Jesus

PLUG IN AND CONNECT TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD Technology: You either love it, fear it, or are somewhere in-between. You may also feel indifferent. No matter your position, you probably would agree that technology’s benefits outweigh its flaws. As with many things in life, there are always positives and negatives, and the advent of modern technology is no different. I heard a saying the other day: “The same sun that scorches also heals and makes things grow.” We all have our opinions about the internet and social media in our increasingly online world, but it looks like these technological advancements are here to stay. The key is to learn how to use them to your benefit, in a healthy way, without sacrificing anything in your life.  Over the years, I have done my fair share of preaching on the need to unplug — to put your phone down and

 The Perfect Gift   Have you ever been so excited to give someone you love a special gift that you can barely contain yourself? You are literally one conversation short of blurting it out? Without a doubt, those are the best gifts to give, aren’t they? And isn’t it interesting how it never feels like a burden to spend countless hours and energy thinking about, and looking for, the perfect gift? When you find it, or better yet, create it, you are elated and filled with joy over the entire experience.  In this Easter season, I want you to consider this: If you multiply the feeling I just described by infinity, this is what it was like for our Heavenly Father when He gave us the perfect gift — Jesus Christ! Easter is a time when we remember, honor, and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. In one mighty

LESSONS FROM OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS If you’ve been a friend of Hour of Power for a while, you know that during the first quarter of the year we dive into the Biblical significance and symbolism of birds. It’s a time when we honor our faithful Eagle and Sparrow Partners, and we invite you to be a part of this special group of friends to this ministry. In Bible times, teachers loved to use imagery of nature to explain the ways of the world. Various birds are mentioned throughout the scripture, with the dove holding the number one spot for frequent mentions. The dove has a vast array of symbols attached to it, most notably peace and love, and its most powerful symbolism is found in the Spirit of God appearing as a dove. The second-most mentioned bird in the Bible is the tiny sparrow, which is a powerful reminder of God’s love

NESTED IN HIS LOVE February is a special month at Hour of Power. It not only commemorates the anniversary of our first broadcast on February 8, 1970, but it’s also when we celebrate our Eagle Partners, a special group of friends here at the ministry. With generous hearts, they have faithfully provided monthly support for decades so that we can reach more souls for Christ and fly higher as we pursue the Lord’s best. When I think about the majestic eagle, our country’s national symbol, I am intrigued by its ultra-stoic nature and presence. It’s just one of many reminders in nature that show us the power and strength of our loving and all-powerful God. The Bible often uses the symbol of an eagle to portray strength, power, and vision. “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will

Christmas Faith in Action If you’re reading this article, congratulations! You lived another year in this beautifully designed world that God created for each and every one of us! He poured out His love for you and I in ways we couldn’t have predicted, and we can revel in the unfolding of His divine plan for us. We’ve emerged from 12 months of ups and downs that are inherently a part of our story on this journey called life. As we contemplate the year ahead, it’s natural to take inventory of our lives, including the emotional, financial and spiritual aspects. The awesome thing about a new beginning, a new year, is that it reminds us it’s never too late to make Jesus the center of our story. While God is the ultimate writer, we have the opportunity to be intentional about the choices we make as we go about our

Christmas Faith in Action As a pastor, what does Christmas mean to me? Put simply, yet astoundedly, a Savior was born unto us and our lives have never been the same. I just get so overwhelmed with emotion this time of year thinking about this: Our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord’s only begotten son, was born and lived 33 years so that our sins would be forgiven. God’s love is so powerful! As this special day approaches, let’s contemplate the meaning of Christmas faith, or rather active faith — the idea that as Christians, we are called to take action in our faith today. Not in secret, not tomorrow, but today.  Every day is Christmas. Christmas happens every day, and I’m not referring to sparkling lights and eggnog. I’m referring to the Biblical idea that Christ is always in us; that the incarnation, the infleshment of the Spirit of God

Give Thanks All Year Long Have you ever heard of the term, Chreasters? If you have, you’re probably chuckling right now.Chreasters is a slang word that describes people who only go to church on Christmas and Easter. These people can also be referred to as “Two-Timers,” or “Poinsettia and Lily Christians.” I bring this up in light of Thanksgiving approaching, the one time of year where many of us take turns around the dinner table and say what we are thankful for. If you’ve never done this before, I urge you to suggest it this year. Personally, I think it’s a great idea to be doing this all year long, not just once a year — just like we should be celebrating and honoring the birth and resurrection of our Savior in our hearts every day.  What Are You Thankful For?  Going around the dinner table at Thanksgiving and allowing

Give Yourself the Gift of Not Worrying Fall is in the air! I can almost taste the crisp and cool breezes subtly floating in, can you? October marks that time of year when we invariably start thinking about the holidays. It’s an exciting time for most, but can also be sprinkled with sadness if you’ve experienced loss, which most of us have. In addition, most people see it as a stressful time because there’s just a lot going on. I say let’s harness the season’s positive energy surrounding the celebration of the birth of our Savior and use it as a catalyst for a time of reflection, prayer, and for counting our blessings! If you grew up in a Christian home, I bet at least once you were reminded that Christmas is about the birth of Baby Jesus, not about the presents under the tree. It’s so interesting how us

Blessings in Unhurried Moments By now, most children are back in school and the hustle and bustle of preparing for this is behind us. Whew! In today’s society, it seems like just as we’ve finished one thing, there’s something else we have to start planning for. Yes, there is an expected cadence to life and we have to accomplish things — but it’s how we go about doing them that makes the difference.  I want us to try something new as we (dare I say) look ahead to the holiday season. For a lot of people, and you know who you are, what should be a glorious and special time ends up being stressful and a hurried experience. I often quote Dallas Willard, a well-known Christian Scholar. He said, “You can’t be compassionate and in a hurry.” In other words, he felt strongly that life couldn’t be good in a

I Feel The Need. The Need for the Creed. In today’s society, we are constantly bombarded with all kinds of messages, whether they’re coming from our flat-screen TV, social media or the internet. Self-help articles and inspirational sayings are all around us. Interestingly, the constant flood of information has the opposite effect of what advertisers and gurus are trying to achieve. The intent of well-meaning individuals is lost because our minds are overloaded, so we’re actually absorbing very little.  Having said that, wouldn’t it be fantastic if there was a way you could focus on one thing a day that could change your life for the better? Well my friend, such a thing exists! It’s a short prayer that you can say every day and, in my humble opinion, will limit the need to seek and digest the multitude of messages that appear daily from every angle. You will be