Can we pursue both? Do the ideals of the American dream and those of God run parallel or crosswise? Are the ideals we grew up with bringing us closer to God or farther away? Let’s examine the pursuit of excellence. Excellence is something I want my children to strive for. It’s something I strive for…

I love the Fourth of July. Fireworks. Cookouts. Homemade ice cream. A celebration of independence. We’re big on independence at our home: Set your own alarm. Keep up with your stuff. Do your share around the house. And it’s biblical. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV says, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to…

David. Giant killer. Musician. King. Resident heartthrob. As we wrap up our time with David, let’s go back—before the showdown with Goliath. Before the fame. Before the fortune. Before the throne. Before. God rejects King Saul because of his disobedience. God then sends the prophet Samuel to anoint a new king and He points His…

“Then he [David] took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17: 40 NIV) A stick, a piece of leather, and some rocks. Simple tools David had used for…

“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. ‘I cannot go in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not…

What do you know? I mean, what do you know down in your heart of hearts? What are you sure of beyond all doubts? Because what you know determines how you will stand when a spiritual battle comes. Take a look at David. David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and…

As the hot wind blew the flap open, the bellow of the giant shook the tent. “This day I defy the ranks of Israel. Give me a man and let us fight each other.” After days in the field with the flocks, King Saul’s tent seemed stuffy. The odor of sweaty men hammered David’s nose.…

Sports. Academics. Fine arts. Excellence rubs off. If you want to get better at something, hang with those at a higher level. The big dogs. And if you want spiritual growth, you hang with people who pray. Don’t get me wrong. I love our worship team and Bible study is near and dear to my…

Dallas Marathon: Mile 10. I was so done. Out of gas with sixteen miles to go. Training started as a prayer project for my son. He was going through Phase 1 of the first half of SEAL training. The weed out phase. Asking God to show me how to pray as he trained, I committed…

Twenty-four hours. That’s all we’ve got. If we say yes to this, we must say no to that. And I think God did this on purpose. He wants to see what we choose. Like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, will we choose wisely? I’ll tell you a secret. There’s a bonus in store for…