Peace
Waiting on Peace

Waiting on Peace

Waiting on PeaceI waited patiently for the Lord;    he turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1 (NIV)A while back I made a horrible mistake and I ended up causing some dear friends an incredible amount of pain. I took responsibility for my actions and apologized...

Week 2: The Light of Peace

Week 2: The Light of Peace

Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78-79 (NASB)his trail sure looks different in...

Drinking Beauty

Drinking Beauty

God paints on a large canvas. His creativity is seen in the grandeur of the mountains, in the wildflowers on a rolling hillside, in classic masterpieces in an art gallery, or in the curious expression on the face of a child. Beauty is all around us. But seeing it...

Made Whole

Made Whole

Made Whole I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle Psalm 49:4 have lived much of my life with anxiety and depression; however, I wasn’t diagnosed until I was in my 30’s. When that happened, I felt like all the pieces...

The Abundant Church

The Abundant Church

Despite our romanticism about the early church, they had their fair share of problems - favoritism, theological arguments, and divisions (to name a few). Yet there remained a vision of an abundant church - full of energy, unity, and life. While the church today...

God’s Unstoppable Purpose

God’s Unstoppable Purpose

We tend to get frustrated when things don’t go our way. And if we’re honest, sometimes our frustration is tied to our stubbornness. But what if God uses tough circumstances to get our attention for a reason? What if He wants to give us a second chance to overcome our...

Where are you, God?

Where are you, God?

Ever felt like God was far away, uninterested, or worse yet, that He had abandoned you? You’re not alone. In Psalm 13, David expresses the raw emotion of wondering where God is when he needs Him the most. Far from being unspiritual, cries of lament create a dialogue...

You Are Above All

You Are Above All

God invites us to authentically express what we’re feeling when we ponder life’s realities. Many of these expressions are recorded for us in the Psalms—the songbook of the Bible. Psalm 8 is a Psalm of praise. In it, David encourages us to instinctively look up and...

Contentment Matters

Contentment Matters

Everywhere we look, we are confronted with messages telling us about the things we need to be happy and whole. If only we can get, the better phone, go on the better vacation, drive the better car, get into the better college, then we will be content. We will be...

Make Room for Jesus

Make Room for Jesus

The story of that very first Christmas includes chilling words for any family trying to deliver a baby: “There’s no room for you.” Truth is, that’s not the last time that sentiment would be spoken in Jesus’ direction. Life wants to crowd out Jesus. The pace. The...

The Final Victory

The Final Victory

Jesus is distinct from any other political leader. He is God in the flesh. He is a coming King. He will bring earthly powers into account. He will win the final victory. It’s not unusual these days to hear people ask, “Is this the end times.” Maybe. God tells us what...

Your Life with God

Your Life with God

Salvation is often viewed as a singular “event” or moment in our lives. By God’s grace, we receive salvation by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus to save us. There is a sense in which this is absolutely true, from the moment of belief we are saved...

Confessing Your Sins

Confessing Your Sins

God’s redemptive plan for humanity involves the death of Jesus for the sins of everyone. But we enjoy God’s forgiveness only when we believe what Jesus did for us. Have you noticed, even Christians still sin? Confessing or admitting our daily sin keeps our...

Your Assurance of Salvation

Your Assurance of Salvation

Is it possible to know you have a new life through Christ and are headed for heaven? If so, how? God never intends for the assurance of your salvation to be a perpetual guessing game. You can know you’re saved. Unfortunately, you can lose your grip on the assurance of...

A Good God

A Good God

Nothing challenges our view of God like challenges. Maybe, lately, you feel like you’ve had your share of obstacles and hardships. When we’re pressured with difficulties, our idea of a good God can end up on the chopping block. How can God be good when evil exists and...

New Direction

New Direction

When we find ourselves moving in a certain direction and focused on our goals, it can be jarring to feel like God suddenly is taking us in a new direction. It's hard to consider that what we are currently building is no longer necessary or worse, futile all along. We...

Isolation vs. Solitude

Isolation vs. Solitude

Isolation vs. Solitude  solation is an evil twin of solitude. Because they’re twins, they often get mistaken for one another. It’s only when you see how they affect the world around them that you can begin to tell them apart. It’s crucial to...

A New Song

A New Song

Songs are powerful things. The combine melody and harmony. They express both truth and emotion. They can fill us with joy and hope or with lament and sorrow. Through the beauty of song we worship, we celebrate, and we mourn. In the Psalms, the worship songs of the...

A New Purpose

A New Purpose

Living without purpose is not really living at all. When you find new life in Christ, you can then find a new purpose—an investment of your life that makes sense and brings glory to God. If someone asked, “What is your purpose in life?” how would you respond? Those of...

A New Mind

A New Mind

There is a powerful connection between how we think and how we live. We’re not always aware of those connections, but what we think about and how we think about it directs our actions and responses. The Bible draws a direct connection between spiritual transformation...

A Good Old Age

A Good Old Age

Family involves many times and seasons of life. Our roles within our family change, but each role and each season is part of God's plan for family. If we're fortunate, one day we'll find ourselves in the last season - Old Age. While this is a season some of us would...