Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
“Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors.” – Psalm 119:24
We are by nature complainers. We live in a whining world. The whole world is whining. Grumbling and complaining are certainly not new problems. In numerous examples in the Old Testament books of Exodus and Numbers, the Israelites bitterly complained
Continue reading
Many years ago, during my initial training in biblical counseling, I was introduced to the Y-Chart diagram. Since then, I’ve used it hundreds of times to help others to learn how the motivations of the heart work out in our
Continue reading
[NOTE: This article was originally posted July 12, 2013. Since then it was updated and published in October 2019, as part of the Introduction to the 31-day devotional, Anxiety: Knowing God’s Peace. Here it is, as an excerpt of that
Continue reading
Judging by the title of the book, one can gather that the subject of When Disability Hits Home probably has something to do with how to process the occurrence of disability either in our own life or in the life
Continue reading
Sexual assault and rape are horrifying experiences, which go on to affect all aspects of the victims’ lives. It is truly heartbreaking to listen to their stories and see how their lives have been devastated. My need for the Lord’s
Continue reading
This past Monday was two months since my excellent father died. I didn’t realize it had been that long until a church member sent my wife and me a sweet email letting us know she was praying for us. Life’s
Continue reading
The pain of loss can lead you to feel alone, even forgotten. The lack of answers to your Why questions and the drying up of the stream of encouraging phone calls, or mail can add to this solitary feeling. There
Continue reading
BOOKS/MINI-BOOKS Come Back, Barbara: A Father’s Pursuit of a Prodigal Daughter (John Miller, Barbara Juliani) From Heartbroken to Hopeful: Gospel Hope for Parents with Prodigals (Shirley Elliot) Letting Go: Rugged Love for Wayward Souls (Dave Harvey, Paul Gilbert) Prodigal Children:
Continue reading
It’s Inauguration Day in the United States, so I thought I’d remind us all of the biblical duty we have to always be in prayer for government leaders. Let us remember that our sovereign God raises and lowers kings (Dan.
Continue reading
Whether you’re aware of it or not, there is silent pain and secret shame in your church. Cheerful greetings are exchanged each Sunday morning. The “How are you?” greeting is politely met with “Fine” or the more daring “I’ve been
Continue reading
There are two equally dangerous extremes that local congregations may fall into as they relate to criticism. The first is a culture of criticism where nearly everything and everyone is viewed with suspicion and negativity. Self-righteous criticism becomes the defining
Continue reading
Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages has sold over 13 million copies over the past almost-thirty years, making it one of the most popular Christianized self-help books ever. But how biblical is its message? How consistent is its counsel with the
Continue reading
A few weeks ago, we had our first real snowstorm of the season. One of our neighbors said it was the most damaging snowfall they experienced on their property in the 37 years they’ve lived there. Our generator ran for
Continue reading
Here is the Introduction to my newest book, When Disability Hits Home: How God Magnifies His Grace In Our Weakness and Suffering, with contributions from Joni Eareckson Tada. The idea for this book was conceived in April 2011 at The
Continue reading
Man need only look back to the origin of existence and he will acknowledge that he owes everything to God. Man’s chief care, his highest virtue, and his only happiness, now and through all eternity, is to present himself as
Continue reading
The copy of Andrew Murray’s classic book, Humility, which sits on my desk as I type this blog post, was purchased and read in 1985, when I was only one-year old in Christ. Immediately its impact was felt. Since that
Continue reading
“I can’t claim to be inside God’s head, to know His reasons for everything that goes on. Yes, Scripture says I’m to have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5). But that doesn’t mean He answers all my questions.” So writes
Continue reading
Coronavirus has brought us back to the basics in shocking ways as we, our loved ones, and the world face the reality of our mortality. In the wake of this pandemic, our merciful God has recently healed several of my
Continue reading
By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and a pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. I love Christ because He first loved me.
