The Gardener

“In simple humility, let our Gardener, God, landscape you with the word, making a salvation garden of your life.” (James 1:21 MSG) I don’t quite have the words to describe the impact this paraphrased verse has on my soul when I read it. I can…

As If This Is So

“You did it. You changed wild lament into hiring dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wild flowers. I’m about to burst with song; I can’t thank You enough.” (Psalm 30:11-12 MSG) What a hope-filled song! We aren’t good about…

Consider the Cotton

“Walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never prim or shop, but have you ever seen color or design like that?” (Matthew 6:28 MSG) I haven’t seen any fields of wildflowers in recent weeks. It’s mid-October and the summer flora have…

Being Squished

“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Jerusalem and Samaria.” (Acts 8:1 NIV) We stepped int an Acts series at our new church yesterday. They’ve been working their way through the…

Not Mine

“Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not mine, but it is lived by faith in the son of God.” (Galatians 2:20 MSG) This text makes me think of the seagulls in Finding Nemo. You know the birds: they are aggressively…

Living In Tents

“Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. Then he pitched his tent and there his servants dig a well.” (Genesis 26:25) I believe every preacher will give a handful of sermons that prove to be life-altering. And sometimes the…

Stay Faithful

“You’ll walk out of there safe and sound because you trusted Me.” God’s Decree (Jeremiah 39:40 MSG) When God brought judgement in Judah and Jerusalem, He paid attention to people’s true heart condition. We know from earlier chapters in Jeremiah that God was keeping a…

Holiness and Wholeness

“As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said “I am holy, you be holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16 MSG) We don’t speak too much of holiness these days. We’ve…