One of the striking surprises about the time we live is the imperceptible and incremental changes that happen culturally. Things move so slowly, and we’re so preoccupied that we don’t recognize shifts until we’re shocked out of our mundane lives. The evolution of marketing and politics is one of those phenomena of our society that leaped forward in 2015. What happened is a stark call to action for all believers who love their country and want to make a redemptive difference in the lives of other...
Oct 10, 2024•20 min
One of the striking surprises about the time we live is the imperceptible and incremental changes that happen culturally. Things move so slowly, and we’re so preoccupied that we don’t recognize shifts until we’re shocked out of our mundane lives. The evolution of marketing and politics is one of those phenomena of our society that leaped forward in 2015. What happened is a stark call to action for all believers who love their country and want to make a redemptive difference in the lives of other...
Oct 10, 2024•20 min
There is a twist of irony when one person condemns another, even if the accusation is correct. Jesus was right when He said, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” To paraphrase, He said that if you choose to dish it out, it will likely come back on you. If we do not guard our hearts when we critique others, we may forget that we are not guilt-free, probably doing adjacent things as we ...
Oct 03, 2024•17 min
In 2020, the number one question circulating in people’s minds was, “Should I wear a mask?” Perhaps you wore one, and it was a non-issue. Praise God. I’m sure you were aware that many of your friends were not where you were. It never occurred to me to write on this subject, but it proved to be a paper-thin problem that turned into a mountainous stumbling block for too many people. As most of our dilemmas go, we usually begin by asking the wrong question, which makes our mask problem an excellent...
Oct 01, 2024•20 min
One of the most hotly debated terms this century is the word woke. It means to be aware, as in, “I have woke up to [this cause].” Formerly, you were not aware; now, you are. Woke is most often used in the context of what some folks believe are the oppressors and the oppressed: “I am awake to your oppression.” Within this group of woke people, you will find a spectrum of adherents. On one end, there are the innocent idealists, and on the other, there are angry activists. Read, Watch, or Listen: h...
Sep 26, 2024•22 min
Our country is in a tailspin. The most popular word an immediate pathway to cancellation in America today is racism. Two hundred-plus years of striving and tension around race are spilling over into our streets and onto our social media platforms. The noise is so loud. It’s annoying, tedious, concerning, and a lie. Some people are reacting with no filter, while others want to bury their self-censoring heads in the sand. Why are we here? What happened to us? More importantly, what can we do? Read...
Sep 24, 2024•19 min
When it comes to human relationships and societal structures, there are threads of unity and discord woven side by side. It’s a delicate balance between building up and tearing down, and often hinges on subtle attitudes and actions that can go unnoticed until the fabric begins to fray. I want to explore this delicate balance between unity and discord by discussing how the insidious patterns of autoimmunity, verificationism, and psychosis create a sadistic, triune collective that, if left uncheck...
Sep 19, 2024•30 min
The Bible is clear: those who forget God will not endure (Job 8:13). This truth applies not only to nations but also to churches and individuals. God, who sits enthroned above the earth, sees all inhabitants as mere grasshoppers (Isaiah 40:22). When a nation turns away from God, it sets in motion a process of escalating chaos, disunity, and eventual destruction. It is tragic and ironic that many of today’s leaders—whether in politics or media—fail to recognize this historical pattern. While no n...
Sep 17, 2024•11 min
Every day, you have to make many decisions, big and small. Some of them are life-changing events, while others aren’t as consequential. It would shock many of us to realize how often we’re deciding things. From micro-decisions, those subtle, silent decisions, to life and family-altering decisions, having a good grasp of biblical decision-making is vital. I have a decision-making case study and a few practical guidelines that will serve you in all of the decisions that you have to make. Read More...
Sep 12, 2024•19 min
When deciding anything, you must be in faith regarding that decision, which is why the most important question you will ever ask yourself when making a decision is, “Am I in faith to (insert the thing you’re thinking about) to do this?” Thus, having a biblically informed conscience that does not obscure your presuppositional lens will help you to see the facts clearly, and it will give you the best shot at making the most God-honoring decision. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/a-simple-guid...
Sep 10, 2024•28 min
There are no his versus her problems in anyone’s marriage. There are one flesh problems. Your physical body is an excellent illustration of this worldview. If your finger is hurting, your body is hurting. If there is something wrong with your one flesh marriage, regardless of who is struggling, the whole body is in the struggle. Though you have unique lives, you are one flesh, too. What are the implications and practical applications of two unique people who become one flesh? Read Here: https://...
Aug 29, 2024•30 min
Every gardener has a garden. Common sense? If you plan to take up gardening, you must have a garden. Another necessary assumption is that it's vital to know something about gardening if your goal is to have one. It is not common sense to engage in the respected work of gardening with no clue about what it takes to be successful at it. When I think about gardening, I always think of my grandfather. He was a master gardener. Though I did not enjoy working in his garden during the hot summer days o...
Aug 23, 2024•31 min
If you were helping a couple build a stable marriage, where would you begin? What would be your starting point? What is the main thing that you would want to establish in their minds to help them? Their starting point, also called a presupposition, will determine the kind of marriage they will have with each other. A presupposition provides the lens through which they will interpret, understand, and respond to each other. A couple needs to have the correct presupposition and a practical plan tha...
Aug 15, 2024•31 min
Your spouse is two parts—body and soul. Every person is a dichotomy—organic and nonorganic or physical and spiritual. Though the two parts interrelate and affect each other, there are distinctions between them, which require different care. The word body is a basket word that includes all the parts of the body, like your hair, skin, lungs, heart, blood, and toenails. Healthy body parts work together to permit you to function at optimal levels. Though each body part is interrelated, each one is i...
Aug 13, 2024•6 min
Shows Main Idea – Seth Gruber’s clear, concise, and persuasive approach has impacted thousands across the United States, equipping audiences with the tools to change the mindset of the pro-abortion population. In this interview, Rick speaks with Seth about his documentary, *The 1916 Project*, an insightful and instructive rebuke of the fallacious *1619 Project*, which has reshaped the cultural narrative in recent years. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-516-seth-gruber-and-the-19...
Aug 10, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Biff does not want to lead his wife. He feels like a hypocrite trying to lead her while sporadically sinning against her. Biff asked his counselor, “How can I lead her and sin against her at the same time?” Admittedly, Mable does not make it any easier on Biff as she reminds him of his sin when he tries to lead her. Biff took the position that it is better not to lead Mable at all if he’s going to sin against her. He has three options. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/husbands-dilemma-i-lea...
Aug 08, 2024•6 min
Resist sin in your marriage at every turn. Do not think that you are the exception or that you are somehow above sin, and it will not destroy you. When you see it, kill it. If it is more than you can handle, call for the caregivers (local church) and let them help you kill it. The most ungracious thing you can do is let it persist in your marriage. I’ve counseled many spouses who refused to take this advice. Instead of implementing a biblical plan to restore the brokenness in their marriages, th...
Aug 06, 2024•6 min
When your children are young, it can seem as though all you’re doing is correcting them. As soon as they begin walking upright and stringing syllables together, there appears to be no right or wrong that they cannot do or say. Parents can quickly find themselves saying, “No,” “Stop,” “Don’t,” and “Stop talking” at every turn of their day. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-27-when-it-seems-all-youre-doing-is-correcting-your-child/ Will you help us to continue providing free c...
Aug 05, 2024•24 min
Shows Main Idea – Rosaria Butterfield, a former tenured professor of English and women’s studies at Syracuse University, converted to Christ in what she describes as a train wreck. Her memoir, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith (Crown and Covenant, 2012), chronicles her conversion. Rosaria is married to Kent, a Reformed Presbyterian pastor in North Carolina. She is a mother, grandmother, author, and speaker. Show Notes: https://lifeove...
Aug 03, 2024•1 hr 27 min
You may not know where your marriage is leading you, but there is one thing I want you to know: Regardless of your journey, you can rest assured that God is well ahead of you and has made many preparations before you arrive. Like a great friend waiting to receive you at the end of a long journey, the good Lord is always ahead of you and has a well-prepared end in mind. In Exodus, God disrupts an entire nation. The Lord lets the Israelites know that the times are changing. There is turmoil in the...
Aug 01, 2024•5 min
Discomfort in life is as assured as death and taxes. There are some things you can count on, and personal suffering is one of them. It is part of the package that comes with the gift of a new life from God (Philippians 1:29). Because suffering is guaranteed, it’s important to give reflective thoughts on how you respond when you don’t get your way. What comes out of your mouth when you do not get your way reveals your theology of suffering, your theology of God, and your maturity as a Christian. ...
Jul 30, 2024•6 min
There is a good chance your spouse is not everything you hoped for in a marriage. Of course, neither are you. Imperfect people have a way of disappointing imperfect people. Perchance your spouse is difficult at times to live with, here are seven things for you to practically apply to yourself and marriage. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-17-seven-things-to-know-if-your-spouse-is-difficult/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting mem...
Jul 27, 2024•5 min
Warning: This devotion is not for a spouse in an abusive marriage. If your marriage is abusive, find help immediately to stop the abuse. It is important to accurately recognize how God is working in you during times of suffering. Many times, individuals see their trials as something that is happening to them rather than something that God is doing in them. Acknowledging that God is doing something in you is more than a courtesy nod. It is sobering. For God to take an interest to help any of us i...
Jul 25, 2024•5 min
This devotion is in a three-part sequential order. The second step builds on the first, and the third relies upon the second. If you want to enjoy your marriage to the fullest, you must live out all three phases in the order presented. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-18-three-steps-to-be-an-excellent-spouse/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring ...
Jul 25, 2024•5 min
Biff sinned against Mable, and Mable was hurt. Biff asked Mable to forgive him. Mable forgave Biff. They reconciled—but not really. Though Mable forgave Biff, she neglected to tell him that she was sinning against him because of what he had done to her. Though she understood that it is never right to sin in response to being sinned against, she did sin against Biff as a response to his sin. Read More: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-25-double-confession-how-to-respond-when-sinned-against/ Will yo...
Jul 23, 2024•6 min
Shows Main Idea – Elias Ghazal was born in Qutar. His parents are Lebanese and Palestinian. He has developed theological courses in Arabic and is completing his Ph.D. in International Relations. I wanted to interview him about his perspective on Israeli and Palestinian tensions, differences, and solutions. It is fantastic to hear from someone from that part of the world without the worldview and shaping influences of being Americanized. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-513-elias...
Jul 20, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Physical intimacy with your spouse requires more from each spouse. Physical intimacy demands more from the couple. You can do many things as a married couple and even pretend to get along, but sex is the litmus test that tells the truth about the marriage. It is not unusual for a couple to attend church together for 30 years and be miserable in their marriage. Though they can pretend in the public domain, they cannot be fake in the privacy of their bedroom. Intimacy is either right, and your mar...
Jul 18, 2024•6 min
Mable knocked on my counseling door. She was in tears. She had just finished her weekly women’s Bible study. The deep dive into God’s Word was exhilarating, and the fellowship with her friends was refreshing, but Mable was in tears. Quizzically, I could not connect her tears with her time with God and friends. It did not make sense to me. Then she asked, “Would you talk to my husband?” Seven syllables. It spoke volumes. Mable spent a few hours each Tuesday at their church building watching a vid...
Jul 16, 2024•6 min
It is impossible to live in a fallen world and not argue or disagree with another person. From birth to the grave, disagreements are part of life. The odds are so stacked against you that you will not be able to get through life without conflict, which is why it would be good to learn how to argue well, especially with your spouse. Here are five tips for your marriage communication. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/day-22-five-tips-for-arguing-well/ Will you help us to continue providing fr...
Jul 11, 2024•5 min
There are at least two parts to every crisis: what is happening to you in real-time and space and what is spiritually happening inside of you as the Lord matures you through the trial. The first part is usually discernible to anyone associated with the crisis. The second part is not as perceptible to the person in the crisis or those observing the crisis. Typically, when I am experiencing a crisis, I can articulate what I am going through and the strategies I hope to implement to overcome it. Fr...
Jul 09, 2024•5 min
