September 30, 2026

Let’s Get Out of the Huddle

Ahhhh…’tis the season. Crisp mornings, where we see our breath. Changing leaves falling, crunching under our feet. We are in the full throws of pumpkin spice, harvest décor and football games on every channel and in every stadium.  Even from my front yard on Friday nights I can hear the high school band playing and football fans cheering at the nearby High School.

Imagine paying for college or professional football tickets. You’re in the stands, greasy food in your hands. You’re adorned in your favorite teams regalia, the fans are cheering, momentum is building….Your favorite team runs onto the field and gathers in a huddle. The huddle lasts for 10 minutes, then 20, then 40, then one hour! Then they walk off the field. What would you do? How would you respond?

Pastor Harvey Carey is the pastor of  a thriving, mission-minded church in Detroit, MI. Pastor Harvey is the one who gave the aforementioned analogy about the long huddle at a football game.

Located in one of the poorest zip codes in America, Pastor Harvey Carey’s church was identified as one of the top churches in growing people spiritually. He says that some Sundays when his congregation shows up for church, they all walk right back out to go spread God’s love on the streets around the church for that hour.

Isn’t that what we do on Sunday mornings as Christians—huddle for one hour and go off the “field”? How do you think God reacts when He sees us all “huddled up”?

Pastor Harvey’s passionate sermon was quite convicting. I am guilty as charged, sometimes also staying in my Christian huddle of friends and family. Many of us “huddle” from one Sunday, one week to the next. We often don’t actually “play the game” of our faith, loving our neighbor as ourselves, fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28) and serving the “least of these” in Matthew 25. We can go to all these seminars, retreats, and conferences year after year, collecting binders of information on our shelves, which only collect dust. When are we to play the game?

After really feeling convicted about his sermon, I thought of the uplifting seminars and retreats and conferences I’ve attended. Have I been in a “huddle”? Maybe I’m wrong, but I liken them to Spring Training or Boot Camp to condition my/our spiritual muscles for the “game of ministry.” Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, you are conditioned, you are prayed up, you have done your calisthenics. Let’s get out of the huddle now and play this Game of Life. Go serve! Go minister!

Reflect:

–In what ways are you still in your comfortable huddle? Please comment.

–How will you execute your plans from the huddle and play the game of Life?

Renew:

–“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” –Matthew 25: 40 NIV

–Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…’” –Matthew 28:19 NIV

–“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” –1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV

Recharge:

–Name three “Fields” you will play on this month.

–What is one way your family can help “the least of these’ or your neighbor?

Resource:

— www.citadeloffaith.org

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August 25, 2026

The Cost of Not Paying Attention

A couple of years ago I went away to a week-long, wonderful retreat in Tennessee. We were told they would be procuring our cell phones and all electronic devices on Monday and we would receive them again on Sunday, right before the shuttle bus would take us back to the airport, departing for home.

I admit I went through withdrawals from my Smartphone the first day. Even without texting, email and social media access, I did not realize I would even miss referencing the Weather app and the calculator.

And then it happened. My senses were heightened.

I noticed the way the breeze rustled through the maple leaves as I rocked in the tree swing.   I looked up and paid attention to the shape of the clouds as they glided by. I paid attention to the clink of the chain against the spring on the tree swing as I gently rocked back and forth.

As the week continued, I looked more people in the eye for longer. I noticed the color of their eyes, their laugh lines, the white of their teeth as they smiled. Even my food tasted better as I chewed. I even laughed more. I was much more aware of my surroundings.

Why had I not noticed before?  Why have I not paid more attention? What have I been doing? The answer is simple. Rushing and looking down at my Smartphone. Too busy to savor the moments of this precious life we are given.

“Pay” attention. The verb we use before the word “attention” causes me to ponder. Pay. Like paying for an item in a store. There is a cost NOT to pay attention. There is value. There is sacrifice. Yes, I desire to pay more attention.

The Bible is full of passages about “paying” attention.

“Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach.” –Proverbs 22:17 NIV

“The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your GOD that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.” –Deuteronomy 28:13 NIV

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight.” –Proverbs 5:1 NIV

“You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing.” –Isaiah 42:20 NIV

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. –Hebrews 2:1 NIV

“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” –2 Peter 1:19 NIV

Forgive me, Lord. Forgive the blinders of my eyes and heart. Forgive my hurried pace. Forgive me for looking down at my Smartphone and not looking up. Please help me pay more attention.  Help me notice You, Lord. Help me pay attention to Your majesty, from the gorgeous full moon to the fresh morning dew in my front lawn to the bright hydrangeas in my yard.. Beauty surrounds us if we look.  Paying attention is worth the cost, Lord. I pray to experience life through Your lens and Your timing. In Jesus’ Name, By the Power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Reflect:

–How would you rank your life’s pace? Please comment.

–Would you challenge yourself to fast from your phone and social media for a week?

–What intentional act will you do to unrush yourself? How?  Please comment.

Recharge:

–Please enjoy at least one unrushed moment with your spouse, child, loved one today.

–Savoring a few minutes of prayer and quiet devotional time in the Bible sets a more unrushed pace and peace for the day to pay more attention.

June 30, 2026

Happy 250th Birthday, America! Our Founding Father and Our Father in Heaven

This July 4th weekend marks our United States of America’s 250th Birthday. I am honored to celebrate it in Washington, DC and attend the Rededicate America Conference at the Museum of the Bible on July 3-4. I’ll report much more next week.

Witnessing revival on many of our college campuses and a 20 percent increase in Bible Sales, my heart is yearning for our country to get back to the basics of our Judeo-Christian Faith and the power of the Holy Spirit. Our foundational basics of our deep-rooted Judeo-Christian values.

God was our true Founding Father. You may already know this, but I sure didn’t. President George Washington had a deep faith. In fact, even after he was elected, his inauguration was bathed in prayer.

On April 6, 1789, following the ratification of the Constitution, George Washington was selected president; he accepted the position on April 14, 1789, and his inauguration was scheduled in New York City (the nation’s capitol) for April 30, 1789. A leading New York Daily newspaper reported on the planned inaugural:

On the morning of the day on which our illustrious President will be invested with his office, the bells will ring at nine o’clock, when the people may go up to the house of God and in a solemn manner commit the new government, with its important train of consequences, to the holy protection and blessing of the most high. An early hour is prudently fixed for this act of devotion and . . . is designed wholly for prayer. (New York Daily Advertiser, Thursday, April 23, 1789, p. 2)

President Washington being prayed over by his mother Mary.

Beautiful. Our country basically had a revival to prepare for our first President’s inauguration.

On April 27, three days before the inauguration, the Senate resolved:

…That after the oath shall have been administered to the President, he, attended by the Vice President and members of the Senate and House of Representatives, shall proceed to St. Paul’s Chapel, to hear divine service. (Annals of Congress, Vol 1, p. 25, April 27, 1789; available online at Library of Congress.)

Prayer was the first act of the joint Congress of the United States! What a blessing! How encouraging!

Do you know the chilling irony? St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City is the same church used for triage at Ground Zero on and after September 11, 2001!

Now is the time for us to get back to our Founding Fathers prayerful foundation. Please join me in praying for our beloved country, our leaders, our upcoming leaders. Your vote and prayers count.

This anointed prayer of George Washington appears on a plaque in St. Paul ’s chapel in New York City. Although it’s a little fancy to read, may our hearts echo this prayer for our wonderful country.

Almighty God,

We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy Holy protection; and Thou wilt incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field.

And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with… humility…and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflect:

–How do you feel about our Founding Fathers faith?

–How will you respond?

Renew:

“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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.” –2 Chronicles 7:14

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” –Isaiah 9:6

Resource:

Barton, David. Original Intent, p. 113. New York Advertiser.

Cahn, Jonathan. The Harbinger.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0209/st_pauls/online_extra.html

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