1787 results for tag: Greg Albrecht

Spitting Into the Wind

Just how much dirt do you need in your sand box? Greg talks about the primary lesson of the book of Ecclesiastes — experienced by Solomon, exemplified by Alexander the Great, and recorded by Johnny Cash.

Focus on Christ – Not on Fear – by Greg Albrecht

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself— nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance" (Franklin Delano Roosevelt, first inaugural address, March 4, 1933). Weltschmerz—a German word meaning world-pain or world-weariness is used to describe mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state. Based on the anxiety and concern contained in reports and letters we receive from those we serve, as well as a general condition of weltschmerz in our society, there is no doubt that fear, worry, stress and tension are wreaking ...

Serving in Jesus’ Spiritual Soup Kitchen

We are not the final destination of God’s favor! He lavishes his gifts on us so that we in turn might pass it on. And make no mistake — there is a critical need for his grace!

He Is Coming, But Not Because He Is Mad As Hell!

Many seem to preach about a Jesus who will return to this earth because he just can’t put up with us anymore! The Second Coming is coming, but Jesus’ motivation behind his return might be a “little different” from what you’ve heard.

Help! The Future Has Arrived – Greg Albrecht

Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis (Latin)— all things change, and we change with them. Fifty-two years ago, in his bestselling book Future Shock, Alvin Toffler depicted and defined the anxiety produced by too much turbulence and disruption in too short a period of time. For Toffler, Future Shock is the premature arrival of the future before humans are ready for it. His assessment is now becoming a disconcerting reality, a trauma our world at large is currently enduring. In his remarkably accurate descriptions of life in this second decade of the 21st century, Toffler described a culture produced by a post-industrial machine-age ...

Remember the Alamo!

What does the Bible have to say about battlefield slogans and war cries? Greg explains a Christ-centered lesson we can glean from Elijah’s confrontation with 850 false prophets on Mount Carmel.

Everyone is Welcome

What would you think of a king who invites anyone and everyone to his son’s wedding? Join us as Greg says, “It doesn’t matter which one of the many ‘one and only true churches’ you join, flashing your membership card at the door of the wedding banquet will only get you thrown out!”

The Trap of Misplaced Trust

Counterfeit, knock-off watches look like the real thing, but when people buy them, the fake gold plating fades, internal mechanisms break, and soon the watch stops completely. Has someone sold you a counterfeit relationship with God?

What Is Prayer All About? – Greg Albrecht

Question: I know that praying is not really about us, but for the purpose of helping us draw closer to God.  But I have also heard that prayer for others, even when they have no idea we are praying for them, is important for and to them.  How is that possible?  I'm not clear how it necessarily helps the person we're praying for in cases where that person is never aware we are praying for them.  My (flawed?) premise is that God is Perfect Love and already knows the perfect solution or course of action and will not be persuaded to change His will by my prayer.  So again, I ask...how does my prayer specifically for ...

Let the Party Begin

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master ...

Focus on Christ – Not on Fear!

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself— nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance" (Franklin Delano Roosevelt, first inaugural address, March 4, 1933) Weltschmerz—a German word meaning world-pain or world-weariness is used to describe mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state. Based on the anxiety and concern contained in reports and letters we receive from those we serve, as well as a general condition of weltschmerz in our society, there is no doubt that fear, worry, stress and tension are wreaking havoc in ...

Prayer – The Steering Wheel or a Spare Tire?

Corrie Ten Boom once asked, "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" When she compared prayer to a steering wheel, I'm relatively certain that Corrie Ten Boom didn't know anything about a modern GPS system—the navigational system many people have in their cars today. As you probably know, GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It's a radio navigation system that allows land, sea and airborne users to determine their exact position. It relies on 24 satellites in orbit above the earth—positioned in such a way that four of them will always be above the horizon, anywhere on the earth. A GPS receiver, like the ones many ...

The Trouble With Halloween

Q: I appreciate the ministry of PTM, and the great work you do for the Lord, and I very much enjoy your teaching and advice. I have a question about the holiday of Halloween. In your opinion, is it wrong to dress up in costumes, have a party or give out candy to trick-or-treaters? A:Some Christians see nothing wrong with Halloween as a time for families to take children, who love to dress up in costumes, into their immediate neighborhood, and, with careful supervision, receive goodies and treats as they go from house to house. Some of these parents avoid witch and ghost costumes for their children in favor of cowboys, action heroes, angels, ...

Let the Party Begin – by Greg Albrecht

  WHEN JESUS WANTED PEOPLE TO  UNDERSTAND GOD'S KINGDOM PRESENCE,  HE USED PARTIES AS A PICTURE     Key Text: The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)   The very idea of any kind of party, any kind of laughter, feasting, light-heartedness and yes, even enjoyment of life itself, is suspect in some religious environments. Our keynote passage does more than just record history, it is inviting you and me to a party, a party that is already in progress! There's important teaching in this passage.    You may have heard one of the take-offs on our passage, which goes something like this: Jesus turned water into wine almost ...

You and Me and Zacchaeus

If Hollywood made a movie about Zacchaeus, Danny DeVito might be asked to play the role of this short man who made a ton of money. The plot? Jesus loved Zacchaeus even though no one else seemed to.

Contentment – by Greg Albrecht

Friend and Partner Letter from October 2022 If you are like me, you have had the experience of seeing an old friend your own age, whom you have not seen in “forever,” and thinking how old they have become since you last saw them!Meanwhile, we fail to remember we have been seeing our own aging reflection in the bathroom mirror every day. No one likes to get older. Surgical procedures, injections, creams, lotions and diets are sold, promising to restore what has long since gone down the river of life. Sam went to a new dentist, and as he was in the waiting-room he saw a diploma on the wall —it seemed his new dentist had attended the ...

Love – No Fear

Religion is all about shame and honor, but real Christianity is about God’s love and grace. There is no fear — no shame — no guilt, in God’s perfect love.

Grace at Church

Grace can happen “at” church — but grace is seldom offered on religious menus. Join us in celebrating the riches of God’s grace.

When Your Dreams End Up In the Pit

Sometimes our dreams wind up in a pit. If you find yourself in a pit, even if things get worse before they get better, if your hope is in the Lord, he will rescue you.

The Center of the Gospel – Greg Albrecht

Christianity WITHOUT the religion defines Christ-less religion as any systematic method used to either earn or gain favor with God initially, or to improve and maintain one’s ongoing standing with God on the basis of deeds, involvement, attendance, performances, rituals and ceremonies. One of my favorite authors, Richard Rohr, speaks of the “performance principle” as the absolute foundation of all religion.The “performance principle” is the myth that leads humans to live lives defined by achievement—it is a myth that is rooted in and driven by fear. Fear is the foundational building block of Christ-less religion. The “perfor...