The House You're Building

My friend Amber posted something really cool on Instagram…her best pictures.  It must have been a thing because I saw a few other people posted something with their “best pictures” from 2020.  I didn’t do it, firstly because I didn’t know how, but secondly, because I didn’t have a lot of great pictures from this year.  In fact, when picking out pictures for the annual Christmas card I only had 2 to choose from and they weren’t great…Unlike years past, I didn’t have a lot of “picture worthy” memories to capture.    What I loved most about Amber’s post wasn’t her pictures, though I like the one she included of me, but what she said in the comments.  She recounted the blessing in her life: new relationships and new endeavors.  For her, and for me, 2020 wasn’t the worst year ever.  I realized this at my physical therapy appointment this morning, which turned out to be more of a counseling session.  He started by...

Recently, in preparation for some teaching I have coming up, I’ve been studying the book of Malachi.     Not a book people typically study this time of year, but why not?     It’s the last thing word for God to his people before angels announce a baby born in a humble stable.     This particular prophet was sent to a people who were weary of worship—why?  Because the presence of God wasn’t showing up as they expected.     They were the remnant who returned after the Babylonian captivity, a dark time where God allowed another nation to discipline them for their continual rejection of Him. Yet God is always faithful to His people and brought them back to rebuilt his temple, despite the presence of enemies who intended to put a stop to God’s people creating a place for God to be with them.     Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the othe...

Have you ever done something dumb? I laugh internally as I type that thought because if you didn’t mentally acquiesce answer in the affirmative than you just made your first idiotic move.     Foolishness resides in our sin nature.  It is easily noticed character flaw that makes us differ from God.  Even at the thought level God is superior to us [1] .  To be foolish means to lack good sense or judgement; to act on a whim without thinking of the consequences.                  The wisest of women builds her house,                         but folly with her own hands tears it down.-Proverbs 14:1   My current lack of discernment was birthed by pride.  Earlier in the week, some friends that I send weekly devotionals to gave me a compliment on my ...

                                             When I was a kid optical illusion books were a fad one year.  It seemed like a novelty gift you received at a white elephant gift exchange or read while waiting for the dentist.  The trick was to blur your eyes, shift your focus to behind the page and an image, that at the surface looked like dots, would appear as a solid object in 3D.  It was really hard for me to see them.  I had had eye therapy as a kid and just to focus normally was challenging.  Unlike me, friends could pick up the book and see the hidden image instantly.  I know those books really did work, as once I saw it too and I was really excited but I lost focus and the image was gone.    The same can be said for suffering.  You can see the issue multiple ways and to behold it with a divi...

Why are you a Christian?     What would you say if someone asked you that?    Recently I heard a message where the teacher asked the congregation this same question.    Answers varied, but all responses fit within these 4 categories:   ·        Jesus changed my life; I used to to A, B, and C, but now I do X, Y, and Z ·        I was raised that way ·        I believe the holy scriptures ·        I had a person experience that convinced me     After outlining these common responses, and noting that our group’s answers fell into those those same catagories,  he explained that these same reasons can be applied to any religion.  What makes Christianity different than other religions  is the gospel. If you take the four statements above, for example change Jesus to Allah, you could really ma...

To say life is challenging would be an understatement.  And the year 2020 has been a year of upheaval.  What do you turn to when you wake up to the fact that you need something to get by?  What we turn to to cope differs from each person but usually lies within the same broad categories:  food, entertainment, hobbies, exercise, substances, sex, work…Though I find myself reaching for the same things when life is too much, I’m trying to starting leaning into a who, not a what.    Though life is completely different than it was this same time last year, there are some good things that have come from it.  For me, it’s redefining community.  Like most people, I have a variety of connections in my life and was living at such a fast pace, that I didn’t really think how I was investing my time and which relationships mattered most.  Though I spent time with those who shared my Christian worldview, I missing out on f...