sojourns with Jesus

I am writing on the Lord’s prayer. Let me be clear. To be candid, I have struggled with every line in this prayer. » Read the rest of this entry «

“Faith is a living, unshakeable confidence in God’s grace; it is so certain, that someone would die a thousand times for it.

This kind of trust in and knowledge of God’s grace makes a person joyful, confident, and happy with regard to God and all creatures. » Read the rest of this entry «

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. » Read the rest of this entry «

WARNING THIS IS 1 OF 3 MATURE POST: IF EASILY OFFENDED BY HONEST THOUGHTS ON SEXUALITY THEN PLEASE DON’T READ THIS.

My spiritual journey with God can best be described as wrestling. I am by nature a skeptic. It is hard for me to believe in a invisible being called God that is a Sovereign Lord. That belief goes against my nature and my culture. The virtue of our society is that we are our own lords and anything goes as long as its “consensual” and “no body gets hurt”. Sovereignty implies submission and the idea of submission goes against my very nature. I love music and it has been a great influence on my spiritual journey particularly in my late teens and early 20s. I really fell in love with the raw honesty of Jennifer Knapp’s music at a time I nearly walked away from the Church. She spoke in her music about struggles with a sovereign God. I’ve struggled too. » Read the rest of this entry «

This is the second in a short series on Lent.

Lent is based off of a period of 40 days ranging from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Anyone with a decent ability to read a calendar will notice 44 days. Many but not all observants of Lent abstain their sacrifices on each of the four Sundays that fall between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. These four Sundays are seen as mini-Easters. Whatever was being sacrificed can be enjoyed again on these days for the glory of God because Christ has risen. » Read the rest of this entry «

In about 30 minutes I
will turn 30 years old.
I never thought I would
make 30.

Pick a reason.

Wars.

Stupidity.

Fate.

Nearly dying once.

Yet here comes 30.

The organs of sense (Matt. 5:29) and virility (Matt. 19:12) are good but may have to be sacrificed in service to Christ.

CS Lewis lived this quote out. What will we sacrifice?

Silent my soul.
Let my desire be you in all things.
God silent my soul to desire
in nothing but you,
not in passing things.
Lord, grant me my desire.

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body (Jews or Greeks, slaves or free) and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

This is part one in a series of post to come over the next few days. I have been reflecting a lot lately on my ministry. Three years ago about this time I had been a church planter for only a few weeks. I wrote a few words on how I had hoped my ministry would turn out. Needless to say things went a differing direction than what I had expected. It went exactly as God wanted it to, in part to shape my view of ministry. » Read the rest of this entry «