About me

I was born and raised in Northern (Superior) Wisconsin about 80 miles from the Canadian border; and, yes it gets very cold there! At the young age of 32 I began to feel called into ministry. One night at a church dinner, my wife Judy and I sat at a table next to our district superintendent. In the course of our conversation, he said that he had a small church that needed someone to supply the pulpit until he could appoint a new pastor. My pastor suggested that maybe I could do that. I agreed, and two Sundays later, my wife and I drove to that small rural church. Little did we know that I would fill the pulpit in that church for thirteen years!

I have now been in the ministry for 35 years after also serving churches in Virginia and Maryland. I am currently retired...well, sort of. In my retirement, I am now serving as part-time Pastor of First Evangelical Covenant Church in Superior Wi. I began writing books about seven years ago, and still enjoy speaking and teaching when I can. My wife Judy passed away in 2021and I have since remarried to My wife Crystal.

I have a deep desire to help people grow in their faith and knowledge of God’s Word. My books are what I call a “Quest for Discipleship”. As I said, I am a published author and I have nineteen books which include my latest called "Tell Me, Show Me, Fill Me, Change Me"; "In It For Life"; “By His Hand”; “Show and Tell”; “The Promised Gift”; “Jars of Clay”; “The Kingdom of God”; “From the Pastor’s Desk”; “More From the Pastor’s Desk”; "T.E.A.M."; "Let Earth Receive Her King"; "Therefore" "Principles from Proverbs"; "God's Top ten"; "Prayer Changes Things", "5 R's of Revelation" and two "Renewed Faith" 90 day devotionals all by Life Ministries Publishing.

Thank you for checking out my blog and I hope that you will also check my website at;


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Thursday, April 18, 2013

Names of God - 2
"Almighty God" (.El-Shaddai) is the next great title by which God reveals himself to Abraham. The term appears as ".El Shaddai" ("Almighty God") seven times, and standing alone as "Shaddai" ("the Almighty") 41 times in the Old Testament and 9 times in the New Testament. This would also be the name we would give God when we speak of His Omnipotence – “all powerful”.
    God first revealed himself as .El Shaddai to both Abraham and Jacob. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; ( El-Shaddai ) walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." (Gen. 17:1-2) "And God said to him, "I am God Almighty;
( El-Shaddai ) be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body.” (Gen. 35:11)  In both cases God is deliberately revealing something personal about himself and his name.
    (Joshua 5:13-6:2) takes place just before the march around Jericho. Though the Israelites have defeated Kings on the East side of the Jordan, Jericho is the city they must take if they are to conquer Caanan. It is a fortified, walled city, and its king had spared no effort to prepare its defenses against the Israelites who have been camped a few miles East of the Jordan for a few months. To take this stronghold will require a miracle of God…(Read this scripture)
   The Commander’s words are nearly identical to those of God to Moses out of the burning bush a full forty years before (Exodus 3:5). The Commander is none other than God himself -- ( El-Shaddai ) When Joshua challenges him with, "Friend or foe?" why does he answer, "Neither"? Isn’t he for the cause of Israel’s army? No. It’s just the other way around…Israel’s army must be enlisted in His cause. He is the Commander, not they.
    When things are difficult we wonder, "Is God on my side?" Wrong question. The more appropriate question is, "Am I on God’s side?"
    Scripture isn’t specific in this passage, but clearly it is God’s presence Joshua feels and he knows it full well. Like his forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God had now appeared to him and he lies face down on the ground before his God. When Joshua gets up from the ground the “Commander” is gone. But Joshua can now go into battle assured, because he knows that God will be with him… the one who told him, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go" (El-Shaddai)
    Did you realize that he said the same thing to you and I in the New Testament, "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). But sometimes we doubt. Where are you God? Where are you when I need you? Have you left me? Will you save me from this thing I am going through?
    El-Shaddai - was at the Battle of Jericho with Joshua. And though unseen, he crumpled the walls, destroyed the city, and crushed the army! The LORD of hosts is not just an expression of greatness, but of armed might willing to punish evil and uphold righteousness. The message of this passage in Joshua, and the entire Bible, for that matter, is that God is an Almighty Warrior who will judge righteously and will punish wrong. If God (El-Shaddai) be for us; who can stand against us?

 
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