One Step to Make the Economy Roar
Participate in the blessing economy by crossing a typical social boundary or barrier. ...
Keep ReadingOne Thing to (Re)Create A Great Culture
God has positioned us to bless others...
Keep ReadingMonday Strong and Courageous
Faced with all sorts of uncertainty, Ruth takes a small courageous step of faith. God's Spirit makes us strong to do the same kind of work....
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What If This Was the Cure to What Ails Us?
Kinship that has morphed into friendship is demonstrated by Ruth's commitment to Naomi. ...
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When God Seems Out To Get You
God sometimes seems out to get us. Naomi and Ruth's story shows us that's not true...and we have to fight for what is....
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2
Grace, Even in the Darkest Hours
God's grace is available to us, even in difficult times. Sometimes we just have to slow down long enough to receive it....
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2
What Do You Do When You're "Without?"
What we do when our life feels mostly like we're "without" is something we can learn from. ...
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2
Fighting for God's Goodness, Even When Life Stinks
The book of Ruth opens up with all kinds of heartache. God is still at work, even though it doesn't look like it. ...
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Your Life, Built Right
In a sober warning to the religious leaders, Jesus warns that they will break apart on him as they continue to refuse to recognize him and receive his words. ...
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Three Things to do With Warnings in the Bible
There are lots of warning passages in the Scriptures, how do we receive them as a gift of grace rather than frown upon them as judgmental and angry? ...
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The Good News of Your Inheritance (No Violence Necessary)
The Father and the Son are devoted to sharing their inheritance with you....
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2
The Problem of Ignoring God's Voice
Israel ignored God's warnings, killing the prophets. We do the same thing. ...
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2
On Not Being Thomas Jefferson with Jesus
If we stick with Jesus long enough, we'll bump up against something that's hard for us. Stick with it, it's worth it. ...
Keep ReadingHow to Justify Your Existence
We all want to be justified on some level. Let God's justification of us carry the day!...
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Two Guys Walk into a Temple
If our understanding of God is warped our prayers will be warped. Our prayers can help us to see as a mirror our picture of God--and help us to do some correction if necessary...
Keep ReadingStrong Convictions, Generous Heart
How do we have convictions and yet live generously?...
Keep ReadingAbout Your Friend Who Can't Stand Religious People
Jesus didn't get along with self-righteous religious people like many of our friends who aren't Christians. That's good news!...
Keep ReadingSet Free From (Mere) Religion
Jesus frees us from empty religion to a real relationship...
Keep ReadingGod Wants You to Be Rich (Truly!)
God gives us earthly money to allow us to invest in something eternal....
Keep ReadingA Once in a Lifetime Investment Opportunity
Jesus challenges us to invest in eternal things...
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What Do We Do With This???
Sometimes we have to remember reading Scripture is a cross-cultural experience. Be patient, do a little digging and we might learn some things....
Keep ReadingThe Geico Gecko Helps With Your Problems
Getting creative with problem solving takes a little step back sometimes...
Keep ReadingGood News About How to Deal with Unanswered Prayers
Jesus shows us how to continue to trust in God's goodness even in the midst of our disappointment with his slowness to act on our behalf. ...
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A Love Better than a Hallmark Card
Jesus invites us to pray because God is good and God is love. ...
Keep ReadingFresh Resilience for Your Work Today
The persistent widow persists! How might we persist in our own works that we need to do today? ...
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What if I Don't Pray Enough?
Nobody feels like they pray enough. That's why Jesus gives us instructions to stick with it....
Keep ReadingThe Wildly Important Take-Home, Right at the Start
Luke tells us that Jesus tells us that we should always pray and never give up!...
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2
The Full House
Jesus describes the heart of God to have a full house marked by the gathering of people who were previously overlooked...
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2
More Important Than the To-Do List
Daily life can cause us to miss out on the kingdom of God...
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2
Might Be Time to Get Going
It's always easier not to go, not to do things. But there's a core of our relationship with Jesus that compels us to get going. ...
Keep ReadingGreat Banquet, Great Heart, Great Joy
Jesus invites us into the great banquet of the kingdom of God...
Keep ReadingJesus: The Awkward Dinner Guest
Jesus challenges the religious and is kind to the people in the margins. How do we do at matching pitch with our audience? ...
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3
Clarity Never Comes from the Crowds
Clarity never comes from the crowds. Jesus shows us where it comes from and how to handle the crowd pressures. ...
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Parcheesi, Exorcisms, and the Label Makers
Jesus tells the demons to be quiet even though they're speaking truthfully about who he is. ...
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3
People To be Loved (Not Just Problems to be Fixed)
Jesus heals and touches people to make them well!...
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What's On the Other Side of Healing
Healing isn't just for us. It's for us to be a blessing to others. ...
Keep ReadingWait: Peter's Married?!?
Peter's married--he's normal! That means the ways that Jesus intersect his life has something to teach us about how he might want to intersect ours....
Keep ReadingWorship & Witness: The Natural Next Step
When we experience Jesus's power and authority in our lives, there's a response of worship and witness that are natural. We need to share it....
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Joy to the World (Eleven Months Early)
Jesus is the re-humanizing agent in a world full of darkness and corruption and pain ...
Keep ReadingHope That Overcomes Darkness
The demons are afraid of Jesus--so we have hope for our own battles against darkness. ...
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Overcoming Our Authority Issues
Good news: Jesus is the authority we can trust and we were made for....
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2
Jesus v. ________ For Your Heart
Self-righteousness is one of the biggest competitors for your heart. ...
Keep ReadingWisdom We Won't Listen To
The prophet is rejected in his hometown--what hometown wisdom we will refuse to listen to? ...
Keep ReadingJesus's Mission Meets New York, New York
Jesus's mission statement doesn't seem to include us, but that's a good thing....
Keep ReadingYour Joy Meets the World's Pain
Jesus's first sermon, he reads his mission statement from Isaiah...
Keep ReadingThe Joy and Problem of Community
Jesus goes home and hangs out at the old synagogue. ...
Keep ReadingCutting Through the Fog of Temptation
Memorizing Scripture helps to cut through the fog of temptation. ...
Keep ReadingLead Us Not Into Temptation
Lord's prayer, lead us not into temptation...
Keep ReadingOvercoming Temptation Part 2
Temptation definition, overcoming it....
Keep ReadingOvercoming Temptation Part 1
Jesus in the desert...
Keep ReadingJesus the Trailblazer
Helping to understand why Jesus got baptized when he was without sin....
Keep ReadingNew Year, New Voice for the Connect Devotional
New year and a new voice for the Connect Devotional ...
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Responding to projection
What do you do when people project their Messianic desires on you? ...
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Before Direction
Some days, I want the Lord to tell me the direction he wants me to take so that I can decide whether to submit to him or not. This is not his way....
Keep ReadingOn the verge of a new year
Paul pursues Jesus with all his energy: “straining” and “pressing on.” As he does so, his past has less and less influence on him. Christ comes to rule and reign in his heart....
Keep ReadingA Reading from Luke 2
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!...
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Paying Attention on Christmas Eve
The experience of redemption isn’t complete for us until we’ve responded to Jesus with gratitude....
Keep ReadingThe Inclusive Kingdom
No one is excluded because of their ethnic background or the place of their birth. We all have an opportunity to be part of Jesus’ kingdom and to thrive under his reign....
Keep ReadingOf Dual Origins
A God bigger than our imagination or comprehension will always be shrouded in mystery. He offers us a mystery; he offers us himself....
Keep ReadingThe King For God
As we approach Christmas, let’s remember that the baby whose birth we celebrate on this holiday became the King over all. And this gives us cause for great rejoicing....
Keep ReadingWhy Bethlehem?
We aren’t told why God chose this particular place, this particular community. And this is a common experience for us....
Keep ReadingBethlehem Ephrathah
Word studies allow us to dig deeply into the meaning of words and their usage in the broader biblical and ancient context....
Keep ReadingDouble Prophecy
There’s a fulfillment that happens in the near term and then a second fulfillment that happens down the road....
Keep ReadingGod with us
What do you think God sees when he sees you? ...
Keep ReadingOn the virgin birth
From the very start, he’s extraordinary: God who is truly with us....
Keep ReadingWho gives the sign?
Who’s going to give us the sign we need to move forward into the uncertain future with confidence?...
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The Real Zeal
How does the Lord set up an eternal kingdom marked with justice and righteousness? ...
Keep ReadingGod's gift to you
A new generation, a new king offered a new start, hope that things can take a turn for the better, that the future might be great....
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The Light has come
Light in the darkness … that’s a powerful image for Christmas-time....
Keep ReadingLove The Tension
The Jesus who pushes us to love across borders did this himself and did this by design....
Keep ReadingThe Galilee Principle
As we see God’s willingness to include places and people who society considers on the margins, we can feel both sobered and encouraged. ...
Keep ReadingInevitable Christmas
Christmas comes every year. In a way, Christmas feels inevitable. As we spiral out and look at history, that feeling persists....
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Who is the Lord talking to?
This is a great way to let your curiosity guide you into the biblical text and to create space for the Lord to speak to you in your study of the Bible....
Keep ReadingThe Lord Stays Engaged
It’s important to pay close attention to the Lord’s engagement in this story. He seeks out the main characters. He listens to them. He responds to them. He stays, well, engaged....
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The Tragic Voice
Listening carefully to and believing fully in the words of God protects us and, graciously, restores us. But doubt, confusion, and distrust stand daily at our elbows....
Keep ReadingGrace in Every Act
We desperately need God’s grace...
Keep ReadingCan't Buy Me Joy
We would expect to feel something positive when we’re in the sweet spot of our destiny, even if it isn’t always easy. Perhaps that’s part of the reason God wants us to do good works. ...
Keep ReadingFaith vs Self
Paul wants to protect us from the temptation to take credit for our salvation....
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What does grace mean?
God gives us something we don’t deserve, haven’t earned, and desperately need....
Keep ReadingYes, no?
Years ago Alex introduced us to a phrase that offers great insight into this dilemma: “God’s ‘No’ is always in service to his larger ‘Yes.’”...
Keep ReadingAll our needs, all his promises
In Christ, we see God’s persistent initiative. We aren’t left to our own devices. God follows through on his promises....
Keep Reading"Yes" and Union
As we consider God’s faithfulness to Christ as faithfulness to us, we’ll gain confidence that God can be trusted....
Keep ReadingMeditating on "Yes" and "Amen"
We’re going to invite you to meditate on a verse this morning. ...
Keep ReadingGod's plan on display
What does Jesus tell us about God’s character and intentions?...
Keep ReadingPeace and Prosperity
Generosity will change and shape you. Becoming a generous-hearted person may cost you. Some might take advantage of you. But in the long run, you’ll flourish....
Keep ReadingSteps toward thriving
The good and beautiful life is always available to us. We may find ourselves in challenging and desperate situations. We may have moments when we can’t see through the tears. But God is for thriving. And he will make a way for you to experience life and joy … if you are willing....
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Who did the carrying?
How can both Nebuchadnezzar and the Lord Almighty carry the people off into exile? ...
Keep ReadingBack to Reality
Communities frequently have to rise to challenges. They rebuild. They restructure. They forgive. And these challenges leave a mark on the community … in some cases a scar, in others a callous, and in still others a pearl....
Keep ReadingBetter than you imagined
What do you expect God to do when he sees you?...
Keep ReadingA Creative Attempt
All sorts of things motivate people to seek Jesus: a longing for meaning, a desire for community, curiosity, financial interests, peer pressure … the list goes on and on....
Keep ReadingThe Gift of Eternal Life
God desires to bless the entire cosmos with life. ...
Keep ReadingThe Inclusive Love of God
God loving the world must have come as quite a shock to Nicodemus...
Keep ReadingThe Weight of the Gift
God has given a big gift and, in some ways, taken a big risk, in the hope that we will believe and, in that belief, enter into his family and receive life....
Keep ReadingMy sheep are your sheep
God offers us his committed loyalty and covenant faithfulness....
Keep ReadingThe Rest of M's Story
Take some time today to read the dramatic conclusion of Mephibosheth’s story. Commentators disagree as to what happens with him here....
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We're not worthy
The Lord’s way of lifting us out of our shame isn’t to create a fiction in which we have nothing of which to be ashamed....
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Structural and Personal
When we walk in step with his Spirit, we find ourselves drawn toward holistic engagement with people in need....
Keep ReadingOverflowing Kindness
Faithfulness to the Lord overflows into kindness toward others. ...
Keep ReadingEnabling Courage
God can make you brave...
Keep ReadingA Dose of Perspective
You don’t have to be muscular to be strong. You don’t have to be intimidating to be influential. The Lord can do mighty things in and through you if you’re willing to let him guide you in the use of your voice....
Keep ReadingResponding to Disrespect
What do you do when you’re disrespected?...
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Shadows of the past
David found himself in the in-between part of his story: anointed but not yet ascended to the throne. And those in-between places can be so challenging....
Keep ReadingDisorienting Change
Change and loss can be disorienting to us. We can struggle and veer out of control. These are the times when we most need friends. These are the times when we most need God....
Keep ReadingIt's complicated ... relax
The easy, obvious shortcut that appeared in that cave in En Gedi might not actually have been as strategic as it seemed....
Keep ReadingRespect for the office and the Lord
That kind of respect for the office, for David, stemmed directly from his respect for the Lord. ...
Keep ReadingWhen the Giant is in your Hands
Moments like these reveal what’s inside of us. What do we choose to do in the opportune moment?...
Keep ReadingA Giant Complex
Don’t be discouraged. Complex problems are just that. And they can be overcome. ...
Keep ReadingSurprised in the desert
The desert is both a challenge and an opportunity...
Keep ReadingDon't Drink the Water
We easily underestimate the influence we have on others. An idle word or comment or bit of action or inaction can carry outsized cachet. ...
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Explaining the Risk
Good Bible readers will float and test theories as to why things are happening in the text and why people say and do the things they do....
Keep ReadingWater that's more than water
Food and water are almost always more than food and water....
Keep ReadingDo Something New
History never repeats itself exactly. And the new thing that happens can be remarkable....
Keep ReadingAt Harvest Time
Although the Bible is intimately concerned with the highest spiritual themes, it doesn’t shy away from engaging with issues like hunger and thirst....
Keep ReadingPaper, Rock, Slingshot
When we refuse to fight the giant on the giant's terms, the Lord can lead us via creative paths to a meaningful victory....
Keep ReadingAn Interactive Reading of Psalm 23
David spent his youth working as a shepherd. His experience there marked every corner of his life, from his leadership to his spirituality. ...
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A Psalm for a Storm
Faith and courage don't prevent us from experiencing fear and anxiety; instead, they help us to connect with God in the midst of our fear and move forward in the face of our anxiety....
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Valuable Courage
On a day when the virtue of courage is publicly celebrated, perhaps it’s appropriate for us to look close to home for examples of courage. When we find them, we can show honor, express gratitude, and thank God....
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A Mighty Team
We are better together. The Lord has hard-wired us for community, that we thrive when we have meaningful connections. And this also is the best way for us to engage the world for good....
Keep ReadingAfter the giant falls
Hope became confidence. Confidence became courage. Courage become action....
Keep ReadingGod at the center
David's confidence in the Lord is so central to his identity that it comes spilling out of him even when trash-talking....
Keep ReadingGo and the Lord be with you
David does not let his lack of direct experience disqualify him. David does not presume future success because of his past victory. David is less focused on his qualifications than on the Lord’s presence. ...
Keep ReadingNew Direction - New Person
A new person jumping into an old, stuck situation with a new perspective (and maybe a little new life) can change history....
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Who are your giants?
When God wants to get us moving again, he has to reframe our relationship with our giants....
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Actions speak louder
Words and speech can be cheap if they aren’t backed by action and truth. ...
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Seek the Source
Today’s passage circles back around diagnostically. If we feel no pity when faced with a brother or sister in need, something has gone wrong with our relationship with God....
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2
An Emotional Response
Compassion is the most important action in the face of need....
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Radical Generosity AND Beautiful Humility
As a church community, we are blessed to have some in our midst who have material possessions and others who are in need....
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1
Beyond Charity
We need help to move toward real love. Our love-compass is broken. It spins and spins in circles because the magnetic power of our own neediness overwhelms everything in our orbit. We need Jesus to settle us so that we can love....
Keep ReadingFor Complete Joy
Proclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ completes our joy. It satisfies some need deep within us. It terrifies and blesses us. And it can change the world. ...
Keep ReadingFor Fellowship
The purpose of proclamation is connection: connection with each other and, ultimately, with God. Fellowship. ...
Keep ReadingA relaxed reading of the text
Try letting the Holy Spirit guide your reading today...
Keep ReadingPerson, not Idea
A co-opted Jesus is not Jesus. He doesn’t work for our political or philosophical schemes. He stands on his own feet. Mash him together with the rest of that and you’ll lose him altogether. ...
Keep ReadingThe Real Deal
Jesus breathes new life into us as his love invites us to live with him in a larger, clearer, brighter world. ...
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What love looks like
The clearest picture of love isn’t buried in some corner of the future or hiding in some region of the present. You can see love as easily as you can see your own shadow … if you’ll look....
Keep ReadingLove in Common
We need common ground and we need someone else to set it for us....
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What is love? (no definition here)
Our valuation of love can vary as widely as our definitions of it....
Keep ReadingSabbath Questions
The Pharisees look at the individual behavior and not the system behind it. They ask about the disciples’ activity and not their poverty....
Keep ReadingSabbath Conflict
Sabbath often brings collisions between our values. What do we do when our values collide?...
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2
A Rest for the People of God
Rest requires effort. Rest is not passive. Rest is active and rewarding. And when our restless souls find their rest in God, we thrive....
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2
Work and Rest
From God’s initial creative work in the universe work and rest are intertwined....
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Taking stock of sabbath
The Lord provided non-condescending support, guidance, and structure in the Sabbath...
Keep ReadingNo Longer Slaves
Slaves work day-in and day-out. They have no rest from their labors. But our heavenly Father wants to give us good, good rest....
Keep ReadingRest as Imitation
Our reasons for rest reach back to the ground of creation and the dawn of time. ...
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Waiting for Goodness
In times of restlessness, the knowledge that the Lord is real and really loves us changes everything....
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Surprised by Trouble
Some of our restlessness is fueled by our surprise that troubles show up in our lives....
Keep ReadingOne Thing I Ask
We are at our most realistic when we realize his realness and reallocate our attention accordingly....
Keep ReadingLight, Salvation, Stronghold
Fear can drive restlessness....
Keep ReadingA Community of Support
The same Lord who gives shelter and security and sleep also gives support to those who dream the dreams he so generously gives....
Keep ReadingThe Lord gives sleep
Every night when you drift off to sleep, you have a powerful reminder that you are loved by God....
Keep ReadingThe Lord and Giver of Rest
There’s almost always more work to do than can ever be done....
Keep ReadingThe Lord and his Creation
The Lord’s will is not bound to ours as if he’s a marionette being pulled by the strings of our activity....
Keep ReadingGod at work
If we think we’re in it all on our own or that our effort is the only effort that matters, when will we ever rest?...
Keep ReadingReading as Listening
In reading, we experience communal relationships not only with the author but also with others who are listening to the words. ...
Keep ReadingThe Channel and the Source
What do you do if your father’s instruction and your mother’s teaching don’t feel like a garland to grace your head or a chain to adorn your neck?...
Keep ReadingListen to your parents?
One way to navigate the communications chaos in the world is to set up priority people, people to whom you’ll listen no matter what....
Keep ReadingNot past the past
A humble take on our current era can help us pursue wisdom in healthy ways in our generation....
Keep ReadingJesus, The Straight Path, and Trust
The echo of the proverbial straight path reminds us that trusting Jesus is how we get to holiness, righteousness, and life....
Keep ReadingThe Direct Path
The easiest path isn’t always the most direct one....
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The Heart of Trust
How much trust does it take to walk with the Lord for a lifetime?...
Keep ReadingTrust and Disappointment
The Lord knows what it’s like to experience disappointment. ...
Keep ReadingTrust and Guidance
Maybe the struggle isn’t with guidance; maybe the struggle is with trust....
Keep ReadingThe Pathmaker
The Lord cares how we live our lives. ...
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Building Trust on Trust
Our relationship with the Lord can create space for us to have other relationships....
Keep ReadingWholehearted Trust
Wholehearted trust in the Lord looks like depending on him rather than your own understanding....
Keep ReadingHigh Stakes Wisdom
We don’t just pursue wisdom for our sake. When we get wisdom, everyone around us gets blessed....
Keep ReadingYou can choose
You can choose who you spend time with and how you will allow them to influence you....
Keep ReadingBecoming a mentor
You’ve been entrusted with something precious....
Keep ReadingLeveraging Wisdom for Influence
If we want to grow in wisdom, we need to spend time with those who have wisdom. ...
Keep ReadingWalking with the Wise
What do you picture when you picture walking with the wise? ...
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The Creation of Wisdom
Don’t turn your mind off when seeking the Lord. He’s the source of all the brilliance that dwells inside you....
Keep ReadingOn Wisdom and Wealth
Wisdom and Wealth are not enemies....
Keep ReadingWisdom seeking
God’s reaching out to us makes it possible for us to reach back out to him with hope and confidence....
Keep Reading3 Ideas to Help You Guard Your Heart
Wisdom will watch over, protect, and guard our hearts according to Proverbs. But what does that look like? How can we guard our hearts?...
Keep ReadingWalk wisely
Which path do we want to walk?...
Keep ReadingWisdom worth everything
What makes wisdom so valuable?...
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Relationship with wisdom
Wisdom emerges from relationships: relationship with your context, with your community and with your heart....
Keep ReadingThe Heart of the Matter
God’s invitation to us is to receive free, healthy, wildly-alive hearts. Jesus came to give us hearts that fill our lives with life. Walking wisely with him requires us to tend thoughtfully to the condition of our spiritual and emotional lives....
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2
Love is better
All the good we do in the world in the name of this particular King must be done in love....
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Free to love
What if this new way of seeing the world got its light from relationships rather than from obedience to rules?...
Keep ReadingYou have to start somewhere
We may want to have a different set of conversations with the people we love or a different way of engaging with our local community. But we have to start where we can start....
Keep ReadingThe Discipline of Attention
Ask yourself: “Of all the _______, which is the most important?” Pause for a beat and reflect on what your answer reveals about you and your perspective....
Keep ReadingA Prayer Observed
What does this prayer show me about the way I think about God and feel about this person for whom I’m praying?...
Keep ReadingThe service of sharing from the heart
There’s something powerful that happens when we pull our affection into our awareness and communicate it to another person....
Keep ReadingCarry in your heart
Paul feels the way about his friends in Philippi that mothers often do for their children....
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God won't give up
The work won’t reach completion for a while. But don’t lose heart. God loves you and won’t let you go....
Keep ReadingThe Joy of Partnership
Joy fills our prayers and our hearts and spills out from our faces as we go to the places God sends us with the people he gives us....
Keep ReadingStrengthened for Service
Jesus doesn’t just serve; he empowers us to serve....
Keep ReadingThe Secret of Contentment
Learning the secret of contentment requires relationship....
Keep ReadingThe Secret of Contentment
Contentment always seems to be just around the corner and just out of reach....
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2
Service and Contentment
When we rest in the security of contentment we can be available to truly see and respond to the needs of people around us....
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Intentions stalled out
Don’t let guilt or shame over past inaction keep you from making a difference in the future. ...
Keep ReadingStrong to Serve
The ultimate destiny and goal and end of all strength is service....
Keep ReadingStrength Required
Serving always requires strength....
Keep ReadingA Guided Tour
There’s something special about pausing for a beat to study on your own....
Keep ReadingServe Anyways
The hard and joyful work of the soul that’s alive to God in Christ is to serve anyways. Where we can. When we can. And to be gentle with ourselves when we just can’t....
Keep ReadingAn Empowered Example
The example Jesus gives us lands in the midst of God’s empowering work in our lives....
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Second Philemon
Sorry to flood your inbox, but I just remembered that I wanted to add something....
Keep ReadingBond Brothers
When we’re included in Christ, new bonds spring into existence between us and each and every individual who is connected with God....
Keep ReadingReal people and real activism
Human connection is an essential element for Christian social engagement. It’s what makes Christian social engagement distinctly Christian....
Keep ReadingLove as the foundation of activism
Love doesn’t preclude passing laws, boycotting, protesting, or engaging in activism. Love shapes the way we do all of these things. ...
Keep ReadingRead or listen to Philemon
This week we’re going to be studying a whole book of the Bible. Sure, it’s only one chapter. But that still counts!...
Keep ReadingA powerful paradigm shift
Ananias needed to see differently before he could do differently. ...
Keep ReadingThe Dance of Inclusion
The reason Jesus includes Ananias has little or nothing to do with Ananias and a lot to do with Jesus....
Keep ReadingGetting what you wish for
Comfort and Challenge with Jesus...
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No Needy Persons Allowed?
Why might there be no needy persons in a faith community?...
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Spotlight on Jesus
Our most important question in life kicks in here: What is God like? ...
Keep ReadingA Resurrection-fueled Connection for Good
When we forget the resurrection reality and treat Jesus as a dusty historical figure, our experience of connection and impetus for generosity begin to fade. We lose perspective. Our petty differences take on an exaggerated significance....
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From Unity to Generosity
Unity precedes generosity. And generosity always follows unity....
Keep ReadingReflecting Reading of Acts 4
As you read, allow the Lord to direct your attention to a word or phrase that describes this new community....
Keep ReadingSpirit-inspired Forgiveness
Saying “Yes” to Jesus’ challenges is our best path to peace and joy....
Keep ReadingA Prayer for Easter Joy
We’re hoping that each of us and everyone who visits a church would have a meaningful moment with Jesus this weekend. We want to experience that joy....
Keep ReadingJesus the Not A Ghost
Use the negative image to grow your appreciation for what actually happened....
Keep ReadingPeace to you
What would you expect Jesus to say to you if you met him today? Digging into that question can give you a flash of insight into a) how you see Jesus and b) how you see yourself....
Keep ReadingGod will meet you
Wherever you are, God can meet you there. He can meet you when no one else wants to listen to you. He can meet you even when you doubt....
Keep ReadingSpeaking of Easter
One way we can lift our voices to glorify God is to talk to people about him. This could involve sharing your story of God’s work in your life, telling someone about something you’re learning about God, or directly inviting someone to connect with God....
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The Shouting Stones
In today’s passage, Jesus points to a very important truth: God is worthy of our praise. ...
Keep ReadingThe Caution of the Pharisees
When you’re swept into the worship of God, lifted to the heights of prayer, plunged into the depths of scripture, filled with zeal for justice … those are always the moments when the pharisaical voices begin to ring in our hearts....
Keep ReadingThe Caution of the Pharisees
When you’re swept into the worship of God, lifted to the heights of prayer, plunged into the depths of scripture, filled with zeal for justice … those are always the moments when the pharisaical voices begin to ring in our hearts....
Keep ReadingGreat expectations of Jesus
This is not what the crowd expected....
Keep ReadingEasier
Anyone can say the words. ...
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Theological conundrums
What do you do when you bump into things Jesus says or does that you don’t approve of, don’t understand, or don’t enjoy? ...
Keep ReadingCutting in line
We’re invited by God today to witness the friendliness of Jesus....
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On Emotional Whiplash
What we do in the face of emotional whiplash and deep disappointment makes all the difference in the world. ...
Keep ReadingIncluding Jesus
This week, as we explore Jesus’ interaction with the friends of the paralytic and the crowd that had gathered to hear him teach, we’ll have an opportunity to listen to Jesus for ourselves....
Keep ReadingWhatever it takes
They would do whatever it takes to get their friend to Jesus....
Keep ReadingLooking for cues
These aren’t the only times or the only ways to bring people to Jesus. But some of us need a nudge....
Keep ReadingThe Choices of Friendship
When Jesus healed the paralyzed man in response to the faith of the man’s radical friends, a bunch of different people had a bunch of different decision to make....
Keep Reading
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Meaningful Friendship
In spiritual friendship, we connect in meaningful ways with another person and, ultimately, through that relationship, with God....
Keep ReadingAll those alls
How might this influence our relationships with people with whom we might disagree? ...
Keep Reading
4
The one about the ones
Our view of who God is shapes our view of who we are and, consequently, influences all of our relationships....
Keep ReadingClose reading on unity
Over and against bland or brutal or brief unity, Paul presents the unity of the Spirit....
Keep ReadingIn line with the calling
A non-comprehensive yet challenging list of ways to live a life worthy of the calling we’ve received...
Keep Reading
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A Foundation for Unity
We’ve been invited, summoned, called into the life and mission and kingdom of God....
Keep ReadingThe Seeds and the Birds
When we become who God invites us to become we benefit from the growth and we bless our broader community....
Keep ReadingThe Swinging Pendulum
Rapid expansion doesn’t repudiate smallness. In fact, smallness is a necessary and significant element of the life of Christian community....
Keep ReadingGrow and Change
Growth brings change. Change brings challenges. Challenges bring choices....
Keep ReadingTeaching in parables
What’s your willingness to wrestle with God as you come into this week? ...
Keep ReadingPrinciples of Community Connection
Nothing can help us connect with difficult people quite like the presence of Jesus....
Keep ReadingThe Mirror of Conflict
So often our hesitations about the people we distrust have as much to do with our own fears and pride as anything having to do with “them.” ...
Keep ReadingThe Beauty of Gatekeeping
Apart from Jesus, none of these disciples would have received an invite to Levi’s party … and none of these disciples would have had access to Levi’s social network....
Keep ReadingThe Zealot and the Tax Collector
Jesus packed a riot into a small group. And that small group changed the world....
Keep ReadingThe Taxman
Tax collectors in Judea in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry had remarkably complex jobs....
Keep ReadingLook at this group
Healthy small groups will connect us to people we wouldn’t ordinarily connect with thought means we wouldn’t ordinarily use in ways that radically challenge us to mature and grow. ...
Keep Reading
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An Ordinary Group
The remarkable thing about the men was that they had been with Jesus (see Acts 4:13)....
Keep Reading
2
Is 12 a magic number?
Did Jesus and the Twelve know some secret to group dynamics and community structure?...
Keep ReadingThe Mission in the Middle
From the very beginning Jesus’ small group had a mission. ...
Keep ReadingJesus was in a small group
He could share more with them by living life with them than by lecturing them....
Keep ReadingHe came to serve
Our participation in service gives us a deeper appreciation of the salvation that Jesus bought for us. That salvation works deeper into our souls as a result. And we’re transformed....
Keep ReadingPursue true greatness
You’re more likely to find the truly great person by looking for someone serving. You’re more likely to grow into true greatness in your own life by looking for opportunities to serve....
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2
What if you don't know what you're asking?
We have an opportunity to practice the discipline of trust. We can relax into the watchful care of our wise God....
Keep Reading
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What would you ask?
Imagine Jesus turned to you and asked you: “What do you want me to do for you?” ...
Keep ReadingWilling to pay attention
As we pour out our hearts to him, he hears us and responds in love. That doesn’t always mean giving us what we ask for, but it always means giving us his best....
Keep ReadingDepending on each other
God’s invitation to “together” is the only pathway to “better.”...
Keep ReadingSending with authority
There’s no sending without authority and there's no authority without sending....
Keep ReadingDon't go it alone
We need to be “together” in our pursuit of the “better.”...
Keep ReadingNot in a large group
Why didn’t Jesus send them out as one big group?...
Keep ReadingGrit in the face of rejection
As Jesus continued to faithfully visit town after town ...
Keep Reading
2
Leaving the family business
Following Jesus does, at times, come with a cost. He doesn’t offer us cheap discipleship....
Keep Reading
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Drop your nets
Jesus’ invitation to follow him requires us time and time again to leave our nets, to leave behind even the good things that will distract us from following him....
Keep ReadingShaped from the Beginning
Jesus flips the script. He calls uneducated fishermen. He initiates the relationship. And that changes how the whole thing would work....
Keep ReadingDifferent and Alike
Every movement has a starting place....
Keep ReadingComing and Going
Don’t miss his purpose. Don’t miss his invitation....
Keep ReadingThat is why I have come
The dance between his Father and his friends, between solitary prayer and community life, that created an environment that was primed for Jesus to discover and rediscover his purpose....
Keep ReadingBypassing Honor
Jesus’ decision to move on to other towns and villages to preach meant that he wouldn’t be able to stick around to enjoy the honor and gratitude of all of the people he had directly and indirectly helped....
Keep ReadingPrayer and Purpose
God the Son ...
Keep ReadingEveryone's looking for you
How does the tug of popularity pull on your heart? ...
Keep ReadingA Patch of Green Grass
Our world is thirsty for “green grass,” for places where people can sit down together and connect with each other in meaningful ways....
Keep ReadingWhen God hands you broken bread
Don’t ever think that your small loaf of bread and your few fish aren’t enough to make a difference....
Keep ReadingWhy feed the crowd?
Great Bible study involves letting your imagination roam through a text, seeking understanding and insight....
Keep ReadingFor the sake of compassion
Watch out for God’s great compassion! His compassion will change the course of history. His compassion can transform your life....
Keep ReadingQuiet and Rest
There’s a rest that comes from quiet and a rest that comes from depending on Jesus. We, like Jesus’ disciples, need both....
Keep ReadingAn end of year reflection
A lot of us feel the speed of time as we close out another year. Where did 2017 go? ...
Keep ReadingAn end of year reflection
A lot of us feel the speed of time as we close out another year. Where did 2017 go? ...
Keep ReadingReminders from the Margins
Anna’s story reminds us of much we already know but easily forget in the busyness of life....
Keep ReadingReminders from the Margins
Anna’s story reminds us of much we already know but easily forget in the busyness of life....
Keep ReadingDisruptive Discipleship
In the presence of Jesus the ordinary power structures of the world get flipped on their head. ...
Keep ReadingHope fulfilled
Something came alive in Simeon when he met Jesus....
Keep ReadingMerry Christmas!
Listen for any part of this story that warms your heart toward God and that sparks joy in your soul....
Keep ReadingFind Jesus
When you connect with Jesus, joy follows....
Keep Reading
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A Savior's Crib
All too often we bump right up to the threshold of joy and turn back because we see rough wood and straw and very little gold. We need to pay closer attention to find joy, to find our Savior in the manger....
Keep ReadingNews Joy People
The shockwave of this good news wraps great joy around the world. Can you feel it? ...
Keep ReadingThe Tumult and the Turn
Knowing that you may encounter opportunities to be terrified on your path toward joy allows you to summon your courage and look to the Lord for strength to stay engaged....
Keep ReadingAn Expected Surprise
We can look back on this ordinary night and see that any ordinary moment is a moment that could be pregnant with potential for a miracle....
Keep ReadingGod's Tender Mercy
Taking a word or phrase like this and reflecting on it and meditating on it (like we did right here) can be a great spiritual discipline. ...
Keep ReadingA Father's Gift
God invites us to be his children before he invites us to anything else. ...
Keep ReadingThe Prepositions of Salvation
Don’t miss the full picture of the salvation that God has for us in Jesus Christ!...
Keep ReadingWith us for our good
The presence of God in our midst is good news to us....
Keep Reading
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Eclipsed by Jesus
John was going to lead an extraordinary life. But he would be eclipsed by Jesus....
Keep ReadingNormal and Unique
God can be at work in our lives that fit the patterns we’ve seen in the lives of other. But he can also break the mold....
Keep ReadingA Disruptive Holiday
Mary had a deep sense that God’s new work in the world at Christmas would turn the world upside down....
Keep ReadingThe song of a grateful heart
Rejoicing sparked by gratitude does something powerful in our souls....
Keep Reading
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Break into song
When the emotion is too great to convey in mere words, characters in a musical will sing out. ...
Keep ReadingPresence and Affection
Presence and affection. This is what love looks like....
Keep ReadingNo word of God will ever fail
For us to become a people of deep faith, we need to attend carefully to the stories of God’s faithfulness in the lives of the people around us....
Keep ReadingWhy the virgin birth?
In the virgin birth we see the extraordinary and miraculous lengths God will go to for the sake of a relationship....
Keep ReadingDoubting the Virgin Birth?
“A simple translation correction,” we think, “could clear up all this confusion.” Except that it doesn’t....
Keep ReadingIn real time
God meets us in the real world. ...
Keep ReadingFirst impressions with Jesus
How would it change your relationship with Jesus if you came to believe in him in the midst of a feast that had been marked by this miracle: turning water into wine?...
Keep ReadingGive thanks today
As Vanessa Williams sang a long time ago: “Just when I thought a chance had passed, you went and saved the best for last.” And that’s just what Jesus did....
Keep ReadingFrom ordinary to extraordinary
Just as God can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary, he can take the sacred and make it holy....
Keep ReadingWhen the fun winds down
Jesus kept the party going....
Keep ReadingTis the Season
God wants to be present in every corner of our lives....
Keep ReadingSpirit and Truth
There’s so much packed into this one tiny verse. ...
Keep ReadingSwitchtracking
Switchtracks reveal something about the person with whom we’re speaking. What we do with these switchtracks matters....
Keep ReadingAsking for help
We don’t like to be vulnerable, to expose our needs to strangers, or to be the one asking for help. We’d much rather give answers....
Keep ReadingStrange Paths
Jesus’ need to go through Samaria had nothing to do with logistics and travel efficiency and everything to do with his mission to seek and save the lost....
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Seeking Jesus
Our obsession with being right keeps us from being loving and, in effect, keeps us from experiencing full and deep and rich intimacy with Jesus....
Keep ReadingFinding Common Ground
Doing this requires courage....
Keep ReadingCheck your posture
All too often our conversations across religious divides devolve into petty arguments....
Keep ReadingWhat about other religions?
People feel strongly about their gods....
Keep ReadingGrace and Mercy when you need them
In our time of need, we need to know that God is at work restraining evil. He’s not absent. He isn’t on vacation or taking a nap. He’s fully engaged....
Keep ReadingBad stuff and bad behavior
Bad stuff can tempt us to bad behavior....
Keep ReadingJesus and empathy
Jesus doesn’t just feel sorry for us; he shares our emotional state....
Keep ReadingCentering our hope on Jesus
Centering our hope on Jesus and holding firmly to our faith allows us to reject the unhealthy options that present themselves to us in our times of crisis....
Keep ReadingWhat about the bad stuff?
When bad things happen, we can find our faith shaken. We trust the Lord, but that trust gets tested. And that’s okay....
Keep ReadingScripture-induced heartburn
Even the most rational and intellectual among us sway under the weight of our hearts....
Keep ReadingReflected glory
The Bible’s glory is a reflected glory: the beauty of the moon, not the beauty of the sun. But in these dark days, we can feel grateful for a full moon shining brightly and guiding our footsteps....
Keep ReadingWhat would it take?
On Easter Sunday, Jesus had been raised from the dead, but his followers and friends were still deciding if they were going to believe the news. How would you help these folks believe that Jesus was alive?...
Keep ReadingHistory told honestly
Throughout the Bible we see the story of God and his people told honestly, warts and all....
Keep ReadingWhat about the Bible?
As followers of Jesus, we trust the Bible and allow it to guide both our lives and our community because we believe that the Bible speaks faithfully about Jesus....
Keep ReadingThe Neighbor of Mercy
Anyone can be your neighbor....
Keep ReadingLike a good neighbor
The good news in Jesus Christ is that God’s acceptance of us doesn’t depend on our performance for him....
Keep ReadingThe Good Samaritan
Stories like these have the ability slip past our defenses. They challenge us without being obnoxious. They give us space to consider a different point of view....
Keep ReadingFrom Obligation to Opportunity
We’re at our worst when we put our church or our family or our politics above our connection with Jesus. ...
Keep ReadingMore than answers
Jesus desires to offer relationship and not just answers. ...
Keep Reading
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Questions coming back
When we come to Jesus with our questions, we shouldn’t be surprised when he challenges us in return....
Keep ReadingQuestions and Expectations
If Jesus answered the question but not the expectations underlying it, John’s emotional turmoil might continue....
Keep ReadingLean into the Relationship
Don't keep your questions to yourself, allowing it to smolder and burn up your insides. ...
Keep ReadingConsider the Context
Take some time today to listen to the questions people ask about God, faith, religion, and spirituality...
Keep ReadingQuestioning God
The God we see revealed in Jesus is a God who can handle our questions, a God who loves being asked questions....
Keep ReadingMeant for Good
Throughout your life you will encounter people who in moments of foolishness mean to do you harm. Don’t wrap your life around them....
Keep ReadingPlaying God
We all have times in our lives when we slip through the garden and grab for forbidden fruit and play God. ...
Keep ReadingManipulated Forgiveness
Many of us couldn’t forgive others from our hearts except that God is at work in and around us....
Keep ReadingReceiving Mercy
In our relationships with God we’re the recipients of his radical and surprising mercy. ...
Keep ReadingWords of Blessing
When in your life have you been the recipient of words of blessing, of someone with authority in your life commenting on your past, your character, or your potential?...
Keep ReadingSurprised by Mercy
Everyone is surprised by mercy. ...
Keep ReadingA Good Older Brother
We need someone to rescue us from our slavery to anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, and pride....
Keep ReadingComing Unstuck
God can work in a thousand ways to transform the way we see the people who’ve hurt us....
Keep ReadingEmotional Landmines
Our past experiences of trauma can trigger strong reactions in us....
Keep ReadingAt work behind the scenes
This is a God who is worthy to be praised. ...
Keep ReadingWhat has God given you?
Don’t let anyone convince you that you have nothing to offer. And don’t let the spirit of comparison creep into your heart. Bring to the table exactly what God has given you and do so joyously....
Keep ReadingGenerous like him
We’ve seen time and time again how our community generously responds to neighbors in crisis and global needs. We’ve made sacrifices to help others. And it’s so worth it....
Keep ReadingDepending on Others
The myth of the self-made, bootstrap-pulling, hard-working, independent hero stumbles in seasons like these....
Keep ReadingA Pregnant Moment
Tremendous pressures pile up to move the wheels of the world and of our lives....
Keep ReadingThe Right Person
Pause for a moment and thank God for putting the right people in your life in decisive moments. ...
Keep ReadingRumblings in Your Heart
The ongoing rumblings in Joseph’s heart foreshadow an upcoming work of God in Joseph’s life....
Keep ReadingThe Second Chair
Joseph leaned in and was faithful to do the work God had given him to do....
Keep ReadingGiving credit
Joseph wants to rely on God. And that’s what makes him extraordinary....
Keep Reading
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Waiting
Don’t lose hope if you can’t chart a clear course from where you are today to where you hope to be....
Keep ReadingBe aware
Awareness of God’s activity can boost your God-confidence....
Keep ReadingWhispered wisdom
As you navigate difficult situations and relationships, God's presence can fill you with tremendous confidence....
Keep ReadingBoomerang
Joseph’s past and his present collided. He had a decision to make....
Keep ReadingPaying attention
All too often we get so busy doing our good work that we forget to connect with the people who God has placed in our path....
Keep ReadingCatch
As God poured his blessings out on Joseph, the cupbearer and the baker benefitted as well. This can also happen to us in hard times....
Keep ReadingIntegrity's Reward
What happens inside of us when we see people punished for showing integrity? ...
Keep ReadingBlessing and Boundary
God gave blessings and God gave boundaries. Joseph knew that he couldn’t accept one without the other....
Keep ReadingTemptation
With success comes challenge....
Keep ReadingBlessing
The Lord’s blessing on the household didn’t remove Joseph’s challenges, but they did change his experience....
Keep ReadingPresence
Your prospering doesn’t ultimately depend on your circumstances....
Keep ReadingNot Good Enough
Though God is not mentioned once in Genesis 37, we later discover that he was at work all throughout this painful and difficult episode....
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That Dreamer
Let’s refuse to participate in the destructive practice of dehumanization....
Keep ReadingImmature Dreams
Our dreams can reveal our areas of immaturity, as can our way of communicating them. ...
Keep ReadingAgainst favoritism
Favoritism is one of many broken relational patterns that separate us from each other....
Keep ReadingPast a first impression
We can’t rid ourselves of our automatic habit of capturing first impressions as we meet new people, but we can cultivate habits of attention that allow us to look beyond those initial judgements....
Keep ReadingNot sent alone
The Lord constantly works through communities. For every great figure in the story of our faith, we also find the Lord sending them friends....
Keep ReadingBlessed to be a blessing
As God’s blessings pile up in and around us, we need to share them with others. Only then will God’s blessings to us be complete....
Keep ReadingA Covenant Framework
God holds up his side of the covenant. Though his covenant purposes advance over rocky terrain, they advance nonetheless....
Keep ReadingGo and went
God's invitation stands. It’s our turn to respond. What will we do?...
Keep ReadingAn Adventure with God
The adventure of life with God gives us healing and joy and blessing, but it also stretches us. We leave familiar territory, relationships, programs, and narratives behind when we launch out into this adventure....
Keep Reading
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Eternity in our hearts
What if the craziness we feel when we’re crazy busy is due to having two different songs playing inside of us: the drumbeat of eternity and the roar of busyness?...
Keep ReadingBeautiful in its time
God has made everything beautiful in its time. Even us. ...
Keep ReadingMeaning
Without meaning, work becomes miserable and we lose our drive....
Keep ReadingThere is a season
This burst of poetry reaches out and connects with our hearts. We’re given space to connect viscerally and emotionally with God’s truth about the seasonal nature of life....
Keep ReadingSeasons
God does huge things in our lives when we shift from Now-Or-Never Thinking to Season Thinking....
Keep ReadingA Clear Path
The Lord is the one who makes known to us the paths of life....
Keep ReadingGood Boundaries
Contentment is the fruit of a soul who’s put down roots in the generosity of God....
Keep Reading
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The Search for Security
We love hard work. We work hard. But the Lord is the one who holds our ultimate security....
Keep ReadingEvil Sacrifices
Other gods make big promises if only we’ll worship them. They give us benefits in the short-term (sometimes). But over time these gods fail us. And we suffer more and more as a result of our bondage to them....
Keep ReadingGod our Refuge
Lean more heavily on God when times get hard....
Keep ReadingPrayer and great work
Calling out to God changes us for the better. ...
Keep ReadingBe persistent
In order to pursue your God-given great work, you need to make more than just one good decision; you need to string together a series of good decisions....
Keep ReadingYour Great Work
Don’t give in to the temptation to compare your great work to others....
Keep ReadingGreat opposition
When you embark on great work in your own life, you probably won’t have people trying to get you killed. But it may feel like it....
Keep ReadingGiven great work
When we live crazy busy lives, we miss out on the great work God’s given us to do....
Keep ReadingPart of Something Epic
Enter into this passage imaginatively. ...
Keep ReadingBetter Together
You cannot go off by yourself and grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ....
Keep ReadingMadLibs Love
Only love can hold us together. ...
Keep ReadingPower for Connection
Paul’s prayer for power which leads to strength isn’t focused on doing and achieving. Instead, Paul wants his friends to have the rich and beautiful experience of intimacy with Jesus Christ....
Keep ReadingA Good and Engaged Father
The special relationship you have with God gives you strong permission to open your heart to him in prayer....
Keep ReadingDon't be discouraged
The reflected glory shines brightly in the dark....
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On display in the church
God’s choice to identify with us was, according to Paul, his way of making his wisdom known to the entire cosmos....
Keep ReadingPaul's big mysteries
We don’t have to jettison our ethnic identities in order to fully participate in the body of Christ....
Keep ReadingMixing with mysteries
Paul didn’t want the Christian mysteries to be held in secret as copyrighted proprietary instruction. He wanted everyone to talk about these great mysteries....
Keep ReadingPaul's call and ours
Paul had a beautiful call from the Lord. What’s yours? ...
Keep ReadingCreating space to connect with God
God has chosen to make himself know to the world through us, to meet with people through us, to identify with us....
Keep ReadingTearing down the walls
If Jesus can stand alive on the mountain top, he can bring us there with him....
Keep ReadingFar to near
When Jesus brings us near to God and to other people, he does it in a way that challenges and changes us....
Keep ReadingThe Exclusion Experience
In God’s good goodness, he goes out of his way to connect with those of us who live as outsiders....
Keep ReadingIdentifying the Divides
Our world is full of divides....
Keep ReadingGood works
God pulls us into his activity....
Keep ReadingGod's good gift
Salvation is a gift, not a payment for services rendered....
Keep ReadingMotivated by love
God’s great love for us has the final say in our lives....
Keep ReadingCorrect the Rear-View
God changes the story of our past, but he doesn’t rewrite history. He adds new chapters. And each new chapter reshapes how we see the entire story....
Keep ReadingThe way you used to be
A humble memory of where you came from ...
Keep ReadingIn the highest place
Christ will always be the highest authority. No one will topple him, surpass him, or overthrow him....
Keep Reading
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Jesus at the Center
God is at the center of Paul’s vision and at the center of our lives....
Keep ReadingPray to know
Above all, Paul prioritized knowing God, so that’s what he asked God to do for his friends....
Keep Reading
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Giving Thanks
What are we missing when the focus of our prayer lives is only asking for things?...
Keep ReadingFaith and Love
You can’t have meaningful faith in the Lord Jesus without also having love for all God’s people; you can’t have love for all God’s people without also placing your faith in the Lord Jesus....
Keep ReadingGod is serious about our redemption
The Spirit is God’s very presence with us. He doesn’t just welcome us to ping him when we have a minute; he wants to spend time with us....
Keep ReadingHearing and believing
God’s good work in us invites us every day to both hear and believe....
Keep ReadingTo the praise of his glory
Wouldn’t you love for everything that’s glorious about God to be on display in you? ...
Keep Reading
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The one on predestination
Paul talks about something he calls “predestination” and treats it like good news....
Keep ReadingYou are wanted
Adoption is special. The child or person being adopted is chosen, wanted, added to a new family....
Keep ReadingEverything in Christ
Jesus gives us access to every spiritual blessing....
Keep Reading
2
Grace and peace to you
God the father who welcomes you and Jesus the prince who loves you send grace and peace to you every minute of every day...
Keep Reading
4
God's holy people
We become God’s holy people only in and with and through Christ Jesus....
Keep ReadingBy the will of God
God works actively, daily to shape us into the people he wants us to become....
Keep ReadingWelcome to Ephesians
This week we’re kicking off a new series out of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. And as we get started, it might be helpful for you to learn about Ephesus and the folks who received this letter....
Keep ReadingGod takes initiative
God is doing amazing things in the world, unlooked for amazing things. We feel so grateful that God has taken the initiative to bless, heal, and bring about reconciliation....
Keep ReadingDoomed to misfortune
The scope of the challenges that face us when we roll up our sleeve to engage the world for good can paralyze us....
Keep ReadingFruits of Your Labor
For those of us who labor ...
Keep ReadingProgress toward the Promise
Our tiny acts of service, performed with great love, link together into a great chain of progress. Pulled by the Lord, this chain of progress lifts our community a little bit every day, a little bit every year....
Keep ReadingSure Promises
God will make all things new. He’s promised to time and time again. He didn’t promise this on a whim. He hasn’t forgotten his promise. He can do it. And he surely will....
Keep ReadingEverything new
Do you believe this is true?...
Keep ReadingImagine New
God’s cosmic new-making mission will radically change the way the world works....
Keep Reading
1
Okay
Some days it feels like our sadness will last forever. But it won’t. It won’t. Our Father will stop the madness. He will make it stop. We will wipe our tears from our eyes....
Keep Reading
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Experiencing the presence of God
Jesus has removed every reason for us to be terrified of God. So we can go searching for him without fear. And we can find him and discover that he’s been with us ...
Keep ReadingCosmic New
God’s new-making mission takes place on a cosmic scale. It’s bigger than any of us. We’re so small, but so dearly loved. And this is good news....
Keep ReadingAll in Jesus name
The Christian life spills beyond Sunday morning worship, small group life, and quiet devotional emails. ...
Keep ReadingNo streaking
These virtues function like clothing. They make it possible for us to be present and un-self-conscious, to feel safe and secure, to feel wanted for who we are and not just for our bodies … for what we can do....
Keep ReadingPutting off and Putting on
You can’t put on your new self without also taking off your old self and being made new....
Keep ReadingClose to Jesus
We have no life apart from Christ. We go where he goes and join him in what he’s doing. He’s not our safety net; he’s on the tightrope with us....
Keep ReadingOne Thing
Right now we are called to set our hearts on things above, to shift our focus onto Jesus....
Keep ReadingGod helps
Jesus makes us new....
Keep ReadingGiving Back
What have you written off as gone forever?...
Keep ReadingJesus' touch
Over and over again, in every situation, when Jesus reached out to touch someone who was unclean something remarkable happened. ...
Keep ReadingCollision Course
Who wins? Spoiler alert: Jesus wins. Always. In the end, Jesus makes all things new....
Keep ReadingNeeding Jesus
Let’s not slip into that place where we feel like our good behavior earns us a place in Jesus’ party. ...
Keep ReadingThose People
So many people will say that they like or even admire Jesus, they just can’t stand his followers. ...
Keep ReadingConnect with Jesus
We throw our lives open in healthy and joy-filled ways and invite the people that God’s placed in our lives to join us as we connect with our Savior....
Keep ReadingCalling the tax man
Jesus changed everything for Levi, as we’ll see this week. ...
Keep ReadingBe Reconciled to God
Being reconciled to God is both a once-for-all-time kind of thing and an every-day-I-live-and-breathe kind of thing....
Keep ReadingFully forgiven
The barriers between you and a healthy relationship with God have come down. You have no more reason to hide....
Keep ReadingThe Ministry of Reconciliation
We have a role to play. God has commissioned us. What a blessing!...
Keep ReadingReconciled to God
Underpinning today’s passage is the story that tells us that something had gone horribly wrong between us and God....
Keep ReadingTwo Realities
Because the new is here, the old has gone. The old may remain for a beat or two, but it’s gone just as surely and securely as if it had already been eradicated....
Keep ReadingThe New is Here
Celebrate this. Sing it. Shout it. Write it on your walls. Christ has made us new....
Keep ReadingA New Point of View
The trickle-down effects of our relationship with Christ continue to unfold in today’s passage. ...
Keep ReadingLive For
Love is not a finite resource, but our priorities do shape the way we express our love. ...
Keep ReadingTalkin' 'bout a Resurrection
They knew their message would seem like nonsense. But they shared it anyways....
Keep ReadingSearching for new
If Jesus can come back from the dead, what is impossible for him?...
Keep ReadingAngelic Guidance
Why doesn’t God make this extraordinary circumstance more ordinary?...
Keep ReadingTime to wonder
Taking time to wonder doesn’t come naturally to everyone. And it’s tough to do in our frenetic, fast-paced, get-things-done culture. But it has an impact....
Keep Reading
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Within Expectations
What they found at the tomb didn’t align with their expectations. The tomb was opened and the body was gone....
Keep ReadingThe cross shows
You are dearly loved by God. And he proved it on the cross....
Keep ReadingMore than Reform
The place where prayer and action meet is a place where we can connect with God....
Keep ReadingNot (Just) a Teacher
Jesus did a great deal of teaching … but his teaching wasn’t what he was known for in his lifetime, what he was remembered for by his disciples, or what from his life has had the most significant impact on the world....
Keep ReadingAbout a Revolution
Jesus’ revolution is marked by Jesus’ character. His love, patience, compassion, and mercy will come stamped on his every action. He’s delightfully and maddeningly consistent....
Keep ReadingDifficult Decisions
Reflecting on your own decision-making process might help you to connect more deeply with Jesus in this pivotal moment in his story....
Keep ReadingA Connecting Church
The church is more than a Sunday morning gathering for music, sermonizing, and donuts. It’s bigger than us. ...
Keep Reading
1
Going to look for Saul
Who are the great partners that God has brought into your life ...
Keep ReadingParachuting in
Barnabas’ posture had a tremendous impact on his experience and on the way others experienced him. We’re at our most healthy when we cultivate a similar posture....
Keep ReadingDisrupting Default Segregation
Ethnic segregation, socioeconomic segregation, political segregation … left to our own devices we’ll surround ourselves exclusively with people who look, spend, and think just like us....
Keep ReadingSmall Faithfulness
What might God do with your faithfulness?...
Keep ReadingTalk to God about it
The Lord of all the cosmos has chosen to treat you as a friend ...
Keep ReadingUnderestimating Jesus
This gap between who Jesus really is and who people perceive him to be shows up for all of us....
Keep ReadingME
Jesus isn’t just alive on the other side of the cross and the empty tomb, he’s present in the lives of his people. ...
Keep ReadingPrayer for the persecuted church
Opponents to God’s work in the world today can appear in various forms. Some come equipped with little more than snide comments and teasing. Others carry knives, bombs, and the hammer of unjust laws....
Keep ReadingPrayers of Protection
Turn away and pray and it will be okay. ...
Keep ReadingRadical Reorientation
The Lord isn’t done with our transformation at the moment of our initial conversion. Every day we follow him he works in our hearts and souls to change the way we think, love and live....
Keep ReadingThe Light Wins
No one is too lost to be found. No one is too stuck to be freed. No one is too evil to be loved....
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Contested Space
Every inch of ground gained by the kingdom of God has to be taken from other little imposter kingdoms....
Keep ReadingReady for Opportunities
How do we go from being unprepared to being prepared? ...
Keep ReadingCross-cultural connection
God’s power is put on full display when his followers cross racial, ethnic and cultural lines with the news and love of Jesus....
Keep ReadingDirection without details
Philip will get more instructions later in the passage. All he’s given to start with is a direction. But that was enough....
Keep ReadingA Dose of Joy
In a world that’s clearly not the way it’s supposed to be, God has intervened....
Keep ReadingDisruptive Forces
God is wildly available to us in these seasons of disruption....
Keep ReadingThe Source of Celebration
The arc of the universe bends toward celebration....
Keep ReadingStrength and Joy
Take some time today to meditate on the strength-giving joy of the Lord....
Keep ReadingA Noble Cedar Kind of Church
The Lord’s work in our hearts is to turn us back toward community in healthy and generous ways....
Keep ReadingFrom Mourning to Celebration
The goodness of the Lord gives us a reason to celebrate....
Keep Reading
1
After the end
What do you do at the end of a great, good project? We’ve talked about building and rebuilding families, careers, homes, churches, and communities. But what happens next?...
Keep ReadingCC + GG = RR
If we were going to draw it into something like a formula, it might look like this: Committed Community + Generous God = Remarkable Results....
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2
The Dung Gate
The whole community is blessed when someone is willing to step in and do the work no one else wants to do....
Keep ReadingWomen at work
Those daughters of Shallum, those strong women, worked as hard as all of the rest of the men. And their work was noted both by Nehemiah and by God....
Keep ReadingGetting your hands dirty
There is an intimate connection between your willingness to get your hands dirty and your ability to bless people....
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2
The Lord notices
Your particular part in God’s good work has not gone unnoticed by him....
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1
Gracious Hand
Nehemiah’s testimony about God’s gracious hand at work for him gave the people the faith they needed to actively move into the future....
Keep ReadingWe and Us
“We” creates space for “us.”...
Keep ReadingTelling trouble
Sometimes you need someone to tell you when you’re in trouble....
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Due Diligence
A patient due diligence process prepares us to step into the work we’ve been given to do in a knowledgeable, prepared way....
Keep ReadingQuiet Start
We live in an age that struggles with secrecy....
Keep ReadingThe Place for Planning
As people of faith, we don’t have to be afraid of planning. The same God who speeds and catches us when we take our leaps of faith can inspire and guide us when we plan....
Keep ReadingIn the beat
The active, rough-and-tumble, dangerous phase of the Jerusalem rebuilding project was peppered with prayer. Connecting with God in prayer filled the beats between moments of action. ...
Keep ReadingWhat is it you want?
We often are only in touch with the surface of our desires. We rarely dive into their depths....
Keep ReadingFear and Faith
Fear is not the absence of faith. Even the faithful feel fear. Fear can serve us well, pushing us onto the path toward wisdom. But fear makes a terrible master....
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Positioned Perfectly
We believe that the Lord still does this: he positions people perfectly to pursue their destiny. ...
Keep ReadingThe Basis for Our Confidence
You also can store up for yourself a supply of conviction about the Lord’s willingness to keep his promises....
Keep ReadingA Prayer of Corporate Confession
Nehemiah’s willingness to identify himself with his broader family and community in confession positions him powerfully to lead his entire community in mission....
Keep ReadingFalse Bad News
The Lord is present in our lives and history, whether the news is good or bad. When his people practice prayerful engagement, they discover that their activist God is already deeply engaged: bringing restoration, resisting evil, and generating hope....
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1
People and Structures
One of the things we love about Nehemiah’s story is that he manages to care both for people and structures. He doesn’t just have warm and fuzzy sympathetic feelings for his fellow Jews, he also cares about the state of Jerusalem’s walls....
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1
Asking the question
Choosing to care does something in our souls. The Lord works with that choice, enriches it and expands it and nourishes it. Choosing to care slips you into the center of God’s great work....
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1
Growth and Vulnerability
Life in the church brings our vulnerabilities to the surface. This is perhaps never more true than when a church is growing....
Keep ReadingOne barrier-breaking example
Don’t encourage people to imitate your behavior. When they’re inspired by the Lord’s work in your life, encourage them to connect with God....
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2
The Blessing of Community
When the Lord grows a community, when the Lord grows a church, when the Lord grows a person … the blessings spill beyond that the life of that community, church, or person....
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1
God at Work
The political and military machinations of the world powers look like ultimate powers, but God is also at work. God’s work continues even in seasons of difficulty and uncertainty. And God’s work is the work that matters most....
Keep ReadingGood Soil
There is good soil out there, soil that’s been prepared, hearts that are ready to hear and accept that word of the Lord. ...
Keep Reading
2
3 Barriers
Jesus insightfully lists 3 things that can keep the word of God from bearing fruit in your life: worries, wealth, and distraction....
Keep ReadingPrepare for trouble
Troubles and persecutions can come as a result of our faith. If we haven’t put down deep roots, our faith won’t survive....
Keep ReadingHard Soil
The soil on the path has not been prepared to receive the seed....
Keep ReadingReckless and Generous
God’s kingdom is marked by the reckless generosity of the king. ...
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1
Particular Purpose
How will we respond to Jesus’ great act of service? Gratitude. Shame. Joy. Confusion. Worship. So many responses are available to us....
Keep ReadingRecalculating Your Route
Will you choose to serve? This is a daily choice, a choice that goes against the grain of the world, a choice that God uses to transform us....
Keep ReadingAn Examined Grumpiness
When do you find yourself feeling grumpy about the way other people talk to or about God?...
Keep ReadingA "No" from God
Our prayer requests fly to God, but we can’t pretend to fully comprehend the full impact of each flap of their wings....
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1
Manipulating God
James and John are comically transparent in their attempt to manipulate Jesus. Aren’t we all?...
Keep ReadingFor Seekers and Stumblers
The kingdom of heaven is available to both seekers and stumblers. Some of us searched high and low looking for a place and a community where what God wants done is done. Others of us went looking for friends, free food, and a little spiritual icing on the cake we call life and stumbled into this great and wonderful kingdom that God is bringing to fruition in our midst. God...
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1
Worth Rearranging Your Life
What do you consider to be so worthwhile that you’ll rearrange your life? This question can give you insight into your priorities, your dreams, and the challenges of your current life situation....
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1
Comparing and Contrasting Parables
Great engagement with the scriptures begins with good observation of the text. As you read these parables, what stands out to you?...
Keep ReadingKingdom Parables
The Kingdom of Heaven is worth it!...
Keep ReadingKingdom of Heaven
How would you fill in this blank: “The kingdom of heaven is like _________.”?...
Keep ReadingSeeking God's Kingdom
What would happen if we all committed to seek God’s kingdom first in 2017?...
Keep ReadingYour Resolutions and God's Kingdom
Every resolution you make in this new year can contain a kingdom component if you are willing to seek it out. Losing weight, reading more, decluttering, taking a vacation, calling your kids … each and every one of these can be used by our heavenly Father to advance his kingdom in our lives and in this world....
Keep ReadingKickstart change
This time of year many of us will ponder making resolutions to live life differently in 2017. The changes that take place in our lives might have a tremendous impact on our relationships and our participation in God’s kingdom. ...
Keep ReadingReflecting on 2016
Mary’s practice of treasuring what has happened and pondering them in her heart is a practice that can serve us well in our own lives....
Keep ReadingBoxing Day Rest
Rest. Rest. The weary world rejoices. ...
Keep ReadingReaching out at Christmas
Who can you surprise with a Christmas invitation this year?...
Keep ReadingChristmas across divides
Our differences don’t go away; they just cease to keep us apart....
Keep ReadingEven for the religious
Wouldn’t it be great if all of us had our eyes fixed on Jesus and our hearts filled with joy? ...
Keep ReadingChristmas on the margins
It doesn’t take much to see that the problems of little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world...
Keep ReadingChristmas is for everyone
Because Christmas is for everyone, Christmas is for you and for everyone you love....
Keep ReadingChristmas tension
Going home for the holidays can be difficult....
Keep ReadingCaesar vs. Jesus
Don’t go to Jesus expecting to find a king like Caesar Augustus. He has his own personality, his own priorities, and his own values. The kingdom in which Jesus rules and reigns differs tremendously from the empire of the Caesars....
Keep ReadingGod and good outcomes
God is not thrown by the twists and turns life throws us. He can leverage and redeem them. He can see to it that good comes about despite them. And this can help us trust him....
Keep ReadingUnintended consequences
The ripple effect of one small decision can be felt throughout a community or throughout a lifetime....
Keep ReadingThe Lord will fulfill his promises
Blessed are you if you believe the Lord will fulfill his promises to you....
Keep ReadingGiven spectacular work
Time and time again the Lord has empowered both women and men to speak up in the power of the Spirit and testify about Jesus. And he empowers us today....
Keep ReadingYour faith-giving story
Have you ever considered this possibility: God’s faithfulness to you may be used to bolster someone else’s faith?...
Keep ReadingThe choice to give credit
Crediting the Lord is a choice that we make. And it’s a choice worth making. ...
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1
Disappointment with God
One of the Christmas surprises we have to reckon with this season is the surprise of disappointment. We have such high hopes for God’s work and intervention. But they won’t always be fulfilled....
Keep ReadingMary's Song
When Joseph found out about the pregnancy, he went and took a nap. When Mary found out, she went to visit a friend and sang a song....
Keep ReadingA simple, mechanical question
God connected with history in a new way in Jesus. He connects with us in a new way through Jesus today....
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1
The Surprising King
Through Christmas, Mary was pulled into God’s bigger story. And we are too. Through Christmas we’re invited to participate in significant ways in God’s subversive kingdom....
Keep ReadingA Surprising Greeting
You are highly favored and the Lord is with you. ...
Keep ReadingA Surprising Location
What resources do you think are necessary for things to change for the better?...
Keep ReadingJoseph's obedience
In those early years of Jesus’ life, his adopted father sheltered him from political powers that would gladly have taken his life and obstructed his saving mission....
Keep ReadingA Bigger Perspective
Once Joseph received this bigger perspective, his reason for being afraid went away. When he chose to listen and believe, his life changed....
Keep ReadingThe influence of character
Joseph didn’t ask for this burden, but he did the best he could to navigate this difficult challenge in a faithful way....
Keep ReadingSurprising everyone
Christmas came as a surprise for everyone involved. No one would have expected God to act in this way....
Keep ReadingChristmas history
God wants to meet us in the real world. ...
Keep ReadingGenerous happiness
Our generous God wants us to share his happiness. ...
Keep ReadingHeld Accountable
Wherever you are on the spectrum, your relationship with the master makes a tremendous difference. ...
Keep ReadingHustling and hiding
What are we doing with what God has entrusted to us?...
Keep ReadingEach according to ability
Not everyone starts from the same starting place....
Keep ReadingGenerosity and Gratitude
Without gratitude generosity falls to the wayside....
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Sacrificial Generosity
Sacrificial gifts have a deeper significance than gifts that are given out of our surplus; the difference between someone giving you the shirt off their back and a shirt out of their closet....
Keep ReadingWho gave more?
Who gave more: the wealthy or the poor?...
Keep ReadingMore than the temple
Place your devotion on Christ himself: the one who made you, loved you, rescued you, and gave you purpose....
Keep ReadingGod paying attention
Jesus didn’t just pay attention to the large gifts of the wealthy; he also paid attention to the significant gift of a poor widow....
Keep ReadingBig Religious Show
Healthy conversations about God and money can help us become generous-hearted people....
Keep ReadingYour heart and your treasure
Jesus cares about your “treasure” because he treasures you and knows the impact that our resources have on our allegiances....
Keep ReadingThe gift of the kingdom
God has so much more for us than we could ever gain on our own....
Keep ReadingGenerosity and trust
You can’t separate generosity and trust....
Keep ReadingA bigger perspective
What would happen if God’s people truly learned to trust him?...
Keep ReadingWorry and Generosity
The practice of generosity can be used by God to liberate us from the weight of worry....
Keep ReadingOur Margins and Our Lord
God is God and we are not....
Keep ReadingWork in the margins
The Lord pays attention to the margins of our lives and those who live on the margins of society....
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The Blessing of Margin
Preserving margin blesses both the people keeping the margin and their community....
Keep ReadingChallenges to margin
Margin ain't easy....
Keep ReadingMaintaining Margin
Few things prove harder to maintain than healthy margin....
Keep ReadingThe Generous Image
If we are made in his image, it should not surprise us that when we are living a generous life, it brings us joy, too....
Keep ReadingGenerous joy
God is so committed to being generous with us that he starts us out in paradise and secures for us eternal joy at the sacrifice of his Son....
Keep ReadingGenerous sharing
God not only makes a wonderful creation, he generously shares it with people that they might tend to it in a way that he would....
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1
The Generous Maker
You are uniquely and brilliantly designed by a generous God who has stamped you with his image....
Keep ReadingGenerous Creator
God has given us signs and signals of his character in the generosity of the wonder of all that he has created....
Keep ReadingSpoil love
Don’t let conflict with a brother or sister stop the overflow of God’s love in you....
Keep ReadingWhat motivates us to serve?
Fear can motivate us to serve others. So can love. On the surface, you might not be able to tell the difference between the two. ...
Keep ReadingMore than words
God didn’t just say that he loved us. He showed us. He backed up his love with action....
Keep ReadingLove starts with God
Because God loves first, God gets to decide who we are to love....
Keep ReadingYou need to know God is love
This Sunday we’ll replace our regular worship services with a community-wide day of serving our community together. And this is directly connected to our belief that God is love....
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1
It worked
The blessed life we experience when we obey God is actually the by-product of something else. Let’s circle around to take a look at it....
Keep Reading
1
Faithfulness Matters
Faithfulness matters to us because we have a God who has proven himself faithful....
Keep ReadingHow will it work?
We may know what he will do, but the how stands beyond our comprehension. ...
Keep ReadingStrange plans
The Lord often works in mysterious ways. That popular proverb prompts peace until you’re stuck in the middle of a weird “mysterious-ways” situation....
Keep ReadingJuxtaposition
God promises to act and invites us to join him...
Keep ReadingSelf-protection
Our attempts at self-protection will, at times, interfere with our experience of God. He does amazing things in our lives when we’re willing to be vulnerable to him....
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1
Worship is warfare
We respond to God with open hearts and are transformed by him. We humble ourselves. We need this more than he needed plans, guidance, or miraculous intervention. ...
Keep ReadingNeither
God is always right and good. And that means that he’s always on his own side....
Keep ReadingWhose side are you on?
Whenever we find ourselves in highly politicized, highly charged environments, it’s entirely natural to want bright lines. We seek them out of instinct....
Keep ReadingWhat Got You Here
The same God walks with us from season to season but the way we see his provision changes....
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1
Stones vs Walls
If you compare your small pile of stones to the great structures that cast shadows over you, you’ll miss out. ...
Keep Reading
1
Story triggers
Symbol and ritual will remain hollow, empty and dead unless they are articulated and explained. ...
Keep Reading
1
Storytelling historians
We carry a responsibility to faithfully pass along what we’ve heard and seen of the Lord....
Keep ReadingGo back
At times this “going back” experience comes to us for the sake of someone else: you go back into the fire because someone you care about is in there....
Keep ReadingAt flood stage
Perhaps God had the people cross over when the river ran at flood stage to make it clear to all who were willing to believe that he was involved in this endeavor....
Keep ReadingWade in the water
God’s deliverance happens upstream. The miracles are decisive. The results are guaranteed. But it’s all happening upstream....
Keep ReadingPresent and accounted for
No matter where you wander or where you roam, no matter where your courage-journey takes you, you will never be beyond the reach or presence of the God who loves you....
Keep ReadingWhole-hearted commitment
When the Lord does amazing things in our midst, will we be ready?...
Keep ReadingA Communal Courage-Story
The Lord often leads us to places where our own courage can never be sufficient....
Keep ReadingA Picture of the Gospel
Jesus showed courage. We benefitted....
Keep ReadingEngage the tension
Engaging God directly is the best way to engage the tension we feel when we’re confused by God’s action or inaction. ...
Keep ReadingUnlikely allies
The Lord loves to create unlikely alliances....
Keep ReadingTrust Exercise
The path to the Lord’s promise is always paved with risk....
Keep ReadingAffirmation
We all will struggle at times to believe the word of God that is spoke over us....
Keep ReadingThe Irony
We can so easily overestimate the level of our obedience to the Lord. ...
Keep ReadingPart of this world
When Jesus saves us and welcomes us into the family of God he begins to connect us with people who are different from us....
Keep ReadingCall to adventure
We all will have times in our lives when the Lord will call us to great adventures....
Keep Reading
2
Follow the path
We may not know all the twists and turns that the path will take, but we know where it ultimately leads and we know who walks it with us....
Keep ReadingThe purposes of God
Out of trust comes both strength and courage....
Keep ReadingThe Source of our Courage
God’s presence fills us with strength and courage. ...
Keep ReadingWill be with you
What could you do if only you knew the Lord would be with you?...
Keep ReadingFilling Big Shoes
Moses was dead....
Keep ReadingThe discipline of confident waiting
How can we grow in this discipline of confident waiting when we are in a season where waiting for the Lord is our most faithful option?...
Keep ReadingBoth confident and flexible
Confidence and flexibility both stand as necessities when dealing with the promises of God....
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1
A Primal Fear
In today’s psalm we encounter that primal fear that God might forget or reject us. ...
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1
What are you looking for?
All too often we go to the Lord looking for safety or for victory, but have little desire in our hearts to be with the Lord himself....
Keep ReadingThe Lord our Stronghold
David didn’t fear his enemies ...
Keep ReadingZoom out
Our trust in the Lord also has a direct impact on the people around us. ...
Keep ReadingRemember, forget, remember
David wants to be remembered according to the great love of the Lord....
Keep ReadingTrust and shame
Those who trust in the Lord have a secure relationship with him....
Keep ReadingThe Difference Unity Makes
God’s people were always meant to live together in blessed unity. ...
Keep ReadingGood and Pleasant
The life God’s people live together is both good and pleasant. ...
Keep ReadingNot Uniformity
An imposter has stolen Unity’s identity and attempted to pass himself off in her stead....
Keep ReadingThe Interruption of Reconciliation
This too is worship unto the God who desires brothers and sisters to live together in unity....
Keep ReadingJourney in Community
The community that ascends the mountain of the Lord together is a community that values unity. ...
Keep ReadingKing of Glory
Sing the psalms...
Keep ReadingA Mighty Good Leader
When we praise our earthly leaders, let’s not forget to praise the Lord....
Keep ReadingBlessing and vindication
God has blessing and vindication to give in abundance....
Keep ReadingEverything and Everyone
Have you ever considered the comprehensive nature of God’s ownership? ...
Keep ReadingThe Good Shepherd
When we are attacked, he’s attacked. When we suffer, he suffers. And he takes the worst of it on himself....
Keep ReadingFull Life
Try asking for it!...
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1
Freedom-giving Boundaries
When Jesus gives us boundaries and restrictions, he’s giving a gift to us, not taking something from us....
Keep ReadingKnow his voice
Four ways you can grow your familiarity with the voice of Jesus...
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1
Embracing limits
Humility doesn’t require us to beat up on ourselves; just to be honest about the areas where we make mistakes, fall short and hit limits....
Keep ReadingWhose resources?
All too often we find ourselves keeping hurting and suffering people at an arms’ distance and wishing in some corner of our hearts that we had the resources or skills to help them. ...
Keep ReadingShifting the questions
God is more interested in redeeming suffering than he is in explaining it....
Keep ReadingBeyond the questions
A real blind man sat at their feet, asking for help....
Keep ReadingReal freedom
Following Jesus isn’t easy, but it’s worth it....
Keep ReadingKnow the truth
Jesus is talking about three truths: the truth about ourselves, the truth about the world around us, and the truth about God....
Keep ReadingBeyond Belief
If we know, remember, and obey Jesus’ teaching … if we hold to his teaching, then we’re his disciples....
Keep ReadingBelief and Connection
Common beliefs pull us together...
Keep ReadingMercy and Challenge
Grapple with your beliefs about sin...
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1
Under one condition
An awareness of our own sin moderates our response to sin in the lives of others....
Keep ReadingThe Who Question
All of our hopes hang on Jesus being not only just but also forgiving....
Keep ReadingSurprised by Jesus
As we step forward into the next year, we know that Jesus will surprise us....
Keep ReadingCommunal examination
The person who hasn’t practiced self-examination will struggle to experience self-control....
Keep ReadingGoing forward
Tomorrow will be Yesterday before we know it....
Keep ReadingYou and Christ
Self-examination leads to us to remember the saving sacrifice of Jesus....
Keep ReadingAnchor and learn
Ignoring the past makes you susceptible in the future....
Keep ReadingTake a life inventory
Guided by scripture and the Holy Spirit, we can encounter God in these moments of examination....
Keep ReadingPray for your community
Let’s think about Jeremiah’s charge to pray to the Lord for the city....
Keep ReadingEngaged with the city
Even though we don’t live in densely-populated, urban areas, we live in the midst of systems and structures that extend beyond individuals....
Keep ReadingPeace and prosperity
God’s people bring God’s blessing to the whole world, even at a cost to themselves....
Keep ReadingPutting down roots
Settling down feels like settling. But God has a purpose for us, a reason he placed us where he placed us....
Keep ReadingPlaced on purpose
God placed them in Babylon; therefore, there’s work for them to do....
Keep ReadingThe end of James
With these words, James closes his letter....
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1
Wander not lost
The lost can be found. The trapped can be set free. The wanderers can be brought back....
Keep ReadingRisky prayers
We have to rely on God when we pray big, risky prayers....
Keep ReadingPraying with courage and wisdom
We need to listen to what James actually says (instead of what we secretly hope he’s saying)....
Keep ReadingInventory your prayer life
James picks out several different reasons to pray and several different ways to pray....
Keep ReadingRich People
The vast majority of the world’s population lives on less than $10 per day, making us some of the richest people living on the planet today (and in human history)....
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5
Delayed Obedience
Don’t delay the good you know you need to do today because you’re caught up scheming for tomorrow. ...
Keep ReadingFuture Planning
The Lord is free to exert his will on any and all of our plans....
Keep ReadingFragile Future
Knowing that we are mist-people motivates us to cling to our solid God....
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3
Talk about the future
If we’re not careful, we’ll plan our lives without giving thought to God....
Keep ReadingNo shuffle
We are freshwater people. ...
Keep ReadingWhy Try
Knowing that we’ll stumble prepares us to receive God’s helping hand as he draws us to our feet to try again....
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1
Spark
Fire in the fireplace can give warmth to the house. Fire in a grill can feed a family. Fire in a lamp can give light to a community. But we must, must, must prevent forest fires....
Keep ReadingThe Power of Words
This week we’ll be listening to James’ teaching on the importance (and difficulty) of taming the tongue....
Keep ReadingDeeds and faith
Take a Holy-Spirit-led inventory of your faith and deeds...
Keep ReadingFaith into action
What are some ways you can put your faith into action?...
Keep ReadingFaith without deeds
Why would anyone claim to have faith without deeds?...
Keep ReadingListening and Doing
Listening is important work. But listening is not the same as doing....
Keep ReadingFavoritism Commandment
How does favoritism connect with The Great Commandment? ...
Keep ReadingExcusing Favoritism
We can find a dozen different reasons to justify our favoritism. But in the end, just like an unhealthy relationship, favoritism will hurt us....
Keep ReadingSurprising Favoritism
When James tells us not to show favoritism, it isn’t because everyone’s equal....
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2
Favoritism Example
We find ourselves attracted to people who are like us and to people who are like the people we wish we were like...
Keep ReadingGoing to town on favoritism
Given our relationship with each other and our relationship with Jesus, how can we show favoritism? ...
Keep ReadingFiltering pollutants
We pray for wisdom and courage to navigate life in this beautiful, dangerous world....
Keep ReadingA history of caring
James explicitly singles out the care of orphans and widows in his description of “acceptable religion.” This is not a random choice....
Keep ReadingDoing Good in Hard Times
As the church expanded and grew, their concern for those who were less fortunate became one of their distinguishing marks....
Keep ReadingWorthless religion
James wants his readers to experience the joy of integrity....
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1
Good religion
This week we’ll be exploring James’ thoughts on religion, particularly the difference between “worthless religion” and “acceptable religion.”...
Keep ReadingGod is the source
For James and for us the most important question we can answer is the “Who is God?” Question. ...
Keep ReadingApplying the concept
Applying this “chain” takes some intentional work....
Keep ReadingThe chain of temptation
Sin doesn’t exist in a vacuum....
Keep ReadingGod can be trusted
Let’s try two thought-experiments....
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1
The Difference Between Trials and Temptations
According to James, God sends trials but he is not responsible for temptations. That difference may seem arbitrary to us, but it matters tremendously to James....
Keep Reading
1
Blessed
Blessed are those who experience trials because they get a specific kind of benefit that can only come on the other side of a trial....
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2
Foundations exposed
During our trials, we need to maintain a firm conviction that God is willing and able to give us wisdom to navigate our difficult circumstances. ...
Keep ReadingGenerous with wisdom
Our generous God cares immensely about who we’re becoming as we walk through life....
Keep ReadingWhat trials produce
Trials change us: for the better or for worse....
Keep ReadingHow we process trials
Trials remain trials. Pain remains pain. Suffering remains suffering. But we aren’t helpless....
Keep ReadingSearch in progress
Jesus' compassion and love extend even to those of us who cross our arms and mutter in response to his generosity....
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1
Complicated Lost-ness
Rejoicing is the only appropriate response when someone comes home to God....
Keep Reading
1
Emotional Journey
But if we push through the valley with faithful endurance, what a joy waits for us on the other side: second chances, restoration, new life!...
Keep ReadingWhen rejoicing spreads through heaven
God values “lost sheep” so much that rejoicing spreads through heaven whenever one person changes their life course and heads home to God....
Keep ReadingMaking a special effort
Throughout his ministry Jesus made a special effort to connect with those who were socially ostracized, vulnerable and far from God....
Keep ReadingThe correction of the Father
While the father’s patient forgiveness of the younger son is obvious, it’s important that we not miss that he’s just as generous with the older, self-righteous son....
Keep ReadingMore than dignity
“This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”...
Keep Reading
2
The reputation of the Father
The way people answer the “What’s God like?” question matters tremendously....
Keep Reading
2
Grieving the disaster
If you have a loved one who has left home for a distant country and met disaster, grief is healthy. ...
Keep ReadingThe Generous Father
That’s his reputation. And his core of generosity never seems to be exhausted....
Keep ReadingSelf-Righteous Isolation
One cannot be a son without being a brother. One cannot be a brother without being a son....
Keep ReadingPerformance v Relationship
Our place in God’s family is secured because of our relationships, not because of our performance....
Keep ReadingUnjustified anger
Feeling anger in the face of injustice or evil is a totally appropriate response. Even Jesus felt anger. But our anger isn’t always justified....
Keep ReadingBeneath the obedience
They stuff their frustration and pocket their pain so that everyone around them can focus on the crisis. But this comes at a great cost to their souls....
Keep ReadingThe Pathway to Self-Righteousness
There’s a story behind every self-righteous person’s arrogance....
Keep ReadingDead and Alive again
Jesus the son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found....
Keep ReadingRehearsing your speech
The younger son comes up with a plan for how he can influence his reception when he arrives back at his father’s house....
Keep ReadingCome to your senses
Caught up in our own sin or our own busyness or drama, we need something to jar us out of our pattern of behavior....
Keep ReadingThe Descent into Darkness
If you’ve ever watched VH-1’s “Behind the Music” you know where this story is going....
Keep ReadingStraining at the Leash
What do you think are the consequences of ignoring the ways our worst nature strains at its leash?...
Keep ReadingAttracting a crowd
Jesus continues to attract people to himself for different reasons....
Keep ReadingCore Convictions
We have to clarify what’s most essential and cling to it...
Keep ReadingJesus be the center
When we think and talk about breaking through barriers, we must remain centered on Jesus....
Keep ReadingUnhappy Easter
Not everyone’s happy about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem....
Keep ReadingExcited about Jesus
Even when things in our lives are difficult, there’s a part of us that continues burn with excitement for Jesus....
Keep ReadingA Legacy of Intentionality
Our decisions to tear down dividing walls in Jesus’ name will impact the generations that follow us....
Keep ReadingShepherding a Breakthrough
Barnabas' first response to the breakthrough was celebration....
Keep ReadingGenerosity and Accountability
Why did the church in Jerusalem send Barnabas to Antioch?...
Keep ReadingThe experience of being an outsider
There’s something about the experience of being an outsider that prepares you to connect with other outsiders, even if they’re different from you....
Keep ReadingOld Habits Die Hard
Something had to change. And something did change....
Keep ReadingSweet openness
How ready are you to listen to those who come from outside your circle of relationships? ...
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Peace Posture
In our efforts to break through barriers, we often stop short of this step of radical humility....
Keep ReadingComplex Privilege
If we encounter complicated power dynamics when interacting with our bosses and our in-laws, how much more will we encounter them when attempting to cross economic and ethnic divides?...
Keep ReadingPower Dynamics
Power dynamics often come into play when breaking through the walls that divide us....
Keep ReadingA Person of Peace
Who can help us cross fault-lines by receiving us when we make the leap across the divide?...
Keep ReadingEncounter Gaps
We’re tempted to fill in those gaps. And, having filled in those gaps, we’re tempted to be guarded and defensive....
Keep ReadingWhat Divides Us
When we decide which rules to keep and which rules to toss, we end up leveraging rules to maintain divisions between us and people who are different from us....
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Patterns of Life
Habits ingrained over the course of a lifetime can be hard to break....
Keep ReadingPositioned Perfectly
Although Peter didn’t know it, he was being positioned by God to extend God’s mission across a barrier that had never been crossed....
Keep ReadingLegitimate Complaints
Bringing the breakdown to the surface ......
Keep ReadingWhen Generous Communities Fall Short
What happens next ...
Keep ReadingGrowing Pains
Challenge always comes with growth. The question that’s presented to us is: “What will we do in response to these challenges?”...
Keep ReadingWherever wisdom is found
If this mission really is from God, it goes from “mission impossible” to “mission inevitable.”...
Keep ReadingObey God Rather Than Men
Take time to cultivate an ear for the voice of the Lord....
Keep ReadingThe Call to Go Back
The same God who provides daring rescues also sends his people into dangerous situations. But he never sends them alone....
Keep ReadingResponding in tough situations
Why do the same circumstances harden some and polish others?...
Keep ReadingBoldness instead of safety
God forms us and shapes us and makes us bold-patient-loving in the midst of our day-to-day lives....
Keep ReadingSystemic Transformation
When God’s people leave life in their wake, social systems around them are transformed....
Keep ReadingRelationships Healed
And our community, filled with grace and the Holy Spirit, should be a place where we’re continually seeing relationships get healthier and healthier....
Keep ReadingMiraculous Healing
Those of us who are Jesus’ followers will, at times, have the privilege to pray for healing for people, reach out and touch them, and God will bring new life....
Keep ReadingRestoration is the goal
God’s great restoration work is already underway. But God’s restoration project is not yet complete. ...
Keep ReadingTimes of refreshing
The weight of sin we carry exhausts us to the core. Only when it’s been lifted from us will we feel truly refreshed....
Keep ReadingKnow and Do Better
Once ignorance is removed, a new level of accountability and responsibility appears....
Keep ReadingCommon Ground
Peter focused on the common ground he shared with his hearers....
Keep ReadingInternal and external obstacles
There’s a huge difference between taking credit and giving credit. ...
Keep ReadingRisk-taking Faith
We will have to demonstrate risk-taking faith as we join God in his without-him-it-would-be-impossible mission....
Keep ReadingOffer what you have
You may not have two nickels to rub together, but ...
Keep ReadingCompassion Fatigue
Making that connection with another human being can free us from our compassion fatigue....
Keep ReadingA Magnificent Collision
A collision between this man’s persistent requests for help and the representatives of a good God who gives us beyond anything we can ask or imagine...
Keep ReadingDaily and Weekly Rhythms
We never know which days will prove to be full of extraordinary events....
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Vibrant vs Growing
Vibrant inward community in this case spilled over into favor, growth and transformation....
Keep ReadingRhythm of life together
The life that God calls us to in Christ is a life in community...
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Continuously fully present
Nothing else mattered nearly as much as Jesus and being a part of his movement....
Keep ReadingNo spectators
When we engage God’s mission, we all have a role to play. ...
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Explain the good news
We can’t let God’s restoration project be mistaken for a little community service....
Keep ReadingSpectacular and Ordinary
God’s spectacular Spirit often meets us, guides us and empowers us in ordinary, non-spectacular ways. ...
Keep ReadingGod with us
As we lean into and engage God’s great global restoration project, we need him to be present with us....
Keep ReadingGathering and scattering
God uses these times of gathering to equip, empower and envision his people. And then God sends them out....
Keep ReadingShould you choose to accept it
We witness through our words and through our lives ...
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The Spirit and preparation
As we prepare to join God’s great mission, we need the Holy Spirit....
Keep ReadingThe Gospel of the Spirit
God’s mission will prove impossible without the Spirit’s involvement....
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An impossible mission
Two thousand years ago Jesus gave these unsophisticated, uneducated, unspectacular people a mission: to be his witnesses even to the ends of the earth. ...
Keep ReadingMerry Christmas 2015
A long reading from the Gospel of Luke and a few reflection questions...
Keep ReadingAt just the right time
God always shows up in our lives at just the right time....
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All those Christmases
The first Christmas happened inside of a larger story. This year’s does, too....
Keep ReadingHumbug
Every inconvenience is an opportunity. ...
Keep ReadingSonship is the core of the whole gospel
God wants our Father-Child relationship with him to transform us and to bless our families....
Keep ReadingWhen the set time had fully come
Was this really the optimal time for Jesus to come?...
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God joined our family
Jesus joined our family and took his own special place: the firstborn son, the Savior, the Lord. God with us....
Keep ReadingGod includes us in his family
When we become Christians, we join a big, wild, diverse, messy family....
Keep ReadingCelebration spills over
When God’s people celebrate, those who have little always are blessed....
Keep ReadingThe Joy of the Lord is Your Strength
We don’t have enough joy on our own to make it through life’s failures and disappointments and trials....
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A Very Good Party
Watch small pockets of celebration break out all over the place....
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Mourning and Celebration
As followers of Jesus, we always retain in our hearts a measure of joy, even in the midst of the hardest seasons....
Keep ReadingMay He Bless You With Fun
Our God knows how to party and have fun and he invites us into that in this season....
Keep ReadingHis indescribable gift
The indescribable gift of Jesus' life, love and presence transforms us. His generosity makes us generous if we’ll let him do his work in us....
Keep ReadingBe Generous
As we encounter God's generosity, he transforms our hearts and we become the sort of people who can give generously to those who need it....
Keep ReadingThe Provision Question
Cheerful giving is a litmus-test for genuine, authentic faith....
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Given Good Gifts
Seeing God’s generosity in action changes the way we think about generosity. ...
Keep ReadingGod is able to bless you abundantly
God is not stingy, miserly, or grudgingly giving people what they need. He is generous. ...
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When Creativity is Hard
Don’t sacrifice your relationships for your image of the perfect Christmas....
Keep ReadingA Thanksgiving Psalm
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King. His love endures forever....
Keep ReadingGod is an Artist
The Spirit of God is a creative Spirit. And all those who are filled with the Spirit receive his creative power....
Keep ReadingEnjoy the Work
Our creative work should produce pleasure and joy in us....
Keep ReadingHanging Christmas Lights
The good, beautiful, creative work of God fills the world with joy and wonder. ...
Keep ReadingMutual Interdependence
Together, we seek each other’s blessing....
Keep ReadingMarriage Beyond Your Capacity
No marriage can thrive without a support system....
Keep ReadingChoosing to reinvest
Choosing to reinvest makes a tremendous difference....
Keep ReadingThe Right Person
Ask for faith to trust that God has either ordained or is redeeming your marriage....
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Good Purposes
God has plans for us as a community: to do good in our midst and through us....
Keep ReadingAlternative Conflict Options
We can move into even the most intense conflicts with creativity and love....
Keep ReadingThe Other Person
We might try to be healthy, but we don't live in a vacuum....
Keep ReadingMutually Assured Destruction
Like a nuclear arsenal, the biting and devouring power of our words is too dangerous to use safely....
Keep ReadingWhy we fight
These vivid words for human conflict tell us something significant about why we fight. ...
Keep ReadingCannibals
Close relationships created charged environments where contending factions fight fiercely....
Keep ReadingReconnect and Refocus
Throughout the Bible we see God continuing to pursue and bless humanity in exile. God is with us, always....
Keep ReadingFrom Blame to Contribution
Shifting the blame off of ourselves doesn’t protect us in the long run....
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