The Daily Memo

The Argentine women’s basketball team came to their tournament game wearing the wrong uniforms. Their navy blue jerseys were too similar to Colombia’s dark blue jerseys, and as the visiting team they should have worn white. With no time to find replacement uniforms and change, they had to forfeit the game. In the future, Argentina will surely double-check what they’re wearing. In the time of the prophet Zechariah, God showed him a vision in which the high…

We are now in the late stages of the long and vicious war against the human heart. I know—it sounds overly dramatic. I almost didn't use the term "war" at all, for fear of being dismissed at this point as one more in the group of "Chicken Littles," Christians who run around trying to get everybody worked up over some imaginary fear in order to advance their political or economic or theological cause. But I am not hawking fear at all; I am…

Many people view discouragement and disappointment as the same thing, but there’s a slight difference. Disappointment is an emotional response to a failed expectation, whereas discouragement, or despair, usually comes from prolonged disillusionment or continued hardship. Since we cannot experience perfect success in a fallen world or keep ourselves from suffering, there’s no way to avoid all disappointments in life. However, we don’t have to yield to.…

Today, we are bombarded by strong messages about freedom and how to obtain it. Whether we’re watching TV, listening to the radio, scrolling through social media, or reading the news, the message is consistent: The heart of freedom in the world is about making our own way, living life on our terms and without constraints. Yet in order to be free as the world understands it, we must be in control—we have to be the supreme being directing our life. There’s…

Our Enemy is a thief, and of all the precious things he has stolen from our hearts, his worst act of treachery has been to steal our future from us. He has stolen all the magic and promise and wonder of the happily ever after. Very few of us live with hope. To those without faith, he has whispered, "Your story ends with an accident, and then...there is nothing. This is as good as it gets." Small wonder people drink too much, eat too much, watch too much TV,…

Few things in life are accomplished by accident, which is why it’s important for us to set specific goals. However, in our planning, we should always seek the Lord’s guidance and not simply aim for our own earthly ambitions. Whenever a new goal comes to mind, we should consider whether it is in line with God’s will. Some topics may be scripturally clear, but many are not, so we must also examine our motives. Are we seeking to please God or ourselves? Are…

Incite – a verb -meaning to move to action: stir up: spur on: urge on – which may or may not imply initiating. This according to Merriam-Webster. We’ve heard a lot over the last week or so about numerous individuals inciting others to carry out violent acts against people and property at the US Capitol. When I contemplated that a bit, I was disturbed by one inconvenient fact. Every person is responsible for their own actions. As a kid my…

In 1848, when engineers were planning to build a suspension bridge across Niagara Gorge, the question became, how do you stretch the first wire across an 800-foot gorge with 225-foot cliffs on either side and rapids that rush toward a waterfall? The solution? A kite-flying contest. A fifteen-year-old American named Homan Walsh won. The day following that successful flight, a stronger line was attached to the kite string and pulled across. Then an even stronger line. Then a.…

Today’s headlines are replete with stories of dethroned monarchs, religious or secular. Scripture is as well. Though the characters change, the story line remains the same: broken, unfinished, uninitiated men causing injury to the lives of others with the mishandling of power. Think of the men who have held positions of authority over you in your own story. When did they use their power to meet their own unharnessed need for validation rather than offer their strength…