From the Blog

The Search for a Lost Sheep In the parable of the lost sheep, the Good Father is the shepherd who searches for the one that has gone astray—but not before He made sure the ninety and nine were securely tucked away in the sheepfold. Parables are word pictures, often...

What is forgiveness? Simply stated, it is giving up my right to hurt someone else for having hurt me. Forgiveness, like the law of gravity, is one of the foundational principles God has woven into the fabric of our universe. We can choose not to forgive, just as we...

Encourage yourself in the Lord. In 1 Samuel 30:6, we read that although David was greatly distressed, he encouraged himself in the Lord. Let me ask you this: Who says we must depend upon each other for encouragement? The world around us is totally co-dependent; it...

What was your first memory of your father? Was he a good, kind, loving father, or was he cold, unloving, and abusive? My father was away from home a lot, and when home, he was all too often in a drunken rage. When I was a small child, we moved into the Projects,...

When Carolyn and I started out our life and ministry together almost 50 years ago, we lived in a tiny mobile home that God gave us. We were so thrilled to have it. But the ceilings were six feet high, and I'm 6 feet, 6 inches tall.  I called that trailer the world...

Jesus said, “It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). God can make your past life up to you. King David declared, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling” (Psalm 68:5). David was rejected by his...

My childhood was a nightmare. I honestly did not expect to live to even reach 20 years of age. In fact, at one point, I told a teacher that reaching 20 was my main goal in life! My father horribly abused me, beating me at the slightest provocation. Twice he almost...

When I was very young, I experienced bigotry and attacks because my mother was Jewish. I vividly remember making my way home from school and complaining to my mother because some of the older boys had called me a “kite.” (At least, that's what I thought they were...

God created you in His image for a purpose. Jehovah God wanted to have an intimate relationship—friendship—with you. There is a DNA component of God that is within us. When He is magnified, this mysterious “X” factor activates His Word. The Bible says in Luke...

Those near Jesus told Bartimaeus, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you” (v. 49). Some other translations say, “Cheer up!” In other words, your negative words or attitude can block God’s favor. Bartimaeus had an attitude of expectancy, and that was a vital factor...