Category: 2017 Column

Imagine this. A shyster comes through your neighborhood and talks an elderly widow into a new roof, collects $15,000 from her, blows town with her money, and she ends up with no new roof or a shoddy job. What are two things he needs to accomplish his deed? His guile and her gullibility. Imagine this. … Continue reading There is a way to avoid being deceived

Every time Paul prayed for the church in Philippi, he prayed with joy. Here’s a distinguishing characteristic of a Christian: We are the joyful ones. And gratitude plays a huge part in that. I am most joyful when I am most thankful. And I am most thankful and joyful when I live in the right … Continue reading Being joyful starts with gratitude

Many of my readers will remember the tragic story of the death of Steven Curtis Chapman’s adopted daughter, Maria. She was killed in the driveway of their home in 2008 when she ran into the path of a car driven by her brother, Will Franklin. The final third of the book takes the reader through … Continue reading Read Between Heaven and the Real World

A cartoon in the Saturday Evening Post years ago showed a young boy of 5 or 6 years old talking on the phone, saying, “Mom is in the hospital, the twins and Rozie and Billie and Sally and the dog and me and Dad are all home alone.” That was a time when Moms were … Continue reading There’s nothing like a Mom

Have you ever known someone who used to follow Jesus, but has wandered away? We all do. James finishes his letter with a strong plea for us to bring back the wanderer. Let’s be clear: the wanderer is not gone because the church has a cross or a steeple, or sings hymns, or doesn’t sing … Continue reading Bring back the wanderer

I remember hearing this phrase from the book of James a lot as a kid: “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” I never really knew what that meant, especially effectual and availeth, but I know now that I witnessed it every week. My 80-year-old great-grandmother would go into her bedroom every … Continue reading Learn to pray in your prayers