If you want to get serious about studying Scripture, you have to become serious about poetry. God chose to allow his interactions with humanity to be written in both prose and poetry. There are both histories and hymns, statements and also songs.
All in Discipleship
Redeemed, Ephesians 1:7-8a
How great and enduring should our gratitude be? It should be immeasurable and eternal. And how can we show it? By remaining at His feet, serving His cause, confessing before the world that He was “wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, and by his stripes we are healed.”
What Are You Waiting For?
The “burning bush” moment is that they have learned the good news of Jesus—that he died for their sins and was raised from the dead. Their call is to be born again into the Kingdom of God.
Remember the Sabbath
For many of us, the default rule of life demands our production and performance. I fear we have allowed ourselves to accept busyness as fruitfulness, when in reality these two things don’t go hand-in-hand all the time. There are so many good things we can do for the Lord, but “good” doesn’t always equal “fruitful.”
Called to Create—Resonance, Beauty, and the Need to Create
God’s creation reveals to us his character. It helps us to experience the God who is the Creative Creator and to reflect on his majesty. In Psalm 50:2 the psalmist writes, “From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.” Beauty can reveal to us glimpses of the Ultimate Good, the Truly Beautiful.
From “Who Am I?” to “Here am I!”
“Who am I?” I am God’s! Because I am God’s, I have nothing to fear. So, when He calls, and He will call, we can approach Him in humility and gratitude and say, “Here am I, send me! Do with me what you will.”
Future Self
Focusing on our future selves is certainly a biblical concept. For instance, Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” This passage encourages believers to think beyond immediate concerns and focus instead on eternal values and future promises.
Adopted, Ephesians 1:5-6
God adopted the unadoptable—you and me. He did not care for our defects and disabilities. He just wanted to make us members of His family, to be our Father again, to make us His beloved children again.
Self-Care or Selfish?
Your body, mind, and soul respond in gratitude when you care for them. The people in your world appreciate being around you when you are fully who you were created to be instead of a dried-up, used-up, depleted version of yourself.
Communication Lessons from my Dad
It strikes me that any one of these communication qualities that I listed is a game-changer for the people around us. There are the rare people, like my dad, who have many admirable communication habits, but if you have any one of these and are maybe working on another, then you are in a strong position to show Jesus to others.
The Prayer of Indifference
As followers of Christ, we ultimately want what God wants. So how do we figure out exactly what that is? While neither I nor anyone else knows exactly what that is every time, there is time and space to discern and arrive at what that could be.
Calling All Creatives
God created us to be creative, and if co-creating is a way that we can experience the divine—well, God is making things beautiful in their time. And God allows us to join him in that endeavor so that the world will see him, know him, and come to glorify him.
We Know Not What We are Doing
What do I not know about my sin? Every time I sin, it is like a rock that is thrown into the middle of a body of water. A pebble makes small ripples, while a boulder makes big ones. My sin may not seem to be an undersea earthquake that causes a tsunami… but the ripples are undeniable, and it is impossible for me to see them all.
It Was Just Nice
There is something so holy about being with a small group of friends who know me and who care enough to be supportive during such a drastic transition.
Does God Provide Miraculous Escapes?
Perhaps God’s miraculous rescues, when and if they happen, aren’t easily verifiable. Maybe they depend on faith to see these divine interventions.
What is Your Relationship with Fear?
The goal in effective leadership is not to eliminate fear but to make it a worthy partner. Fear is designed to be your friend until you make it your boss.
Control
“Come to me.” How gently he summons us to him. The tool, or yoke, is used to join two creatures for the purpose of working together or sharing a load.
Running from God
God is with you, God knows you, and God loves you. Don’t ever forget it. Because we are often hardest on ourselves. And if you are running from God, God isn’t far from you.
God’s Providence, Romans 8:28
How do I explain these seemingly unconnected events? Was I lucky? Was it a coincidence of various events? No. I believe it was God’s providence in action.
A Personal Philosophy of Grief
We can strengthen our ministry when we take the time to surface these perspectives so that we can refine and use them intentionally.