How Do I Strike Back at Betrayal?
Betrayal devastates us because it violates trust...and trust is sacred. What do we do when we are betrayed? How do we cope? Is it even possible to rebuild?
What is the True Meaning of Loyalty?
We all value loyalty but should it be conditional? What happens when we misplace our loyalty? How do we know when our loyalties are good or even healthy?
How Do You Know God Can Trust You?
Trust is a tricky thing. In some instances it comes to us with ease – as children we typically trust our parents above all others. As we become adolescents we often lose that trust, because we have replaced it with trusting our friends who are obviously much cooler and smarter than our parents. When adults, the door once again opens to trusting our parents because, well, because they have somehow become smart again! Now, let’s look at trust from the other side. Parents will or will not trust a child based upon what they see in them regarding maturity and integrity. A child really must earn their parent’s trust and that usually takes time and evidence. It is the same with God? We obviously should trust Him at all times and for all things. The real question here is can – should - God trust us? What must we do or be to warrant our Father in Heaven truly trusting in us?
How Do You Learn to Truly Trust?
…But do you trust me? Such a question pierces right down to the heart of any matter, for true trust is sacred. Any relationship - be it family, friends, business or otherwise - will thrive when trust is intact. With trust, growth, change and the conquering of obstacles are all not only possible but probable. With trust there is security. When trust is broken – and it can be broken in an instant with a single word or action – any relationship is headed for shipwreck upon the rocks of disappointment and despair. Rebuilding after such a shipwreck is a long and difficult process. So, how can we learn to trust the right things in a deep and secure fashion?
Does God Really Keep His Promises?
Promises, promises! Did you ever stop to think about how much of our lives revolve around promises? There are promises at every level of life – those made by a child to secure a privilege, those made when you agree to the conditions of your job, those made between a man and a woman at marriage, those made in political campaigns. Then there are the private promises we make to ourselves and to God. We judge character by the keeping of promises. A promise keeper is a trustworthy person. Then there are the promises God makes to us. It seems like there are a lot of them, but to many people it seems God has not kept them. So, is God a trustworthy promise keeper?
Why Cornelius? Why a Soldier? (Part II)
A few weeks ago we began to tell the story of the dramatic events that led up to the conversion of the Centurion Cornelius to Christianity. Because the expansion of Christianity to Gentiles was such a radical shift in God’s methods, radical measures had to be taken! Today we will finish the story and see how its conclusion would change the history of Christian faith by the inclusion of you and me!
Are Promises Made to be Broken?
Promises, promises! We have all made them, heard them, kept them and maybe even broken them. Promises have always been an integral part of the fabric of any society, for they are truly the basis of trust and loyalty. When promises are kept, life is better and less lonely and when they are broken life gets to be broken as well. So, if promises are so important, then why are they so undervalued today?
What Makes a True Christian Leader (Part II)
(Part 2 in a 2-part series) About a month ago we began talking about leadership – Christian leadership - and how important it is for a Christian community – any community - to have significant leadership. Without leadership, people tend towards their own way and more than that, without leadership people tend towards a self-centered and incomplete perception of the world around them. Our last conversation revolved around the internal aspects of leadership – what makes a leader from the inside out – today we talk about what makes a leader from the outside in.
What Makes a True Christian Leader (Part I)
(Part 1 in a 2-part series) Leadership – In today’s world, it is one of the most important necessities of life and sadly it is one of the most absent aspects of life. Humanity needs leaders. We need leaders to show us a vision, to clear a path, to walk the path first and to thereby help us walk the path. Christians just like humanity need leaders as well. Sure we have Jesus as the Captain of our faith and sure we have the Apostles, the 12 pillars of Christianity, but we also need those whose examples we can see, touch and relate to here and now, at the end of the age. So, what makes a Christian Leader?
How Reliable Are Your Promises?
We all have had the experience of making or receiving a promise that was not kept. When you think about it, the experience is a sad one, for with a broken promise comes some level of a damaged trust towards the one who did not deliver. Over time this can lead to all kinds of deep and permanent damage to our relationships. What makes a promise? How do we better keep our promises? What about God? What had He promised us, and is He keeping His promises?