ROBERT COELLO

The governor invited Barnabas and Saul in, wanting to hear God’s Word firsthand from them. But Dr. Know-It-All (that’s the wizard’s name in plain English) stirred up a ruckus, trying to divert the governor from becoming a believer.

 But Saul (or Paul), full of the Holy Spirit and looking him straight in the eye, said, “You bag of wind, you parody of a devil—why, you stay up nights inventing schemes to cheat people out of God.

 But now you’ve come up against God himself, and your game is up. You’re about to go blind—no sunlight for you for a good long stretch.” He was plunged immediately into a shadowy mist and stumbled around, begging people to take his hand and show him the way.

Acts 13:10,11 The Message

If more "believers", would just stop with all the "did you know that so and so is a jezebel", or whatever spirit they decide to label them, and not employ this type of passive, pantywaist, spineless gossip, but...

Reading this chapter today, as I often do, I paused to reflect and meditate.

I was immediately engulfed with a considerable amount of imagery.  It was like I had just sat down in a movie theater to watch a full-length motion picture.

I have quite an imagination and I am very pictorial as well.

I love to think on a subject, stare into oblivion and within what often seems like seconds be translated into the very thick of the panorama. I love to seize the feelings, sensations, aromas, frequencies and the whole enchilada.

My thoughts directed me to Cornelius when suddenly, as though transported, I stood there, in the distance watching a day in His life. A man who was labeled devout and God fearing.

My guess is that these qualities were only the tip of the iceberg employed to describing his nature. I observed him pacing back and forth, and if I were eavesdropping from a neighboring room, I might attest that there was another person with him as he dialogued with God.

This was...

I trust that we might all agree that trading can be fun. Let’s put it to the test. Close your eyes  just for a moment. I am going to ask you now to recall a time in your life as a kid that you had an opportunity to trade something. It makes no difference whether it was a barbie doll, a race-car, baseball cards, your favorite pillow, a toy ,or maybe even a bike!

Regardless of what the exchange was, what I'd like for you to do is just focus on how that you made you feel.

Go ahead, and conjure up all of the images and feelings that are associated and live in the moment just for a minute or two.

Aaaaah, doesn’t that feel nice?

Typically, this exercise will invoke a nostalgic, almost magical sentiment. There is something extraordinarily special about trading something for something that someone else has that you desire, and predictably a trade is often secured when both persons agree that each will profit from what they will...

Loving from the heart and not the head is an essential part of the transformational process that Jesus so graciously takes us through. If, we are first willing to accept the invitation, as well as the ticket price.

“Ticket price! What do you mean ticket price?, He already paid the price!

If you don’t believe there’s a hefty cost in store as we migrate on this journey being transformed into the likeness of Jesus, perhaps on more than one occasion you may have declined an invitation within the invitation?

I do not suffer from a martyrdom syndrome, and I certainly do not believe that It is a prerequisite for me to beat my chest as I march for two or three days to “suffer for Jesus.” Nor do I find it necessary to self-inflict wounds as a means of demonstrating my devotion, allegiance, love, worship or anything man made by any stretch, in order to gain His affirmation and approval.

Many of us have come to the...

It really saddens me, that nowadays it seems like every leaf that falls is quickly labeled a Jezebel or Narcissist.

A closer examination of the many relational conflicts that undoubtedly exist, might just point to the real culprit, which in my undertsanding is the fruit of the Spirit, or the lack thereof.  

I believe this is what takes place when we choose to not walk in the fruit of the spirit as we are instructed.

This is clearly defined for us in Galatians 5.

The word of God is air and watertight about this subject, and what we become prey to, when we do not adhere to this sound teaching.

It has taken me more time than I've truly desired to really understand how serious it is for myself , and believers at large to heed intently to this instruction.

I have learned the hard way, and I am not speaking as though I have arrived. I certainly have a greater understanding, wisdom and certainly enough bumps, scars, bruises and tee shirts under my belt that quickly provoke and...

Oh Lord, here we go again for another round of the “N”, word.   Well, the other “N” word. I don’t believe that I have ever seen more articles, videos, blogs, vlogs on the subject of Narcissism as I have over the last year.

Perhaps it’s my “reticular activating system”, peaking out as a result of the amount of personal victory I’ve gained over this creepy malaise.

Whatever the case might be, I have, through counseling and coaching over-comers, a surplus of evidence of this very real endemic paralysis.

While most of what I become aware of surrounding this subject is chiefly negative, there are positive, healthy benefits that narcissism can offer to those that are really in tune with themselves. We all carry narcissistic predispositions,  however my personal journey and experiences with others has unfortunately been on the minus side.

I, by no means have reached the shores of unmitigated freedom, but I am no longer...

While some may not agree that Matthew 18 is applicable in Marriage, I have personally discovered that if one of the partners is willing to approach their spouse when a conflict arises, with the intention to to resolve the matter utilizing this method given to us by Jesus, there can be great benefit. 

We have ceratinly had our share of challenges in our marriage over the last two decades. many of them were resolved by just talking it out, but there has been one specific paramount situation where my bride, through much prayer and counsel arrived at the decision to exercise this method.

As a storyteller, I decided to consolidate and pen the journey that  led to this moment and the victory that was gained as a result of both parties being submitted to the leadership of the Spirit of the Lord.

My hope is that if you find yourself in a similar situation, this blog might just be the  inoculation you need to fill you with a greater sense of hope. That you may just be inspired...

“You’re kidding me, right? Are you really asking me to take off my clothes, like right here, in public? You must not be properly wired if you think for one minute, that I would even remotely consider getting naked right here, much less in front of you! What kind of pervert are you? Just because we have gotten much closer and our relationship has grown, doesn’t mean that I am going to just whip off my clothes and expose myself.”

“No, no no no. It’s not what you think Jen! It’s just a figure of speech, and obviously a poor choice of words on my part. Let me explain.

In my counseling session the other day, my therapist let me know that I had achieved a new level. And pervert, was not what I attained. She informed me that as a result of the work we have been doing and the progress that I have made I had now achieved the, “Naked” level. It simply means that I am no longer a prisoner to shame and fear. By exposing so much of what I...

Uh oh, not the “N”, word! “How dare you Robert!  Asking me to stand up and admit that I am a Nnnnnnarcissst?

Do you have any idea how long I have been “hiding” this? You clearly do not understand the gravity of the question you are asking. Besides, do you think for one minute that anyone in this room, in their right mind, and on their own volition would actually have the courage to admit that they are narcissist”?

“Yes, you in the back, I see your hand. Thank you so much for your courage. Will you kindly stand up and introduce yourself”?  

If only it would have been that easy? As I look back, I wish first of all, that I would have even had an inkling of what a narcissist is or what they look like? I could barely pronounce or spell the word, much less have any idea what it really was and moreover, that I was a full-blown perpetrator!

I just thought that I was like most men that I knew. You know, the boss, the head of my home,...

Whenever the opportunity arises, I like to share a little story I concocted about God and Adam. This fresh bag of dirt as I like to refer to, that He fashioned and breathed life into intentionally naming him Adam, meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy color of human skin. According to Genesis in the Old Testament Adam was created from the earth by God (there is a word play on Hebrew אֲדָמָה ('adamah) "earth").

I chuckle when I think of God looking down at Adam and after careful evaluation, He scratches His head and says, “as much as I love this boy and fashioned him in my very own likeness, he is just not going to fare well alone.” Straightaway, God says, “nite-nite buddy”. He then takes a rib from his side and fashions for him a helper. As it turns out, his new helper, apparently gets them both evicted from their plush garden home shortly thereafter.

It is rather puzzling if we stand on the proverbial sidelines with our index finger...