‘godly’ at the same time. It’s the proverbial oil and water thing. We cannot love the purity of Christ and the baubles of this transient world at the same time. The Bible says it like this: […]
-
Fidelity is about more than where you will sleep tonight
This CoffeeBreak is not warmly inspirational. It wasn’t fun to write. But, like Ezekiel of old, I feel a call to be a watchman, to issue a warning. American culture has so blurred the lines of morality that many are confused about what is wrong. Even among Christians, many are ignorant of God’s demands of […]
-
Sunk or soaring?
Sometimes my life resembles an emotional earthquake! You, too? Are you afraid? Feeling lost? Confused and confounded? There are plenty of reasons for fear. Things we assumed were unshakeable are changing! Our political scene is chaotic both in these United States and in the world. The economy is stalled and prospects for a quick return […]
-
Father; yes He is ‘Abba’
Few things in life predict a future of success and/or security like having a loving, involved Dad! Being fatherless can make a child insecure and lead to all kinds of self-destructive behaviors; rebellion, crime, and failure to achieve. In an interview on 60 Minutes, Senator Scott Brown (R – Massachusetts) recounted a childhood with several […]
-
"Oh, those idiots!" Fuming and Fussing?
Mark Batterson tells about hearing a speaker named Denis Waitley talk about how he came to live with radically adjusted priorities. Waitley arrived at the Chicago airport and was delayed. When he finally reached the gate the door was being closed. In spite of all his threats and pleas, the gate agent would not allow […]
-
It’s a ‘faith thing’
She’s only 6 and her question to me was, “I want Jesus to live in my heart. How can I know He is there?” Exploring the subject of knowing God’s Presence with a child is fun! I told her it was a ‘faith thing.’ Her little eyes told me that wasn’t enough, so I asked […]
-
You’re Beautiful – Just the way you are
What is it in yourself you intensely dislike: your temper, the way you look, your personality, some chronic physical weakness, a handicap? You have likely prayed to be changed, healed, delivered… right? It is right and good to ask our Father for these things, but there are times when He will not take what we […]
-
Conceit of Competence
Are you a conceited Christian? Most of us begin our faith walk with God in desperation; our cry like that of an infant. “Oh, God, help me!” In a short time, when we’re back on our feet, doing good, the temptation comes ‘round to start believing how great we’re doing. Unconsciously the focus shifts from […]
-
The right message?
The schoolyard game of ‘telephone’ can produce strange results. A phrase is whispered into the ear of one child, who then whispered what she heard into the ear of another. After the message is passed through 20 people the person who last heard it states what she heard. Is it the same as the original? […]
-
Balloons, A Stuffed Bear, and Red Roses
I made a sweet trip yesterday with my little brother, Eddie, age 10. If you’re a regular CoffeeBreak reader you know that my Mom is very ill with lung cancer, confined to her bedroom. Her illness is made all the more difficult to understand by the fact that she is still parenting the little ones […]
CoffeeBreak With The Word 