By Mike Genung Tuesday through Thursday of last week, I stayed at the retreat in Beulah for extended time soaking in God’s presence. As usual, the place was empty during the week, so I had three days of silence. For thus said the Lord God, Read More
by Mike Genung You’re looking at a scan of my brain, taken several years ago. A normal brain is smooth. Those holes and crevices reveal improper blood flow and/or that my brain isn’t functioning properly. This “improper function” can cause a racing mind, depression, unwanted Read More
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find Read More
All the lonely people Where do they all come from? All the lonely people Where do they all belong? From the song “Eleanor Rigby,” The Beatles “It is not good for the man to be alone…” God—Genesis 2:18 “I have no one to talk to.” Read More
For those who are hurting, especially this time of the year, this video is for you. I share a little about my first Christmas after exposing my adultery and porn addiction to my wife, replacing the “why” questions with “what?”, and finding peace, rest, and Read More
by Mike Genung During the Christmas season, many messages swirl around us… Church events, school plays, get involved with ministry, Christmas parties, family obligations, stress, feed the poor, give to charity… do, do, do… If we don’t get it all done we’re not good Christians. Read More
by Mike Genung Jesus said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ But they all alike Read More
by Mike Genung Prince’s death has been all over the news and social media recently. I remember when Purple Rain came out in the 1980s and made a big splash… such a long time ago. Christians have extolled Prince’s music and even encouraged others to Read More
by Mike Genung Last weekend, I was feeling the effects of a long grind the past few months (more on that in a moment). My mind was on overdrive, my heart was crusty, and I needed rest. I was worn out. Last Sunday morning before Read More
by Mike Genung Job was a righteous man in God’s eyes (Job 1). He had wealth, prestige, comfort, and God’s protection. In spite of this, to Job’s shock and horror God allowed Satan to attack him brutally; he lost his children, employees, business, and health. Read More
by Mike Genung A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory. Matthew 12:20 Around six years ago, I was in a dark place. I had fallen into a pit of Read More
And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So you men could not keep watch with me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing but the flesh is Read More
Take a minute and think about what you read on Facebook, particularly among Christians. There’s a lot of preaching, and quoting verses. Some comment on the hot-button political issue of the moment. There are the usual posts about food, recipes, what we or our relatives Read More
While I was in bondage to sexual sin, I assumed I was a freak; that something in me was defective or broken that was right in others. Pastors didn’t talk about porn, so I assumed I was the only one who struggled with it. All Read More
Last month I took a trip to China. When I travel abroad I always like to compare the contrasts between our culture in the West and the country I’m visiting. China has well over a billion people, so personal space and boundaries aren’t as important Read More
Recently I ran across a survey on Christmas. When people were asked what the best part of the holiday was, family was the answer. When asked what the worst part of Christmas was, it was family. Many of us can relate. While we may (or Read More
“I think that we were given the scriptures… not so that we could prove that we were right about everything. It was to humble us into realizing that God is right and the rest of us are just guessing.” ~Rich Mullins In the book of Read More
by Reuben Carter As I write this, we are at our house in Wisconsin. Summer in the Midwest brings lots of rain, which in turn produces lush vegetation, and of course, that includes…weeds! As I was getting caught up on some of these intruders, I Read More
As time has passed, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not even close to living in the reality of all that God has done for us. Look at the blessings found in just one chapter, Ephesians 1: It begins with “grace and peace to Read More
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 We count those blessed who Read More
In my last post I said I’d write about the lessons God taught me during my four years in the wilderness. Here are three major ones: 1. Obedience is a big deal to God. It may even be one of the most important parts of Read More
When I was in bondage to sexual addiction, breaking free from it was the biggest thing in my life. Whether I might slip or act out defined who I was. If I fell, I was a horrible Christian; I was okay if I made it Read More