God is love (1 John 4:8, 16, 19). From Genesis through Revelation, the underlying theme of the Bible is that God loves his creation. Of all he created, he loves humankind the most. No other part of creation was made in the image of God. It is because God loves us so much that he grieves when we walk in disobedience. It is because God loves us so much that he wants us to experience real, abundant life. There is a passionate tone in these words that reflect God’s true heart towards all people.Watch more videos at the Mountainview YouTube channel. Looking for a Speaking Coach? The most successful people are not always the smartest people. But they have one thing in common: they communicate well. I'd love to help you become a better communicator. Click here. Professor at Warner University church planter with Stadia former former president, Church Planters…
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I love living in the 21st Century. Because of the internet, we have access to more information -- and coffee beans -- than ever before! With a few clicks or a voice command, I can search the haystack and find the needle. As access to information has increased, so has the amount of information itself. Granted, not all information is equal and you'll wade through a lot of discarded junk to find the right needle. Even still, what a tremendous blessing to have so much information at our fingertips. While we have blogs, news sites, tweets, updates, and Instagram stories, I remain a big fan of plain, old-fashioned books. Whether they are on a screen or paper (though you should look into the benefits of reading paper books - just Google it!), books are the best way to grapple with tough issues, develop deep thinking skills, and become better equipped…
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When your day is long And the night The night is yours alone When you're sure you've had enough Of this life Well hang on Don't let yourself go 'Cause everybody cries And everybody hurts sometimes -- REM, "Everybody Hurts" It's true, everybody hurts at some point in life. Live long enough and you will experience your share of minor scrapes, twisted ankles, broken relationships, panic attacks, and unfulfilled dreams. As we start 2020 and close out not only a year but also a decade, I've been drawn to a rather strange story in the Hebrew scriptures. It involves two brothers (Jacob and Esau) who are grandsons of the great Jewish patriarch, Abraham. These two brothers have quite a history. In Jewish culture, the firstborn son inherits the leadership and influence of his father, as well as an increase in inheritance. This is called the birthright. Esau is the oldest…
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Today is January 1, 2020. As I type, the new year and decade (depending on how you reckon a decade) is approximately nine hours old. I've been awake for about four of those hours. Reflecting on the last ten years, I'm amazed at how much has changed and what remains the same. Along the way, we encountered a few challenges and have been reminded of some very important truths. The changes ... We spent our first full year in Denver, having relocated from San Diego and a church we helped start. Both of our girls graduated high school. Our oldest daughter, Hannah, just graduated from Bethel University. Our youngest daughter, Hope, is a sophomore at the University of Northern Colorado. Tonya has been teaching at Southeast Christian School for nearly seven years. We bought a house. We bought both girls their first cars. Parts of our family traveled to places…
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Simeon won’t live to see Jesus grow up. He won’t see any of Jesus’ miracles. He will be long gone when Jesus goes on trial before Pilate. He won’t be there to see Jesus’ crucifixion or his resurrection. Yet he still believes. How can he do that? That is faith. He doesn’t need to see end because he has seen beginning.Watch more videos at the Mountainview YouTube channel. Looking for a Speaking Coach? The most successful people are not always the smartest people. But they have one thing in common: they communicate well. I'd love to help you become a better communicator. Click here. Professor at Warner University church planter with Stadia former former president, Church Planters of the Rockies helped start 2 for-profit tech companies Need a Speaker or Presenter? Interested in having me speak for your church, conference, or organization? Follow this link to learn more.
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