Fire in My Bones

The Bible is full of stories of men and women who waited and waited for God’s promises to be fulfilled. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for Isaac’s birth. Hannah endured years of barrenness waiting for her baby. David spent years in the wilderness before he became king. God calls each of us to join

At a conference in Colorado several years ago, a well-known female Bible teacher stood at the pulpit and gave a challenging sermon about prayer. I had read some of this woman’s books so I was looking forward to hearing her message. Most of the people in the audience responded with amens and nods of approval

Rick Warren is one of the most influential pastors in this country. His book “The Purpose Driven Life” is known as the best-selling nonfiction book of all time, with 50 million copies published. The congregation he has led for 42 years, Saddleback Church, has more than 30,000 members in 14 locations in southern California. But

Many of my friends are walking through tough circumstances right now. One man’s business has failed. Another man is experiencing chronic pain, and doctors can’t find a medical solution. Another is battling an addiction. One married couple I know is struggling with infertility. And several friends are feeling they have failed as parents because their

Last November I traveled to central Oregon to preach at Eastside Church, a Foursquare congregation led by a pastor named Brian Carmack. While I was there for a weekend of ministry, the Lord gave me Isaiah 44:3 as a promise to share with the church. It says: “For I will pour water on the thirsty

The global church will celebrate Pentecost this Sunday, May 28. We usually emphasize spiritual gifts when we talk about Pentecost, or we focus on the sensory experience of the Spirit’s presence. I know the Spirit’s gifts are important, and I love the feelings, too. But we shouldn’t minimize the fact that the Holy Spirit’s infilling

In my early years, I was tempted to believe that prayers must be long, drawn-out and intense in order to be effective. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I even tried a 10-day fast. But as I grew spiritually, I discovered that prayers are sometimes answered quickly, even if they are short. Once

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples He would send the power of the Holy Spirit upon them. But they had no idea what that would look like. Jesus didn’t give them a script to prepare them for Pentecost. There was no church bulletin to explain that a rushing wind would blow at

One of my greatest passions is discipling the young generation. I love it because the young people I mentor are so hungry for spiritual direction that they literally pull it out of me. I also love discipleship because helping others to be successful is indescribably fulfilling. It really is more blessed to give than to

Last week I preached at Freedom Point Church, a small congregation in Carrollton, Georgia, 50 miles west of Atlanta. Two years ago the church had shrunk to 12 people, and it was at risk of closing. But when I went there last Thursday, 103 people came for a regular midweek Bible study. On some Sundays,

Last month I was the main speaker at a men’s conference in Cali, Colombia—a city that was once the headquarters of the most powerful drug cartel in the world. The city is more peaceful today, but it’s still known as a hub of violence. It’s also famous for its indigenous witchcraft. On the second night

Last week I was the guest speaker for the Monday morning chapel at Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas. It was a few days before Easter, so I could have shared a nice devotional message about the resurrection of Jesus. But the Holy Spirit had been “bothering” me for a few days, nudging me

Many of us were shocked last week when The White House designated March 31 as a “Day of Transgender Visibility.” The timing of the proclamation was beyond insensitive, since President Biden’s announcement came just a few days after six people at a Christian school in Nashville were killed by Audrey Hale, a young woman who

“I’m planning to die today.” That’s how 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale began a private Instagram message to her friend Averianna Patton on Monday morning of this week. “THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!” Hale continued. “You’ll probably hear about me on the news after I die. This is my last goodbye. I love you. See you

This past week I led a men’s conference in coastal Colombia, a nation with a high rate of fatherlessness. Colombian men rarely receive affection from their fathers because the macho culture requires guys to be tough, harsh and emotionally closed. On the first night I taught from the parable of the prodigal son in Luke