I’m excited to lead an upcoming tour to the Holy Land which will focus exclusively on the life of Jesus. This will be an exclusive, one-bus tour, seeing sites that average tours to Israel don’t get to see—around a theme most never get to experience first-hand. Click for more information.
I hope you’ll join Cathy and me for this trip of a lifetime.
Download a brochure with all the details.
In the workplace, in our churches, and in the government, we expect accountability. And yet in our personal lives, accountability often strikes us as a negative thing.
That’s natural, I guess. Even in the Christian life, we expect others to do what’s right, but we often give ourselves a hall pass because our motives are good. Yet in holding this double standard, we can miss a huge benefit of growing in the Christian life.
In a previous post, I shared 3 benefits to having an accountability group. Committing to a group who will ask accountability questions really is nothing more than asking others to encourage you in the essential areas where you want to succeed in the Christian life. More than anything, accountability questions help you to be who you really want to be.
Here are the 10 accountability questions my group asks each week as well as a link for you to download the list.
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I’m excited to serve as the conference speaker at Horn Creek Christian Camp this winter. I’ll be teaching on the life of Joseph as it relates to “Waiting on God,” the title of my upcoming book. I would love for you to bring in the New Year with my family in beautiful Colorado!
Everybody uses a calendar. Some hang it on the wall with pictures of puppies, landscapes, or old cars. Others use Google Calendar or carry their schedules on their smartphones. Some do all of these.
In fact, most of us operate with several calendar systems at the same time. My calendar year begins in January, but I also march to a fiscal year, a school year, and occasionally, a leap year.
But as God’s people—just like the Hebrews of old—a calendar does much more than keep us on schedule. Especially on a New Year.
The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, begins this evening and reminds us of essentials we mustn’t forget.
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For the past 10 years, I have met weekly with 8 other Christian men in our neighborhood for Bible Study, prayer, and accountability.

(Photo: My group)
I recently commented on Michael Hyatt’s blog about the accountability questions our groups asks each week, and he encouraged me to blog about it. Honestly, I had never thought about that, but it makes total sense.
Too often, accountability takes on a negative slant as we picture ourselves surrounded by pointing fingers and a spotlight of condemnation.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I want to share with you 3 benefits to having an accountability group that can help you in our Christian life.
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The mustard plant in Israel grows to a height of 10-12 feet, but it has one of the smallest seeds.
Jesus compared the mustard seed to God’s coming kingdom:
The kingdom of God . . . is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants. —Mark 4:30-32
Compared to the large weeds in our daily world, God’s program seems like a mustard seed—small, insignificant, and ineffective.
But God’s plan is progressing in spite of its seeming insignificance now.
When we feel discouraged at the slowness and secrecy of God’s plan, remember the truth Jesus revealed. What seems small and insignificant now will become the largest of all kingdoms one day.
Keep going. Don’t give up. We have a future with God. (Tweet that.)
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever. —Revelation 11:15
Video from SourceFlix.com.
The oldest name for the Sea of Galilee is “Chinnereth.” The name means, “harp,” and the lake likely took the name because of the shape of its perimeter.
Driving around the northern side of Sea of Galilee causes the neck of most folks to turn back and forth a lot. There’s so much to see without ever leaving the vehicle! For example:
- The Mount of Beatitudes tops a conspicuous slope. You can’t miss the chapel on top.
- If Capernaum weren’t obvious because of its road sign, the throng of tour buses turning in would give it away.
- The towering Mount Arbel orients every person to the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee.
But several other sites are less easy to see. That’s because they look like little more than a turn in the road, an inlet in the lake, or a gated-off sidewalk.
All 3 sites are worth tapping the brakes—and even worth the trouble of getting out and enjoying.
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Too often we allow ourselves to believe that a robust view of God’s sovereignty in all things means that when suffering comes it won’t hurt. God’s sovereignty doesn’t take away the pain and evil that confront us in our lives; it works them for our good.
My publisher sent me these two cover options for my new book, Waiting on God: What to Do When God does Nothing. I need your help picking the cover. Which do you prefer?
Select your choice below the covers. I’ll let you know which cover wins. Thanks for your help!

(Can’t see the survey in email? Click here.)
East of the Sea of Galilee, a long plateau rises above the surrounding basins. For thousands of years, the Golan Heights in Israel has remained the envy of its environs—even to today.
Those who drive along the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee and its ridge on the Golan seldom see 3 sites with odd names and curious histories.
Here’s a hint at their names:
- Camel back
- Circles in circles
- Chinnereth port
Can you guess?
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