PTL Wednesdays

This past Saturday was my clean the house day and everyone knows you can’t properly clean without good music so I just had to play some classic rap. Although rap has many downsides, I’m not afraid to admit I still blast a little Fresh Prince or Public Enemy from time to time. It’s a vice I know I need to let go of, especially with today’s  rap music, but back to my story. As I was mopping the floor a Kanye West song came on called “Good Life.” It immediately took me back to those days when getting paid was my top priority. My wife and I worked full time jobs and owned a business. My mindset was to as Kanye put it “watch the money pile up… welcome to the good life.” A big house, luxury cars, eating at fancy restaurants and taking expensive vacations was my goal. That might seem like the good life and if you can achieve it, then good for you, but I've learned what living the good life really means. It all boils down to this: being content in any and all circumstances. Like Paul, the ...

“But I want it!” The little boy screamed at the top of his lungs. The moment his mother said "no," his world collapsed and the brightly lit toy aisle erupted into chaos as his screams turned into a full-blown tantrum. The shiny action figure (the one he’d been eyeing all week) sat on the shelf just beyond his grasp as if to tease him. His face turned red and he dropped to the floor, kicking his legs and wailing at the injustice of it all. Passersby looked on in shock while his fellow toddlers gave sympathetic nods of approval but he was too wrapped up in his emotions to care. His sole mission was to make his mom realize just how much he wanted that toy. Giving in to the stress of it all, she finally relented thus securing him yet another victory. It’s easy to judge the mom for caving in. After all, kids can’t have everything they want. That’s an obvious lesson but how many of us have actually learned it? Denying yourself is the hardest thing for anyone to do but it’s exactly ...

“What’s in the lunch bag?” He asked in a   deep husky voice that billowed across the playground. His eyes were locked in on the younger kid who was suddenly all alone. Cornering him against the monkey bars the bully mercilessly snatched the bag away, leaving the boy stunned and powerless.   All of the onlookers stood in silence as the latest victim sluggishly walked towards the safety of the classroom. It was at that moment the little boy vowed to himself that tomorrow would be different. He would no longer be intimidated. He was going to be prepared.   Like the kid in the story, we’ve all felt intimidated at times but unfortunately, for so many Christians the source of intimidation isn’t a bully. It’s the Bible. Hey, I get why some Christians feel uneasy about reading the Bible. It’s a big, thought provoking book and you might not even know where to start, let alone try to understand what it’s all about. The best way to overcome any trepidation is to be  prepared so...

“Ahhhhh,” “Ahhhhh,” he nervously complied as he felt the cool tongue depressor pressing down. It was just the beginning of his physical and the clinical scents of antiseptic and latex only heightened his anxiety. The tension continued to build as he heard the nurse enter the room. She smiled but he saw right through her vail attempt to comfort him. The small tray of torture devices she held in her hands showed her true intentions. “How could she be so cruel?” he thought to himself as the nurse prepared the needles and vials with cold calculated precision. The dreaded moment had arrived and his mind began racing… “Would it hurt? How long would it take?” Feeling the elastic band around his arm he closed his eyes, clinched his teeth and hoped for the best.   If you’re like me, you certainly can relate to the stress of getting a physical, especially when you have your blood drawn. I hate needles. Yet all of the poking and prodding is a necessary evil we endure to make sure we’re health...

  “It’s not you. It’s me,” and with that she got up and walked away. His heart sank and all he could do was stare aimlessly as she left. “What did I do wrong?” He said to himself. “Who was there when she needed money? Me. Who was there when she needed a shoulder to cry on? Me.” The more he thought about it the more he realized he was putting in all the effort and it was never a real relationship. Ironically, this one-sided fling reminds me of a lot of people’s relationship with God.  I’m not calling anyone out except myself. God spent a lot of time in a one-sided relationship with me. Oh, we talked but it was mostly when I needed something. “Lord, if you get me out of this” or “Lord please give me...” was a popular theme of my prayers. That’s whenever I did pray. Days would go by and the Lord wouldn’t hear from me. I knew he was there but I was too busy with my other relationships. You know I had to hangout with my boys. Then there was family time and game time and time for ev...

I'm not sure who started this New Year's Resolution thing but it's easy to see why it's so popular. With each new year there's a feeling of starting over, starting fresh. Nice idea but it's a little off. Why? Because rather than being optimistic and hopeful for the new year, we should feel that way every day. You woke up this morning with an opportunity for a fresh start regardless of what happened yesterday. Absolutely nothing happened yesterday that prevents    you from having a new outlook on today. I know that's a bold statement so to prove my grandiose optimistic proclamation I want you to pick a bad day that you've had. It doesn't matter if it's the day you lost your job or realized you were losing your hair. Maybe you're thinking of when you got your car repossessed, got evicted or got divorced. Perhaps it might be the most tragic of days when a loved one passed.  Whatever day you choose it doesn't change the fact that today is a n...

We’re all familiar with the story of Jesus' birth and his rise from humble beginnings. He was born in a lowly manger in an obscure town. His dad was a simple carpenter and mom was almost put away for being pregnant out of wedlock. Jesus came from such meek beginnings that the Jews didn't look upon him as a king– a prophet maybe but not the messiah, not the one who was to restore the Jewish kingdom. He didn’t look like a king. Where was his army? They failed to see the king of kings was indeed among them. They failed to see what made Jesus so special?  Simply put, Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:1,14). He created all and sustains all. The beauty that you see around you is his handy work, from the warm sand that tickles your feet to the stars draped across the heavens. The world Jesus spoke into existence was perfect until Adam and Eve sinned against him. Jesus knew before he created us that we needed to be saved (Rev 13:8) and his plan for salvation was set long before Adam ...