Hearing the grass crunch under my feet I thought how quickly things can dry out. We are so dependent upon consistent precipitation, especially our blessed farmers. Some areas in Canada are dealing with drought-like conditions. It was so good to hear the rain hitting the windows, saturating the earth, bringing much needed moisture to our area.
Read MoreNone compares to Jesus Christ. In him, and the beauty of his holiness, we daily come alive and thrive in faith. We no longer try to satiate the thirst of our soul on the Red Bulls of the world.There’s no need to seek out another. It is Jesus! He is altogether lovely. May we daily be born again and again to this glorious, gospel reality.
Read More“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 42:5
Read MoreAs much as people’s fake detectors are on at highly sensitive levels today, if they do detect authentic faith, it attracts their interest. This verse from Zechariah grabbed my attention. It literally says that people, desperate to find meaning in life, will ‘take hold’ of one of God’s people because they’ve discerned that God is with them, asking that they too might join them.
Read MoreHowever, our God, who is Spirit and invisible, has in the most glorious way, revealed himself to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, if you will, is God’s Selfie! “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). At Christmas we celebrate this incredible truth of the incarnation.
Read MoreIn Matthew 8, as the surging sea threatened to swallow up the disciples, we read that they too wondered how Jesus could be so oblivious to their crisis. Following the miracle-working Jesus, they expected smooth sailing, exempt from the unsavoury storms of life. They found out, however, that it is quite otherwise. To journey with Jesus is to expect turbulent times along the way. Gale force calamity, while it seems Jesus sleeps, causes us to cry out to him all the more. Christ lovingly uses all things to draw us to himself and teach us that apart from him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
Read MoreIt’s been said that it’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to stay that way. Looking back on Peter’s life, I think he would heartily agree. God transformed this everyday, curmudgeon of a fisherman into a humble servant-leader he used to change the world. Peter’s brokenness endears him to us, while his dogged pursuit of holiness and obedience to Christ inspires us to believe that God can do the same in us.
Read MoreWe are inclined to sleep and slide away from our primary mission. Let’s then remind ourselves, and encourage one another, to be ambitious for his glory alone and to never lose sight of the truth that God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). As we especially ponder, pray, and plan the events and ministries for the fall, may God stir us, wake us, and give us a loving, missional heart like his in all we do.
Read MoreGod sent an angel to Elijah as well. He provided water and even baked him a cake. Knowing just how exhausted Elijah was, twice the angel prepared him a meal and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” Being obedient and faithful in our journey is ever too great for us also. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing. It says that Elijah ‘went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights.” How much more, in feeding upon Jesus, our sweet cake/bread of heaven, will we be strengthened to really live now, and forever more (John 6:56-58)?
Read More
