smart

Smart

I spent nearly half my life in school – 29 years. I have met a lot of really smart people along my journey. I have met presidents, governors, surgeons, philosophers, astronauts, and scientists. I have played chess against grandmasters and dialogued with the leaders of some of the world’s most successful companies. I’ve known geniuses…

joy

Joy

“The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy” (Galatians 5:22) St. Teresa of Avila said, “From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, Lord, deliver us.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest, paleontologist, and philosopher, said, “Joy is the surest sign of the presence of God.” Pastor and author Bruce Larson said, “Grimness is…

arrogance

Arrogance

God is not a fan of arrogance. In case you weren’t sure, hear his voice: “I am against you, arrogant one” (Jeremiah 50:31). That’s strong! God says he is against you if you live a life of arrogance. John Maxwell said, “There are two kinds of pride, good and bad. Good pride represents our dignity…

first

Go First

Addiction is a horrible professor. It teaches us to do things that leave irreparable damage. Lesson 1 is this – “Body, obey your emotions.” Recovery, on the other hand, is a master teacher. It tells us, “Emotions, obey your body.” Do the right thing long enough, and your emotions will eventually catch up with you.…

eyes

The Eyes Have It

“With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning” (2 Peter 2:14). This speaks to the cycle of addiction: The result of repeated porn use and of crossing unhealthy sexual boundaries is the inevitable disruption of the brain’s pathways for releasing dopamine and oxytocin, which can cause short- and long-term changes in brain chemistry. Psychologist…

shapes

Shapes

“Men naturally see shapes” (Jake Porter). It’s not something we work at; seeing shapes comes naturally for most men. That is why – sadly – many men see a collection of body parts when we should be seeing the total person, created in the image of God. The research is clear. Of the 40 million…

leak

Leaky Cisterns

“They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13). Do your cisterns hold water? The only way your cisterns are guaranteed to hold water is if you turn to the leak preventer every day. Jonathan Edwards said it well: “How can you…