"That day, when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him." Mark 4:35,36 Isn't that such a lovely phrase, "just as he was"? How often in... Continue Reading →
"We cling to hope because love always hopes. Sometimes we walk through difficult seasons and serve among difficult people. But loving those whom God has called us to serve means holding on for the hope of God's glory revealed in them. Will every dream come to pass? No. But when your heart is for his... Continue Reading →
"Healthy churches have an outward focus. Healthy ministers and church leaders do too. Inward-looking churches think about their own wants more than the world's needs. Insulated and cut off from what God is doing in the world, they often wind up devouring themselves from within. . . . Keeping an outward focus can help prevent... Continue Reading →
"...sometimes God calls us not as we are but as he has made us to be. .... Hiding is a natural reaction to pain. When we go through tough seasons, we look for places to retreat. ... sometimes we hide in public - going through the motions of what looks normal but never speaking up,... Continue Reading →
"When we remain silent or refuse to use our gifts, we hamper the body of Christ from achieving its fullness. God places members in the body of Christ to bring it to health, and we are part of the body. Our voices and gifts matter." (Renewed, Leigh Powers, pg 155) I am passionate about people... Continue Reading →
"Selfishness is born into us. We come with a desire to cling to what is ours, fight for our rights, and defend our turf. Selfishness is neither taught nor caught; we are born with our own interests squarely at the center of our hearts. Christ calls us to something different." (Renewed, Leigh Powers, pg 149)... Continue Reading →
"I'm not saying that we should put up with sheer meanness or verbal abuse. There are times when we need to lovingly confront others about their sin. Sometimes we need to draw boundaries such as refusing to remain in a disrespectful conversation." (Renewed, Leigh Powers, pg 146) After my last post, I'm relieved that Powers... Continue Reading →
"There are times when we must honor people who will never honor us back. Like David, we may be tempted to strike out and give as we have been given. We may even be surrounded by our own chorus of friends egging us on. But Christ gives us a higher calling. The people around us... Continue Reading →
"Christ died for the church. That bears repeating. Christ died for the church. He died for us as individuals, yes. But he also died for us as a body, for who we are together. There is a corporate power and identity in the church that is valuable and precious -- and beautiful. Some days it... Continue Reading →
