Bear Market Blues: Surviving Setbacks
Let’s examine some Biblical principles to keep in mind during a bear market (a recession; “lean financial times”). The Bible carefully lays out a financial plan of money management that…
Let’s examine some Biblical principles to keep in mind during a bear market (a recession; “lean financial times”). The Bible carefully lays out a financial plan of money management that…
Why do we give? The first hit when you Google “why should I be generous?” is this article which lays out four reasons: 1) Giving frees you from the “burden…
Why do we give? The first hit when you Google “why should I be generous?” is this article which lays out four reasons: 1) Giving frees you from the “burden…
No one argues that miserliness is an admirable character trait. The national convention of Ebeneezer Scrooge urging Americans to be less generous doesn’t exist. Many perceive one of America’s strongest…
Our doorbell rang – an odd occasion –I got up from the dinner table and walked toward the door. My step hitched halfway to the door as I realized it…
Jesus honored a poor unnamed widow in the Bible because she freely gave all she had to the God she loved. Picture the scene: It’s a very busy day at…
God wants to bless you beyond your ability to ask or imagine! The very first thing God does, after creating us in His image, is to bless us. Blessing is…
When you think about coming to church, what aspect do you look forward to the most? For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume your answer is something spiritually noble—nothing…
Dear Roger, I’m concerned that the “haves” in our society are getting more, while the “have-nots” are falling farther behind. We are a middle-class family, and I’ve never really associated…
God has a house. It’s called his kingdom. That’s his house. And he not only owns the house, he owns everything in the house. Psalm 24, verse 1 says, “The…
Dear Roger, The needy are increasing every day as the coronavirus continues to disrupt everyday life.. I’d like some guidelines on what the Bible says about generosity. Can you help? Many people…
God knows your need (and He’s the only one who can meet it). Instead of focusing on what I need, what I think, what I want, I’m changing my prayer.…
God created us to love people and use things, but materialists love things and use people. Materialism drives not just the “bad apples” of society; it drives “the best and…
What myths do you believe about money? If we follow God’s plan, He’ll do more through us together than we could ever do on our own. Message entitled, “Camels and…
Christmas presents piled high….how many toys do our children need? How do we make our Christmas less about money and more about Jesus? Randy Alcorn writes: “An alarming number of…
Andy Stanley and comedian Jeff Foxworthy discuss life issues and the importance of making a difference in our community. “When the church does good, God’s name is made great. This…
Dear Roger, I am a member of your church and I work for (company name withheld). We take the girls to various Assembly of God Churches, but I am allowed…
God’s love to all humanity is a love of compassion. To say it another way, it is a love of pity. It is a broken-hearted love. He is “good, and ready to…
An old Chinese proverb says, “One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade.” You and I are still benefiting from the shade provided by trees planted by our…
As you read, remember this…if God could make Paul victorious through Christ in his trials, then he can certainly give us power to get through ours: Dear Roger, Greetings…
When you think about coming to church, what aspect do you look forward to the most? For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume your answer is something spiritually noble—nothing…
Chances are you have already given to at least one of the disasters that have rocked the United States and Caribbean over the past few months: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria;…
Dear Roger, Why are Christians not more generous? I mean, the Bible is filled with admonitions for us to be generous to the poor. So, we bring a turkey…
I recently returned from a short-term mission trip to Senegal, Africa, where our church has had a partnership with a mission agency and a local village pastor for about five…
Money is not the root of all evil, the love of money destroys us. The richest are not those who have the most, but those who need the least. Money…
When we make New Year’s resolutions, we are usually quite sincere but idealistic. We promise more than we will realistically deliver, which sets us up for false guilt, toxic shame,…
We overcome Satan’s schemes when we understand how he oppresses us and how we must defeat him. Here are some clear ways to recognize demonic oppression in your life and…
It’s hard to remember a time when people were more angry. A civilized person ought to be, first of all, civil. Yet, today there is no discourse, no respect for…
How you can pray for deployed military personnel? We hear people say, “Pray for our Troops!” But what do we pray for? What, specifically, are their needs? Here are insights…
Atrocity and loss cause us to feel fearful, helpless and vulnerable in the face of an uncertain future. How can we help the poor, the refugee, the victim? What can…
We, the church, are the bridge God created to impart grace to the world. We must appropriate the grace God has given us. We don’t go to church, we are…
We live in a time when most people in our culture don’t think. Instead, they “feel” and they believe that what they feel is truth. Most of what we see…
A glance around the evangelical landscape today offers a wide variety of leadership models and styles: entrepreneurs, kings, rock stars, motivational speakers, armchair psychologists, and modern-day monks. You would have…
Dear Roger, Is it OK for Christians to take anti-depressants? Sincerely, Roger Dear Roger, I used to tell people that if Job had been a better Christian he would never…
Two lenses predominate our life-focus, fear and faith. We can view life through the lens of scarcity and worry about what we might lose. We can view life through the…
In the kingdom, there are no great men of God, just humble men whom God has chosen to use greatly. How do we know when we are humble? When God…
In Haggai 2, the Israelites begin to re-build the Temple after the foundation had lain desolate for fifteen years. God’s people start to repent and obey God, but their circumstances…
Why do we become tight-fisted during the holidays? The whole message of God is about generosity and grace. He showed unconditional grace to the laborers in the field, regardless of…
I always fantasized about the day I’d reach the finish line-you know, that amazing pinnacle of spiritual maturity where God and I were tight, nothing phased me and I constantly…
What do you do when you’re low on love? Do you try to conjure it up by the sheer force of will? As if there is within us a distillery…
Have you ever noticed that the hardest passages of scripture tend to be the ones that call us to the greatest commitment to Christ? I was reminded of this after…
The church at Laodecia was called lukewarm by Christ because they were apathetic, materialistic, and self-sufficient. We must not be satisfied with our spiritual condition. We must be humble and…
Fingernails on the chalkboard. Leaky bathroom faucets at 4:00 a.m. Chirping smoke alarms that can’t be found. Screaming toddlers in the cereal aisle at the grocery store. Annoying? Off-putting? The…
Why does God allow a financial recession? He intends for a recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing. He intends to wake us up…
Pastors Jack Schull and Scott B. commission 19 global workers from around the world. They share their stories, and how the church can be involved. Casas has sent 7,000 members…
Many have asked the intriguing question, “Why was it right for God to slaughter women and children in the Old Testament? How can that ever be right?” It’s right for…
I’m wondering how much of the creation/evolution debate is caught up in the labels of “Evolution,” “Creation,” and “Intelligent Design.” I say this because of the popularly understood notions of…
Who is our neighbor? Our neighbor is anyone of any race, creed, or social background who is in need. Deep fulfillment and joy are ours when we pause and give…
“Anyone can become angry-that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right…
Pride and narcissism can cause us to lead empty lives. The prescription for pride is servanthood-the selfless, sacrificial investment of Christ-like love in the lives of others.
It is hard for a rich person to be godly, but not impossible. According to Agur’s prayer in Proverbs 30, we should avoid traps of distraction, arrogance and worry. If…
Rather than spending our lives serving money, we should bring all we have, including our money, to God who is our master. After all, we are managing His money. Giving,…
God has given us several biblical principles for managing our finances: choosing to live within our means, giving the first portion of our income to God and saving for the…
Boaz exemplified the generosity and condescension of Christ as he bestowed upon Ruth his undeserved favor. We should be grateful for grace and having received it, we give it.
We must live lives of generosity that reflect the character of a benevolent God. God ordained His work to be financed by the gifts of His people. Worshipful giving is…
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,…
Dear Roger, My marriage is a bust. My wife and I are fighting constantly. I wonder why I ever married her. I feel that my love for her is…
Our greatest need as believers is to stay deeply connected with Christ (John 15:4-10). He desires us to know, commune and fellowship with Him on a moment-by-moment basis. Christians write,…
If God, Joseph and Mary went to such great lengths to bring salvation to us, so should we take the trouble to share the gospel with those around us.
FRIENDSHIPS ARE ESSENTIAL TO LIFE From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone” even though He walked in fellowship…