by Roger Bruce Parables. Jesus used these earthly stories with heavenly meaning for teaching His disciples. We've probably all heard or read some of them. We might even have a favorite such as the Mustard Seed, the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son. But what about the most important parable? Is there such a thing? There may be a case to be made. If you read the parable of the Sower in Mark 4.1-20, verse 13 stands out when Jesus asks: " But if you can't understand this story, how will you understand all the others I am going to [...]

by Roger Bruce Distinguished. Extinguished. The former probably describes how we all want to be thought of. The latter may reflect how our flame of faith feels. Whether we walk with God or have chosen to make our own path, no one is immune to feeling broken, bruised or burned out. In these moments we tend to be more reflective. What did I do? Is it all for nothing? Where do I go from here? Feelings of fear and isolation keep interrupting and overwhelming our everyday life. Somebody make it stop! Hit the pause button and soak this up: "(Matthew [...]

by Roger Bruce Back in 1983, the rock group Yes released a single called "Owner of A Lonely Heart". Catchy tune and it also contained the lyric thought, "Better than a broken heart". For anyone who has suffered lost love, that alternative may have seemed agreeable, at least for a while. In Psalm 51, King David writes (v17-NLT) after his great sins, "The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God." Wow! Seems a bit harsh, doesn't it? At first glance, sure. Let's unpack it. David had come to recognize how [...]

Ever heard the story of David and Goliath? Who hasn't? A Biblical account of "giant" contrasts and bad odds. A huge, undefeated warrior sporting armor and weapons against a shepherd boy with a slingshot and 5 smooth stones. Place your bets! Let's stop for a second. Do you have a Goliath in your life? Something big, overwhelming and seemingly invincible? The mere thought strikes fear into you? Feeling hopeless and helpless? Please allow David to lend you some strength, courage, and hope. Many times, we miss an important point in this account. It's found in 1 Samuel 17. Goliath has [...]

by Roger Bruce A great question for all of us to answer is, "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" Fear is a powerful inhibitor. Many times we give it more power than we should and it keeps us from doing things for God. We need not to feel ashamed, many Bible heroes had their struggles with fear. Moses had to tell Joshua twice to be strong and courageous (Deuteronomy 31.7, 23), the Lord had to tell him 3 times (Joshua 1.6, 7, 9) and finally, the Israelites charged him to do the same in verse 18! I don't [...]

by Roger Bruce Hi, my name is Roger Bruce and I am a life coach. Right off, a coach is not a counselor or therapist. Coaches come alongside people who are attempting to reach a new level or simply, improve the quality of their lives. This can encompass anything from sales to business practices, career change to physical fitness, and relationships to sudden life changes. Some guy named Bill Gates has been quoted as saying, "Everyone needs a coach." Hmm. For more information, please visit my website, www.5aceslifecoaching.com. My entity is called 5 Aces because every person comes to the [...]