Does God notice when I'm afraid? Note the resolve in the eyes of Jesus as he marches through the storm to rescue his friends.
It's God's job to run the world. Sometimes we accomplish more by doing less.
I think you have to be very careful about any story that puffs you up.
I've caught myself a time or two adding or embellishing. I don't think that pleases the Lord. I don't think He needs my dishonesty to convey His gospel.
If you're looking for a place with no change, try a soda machine.
I believe the Bible tells a story we recognize as true. I don't just mean it tells an accurate story - though it's telling that the Bible stands tall even after more than 2,000 years of secular criticism.
God saves, not God empathizes, cares, listens, helps, assists, or applauds.
Jesus was not just godly, godlike, God hungry, God focused, or God worshipping. He was God. Not merely a servant of God, instrument of God, or friend of God, but Jesus was God.
You don't have to be dishonest to communicate the gospel.
What did Jesus come to do? God saves.
Who was Jesus? God saves.
I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that befriends you to them. It engages you with them and then you can come in; they will remember that point.
I try to be honest; I really do try not to exaggerate the story. I try to be accurate.
Be gone, sorrow, sickness, wheelchairs, and cancer! Enough of you, screams of fear and nights of horror! Death, you die! Life, you reign!
Examine the platforms of both parties. Examine the character of both parties. Get down on your knees. Say, Lord, help me make this decision. And then go vote.
So immediately I'm trying to think: What are some of these times when we feel we're losing our hold on Christ, and what's the fear we're trying to address? I try to get into that quickly.
I think to trust in the sovereignty of God does not excuse my personal responsibility. Just the opposite - it equips me to be personally responsible.
I think I could do better in my approach to application. I think I could do better in preaching practical sermons.
In March 2011 I'm trying to decide on a sermon series that I will preach in January 2012. So, I'm about six months out.
I do not know when Christ is coming back. No one knows. But I do think the environment is getting more and more to the point where we can look for his return.
Usually I'm able to prepare a message about two to three weeks in advance.I know some preachers don't like that. They want to be finishing it on Friday before they preach it on Sunday, but our worship team really likes me to get it done way in advance.
How grimy did God get when He reached down to clean you up? How grimy are you willing to get in order to be an 'imitator of God'?
I think we have such a crown jewel in the forgiveness of God, and it changes people's lives.
There are some people that say I need to be more academic in my teaching, I need to be more disciple developing focus, probably true. But where my heart is, is with people who are just passing through difficult time. I want to put literature in a form that is accessible for people who don't particularly read books.
I firmly believe that the purpose of life is not this life. It is to equip us, whatever our role is going to be in the next life. And understanding God's story is really where I find the significance and purpose in my own story.