The way up is down
What do you want to be successful at? It is something to do with your career, family, relationships or a personal goal? There are different understandings of “success.” Make no mistake about it: our society’s...
Giving up good things for great things
Following Jesus means making sacrifices — and that can be difficult, and sometimes painful. That is bound to happen when we make God’s kingdom our number one priority. But to truly understand sacrifice, we need...
Never Outnumbered
It’s a story of intrigue and mystery. The King of Syria wants to hunt down the powerful prophet Elisha. Physically speaking, Elisha is outnumbered. That’s when we get a glimpse into the unseen spiritual realm...
in courage, Jesus Christ, light, salvation
Fearing God First
What gives someone courage? Are people “born with it”? Or do they obtain it somehow? Some people have an exceptional experience that makes them feel invincible. Others build up what we might call “courage muscle”...
in church, faith, fellowship, Jesus, worship
You can only have harmony if you’re singing the same song
Let’s say two people want to sing in harmony. Person 1 starts with the melody and then Person 2… sings a totally different song! Obviously, it’s not going to work. But if both people are...
in Anniversary Sunday, communion, community, discipleship, fellowship, generosity, giving, God's power, Jesus Christ, service, worship
I can smell the hands of fishermen
Over the past many centuries, the followers of Jesus have been through a lot of ups and downs. Over time we can lose (a) our sense of connection to those who have gone before, and...
in Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, peace
How does the peace of Christ rule in our hearts?
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” Have you ever paused to really think through what that means? It sounds like a very, very good thing. But what specifically is “the peace...
in faith, fear, Jesus, spiritual warfare
Mesus, McJesus, and the rise of Fear
“Mesus” is a temptation for all of us; it’s self-projection. “McJesus” is consumerism gone bad, even with our faith–picking and choosing beliefs, even drawing from other religions. When these things happen, fear and anxiety can...
God meets you where you’re at
Johnny Cash was down and almost out in Nickajack cave when God came to him personally. Saul was headed to Damascus to persecute Christians when God came to him personally. This tells us something. In...
The Supremacy, Sufficiency and Security of Christ
The supremacy of Jesus sounds like a lofty idea. It might even sound like playground posturing: ‘My brother is bigger and stronger than your brother…’ But when Paul explains it to the Colossians it’s because...