Today’s headlines bear witness that we are at war not just of weaponry, but words: “God does not bless any conflict." The Pope “The Pope…is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” The President The Pope vs. the President, hawks vs. doves, partisan politics vs. peace—war is a battlefield of sides. There are no neutrals in a foxhole. So, the question is: Whose side are you on, better still, whose side is God’s side when it comes to war, not only its reality, but also i

"When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us, who were created, you have this amazing place, this spaceship. You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth. But you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos," he added. Victor Glover, Artemis II Astronaut From spaceship Artemus II, during the 10-day journey around the moon and back, four astron

Travel with heartburn.   “Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”   Robert Frost   This quote may be the most cited word on “roads.” I doubt the poet had “heart burn” in mind as a better route. Perhaps, the less traveled road is such a difference-maker because it is a more difficult one, requiring faith, born of failed expectation and emboldened inspiration. That road is often paved with disappointments. Re

An 80-year-old woman wanted to marry her fourth husband. Understandably, the pastor doing the required marriage counseling was compelled to asked about her husbands, past and future. “Tell me about them?” She took a long pause and replied, “My first husband was a banker, but we had financial problems. The second was an actor, but there was too much drama. The third was a preacher, but it was 24-7 church; and now, I want to marry a funeral director.”    The pastor looked at he

Three-hour waits in check-out lines, missed flights; spring break plans ruined; the threat of airport closures—air travelers’ experiences can be described with one word: suffering . But at the bottom of this suffering avalanche, are the real victims of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security funding lapse.  TSA employees have been working without pay since Feb. 14. They can’t pay rent, childcare, groceries, or gasoline to get to work. They are taking second jobs as Uber driv

Don’t let the weeds of compromise choke out your glorifying virtues. Spring is upon us. Time to think about readying that garden. I’m working on min e . It’s not much: a few herbs here, some tomatoes in pots, there. Even more reason that I’m spending more time this year with soil prep—composting, to be exact. I want rich soil, minus sneaky weed seeds that can slip into the dirt. The right environment, free from contaminants, is important especially if you’re growing a small g

It depends on what (who) you care about. White sands, blue waters, all you can eat, drink, tennis—if that’s not paradise then what is? While most of the Northeast was under snow, I was under an umbrella with a drink in hand adorned with an umbrella (virgin of course) free from cell phone and the cares of the world. As I sat each morning for surfside devotion, the rhythm of the waves would not release me from one question: What is paradise—that place of happiness? Jonah had to

For many, there is no bigger game than the Super Bowl. Most coaches will keep the same plays that got them there, to “dance with the one that brung ya.” But that is not always the best strategy. Sometimes the big game requires a big reverse.   Such was the case on the day of the Prophet Joel. In Joel 3:10 —a call to war—the head coach, God, called for his faithful to ready for a future prophetic battle between good and evil requiring a different game plan—a reversal in appro

A group of Buddhist monks on a 2,300-mile "Walk for Peace" from Texas to Washington, D.C. have traveled 1221 miles through six states. Along the way, through snow and ice, they have encountered thousands—some with warm, open arms, some with cold, vitriolic opposition and irretractable conversion. Some Baptist pastors and their congregations have met the Monks with food, shelter and prayer, “We need peace”. One Baptist pastor one state over confronted the monks with doctrinal

“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meals.”  Hosea 8:7 A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things to suggest a similarity and to create a vivid image or deeper understanding. In the case of understanding the deep consequences of empty choices , how do you drive home the point that nothing plus nothing equals nothing, except more of the same.   God chose the wind—unseen on its own but not unfelt

Life can be a turbulent flight—delays, cancelations, boarding challenges, sickness, violence, hatred, fear, death—even getting a ticket can be a burden, but there is a better, first-class way to fly—Hesed Air.   The prophet Hosea recommends it when you’re trying to get back home to God. 6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6   Here is the preflight plan of Hosea 6. God’s people were flying in some r

I had a friend whose opinion I respect asked about my pending message from the pulpit: “Are you going to be political?” Is my preaching political? As I aspire to “ preach the truth in love” according to Paul’s admonition to the church at Ephesus (Eph. 4:15-16), it is a fair question:  15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies,

It’s that time of the year when many people make resolutions for the new year and make plans accordingly. And they go to all kinds of measures to get a glimpse into the future to that plan: tea leaves, tarot cards, and horoscopes. Let’s not forget Nostradamus—the 16 th -century astrologer—whose 1555 text, “Les Propheties,” sees continued global strife, war on the seas, royal turmoil and humanitarian disasters for 2025. Aren’t we always in a time of global strife, war, and dis

Is it you? A couple of mischievous boys were constantly in trouble. You name it; they did it. At their wits end, the parents sent them to a local preacher who had a reputation for successfully straightening out hell-raising kids. The minister agreed to speak with the boys individually. The younger one went first. “Where is God?” The boy made no response. So, the preacher raised his fire-and-brimstone voice, “WHERE IS GOD?' At that, the boy bolted for the door, ran home, and h

Hold to your integrity and tongue.  In today’s warfare, weapons come in many high-tech forms: drones, missiles, and satellites. Victory depends on strategic deployment. When the battlefield is spiritual, when integrity is under attack in high places—public, private, or political, “speak softly, and carry a better stick.” Words are often the weapon of choice to defeat your faith. Your enemy is not afraid to take you down by mouth. Be strategic in your counterattack like Daniel

Men do.   INTRODUCTION: An apple falling from a tree striking Issaac Newton on the head led him to discover the relationship between gravity and weight. Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object. His theory of gravity revolutionized our understanding of the physical attraction of the universe. Gravity also offers us a picture of the Spiritual Force operating in heavenly realms that identifies our inner reality and relationship with God. Gravity, in a way, is God’s u

It’s a good way to give . In a few days, you will celebrate Thanksgiving—a holiday to focus, with a good meal with family and friends, what you must be grateful for. Everybody knows any good meal requires prep—the get ready to throw down. One sure fire prep to meaningful Thanksgiving is  “servant giving”. Giving to givers is a good way to give. God illustrates this kind of giving in Ezekial 45 as seen in the allotment of the sacred district of the temple: Make a place for God

Watch your step and who you step with. The yellow and black tape at a traffic accident, road hazard or crime scene is generally associated with one word— caution . It’s for your own good to watch your step to avoid danger. But yellow and black tape can also be associated with another word— circumspection —to move carefully toward something or someone that is safe and a service to others. The path to a good space is ladened with boundaries that bring you closer to God. EXPOSIT

…when you hate the right things. This post title is intended to direct your attention to the obvious: hate is in the air. Enmity pollutes our current toxic social climate and pressurizes our relationship atmosphere. Let’s get to the intended question: What’s the right thing to hate? Ezekiel 35:5 is a helpful barometer of hate. Enmity in the eyes of God is our gauge: 5 "Because you have had everlasting enmity and have delivered the sons of Israel to the power of the sword at

We all eat.   SNAP  (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program); FAN  (Feeding America Network )— food assistance organization “short hands” have dominated recent headlines focused on longlines—people in America waiting for their next meal. That’s right—a first rate country with a third world problem—hunger. Nearly 42 million people face food insecurity daily. It’s nothing new. In Jesus’s day, Matthew 14’s headline reads: Messiah