My family loves to camp. We always drive north to our "favorite spots." (Don't ask where though as camping has become too competitive to risk anyone else knowing our good spots.)  I will confess that we always head north and we often drive past Dingerville.  Anybody know where this is? In that same general vicinity is a [...]

Last week we were reminded by the prophet Jeremiah 2:13 that my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters. They have hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. The broken cisterns are idols made by man. They can not hold water, (which is their defined purpose) and therefore they cannot [...]

We have been chatting the last couple of weeks about whom we will serve? To whom will we commit our time and talents and treasures? The truth about idols. God says clearly in His Word, (Exodus 20:3),  that we, (His special creation) shall have no other gods before Him. In Jeremiah 2:13 the prophet comments that "My people have [...]

Who will you serve? Who or what takes precedence in your life? Last week we introduced Hiroo Onoda and applauded his commitment to duty during the second World War, but acknowledged that his service was gravely misplaced. We also considered the life of Joshua and unpacked his declaration of service to the God of heaven found in Joshua [...]

Who will you serve? Placing God above all else is the only way to rid ourselves of idolatry. Hiroo Onoda was an Imperial Japanese Intelligence Officer ordered to the Island of Lubang in the Philippines in 1944. He was ordered to carry out reconnaissance and conduct guerrilla warfare. He was forbidden to surrender or to give [...]

What do you value the most? The last couple of weeks we have been chatting about the difference between happiness and joy. The Bible is clear that happiness is circumstantial and somehow attached to fortune. Joy exists regardless of circumstance because the source of joy is found in God. So it begs the question...do you value [...]

Happy Memorial Day. Our appreciation, gratitude, and prayers go out to those who have given so much to protect the freedoms, privileges and rights we all enjoy as Americans. To that end, I jump back into the topic we introduced last week on living JOYFULLY.  We were reminded that joy is different from happiness. Happiness comes from [...]

Do you remember that old Sunday School song that contained that phrase "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength"? The simplicity of that statement is disarming, but the truth of the message is very powerful. I know that you would agree that JOY appears to be in short supply in this old world. However, Men of INTENTION know that [...]

I read a blog each morning from an organization called Grassfire. The author, Steve Elliott, recently spoke at a Leadership Camp at the invitation of his son's Christian High School. Steve was speaking on the battle being waged for the hearts and minds of young men and women and what they must do to win [...]

In Philippians 3:8 the Apostle Paul makes this powerful statement: "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." Light was God's first gift, His creative act. Light always comes at a cost, it always comes at the expense of that which produces it. An unlit candle does not shine, for burning must [...]