This Sunday I preached a message called "The Man Mystery."  I uncovered the 3 things every man needs.  You can watch the message at http://newspring.cc/series/adamandeve/   Women, you may think that your man is confident, strong, and sure of himself.  But you'd be surprised what he would tell you if he felt like he could be completely honest.  So I want to tell you on his behalf.  Here are 10 things that your man may have thought at some point, or may be feeling right now.   1.  I am really insecure … read more

The 2 greatest joys in my life are being a child of God and being a husband to Charie.  After 13 years, I am crazier about her now than I have ever been.  I intend to keep it that way. But in order to keep growing in love, affection, attraction, and service to each other, there is work to be done.  Lifelong, Christ-centered marriages don't happen naturally.  Left to the forces of nature (the sin nature), marriages fall apart because the 2 people in the marriage are selfish sinners who quickly grow weary of giving and sacrificing for the good of the … read more

Recently, The Holy Spirit has been opening my eyes to a reality that I had always known, but never truly experienced.  And as it so happens, He has used the circumstances of my life to tutor me and teach me this invaluable lesson. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He instructed them to ask their Heavenly Father for enough bread to sustain them for that day.  The phrase as most of us have learned it goes..."And give us this day our daily bread." For Palestinian farmers and peasants who heard these words, they rang true because they were … read more

In a dating (talking, flirting, seeing-each-other, hooking up) relationship, you know it's over when... 1.  He cannot make up his mind if he likes you or another girl 2.  She is insanely jealous when you spend small amounts of time with your friends 3.  When you find out they are addicted to porn 4. You see a pattern of lies and deception that goes back for months, maybe years 5.  You're not married but acting like you are (i.e. having sex without the real committment of marriage) 6.  You scream and yell at each other on a regular … read more

March 27, 1987.  It was a Sunday.  I never dreamed it would be one of the biggest days of my life. Youth Sunday at Crossroads Baptist Church in Greer, SC.  For the first time in the history of our church, two of the youth were actually going to preach.  Greg on Sunday morning.  Me on Sunday night.  What was I getting myself into? I was 14 years old.  An 8th grader.  I loved football, basketball, and baseball.  It was my first sermon.  It would not be my last. I had volunteered to do it.  I asked our pastor if I could … read more

There are times in your life when you just cannot see Jesus.  The cares and worries you face each day seem to obscure your view of Christ.  Sometimes you wonder if He is there at all.  Occasionally, you even question if He is real. You look for Him, wait for Him, cry out to Him, and pray for something...anything...to give you hope.  When those times come, know that you are not alone.  Every single Christian who is serious about following Jesus wrestles with this reality; we know He is there but sometimes He seems invisible.  Consider … read more

If I had to give you one word that has been a game changer for my marriage relationship with Charie over the past 13 years, it would be the word TOGETHER. There are other good words, to be sure.  And each of these are important. Love.  Trust.  Communication.  Forgiveness.  Vacation! Yet none of these creates the bond of friendship, mutual understanding, and warm affection like TOGETHER. When she and I do things together, a special sense of actually belonging to one another takes root.  Actually, it took root over 15 years ago when we … read more

"O LORD, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor."  Isaiah 26:13 Israel had been under the tyranny of other rulers.  They knew what it was like to feel the heavy hand of a Pharoah during exile.  They were no strangers to taking orders from bad leaders. But there was only one real leader that Israel trusted.  It was The LORD.  Of all the lords that had ruled over the house of Jacob, only God was worthy of honor.  Your position of leadership, whether as a pastor, a coach, a parent, or a teacher, … read more

If you're an American, you're probably not getting enough sleep.The following blog by Lynn Casteel Harper offers poignant insights on why we need rest.  If I know the kind of people who visit my blog, I am betting you probably need to read this (as do I).   My favorite local coffee shop sells merchandise brandished with their amusing slogan: "Sleep is for the weak." After petroleum, coffee is the world's most traded commodity. My spouse tells me of one of his students who sleeps with headphones on that repeat all night long the terms she is … read more

Much is being preached, taught, and written right now about the marriage relationship, and for good reason.  As someone who is daily in close proximity to thousands of adults, college students, and teenagers, it's more than alarmist propaganda to say that relationships are in trouble across the board. So instead of listing all the contributing factors that are leading to the demise of personal human relationships, I would rather offer a handful of helpful hints at how a man can lead the charge in his own home toward a more robust and loving relationship with his … read more