1 Peter 1:13-21 I’ve met far too many people of faith who seem to reduce the significance of salvation to an avoidance of hell and an anticipation of heaven. When this belief is embraced, it impacts what we believe about the gift of Jesus. If “salvation” is nothing more than securing our eternal destination, then […]

Ephesians 1:15-23 There is a seductive intoxication with words like power, rule, reign, and authority. We imagine heads of state, thrones, executive orders, military might, bold, brash leaders who wield their positions with fierce resolve and a heavy hand. The greater the intoxication the more we either jockey for power or we interpret all “rule” […]

Colossians 1:22-29 Few artists would ever hide the fruit of their creativity from the eyes of the public, storing it in a closet or covering it with a thick black canvas. Art is meant to be shared, put on full display. Art is the evidence of the brilliance and beauty of its creator. According to […]

Colossians 1:15-21 When Jesus is handed the currency of taxation, staring at it, He asks, “‘Whose image is this? And whose inscription?’ ‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. Then he said to them, ‘So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s’” (Matthew 22:20-21). It appears the implications are simple. Pay your taxes. […]

Revelation 1:1-8 She ends each day with her “daily rates.” It’s a practice that she adopted years ago and one that has been the persistent pathway for a daily perspective shift. This woman who adopted my wife and I into her family consistently impressed us with her steadfast faith and perseverance in the face of […]

2 Peter 1:1-11 I get it, “finding a groove” is a comforting idea. Especially in a world with no shortage of disruption, uncertainty, and a fair bit of chaos, grooves are enticing. We say, “I want to get into a groove.” This means, I want life to settle down so that I can settle in. […]

1 Peter 3:13-22 As we stood next to the pond, he looked at me and said, “I can’t ever let that happen again.” Just prior to that comment, his brother had surrendered his life to Jesus. It had been a beautiful moment, a young man at the end of his rope yielding himself to the […]

1 Peter 2:4-10 Israel was poised for purpose; they just didn’t know it. Having been liberated from the grasp of a tyrannical ruler, they were ushered to the edge of a mountain. There, it would have been easy to celebrate freedom as an end in and of itself. Atop that mountain a different story is […]

1 Corinthians 13:6-13 “I arrived each morning before the kids, prepared my room and sat in each child’s desk, praying for them by name.” This was the testimony of a retired schoolteacher of 30 years. “She always had extra clothes in her cabinet for those whose homes neglected personal hygiene, sending them to change so […]

Colossians 1:9-14 Salvation is perhaps the most invigorating and exciting truth we can ever experience. We are filled with joy. We taste the power of God’s restoration in our lives. It leaves some of us, like you, bouncing off the walls, eager to tell everyone about the joy of Jesus. But this journey with Jesus […]