I have said often (and hopefully loudly) lately via Facebook that the biggest issue we have as a country, as a people, as Christians, and as individuals, is a lack of FEAR of God.

Would any of us, singularly or collectively, make some of the silly, stupid, sinful, and/or blasphemous mistakes we make if we truly feared an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God? Would we as a country not repent and turn from things we have allowed and accepted as the supposed "norm" if we knew God could do the same to us that He did to Babylon, to Sodom and Gomorrah, to Israel? And not that we just "know" it casually like, "oh sure, that COULD happen, but God is a God of love, he wouldn't punish us," as if God's primary attribute was singularly love, and no other trait.

I have received a response to my expressed concern about K-LOVE Christian Radio having Mike Fisher on their Fan Awards in light of his wife, Carrie Underwood announcing her support for gay "marriage". Below are the K-LOVE president's response and my reply to him.

My truck was overdue for a set of shocks. So, I parked in the shade, turned on K-LOVE Radio, and rolled the window down. They were re-airing the K-LOVE Fan Awards. As I was shuffling around on the ground to start on the second shock, Brandon Heath came on with NHL player Mike Fisher (Nashville Predators), interviewing him regarding his nomination for the Sports Impact award as a Christian athlete. And there is my concern.

"And now, LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." (Jonah 4:3 HCSB)

There was a time I could not understand how Jonah prayed. That was a time when everything was looking like it was on the way up. Well…when everything was looking like I was on my way up - in the ministry, that is.

For the first eight years of being in the ministry, I was growing and progressing. I do not mean that in some superficial, social way. I was gaining real ground spiritually and influentially. My walk with my Lord was genuine, and He was leading me right along. Those first eight years were no walk in the park, but I thought I had nothing ahead of me but growth and progress. I had no idea how deep and dark of a valley lay before me.