Ben Hogan
Taxes, Fish, and Jesus
Tax season is upon us. Whether you are prepared or unprepared, taxes come for all of us anyway. The people of Jesus’ day struggled with money, taxes, and finances, just as we do today. What if I told you Jesus once performed a miracle to pay for His taxes, and it might be His most underrated miracle of all? Check this out . . .
He Knows Just What You Need
It feels good when you are so close to someone that you feel like they know your every thought and emotion. It feels disappointing when that same person who usually knows you just can’t seem to understand. Throughout the Gospel accounts, Jesus showed over and over again that He knew exactly what was on the hearts and minds of everyone He ever encountered. Jesus knows just what you need; He’ll never let you down. How does this affect our trust and faith in Him?
It’s Leap Day!
The day has finally come! It’s that weird, strange, and mystical day we call Leap Day! Jesus talked about a very different ‘Leap Day’ in Luke 6. The leap day for a Christian might be even more bizarre than the one for the calendar. A day comes for every Christian to leap for joy, but it comes at the absolute last time you would expect it. Consider this . . .
What Are you Waiting For?
We spend so much of our lives waiting. When it comes to faith, many are wasting their lives waiting for something that has already happened. What would have to happen for you to believe in Jesus? If it has already happened, what are you waiting for?
Jesus > Family
Family is important. There is nothing wrong with loving and devoting yourself to family. But what are we supposed to do if our family is not drawing us closer to Jesus? Who wins the battle of our hearts, Jesus or Family?
The Insanity of Vanity
As we travel through life, we acquire things. It starts early in childhood with baskets and cabinets filled with toys throughout the house. Then, in our teenage years, the focus shifts to clothing and other items to feed our interests and hobbies. In young adulthood, our attention turns to cars and houses. As we age further, it is a never-ending cycle of upgrading everything we acquired previously. We get more expensive cars, more expensive homes, more expensive clothes, and more…
Keep No Record
Love is the most complex discussion in this world in which we live. Seriously, take a moment and think about the thousands of books written, movies filmed, and TV shows produced surrounding the idea of love. The very definition of love is a challenging one to come by. If you start by saying “love is a feeling,” what you could be describing is “puppy love” and not the true lasting love that you would see in a healthy marriage. To…
The Most Important Thing You Will Hear Today
There are many things you will hear today. Some will be more important than others. You could hear anything from an alarm clock to an “I love you.” Our ears hear everything that is going on around us, even if our minds don’t take the time to listen. As you read this today, I pray that you will not only see the words with your eyes but that you will hear the message resonate within your heart. You will hear…
Faith Stronger than Facts
We put our faith in the strangest things sometimes. Have you ever ignored the facts about a situation in favor of your faith in it? Let me show you what I mean. You may know the relationship with your significant other or long-time friend is toxic, but you ignore all the alarm bells because of your faith in that person’s potential. Your favorite sports team may have never proven they can win anything. Still, you ignore all that disappointing history…
Try Grace Next Time
You have a choice to make today. Soon, your life will cross paths with someone who desperately needs you to give them something. It may not make sense at that moment, and it may not even be easy for you to do this for them. You see, it could be the person who has hurt or wronged you repeatedly. Extending this gift to them may go against every natural instinct you have. That will not change the fact that they…
Everyone Needs a Father
If you want a perfect glimpse into Father’s Day in the United States, all you must do is look back at its history. While many probably set aside a day to celebrate fathers before— Father’s Day was only officially recognized as a national holiday in 1972. Mother’s Day, however, had been an official holiday dating back to 1914, a whopping fifty-eight years prior. That’s enough time for not one but two World Wars to pass, for us to land on…
Tale as Old as Time
Almost everyone has universally acknowledged that the “Most Magical Place on Earth” is Walt Disney World for fifty-two years and counting. It is a place where children’s dreams come alive, and adults are allowed to become a child again. Disney World is a spectacular, jaw-dropping experience from the moment you walk into the park to the moment you exit. My wife and I had the opportunity to join some good friends this week for a day at Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately,…