Wickedness is a raging fire. It is a self-absorbed flame licking up all in its path. It is a self-destructive flame feeding on itself. Have you heard about a controlled burn? The problem with a controlled burn is that it can easily become an uncontrollable conflagration. Wickedness cannot be controlled. What I mean by that… Read More ›

In the movie the Matrix, the one who ends up betraying Morpheus and everyone else, does so because he wants to be plugged back into the lie. The truth is too stark; too real. He knows that, in reality he will be in a pod and plugged into the Matrix; that he won’t really be… Read More ›

Discipline, when done well, is all about relationship. My wife watches our grandchildren. In the process of the day, there are moments when she tells them “NO!” or scolds them. They often respond with tears. And in that moment of hurting, the person they want most, is their Grandma. They may not fully understand that… Read More ›

Proclaiming a word from God should not be easy. I am not a prophet in the Old Testament sense of the word. Hebrews 1:1-2 makes it pretty clear that in times past God spoke through the prophets but now he speaks through the son – through Jesus. So, the men and women of God who… Read More ›

I am not a conspiracy theorist, but I do believe there are conspiracies out there. I just don’t see them everywhere. And there is an important truth about conspiracies. Not all conspiracies are bad. Oh, to be sure, plenty are. Evil forces will join forces and lay traps in an attempt to advance their own… Read More ›

There once was a farmer who lived south of a dam. After a couple of dry years, this farmer decided that the corps of engineers was too slow in releasing water. His land was suffering after all. They didn’t release near enough water and they waited too long to release what little they did. Those… Read More ›

The other day, my wife and I took our grandchildren to Fort Lincoln State Park. One of the things in this park to see is an On-the-Slant Village. It is a replica of how the Mandan Native Americans used to live. The dwelling places were mounds constructed with wood and covered with earth. Our grandson… Read More ›

We don’t like to be inconvenienced. Well, it is more than that really. We expect life to be fair. And we want a God who will orchestrate everything to our liking and wealth and well-being. Well? Don’t we? So, if there is a message in the Bible that says, “Hey, life is hard, get used… Read More ›

Just for argument’s sake, let’s say you don’t like the president of the United States. Not as a person necessarily, but as a president. And let’s say with every new day and new policy you are shouting out “ENOUGH!” You feel like you are being wearied to exhaustion. And just to be clear I am… Read More ›

A few years ago, Cindy and I were hiking up to Lake Serene in Washington State. This was a long hike that meandered up several feet in elevation. Can you say, “switchbacks” boys and girls? Sure, I knew you could. As we were hiking, people coming back down kept telling us, “Its not far now.”… Read More ›