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29 Jan

Posted at 21:29h in Uncategorized

In January we cast a vision for renewing our concept of God. I hope you have been encouraged by unpacking some of God’s marvelous qualities in four great Bible chapters: Isaiah 40, Psalm 139, Romans 8 and finally Revelation 21. One of my favorite quotes when planning a new business venture or project is “Begin with the end in mind.” (Steven Covey) That idea has always centered my outlook. Revelation 21 introduces us to the Beginning and End, “the Alpha and the Omega” (21:6), our great God. John penned the book of Revelation, a series of visions revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. Exiled to the island of Patmos (just west of modern Turkey), Jesus “beloved disciple” was shown amazing images of the end of human...

21 Jan

Posted at 22:50h in Uncategorized

In case this is the first Reflection you’ve read this year, each week in January we are praying for a renewed vision and understanding of God. We have been meditating on the nature and character of God using four of the greatest chapters in the Bible. The first week we read Isaiah 40, considering the incomparable greatness of God. The second week we read Psalm 139, reflecting on the all-knowing, always present God, who knows all our days and His purposes for them (I hope you haven’t gotten over the marvel of that). This week I want to focus on the God revealed in Romans 8. I honestly do not feel worthy to write or speak on such a profound passage of Scripture. It is a great...

16 Jan

Posted at 16:01h in Uncategorized

We have started 2022, spending the month reading four great Bible chapters that reveal God’s true nature and character. The first week we meditated on Isaiah 40, considering God’s greatness and magnificence as He rules and reigns over the universe. This week our focus has been on Psalm 139. Everyone wants to be known. Whether naturally introverted or laid back or outgoing, we all want to be acknowledged, understood and valued. Contemplating God in a rational way, it seems unlikely that He would even notice us out of the billions of people He has created. But then there’s Psalm 139 . . . God knows Everything (vs. 1-6) This song written by David for the chief musician begins with “O Lord, You have searched me and known me.”...

08 Jan

Posted at 14:51h in Uncategorized

Isaiah 40 was written to the nation of Israel during a time of intense turmoil and spoke of their coming exile to Babylon, where their lives would be turned upside down for a whole generation. By ignoring and rejecting God, their dreams had been crushed and their sense of hope was hanging by a thread. I’m sure they believed that being rescued and returned to their homeland was the most important thing, but what they needed most was a new vision of God--the God who is, not the God they had created in their own minds. We are no different. Regardless of what is going on in our lives or businesses, an accurate image of God is essential for all of us. Isaiah 40 beautifully paints...

31 Dec

Posted at 15:51h in Uncategorized

Welcome to another brand-new year! I am convinced that something in our DNA loves a fresh start. A lot has been said about the last two years, but let’s look forward with a fresh vision for our lives and businesses There are several familiar paths to launching a new year with purpose. A new spiritual discipline may lead you to a deeper relationship with God. An inspiring person may challenge you to overcome some difficult obstacle. A new strategy may help you pursue something you’ve always hoped to achieve. But may I cast a vision for something different, something greater? More than political unity, social peace or a better business plan is a renewed image of God. I’m not talking about “seven steps to spiritual success,”...

20 Mar

Posted at 20:12h in Uncategorized

Imagine that you just sat down for dinner, ready to enjoy good food and conversation, only to feel that infernal buzz in your pocket. A second or two passes while you try to remain in the dialogue around the table, but it's too late. Your mind has been activated and your curiosity forces you to take a peek. Sure enough, it's an associate who has just received some new information about the deal you are working on. You have a split-second to make one of two choices: 1) politely apologize and excuse yourself to respond to the message or 2) steal glances at your phone under the tablecloth and attempt to reply without being detected. (Loud buzzer) You are incorrect! There were are least two more options:...

21 Feb

Posted at 18:56h in Uncategorized

Some of my most magnificent moments have been while witnessing the amazing beauty of God's creation: hiking Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona, taking in the vista from Angel's Landing in Utah's Zion National Park and gazing over the waterfalls of En-gedi in Israel. What made those views so breath-taking was a keen awareness that I was tasting the fruit of God's glory and creative labor. If all I ever did was travel the world to view all of Earth's glorious beauty it would be spectacular...

13 Feb

Posted at 22:43h in Uncategorized

This week I sat down with a young man who will be graduating from college later this year. As one would hope, he is full of anticipation about the future and a career in commercial real estate. My own energy began to build as he eagerly hung on every word I was sharing (please excuse my excitement...

30 Jan

Posted at 00:37h in Uncategorized

How many times have you wished that God would write out the answer to your decision in the clouds? When it comes to making difficult choices, we all need help from above. If skywriting is asking too much, couldn't God send us some kind of sign? The job seems perfect for my skills and passion, but the pay will force us to move. The best candidate seems too good to be true...

24 Jan

Posted at 20:14h in Uncategorized

According to one report, the average person hears 100,000 words and 34 gigabytes of information every day. That is a lot of information! The voices are constant, speaking out all sorts of agendas and motives and worldviews. That much noise can easily lead us into confusion and chaos. I raise this issue to ask an important question: Who are you listening to? What are your primary sources? How do you know they are trustworthy and true? Recently, I was discussing politics with a few family members (risky!) and was encouraging us all to work harder to grow in civility and grace when discussing issues that we disagree about. During that conversation, there was a statement challenging a news report my wife mentioned. Rather than arguing, she...