Authority Figure

He was a man of authority, a leader of many in the army. He was used to giving commands his soldiers obeyed. Yet he approached Jesus with respect, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented (Matthew 8:6, NASB).” The centurion in this passage calls Jesus, “Lord,” even though he is a Roman […]

Prayer Journey—Dim Light

A single light bulb; a dim light on a small lamp; a weak substitute for your light dear Lord. I wait in anticipation for the dawn when your light will chase away the darkness. The sun emerging, rising above the horizon; illuminating all the earth. The hope of your morning light touching all who walk […]

Prayer Journey—Pause

In the silence of this morning, pause and quiet your heart. Clear your mind of the noise of this world. Quiet your thoughts and listen. In the faint whisper, He is there; calling to you. Can you hear Him? He beckons you to come close, to sit by His side—to hear the comforting voice of […]

God’s Skipping Ripples

Walking the beach for me is a great time to think, to ponder God’s word. If you’ve followed this blog for awhile, you’ll notice many of my post have pictures of the beach near our home. One characteristic of Lake Michigan beach is that some stretches have lots of rocks. Sometimes this prompts me to […]

The Dirty Laundry in Our Life

As a culture, we seem obsessed with whitening things. Laundry detergent ads boast about how they make whites whiter and toothpaste ads boast about whiter teeth. But no matter how white they make things, teeth and clothes can soon become dingy. It reminds me of our efforts to purify ourselves of the “sin which so […]

The Motives Behind Faith

What is your motivation for following Jesus? Is it for personal gain, or is it driven by devotion to Him? People can profess loyalty, a belief in Jesus, but their actions express something else. Jesus saw this played out in the temple. “And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep […]

A Living Witness for Christ

In Mark 5, we see the powerful witness of a man once consumed by evil transformed by an encounter with Jesus. People are astounded when they see a man once inhabited by a legion of demons now proclaiming how Jesus changed his life. It is how people react today when Jesus Christ transforms someone from […]

Prayer Journey—Joy

During the next few weeks, each Monday I will be praying through the fruit of the Spirit, focusing on one word in Galatians 5:22-23. Today’s word is joy. There are days dear Lord where joy seems hard to find. It is like a rare gem buried beneath the dirt and debris of life. I tunnel […]

Prayer Journey—Instrument

Lord Jesus, make me an instrument of your peace. In a world full of so much turmoil, help me to reflect your peace. May I not be drawn into senseless conflicts that distract from your purposes dear God. Help me to bring your love, your peace, your righteousness to those caught in turmoil. Dear Lord, […]

Just Say the Word

It’s an astounding statement to say that this centurion demonstrated more faith in God with his simple act than the Israelites. It’s a statement that makes me ponder how much I trust God