Articles – Page 3 – Intentional Hearts

Series of Articles Posted on LifeWay Pastors

Post author:Michael Todd Wilson
Post published:January 19, 2016
Post category:Articles

Everywhere we turn, sexuality is in the news. More than ever, this issue is coming to bear on the Christian church. Regardless their context for ministry, Christian leaders need proficiency for addressing sexual integrity, sexual indiscretion and sexual integrity recovery, both in their own lives and in the lives of others they lead. Last week, LifeWay Pastors posted a series of four articles I wrote from the concepts presented in my latest book, Unburdened: The Christian Leader's Path to Sexual Integrity. They were designed to give Christian leaders a practical paradigm through which to apply a grace-filled sexual ethic to the biggest challenge facing the Church. Here's a brief summary of each of the articles.

Looking for Jesus

Post author:Michael Todd Wilson
Post published:December 15, 2015
Post category:Articles

A few days ago, I was cleaning up the normal whirlwind after the kids had gone to bed. Most of the nativity characters were strewn about the living room, although a few pieces made it all the way into the hallway and dining room. I found all of them, that is, except for baby Jesus. He was nowhere to be found. After picking up the entire house, I still couldn't find Jesus. Crawling on my hands and knees...

God’s at Work, He’s Just Slow as Christmas

Post author:Michael Todd Wilson
Post published:December 9, 2015
Post category:Articles

Remember what it was like as a kid waiting for Christmas day to arrive? For children, it may be part excitement in seeing far-away extended family, participating in a time-honored family tradition or simply the expectation of a special toy. The questions can be frequent and incessant, sometimes with the touch of whine: "Is it Christmas Day yet?" "It's taking a long time!" "Is it ever gonna' get here?" Kids are so present-focused they have difficulty grasping an understanding of a longer time horizon. It's a combination between wanting something now and their struggle to have hope that something will eventually come to fruition. In reality, I'm not sure many of us adults are much different.

A Lesson in Mercy from a House Cat

Post author:Michael Todd Wilson
Post published:December 1, 2015
Post category:Articles

I was speaking with a client the other day when the subject of God's mercy came up. In part, the conversation centered around the Old Testament story of Mephibosheth. He's not a well-known character in the Bible, but one for whom I have a particular affinity. So much so, I named a cat after him ("Phibo" for short - in the picture above, he's peering out the front window anticipating my return from work one day). Anyway, the conversation reminded me of an article I wrote a long time ago. Rather than retell the story here, I thought I might just reprint what I wrote (note: before blogging went mainstream, I sent physical newsletters to folks every quarter). It's from my single days while living in the Orlando area, way back in 2002. Enjoy this "blast from the past"!

Christian Version of the Daily Renewal Pledge

Post author:Michael Todd Wilson
Post published:November 18, 2015
Post category:Articles

"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." - Ephesians 4:17-19, NIV84 Many people who've struggled with life-dominating issues have found tremendous help in the Twelve-steps. While it's not for everyone, the benefit to those who've discovered a path to sobriety and serenity through participation in such a community is undeniable. While the movement's core principles (confession, repentance, restitution) are rooted in the gospel message itself, many Twelve-step communities have become more secularized with time, much like many other popular things that become a part of mainstream culture. For Christians, it's important to intentionally integrate Christ and the Scriptures into our recovery.

The Serenity Prayer You’ve Never Heard

Post author:Michael Todd Wilson
Post published:November 10, 2015
Post category:Articles

"God, Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference." - Introduction to the Serenity Prayer, traditionally attributed to Reinhold Neibuhr This little prayer has been a mainstay in the American recovery movement for nearly 100 years. The most familiar part of this prayer is quoted above. But if you (like many) have never read the entire prayer, it's quite effective for re-focusing on Kingdom values as we seek to walk out surrender to Christ in a fallen world.