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When we are slaves unto ourself, we are the only one who can make the decision to set ourself free. That decision is to love Jesus...who is love. To love the God who loves you whether you loved Him or not. I write about this extensively in “The Right Fight” -How To Live A Loving Life. Available on Amazon and at shieldsofstrength.com. Every time I hear someone say respect me and I will respect you, I ask them if they realize they are giving the wheel of their lives to others. Fear loves others w …

God is love. If we know love, we know God. Love was not what I thought it was most of my own life. Learning what love really was drew me closer to God than I have ever been. This is why I wrote “The Right Fight -How To Live A Loving Life.” I’m telling you the truths in that book radically changed my life forever. It took me off the path of self-destruction and put me on the path that leads to Jesus and fruitfulness. Please read it if you have not already, but first read God’s Word. Even if it’s …

It’s incredibly important that we depend on dependable people when we need help-and we all need help. When I’m looking for a true expert, I’m looking for someone who will ask me lots of questions and not assume anything is true....even if they are sure they already know the answer. I’m looking for someone who is less worried about how smart they appear, and more worried about helping make sure I understand the simplicity of their expertise. I’m looking for someone who is more worried about findi …

Someone loving us is not permission to hurt them just because they will forgive us. It’s a responsibility to love them. If we love someone....the last thing we ever want to do is hurt them. That said, as much love as I feel for Tammie, and as hard as I fight to love her, I still manage to hurt her far too often. Healthy relationships and marriages are rarely without hurt. It’s the willingness to truly repent and truly forgive that keeps love growing stronger. If someone continues to hurt us with …

Love never ever wants to hurt anyone! It’s extremely painful for love to be forced to deliver the news that the person it loves needs to change. That said....though it may be painful, love will deliver the message not for itself but for the sake of the person it loves, and it will take no joy in any suffering. Fear on the other hand will enable. Fear will tell selfishness what it wants to hear so it will be loved. It’s really not loving anyone but itself. It’s doing what it takes to be loved. It …

In an effort to keep from hurting some people’s feelings our nation has taken Jesus out of virtually everything including our children’s schools. Jesus is not the problem He is the only solution. Until we bring Jesus back... it only gets worse from here. How can it be that the only solution...love...is considered the problem. I think because we don’t know what “Love” really is... John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The opposite of this is lay …

It takes two people to have a loving relationship, but it doesn’t take two perfectly loving people. It just takes two people willing to fight to love instead of fighting to be loved. Chapter 9 of “The Right Fight- How to Live a Loving Life” is all about my own failure to love my own wife. If you haven’t, please read it.....it’s available at shieldsofstrength.com or on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It’s “why” two people are in a relationship that determines if it will fail or succeed. If we are fi …

We should not go around making mountains out of mole hills, but when real trouble comes love runs towards it, not away from it. Run to trouble and ask the most important question....Why? Somewhere in the answer to “Why” is the answer to the trouble. We should be willing to repent if we are the problem. If we are not the problem, don’t respond in anger. Respond with the truth as kindly as you can deliver it. The truth doesn’t need our help or our anger to pack a punch. Then follow the truth where …

Just imagine the prodigal son coming home after wasting all his father’s wealth and saying...”Dad, I forgave myself. Would you go grab me your best jacket and slaughter a fat calf and help me celebrate.” I think the Father would have said with tears in his eyes, “Son, I don’t think it’s time for you to come home yet.” Don’t try to forgive yourself-it’s a trap. Drop to your knees and thank Jesus for forgiving you despite the fact you don’t deserve forgiveness. Love forgives, and Jesus is love. Wh …

Jesus is not a religion He is a Savior! Religion is manipulation. It's giving to get. Love gives expecting nothing in return. Jesus didn't go to the cross so we would love Him. He went because He loves us despite our sin, and He desires we love Him. He made a way but we must chose love. A loving church stands on the love of Jesus and preaches the cross! A religious church puts something or many things between us and the cross -keep these rules then you find the love of God. Jesus didn't give to …