Enjoying the Journey

Preachers Can Have Rebel Hearts Too

Long before I was a preacher I was a sinner. We would like to think that this changes over time, but I am still a sinner! One of God’s great preachers said it best: “O wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:24). For sure, we should be sinning less but we are not sinless. Only Christ is that. Sometimes in the busyness of ministry, surrounded by so much religious context, we are prone to forget how wicked our hearts truly are. The flesh never gets better. It cannot be trusted. Deep within the most holy man is the unholy current of sin. There is in ALL of us a rebel heart. Sometimes it even comes out clothed in “preacher talk”…

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Don’t Just Serve The Lord!

When the Queen of Sheba came to visit King Solomon it was not just his riches and wisdom that she observed with amazement. It was his servants. She noted, “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom” (1 Kings 10:8). The joyful servants were a testimony to the king. When the world looks at the servants of God they should see the happiest people on earth. And this joy is not just for others to witness; it is for God to see. He rejoices when our greatest joy is serving Him. The God who knows everything is concerned not only with what we do but with why we do…

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Your Countenance Matters

I was walking across the parking lot.  I did not see anyone watching me and was deeply engrossed in some meaningless thought.  Then I heard him say,  “Why are you grimacing?” Grimacing?   Me?  Was I grimacing?  Perhaps, or perhaps my friend could not see my expression well.  Either way we had a good laugh and went our separate directions.  But the question stayed with me. Your countenance matters.  Others are reading our expressions and drawing conclusions.  The conclusions they draw may not reflect poorly on us alone; they may reflect poorly on the God of all joy that resides within us. Yes, your countenance matters.  Ask Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  It separated them from everyone else (Daniel 1:13-15).…

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