This year, I’ve been reading a chronological Bible I found amongst my grandmother’s estate last summer. It’s been fun to see the Bible in a more blow-by-blow fashion instead of jumping around based more on topic than timeline. As I…
The Gift of Faith vs. the Gift of Mercy
The gift of faith may be one of the more misunderstood gifts of the Spirit. We’re not sure what, exactly, it is or how to use it. After all, everyone needs faith or we can’t please God (Hebrews 11:6) and…
Fear to Trust
The opposite of fear is trust. Yet from childhood we’ve been taught to fear. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t cross the street without looking both ways. Be careful near the water. Don’t take wooden nickels. Be wary of the people…
Can We Believe the Lies?
There’s been a debate going around my world of Christianity recently about the truth vs. deception. Specifically, the debaters ask: Can you still be saved and yet be deceived? In other words, can you believe a lie as a Christian? …
God of the Unexpected
Yesterday I was talking with some friends about the sparkle in life – the things that keep life worth living, the things that energize us and give us hope. It’s the things that give us joy when we’re sad, keep…
Wilderness: Of God or an Idol?
Because I hang out on social media groups of hikers and travelers, I virtually brush shoulders with people from all over the world. They come with different backgrounds, cultures, belief systems, and viewpoints – and it’s so much fun to…
A Second Chance
Friendly relationships are interesting things. Sometimes they are there for a season, other times they are there for a lifetime. King David had a lifetime relationship with Saul’s son Jonathon, so much so that Jonathon gave David everything he needed…
Destination and Destiny
I was listening to a sermon the other night, and the preacher said, “Destination is where you are going. Destiny is what you become along the way.” I thought that was an interesting quote, especially as many people talk about…
God Reveals Himself through the Wilderness
I was reading a book yesterday where the author unexpectedly started talking about how close he felt to God when he was in the wild places. He had some great quotes from John Muir, who found God in the wilderness,…
Ears to Hear
Jesus said six times in the gospels, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15, Matthew 13:9, Matthew 13:43, Mark 4:9, Luke 8:8, and Luke 14:35) In all but one of those passages, Jesus was telling parables. …