Don’t Let Fear Control You
“From What If To What Is,” Pastor Steven Furtick encourages us to stop worrying about what could be and start trusting who God is.
“From What If To What Is,” Pastor Steven Furtick encourages us to stop worrying about what could be and start trusting who God is.
The other day I read a statement that was peculiar. The statement went something like this, “If an atheist does acts that are kind, loving and generous, (because it is…
Dear Roger, Does God ever change His mind? And if He does, how can I change His mind? Sincerely, Samantha Dear Samantha, Yes, of course! One evening in my Bible…
Luke 15:11-32; Genesis 2-3 •SLIDE #1: (Slide of Prodigal son as soon as offering special concludes and I walk to the pulpit.) •BUILD SLIDE #2A: Most people love Christmas time.…
Dear Roger, I’m really enjoying spending time with God in praise and worship. But I know there’s more! Can you give me some direction? Sincerely, Dietrich…
Dear Roger, Please help me understand God’s purpose for my life. It seems that all of us at one time or another ask the question, “Why am I here?”…
KNOWING GOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT Ephesians 1:15-19; 3:14-19; Colossians 1:9-12 Imagine before we had the Bible, how would we know what God is like. Imagine you lived on…
Dear Roger, There is so much talk and discussion these days about the antichrist, the Second Coming, the mark of the beast, and so many other end times subjects. I’ve…
Sometimes life happens faster than we can run our race. We can’t control everything that happens to us or around us. We can’t control the decisions others make that deeply affect…
The anointing of the Holy Spirit enables the believer to minister with God’s power. It allows us to discern truth from error. www.ocbf.org
So many of Solomon’s observations are horizontal musings—the bitter, barren, boring side of life as seen through his disillusioned eyes. But, in chapter five he zeros in on the remarkable…
Like Paul praying for the church in Ephesus, we should earnestly seek the things that God has promised to those who are in Christ. www.thevillagechurch.net.
The story of Joseph is one of the Bible’s most compelling tales. And the most gripping feature is the difference between Joseph’s outlook and that of his eleven brothers. After…
Dear Roger, We hear a lot about God the father and Jesus the Son but we seldom hear anything about God the Holy Spirit. The subject of the Holy…
When Christians are at the center of cultural and political power, we don’t quite understand the Lord as a Warrior, but when Christians are marginalized, seeing that the Lord wars…
Dear Roger, Please help me build my relationship with God while I’m isolated from my church and others. Sincerely, Ronnie Dear Ronnie, I would love to help! I’ve put together…
God allows His children to face a dilemma in order to reveal the greatness of His power. What appears to be a no-win situation is actually a situation in which…
Young Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had to choose between God and facing the fury of one of the most powerful kings in history. They chose to face death rather than…
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in…
In Revelation 4:3, there is one group that will worship Him. Do you see who it is? A holy, faithful, benevolent, sovereign God. Man will risk hell before he will…
The God who lives in unapproachable light became approachable in the person of Jesus (John 1:14). In fact, it was Jesus Himself who made God visible to us: “No one…
“In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the…
The prayer in Matthew 6 is often called the Lord’s Prayer; however, it is more accurately the disciple’s prayer. In Luke 11, after Jesus finishes praying, we see that the…
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing has come into being that has come into being.” “For by Him all things were created . .…
Without the Holy Spirit, we’re ordinary in every way. With the Holy Spirit, all things all possible. His anointing is the X Factor—it helps us do what we do better…
This is God’s universe and God does things His way. You may have a better way, but you don’t have a universe. God commands us to be courageous because we…
The competition for your devotion is fierce. We just arrived in India: it’s my second time visiting this beautiful nation. One of the first thing that strikes you as a…
After the first edition of my book Heaven, this question was one of the most frequently asked. It’s worth considering. Though it’s possible we may cover vast distances at immense speeds…
Most people know that we’ll worship God in Heaven. But they don’t grasp how thrilling that will be. Multitudes of God’s people—of every nation, tribe, people, and language—will gather to…
The religious elite ignored Him as long as they could. Since Jesus sported no theological degrees and wasn’t part of the pastors guild, they didn’t take Him seriously. He was…
In the beginning, God created humankind in His image. We have been creating God in our image ever since. But what you end up with is a god who looks…
Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together…
Dear Roger, I have a spiritual warfare question. I pray for two of my kids to be released from Satan’s grip. I pray this on a daily basis. I fully…
Dear Roger, I know this is a loaded question. I don’t want to de-value the sacrifice of the men and women who have died for our country, but can a…
Roger, My best friend and I were talking recently and he said to me during a discussion about God that, “the bible was written for people who lived a long…
Why do committed Christians go to church less often? The statistics are in! 1. Greater affluence Money gives people options. If your church is at all engaging the middle class,…
Worship is a subject very close to my heart. I’ve been drumming in adult worship services since I was fourteen, and received my BA in Music. I only mention this…
Our neighborhood kids are in their yards gleefully decorating for Halloween. Cardboard witches, ghoulish ghosts and sticky spider webs cover the lawns. I have nothing against candy. Give me a…
How could younger people be more spiritual than their elders? The next generation sees God and the world more clearly than we do. Electronic Arts and Hollywood know their…
God is a “today” God. God is a “now” God. Don’t get caught up in what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. Enjoy God today. God is with you.…
We completely underestimate the power of Jesus. What often happens when you hear the name “Jesus”? Is He namby-pamby or the God of the Universe? Pastor Francis Chan takes a…
Dear Roger, I’m just confused on one point, where does it say that satan has open access to Heaven? and there are scriptures that say no sin can dwell…
In order to lend some credibility to my comments, you may need to know that I’ve counseled married, remarried, cohabitating and divorced couples and individuals for over forty years. Nothing…
Why do kids lie? They start early. It’s hard to trust again after a child has started habitually lying. How can you be sure he won’t lie again? How do…
Some Christians, in their effort to stress holiness of life, do not put a great deal of emphasis on God’s gracious acceptance of us despite our sins. Others, in their…
God knows everything. He knows what we do before we do it, what we think before we think it, what we say before we say it, what we need before…
Dear Roger, I am the pastor of a 100 member adult church and I was informed today that my largest giving family will no longer be with us. This family…
Can you really argue that we are fearfully and wonderfully made? I became enamored with Science in a class in immunology at the University of Chicago. I know just about…
The Excellent Book, Hispanic Realities Impacting America: Implications for Evangelism and Missions , by Daniel Sanchez, Ph.D., provides an eye-opening overview of America’s rapidly changing population demographics. It vividly reminds readers that…
I’ve been wrestling with the issue of online hypocrisy. That might surprise you a little bit, that the way a Christian acts online doesn’t line up with how they describe…
How do we live fruitful lives within healthy limits? Pastor Tim Chaddick preaches from 2 Corinthians 10:11-18 on the ways in which God intends us to function within wise and…
God’s yes in salvation is found in Jesus Christ. God’s hearing of your prayers is found yes in Jesus Christ. God’s ability to sustain you in suffering finds its yes…
Throughout history, deadly epidemics have ravaged mankind. In the fourteenth century, the infamous Black Death (an outbreak of bubonic plague) killed millions in Europe. Cholera, diphtheria, malaria, and other sicknesses…
Teams are important because of synergy. Churches get people to give them money to create volunteer positions for them to fill. If you don’t know why something is working…
What was my most embarrassing moment? Combine my brash disregard for tradition, my total lack of tact, my predilection for clumsiness and the possibilities for humiliation are endless. The longer…
When we talk about life, we are talking about a deep belief that God has created all of us to be exactly what He envisions for us to be. Our…
The power of Pentecost makes for a fantastic story. Rushing wind, flaming tongues, and the proclamation of a fisherman turned evangelist calling people to repent and be baptized. But don’t…
Twitter now has 554,750,000 active registered users. 58 million tweets fill cyberspace every day. I can’t imagine life without twitter. Twitter’s role in the communications revolution is obvious, whether it…
Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla, seminary professor and medical doctor, discusses why people respect the white coat, and why you need a coat of your own. Did you know that if you…
How important is your reputation to you? Have you suffered rejection and slander for following Jesus? How many of us Christians would follow Jesus during His time? His reputation was…
In the third sermon of the series “Blueprint,” Pastor Glenn Barteau makes the following observations about entering into the joy of God. Stop seeking a precise formula for the spiritual…
Pastor, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate and the last thing you need is more stuff to deal with. But you ought to know about a few…
I’ve had some busy people pick up Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work, look at the subtitle, and ask: “OK, so, in a nutshell, how does God’s…
We can pray to God using His many names: God, Mighty and Majestic, God our Helper, God our Righteousness, God our Sanctifier, God our Peace and Indwelling Presence, God our…
I believed, at the ripe old age of eight, that Thanksgiving was a wash-a “teaser” holiday that prevented Grandma from shopping for my etch-a-sketch. We got one measly day off…
The mysterious, magnificence of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is discussed through a number of Scriptures and segments of prayer and video are also included. God is one,…
The first part of the message deals with the passion and compassion a church should have. The second part of the message deals with the topic of the Holy Spirit.…
No matter how you look at it, King Ahab’s marriage to Queen Jezebel was no match made in Heaven. When he chose her as his bride, he was seemingly entering…
The society of Moses when he penned Genesis came out of Sumerian culture and beliefs. Sumerians believed that the physical realm had always existed. There was no beginning of the…
We yearn for unity, have a drive for diversity and are eager for equality. The church is the ultimate reflection of the Trinity.
The Trinity refines our relationship with God. It aligns our understanding of the gospel It defines the uniqueness of Christianity.
One of my favorite childhood memories is greeting my father as he came home from work. My mother, who worked an evening shift at the hospital, would leave the house…
The prophet Isaiah told Israel of a Messiah who was not only God, but He was their Prince of Peace and their Counselor. He walked in their shoes and was…
Dear Roger, I continually struggle with the story of Abraham and Isaac. In all truth, this story really bothers me. I realize that God did not have Abraham…
To reduce stress, you have to be intentional about changing your lifestyle. Here are some practical tips that will enrich and de-stress your daily life. Never borrow from the future.…
For the Buddhist I want to look at “The Seen and Unseen World of Merit and Rebirth.” Rebirth and Merit are two important concepts in the Buddhist way of life.…
The speakers in the mall are playing sleigh-bell songs, Santa is in his grotto with a long line of children waiting to stroke his whiskers and the media is…
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…
Last week, the Dalai Lama, Buddhism’s spiritual leader made this astounding quote, “Too much attachment towards your children, towards your partner,” was “one of the obstacles or hindrances to peace…
Dear Roger, Did you always know that God wanted you in the ministry? How did you balance the feelings of what you knew to be the desires of your heart,…
We learn much in the first chapter of Genesis. The starting point of all things is sovereign God. He calls us and His nature and love is unchangeable.
I’m convinced that we must be continually reminded of the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this world, we face a great a great accuser (Rev. 12:10), an…
Buddhism, as a system, requires its adherent to be devoted to exploring a set of principles that will earn him or her an enlightened state that they hope will lead…
The four gospels present distinctive portraits of Christ: Jesus as King (Matthew), Jesus as Servant (Mark), Jesus as a Man (Luke) and Jesus as God (John). In the Old Testament,…
iPods, iPhones, text messaging, e-mail, social networking, video and audio input are all screaming for our attention. It’s funny how the absence of something in your life causes you to…
Welcome to Job’s world of undeserved suffering, pain and affliction. This praying, faithful, godly man is the pawn in a spiritual battle between God and Satan that leaves Job penniless,…
Without warning, Job loses everything, including his children. But Job does not sin or curse God. Instead he teaches us that afflictions will come, and we must trace them ultimately…
Like Job, we face times when Satan seeks to destroy our community with God — the loss of a job, death of a loved one, a fearful medical diagnosis, rejection…
Job’s comforters have much to learn. Their sermons, condemnation and philosophical rhetoric leave Job emotionally bereft. Real comforters care enough to come uninvited, to listen carefully, to speak sparingly and…
Sometimes we have to stop complaining and justifying ourselves long enough to be able to listen to reason and conviction. God finally brings Job to his knees in broken humility…
Many views of God exist among us today. Some see God as distant and uninvolved in our daily lives. We may think God is a harsh, inspecting taskmaster. Others feel…
Our view of God is shaped positively or painfully by life events, growing up experiences, and religious traditions and experiences. Like Job, life events can bolster our faith. Or, like…
We can re-shape our misconceptions of God three ways: by the light of His Word, by the light (inspiration) of God’s people and by the light of His Son, Jesus.…
After a startling encounter with God, Job comes to a profound understanding of God’s ways. His plans are incomprehensible to us. His reasoning is right. Job waves the flag of…
Job’s suffering and subsequent restoration teach us three important truths: Forgiveness is worth asking for, justice is worth waiting for, and there is no mercy without justice. God sees Job’s…
Job’s spiritual battle with Satan reminds us that we too can be deceived. However, we are not defenseless. We can stay inside God’s hedge of protection when we grow in…
Job received four priceless blessings from God: his possessions were doubled, his relatives and friends rendered support, he had more children and he received the patriarchal blessing of a long…
Four Gospel writers paint four distinctive pictures of Jesus. Matthew, the tax collector, describes Him as King. Mark condenses several of Peter’s sermons and portrays Jesus as a servant. Luke,…
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son depicts the plight of a runaway son, a grieving father and a sulky older brother. Self-reliance, selfishness and self-condemnation bring about isolation and loneliness…