Faith Spells R-I-S-K — Two2Grow, Wednesday, July 16 "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 NIVEarly in my walk with Jesus, I had to learn to let go of every desire to control or predict what He was going to do. I learned that faith spells R-I-S-K.By risk, I don't mea...  Read More

Is Anyone Following? — Two2Grow, Tuesday, July 14 “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 NLTIt is often said, “If you want to know whether you are a leader, look behind you. Is anyone following?”God has called each of us to raise up followers of Jesus. But that does not begin by looking for people whom we can lead. It begins by living a life radically centered on...  Read More

Tuning Our Heart — Two2Grow, Monday, July 13 “They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.” Jeremiah 31:9 NKJVThere was an elderly man of God in one of the churches I pastored who often referred to today's text by ...  Read More

Don't Leave It Unfinished— Two2Grow, Sunday, July 12 “Tell Archippus: ‘See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.’” Colossians 4:17 NIVI played soccer as a kid. Our team wasn’t that great, and I remember our coach often encouraging us to keep at it, even when we were down by several goals. I don’t remember whether the coach ever used the common phrase, “It’s not how yo...  Read More

The Lost Art of Hospitality—Two2Grow, Saturday, July 11 “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 NIVAs Emelie and I have served the Lord in churches in Europe, Africa, Asia, and America, we have come to see that we can learn different things from different cultures. When pastoring a church made u...  Read More

Stay in the Fight — Two2Grow, Friday, July 10 “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.” — 2 Samuel 11:1 NIVHave you ever felt like just tapping out of the fight? It's easy to get tired and worn down by the spiritual battle we're in. T...  Read More

You Have Someone — Two2Grow, Thursday, July 9 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.” John 5:7a (NIV)Have you ever been in a place where you felt that nobody understood and nobody could help? Life can bring us to places where we identify with the invalid man who said, "I have no one to help me."People often disappoint us. Sometimes they have ...  Read More

Going Deeper— Two2Grow, July 8 “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.”— 2 Timothy 4:13 NIVI never liked studying. I even managed to graduate from high school without reading a single book from cover to cover. But that all changed when I realized that studying God's Word is one of the primary ways we come to know God more deeply....  Read More

Don't Bury Your Gift—Two2Grow, July 7 "So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground." Matthew 25:25a NIVI was a mama's boy and never liked being away from my family. One summer during middle school, I went to a Boy Scout camp. After just a couple of days, I got one of the leaders to drive me back home because I was so homesick. So when I sensed as a teenager that God was calling me...  Read More

Say “No” with a Smile—Two2Grow, July 6 "I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’” Genesis 14:23 NLTIn Bible college, I had a teacher who asked the whole class to look at the person next to them, smile, and say, "No." He said one of the most important skills a leader can learn is how to say no w...  Read More

No Matter the Cost—Two2Grow, July 5 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:41-42 NIV A post by Josephine StenhammarFollowing Jesus means suffering will come.God is fill...  Read More

America Healed—Two2Grow, July 4 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)I will never forget the first time I came to America. I was 19 years old and about to start Bible college. My life was changed—not on...  Read More