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January 29, 2015

Mad at Dad

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Please Note: I got knocked down with a serious bug this weekend in New Hampshire which has had me flat on my back all week. So thanks for bearing with me, and my posts will be back on a regular schedule now. I'm at the age when I, and many of my friends, are standing at the dock with our parents. They're getting ready to board and we're reluctantly facing it, while reflecting on how much they mean to us, and how surprisingly huge their role in our lives has turned out to be. All of which gets me thinking about fathers and sons. Dads figure Continue Reading

Filed Under: Relational Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 23, 2015

Prayers for Speaking Events in New Hampshire

Kardos Event

I'd sure appreciate your prayers this weekend, as I have the pleasure of spending it in New Hampshire to speak for a few events. I just got in last night, and as expected, the weather's cold and the area's beautiful, and I'm excited about the ministry opportunities. If' you're in the New England area it would be great to see you at any of these! My good friend Rick Kardos, Executive Director of The Nathan Project is hosting me for these events, the first of which is The Nathan Project's annual fundraising dinner, where I'll be speaking Continue Reading

Filed Under: A Cuppa Joe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 22, 2015

Early Winter

father and child hands

Do your diligence to come before winter. (II Timothy 4:21) Chuck Swindoll developed a volume of insight from Paul’s brief request to Timothy cited above, basing his book Come Before Winter on what he’d gleaned from the aging apostle’s thoughts. It’s a moving read, one of Swindoll’s best to my thinking, reminding us to hear the yearnings that people try to express. The very phrase “Come Before Winter” hints that the asker is facing an upcoming time of cold gray, hoping the person he’s asking will respond by being there, coming alongside when Continue Reading

Filed Under: Relational Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 21, 2015

Walking Wisely

Walking

Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. -Psalms 1: 1-2 What we listen to has a lot to do with where we are. We’re sheep, after all, and that’s what sheep do: they listen, then they follow. You and I don’t have much to say about our “sheep status” as listeners and followers. Even those of us who lead are in turn being led by something, because that’s our nature. But we can and do choose which voices we’ll tune into, and that choice will Continue Reading

Filed Under: Doctrinal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 20, 2015

‘American Sniper’ Lives Up to Its Buzz

American Sniper

Rolling Stone magazine said it takes a bite out of you, and that pretty well sums it up. American Sniper  isn’t a film you’ll enjoy, but it’s one you can respect, even if you do leave the theater feeling maimed. The greatest overall compliment I’d give director Clint Eastwood is that he simply pulled the curtain back to show us a brave man on a brutal journey – no sermons from the left or the right; just a stark portrait which you can approve or condemn. Eastwood reports, you decide. Continue Reading

Filed Under: A Cuppa Joe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 19, 2015

Scars, Resilience, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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“For the victory to be won some of us will have to get scarred a bit.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today we recognize a man and his legacy, and I'm happy to honor both. Continue Reading

Filed Under: Keeping It Clean Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 16, 2015

Dropping the S-Bomb

Bomb

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” - Proverbs 27:6 37 years ago I was hugely backslidden. Since I’d been in full time ministry before my fall, quite a few people had known me and were, I’m sure, perplexed and angry at my rebellion. Some of them contacted me, in person or by mail, trying to reason with me and persuade me to turn back, and I cannot describe how weird and miserable that felt. Continue Reading

Filed Under: A Cuppa Joe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 14, 2015

Kept

Kept

“You who are kept by the power of God — “ -I Peter 1:5 I was baptized 44 years ago, served God fervently for 7 years, spent the next 6 backslidden, then came back to my Father’s house in 1984 where I’ve happily resided since. Imperfectly, but still in residence. Continue Reading

Filed Under: Doctrinal Matters Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
January 13, 2015

A Banquet Defiled

Banquet

Several years ago, while teaching a marriage retreat seminar, I learned a striking lesson from one of the attending wives. Continue Reading

Filed Under: Marriage Matters
January 12, 2015

“My Husband’s Not Gay” – Appreciation, Concerns, and Random Thoughts

My Husbands Not Gay

Update: Tomorrow, January 14, I will be discussing this on-air with radio host Kevin Bolling on his show Knowing the Truth. To hear the show tomorrow, click here     It was pretty bold of The Learning Channel to present last night’s show “My Husband’s Not Gay.” Continue Reading

Filed Under: Keeping It Clean Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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