Over the years, countless parents have asked me if children are truly capable of understanding the concept of boundaries for their behavior … lines not to be crossed. The answer is an emphatic yes! Even very young children understand boundaries: Bathrooms have doors. Playtime has rules. Toys are shared.
Read MoreI have an “open door” policy at Key Life but with a closed door. There’s a lot of noise in our office (we are, after all, a media ministry), a lot of laughter (you can always tell Jesus is present when there’s laughter) and a lot of music.
Read MoreIn all my years as a pastor, I have found few issues so divisive, that anger so many, and that have more Christians at odds with one another than the issue of the Church and politics. When you dive into the subject, you find some people – the “separatists”– who think that the church and politics should never be talked about together. You’ll also find other people – the “activists” – ...
Read MoreDear Friend, The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. During these summer months, we’ve been studying the fruit of the Spirit here at Parkside and most recently, explored the nature of peace. We were both helped and challenged by Paul’s instruction to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to ...
Read MoreAs believers, we should desire a life that’s beyond average. But too often we settle for a life that’s “just okay” instead of extraordinary. We shouldn’t settle for a good marriage when we could have a great marriage. You see, we can settle for mediocrity with mundane jobs and minimal ministries – or we can take action to escape apathy and live life in ways that are beyond our wildest imaginations. So ...
Read MoreTrue tolerance is grounded in a genuine concern for other people. The only reason you try to remove a speck from somebody’s eye is for the well-being of that individual. You know, we have been told by the pseudotolerance movement that if we make a judgment that somebody is engaging in wrong beliefs, behaviors, or choices then that is a sign of hate. Not at all. Remaining silent about people’s ...
Read MoreHistory, as we know it today, will end where it basically began – not on the battlefields of the United States or Asia or Europe, but in Israel. The final battle that will be fought between the nations of the world will take place in Israel. This battle will rage around one city, where more wars have been fought than any other on earth: Jerusalem. Its very name, ironically, means ...
Read MorePlease don't give up. Remember that His love is unfailing. September is Suicide Prevention Month. There are so many paths that can lead to the despair that causes someone to contemplate taking their own life. Many times it's a downward spiral of untruths that take hold in your heart and mind. A shattered dream, an injustice, many times we can start believing that when people treat us poorly, we deserve it. When life ...
Read MoreIf you were around in 1968, you may remember an infamous musical that opened on Broadway called Hair. And if you were around the following year, you watched the opening number from Hair, a song called “Aquarius,” top the Billboard pop charts and stay there for six weeks.
Read MoreIn 1990, I was given the privilege of a lifetime: the opportunity to adopt a wonderful little girl who has forever changed my life, my precious daughter Madeline.
Read More