In most circumstances, one out of ten is not very good. A student who answers one question correctly out of ten will fail the test. A quarterback who completes one pass out of ten is most likely on the losing team. A salesperson who completes one sale out of ten good prospects may need a…
“Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” So wrote Edward Sandford Martin, founder of the “Harvard Lampoon.” It is Thanksgiving Week in the U.S. – a time of remembrance with gratitude. Short memory makes thanksgiving difficult. Good memory makes…
When circumstances are beyond our control, we have a choice of responses. One of my favorite responses is laughter. As I was being introduced as the preacher for a recent revival meeting, the pastor got his words confused and introduced me as “Dr. Revival who is here to preach for us.” I was not sure…
Worship vs. performance? That’s another Memo. The issue here is leadership of worship music. Name one biblical character that led with eyes closed and don’t name someone who led through prayer. There is not one verse in the Bible that says anyone closed their eyes when they prayed. There are ten biblical postures for prayer….
Is it really more spiritual to close one’s eyes while leading worship music or does it just feel that way to the leader? I asked one worship leader how he could lead with his eyes closed. His reply was, “My job is to worship. If I worship, they will follow.” Last time I checked, preaching…
Over the past few weeks I have communicated with a number of God-called ministers who are no longer in vocational ministry. While there are some understandable and legitimate reasons, there are also some not-so-good reasons. I’ve also met a few people recently who once felt called to be involved in church activities but now find…
Various lists of the names of Jesus range all the way to as many as 700 different names and titles. The New Testament alone gives Jesus more than one hundred names and titles. One might ask why there are so many different names of Jesus? In the Biblical times, the Israelites often selected names for…
The Christian form of unceasing prayer may have been preceded by the Psalmist David who wrote, “I have set the Lord always before me” (Ps. 16:8). The Apostle Paul encouraged believers in Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Never has this method of prayer been more appropriate than in our fast-lane lifestyles. Need…
The word “lifestyle” was originally coined in 1929 by a Psychologist named Alfred Adler but the modern usage of the word seems to come from around 1961. Lifestyle refers to the manner in which a person lives, which may include habits, conduct, language, dress, responses to others, interpersonal relationships and a host of other factors….
What does it mean to live a Christian lifestyle? For the Christian, lifestyle is a way of living life with Jesus Christ at the very center. This is easier said than done. One cannot put Christ at the very center without denying self, family and close relations. Jesus issued strong warnings about putting self, family…