Why Having Authority Over You Matters
When you’re life has gone off the rails, is it possible that it was partly because you decided to go it on your own? Were there authorities and rules that […]
Humble Streaming: Being a Servant to Your Viewers (Devos & Chill Ep. 3 – Phil 1:1-2)
What does it mean to be a “servant of all” when you are a Twitch Streamer, YouTuber, or social media star? What does humility look like as a Christian internet […]
Why Did Jesus Suffer? (Lent 2020)
During the season of Lent is the time when we fast and contemplate the sufferings of Jesus, what they teach us about Him, and what they mean to us. Please […]
Your Soul is Starving (Lent 2020)
We’re headed into the Easter season. This week we celebrated Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday as it’s sometimes called, followed by Ash Wednesday, the official start of the season of […]
Bible Reading, Prayer & Your Crucible
Audio: Text: I’ve been doing something lately that I rarely do. I can’t actually remember when I’ve done this before. I’ve been reading books for myself. I know that sounds weird to say, but usually when I read, study, or watch something, it’s so that I can learn for the sake of my job. But lately, because of all the […]
Advent Sermon: Jesus as Tabernacle (by Pastor Al) (Carnivore Theology: Ep. 104)
Advent is a special time of year when Christians remember the incarnation of the Son of God at Christmas and prepare our hearts for the time when Jesus will come […]
The Double Edged Sword – Why God’s Word is So Powerful
Podcast Audio: Over the past couple of weeks we have talked about the importance of making the daily reading of scripture the core part of our lives, and the foundation of our relationship with God. This all started because I wanted to share a way that God has spoken to me through my devotional times. I’ve noticed that most Christians […]
Special Request: How Do You Devo?
Podcast Audio: How Do You Devo? Devos, Daily Devotionals, Quiet Time, Private Meditation, Time with God, 1-on-1 with Jesus, Daily Prayers — there are lots of names for it and likely as many ways to do it. And I want to know yours! I recently filled my very first prayer journal and got a shiny new one to celebrate (pictured above). God […]
Why Should I Love My Enemies?
I gave a talk to a group of AWANA kids this week. It was “Heart Night” (celebrating Valentine’s Day) and I spoke on Love. I used some animated gifs in the powerpoint, which is where all the giggling at the beginning comes from. I linked to a few if you want a giggle too. Here’s the audio (12 minutes): How […]
Wisdom and Foolishness
I’m a HUGE fan of the AWANA program and had the opportunity to speak again last Thursday night. I gave a talk called “Wisdom or Foolishness” to a group of kids aged 5-12 and their leaders (which included some pretty fun pictures!). Here’s the audio: I want to play a game with you that I’m going to call “Good or Bad”. I’ll show you […]
What’s In A Name?
I’m a HUGE fan of the AWANA program and have been blessed with the opportunity to speak a couple of times. Last night I gave a talk called “What’s In a Name?” to a group of kids aged 5-12 and their leaders. It’s an adaptation of the sermon I gave on Sunday, but I was amazed how God changed the […]
From Shrove Tuesday to Mardi Gras
My nephew was asked to put together a report on Mardi Gras which reminded me of a reflection piece I had written that might be of help to him, and hopefully you too. Throwing the Baby Out With the Bath Water The traditional Christian season of Lent starts on February 13 this year. Christians have been practicing the 40 days […]
Waiting & Preparing
I shared this devotional at a Christmas Eve Service last night: Over the past month both our churches have been celebrating the season of Christmas by using Advent candles. They are a wonderful tool to remind us that the story of Christmas doesn’t just surround the baby in the manger, but encompasses the whole gospel. I’ve been preaching a sermon […]
"Making Room" ~ The Meaning of Christmas / Life
That’s a cool video. The reason I like it so much is because it expands our understanding of Christmas. It gives meaning to the simple Christmas story we have just seen acted out for us. It takes us far beyond the nativity scene, the baby in the manger, the shepherds and the wise men… far beyond the trappings of our […]
Jesus, Cold & Wet
I don’t know why this never occurred to me before, but it wasn’t always hot and sunny while Jesus walked the earth. Maybe I’ve seen too many pictures of Jesus standing in a sunbeam or walking along a desert road, but it never really crossed my mind that Jesus would have been cold. I tried to find a picture online of Jesus […]
Grafting Dead Branches on a Fruit Salad Tree
I started today confused. How can God love mankind while at the same time have complete hatred for sinners? Aren’t they the same people? And how does ordain the use of sinful people and sinful situations to accomplish His perfect, holy will without He Himself being the cause of the sin. The first place my devotional reading too me was […]
