Photo from bioethics.net Yesterday was World AIDS Day. It got started back on December 1st, 1988 with the vision of bringing awareness to the AIDS pandemic and to fight prejudice against people with AIDS. Over the years, they have tried to raise money to find a cure and also to improve […]
Thanksgiving 2010 Reflections
Photo from PC World As I am getting older, I am seeing the correlation between gratitude and remembrance. In essence, the more we remember, the more we can develop a heart of gratitude. Now, one caveat in this simple principle is the assumption that we have learned how to see life […]
Hearing God’s Voice
Photo on WordPress I have always been fascinated with moms who are able to hear the cry of their baby in a room filled with crying babies. It has to be a special gift because for most fathers, all crying sounds made by babies sound the same. The intimate relationship the […]
The U.S. Can Learn a Few Things
Photo from worldofstock.com The world is changing; and it is changing at rapid speeds. When it comes to global issues such as the military, healthcare, environmental concerns, the economy, and etc. the United States has always led the way and the discussions. But the winds are slowly changing and it seems […]
The Problem with Power
Photo from Myers Elementary School This past week, I have been thinking a lot about the issue of power or authority. Everywhere you look there are people who have power and authority – the power to make decisions, the power to direct people, the power to open up opportunities and the […]
The Reality of Spiritual Warfare
Photo by weeklyrob I remember growing up as a new Christian in high school and some of my spiritual leaders would tell me the catch-22 that Christians face, especially when it comes to spiritual warfare. The catch-22 goes like this – “If you are growing spiritually, Satan will come against you […]
Prelude to Revival
Photo from chrisbraymusic.com A. W. Tozer wrote, “Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late–and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival […]
From the Crowd to the Core
Photo on dpnow.com In all new church plants, one of the biggest concerns or dilemmas is trying to figure out how to get people who visit your church to become committed disciples who will take on the role of leadership. Usually the linear process is: bring visitors in, reach out to […]
Obsessed with Fame
Photo by AP The whole world was riveted with the thought of a boy stuck in a runaway balloon. But horror turned into shock when evidence slowly emerged with the possibility of the whole ordeal being a hoax made up by the parents. The shock then turned into disbelief and anger. […]
Preaching the Gospel to Ourselves
Photo from images.com Over the years, I have been trying to teach our congregation(s) the importance of the Gospel. The Gospel is critical in our journey with Christ, not only when we get saved, but in the present and into the future. So often we apply the Gospel message towards a […]
The Reminders through the Call to Prayer
Photo from Freewebs I think one of the things that people have to get used to while they are in Indonesia is the daily calls to prayer. All throughout the day, you are able to hear the multiple calls to prayer for the Muslim people. The retreat center that I am […]
High School Retreat Revisited
Photo by Steven Fernandez For some reason, it seems so long ago that I spoke at a high school youth retreat, but in actuality, it has only been a few years. There is something about youth retreats that still has a special place in my heart. First of all, my first […]
I Don’t Want a Revival
Photo by Northview Some years ago, I was reflecting on how God sent revivals throughout history. At first, I was baffled at the fact that we haven’t been experiencing the type of revival that we read about in history. There were some of the more recent revivals in the 1990’s and […]
Obama’s Possible Miscue on Culture
Photo by Presswire The 2016 Olympics will be officially held in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil (yes, I am spelling it with an “S” instead of a “Z”… spelling with the “S” is the official Portuguese way). It was a joyous occasion for people of Brasil because this will be the first […]