Steve's Blog
Distractions are a part of life. They always have been. We may choose to believe that the complexities and pace of life in modern times are without parallel in history, but even in the simplest and slowest paced age people have faced distractions which endeavor to hinder the achievement of goals and objectives. The capability to focus on a goal and eliminate or ignore distractions is essential to accomplishing large tasks. However, identifying and selecting a worthy goal is a prerequisite to suc...
*“Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”* 2 Peter 3:9b (NIV) A good author or screenwriter can draw us into their story where good and evil are in conflict in such a way that we have great expectancy and longing to see the villain’s demise. In fact, if the nasty piece of work is spared destruction there is almost a sense of disappointment. Whether this is the result of an innate consciousness of justice or simply a base desire for payba...
View all of Not Wanting Anyone to Perish
Hope Over Fear Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. Romans 13:1 (The Message) Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 (CEB) === There has been nothing in my lifetime that compares to the situation that we are now facing. On one hand, there is a...
*For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.* 1 Corinthians 16:9 (NKJV) For some time now, I have been periodically coming back to this verse. I keep asking myself this question: “Does Paul see this as an opportunity in spite of many adversaries or does he believe that because there are so many adversaries, it is worth pursuing?” It should go without stating, but I’ll state it nonetheless, wherever there is a great opportunity or an open door, we can be certa...
View all of A Door of Opportunity?
They will look up to heaven and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness. Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. Isaiah 8:21–9:1 (NLT)
Words are fascinating—all words, really, but especially words that indicate a change of direction or purpose. When times are difficult, there is a tendency toward despair. Whether we are speaking of illness, war, economic depressio...
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. Psalm 119:1–3 (NLT)
The introductory verses in Psalm 119 describe a path of success for anyone following God. Simply put, it is wholehearted obedience and allowing no compromise with evil. The way is not always easy; it can be challenging to find traveling companions.
Being ful...
They are motivated by love, because they know that I’m put here to give a defense of the gospel; the others preach Christ because of their selfish ambition. Philippians 1:16–17 (CEB)
Motives are problematic. They can lead someone to do the right thing for the wrong reason, but they can also result in doing the wrong things despite the right reasons when not combined with sound judgment. Because our motivation is not always discernible, it is important that we ask God to examine us. In Psalm 2...
But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy. Psalm 68:3 (NLT)
Consider with me the relationship between faith and praise. With rare exceptions, we all know people who have “left the faith.” Have you ever heard of someone who has “left the praise?” Although I do not have any empirical evidence, I would contend that those who “lose” their faith probably “lost their praise” or joy first.
We have heard about building or increasing our faith (Jude 20...
View all of Never Lose Your Praise
*Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.* James 2:12–13 (NIV) It is a difficult time for many people who believe that their way of life and their beliefs are under attack from many sides. Issues of terrorism, immigration, instability in financial markets along with moral and social upheaval trouble many people today including Christians. While t...
View all of Mercy and Judgment
Motivation is a huge component in our lives and we quickly realize that not everyone is motivated by the same factors. In the business world and in athletics, the leaders who excel are the ones who have learned how to use a variety of incentives and disciplines to maximize their organization’s effectiveness. Someone who is good at motivation helps others by getting them to focus on things larger than themselves. The apostle Paul had a difficult relationship with the Christians at Corinth, in par...
Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (CSB)
Stories of courage and heroism inspire us. In the Bible, we read of Daniel facing the lion’s den, or Peter and the apostles, standing before the Council, declaring, “we must obey God rather than man.” Or we might recall Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus. These are heroic moments, but what does it mean to live courageously every day?
What Is Courage?
The dictionary defines courage as:...
Insults have broken my heart. I’m sick about it. I hoped for sympathy, but there wasn’t any; I hoped for comforters, but couldn’t find any. Psalm 69:20 (CEB)
When people reject us for sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must be cautious that we do not assign the wrong attitude or motivation to those who do not receive our message. Without complete understanding, which is very difficult when it comes to other people, we may perceive that rejection of the good news is becaus...
View all of Lift up the Brokenhearted
Yesterday, we celebrated Labor Day here in the United States. Without dwelling on the origins of the holiday or the meaning behind it, let us simply say that for many people, it was a day to relax and not labor. In any organization, but specifically in churches, there are both visible and invisible jobs to be done. However, do not assume that just because a job does not have visibility, it is not important. Therefore it is incumbent upon leaders to recognize and honor those who serve in jobs tha...
I listened as a friend offered a prayer for an acquaintance who was traveling. They prayed for smooth flights, easy connections, and no interruptions. I have also heard prayers before a church service, asking that everything go according to plan, smoothly and again with no interruptions. On the surface, these seem like very usual, even noble prayer requests, but what if we should pray that instead of our journey being on a smooth path, we ask for a road of opportunity?
There is a lot to be sai...
View all of A Smooth Path or a Road of Opportunity?
*So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.* Exodus 6:9 (NLT) If we are rebuffed when sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must be very careful that we do not assign the wrong attitude or motivation upon those who do not receive our message. Without complete understanding, which is very difficult when it comes to other people, we may perceive that rejection of...
View all of Lift up the Brokenhearted
“Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.” 2 Corinthians 8:1–2 (NLT)
I returned home a few days ago from a 12 day mission’s trip to Mexico. Although Paul was speaking of the churches in Macedonia, what he says here is equally applicable to many of the churches and peop...
Last week I had the privilege of participating in a Mission’s Conference at Phoenix Christian Assembly hosted by Pastor Don Grosvenor. On behalf of the AGIF I made some comments to the conference regarding the importance of missions and the honor that we should bestow upon those who are serving the cause of the gospel on the front lines and working diligently to fulfill the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV)
Missionaries serve as ambassadors for the cause of the gospel to facilitate the...