The Apostle Paul encouraged us to pay careful attention to how we live these really short lives. Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. And don’t get drunk with wine, which…
Spiritual Development
Vapor, Inches, and Making the Most of the Time
Jordan Grumet is a hospice nurse who wrote Taking Stock based on conversations with people who were in their final days. He believes the dying have much to teach us about living—that evaluating our limited time helps us have fewer regrets at the end of our lives. Journalist Oliver Burkemen wrote Four Thousand Weeks to…
The Ridiculousness of Disobedience
The book of Jonah is considered a literary masterpiece, and in the first several verses the words profoundly confront us with the ridiculousness of our disobedience to God. The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” Jonah got…
Walking With the Wise: 4 Qualities to Seek
As a teenager, my parents, concerned about the influences I was choosing, would sometimes ask me, “If your friends would jump off the Mississippi River bridge, would you jump with them?” Of course, I answered, “No,” but the reality is that wherever those closest to us go, we tend to follow. Whoever those closest to…
The Curse Word Isn’t the Most Shocking Part of Philippians 3
In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul declares that everything he once held tightly to in his life to be “skubalon” compared to knowing Christ. If you look up how the famous Greek word is used in the culture, you discover it was dung or animal excrement. Paul was making a very explicit point— everything is…
The Biggest Source of Grumbling in Our Lives
What does grumbling and complaining have to do with our joy and our spiritual growth? Notice the connection the Apostle Paul makes in the book of Philippians: “Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear…
‘Aints No More
I grew up in the New Orleans area rooting for the New Orleans Saints. When I was a child, the team was so bad that people called themselves ‘aints fans. Some fans even went to the games with paper bags over their heads, sending the message that they were too embarrassed to be seen rooting…
Coach Mike Leach and The Called, Loved, and Kept
Mike Leach, the college football coach for Mississippi State, passed away recently. He was beloved by players, fans, and other coaches. He was hilarious and did some unconventional things. A story from Mike Leach’s coaching days at Texas Tech University reminds me of God’s gracious pursuit. In 2008, his team was really good. They went…
4 Common Fears and How to Fight Them
Psychologists make a distinction between healthy and unhealthy fear. Healthy fear helps us make wise decisions such as preparing for a test or wearing a seatbelt. Unhealthy fear can paralyze a leader from making decisions or cause someone to be untrusting of others. Below are the four common and unhealthy fears I have seen. I…
Escape Rooms and Jesus Promising a Way Out
My daughter Evie loves escape rooms. She has designed escape rooms at our house for her friends. She has been to more than 20 of them. Whenever we are in a new place, she asks us to look one up and go to it. One time we went to an escape room in Sacramento and…