Does it sound to you like we are owning stuff that no longer belongs to us? Listen to our words: My sorrow My pain My loneliness My lust My addiction My anger My fear My fatigue My confusion My lack My depression My anxiety... We forfeit our peace when we fail to recognize the victory Jesus has won for us on the cross. Once, for all!Romans 6:6 (Message) "Coul...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6 This scripture became real for me when I was in college several years ago. My first year in college was extremely challenging for me. In addition to all the normal "identity crisis" challenges that people face when...

"You are dust, and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19b These words were spoken by God to Adam when he fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. They remind us of the fragile and fleeting nature of life. The phrase is often read at the graveside during the funeral of a Christian or repeated in Ash Wednesday services in . many different branches of the church. They serve as...

We are going to be fasting on Thursdays for the month of Lent. Here are seven reasons to join us: Fasting fights against food idolatry. Fasting is a way to fight against eating as a source of comfort or escape. It's a way of declaring, "As much as I want food right now, I want YOU, Jesus, even more!" Fasting reminds us we do not belong to this world. Sometimes w...

Yesterday we were reflecting on Peter's journey and where he went wrong the night Jesus was arrested. At the last supper, he was over-confident in himself and swore that he would never deny Jesus, even if everyone else fell away. When they went to the garden and Jesus asked him to stay up and pray, he couldn't stay awake. As a result, he wasn't spiritually alert. And th...

For the next two days join me as we track with Peter. His actions, his words, his motives. Scene 1: The Passover Meal 31 Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'[c] 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." 33 P...

Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him...-‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭8-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬ What does it mean that Jesus "learned obedience?" Was there a point when he was disobedient? Prior to becoming a human, Jesus was fully God and in perfect unity with the Fat...

Let's consider where Judas went wrong. I see two things - one that led to his betrayal of Jesus, and another thing that is far worse. Then one of the Twelvethe one called Judas Iscariotwent to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an o...

"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment." - Luke 23:55-56 Today is Saturday, the day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. On this day 2000+ years ago, Jesus' body lay in a tom...

"If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life." This is such a popular American mantra for finding the right career. It makes work sound like a choice. If you don't love your job, move on to something you love. There are so many reasons why I do what I do. The primary reason why I get up so early and commute so far, it's necessary to help provide for m...