What’s the Deal with Money, the Bible, and Me?
Dear Roger, I’ve been reading the New Testament and it surprises me how often Jesus referred to money. For example, in Luke 21:1-4, “He commended the widow who did not…
Dear Roger, I’ve been reading the New Testament and it surprises me how often Jesus referred to money. For example, in Luke 21:1-4, “He commended the widow who did not…
“TAKE CARE OF THIS FOR ME” The Parable of the Dishonest Manager Luke 16:1-15 If Jesus were here instructing Christians today, He would spend a major portion of His time…
Why do my friendships fade? Am I not a likeable person? Life coach Deborah Haddix writes: Let’s give a little attention to those things that threaten the very existence of…
One of the most used (if not overused) terms of our culture is the term dysfunctional. It has become the chic descriptor of flawed and broken people and especially families. Too often…
Warning lights in cars and other mechanical devices alert us that something needs our attention. Without this indicator light, issues that need attending to may not be noticed. Similarly,…
After a discussion with my daughter recently about the subject of spiritual gifts, I’d thought I’d post an evaluation form used to help others discover their area of gifting. I…
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…
Dear Roger, I am so overwhelmed. Why doesn’t God meet my needs? I pray and pray, and He doesn’t seem to hear or care. Am I praying for the right…
A time is coming to the church where “people will be lovers of self.” Do you feel like this time has already come? The Bible says that in the end…
You’re probably trying to change something right now. And — if you’re honest — you’ve already thought about backing off. Change seems too difficult. You’ve watched friends get hurt trying to lead…
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…
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…
One of the hardest sayings of Jesus has to do with a camel, a needle, and money. It causes us to consider closely the materialistic way we live. God wants…
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…
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…
Let me chat with those of you who are control freaks. I’m a control freak, a perfectionist. I’m a Type A personality. I want to control everything! It is human…
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…
I know a few will regard the following remarks as coming from “the deep end.” Others will take what I’m presenting and exaggerate it beyond its legitimate boundaries. But I…
%&*#! Potty mouth. Sexual innuendo. Cussing. Cursing. Smack talk. Smut. Swearing. OMG…Taking the Lord’s Name in vain!!! We have become desensitized to vulgarity. “PG” ratings now use “R” language. What…
Here is the word used when the graph of fulfillment and the accumulation of things comes together. It’s one simple word, ENOUGH. It may be different areas of our lives…
The story of Ananias and Sapphira teaches the gravity of allowing Satan to gain a foothold in God’s church through lying and deception. The passage connects pretense, divided self, lack…
God’s favorite posture is kneeling. Humility is the key to knowing God.Miriam, Moses’ sister and Aaron, Moses’ brother, questioned God’s leadership. Miriam was punished by God and contracted leprosy. Although…
For years I’ve been haunted by one of John Newton’s letters, which was later titled “Blemishes in Christian Character.” Newton was an 18th century Anglican minister who had once been…
There’s enough circulating in the media today to discourage Christians about the future of marriage and family. In a recent Atlantic article, “All the Single Ladies,” Kate Bolick suggests we…
After sharing a brief but engaging history of God and His people, Francis Chan relates the central message of Haggai. We must put Him first or our lives become unsuccessful…
Erik Reece is writer-in-residence at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, teaching environmental journalism, writing, and literature. He published a book last April entitled, An American Gospel: On Family, History,…
Jesus teaches that we live under great stress when we worship the rival god, Money. We must learn to walk in faith in the present and run to Jesus when…
Have you heard about this church that’s building itself on a military metaphor? It’s led by a general, not a bishop. Their clergy are not referred to as pastors, priests…
How many of you have had the experience of being stripped naked before a room full of strangers? Anyone here this morning ever been strip-searched? You have if you’re a…
Dear Roger, Can anyone help? I am a Christian who was happily married to my husband for 13 years. We adopted 2 boys. In January, my husband lost his…
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…
Lot’s selfishness, misplaced priorities and spiritual dullness cause disaster. He and his family barely escape certain death because of God’s amazing acts of mercy and grace. The lesson for us…
My faith is grounded in history, supported by historical evidence. Therefore, my approach to history is critical. The modern approach precludes the possibility of the supernatural. I see that I…
Jesus once told a parable about a king who decides to settle his accounts with his debtors. His bookkeeper surfaces a fellow who owes not thousands or hundreds of thousands…
How do you know if you are greedy? If you make most decisions based on the financial impact, if you put financial opportunity over family and health, if you experience…
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,…
The Lamb of God is also the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. When Christ cleansed the Temple, He became furious at the blatant, presumptious sinfulness of God’s people. We…
Jesus teaches us that when we live in fear we sacrifice the long term for the short term, we lose perspective and we fail to invest our lives fully in…
Apostates do not like God so they make up a god they can like. They are grumblers, fault-finders, boasters, flatterers and indulgers to evil desires. Many of us are so…
Jesus teaches that it is hard to live by God’s values when we don’t know what they are. He instructs us to saturate our minds with the Scriptures and live…
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…
Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount that a “worry free” life is always lived in the present. This faith-filled existence is focused on investing in God’s kingdom and…
The greedy man wasted God’s gifts and lost his soul. Investing in eternal things brings great blessings and heavenly rewards.