A Time to Speak and a Time to Be Quiet
Ecclesiastes chapter three is a good commentary on time. The first sentence is: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Then it…
Ecclesiastes chapter three is a good commentary on time. The first sentence is: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Then it…
James 1:2-3: ‘Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, 3 for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow,…
Worship’s Scope “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him” (Matthew 28:17) The scope, or extent of worship can be both wide or narrow. In one sense everything…
What do you believe and why? There is a difference between a biblical absolute, a spiritual conviction, and a personal opinion. It’s important to know the difference and not misapply…
“Wisdom teaches you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve.” Proverbs 22:21 Never be a spectator of unfairness…
“For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—” 1 Corinthians 1:5 Everything becomes a little different as soon as it…
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 We are reluctant…
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9 At work and at home, conflicts are inevitable. We are imperfect people living in an imperfect…
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4 Diligence is the constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken. —Atal…
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. —Lewis Smedes Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven…
There are many opinions on what these three terms mean and how they relate to each other. Here are my thoughts. All three terms describe a process whereby a person…
In our contentious times, battle lines are drawn based political philosophies, religious beliefs, ethnic backgrounds, financial status, age and sex. Answers to “what’s right” and “who’s best” dominate the topics…
Benjamin (my five-year-old grandson), and I were arm-wrestling on the bed. Benjamin took a short break, crawled to the corner of the bed, and whispered a prayer, “God, give me…
“You fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Psalm 16:11 KJV What a drastic difference salvation makes! To the one who doesn’t know…
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does…
Thirty-six times in the New Testament we see a recurring word pattern—an action verb followed by the words one another. In English grammar this phrase is called a reciprocal pronoun—I…
A mother asked, “Where have you been?” Her little girl replied, “On my way home I met a friend who was crying because she had broken her doll.” “Oh,”…
We all have mental tapes that play over and over in our minds. If they are positive narratives, there’s no major downside other than they’re unnecessarily using up our brain-energy…
“All of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for— God has had it with the proud, But takes delight in just plain…
Where have you been? the mother demanded. The little girl replied, “On my way home, I met a friend who was crying because she had broken her doll.” “Oh,” said…
Compared to joy, happiness has gotten a bad reputation. Particularly among Christians. In the recent past (30-40 years) we have been taught that there is a significant difference between joy…
What is the most powerful way to worship here on earth? A good pattern for earthly worship is heavenly worship. If we study Revelation’s description of heaven, we can truly…
“Sometimes, when I consider what tremendous consequences come from small things, I am tempted to think…there are no small things.” — Barton The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred when it…
“Jesus didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.” Phil. 2:8 MSG…
15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15…
In one of his letters, George Washington wrote that he and Martha had not had dinner at home alone for twenty years. Every night for twenty years—7,300 days in a…
Several years ago, I attended a concert at the Nasher Sculpture Center in downtown Dallas. About 80 audience members stood in a circle around the musicians. A baritone soloist and…
According to American business historian Robert Sobel, the British government created a civil-service job in 1803 which called for a man to stand on the white cliffs of Dover with…
“I don’t know.” Often, when we don’t know something, we make stuff up. When we don’t know the answer to a question, we attempt to answer it anyway. Instead, we…
Who are the key influencers in your life? Feedback is a gift, so I want to hear what people are thinking and feeling about my organization and my leadership. I…
Social intelligence is properly assessing and relating to social environments. Social intelligence is expressed in terms like: Decorum-propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance Etiquette-the conduct or procedure…
“Small wins have an influence disproportionate to the accomplishments of the victories themselves.” -Charles Duhigg It seems our brains aren’t very good at distinguishing big successes from small successes.…
Time is a precious commodity. If traded on the commodities market, its value would be incalculable. But alas, time cannot be bought or sold. And while the length of our…
“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” —Dale…
Don’t make excuses for character flaws and bad behavior, thinking “that’s just who I am.” I once had an employee who had the audacity to declare, “I know I have…
According to celebrity tabloids and talk shows, the rich and famous seem to flaunt friendships for their own personal benefit. One day the paparazzi record starlets who are devoted to…
We are reluctant to say them, but when spoken honestly and appropriately, three simple phrases can help maintain our personal integrity and sustain peace in relationships. “I don’t know.” Often,…
“Anybody who acquires deep expertise does so at the expense of breadth. The challenge is to understand how much depth is enough, and how much is too much.”-Andrew Hargadon. Most…
I am surprised by, and sometimes frustrated at, some people’s submission to emotions. Emotions dominate their lives. Rational thought is ignored and facts are resisted. Like the lady with the…
Are you satisfied with mediocrity? Dr. Don McMinn shares his thoughts about how to pursue excellence. Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. —John Gardner Librettist and theatrical producer Oscar…
Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is.—John Maxwell Learn from your successes. Do we learn more from studying failures or successes? Obviously, we learn from both, but often…
“There are times when I am so unlike myself that I might be taken for someone else of an entirely opposite character.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Confessions, 1782 Last night Mary and…
In the world of athletics, the phrase playing hurt is used to describe an athlete who continues to play even though he or she is injured. It also describes a necessary life…
Jesus’ ministry was predicated upon accepting people. He erased the artificial boundaries of culture and status, looked beyond people’s sin, and accepted them. He touched lepers, ate with sinners, visited…
“Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.”-Hermann Hesse Do you ever track conversations? I do. Sometimes I wish I didn’t, because I find…
Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity.—Hitchens A woman checked into the hospital to have a tonsillectomy, and the surgical team erroneously removed a portion of her foot. How…
I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.-Mark Twain. According to Oceana, a nonprofit organization, sharks kill only about four…
Great teams are led by people confident enough to recruit people better than themselves.—Warren Bennis A favorite toy among Russian children, the matryoshka doll is a series of wooden…
This year I was exposed to a lot of new ideas, concepts, and principles, primarily from the 52 books I read. Here are five concepts/principles that significantly affected me. 1.…
How do we learn to persevere in the challenges of our lives? We play hurt. In the world of athletics, the phrase playing hurt is used to describe an athlete who continues…
Have you ever known someone who tends to say everything he thinks? There is no filter between thoughts and speech. It is a flawed type of communication that reasons, “If…
There is a species of fish – the Japanese carp, known as the Koi – that will grow in size only in proportion to the size of the body of…
A bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. They are typically out-of-the-ordinary experiences, not mundane, predictable ones. For instance, you wouldn’t include maintain…
Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. This old saying shows up a lot on t-shirts, coffee cups, and wall plaques. It’s supposed to make us smile, but it annoys me.…
Sometimes, when I consider what tremendous consequences come from small things, I am tempted to think…there are no small things. — Barton The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred when it broke…
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it in your back pocket. -Will Rogers The Millionaire Next Door, written by Stanley and…
I was on a flight from San Diego to Dallas. I’m a million-miler with American Airlines so I usually request, and get, an aisle seat, but on this flight, I…
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it in your back pocket. -Will Rogers The Millionaire Next Door, written by Stanley and…
We are reluctant to say them, but when spoken honestly and appropriately, three simple phrases can help maintain our personal integrity and sustain peace in relationships. “I don’t know.” Often,…
Anticipate and reflect! Experiences aren’t truly yours until you think about them, analyze them, examine them, question them, reflect on them, and finally understand them. — Warren Bennis My favorite…
How do leaders get vision? The short answer to this question is: People find what they look for and leaders look for vision. We all pursue our priorities and leaders…
Time is a precious commodity. If traded on the commodities market, its value would be incalculable. But alas, time cannot be bought or sold. And while the length of our…
In Leo Tolstoy’s novel The Death of Ivan Ilych, the protagonist, Ivan Ilych, is a smart, competent attorney dying from an unknown cause. Tolstoy describes a scene in which Ivan…
Why does the problem exist? You are easily swayed by marketing and advertising. An entire industry (marketing and advertising) has one main goal – to get you to buy more…
Sin hurts ourselves and others, but through confession, we can have a new start. Let’s talk about how we can find freedom, forgiveness and restoration with God and others. Let’s…
“Ninety-five percent of all the decisions you’ll ever make in your career could be made by a reasonably intelligent high school sophomore. But they’ll pay you for the other five…
Greeting is an art. That first impression will open to door to cement relationships in a powerful way. Welcoming someone is all about the other person, not our schedule, disposition…
Are you clueless or savvy when you relate to others? You can develop great relationships with others if you learn to develop high social intelligence. What Does Social Intelligence Look…
Most Christians practice confessing their faults to God and make it a regular part of their prayer life. But many of us neglect the important step of confessing to others…
Scripture tells us that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. When we praise, we invite God’s presence and authority into our situation, and silence Satan’s accusations and…
Worship, bowing the knee, kissing the Hand of the Master in devotion and obedience, is what man was created to do. The Bible is filled with examples of how we…
God is not just seeking worship, He is seeking worshippers. He longs for an intimate relationship with you!
Traditions can be biblical or they can simply be held because one is resistant to change. Distinguishing between the two is critical.
Michal, King David’s wife, despised his worship when he danced before the ark of the covenant. In punishment, God said she would remain barren the rest of her life. We…
“They lay their crowns before the throne and say, ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God’” (Revelation 4:10,11) A good pattern for earthly worship is heavenly worship. It’s very safe…
“Where have you been?” the mother demanded. The little girl replied, “On my way home, I met a friend who was crying because she had broken her doll.” “Oh,” said…
Christianity certainly takes its share of bashing in the news. While most of what we hear is politicized rhetoric, the damage is especially devastating when professing Christians themselves contribute rude…
In the late 1800’s, a large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s Bible conferences in Massachusetts. As was their custom, the European guests put their…
We live in a stress-filled society. Technology makes us accessible to anyone at anytime. Economic down-turns cause many to fear the loss of a job or a home. Stress has…
Singing sensation Taylor Swift sold four million records last year. Among her best current songs are “You Belong with Me” and “Two is Better than One.” The Bible tells us…
Christmastime… that peaceful, everybody-gets-along time of year, right? Not necessarily. Harmony in relationships can be challenging year round, but as activities increase with holiday celebrations and we encounter more people,…
In our first 20 years of marriage, my wife and I seldom welcomed guests. Our parents had not modeled this in our childhoods, and we didn’t realize how wonderful it…
As we seek to be obedient, the blessings of honoring one another pour out into the body of Christ. It really is the key to proper functioning. (1 Cor. 12:12,…
When we think about what we owe others, usually money, favors and other tangible support come to mind. But our Lord says it is that and more. “Give everyone what…
“He whose walk is blameless will minister to me” (Psalm 101:6). God is not just seeing worship. He’s seeking worshipers (John 4). Otherwise, we could just listen to praise music on…
Here I am toe-tapping again, my silent protest to waiting. My body weight shifts every few minutes as I check my watch and tap some more. I can feel the…
In the Old Testament, Samuel declares that he would be sinning against the Lord if he fails to pray for the Israelites. (1 Sam. 12:23) The value of praying for…
What is worship? Who can experience it? Do we only worship on Sunday mornings? Do only musicians worship? What does it feel like? How do I become a worshiper of…
If I could teach my children only one thing, it would be to worship God. For when they truly worship God, my children will by nature attend church, seek prayer,…
ALONE WITH HIM “You fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Psalm 16:11 KJV What a drastic difference salvation makes! To the one…
As it was in the days of Christ, so it is today: There are few true worshipers. Many believers work for God, perform Christian services, follow a disciplined ritual, but…
God is concerned with our worship. It is not something He considers to be optional in our daily life and practice. In fact, the Father seeks those who will worship…
In previous discussions about admonishing others, we’ve talked about two important issues. If we’re going to love someone thoroughly, we must be willing to admonish if necessary. On the other…
In a previous blog, I was thinking about our responsibility to admonish one another based on our history of loving that person. While it might not take much planning to…
Years ago I learned a valuable, but painful lesson about admonishing the ones we love. I had befriended a young businessman who aspired to the ministry, and for several years…
In this troubled world, we don’t have to look far to see hurting souls suffering from frustration, fear, loneliness, embarrassment, deception, grief, humiliation, disappointment or betrayal. Jesus even warned us…
It’s December. Perhaps you are scurrying around searching to find just the right Christmas gifts for loved ones. Do you find yourself so consumed with holiday preparations that you don’t…