Pastor Mike's Blog

One Giant Step

2012-01-24T23:45:00.000-08:00

Last week in Florida I touched a moon rock at the Kennedy Space Center. The moon rock display stands below giant rocket stages like those that blasted Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to walk on the moon for the first time. The entire center stands as a testimony to daring and courage to reach far beyond what was then imagined. Back then, the computer they used for the flights took up a giant

My Hopes for 2012

2012-01-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

I start 2012 with a lot of good feelings and hope for a great new year. The first reason for this is obvious for me. I look forward to the birth of my first grandchild, a boy, to my son Ben and his wife Sarah. They will be great parents, and a new generation to our family will bring lots of excitement and joy. The second reason also involves family. My 3 children keep moving ahead with goals for

God's Christmas Gift

2011-12-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

In John 1:14, John describes God’s greatest Christmas gift to humanity; “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” God’s Christmas gift is the gift of grace. Jesus brings grace. Grace is God’s love to us, not His wrath. Most people of the world think that God is always angry,

Stand Strong! Discover God's Way to Overcome Temptation

2011-12-01T14:00:00.001-08:00

I have just released a new book, "Stand Strong! Discover God's Way to Overcome Temptation. It is available for preview and purchase at this site: http://www.fastpencil.com/publications/3321-Stand-Strong It will soon be available on Amazon for Kindle readers and can be used in other electronic formats. A softcover edition will be available very soon as well. I pray this book will help many who

Unarmed and Very Dangerous

2011-11-29T14:08:00.000-08:00

Although you have all the comforts, prestige and power possible, imagine planning to leave your land and enter hostile territory, where dangerous, deadly enemies rule and where injustice and suffering abound. Yet in your plans, you decide to take no weapons; no defensive knives, clubs or armament of any kind. All the enemies you will face in that hostile land use many such weapons with great

Biblical Ways to Give Thanks!

2011-11-22T15:52:00.000-08:00

Thank God for Who He is:Rev 11:16 (NRSV) "Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, singing, ‘We give You thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, for You have taken Your great power and begun to reign.’" Thank God for what He does:Psalm (of David) 52:9 (NRSV) "I will thank You forever, because of what You have done. In the

Don’t Underestimate Jesus

2011-11-06T06:35:00.000-08:00

We have more power available to us in Jesus than we realize. Jesus does not want us to fail. He came into our world to win the battles for us over sin, evil and death. As we read the accounts of Jesus from the Bible, we see Jesus heading straight out into the conflict, not avoiding it. In each case Jesus overcomes evil for us. He defeats the devil’s temptations every time. The demons cower at

Courageous Commitment

2011-09-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

I have 4 new heroes. These heroes did not look like heroes when I first met them. In fact they were struggling with some really bad debt and looked more like failures. They seemed doomed to greater difficulty suffering the consequences of living more for today than their income could bear. They looked like so many others who are going nowhere fast. They had accumulated over $30,000 in credit card

New Hope in New Beginnings

2011-09-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) likes to gather in meetings called the “Big Tent.” They like to say they gather in anyone who likes to be part of their meetings. And gather in a divisive group they do. The once vital denomination that upheld strong Bible truths (called the essential tenets or beliefs of the great reformers such as Luther and Calvin) now welcomes those who teach many

Giving the Benefit of the Doubt

2011-08-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Relationships are hard even with those you love dearly. Here is one sure way to make it alot easier - Give those around you the benefit of your doubts! Don't jump to conclusions that another has malicious motives. We assume we know why people do what they do and that gets us into trouble. Now, be honest, do you even understand why you do what you do all the time or even some of the time? Often

Questions for a Healthy Marriage

2011-08-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Questions to use if you are considering marriage or to use as goals if you are already married: 1. Is this person committed to Jesus? This is vital to base your marriage on the foundation of truth, mercy and love in Jesus. 2. Is this a person I enjoy spending a lot of time with as a good friend? (Because you will have a lot of time to spend together.) 3. Is this a person who brings

In Honor of John Stott

2011-07-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

There have been 2 great Bible scholars and writers that changed my life and helped me to formulate and express my understanding of the key truths of the Scriptures. One was C.S. Lewis and the other was John Stott. In honor of John Stott's death today, I write this entry. When it comes to clearly expressing what it means to know Jesus and follow Him, there are no greater books than Lewis' Mere

The Parable of the Persistent Ant

2011-07-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Persistence pays off with wonderful benefits. Ants show incredible persistence. They send out scouts to find food, especially their favorite food – sweet honey. We have lived in our new house for 3 years and never had ants inside our house. While we were away on our vacation for 2 weeks, some scout ant came up from under our house through a small opening in floor and wall joint and proceeded to

Learning the Language

2011-07-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

This week finds me in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. I hear many different languages on the trails, in the restaurants and on the pathways. Our national parks are popular with visitors from other lands. Yet even among those speaking English, I hear many different languages. A man this morning in the lobby spoke a business sales language as he conducted business. I did not

Staying on the Path

2011-07-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am back in Tennessee for a week attending a seminar then spending time with my son and his wife. Trees and shrubs fill Tennessee with so much green! I walked yesterday in a local park and if it was not for the path, I would have been hopelessly lost. If I went off the path, I would be in trouble. Back where I live in the High Desert of SoCal, I can walk off the path because I can always see

Learning to Have a Good Argument

2011-06-16T09:13:00.001-07:00

Of course I would rather not have any arguments, but guess what? - We all get into arguments! I sit with so many couples who don’t know how to handle their disagreements, so they come to me for help. Here are some ways I teach them to have a good argument:1) Be willing to learn! Very few of us have had good models for how to handle disagreements, so we don’t know what to do. Few have been

Do We Believe in Miracles?

2011-06-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

Jesus amazed everyone with miracles of healing, calming winds and waves, removing evil spirits from persons and bringing people back to life from death. I have no trouble believing in Jesus' miracles because they witness to His glorious divine nature as God in the flesh. He did miracles daily as the Master of Life. The Apostles continued in Jesus' power with miracles of healing. They don't seem

The School of Hard Knocks Teaches Pretty Well

2011-05-23T20:26:00.001-07:00

In my pastoral ministry I have served in 4 different churches. Each one has been vastly different from the other. My 1st church stood high on a hill amidst a colonial town which was also the county seat. It was a tall steeple church with old stone walls and a 250 year history in Pennsylvania. People there were mostly professionals with a few dairy farmers thrown in. Most people had lived in the

What Makes Church Unique?

2011-05-14T12:34:00.001-07:00

For those of us within a church, we should know what we are about. We have to explain what it means to be a church to those who did not grow up in a church environment, but now we have to explain to those within the church what makes a church unique. Why? Because many in churches, and now amazingly in church leadership, do not know or have forgotten that church should be unique. Church should be

Early in the Morning

2011-05-06T11:44:00.000-07:00

The long days of the year are here when the sunlight begins to pour in my window before 6 am. I feel energized by the light and get up. The early morning is my most productive time. I agree with the Psalmist (119:147) who said, "I rise early, before the sun is up, I cry out for help and put my hope in Your Word." Jesus liked to get up early too. He would be out before the crowds could find Him

Transformation for Eternity

2011-04-24T20:08:00.001-07:00

The lives of Jesus' Disciples were transformed dramatically as was the world because Jesus rose from the dead. The disciples changed from fearful to bold in dealing with the authorities. They changed from doubters to believers with certainty in Jesus' resurrection. They changed from weak and insignificant commoners (fishermen, tax collectors, etc.) to powerful speakers, miracle workers and

Truths for the End Times

2011-04-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

I am teaching a seminar this morning on preparing for the end times. The seminar looks at the key truths of the Bible's book of Revelation. Now many people get wrapped up in the imagery and details of Revelation. They try to figure out what each hill, beast or crown means. This can get very confusing and turns people off from reading Revelation. However, reading to get the key truths of

Retraining the Eyes of the Soul

2011-03-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

The eyes are the windows to the heart – the place in which lives our eternal soul. The place to change the world and our lives is to begin with one's heart and work outward from there. We should begin at the center. That's a good way to understand how the Bible uses the term heart. In Hebrew physiology, the heart is the center of the person--the seat of personal will, feeling, and thinking. The

A New Christ Heart

2011-03-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 36:26-27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.” The Holy Spirit does not

The Church with the Flavor and Light of Christ

2011-03-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

The Church and the society of today should be vastly different communities. Christ calls the Church to be salt and light in the world for Him. We must not blur that distinction as many are trying to do today. The world is a dark place with little or no light of its own. The world has a tendency to deteriorate. The Church as salt for Christ is to arrest and hinder the deterioration and to dispel

Seeing God Everyday

2011-03-01T17:19:00.000-08:00

Matthew 6:8 displays the 6th gift of God, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Pure hearts lead to pure eyes. With purity in vision we discover clarity in our perspectives on life. This vision comes as we center on Jesus which brings purity and integrity in His Truth. The more we look in truth, the more we see God in our daily situations. The more we follow God’s Truth

A Blessing is a Gift, Not a Reward

2011-02-15T09:29:00.000-08:00

We strive for rewards for our good efforts. We work hard for promotions and honors for jobs well done. We expend a great deal of energy and time to achieve success. When we receive rewards and success, it makes us feel good and motivates us to keep working harder. However, we don’t always get what we deserve for our efforts. This frustrates us because others don’t recognize the hard work and

Enough of This

2011-02-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

I have a problem with donuts. I did not have this problem when I was young. When I worked with one of my co-counselors at a summer camp, we looked forward to a day off. One of our first stops that day was at a donut shop where we purchased a dozen of our favorite donuts. By the end of the day, all those donuts were gone and we felt fine. Today if I eat one donut, it tastes good while I eat it,

The Church as the Body of Christ

2011-01-20T09:16:00.000-08:00

"But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-21 (NLT) The

Petal Power

2011-01-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

We stood on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena as the sun rose over the buildings. We welcomed the warmth on this rather chilly Rose Parade morning - New Year's Day 2011. I love watching Rose Parades, having begun with them as a young boy and attending many over the decades. The parade route runs a few blocks from Fuller Seminary where I attended many years ago. So we park at the Seminary and the

Peace before the New Year

2010-12-30T09:06:00.000-08:00

I am taking some time off this week. Christmas takes a lot of energy for a pastor. The new year coming starts off with lots of work on new programs and budget setting. So I needed this rest and time of peace.I decided to take a break from some other things this week too. I have watched very little TV. I like that and want to continue it in the new year. TV adds little to the quality of life. I

Where Are the Christmas Angels?

2010-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

“The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.’” Luke 2:10-11 NIV When the shepherds received this message from the angel, they rushed to Bethlehem to see the Savior. They

Why We Need Justice Everyday!

2010-12-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

Some interpret justice as only punishing the wrong, but that fails to understand the positive value of justice. Our nation strives to be the land "with liberty and justice for all." To live productive, healthy and joyful lives, we need to live with true justice, the type that comes from God; for without it we fall into a pit full of wrong, unfair and destructive behavior.Here in Southern

Leading with a Solid Foundation

2010-11-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

While reading and enjoying George W. Bush's book "Decision Points", he comments often about effective leadership. A sitting President lives in the public eye taking constant criticism, some helpful and healthy, but often destructive and unhealthy. As one who has led 3 churches in a span of almost 25 years, I realized much of what he spoke about echoed my experience. I am certain I have not

More Thanksgiving Please!

2010-11-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

I make no secret that I love thanksgiving as my favorite holiday of the year. Thanksgiving gets to the heart of our lives in Christ focusing us on how Jesus abundantly gifts us in our lives. We look down too much; down at our doubts, distress, fears, failings, troubles, trials, suffering and setbacks. Thanksgiving lifts our eyes above our everyday concerns and problems. Thanksgiving helps us

Common Struggles and Mutual Allies

2010-09-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

I am attending a convocation of Pastors interested in renewing the local church. I get energized and encouraged by meeting with these brothers and sisters who serve the Lord the way I do. As we share our joys and struggles, we discover that we share very similar situations and learn from each other. It is not so much that we learn a technique to deal with specific difficulties in ministry. It

Love Defined is Love Divine

2010-09-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

The Apostle Paul defined Biblical love in I Corinthians 13:4-8. When I instruct couples preparing for marriage, we read this passage three times. In the first reading I ask them to notice how love is defined in adjectives and verbs of action.(1 Cor 13:4-7 NIV) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is

All You Need is Love!

2010-08-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

The Beatles once sang, “All you need is love.” They were right in the song, but had a hard time following it in their lives. They knew we need love but they did not know what true love was about. That is because they did not know the Source of love that can flow through each of us and change our lives.Where do we get the idea that love is a state of emotion? Who allowed love to be defined as

Compassion Children Change Us!

2010-08-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

In a week we will host our second Compassion Sunday here at COV. We love working with Compassion! Here are our top reasons for supporting Compassion Children:1. Compassion International centers on Christ. They share the love of Jesus with children through actions of caring and words of truth in Christ. Each child weekly studies the Bible, worships and hears of God's love for them.2. Compassion

Renewal Begins with Us

2010-07-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

Recently I have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit about renewal. For years I have prayed for renewal with so many others. We feel that renewal is just around the corner. Yet for years that corner has not turned while so many aspects of our society, daily life and our churches and denominations keep sliding away from healthy life in Christ. We have tried so many programs, plans and

The Most Misunderstood Bible Word

2010-07-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

The Apostle Peter lists three very attractive character traits in 1 Peter 3:1-6. The first is to be submissive. I can hear it now, “Wait a minute! What did Pastor Mike just say? Not submissive. No American woman today would ever be submissive and be able to hold her head up high.” Wait a minute! Hear me out. I am using the term submissive in the way the Bible uses it, not the way society

Building Up not Tearing Down

2010-07-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

"You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5 Now if we are going to truly join with Jesus in building up God’s house here at Church of the Valley, we must understand our part in the building. First and foremost, we need to understand that our job as holy priests

God and Country - Presidential Quotes

2010-07-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist havebeen established by God." Romans 13:1 (NIV)In speaking on the role of the Church and the role of Government this past Sunday - July 4th. I came accross these quotes from past US Presidents.• George Washington, 1st President, "It is

4th of July at COV

2010-06-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, a time usually reserved for worship, is also the 4th of July, a date reserved for celebration of our Nation and its independence. So I encourage you to join me in worship and to remember the source of our strength as a nation under God. My message this Sunday is “Living Freely for God and Country” in which we will examine the Bible’s teaching on how followers of Jesus relate to

Wonderful Wedding

2010-06-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I promised you that I would share about how my son Ben's wedding went. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here you go.The wedding was tremendous. Ben and Sarah shared their great love and commitment. Families gathered from all over and had a tremendous reunion. The weather stayed very nice with very little rain. The Mississippi people showered us with true Southern hospitality.I

Wow My Son is Getting Married!

2010-05-12T19:17:00.001-07:00

This is not new news. They got engaged before Christmas. But back then the wedding day was months away. Now it is a little over 2 weeks away and the reality is hitting home. I wonder how true that is for my son and his fiance.I can see the change in my son that is truly wonderful. He indeed is doing what Genesis 2 says will happen and this is a good thing. He is drawing away from us and

The Resurrection Promise

2010-04-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the key truth for all at Easter and every day of our lives. Jesus is our resurrection hope whenever we face the death of a close friend or loved one. Jesus is the promise for our own abundant life with Him today and forever. We know that because Jesus keeps His promises! Jesus told Martha He is the resurrection and the life and promised Martha that Lazarus would rise again. Jesus

Jesus is Unique

2010-03-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

God the Father only sent Jesus to rescue us from living and dying without God and bring us back to life today and forever with God. There is no other way than Jesus to be saved for eternal life. Christianity is not a religion. Religions are humanity’s attempts to understand and reach up to God. Christianity is God’s reaching down to us to lift us back to Him. That is what makes Christ unique

Jesus Calls Us by Name

2010-03-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

John 10:4 "When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."Jesus is a personal Shepherd. Jesus knows each of us personally and calls us by name to lead us to His abundant life. Shepherds in Middle East lead their sheep not drive them with dogs. They walk in front of the sheep and call out to them to follow. They know each of

Light Wins Everytime

2010-03-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

John 1:4-5, "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." (NIV)Answer this question for me. When you stand in a dark room at night and turn on the light switch, what happens to the darkness when the light goes on? Where does it go? It is gone. Turn on the light and the darkness vanishes. Light and darkness

The Bread of Life

2010-03-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

Jesus says that He is the Bread of Life. That means so many things. It means living with Jesus as our source, sustenance, nourishment, vitality and satisfaction of life. Living in Jesus as the Bread of Life also means that we find in Him the endurance of life to keep us going. As our daily bread, Jesus gets us through all the days, all the difficulties, all the celebrations and all the times

The Incredible Coral Creation

2010-02-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

At Porto Morales, south of Cancun, Mexico, we had been told that the best time to see many fish and turtles (my wife Sue really loves turtles) was to come early. So we were there early and had the reef to ourselves. This is the 2nd longest coral reef in the world. We had a very nice guide named Caesar who, we found out, could really spot lots of good things. We had not been in the water 5

What Would You Take?

2010-02-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

Mudslides have hit Southern California again. If you were in a flood or fire and were told to immediately evacuate your home, what would you take with you? A survey was conducted about this and the top responses were cell phones, wallets/purses/money, and photographs. I would grab my laptop computer because it has many of my photographs, plus so much more personal, financial and work related

3 Truths About Temptation

2010-01-29T12:36:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."In this passage hear three important truths to help us face temptations:1) You do not face a rare temptation known only to you. The temptations

The Best Way to Overcome Temptation!

2010-01-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

Benjamin Franklin remarked, “It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.” He was right. If you have a problem area, the worst thing to do is to place yourself into a situation where that area will tempt you. We need to place ourselves in healthy situations and stay away from the unhealthy ones. 1 Timothy 6:11 reads, “But you, Timothy, belong to God; so run

Where do Temptations Come From? Not from God!

2010-01-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

James 1:13,"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone" Where do temptations come from? James tells us that they don’t come from God. First, James relates that God cannot be tempted. Wrong choices have no appeal to God. He sees right through the lies to the evil consequences beyond. God is pure, just, holy and always

Better to Give Part 2

2009-12-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

Here are the final 5 reasons why it is better to give than receive. (See last week’s blog) If you have been struggling with giving this Christmas season - if giving has become a chore for you - if you wonder if you can ever give a meaningful gift - if you want to get God’s perspective on life, then this blog is for you; because giving is at the very center of Who God is, and what we can become

Is It Better to Give than Receive?

2009-12-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

Here are 10 reasons why it is better to give than receive. (first 5 this week, next 5 next week) If you have been struggling with giving this Christmas season - if giving has become a chore for you - if you wonder if you can ever give a meaningful gift - if you want to get God’s perspective on life, then this blog is for you; because giving is at the very center of Who God is, and what we can

The Purpose of Christmas

2009-12-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

Why do we give gifts? Sometimes we give gifts because we feel we have to because of social obligations or traditions. Sometimes we give gifts just for fun. Usually we give gifts because we want to share our love with others. We give because we enjoy helping others and seeing them enjoy the gift we have given in return. What gifts do we give? Sometimes we give gifts that we like and think

Can We Talk About Money?

2009-11-22T08:34:00.000-08:00

Some don’t like their church to talk about money. They think the church is always asking for money for our own interests. I want to tell you today why we talk about money at church. Yes, we would like you to support our ministries and mission. Yes, we would like to do all we can for the kingdom of God. But we don’t talk about money so you will give more. We talk about money because money is

Jesus is our Sabbath Rest

2009-11-15T06:56:00.001-08:00

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."Twice in this passage Jesus promises us rest. We first find rest when we give over to Jesus our weariness and burdens. We

Each One Reach One!

2009-11-05T09:18:00.001-08:00

Join us on our COV Outreach Saturday this Saturday, Nov. 7th!Love from Jesus is active in helping and caring for each other. If we have a heartbeat because we have received God's love, than our hearts must beat as God's does. We must love God, each other and our neighbors with Christ's love. We can't be the Church of the Valley unless we have God's heart for our valley. That is why we go out

The Value of Humility in Today’s World

2009-10-29T13:15:00.001-07:00

Humility involves submitting to that which is greater than you no matter how powerful you think you are. The lighthouse wins over any ship any time no matter who captains the ship. This principle of humility applies to many situations in life for us. Some are common sense such as not fighting against the principles of gravity by jumping of a tall building or fighting the laws of physics by

Why We Can Trust the Bible

2009-10-08T10:04:00.001-07:00

We can take God's wisdom found in the Bible and work it out in our daily lives for our greater life. We can't just read the Bible as mere literature. We must discover its truths through study and then apply them to our daily situations. We do this in the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells Timothy (2 Timothy 3:16) that "All Scripture is God-breathed…" God breathed is the literal translation

Why should we pray?

2009-10-01T10:03:00.001-07:00

There are many good reasons to pray. We pray because Jesus prayed. We pray because Jesus taught us how to pray. Study Matthew 6 and Luke 11 for clear teaching from Jesus on how to pray. We pray because we can get God's help, guidance, wisdom and strength. We pray not just to talk to God but also to listen to God. Prayer is a two way dialogue with God. It takes a while to learn how to hear

Integrity for a Balanced Life

2009-09-23T15:37:00.001-07:00

In seeking to find balance in our lifestyles, we seek an integrity of our character. I am reading the wonderful book Integrity by Dr. Henry Cloud. He lists "6 Aspects of Character" on page 35 that, if we possess them, will tell us if we will succeed at business or for that matter in any relationships and most of life. They are:The ability to connect authentically (which leads to trust)The

Find Your Balance in Life!

2009-09-07T13:14:00.001-07:00

I see it and hear it all the time – people frustrated, exasperated, confused, defeated, exhausted and discouraged because they have too many needs and not enough resources, too many demands and not enough time, and too many concerns and not enough strength to meet them all. We all feel that way at times. Everyone wants a piece of our time, money and energy, but we don't have enough of any of

Stressed and Burned Out?

2009-08-09T11:58:00.001-07:00

I am concerned about you. You have a hard time relaxing and being still. You have to always be in motion. How do you get recharged? Where do you keep finding all of this energy? Many of you are suffering from stress symptoms, such as headaches, stomach cramps, sleep disorders and pain in the shoulders and neck. I am not just talking about a few. I think the majority of you have some

Truth for Everyday

2009-07-30T10:40:00.001-07:00

Os Guinness in his book Time for Truth (pg. 78) lists 4 reasons why we humans believe something is true. 1) I believe because it is true. Only this first reason is certain because the truth is absolute and objective. 2) I believe because it works for me. This is called pragmatism, because if it does not work for someone else, they won't believe in it. 3) I believe because it feels true to me

Help Each Other Grow in Christ

2009-07-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

In the church culture we tend to think that a person is or is not a Christian – just two options. 76% of Americans call themselves Christian. Only 12% of those who call themselves Christian regularly do things we would consider behaviors of a Christian such as; go to church regularly, pray daily, study the Bible, serve others, etc. Our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ

Thank God for Roses and Thorns

2009-07-14T14:49:00.001-07:00

Benjamin Franklin wrote: The sentence which has most influenced my life is, "Some persons grumble because God placed thorns among roses. Why not thank God because He placed roses among thorns?" I first read it when but a mere lad. Since that day it has occupied a front room in my life, and has given it an optimistic trend.Do you look at the thorns in life and grumble? OrDo you look at the

New Blog Thoughts

2009-07-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been over a year since I began these blogs. Like many bloggers, I wonder how helpful they are? We don't get much feedback and this site has no way to tell how many people are reading the blog.I want this blog to be helpful to you who want to grow closer to Christ. So a direct appeal may be the best way to make this blog better. If you have a topic you would like me to address

Keep on Hoping and Dreaming!

2009-06-24T14:44:00.001-07:00

For the last difficult months of my son Ben's work in South Africa, he kept going because he knew he would return home soon. Yet, he had been warned about not having too high hopes for his return. In his blog shortly before he came home Ben wrote, "I'm also excited to get home and see family and friends and my girlfriend, it's been way too long. At the same time I've been warned that the

Ben Returns!

2009-06-15T19:46:00.001-07:00

Many of you have been following my son Ben's blog and accounts of his 9 months in South Africa. I have referred to him a few times here in my blog and at COV. Well, Ben returned today! He travelled for about 36 hours from the orphanage outside of Durban, South Africa until he finally arrived here at our home in Apple Valley. What a long trip!I want to thank so many who have been praying,

Don’t Give Up on Each Other

2009-06-08T21:00:00.001-07:00

Just yesterday, someone said something strange to me. I felt that the remark was not true, and in fact, felt a bit attacked by it. I did not know this person well enough yet to understand why he would treat me that way. Our temptation in such experiences is to write that person off and have no more to do with him/her. They make us feel uncomfortable, so why put ourselves into future

Count It Joy?! Part 2

2009-05-28T13:07:00.001-07:00

James 1:2-4 tells us to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." None of us do that well, so we are trying to learn why we should do that and how we do that. Last week I shared the first two

Count it Joy?! Part 1

2009-05-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

There is a command for followers of Jesus in the Letter of James that is probably the most ignored, least followed command in the whole Bible. Here it is - James 1:2-4 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not

The Birthing World

2009-05-05T15:01:00.001-07:00

I just read my son Ben's blog about his most recent experience in Africa. I highly recommend your reading it, as it is so very true about our walk with the Lord in this imperfect world. Look at it at http://benclark06.blogspot.com/Ben had just come back from a wonderful retreat to discover a very disturbing incident back at the orphanage. So he went from a spiritual high right to a dark situation

Aloha from Kahu Mike

2009-04-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am in Hawaii. We all need vacations and I do believe deeply in taking Sabbath time, which means times of rest. It has been a great past 6 months of ministry, but I was tired. I can feel the energy returning with each day of my time away, so I can be ready to go again when I return.While away on vacation or study leave, I try to get to church still. We don't take vacations from praising the

You Don’t Have to be Alone!

2009-04-17T16:53:00.001-07:00

God never intended us to live alone. Right from the start, when God created man He knew that was not enough. He let the man experience life alone for a while and the man felt emptiness. Sure, he had God and he had animals, but that was not enough. God created us as social beings. We need other humans. So created woman – literally 'out of the man' – like him but different enough from him.I

Why I am Glad the Cross is Empty

2009-04-06T13:22:00.001-07:00

Standing at the bottom of a long, winding path up the hill, I began the ascent for the summit. This hill stood opposite the city of Salzburg and granted one an unrivaled view of the city and the great fortress above it. The way up through the grounds of a Catholic institution served as a natural setting for the "Stations of the Cross." Each station positioned along the path portrayed a

Helping Children Makes the Lord Joyful

2009-03-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I am asking our church members to sponsor 200 children with Compassion International. The children are in three countries: Guatemala, Ecuador and Tanzania. I know that asking our church to sponsor all these children in a time of recession is asking a lot. But I also know that the Lord loves children - these children are in great need - and the Lord can make wonderful things happen when

Each One Does a Part

2009-03-19T15:11:00.001-07:00

I am watching my backyard transform from just dirt (or mud in the rain) into a place of enjoyment for our friends and family. I hired different experts to do this work. I am not skilled in these areas, so I share my vision with them and they make the ideas come to life.I am most impressed by those who work hard for excellence. The leader of the team that poured the concrete sculpted the still

Many Help Out for One Lord

2009-03-13T02:04:00.001-07:00

Wow, when one church decides to make a difference together, so much happens. We held an outreach day last Saturday. I had asked all our small groups to carry out some kind of project in our communities to share the love of Christ in some tangible way. I prayed that our members and regular attenders would want to help. They did in big way. I am still getting the reports but over 250 people

Back to the Garden!

2009-03-02T08:24:00.001-08:00

I had an amazing time last Saturday. Church of the Valley hosted a Black History Month celebration put on by a High Desert coalition of churches and organizations. Most of the approximately 400 people in attendance were African American and very few of us were of other ethnic heritage. Our COV choir attended and sang and I shared a message at the gathering. The gathering went on for over 3

Water in the Desert

2009-02-17T08:56:00.001-08:00

The desert surprises. Since arriving 6 months ago, I have witnessed 2 snowfalls (one of one inch and the other one foot!) and have seen a good bit of rain, especially lately. I watched a rainstorm completely miss our house and most of the area, but it stalled over a few blocks in the city next to us and caused a flash flood. Rainbows occur more frequently than I thought they would. But I

The Power of Positive Encouragement

2009-02-09T13:14:00.001-08:00

Our COV staff impresses me. Recently they have endured some true hardships at our offices. Late in November, a burst pipe in the early morning caused 3 inches of water to pool in our offices before it was discovered. Since then, we have been dealing with the consequences, including water damaged books, furniture, personal belongings, and water ruined carpets, floors and walls.For the first

Be the Best for God

2009-01-28T07:32:00.001-08:00

She told me she tried to be the best for her husband, the best for her children, and the best for her employer. She said this with tears. She felt twisted, stretched and exhausted as the needs of each one competed with the needs of the others. On top of these demands, she wanted to be the best for herself, but no energy, time or resources remained for her.Does this sound familiar? Do you feel

5 Money Management Truths to Keep You Financially Secure

2009-01-22T07:57:00.001-08:00

This recession looks like it will last for a while. More and more people lose their jobs, have a hard time paying bills and debt keeps mounting. Should we just accept this? No, we should not! When money seemed easier to come by in the quick cash loan years before the recession, we lost track of some key truths the Bible teaches us to keep us financially secure. Let us get back to practicing

Conflicts in relationships are a fact of life.

2009-01-14T14:01:00.001-08:00

Anytime you have two honest people together, they will disagree. In fact conflict is necessary when it gets us to view something in a new light. Conflicts are great catalysts for growth, and agents of healthy change. View them positively! I can immediately think of 3 reasons why God allows conflicts: 1) To humble us. 2) To cause us to mature in our thoughts and behaviors. 3) To help us

Forgive and Forget

2009-01-05T16:30:00.001-08:00

Some think that we should forgive, but not forget. Let's take a look at I Corinthians 13 and the definition of active love. Among the actions described are key behaviors to use in keeping relationships healthy and to repair the hurts that will inevitably arise. One such action in verse 5 grabs our attention, "it (love) keeps no record of wrongs." God has made it very clear that He removes our

The Road to Reconciliation

2008-12-29T20:59:00.001-08:00

Over the next month and more in this blog and in my Sunday Bible messages, I will share about reconciliation. Reconciliation is the Gospel, the core of Jesus' ministry with us. He came to earth to reconcile us back to God the Father and to each other.I have tried many times to come up with an exact order of steps to take to be reconciled. Each time I get confused as to which ones to place

Where God will Go

2008-12-23T11:09:00.001-08:00

To ponder Christ's birth, I refer you to this quote by Frederick Buechner, in The Hungering Dark as an amazing thought to captivate you this Christmas. He wrote: Those who believe in God can never in a way be sure of him again. Once they have seen him in a stable, they can never be sure where he will appear or to what lengths he will go or to what ludicrous depths of self-humiliation he will

Who Controls Christmas?

2008-12-16T14:26:00.001-08:00

I keep getting interrupted in trying to prepare for Christmas. One of the busiest times of the year for Pastors, as you would probably guess, is Christmas with all the extra services and needs. Yet, I keep falling behind in my preparations because of so many unplanned situations.How can you plan for a car swerving in front of the car my wife Sue drove, causing a bad accident? The accident

No Christmas Trees?

2008-12-09T21:12:00.001-08:00

We have a new Christmas tree for our new house, one of those you can box up and use again next year. Yup, we bought an artificial Christmas tree. We have been holding out on doing that for a while, but the move to the High Desert changed our thinking. One is that we need a taller tree now. Another is that we have been told that cut trees dry out really fast here. I did not want a barren tree

Handling Difficulty Amidst Holiday Celebrations

2008-12-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

In the midst of our joyous Thanksgiving celebrations with my daughters, my sister and her husband came an emergency call. Early Saturday morning, water from a broken pipe flooded our church offices. Dennis, who called me with the bad news, wondered at why I wasn't upset. Lesson one to handle difficulty, don't just react, give yourself time! I needed to get there to see what could be done. I

Top 10 Thanksgiving List

2008-11-24T18:32:00.001-08:00

During this week of giving thanks, I thank the Lord for:10. The expansive views, spectacular sunsets and tall mountains surrounding Apple Valley in the High Desert of Southern California.9. 14 years of wonderful God-shaped memories with our church family in Los Altos, CA. 8. A great new staff to minister with, including 2 very caring Associate Pastors who are already close friends. 7.

How Much Thanks is Enough?

2008-11-18T22:10:00.001-08:00

We're not very good at saying "Thank you," are we? We're like a little boy I heard about. On his return from a birthday party, his mother questioned him, "Bobby, did you thank the lady for the party?" "Well," he replied, "I was going to. But the girl ahead of me said, 'Thank you,' and the lady told her not to mention it. So I didn't."The Bible tells us our lives should be marked by

When Persecution turns to Joy

2008-11-10T17:07:00.001-08:00

Part 8 of 8 on the Beatitudes (Blessings) of Jesus for abundant life.Mat 5:10-12 (NIV) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they

Peacemakers Wanted!

2008-11-02T19:14:00.001-08:00

Part 7 of 8 on the Beatitudes (Blessings) of Jesus for abundant life.Matthew 5:9 (NIV) "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons (and daughters) of God."How can we find peace? How can we find peace with a neighbor whose dog barks day and night? How can we find peace with a colleague who does not understand there is no I in team? How can we find peace with relatives who think