Communication, Communication, Communication

Norm Wise
20 Feb 2020
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“Let your speech always be with grace, [as though] seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Col 4:6 NASB).   “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him who is the head, [even] Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 NASB).   They say that the three most important things in having a healthy relationship with another person is communication, communication, and communication. What makes communication to another person so hard? The first problem is that most people are not good listeners. We don’t really focus and really […]

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How To Set Kingdom Focused Goals

Norm Wise
8 Jan 2020
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“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NASB). “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6 NASB). Many of us make “New Year Resolutions,” but we rarely keep them or even take them all that seriously. Some of us set goals. Mainly in for our career or business. Few of us have ever set “Kingdom Focused Goals” in a careful, prayerful and methodical way. Yet, that would seem to be the first step in making the Kingdom of God our […]

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Songs of Sorrow

Norm Wise
30 May 2019
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“O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near… My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy… You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend” (Psalm 88:1-9, 13-18 NLT). American evangelical culture tells us that “good Christians” are joyful, happy, healthy, prosperous and positive. If one is sad or […]

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Finding Happiness

Norm Wise
10 Jan 2019
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“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?’” (Matthew 16:24-26, NLT).   What is happiness? Is happiness an intense feeling of pleasurable satisfaction? Is happiness dependent on the circumstances […]

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Musings on Being Secular

Norm Wise
1 May 2018
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I think most people, even those who say they believe in God or even Christianity, are very secular in their “Monday Morning” approach to life. I know it is easy for me to fall into a “secular” frame of mind. What do I mean by secular? — Relating to the cultural or temporal concerns without any reference to big ideas, metaphysical thoughts, religion or faith. The core idea is that it is focused on the here and now. It is looking at life “under the sun” and not connecting it to the eternal. All things spiritual are irrelevant, impractical and […]

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Dealing with Infidelity

Norm Wise
6 Nov 2017
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“Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery” (Hebrews 13:4 NLT). Tom Smith, the highly respected academic survey researcher, has this to say about extramarital sex: “The best estimates are that about 3% to 4% of currently married people have a sexual partner besides their spouse in a given year and about 15% to 18% of ever-married people have had a sexual partner other than their spouse while married.” www.forbes.com/2009/06/28/sanford-ensign-affair-opinions-columnists-extramarital-sex.html There are few heartaches as severe to any married person who is faithful […]

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Spiritual Friendship and Marriage

Norm Wise
5 Oct 2017
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“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”  (John 13:34-35 NIV). “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). I have been counseling people since 1972. I began counseling married couples in 1982. Most of these couples have been people who professed faith in Christ Jesus. They sang in choirs, served on deacon boards and went on mission […]

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Learning How to Have Self Control

Norm Wise
3 Sep 2017
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Question: How can I gain the ability to control myself and not make a mess of thing by just speaking and acting on impulse? “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength,” said Marcus Aurelius in Meditations. “Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society,” advised Benjamin Franklin. “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself […]

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Defeating Depression

Norm Wise
27 Jun 2017
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What is depression? It is the most common psychological problem faced by humanity. At some time nearly every human being suffers a season of depression as he or she journeys through this life. For some it becomes a lifestyle and condition that they rarely escape. But what exactly is depression? Depression is a deep feeling, attitude and thought process in which we are captured by a conviction that all hope is lost. Depression is hopelessness. It is defeat projected to every possible future moment. It is despair. Sadness is a response to some past or present loss. It can be […]

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Using Spirit Filled Logic to Solve Problems

Norm Wise
1 May 2017
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Do you ever feel overwhelmed with problems? Do you feel you are drowning in a sea of unresolvable and complex relationships and circumstances? Try “Spirit Filled Logic” to face these problems as you seek to find peace of mind and heart. First step is to ask God to help you properly define the problems you are facing. Separate your problems into different boxes; don’t lump them all together. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment about how problems are different and yet how they relate. For instance, separate problems in your marriage relationship from problems you have parenting your […]

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