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4 Keys to Staying Strong and Winning in the Battles of Life

October 29, 2015 by

I’ve seen way too often the tragic results of people who play around with spiritual power. I know that sounds kind of bizarre but stay with me here.

 

Soldier Returning from Afghanistan is Greeted by his Son

 

When I went to the church I pastored I met first thing in our home with the leadership committee. I discussed my plans to revitalize the church, grow it and see people’s lives changed.

That evening as we sat in a circle in our living room I said, “When we do this we’ll be declaring war on the evil one and entering into battle. So if you don’t want to take that seriously and keep yourself spiritually strong everyday then resign now. I don’t want responsibility for what may happen to you.”

From the beginning the church rapidly grew. We saw real miracles. Lives were transformed.

 

And a few of those leaders who I talked with that night and some other leaders who followed them imploded.

 

They wanted the leadership role. They wanted the excitement. But they didn’t take the warning seriously with devastating results.

Sadly, I’ve also watched this happen to pastors who had life changing ministries and eventually blew up.

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How to Release Miracle Working Power Everyday

October 22, 2015 by

Do you ever get yourself in trouble with what you say?

 

Photo Credit: Hamed Masoumi

Photo Credit: Hamed Masoumi

 

I mean I can be irritable over the smallest things sometimes. Like really insignificant in hind sight. Then say something sarcastic that I regret about five minutes later.

Also some responses in casual conversation frankly leave me uneasy.

I asked a friend, “How you doing?”

He responded, “I’m doing.”

I thought, “Wait. What?”

Another friend said to me after a setback, “You know if I didn’t have bad luck I wouldn’t have any luck at all.”

We laughed but I thought, “What a sad outlook.”

And how many times have we all said when something doesn’t go our way, “Well, that’s just my luck.”

Sure we may say those things to be funny. Yet, way too often deep inside we’re serious.

 

But the real problem I see?

 

First, it reveals a heart filled with frustration and discouragement.

Second frankly it programs our mind to expect more of the same. And I’ve found when I expect more of the same too often I get it.

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2 Keys to a Miracle Filled Life

October 13, 2015 by

A few months ago, over brunch on Sunday morning, Jennifer and I reminisced about our years of marriage. We talked about how through the challenges and triumphs we’re amazed with where we’ve ended up.

 

Photo Credit: Geoffrey Coelho

Photo Credit: Geoffrey Coelho

 

We started out in a tiny apartment in a part of town that was so bad that one day I asked a neighbor if our car was safe.

He responded, “Oh yeah. The car thieves who live here don’t steal cars in this neighborhood.”

We reflected on nearly going bankrupt in a business we owned a few years later.

Then spending ten years as a pastor and wrestling to make ends meet with our family of four.

After that struggling to build the business we currently have while trying to live on virtually nothing the first few years.

And I remember sometimes lying awake at night worrying about how we would make it. [Read more…]

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How to Unleash Power to Solve Your Impossible Problem

October 1, 2015 by

We all face seemingly unsolvable challenges at times don’t we?

 

Lightning Strike

 

Maybe a medical issue the doctors just can’t get a handle on and keeps growing worse?

Or a marriage struggle? You’ve been through counseling, hashed it out into the wee hours of the morning, gone away on romantic weekends, yet nothing seems to rekindle the love.

Or financial struggles? Maybe your credit cards are maxing out. It’s all coming due and you simply haven’t got enough.

Or emotional challenges? You wake up in the morning looking forward to a great day but by noon you’re dragging around depressed and functioning in a fog. You talk with a shrink regularly, maybe take meds, yet nothing seems to work.

In all of these challenges or whatever other impossibility we face we can finally just grow despondent and want to simply give up can’t we?

 

The problem is though it only gets worse.

 

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Do You Really Want to See God?

September 29, 2015 by

A friend told me about a colleague whose son became deathly ill. Nothing the doctors tried seemed to work. His son was literally dying.

The father knew my friend was a Christian and, though he didn’t believe in God, he asked him to pray for his son.

 

Photo Credit: Kim Seng

Photo Credit: Kim Seng

 

The son remarkably recovered back to full health.

My friend later was talking with the father who said, “You know, we just can’t explain it. We were really lucky. But I just still can’t believe in God.”

Hmm, what else would God need to do?

Yet, not to be too hard on him, I’ve seen this happen way too often. God works a miracle and the response is, “Wow, what luck!”

 

In fact, it happens so often my friend renamed the Holy Spirit, “Lucky”.

 

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3 Perspectives That Determine if You’ll See a Miracle

September 24, 2015 by

When I entered into a relationship with Jesus, as I’ve written about, I was blind-sided by some of the responses.

My life was radically changed. I mean, I went from messed up, self centered and depressed to directed, caring, and joyful.

Yet the responses were all over the board.

 

Photo Credit: Anita

Photo Credit: Anita

 

One acquaintance, who’d recently experienced a similar transformation, said, “Fabulous! Let’s talk. Tell me about it.”

And we grew to be close friends.

An on and off girl friend, who lived in a distant city, remarked when I saw her afterwards, “Yeah, I heard you’d become a Jesus freak.”

I laughed and replied, “Wow, I’m not sure I’m a Jesus freak but I have always been a little wacked out.” And went on to tell her what had happened.

She responded, “You know, that’s great for you. It’s just not my thing right now.”

A third friend was one of my closest growing up. His mom was like a second mom.

See they were Armenian so there was always lots of family events and eating going on. And I was just one of the kids. So often I spent more time at their home than my own.

He told me, “I talked to my mom about what happened to you. She talked with our priest and he said I needed to be careful. This isn’t according to their doctrines.”

 

To say I was bewildered would be an understatement.

 

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How to Make Sure You Never See a Miracle

September 10, 2015 by

At a church service about a year ago we listened to the pastor explain why he didn’t believe God worked miracles any longer.

 

Photo Credit: byronv2

Photo Credit: byronv2

 

He carefully exegeted a scripture passage and explained the theological position he’d learned in seminary.

He finished by saying, “You may view things differently but I’ve never seen a true extraordinary miracle.”

I thought, “No kidding. I wonder why?”

I was reminded of that when I read this story of Jesus performing a miracle.

A man with a paralyzed hand is in the synagogue where Jesus goes to worship. Jesus has a discourse with some religious fundamentalists about the legality of healing on the Sabbath.

Finally, Jesus says to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”

He does and Jesus heals him instantly.

It says then the religious leaders left angry and discussed how to get rid of this interloper Jesus.

 

I wondered, “How could they have seen what just happened and yet completely missed it?”

 

Yet, the same thing happens with us sometimes too doesn’t it? Well, at least it does with me.

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Do You Need God’s Miracle and His Guidance?

July 16, 2015 by

Have you ever faced a challenge when you just wished you could see a God work a miracle and hear him speak?

Or more frustrating have you ever had a time you experienced that and now you’re facing a struggle but God seems to have left on vacation?

I can personally say yes to both.

 

Photo Credit: Frederic Poirot

Photo Credit: Frederic Poirot

 

I went through a serious medical challenge about eight years ago that was misdiagnosed and left me debilitated. Yet I watched as God arranged “coincidences” in miraculous ways and spoke to my heart which eventually led to my full recovery.

Fast forward to today. Honestly, when I write most mornings, I sense God’s leading. In fact sometimes I’m surprised by where posts come out. Although I would guess sometimes God’s probably surprised by what I come up with also.

Yet, to be honest I’m also frustrated with my blog at times. It continues to grow but excruciatingly slow. I pray regularly for God to show me how to grow it fast. Yet, what do I get?

Well, actually I do sense one answer, “Wait.” But frankly I don’t like that answer. I don’t do waiting well. And no don’t ask my wife.

 

So, it causes me to question again, “Why do I sometimes see God act and hear his quiet voice? And other times he seems to have left the building?”

 

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How to Find Assurance When You Struggle With Doubts About God

July 14, 2015 by

I was one of those children who authors make big money writing books about to help parents. I challenge everything.

I question authority, ask hard questions and rarely take anything for granted. I especially ridicule authority figures who make grand pronouncements and simply expect everyone to follow in lock step.

 

Photo Credit: Marcello Maria Perongini

Photo Credit: Marcello Maria Perongini

 

Growing up I experimented probably a shade too much. In high school and college that didn’t always play out so well. But it’s just how I’m wired.

So in my faith walk it happens also, often.

The worst though was when I pastored a church. Yeah I know you’re shocked. Pastors are the Supermen of faith. Yeah right.

I’d be driving to the church on Sunday morning often with the kids. All of a sudden the thought would pop into my mind, “Who are you kidding? Are you sure about all this?”

 

Let me tell you that’s not what you want your mind focused on when you’re getting ready to preach.

 

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What is the Secret Formula for Seeing the Miracles of God?

July 9, 2015 by

I’ve wrestled at times with trying to determine how to consistently see the miracles of God.

I’ve prayed for people and really no fooling seen God work a miracle.

So I’ve thought, “Ok, now I’ve got the formula figured out. Follow these steps and shazam!”

Yet, frustratingly I’ve followed those steps letter perfect and no shazam.

 

Photo Credit: Tim Ellis

Photo Credit: Tim Ellis

 

When I’ve asked Christian friends usually I get a variation on a couple of standard answers.

“Well, you just need to have more faith.” Or, “You just need to be filled with the Holy Spirit more.”

So I try really hard to have more faith. But it just never seems to work.

Or the other very pious answer, “You have leave it up to God and pray, ‘Not my will but yours be done.’”

The only thing is before I knew better I mistakenly prayed for God to work some miracles and he did.

So where does that leave me?

See I’m a checklist guy. I like simple step by step formulas that work every time.

 

But God frustratingly seems to not follow my checklist.

 

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