“There’s no way I can take the class,” I told my household fellowship coordinator when I first considered registering for our ministry’s Foundational Class. My work hours would not fit with the class schedule, especially on Sundays, when I was always scheduled to work. He encouraged me not to limit what God could do for… Continue Reading
Traveling one hundred miles does not seem too challenging with our modern means of transportation powered by electricity, gasoline engines, or even jet fuel. But a few years ago I chose to ride my bicycle one hundred miles, powered by me. After completing eighty miles, pedaling for approximately five hours, I was starting to realize… Continue Reading
I remember the first time I read the registration card for the foundational Biblical research class offered by our ministry. One of the class benefits stood out to me above all of the rest: I could learn how to overcome doubt, worry, and fear. As a young college student, I had many questions about life.… Continue Reading
When I was growing up, my mom would repeatedly say to us children, “Think before you speak!” We didn’t always speak words that were helpful and a blessing to each other. She would encourage us to consider the impact of our words before we spoke them. This is a great principle to apply in life.… Continue Reading
I have vivid memories of my father waking my brothers and me up in the morning when I was a young boy. He would walk in our room, turn on the lights, and call out to us cheerfully, “Rise and shine, boys!” It was a very effective technique. We definitely needed his help because some… Continue Reading
“The committee will come to order!” the chairman called out as the sound of the banging gavel rang through the room. I was observing a legislative committee meeting in a hotly contested debate. Each person who spoke was passionate about his position. Soon people were beginning to talk overtop of each other, and I could… Continue Reading
Ephesians 6:12 provides a capsulized look at the spiritual competition. Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of our adversary.… Continue Reading
At one time in my life, my thoughts, words, and actions were rooted in fear and negativity. With unanswered questions about life, death, and love, I lost my grounding and developed a mistrust in people and life in general. Feeling like a victim of circumstances, with no control over my life, I thought I had… Continue Reading
Keeping God first in our lives takes endurance. It’s a decision we make day by day, even moment by moment at times. We want to keep Him the priority in our decisions and in how we live our lives. That may not always be easy. We can be tempted to give up at times, to… Continue Reading
“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,…” Many of us are familiar with this favorite hymn. God’s grace is truly amazing, yet it becomes even more amazing to us when it is understood with precise knowledge and application. That really gives us something to sing about! Having an accurate understanding of God’s grace is fundamental to… Continue Reading