Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about the servant. Isaiah 53 shows us what the true servant of God looks like. Fair warning — you won’t like what you see. I’ve been reading … Some people actually believe the Babylon Bee. Maybe instead of blaming the news, or fake news, outlets, we should put the blame where it belongs — on the readers. I’ve been hearing … “My Pleasure” at Chick fil-A. Does the culture create the behavior, or does the culture create itself simply by existing as an option for like-minded individuals? I’ve been playing … The Resist
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about how our conscience is not our guide. God’s word is our guide. It is never wrong, and our conscience often is. I’ve been reading … about moral facts, and whether they exist. Our children are being taught that they do not, and that explains a great deal about children today. I’ve been hearing … Beethoven’s 3rd symphony, the Eroica. It’s a story about heroes — the ones who let you down, and the ones who push through adversity and achieve greatness. I’ve been playing … Isle of Skye. My preconceptions were keepin
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about submitting. Any Christian can form an opinion based on the Bible; it takes a special breed to know when to let it go. I’ve been reading …Fallen Founder, by Nancy Isenberg. Maybe there really is another side to the Aaron Burr story, but a book like this one isn’t likely to convince me. I’ve been hearing … there’s a racism problem in the Lord’s church. I don’t doubt it’s true. But I doubt the best solution is to label thousands of strangers as racists. I’ve been playing … in game cafes. Play for hours on end i
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about wasted grace. Hezekiah is a great example of faith, but he’s also an example of how we can squander the greatest gift we could ever receive. I’ve been reading …ICR.org. If you want information about harmonizing Biblical teaching with actual scientific data, this is a great website to visit. I’ve been hearing … about another mass shooting, this one in Gilroy, Calif. We are sure to hear an abundance of theories as to who the real villain is. Me, I vote for the shooter. I’ve been playing … golf. God gave us a b
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! For this special episode of Citizen of Heaven, I am pleased to share with you my conversation with my friends Kris Emerson and Reagan McClenny. Kris preaches for the Lindale church of Christ in Lindale, Texas. He is the host of the popular Excel Still More podcast. Subscribe at https://excelstillmore.life/. Reagan preaches for the Timberland drive church of Christ in Lufkin, Texas. You can hear his sermons by subscribing to the Timberland Drive podcast and through their website: https://www.timberlandchurch.org/. Kris and Reagan help o
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about the evolution of Christians. Christians beget Christians after their kind, just like dogs and cats. But there is a limit to the diversity this process will allow. I’ve been reading … How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge, by Clay Scroggins. It’s difficult to command when you’re not at the head of the table, but you can be a good example from any seat. I’ve been hearing … the 50th anniversary of the moon landing is approaching. Imagine how famous Neil Armstrong’s words would be if we had heard what he was act
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about Asa, king of Judah. Is it possible to be blessed too much? There’s every reason to think the answer is yes, and that we should take warning. I’ve been reading … Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Jonathan Edwards is often cast as believing in a God searching for opportunities to destroy us. The truth, and Edwards’ actual message, are quite different. I’ve been hearing … Work-Life balance is a myth. Kudos to Time Magazine for publishing something that the Bible has been teaching us all along. I’ve been pla
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about intoxication. Proverbs 23 describes two kinds of drunkenness, literal and figurative — and they both start before the first sip. I’ve been reading … Jonathan Edwards, by Iain H. Murphy. I’m no Calvinist, but I dare say Edwards could have taught some of my brethren some things about the sovereignty of God. I’ve been hearing … Religious dissidents in Chinese prisons are being executed and their organs harvested. Give it to the Communists: they’re all about efficiency. I’ve been playing … Euphoria: Building a B
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about the one thing. If you could ask God for only one thing, what would it be? You might be surprised what David asked for. I’ve been reading … How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, by Michael J. Gelb. Again. Becoming a genius sounds like a lot of work. Maybe I’ll pass. I’ve been hearing … Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open soon at Walt Disney World. If I were given free tickets on the space shuttle I would sell them on Ebay; yet I am pretty excited about leaving the galaxy for a few hours. I’ve been playing … Cat
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about faith in adversity. The key is not finding a kinder, better life; it’s finding the strength to cope with the life you have — and finding it in God. I’ve been reading … How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, by Michael J. Gelb. I would love to be as good at one thing as Leonardo seems to have been at absolutely everything. I’ve been hearing … Whataburger, the legendary Texas burger chain, has been sold. All my friends in Texas are panic-stricken, and I totally get it. I’ve been playing … Carpe Diem, a game that
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about God’s plan for you. Psalm 114 is a great reminder of the extremes to which God will go to glorify you. It would be a shame to get in His way. I’ve been reading … Start With Why, by Simon Sinek. And I’m more convinced than ever that a large number of Christians have no idea what it really means to be a Christian. I’ve been hearing … Kawhi Leonard, one of the best basketball players in the world, has had trouble relating to teammates who needed help. I can relate to him. Sort of. I’ve been playing … Wingspan,
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about being perfect — how it’s possible, and how it’s impossible, and how that isn’t a contradiction. I’ve been reading … The Sushi Economy, by Sasha Issenberg. Japanese wholesalers are willing to spend $100,000 for a single fish — and that’s not even the crazy part of this story. I’ve been hearing … Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may have been guilty of numerous reprehensible behaviors. I don’t approve, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still a hero of mine. I’ve been playing … Reworld, in which earthlings abandon an un
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! Paul has been preaching … about the blind man in John 9. Just like Jesus brought light to the eyes of this man, so also He brings light to the world — if the world will open its eyes to Him. Paul has been reading … Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift. Exactly how advanced is human society? It depends on how honest we are willing to be with ourselves. Paul has been hearing … Alabama has criminalized abortion — but that doesn’t mean the culture war has been won, even in Alabama. Paul has been playing … MMOs — massive multiplayer online
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I have been preaching … about making plans. If you can plan for a family vacation or a comfy retirement, why not also plan to grow your faith? I have been reading … Psalm 88, arguably the saddest chapter in the Bible. But even though the psalm doesn’t say so, there is a reason for your suffering. In fact, there may be several. I have been hearing … Game of Thrones is done after 8 seasons — and unlike some Christians, I actually think that’s a good thing. I have been playing … The Voyages of Marco Polo, and it makes me wonder whether su
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I have been preaching … about Jesus’ anger, and about how the things that angered Him typically have very little in common with what angers us. I have been reading … The Contemporary English Version, or CEV, and all things being equal, I’d rather be reading the Bible. I have been hearing … Transgender athletes keep entering and winning youth athletic events. The need to win has officially gotten out of hand, and I mean for everyone. I have been playing … Cryptid, a game that pits my intelligence against my ego — and if I had more intel
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I have been preaching … about wrestling with God — in a good way, like Jacob did, as though your faith depends on it, which it does. I have been reading … different versions of the Bible, and it’s reminding me of what distinguishes one translation from another, and which distinctions are more important than others. I have been hearing … Vivaldi’s Concerto for Lute in D Major, RV 93 — and I have to say, I think it is best the way the master wrote it. I have been playing … Dead of Winter. I probably couldn’t survive a zombie apocalypse,
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about mountains and valleys, and how God rules in both despite what we sometimes think. I've been reading... Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose, and as amazingly effective as the Lewis and Clark expedition was, it seems they underutilized one of their greatest resources. I've been hearing... nurses spend a lot of their work hours playing cards. I'm pretty sure that's not right, and I'm also pretty sure there isn't someone out there who hasn't at some point contracted foot-in-mouth disease. I've been playing...
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about the natural man, and how serving Jesus the way we would choose on our own is certainly wrong. I've been reading The Corporate Coach, by James Miller, which emphasizes service in the corporate world -- which both resembles and differs from service in the Lord's kingdom. I've been hearing about the bombings in Sri Lanka -- and I am neither afraid nor angry. I've been playing King of Tokyo, which makes a distinction between playing to have fun and playing to win. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. I've been reading... America's Prophet, by Bruce Feiler. I've been hearing... people want to build a wall to keep the bad people away. I've been playing... No Thanks, a game far more entertaining than its simple appearance would indicate. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the h
Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about how living in fear can make you fearless. I've been reading... Plain Talk, and learning how to be a mentor. I've been hearing... preachers are using new techniques to improve. I've been playing... games that don't depend entirely on luck. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods