There isn’t a single thing that the birds at my feeder do to deserve the largess that I bestow on them. I bought the feeders that contain the seed, I continue to buy seed to fill them. My grandson and I take turns filling the feeders. When a feeder needs repair, I repair it. Everything—everything is done for those birds; it’s pure grace! Yet, it’s interesting to see a Dove chasing four others away from the food that falls on the ground as the sloppy eaters (largely Finches) spill it in large quantities. He acts like he owns the territory. Perhaps he thinks he does! And when it’s hummingbird ti ..read more

I rise today to share some urgent advice with students of biblical counseling. My target audience are those students especially who are studying in College or Seminary as well as those who are learning in a number of church-based training centers. You are involved in an important study which you will find to be life changing, not only for those to whom you will be ministering in the counseling room someday, but for your own life as well. Diligence in your studies now will produce fruit you are not yet able to envision. My advice for you is simple, but urgent. If you will take my admonition to ..read more

A soft answer turns away wrath. But a foolish word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 Every time I read that Proverb, I think of Ping Pong. “How’s that?” Oh . . . it just seems to illustrate the principle in the proverb so well! “Don’t get it.” You see, many Proverbs are pictured principles of portable truth. “What about Ping Pong?” Oh! Here’s what I meant. One player slams a ball as hard as he can. What happens after that? “Dunno.” The other guy has to move away in order to receive it. It drives them farther apart. “Yeah? And……?” And if he slams one back just as hard, or harder, that separates ..read more

All true authority comes from God (John 19:10, 11). That is a fundamental principle. Another is: God must be obeyed rather than man when the two conflict (Acts 5:28, 29). Rulers had no right to forbid what God had commanded (Acts 5:20). If a clear command of God is forbidden, it must be obeyed regardless of consequences. But many commands are not clearly opposed to one another. What then? First, recognize that there is a difference between Romans 12 and 13 (the former having to do with how individuals relate to one another and how Christians must relate to the government (see also 1 Peter 2:13 ..read more