In the words of Elsa, sometimes people just need to "let it go" and move on with their lives. Jesus, however, leaves no room for His followers to ignore the offenses and hurts others carry without attempting reconciliation. He does not intend for us to live with strong walls that keep others out, nor does …
The Purifying Nature of Salt and Light
A heap of coarse sea salt sits on a rustic wooden table near soft natural light. The word salary is derived from the Latin word for salt: "sal." Roman soldiers were often paid with salt because it was a valuable commodity in a world without refrigeration. Salt preserved foods from rotting immediately. Its nature destroyed …
The Faith of Jesus
In this expensive housing market, first-time homebuyers rarely find the property of their dreams. My daughter and her husband have been praying for a while for just the right place, and after years of following her missionary parents around, my daughter saw God answer some big prayers that could only be attributed to Him. …
The Heart of the Kingdom: Pure Motives
A preacher passionately delivers a sermon to a diverse congregation inside a church. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 Watching so many of those who claim to be spiritual leaders fall from grace leaves my heart searching for answers. This week, the topic of legalism or …
The Unprecedented Rules of the Kingdom
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 Since the beginning of time, humans have imagined their deities as wrath-filled gods in need of appeasement. Ultimately, every man's god was like the man himself: flawed, doling out justice in his own best interest, given to fleshly desires and appetites. Kings, …
Realigning Ourselves Under King Jesus
An ancient mikveh in Israel. When my daughter and I visited Israel in 2019, we learned about the ritual cleansing baths called mikvehs. Mikvehs were closely associated with the temple so that priests could be cleansed before entering to offer sacrifices. Often, one set of steps led into the water, and another set of steps …
Heaven Sent Humility
First-century Rome championed an honor-shame society. What this means is that above happiness, pleasure, or prosperity, honor and reputation ruled men's highest goals. Aristotle, from the 4th century B.C., wrote that "Honour and reputation are among the pleasantest things, through each person's imagining that he has the qualities of an important person; and all …
Coming Out of the Dark
Yesterday, two dear friends and I met to discuss John 9. We read the story of the man, born blind, who was unexpectedly healed when Jesus passed by him that day. He did not ask Jesus to heal him. He had probably never even entertained the idea that He would ever see. He did, …
Blessed Are They That Mourn
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Last June, I sat in the hospital with one of my children alone. Only one parent was allowed at a time, and there was no cell service there. It was a fear-filled time with so much still unknown. It was a time to …
Breaking News: Political Enemies Follow Jesus
If newspapers were written in 1st-century Jerusalem, the political opposition of Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot would have certainly made headlines. Jesus called Matthew from his tax-collecting table to follow Him. Matthew, of course, had sold out to the Romans and became rich at his fellow Jews' expense. To his credit, Matthew …
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His Song in the Night 