There are three things we need to pursue every single day in order to live with righteous conduct: God’s will, God’s glory, and God’s holiness. Before you write these things off as spiritual impossibilities, consider a few things.

Seeking God’s Will.

How can we know the will of God?  Knowing God’s will is the same thing as knowing God’s Word.  It is true, if we do not know what God has said, we will never be able to live as God intends.  But we have His Word recorded in 66 books. The only way to live with righteous intentions is …

It’s a sound that echoes throughout the self-made kingdoms of pride and conceit.  Its tone and timbre drives men to lofty pursuits and radical achievements.  It can be obnoxious or euphoric depending on its direction.  If aimed toward others it may become unbearably deafening; if aimed toward us it validates every effort exerted…it is the roaring sound of applause.

We do it at ball games, church services, award ceremonies, political venues, retirement parties, and just about any other event where someone is being recognized.  Clapping can be a healthy way of saying “thank you.”  It confirms our acknowledgment of someone’s …

Tempted and Tried by Russell Moore ruined my vacation reading.  I had strategically picked five books in five different categories to feed upon during my down time at Panama City Beach.   My idea of vacation is pretty simple: Feet in the sand, kids in the pool, nose in a book.  I had no idea, however, that the first book I randomly picked from my stack would absolutely mess up those plans.

Moore’s book on the temptation of Christ was a last-minute purchase.  The night before we left, I stumbled upon a blog that featured this title.  It seemed somewhat intriguing …

“An idealist believes the short run doesn’t count. A cynic believes the long run doesn’t matter. A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run” –Sydney J. Harris

“Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.” –Thomas a Kempis

“We must stop setting our sights by the light of each passing ship; instead we must set our course by the stars.” –George Marshall

“This is the great conversion in life: to recognize

Preaching is personal.  The preacher who tries to be something different in the pulpit from what he is outside of the pulpit will eventually suffer from an identity crisis.  When public persona doesn’t coincide with private practices, men have trouble remembering who they are.  Life and ministry develops internally. Authentic, Spirit-filled preaching is cultivated before and after the worship service, not during.

It is the burden of my heart to encourage men of God to order their private worlds in such a way that their ministry flows from the inside out. With that notion in mind, I am pleased to …