The Daily Memo

So much of the church desiring to be palatable to a broken culture wants to lower standards today so that worldly people feel comfortable coming into the “body”. Allowing that to occur, Christians are then seduced into worldly morality and compromised in an effort to be relevant. It is nonsense and I’m calling it out. The church is not a democracy or permissive society, it’s a blood-bought family of Believers. The Holy Ghost fills us - not the…

It’s easy to trust God when life is pleasant. In difficult times, though, it can be challenging. Yet that’s exactly what God tells us to do: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you” (Psalm 50:15). We can trust the Lord for several reasons. One is because of His love for us. We see it clearly demonstrated through the Father’s character, Jesus’ atoning death, and our adoption as a child of God. Another reason we can rely on…

Today I'm sharing an encouraging story sent to me by a long-time friend who's part of the ministry team at Jesus Film. Take the time to read it. You'll start the day with a much-needed smile seeing Gods amazing grace and mercy. _________________________________ Madagascar is an enormous island nation located off the coast of East Africa. Thousands of small villages dot the countryside, connected by foot trails, rugged roads and rivers. In one of these…

Fyodor was a wild young man. His life revolved around eating, drinking, talking, music, theatre and the company of women. He dreamt of fame. He was caught up in a movement for political and social reform in Russia during the repressive reign of Tsar Nicholas I. He was arrested, tried and condemned to be executed. On a bitterly cold morning, the prisoners were taken out to be shot. The prison guards raised their muskets to their shoulders and took aim. At the last moment, a…

I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. (Ezekiel 28:16) So evil entered the Story. I am staggered by the level of naïveté that most people live with regarding evil. They don't take it seriously. They don't live as though the Story has a Villain. Not the devil prancing about in red tights, carrying a pitchfork, but the incarnation of the very worst of every enemy you've met…

In the Netherlands, a group of fashion designers offer a “Golden Joinery” workshop. Inspired by the Japanese technique Kintsugi, where broken porcelain is visibly repaired with gold, participants collaborate in mending clothes in ways that highlight the mending work rather than trying to mask it. Those who are invited bring “a dear but broken garment and mend it with gold.” As they remake their clothes, the repair becomes ornamental, a “golden scar.;…

According to the family legend, two brothers, one named Billy and the other Melvin, were standing on the family’s dairy farm one day when they saw an airplane doing some skywriting. The boys watched as the plane sketched out the letters “GP” overhead. Both brothers decided that what they saw had meaning for them. One thought it meant “Go preach.” The other read it as “Go plow.” Later, one of the boys, Billy Graham, dedicated himself…

I’m writing this memo on my birthday although you’re reading it much later than that. I began saying it’s just another day many years ago, but as I woke up this morning God had something else to say about that. It’s a pretty special day in our household when we celebrate the birth of one of our family members. But far too many times I characterize it internally on my own big day as less than that. Then I was reminded of how God clearly stated it in…

We see Jesus withdrawing in order to work through tragic news, such as when he learns that his friend John the Baptist has died. He withdraws to gain insight on important decisions, such as which men to call to follow him. He withdraws so that he simply can pray. He withdraws to enjoy time with his closest companions. He withdraws as a means of teaching his disciples the unparalleled value of rest. He doesn’t wait until his mission is accomplished. He doesn’t…