The Raging Calm Around You

Life storms. They are those unexpected events in your life that engulf you with trauma and seize your calm life. As the waves of hurt, worry, and pain pound away, you struggle to stop your life from capsizing and going under. You forget that Jesus is right there with you. “Teacher, do You not care […]

Expectations of a Day Laborer

Years ago, during a severe recession, I recall the frustration of not being able to get a job. Day after day I would apply for work to no avail. Finally I was able to secure a position with a company that hired day laborers. The job required me to call in every morning for a […]

The Powerful, Gentle Touch

We get a sense of the powerful yet personal nature of God in Matthew 17. Jesus “took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves (17:1, NASB).” On the mountain Jesus’ “face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. […]

An Attitude of the Heart

Many people in Jesus’ day pursued him with some level of faith or curiosity. They sought to see for themselves what he was about. Some came for healing, others to hear his teaching, still others because of people like the Samaritan woman: So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said […]

The Real BFF

I was walking along the beach the other day and I saw a heart etched in the sand with the letters BFF inside it. I looked down the beach and saw a couple walking hand in hand and wondered if one of them had scrawled the heart and BFF—“Best Friends Forever.” Then I noticed the […]

Heal Me Now, God

There are deep longings in our heart, things we want God to do for us. Yet we don’t always know how to approach our Lord, or even what to say. The leper in Matthew 8:1-4 shows us the importance of laying our burdens before Jesus. There are three things the leper does in making his […]

The Impact of Our Choices

What we do and say each day can have a profound impact on the people God has placed in our life. Our choice to believe in Jesus allows them to meet Him in a personal way. We can see this in Matthew’s decision to abandon his tax collector booth and follow Jesus (Matthew 9:9-13). After […]

Rising Above the Distractions in Life

There is something gnawing at you deep inside. It’s a feeling that doesn’t go away, a restlessness. You try to push it away with distractions, but it remains, continuing to prod you. You search for answers, but the crowd stops you from seeing clearly. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable […]