Truth Teacher

I have a post-it on my desk which simply says, “Etc., Etc.”.   That little post-it has helped me numerous times to be victorious over some of the most difficult times, people and temptations. It is so simple you will be asking yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?” For example: When I get a phone call from a nasty, angry, bitter person, "Etc., Etc." makes me not fear answering the next phone call. That unexpected dilemma that throws my thought life into chaos. A silly joke about my appearance may be all it takes to break the fantastic day I was having. That gorgeous woman who not only distracts but breaks my attitude of worship. Traffic...need I say more? Bills, kids, homework, pimples, broken a/c, flat tire, etc., etc. Do you  know how much time we waste thinking about things that never happen?  Etc., Etc. can help! Internet!  A huge distraction that cripples all of us from time to time.  Not to mention a sleezy or provocative ad/picture that takes your though

Fourteen of us gathered together on Easter Sunday to celebrate a meal together.  The big screen TV was locked onto basketball and the men of the room fixed their gazes to Duke vs. Louisville.  Little did Kevin Ware know (basketball player for Louisville) that his life was about to be turned upside down.  It’s not unusual to hear an uproar from my family as they watch sporting events, but the sudden cries that reverberated through the house alerted everyone that something horrific had just been witnessed.  Without warning, Kevin Ware leaped to block a shot, came down on his leg wrong and it snapped.  It was difficult to watch.  The other members of the family came running in wanting to know what happened.  With the new age of TV, it was easy to rewind the live event and relive the horrific injury.  The comment that stood out to me as we fixed our eyes on jersey #5 was, “if he only knew what was about to happen in the next 5 seconds”.   Wow, that hit me right between the eyes.  We don’t

My in-laws had just rolled into town.  They had a tiring flight, too many delays and layovers, but they were finally here.  After a great night sleep, they were anxious to start their vacation time in sunny Florida.  So my father-in-law and I hop into the family mini-van to run a few errands.  Click click click.  Click click click. Click click click click click silence.  The car won’t start.  We do what any two seasoned men would do, we lift the hood and stare into a maze of wires, tubes and motor parts.  I locate the battery, buried in a corner underneath some large bar that appears to give support to the front of the car.  After whipping my old truck around into position, we jump start the car with ease...it’s the battery.  The rest of the story is fairly uneventful, except the part of trying to get the battery out, but I will leave that for another time.  In a short amount of time, the battery is replaced and we are humming along. I began to think all the places my wife and kids ha

I have to confess, it 's hard to write what’s on my heart without sounding like a motivational seminar.  Bravo to John Maxwell, Zig Ziglar and so many others who have inspired and motivated us to be better at work, home and even in our spiritual lives.  My wife worked 10 years for the largest Success Motivational company in the world, so I have been exposed to heavy doses of the success motivational community.  However, what I am about to share is not hype, it is not a prelude to sell a book and it will not require you to pull out your wallet.  But, if you adopt these seven qualities I can guarantee success.  Better yet, the guarantee is not mine, it is from the only One who can make such a promise and deliver, almighty God.     That being said, I have come across seven qualities that can be so life-changing that I must share them with you.  These qualities guarantee you will be effective and fruitful.  The key to these qualities is that you must keep them and you must continue

Great faith trusts God when there is nothing in the cupboard to eat and no money to buy food. Great faith trusts in God when health is gone, work is gone, reputation is gone, or family is gone. Great faith trusts God while the windstorm is still howling and persecution continues. Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends. ~ George Muller The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin. ~ A.W. Tozer Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. ~ Augustine The true, living faith, which the Holy Spirit instills into the heart, simply cannot be idle. ~ Martin Luther God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity. ~ Aug

  "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends." ~ George Muller  This story is told by the captain of a ship on which George Muller of Bristol was traveling.  “We had George Muller of Bristol on board,” said the captain. “I had been on the bridge for twenty-four hours and never left it and George Muller came to me and said, “Captain, I have come to tell you I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.” “It is impossible,” I said. “Then very well, if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way. I have never broken an engagement in fifty-seven years; let us go down into the chart room and pray.”  “I looked at that man of God and thought to myself, “What lunatic asylum can that man have come from, for I never heard of such a thing as this?” “Mr. Muller,” I said, “do you know how dense this fog is?”  ““No,” he replied, “my eye is not on the density of the fog