The primary purpose of fasting is self-humbling. It is a scriptural means ordained by God for us to humble ourselves before Him. Throughout the bible, God requires his people to humble themselves before Him. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:4 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those...

About six months ago my friend from college suggested we all begin fasting together on Thursdays. I had fasted with True Life on Thursdays in the past and, wanting to renew that commitment anyway, it felt like God's leading. Previously, when I had fasted I had abstained from radio shows and music in the car. I had a long commute at the time so it was a true sacrifice and...

The idea of fasting stinks. I tend to get a little depressed when I know I'm going to be fasting. In fact, I am probably bothered more by the thought of fasting that I am by the bad news headlines I'm hearing everyday. Actually, can I be honest? It may even be true that I am more bummed by the prospect of being hungry than I am by the reports of people dying (unless I...

Looking back, I believe that God began preparing me for this fast about a year and a half ago. I think it was early 2019 while doing the study "4 Chair Discipling" that God revealed that I held a false belief concerning how Christ performed miracles during His life on Earth. I believed that He did them as God and not in His humanity, dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Realiz...

If you've been attending our church for any length of time you have probably heard our pastor mention that he doesn't "do the Santa thing" with his family around Christmas. I know I've heard him speak about this on several occasions and in the past I had thought that he was probably making too big of a deal about it. While I recognized that the Santa myth had nothing to do...

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." - Genesis 16:13 Have you ever wondered if anyone out there truly sees you? I don't mean just to look at you- I mean truly sees you? Not just simply that you exist, or that you're a mom or a dad, or a child or a great friend or coworker. No...

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord", 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." 25 Now t...

The time of Advent leading up to Christmas is a time of great anticipation for many people. For those who don't celebrate the birth of Christ, there is still the Christmas celebration and countless children who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their cache of presents. Even those of us who DO hold Advent (the coming of Christ) and Christmas holy, can be guilty of overloo...

Listen to Alexa.MOV Since the onset of the Corona Virus many of us had taken to, what I call "panic praying." Those few seconds of prayer similar to Peter's "Lord save me" panic prayer when he took his eyes off Jesus as he began to sink into the stormy seas of Galilee. "Lord help us" or "Save us from this virus," we say. At those times we've not only taken our eye...

Gift giving, especially to children, is a minefield of emotional explosions. They immediately tell you how they really feel. There's no middle ground between, "I like it" and "I don't like it!". We have eight grandsons (no girls), so Sharon and I have spent many years on that minefield between eight annual birthdays and eight Christmases. We've watched clothes thrown over...