It’s hard to believe the year is soon to end.  At the time of this writing, there is approximately 48 hours left, which means 8712 hours have come and gone.  Many of those hours have been allotted to books, many books.  Good books, great books, mediocre books, and awful books…books galore fill my desk, bedside, office, bathroom, and just about any other conceivable spot.

I enjoy reading the book recommendations of others; equally I enjoy sharing what I have read throughout the year as well.  I always preface the list with a cautious admonition: With much reading comes the need

In his book, The Divine Mentor, author Wayne Cordeiro said, “When you miss your devotions one day, you notice. When you miss them two days, your spouse and kids notice. And when you miss them three days, the world notices.” A daily devotion is a necessity for the Spirit-filled life.  Those who do not feed their souls with spiritual things are certain to feed their souls with other things.  The greatest intake for such a diet is a daily dose of the Word of God.  No book, article, or social media post from your favorite follower should be a substitute

The church at large likes nothing less than to be different in these last days. We’ve sacrificed our influence on the altar of relevance thus killing our power. We have been commissioned to reach, not replicate, the world around us. But replication, not transformation, is the religious model these days.

Give Them What they Want?

I am fearful of a dreaded truth. We are corralling goats into the sheepfold in the name of success and growth. We have invested much entertainment, time, money, energy, and resources to appeal to the unsaved, unregenerate cravings.  “Give them what they want” is the