Some people pray to God to be planted on higher ground. Others pray to be spared from descending paths. Both players have their place. David looked around one day and noticed that his feet had landed on “level ground.” He’d had his share of ups and downs and twisting...

Esther is one of the coolest stories in the Bible. Not sure why Netflix or Hulu hasn’t done a contemporary version yet. It’s a story about brilliant and bright women and a ruthless enemy. There isn’t much explicit God-talk in the book. God is assumed, and so is human...

Jesus is always on the move. He’s at the shore. At a dinner party. On a boat. In the Temple. His earthly life and his resurrected life are full of passing through. While he moves, he carries his pain - he knows his end. He keeps moving, carrying his joy - he knows his...

Jesus’ half-brother James has a book in the New Testament named for him. Twelve teachings make up the book. The big idea for James is to call God’s people to wholehearted devotion. For him, the heart and the tongue are connected. You can control a horse’s whole body...

God loves to make God’s children wealthy! Of course I’m not talking about praying for the winning Powerball ticket or even some kind of prosperity gospel. I’m talking about how God’s life-giving word leads us to life riches. Many are the tales of those who have all...

We don’t talk much about human intimacy in the church, but we need to. Intimacy, sexuality and sex are good gifts from God! Wholeness and wellness include physically loving and being loved. Touch, arousal, playfulness and lovemaking are a part of God’s grand design...

When asked, “How are you doing?” most of us reflexively say “fine.” Problem is, rarely does that describe how we’re actually doing or feeling. That’s why I love the Psalms so much, they are emotionally honest. These spiritual poets lead us into an authentic...

St. Paul wants us to, “make the most of the time….” He has some suggestions about how to do that. First, what not to do: don’t be foolish, don’t look for your answers or your healing at the bottom of a bottle or in any excesses for that matter. The lift you need, the...

Peter takes a moment to look back. His looking back takes him to the time he looked up and was changed. He was changed when he saw Jesus' radiance and heard a voice that comforted and challenged him. Peter was an "eyewitness to God's majesty." Like Peter, we are also...

“You are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.” A beautiful fact is on display in this simple sentence. Just as the disciples were with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry, so Jesus has been with us from our beginning. God in God’s genius...