Gold-filled Scars

May God Himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, put you together – spirit, soul and body – and keep you fit for the coming of our master, Jesus Christ. The one who called you is dependable. If He said it, He’ll do…

Sovereign God

“Long before He laid down the earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love.” (Ephesians 1:4 MSG) Yesterday, I spent a good deal of time in the…

Messier Along the Way

“He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” He told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” (John 9:6 NIV)…

Heart Desires

“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 NIV) I grew up Catholic and Methodist. Most people can’t say that. My mother was an ordained minister and my father was a staunch Catholic. As a result…

More than Ritual

“Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the Kingdom.” (Matthew 5:20 MSG) I have always wondered about the Pharisees: about how they got so powerful, so familiar with God’s word and…

Final Instructions

“Devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God.” (1 Chronicles 22:19a NIV) These are David’s instructions to his son, Solomon and we don’t have to be terribly familiar with the details of David’s story to read between the lines and catch full…

What Consumes Us?

“Zeal for your house consumes me.” (Psalm 69:9 NIV) This scripture was written by David in the psalms but also recognized in Christ by His disciples as He overturned the tables in the Temple and disrupted the moneychangers. Jesus was consumed by His love and…