We have to confess, we don't have a devotion for you this week. But it's because we've been busy working on something big for next week as we celebrate Christmas together. Let's just call this an exercise in waiting.

We're making a series of videos to share with you each day next week leading up to Christmas, each walking through a part of the Christmas story from a different perspective. You'll be able to find them posted here on the website, as well as on all our social media pages.

In the meantime, we wanted to share with you some other resources for this season of Advent and Christmas. This video from the Bible Project is part of the inspiration for our Advent sermon series, "Upside Down".

The Bible Project has a lot of other great resources to help you see Scripture as unified story that points to Jesus. You can find more videos like this one that cover the entire Bible at https://bibleproject.com.

We've also made a playlist of music for the Advent season on Spotify. Feel free to like the playlist and keep it to listen to for the rest of Advent between now and Christmas.

In the beginning of the Bible, there is a place called Eden where a river flowed. In the middle of Eden there is a Garden where all kinds trees good for food were made to grow. In the middle of the Garden there is a tree on a hill that gives life.

God placed the man and woman whom he had made in the Garden to work it and keep it and to eat of its fruit. They could even eat the fruit of the tree in the center of the Garden, the one that brings life. But there was another tree near it that brings death.

Given the choice of life and death, the man and the woman chose death and so have continued ever since.

In a single grasp, the perfection of Eden shatters. Sin enters the world and casts mankind away from the holiness of God. Innocence is corrupted by shame, and fear overtakes the rightful place of intimacy. Those who once walked with the Lord God through the Garden in the cool of the day now hide from him among the very trees he made for them.

Man did not fall alone, but brought all of Creation with him. The world that was once called good became collateral damage of man’s rebellion. Peace was replaced by the enmity of the serpent. The safety of the Garden was taken away, and where before fruit had grown in abundance, there was nothing but thistles and thorns. A world that had never known sorrow would now be subject to disaster and tragedy, to storm and flood, drought and famine, to violence and war, pestilence and pandemic. Humanity would would sustain and perpetuate its own existence through suffering; eating by sweat and toil, multiplying through pain of childbearing.

Creation itself began to groan, to ache for what it once was and for what it just might somehow be once again. Because even before the dust from the Fall had settled, there’s a whisper of hope, the promise of an offspring of the woman who will come to crush the head of the serpent.

And so the man and the woman, exiled from paradise with the wilderness before them, begin to wait for a baby who will be born of a virgin in stable in Bethlehem. He will be the one who can resist the serpent’s tempting, though it strikes his heel. He will choose a death of a different sort, crushing with finality the head of the serpent, forever defeating death through dying on a tree on a hill outside Jerusalem. That tree is for us the same as the one in the center of that Garden in the land of Eden.

Spend some time reflecting on this painting, “Mary Consoles Eve” by Sister Grace Remington.

Eve’s head is bowed in shame, still clutching the apple, even as the snake crawls down from her leg. Mary offers her comfort, showing her the hope of the child in her womb, the head of the serpent crushed beneath her foot.

Father, I have known the shame of my sin and how it has separated me from you. I know the burden of mistakes that seem world-ending. Let me find comfort in the hope within the virgin’s womb, that there is grace enough in cross of Jesus for the redemption of my sin and all the sin of the world. Lord, be near to me even as I anxiously wait my Savior’s return. Through Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

"Mary Consoles Eve" by Rain for Roots

Eve, my sister
The one who took the fall
Eve, my sister
Mother of us all
Lift up your head
Don’t hide your blushing face
The promised One
Is finally on His way

Almost, not yet, already
Almost, not yet, already

Eve, it’s Mary
Now I’m a mother too
The child I carry
A promise coming true
This baby comes to save us from our sin
A servant King, His kingdom without end

Almost, not yet, already
Almost, not yet, already

He comes to make his blessings flow
As far and wide as the curse is found
He comes to make His blessings flow

Almost, not yet, already,
Almost, not yet, already...soon

Eve, my sister
The one who took the fall
Eve, my sister
Mother of us all
The promised One
Is finally on His way

In our times of worship together over the last few months, we’ve followed Israel through their wanderings in the wilderness comparing their wanderings to our own. It’s something similar to that idea of wilderness that lies at the center of this season of Advent that occupies the four weeks before Christmas. It’s a season of waiting, of groaning and longing for the second coming, the second advent, of Christ in much the same way as Israel longed for his first.

This wasn’t in the time of Israel’s wanderings, but in the time of exile when they were taken from their homes and scattered among a foreign nation; their identity as a people having been all but destroyed. And then later also, after they returned to their own land but under Roman occupation with a puppet king of Caesar’s choosing and foreign soldiers imposing his rule in the streets. You might say the wilderness would be an improvement.

It’s this time in the redemptive history of Scripture that we look towards in this season leading up to Christmas, because we as the people of God have been raised with Christ, our life is hidden with him, and yet we are waiting for him to appear in glory. We are those who have been raised with Christ in his victory over death, and yet we’re still waiting for the day when he will return, the dead in Christ will rise, and the earth will be made new. We are the people of the Resurrection living in the land of the dying, exiles like Israelites in Babylon, citizens of another Kingdom, oppressed like the Jews under Roman rule, living under a puppet king whose name is Death. And yet our hope remains in our true King who is coming soon to bring his Kingdom to bear on this fallen world and to expose Death for the lie that it is.

And so what should we do while we’re waiting? Or maybe the better question should be, how do wait faithfully? Because it’s not a matter of occupying our time with our distraction of choice, but one of waiting diligently and even impatiently. “As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us” (Psalm 123:2).

So how do we wait faithfully? It’s not a passive thing, but an action. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Paul likens it to changing clothes, only it’s not an external thing of appearances but the internal disposition of the heart, and the actions that flow from it. Take off the old self and put on the new. It’s the baptismal motion of dying with Christ and rising anew in his resurrection. Mortification, putting to death what is earthly in you, and vivification, bringing to life what is good, holy, and righteous.

Ready yourself for the day of Jesus’ return through the grace and mercy of a King who lays down his life for his people. Live into the reality of his Kingdom that is both here and is coming soon, and desperately long for Christ who is your life to appear in his glory.

Listen to the song linked below and pray these lyrics.

Thanksgiving is such a great idea for a holiday. You get together with family, which is cool and all, but let’s be honest. Thanksgiving is all about the food. Turkey, Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Rolls, Corn, Stuffing, I can go on and on. It’s just so cool that there’s a holiday that’s only about food!

Wait. It’s not just about food?

Well. This is embarrassing.

When I was young, I would get so excited for Thanksgiving because I just loved being able to eat a ton of food and have little judgement. There was usually so much food that we would have leftovers for a few days and that was so great. Leftover Thanksgiving food is better than regular leftovers. As I got older and found out that Thanksgiving was more than just food, I can’t say that I wasn’t a little disappointed. But hey, at least there’s still food.

As Americans we have a habit of focusing on the wrong things. With Thanksgiving, we love to focus on the food. It’s important, and that’s not our sole focus, but it can be easy to get caught up in the planning and execution of the meal to remember to be thankful and focus on being with family. Some families are frustrating at Thanksgiving, that can certainly get in the way too. Christmas is very much the same way, sometimes we focus more on getting gifts rather than giving gifts.

This year has been a big shift for a lot of people, and holidays are going to be different. Thanksgiving, in many ways, will be unlike any other we’ve had in recent history. Because of every challenge and hardship we have faced this year, giving thanks can be hard to do. But it’s more vital now than ever! How often do we focus on the negative aspects of this year? Lockdowns, sickness, and social distancing has kept us away from family and friends for a majority of the year. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of things about which to be thankful.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul is reminding the Thessalonian church to focus on the right things. He’s reminding them that there is more that we are called to as followers of Christ and in verses 16-18 he reminds them – and us – to be continually in prayer, rejoicing, and thankfulness. This year has been a challenge, but as we move into Thanksgiving, we should be reminded that we have a lot to be Thankful for in Christ. Let’s focus on what’s important this Thanksgiving season!

Have you ever built a house of cards? If so how well did it go? Was it able to stand on its own for a while or did it just fall to the ground?

I have never been successful with building a house of cards. But I can imagine how frustrating it can be once it all falls down. So if we really wanted to build a house that will last, you will need stronger and better materials. Then again you also can’t just build a house with only wood. There are other materials that you need to complete a house. 

And the same goes for the Church around the world. We all have the same mission as part of the body of Christ, but we all have different roles. We all can’t be cards or it will not stand. 

You see all of the materials that go into building a house are part of its integrity. Because if just one piece is missing it can cause it to fail inspection, cause it to fall during a storm, it could cause a leak when it rains or get really cold when it snows.

But if every piece of the house is in its place and working properly, then it can stand firm. And the same goes for the Church.

So today focus on who you are and the gifts that God gave YOU! You have an important role in his Kingdom and he wants you to be a part of it.

Father, we thank you for the blessings that you have given us. As we go throughout this week Father help us to see the gifts that you have given us. Allow us to use those gifts for your kingdom and your glory. Amen

I woke up on the floor, dazed and confused. The birds chirping outside sounded like jackhammers in my head. The afternoon sun blinded my crusty eyes and my stomach was churning bile like butter. As I peeled myself off the dusty carpet of a foreign hotel room, shame settled in like a thick storm cloud. I slowly made my way to the sink. When my eyes lifted to catch my reflection, I was appalled at what I saw. The person in the mirror terrified me. “How did I let this happen again?” “Why can’t I stop?” The splash of water on my face was mildly invigorating and gave me the jolt I needed to pray. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I could not stop. I had lost control years before. It was a distant, faint memory that no matter how hard I tried always eluded me. “Today will be different” I tell myself… “never again” I say. I’m done!

As I’m gathering my backpack of things in the hotel room, my cell phone makes a familiar noise. I walk over to inspect the text and find a friendly message from a toxic acquaintance. I ignore the text and after checking out I try and keep myself busy. For a couple hours I succeed, running errands and pretending to be a good father. By supper time, the singing of sirens started calling to me. Though their song had shipwrecked me time and time again, tonight would be different. Tonight I was strong. Tonight I could have just a little… well, you know how the story plays out from here. Over and over again I fought my flesh and failed. We see a similar portrait of powerlessness coming at the tail end of Chapter 7. Paul is at war within himself and no matter how hard he tries, he ends up in the same spot over and over and over and over. There seems to be no hope for Paul, as there seemed to be no hope for me. My world was black with occasional glimmers of gray.

The tonal transition from Romans 7 to Romans 8 is remarkable. The effect is that of illuminating sunlight flooding a pitch black room when the blinds of a hotel room are thrust open. Paul has spent a substantial portion of Romans talking about the problem, now he shifts gears and presents the solution. The first seventeen verses of Romans 8 feature seventeen references to the pneuma (spirit). Saturated with spirit speech, Paul casts a vision of hope for the hopeless. Life through the Spirit is the solution prescribed for the powerless.


I can still remember the exhilaration I felt on my first airplane flight. Looking at the plane through the terminal windows, it seemed implausible that such a monstrosity could ever make it off the ground. There was a law at work, gravity, which did not appear to allow the plane to fly. The plane’s natural state is resting heavily on the runway. As the plane kept moving forward and picked up speed, something changed. Faster and faster, air swept over the wing creating lift. Downward airflow on the backside of the wing generates a lift that makes the plane feel weightless as it lifts of the ground. The force of lift overcomes the force of gravity. There are two laws at work, but one is simply stronger.

Paul highlights two laws at work in this passage as well. The law of sin and death seeks to keep us grounded in bondage to self, while the law of the spirit of life seeks to help us lift off and fly free. As long as our minds and lives are led by the flesh, the ultimate sentence is death. When we can successfully embrace a life led by the Spirit we can soar to heights we never thought possible. We find life and peace. Unlike an engine running on self-will, an empowered life through the Spirit will never run out of fuel. We may hit pockets of turbulence, we might even crash land, but we live by faith that if we can just keep pushing forward we will find the lift we so desperately desire.

The law of sin and death is here to stay just as gravity is not going anywhere. We are powerless to change these realities, but what we can change is our reaction to them. Paul calls us to a healthy awareness of just how powerless we are apart from the Spirit. This sense of powerlessness is fundamental for a fruitful life of faith, as it is for those in recovery. The concept is so important that the twelve steps of recovery place the principle first: “we admitted we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable…” We are utterly powerless over our flesh, but we are not without hope as long as the Spirit of God is at work within us. And that is a choice entirely up to us. Our hope lies in the one who will eagerly do for us what we could never do on our own. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”

Maybe you are in a season of life where you feel grounded on the runway. Perhaps you are stuck in rut and you can’t seem to escape the same cycle of sinful behavior. Don’t give up. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, moving forward and trusting that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will find the lift you so desperately desire. Never forget the truth of these words from Isaiah: “Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall soar on wings of eagles, they shall walk and not grow weary, they shall run and not be faint.”

Heavenly Father, I am broken and powerless without you. Please fill my heart with your Holy Spirit and empower me to rise above my flesh to find freedom with you. Amen.  

Unless you live under a rock you know what today is…Election Day. For many November 3rd has been an anxiously awaited day; perhaps if none other than to get it over with and no longer see yard signs and flags around every corner. Voting is a marker for our Democracy and a long fought for right as American citizens, yet as our current polarization has been fed by social media (to see more of how this has happened intentionally, check out Social Dilemma on Netflix) and extreme allegiance to a party, politics has served to further divided friends, families, and perhaps most heart-breaking, the Church. Many of us question how to walk in accordance with God’s word and balance this duty as American citizens; honoring those who have fought for the freedoms we now experience and the ability to cast a ballot with Godly wisdom and conviction.

Ive seen many arguments on both sides of the isle about how “you can’t be a Christian and support ____”.  2020 has been a year of division. Just look around, search on Facebook, Twitter, turn on the news and it’s easy to spot. Unfortunately, when we look at the Church we see a lot of the same things that we see in non-Christian culture. Throughout scripture one of Satan’s most sneaky tactics has been to divide the people of God.

As followers of Jesus, America is not our ultimate home; our Kingdom will endure and our King will be on the throne regardless of who holds the presidency. Despite what some would have us believe, Jesus never promised to bring about civil or government prosperity. The Jews believed that Jesus would come in the form of an earthly king—slaying the rulers and authorities of the Roman Empire and saving them from unjust society. Yet God had a different plan. Jesus came as a servant carpenter who would flip upside-down the ideas of what society thought would save them or make them powerful. God’s people have lived, spreading the message of this new, upside-down kingdom as aliens and foreigners in their lands for centuries now, believing that God can and does use human authority to bring about just societies, but ultimately trusting that Christ will return and only then can true unity and peace reign on the earth. Will we put our trust in man or Christ today? Will we believe that even if our ideas of what political policies should be valued are not transferred into presidential power, that God will walk with and be faithful to his people?

We have and are allowing secular political system and candidates to divide believers on all fronts. The world is looking for the Church of Christ to be different, unified, and willing to not allow political ideas to fuel flames of hatred and slander. Love your enemies, bless those who persecute you. Derwin Gray says this: “Don’t let an elephant or a donkey rip apart what the Lamb brought together.”

Woodland Hills is part of the Restoration Movement of churches. In the 1800s by Barton Stone and Thomas and Alexander Campbell began this movement out of deep distraught over the divisions occurring in denominationalism. These men believed that the unity of the church was essential and would propel the message of the gospel to the world because of this desire to have all things in common; to be “Christians only”. One slogan we learned in studying the Restoration Movement principles sticks out: “In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things love.” What a shame that the unity that so many of these church fathers worked for is being broken down by our need to champion political figures over our genuine empathy and affection for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We must be in prayer. Prayer for our country. Prayer for our families. Prayer for both sides of the system (that I would argue are both flawed). We have endlessly searched for men to be our savior. They won't. They can’t be. Only Jesus can do that.

Our freedom is secure in Christ both now and forever (2 Corinthians 3:17). Let’s not forget that today.

Holy Father,
Thank you for preparing a place for Your people to be with You forever. Lord, while we are on this earth, we participate in earthly systems of government, and it is important to do so with integrity. However, Your Word says that we are citizens of Your Kingdom first and foremost. Help us to remember the results of this election are only important for a brief moment in time, but the more important work is to be done for the eternal kingdom. Show us people who do not know You as their Savior so we can share the Gospel. Grow love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, even if they vote for a different party in this election, because we will spend eternity worshipping You, and this election only matters during this earthly existence. Keep our eyes on You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

The second psalm joins the first (as we talked about last week) in setting a framework through which to see the other 148 that follow. These two psalms are understood as a prologue written by whoeverPsalm 1 introduces the overarching theme of these two ways, the way of the righteous and of the wicked. Here, Psalm 2 introduces another theme that will recur throughout the psalms: kingship.

The psalms were first sung and prayed by the people of a monarchy. From the days of the prophet Samuel until the time of the exile, kings governed and ruled over the people of Israel. These kings, at least in the beginning, were chosen by God, anointed by his prophets, and held in esteem by their people as “sons of God”. Israel’s kings were to govern them in peace and protect them from foreign enemies, but also and most importantly, to lead them in being God’s people and to worship him.

In the time of their exile and thereafter, Israel waited and longed for a king to come from the line of David whom God would raise up to restore them as a nation and rule over them in peace once again. They hoped for the fulfillment of God’s promise to David that his throne would endure and be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16). In fact, the word that we translate as “anointed” that Israel’s kings were called is the Hebrew word “messiah”, otherwise known by its Greek translation, “christ”. Maybe you can see where this is going…

The citizens of Israel’s monarchy sang this psalm in homage to their king who was anointed by God himself to lead and protect them. The exiles of Israel in Babylon sang it in longing, waiting for the messiah who was to come and remembering that God was still in control. We, the church of the New Covenant, can pray Psalm 2 in celebration of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, God’s begotten Son who, for the joy set before him, endured the raging and plotting of peoples against him, and has set his kingdom, branching out from a holy hill in Zion, to make of all nations his inheritance to the ends of the earth.

Though the nations rage and plot in vain, Christ the Lord is king over all. Serve him. Rejoice in him. Trust him to lead and protect you. For blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Father, help me to see and know that Jesus reigns over all. Even when the brokenness of the world around me seems overwhelming, when the raging of the nations and rulers of the earth are deafening, remind me that the He who sits in heaven laughs. Teach me to trust my good and gracious King, and lead me to live in the reality of his Kingdom. Amen.

The Book of Psalms has been the prayer book of God’s people for somewhere around three thousand years. It’s full of both beautiful imagery and striking honesty, as the psalmists praise God with arresting eloquence but also wrestle with him with a candidness and raw sincerity that can seem irreverent. And yet it’s included in Scripture, held up as a model for us. If you don’t know what to pray, if you don’t have the words, look to the Psalms. Whatever you’re feeling, whatever you need to say to God, it’s probably in there.

The Psalms were all written by various authors; many by David, but others are accredited to Asaph, the Sons of Korah, and others of whom we have varying knowledge. But someone, we don’t know who, compiled all of these songs into the volume of 150 that we know today, and they did so in a very ordered and intentional way. The psalms are divided into five books, each concluding with a doxology, or words of praise, and the fifth ending in five doxologies. This pattern of fives is a reference to the five books of the Law, Genesis through Deuteronomy, and it communicates that the worship of Israel in the psalms is rooted in and responding to God’s word to them.

All of these five books of the psalms begins here in Psalm 1, and everything that follows is cast through its lens, this dichotomy of two paths: that of the righteous and the wicked. The way of the righteous delights in the law of the Lord. The psalmist paints the righteous person as a tree. Its roots are deep, and though the soil is dry, it soaks up rich life from the stream it is near. It is fruitful, and yet a tree doesn’t bear fruit for itself. Its prosperity is not to its own gain, but the benefit of others.

On the other hand, you have the contrast of the way of the wicked. They are like chaff, the inedible husk of wheat that is thrown into the air when the kernel is removed at threshing. Of no benefit to anyone, and only driven away by the wind. Their lives amount to nothing that lasts, and when the judgement comes, they will not endure it.

And yet even from its beginning, this psalm anticipates the only man who was perfectly blessed. The very idea of blessing in Scripture always implies the redemptive presence of God, the same presence that was realized in Mary who was called blessed among women. If you would be like this tree planted by the water, if you would follow in the way of the righteous, then you must delight yourself in the Word made flesh.

Father, teach me to delight in you, in your Word, and in the person of Jesus. May your Holy Spirit guide me in the way of the righteous, that I may find life in you and, bear much fruit. Amen.

Taylor Whitson, October 20, 2020

Hard to believe that it’s already October. It feels like time has just flown by this year, and we’re already in Fall. I’ve always enjoyed Fall. There’s just something about the cooler weather and Sun going down early that I really like. Only thing I don’t like about early fall is when you get up in the morning and it’s in the 40s, so you dress all warm. But four hours later, it’s 70s and 80s out and you regret dressing so warmly. But I do love the changing of the leaves, and I’m sure a lot of us enjoy the beautiful nature of the leaves changing. Why do the leaves change color? The leaves change their color each year in the Fall because of the changes in both the length of the day and the temperature. The changes in the environment around the tree cause it to begin adjusting for the new season.

In Romans 12:2, you are urged to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, and not to be conformed to the ways of the world. When you become united with Christ, you are transformed by the changing environment of your life. You are transformed in Christ and transform. The thing about the leaves on trees is that when they change, they fall off to be replaced by fresh, new, green, living leaves. Your old life falls away, and you are renewed as fresh and alive in Christ. What an amazing experience to be transformed by God and to be renewed! These growths and changes are a vital and meaningful change that you experience.

But there is another type of tree. Evergreen trees don’t change with the seasons like other trees do. Unlike the changing trees, that are transformed and renewed on a yearly basis, evergreens stay green throughout the changing seasons. After our initial transformation and renewal, we become like the evergreens. The evergreens remain consistent through the changing of the environment around them. “Do not be conformed to this world,” as it says in Romans 12:2. When you have become one with Christ, you are to stay consistent in Christ.

Sounds difficult, especially with how fickle humans can be. But that’s the beauty of God’s blessing for His church. The Holy Spirit has been sent to those in Christ, and He is called the great helper. The Holy Spirit guides you and leads you to follow through and to be consistent. To not be conformed to the ways of the world. As we continue through October and see the leaves changing, see these as a reminder to be transformed by the Spirit and to not conform to the ways of the world.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me a transformation and renewal in my life through the Holy Spirit. I ask that you help me to not be conformed to the ways of the world, but to be consistent in my walk with you. Thank you for the reminder that the trees give us. I ask that you continually show me your promises in nature in my life. In your name I pray, Amen.

The psalmist is enduring oppression and persecution, taunted for his faith in a seemingly absent God, and where does his mind turn? To the gathering of God’s people to worship. He reminisces of walking to the temple in procession shouting and singing together with the voice of a multitude. And yet he is unable to be there. From far away, the land of Jordan and of Hermon, he longs to be in Jerusalem gathered with the people of God, so much that it feels as though he’s drowning beneath waves and waterfalls.

I never really knew how to identify with this psalm until March 22. Now I get it. I know what it feels like to ache for the gathering of the church. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you felt the same way. Maybe you still do. There are countless churches that even still are unable to meet together, and many among our own congregation are still unable gather with us on Sunday mornings, and for good reason. A livestream is better than nothing, but it’s no replacement for the real thing.

This is because church isn’t a building for which you can see a video of what happens within its walls. Neither is it a content to be produced and consumed. The church is a people, called out from the world and gathered in the name of Jesus. It is we who “like living stones are being built up into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). We as a people are being built into the house of God, that he may dwell in us and that we may together be the center of his worship as was the temple of the old covenant.

Scattered and disjointed from one another we may find ourselves in despair; soul downcast and in turmoil. But when we gather together we are a microcosm of the Kingdom of God, a part, a picture of the whole as it will be in eternity: God’s people living in relationship with him. Our gathering is a sanctuary from worldly troubles where we experience rest in the expression of our relationship with a God who gives of himself to his people. Because that’s what our worship really is. Even when we giving of ourselves, our sacrifice of praise, we are receiving from God, because he doesn’t actually need anything from us. He doesn’t need our praises, but he knows that we need to give ourselves to him.

And so it’s in the gathering of believers, the company of the saints, that we are reminded we are not alone, that God has not forgotten us. Hope in God; for you will again praise him, your salvation and your God.

Instead of reflection questions and a written prayer. Read this psalm again and pray it as your own prayer. If you find that you can’t relate, think of someone you know who may feel alone, isolated, and cut off. Pray the psalm for them.

A few weeks ago, I spent several days in Richmond for some training. On Thursday, I was in a hurry to make it out the door and only had about 15 minutes to quiet my soul in the presence of God. I felt led to pray emphatically that I would be given the opportunity to have a spiritual conversation with a stranger at some point in the day. I asked for eyes to see and ears to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit. Soon afterwards though, I had forgotten my prayer and went on about my day. After the training was finished I went to a nearby Starbucks where I logged on to one of my lectures for graduate school. I was sitting outside among a couple others on laptops enjoying their coffee. About ten minutes before the lecture ended, a disheveled man strolled up the sidewalk and inquired of the four sitting outside in the various tables. He asked to all, “does anyone have five dollars?” Nobody acknowledged his presence. It was as if he was invisible. I pulled one ear bud out, said I would finish in a few minutes and that I would come speak with him. He sat down at the last remaining table outside.

When the lecture ended, I walked over and introduced myself. I told him all I had was a debit card, but I would love to buy him a cup of coffee. I came back out with his coffee and asked him if I could pull up a chair. Jay and I chit-chatted for about five minutes before I followed Jesus’ method and asked him a probing question: “What are you looking for?” At this point the Holy Spirit took over the conversation. The glazed scales fell from his eyes and his beautiful blue eyes met mine for the first time. He went on to share that he wanted to find work and be able to not worry about where he would sleep every night. Even more than that, however, I think Jay just wanted to be seen and known. Following the guidance of the Spirit, I began sharing my story of addiction, incarceration, and homelessness. He barely blinked as I succinctly told him what I was like, what happened, and how my life was radically altered as I surrendered to Jesus. I continued to share that I didn’t think it was a coincidence that we met, and prophesied a vision of hope over his life. I could sense the others seated outside listening intently as I spoke blessings over Jay. As tears swelled in our eyes, we prayed and parted ways. About five minutes up the road, I was reminded of my forgotten prayer that morning. “Do you see now?”, God spoke.

Helen Keller once wrote that “the only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision”. So much of our lives are spent looking at everything yet seeing nothing. Without vision, we miss the moments for ministry that God readily provides. In Luke 18:35-43 we see the story of a man, broken and blind. Try and imagine the isolation and loneliness he must have felt every day. In addition to being blind, he was also invisible. Nobody saw him the way that Jesus did as he approached Jericho. Jesus engages him with a probing question and promptly recognizes the man’s faith. After his immediate healing, the man begins praising God. He was suddenly seen and known in a way he never had experienced before. More than that, all the others who witnessed it also praised God. The work of Christ is highly contagious. He multiplies our efforts with ripples we can’t even begin to comprehend. We all have a ministry laid out for us. God’s will is that you would join in with the movement of his Holy Spirit. We can make more of an impact than we realize, we just need the courage to step out in faith and willingness to step into the lives of others.

Father in Heaven, open my eyes that I may see someone in their suffering today. Help me to use my story of redemption to connect with them in the midst of darkness and pain. As Spirit-filled words flow from my mouth, may scales fall from their eyes and prison walls crumble. In Jesus name, Amen.

YOLO: You Only Live Once, was a phase that I heard a lot in high school. “Yo, should I jump off the top of the school?- YOLO, man.” “Dude lets drag race down the highway-okay, YOLO.” It was a phrase that as a senior in high school my friends used it when going to parties, living life on the edge, or to not care about tomorrow because you only have one today. Even I lived a little bit in the YOLO life,  because everyone was saying, “You only live once.” Now I look back at those people and some of them are still living that life of do whatever you can while you are young.

Now as a Christian, I know that I am not guaranteed tomorrow and in this body that I am now in, I only get one shot with it. I do not want to live life like there is no tomorrow, but I want to live life for tomorrow. For what comes after. 

Right now I am 24, am married, in a master’s program and in student ministry. But this is only a season as the years go by I will not have the same reach to some people at 24 as I may at 35. I’m in the season of not having kids but that could change at anytime. The students that are in the ministry here are only here for a little bit of time compared to their life. So right now in this season, how can I live it for today to impact those around me? Well that is to do everything thing I do in the name of Jesus Christ. 

The world is crazy right now, with Covid, the election, injustice in our nation, and the re-opening of schools. This is a crazy season of life that we are living in. But this is just a season. Not to say that any of this will go away, but as Christians we may never have a place to speak into these issues like we do now. 

As Christians, we need to stand up for the gospel and have conversations because we only get one shot. If you are a parent to a 4th grader, they are only in this season once. How can you better show them the gospel to impact their life and the kingdom? Maybe you are in college or the workforce and do not know where to go or what to do with you life? But all that matters is that you are trusting in the Spirit to do everything in the name of Jesus Christ for the betterment of the Kingdom. It’s is our job in whatever season we are in, whether it is sunny or dark and cold to live now here on earth as it already is in heaven. Doing everything in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, because we only get one life for all of eternity.

Father, help us in whatever season we are in right now, to look for you. Give us your strength to live a life worthy of your name. Help us to love those around us even if they do not agree with us. And in everything we do, allow it to be used for the betterment of the Gospel. Amen.

I’ve always had a hard time with this verse. Maybe it’s because I don’t fully understand, or maybe it’s because I do, and I’m afraid of the idea presented. But as I’ve done some more study, I feel as though I’ve learned a bit more about what’s going on, and that has helped a little. It’s difficult for many of us to understand this because we don’t fully understand the nature of fig trees. Fig trees often produce fruit before they produce leaves, so it makes sense that when Jesus sees the tree, he should expect that fruit would be on it. The tree was in leaf after all. But when Jesus reaches the tree there are only leaves, no fruit! That makes total sense, but then Mark says, “It was not the season for figs.” Well now I’m confused again. If it were not the season for figs, why then would Jesus appear to be frustrated that there aren’t any figs? I know I get frustrated when I open the fridge for the fourth time and don’t find anything I want, but he’s Jesus!

According to Adam Clarke’s commentary, fig trees are ripe in Judea as early as Passover, which would be between the end of March and the middle of April. But in this climate, some fig trees can bear fruit year-round! A significant detail is that when Mark says it was not the season for figs, it’s likely that he is saying it isn’t the time for the regular harvest of the fig tree. Often there is a small amount of fruit that ripens prior to the main crop – these are called firstfruits! So, when Jesus approached the fig tree, it was possible that there would be firstfruits, but not the main harvest.

However, based on Mark 11:13, because there were leaves but no fruit on this particular tree, it must have been barren. It was unable to bear fruit. Jesus did what any good orchardist would do, and he culled an unproductive tree. Not with an ax or a saw, but by faith. Jesus was able to use this as an example to show that outward appearance doesn’t always mean fruit. This was a lesson for the disciples and for his church that what matters isn’t the appearance of bearing fruit, but the ability to bear godly fruit in your life. Do you bear fruit, or do you only have the appearance of bearing fruit?

Heavenly Father, thank you for using this story to teach me that the ability to bear fruit is more significant than the appearance of bearing fruit. Help me to be a vine that bears good, godly fruit for your kingdom. Thank you for letting me be a part of your kingdom. Amen.

In Jesus’ day, throwing a banquet was all about social status. Who you invited and who showed up all spoke to the honor and status of the host. Even where people sat at the banquet carried significance of social rank. In the verses just before this parable, Jesus starts to turn all these social structures of rank and status on their head. He tells people that when they host a banquet, rather than inviting the people who will make them look good and return the favor, they should instead invite the lowest and the least. And if you’re attending a banquet, you shouldn’t sit in the place of honor, but take the seat of least importance. Keep in mind, he’s saying all this at a banquet at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees. If all that wasn’t scandalous enough, then he tells this parable.

Jesus’ parables aren’t meant as illustrations to make things easier to understand, but quite the opposite. They’re meant to wrap what are really very subversive and controversial ideas in a narrative that draws his audience in enough to make them hear him out and consider what he says rather than write it off completely. To those who are opposed to him, parables conceal these hard truths and send them away confused. But those who are bought in, who are with him, they reveal the Kingdom of God that Jesus has come to bring.

Jesus tells this parable to say that their systems of honor and social status have no place in that Kingdom. In the Kingdom of God, the first will be last, and the last will be first. It’s like a banquet. If you think you’re too cool for it, or have better things to do, then by the time you realize what you’re missing, it will be too late. But if you’ve been cast aside and forgotten, if you’ve always been on the outside looking in, there’s a place for you at the master’s table.

When we read stories like this in the Bible, we tend to put ourselves in the shoes of one of story’s characters.There’s nothing wrong with this, it can actually be really helpful, but the problem is that we always tend to think of ourselves as the good guy. I heard someone recently refer to this as “Disney princess theology”. We always think ourselves the princess in the story, never the wicked step-sister. Always David standing up to the giant and never the Israelites cowering in the corner. Always the good Samaritan rather than the priest or the Levite.

When Jesus is telling this parable, he has pretty clear ideas in mind for who of his audience fits what role. There are the Jews and Pharisees, God’s chosen people of highest status, first invited to the banquet in the Kingdom of God, but convinced they have better things to do. The poor and crippled, blind and lame translate pretty directly too. They’re those who are marginalized, cast aside, and forgotten. The ones that don’t make you look good for being at your party and can’t return the favor, and the master welcomes them in. And then there’s everyone else, the Gentile outsiders. To anyone the master calls that might come, his banquet is open. This, he’s saying, is what the Kingdom of God is like.

But maybe there’s a forth role too. There are these servants who carry the message of their master. The ones he sends out and commissions, telling them to hit the streets. Shake the bushes. Tell everyone there’s a banquet going on. Compel them to enter in, that his house may be filled.

Father, thank you that you would welcome to yourself the lowly and the outsider. Teach me to love others as I have been perfectly loved by you. Send me out today to proclaim your Kingdom and welcome all to enter in, that your house may be filled. Amen.

It really doesn’t take much to look around and see things aren’t normal this year. Everything is changing so fast leaving us in this state of uncertainty about what’s coming next. It has brought a whole new set of emotions to a lot of families and individuals. Perhaps it’s always been this way, but when hard seasons of life come along they rise to the top. I see a lot of stress, anxiety, depression, grieving, and just some hard stuff happening to people from all walks of life. There seems to be this sense of depletion or defeat that we have accepted as the new normal.

All of us had plans this year that didn’t go as we had hoped. We had put pressure on ourselves at the beginning of 2020 for this to be the best year ever. And well, you know the rest of the story. None of us wished this year to be what it has been, actually if we could take a vote I would say the majority would vote for a complete reset. And maybe for you that’s been your whole life. It’s a never ending cycle of failed attempts at this race we call life. And then we throw in all the expectation people have on us and it just becomes harder and harder.

I can’t be the only one who finds this cycle exhausting and self-defeating, right?

In the midst of an ever-changing world there is and always will be one constant: Jesus. What if we could just pause for a moment, be still, sit in the mess and use this time not to sulk in our sorrows or complain about everything we can, but use it as a time to allow Christ to mold us and shape us, to teach us something new each day. What if as a church Church we choose to walk a little closer to Jesus each day? What if instead of drawing a line in the sand we focused on moving forward?

It that easy? No. But after the first step, the next steps become easier. So, what is the first step? For me, it is meditating on and praying through Scripture. I am convinced that the more I think like Jesus, the more I act like Him. I heard someone say one time: “Right thinking equals right actions.”

Romans 12:2 says it this way, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

When we meditate on scripture it becomes more than just reading a passage then going on about our day. It means pausing to really take God’s words in, praying that He will help us live it out, and repeating what we have read throughout the day. It will eventually become part of us and He will use it to speak to us, to guide us, to correct us, and before we know it we have our attitudes and behaviors have changed and we look more like Jesus.

Father, allow me to use each day as an opportunity to draw closer to you. To seek your face in the times of uncertainty, frustration, stress, and when I feel ready to give up. May we be a people who doesn’t sulk in our sorrows, complain about everything in life, but may we rise above, be different, be holy, and not be conformed to what this world tells us is right and good. Align my heart and mind with Scripture, teach me each day what it looks like to be a representative of the Gospel and live as the image of Christ. Amen.

John 6 is one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament. It has just about everything you could want all in one chapter. A couple of miracles, a bit of Old Testament typology, some really big foreshadowing of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus dunking on some grumbling Pharisees, and his disciples, namely Peter, hopeless as they may be, somehow stumbling into saying something really profound. We’re only going to look at these last few verses, but you should take some time to read the whole chapter. Go ahead, don’t worry, I’ll wait for you…

So just before we picked up in verse 60, Jesus fed a crowd of 5,000 with some kid’s bagged lunch, went for a hike in the mountains and walked across the Sea of Galilee to get away from them. They chase him down in the synagogue where he calls them out and pretty much tells them that if they’re only here to see more magic tricks, they’re missing the point and may as well go home. He talks about the Israelites eating manna in the wilderness, children’s stories to them, and then says some really crazy things, like “I am the bread of life” (verse 35). “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (verse 38). “…unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you” (verse 53).

Those are some pretty bold statements, even if you do manage to get past the cannibalistic overtones. I’m the one who has life to give, and without me you’re dead. “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” Even when a bunch of the people who had been following him around reacted poorly, he didn’t try to soften it. When people started walking out the door, he didn’t back down or try to explain it away. He pressed even harder, “What if you saw me ascending into heaven, back to where I came from?” I can’t help but wonder if he managed to say it with a straight face.

Jesus doesn’t seem too worried about how many people show up to hear his sermons. He doesn’t waver from saying things that are hard to hear out of a fear that some might walk away. He even opens the door for the twelve and gives them an out if they want to take it, but Peter speaks up for all of them. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of life.”

I’ve been rereading The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and it’s a scene in the sixth book, The Silver Chair (book 4 if you read them in the proper order), that has had me thinking about this passage in John 6.


Jesus says some frightening things. Things like love your neighbor, or even worse, love your enemies. He isn’t afraid of saying them either, because he’s not interested in fake followers who only chase him around to see party tricks and get a free lunch. He’s after disciples who will take up a cross. And yet in following him to his death, in eating of his body broken and drinking of his blood poured out, there is life.

Drink deeply of the life of the Savior. There is no other stream.

Pray this prayer from Psalm 19.

As any good Dave Ramsey-ite would be quick to tell you, there are few topics the biblical authors have more to say about than money. You can relax, I’m not asking you for any. Comprising some 2,000 plus odd references and 11 of Jesus’ 39 parables, you might be right to say that God thinks money is an important thing to talk about. Probably because it’s so dangerous. Not because it’s a sin to have or to make too much of it, nor is the opposite true. But because the more you have or the more you need, the more it occupies the thoughts of your mind and the affections of your heart, and the more easily it becomes your god. You may have heard, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

When the Bible talks about money, it usually means more than just money. It’s what is meant to be conveyed with the King James sounding word “mammon”. Mammon isn’t just money that you have or spend or need; it includes the broader. It may not be money at all, but whatever fills the blank for you in “When I just have ______, then I’ll know I’ll be okay.” It’s the picture you have in your head of what will bring you security and self-sufficiency, the treasure that you long for or that you store up for yourself.

But aren’t financial security and self-sufficiency good things? Shouldn’t we want that? Yes, they are, and we should, but it’s rarely bad things that we make into idols. It’s usually good things that tempt us to worship them instead of God. Mammon, though it may be good things, carries the tempting illusion a grandiose independence and self-sufficiency. It tries to convince us that we can be our own god; that we can take care of ourselves.

So the trouble isn’t in making money or saving for the future. The problem is when we put our trust in what we can earn or in what we’ve stored away. This is what God was teaching the Israelites fresh out of Egypt when he told them not to gather more than one day’s worth of mana except before the Sabbath (Exodus 16). Because if they picked up enough for tomorrow too, they wouldn’t have to trust that God would give them what they needed tomorrow. The mana was their mammon.

This is what God was teaching the kings of Israel when he commanded that they should not have many wives or keep many horses (Deuteronomy 17:16–17). Because for kings, many wives meant alliances with foreign powers and many horses meant chariots and cavalries. If they had military allies and mighty armies, they might fool themselves into thinking they didn’t need Yahweh to protect them.

This is what Jesus was teaching us when he says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.” Because no matter the growth of your 401k, no matter what promises the FDIC might offer, no matter how frugally you can keep a budget, moths and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. Your mammon can’t save you, and it makes a lousy master anyway. But over all things Christ is Lord. Make him your treasure, give him your heart, fix your eyes on his light. You will be his people, and he will be your God.

Keep working to the glory of God, remembering that your earnings are not your own, but gifts of his grace. Keep enjoying the fruits of your labor, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. Give generously and joyfully, for much you have been given. Keep balancing your budget, but do not be anxious about tomorrow. Keep saving for the future, but trust in God for your daily bread.

• Read the next section of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 6:25-34 and pray as you feel led.

and/or

• Listen to the song linked below and pray through the lyrics.

When I was a child, I had this awesome ability to teleport. If I fell asleep on the couch or in the car, I would magically appear back in my bed sometime throughout the night. It was incredible. In truth, I was being carried by my dad back to my bed, but it’s fun to think about it being teleportation. One disappointing truth is that there was a time that my dad put me down from carrying me and never picked me back up. And while that’s depressing, now that I’m 25 it would be odd if he picked me up. To a certain degree, it would be a bit humiliating.

As we look to this passage, it makes me think about that. Having to be carried as an adult, especially because you’re unable, would have to be a difficult experience to deal with. It’s not often that we are carried around but being unable to walk as this man was it would be something that is necessary in certain situations. The text doesn’t outline whether or not these men regularly carried the paralytic around. But picture the situation here: there’s a paralytic here that likely sits around as a beggar (what else is he going to do?), and people are walking by him every day. When he learned that Jesus was here, he must have thought “Now’s my chance!” But he couldn’t walk there, so this man had to ask people to carry him. Maybe these people have walked by all the time and know him. Maybe they’re his friends.

The paralytic man had to humble himself more than he already was to ask for help. We as people have such a hard time asking for help, don’t we? I know that I always like to do everything myself. I have a hard time asking for anyone to help me do something and I believe that’s common to a lot of people. Especially when it comes to something, we’re ashamed of like our sin. When we’re caught in depression or anxiety or sin, the best thing for us to do is to ask for help. But that’s the hardest thing to do. When we’re stuck in these situations, we need to be like this man and be willing to humble ourselves and ask for help.

God, Thank you for the story of this man and his hardships. Thank you for giving us an example of someone that was willing to humble themselves to get the help that they needed. God please give us the humility and wisdom to know when to ask for help, even when we don’t want to. Bless our church and keep us safe this week God, Amen.

Shepherds and sheep have a very trusting relationship. The sheep trust the shepherd to lead them to find food, water, and shelter. The sheep trust them for protection from predators around them. Sheep run to their shepherds whenever they leave and return.

I grew up raising goats with my grandpa. I would walk out into the fields and have goats run up to me and rub against my legs like cats. I could sit down and they would climb into my lap like a dog. I would yell from the far fence and they all would come running to me and they trusted me.

Now I live beside sheep and whenever I walk over to the fence, they run away. The same would go whenever someone new would walk with me in the fields. My goats would run away because they didn't know the other person.

In our lives we have a shepherd, Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

Jesus is the Good Shepherd in whom we can put our trust. He his the one who provides for us. He protects us from the evil one. He laid down his life so that we can have life. While thieves come to steal, kill and destroy, he gave us life and life to the fullest. Jesus is our protection and provider. Will you allow him to come into your life?

God, we thank you for your guidance in our lives. I pray that we can allow you to be a protector and provider in our everyday lives. God, in you we lack nothing. Amen 

Before or after reading this, I encourage you to read all of Luke chapter 15. Up to this point in the parable of the lost son, one son gets greedy, want his inheritance now so he can go live the life he wants to live.

He gets the money and he leaves but soon loses all his money and falls on hard times. To the point he had to go and get a job feeding pigs. Which for a Jews was considered an unclean job. So he decided to go home, where his father may give him a job and some food out of pity. But that is not the case.

As it says above, his father went running after him, gave him a hug, (which he is still considered unclean), and celebrated his return. Saying that my child was lost but now is found.

To hear those words, my child you were lost but now you are found and loved. Those are the words that we all long to hear on earth but also from heaven. Everyone wants to feel loved and wanted.

But the sad reality is that not everyone gets to hear those words everyday. And the lies that the world is telling us just continues to grow.

Your marriage is failing and you hear that you are not a good enough husband or wife. Your parents got a divorce and it seems like it was your fault. Your best friend rans off your boyfriend or girlfriend and now you feel empty or broken.

Maybe you lost your job and money is tight, which makes life at home stressful. Or you lost someone you love and now you feel alone. Or maybe that addiction keeps creeping back into your life, whispering in your ear to keep going, to keep it hidden, and keep it silent, makes you seem like the hole is getting deeper and darker, with no way out.

In these times, it feels like no one is for us, cares, nor understands. We all long to hear the words, I love you and I am here, you are safe, you are saved. But we cannot find that in the world.

But we can find in Christ the one who is never changing and aways loving. The one who doesn’t care how dirty we are, what we have done, or where we come from. He sees us far off, and he doesn't wait for us to come to him, but he runs after us to meet us where we are. He changes us, he cares for us, and he says my child welcome home. You are safe, you are loved, and you are mine.

Father, you are a loving, just, and a caring father. You run to us to save us and forgive us. Because of you we are loved, wanted, and safe. Because of you we made new. I pray that someone will see that you are for them and will never leave them.

When you are planting plants, sometimes you may just toss them here and there but most seeds, you will intentionally dig a hole and place them here and there. The same goes for our personal relationship with Christ and our discipling relationships with others.

Jesus mentioned four reason why seeds may or not grow. For a farming community, planting seeds is a way of life, so they know what happens. But Jesus wants his listeners to go from planting seeds of corn to planting seeds of faith. 

The first is the seed which is placed on the sidewalk. These seeds have no hope, they are eaten right up. These seeds are people who have a chance to hear the word of God but do nothing. They turn away from the word to the world. Then the evil one comes and swallows them up. 

The second seed finds soil but it is a little rocky and cannot completely grow. These people are the ones who start to have a relationship with God but they never rooted their lives in God’s goodness. And when they wind comes, or times get hard, they are blown away.

The third seed that falls with weeds, starts to grow but cannot fully grow because the weeds chock it out. Theses are people who try to live with one foot in the world and one foot in Christ. Living to different lives. But unfortunately, the voices in the world seem to be louder than God’s. And the sad part is the last two are where most Christians live. 

The last seed finds good soil to grow and bear fruit 100 times its beginnings. This person is rooted in Christ and cannot be moved. They hear the words, follow them, and prospers in every season. This person is the one who is making disciples who make disciples. 

We all want to be the last seed but most Christians know that they are not. But the beauty of Christ, is that no matter where you are, you can always root yourselves in him. If you are seeds 1-3, you will need to reach out to someone who is the fourth seed to walk with you, to grow with you. If you are a seed 4, then you need to reach out to find a seed 1-3 to help them grow with Christ.

Father, wherever we are in our walk with you, help us to see your goodness and love. Allow us to grow closer to you. Give us the strength to leave to world behind us and focus on you. 

We have all asked for or have cooked with salt, and if you grew up in the church, then you grew up singing that song, “This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.” Or if you are camping, you place the lantern as high as you can. But why do we do this?

When cooking we add salt to enhance the flavor of what we are cooking or eating to take better. To us salt may only be used for one thing, and that is cooking. But to the intended audience, salt was so much more valuable and had many uses. Salt was used in practicing medicine, preserving meat, killing weeds, and many other uses. Salt was special and needed. 

Same goes for light, we do not place a lamp behind a couch or under a blanket. We place it on a table or we put lights in ceiling so we can see more. Of course the original readers of Matthew did not have lamps and ceiling lights like we do, so they would have to make sure that the candles were high enough nothing would fall on them and they had as much light as it aloud. 

Salt and light were important to them for everyday life. So what would have happened if salt would lose its saltiness or the light went out? It would be dark and tasteless, only good to be walked on. So as Christians, what good are we to the kingdom, if we lose our saltiness or hide our light? Jesus says, he has no use for us. 

Jesus calls us the salt and light of the world. We change the world that is around us. We bring flavor to broken and flavorless world. We shine light into a world that is dark. In other words we are the catalyst to the world. A catalyst is something that is used to change the chemicals around it, without being changed and it cannot be changed back.

When salt is added to food it cannot be taken away and when a light is shined into a dark room the darkness is gone. As Christ followers, we are called to be catalyst, to change the world around us. Our saltiness and light are to shine and change those who are around us.

Father, we are called to be the salt and light in the world around us. Help us to reach and change the lives of those around us. Help us to be the city on a hill and your light to shine into the world. 

Work can be difficult. When I was in college, I worked a few different jobs. One of the jobs that I had for a few months was at a car dealership. A member of my home church was the general manager at the dealership and was able to get a job for me there, but it was difficult. Sure, I was driving new cars around and customers cars that needed repair or maintenance; but I was working 8-5 from Monday to Saturday. And I almost never left before 6:30 PM. I was working almost 50 hours a week. The only day that I had off was Sunday.

The other job I had in college was working at a movie theater. That was a great job, I got half-off on concessions – so I could get a bucket of popcorn for only $40! But I also was able to see at least one free movie per day. If there were seats open, we could go watch for free. It was a good job and I had a lot of friends that worked with me! But my first day was awful. I’d never worked a POS system before, and never had a real customer service job prior to that, and the managers put me in the box office on my first day. On a Friday. It was absolutely insane, and I was constantly asking the other employees how to do coupons and other things in the system. They were so frustrated with me until I told them it was my first day. Then they were dumbfounded.

Both of these jobs had ridiculous parts. And we all have difficult parts of our job. I won’t say that any job is always easy. Some jobs may be more difficult than others in some ways, but every job can be hard. In both jobs that I had, some of the situations I was put in were ridiculous. But I continued to work there. Why? Because I needed to. There are always times when you may hate your job, but you continue to do it. Why? Because you’re responsible for yourself and others, and the job that you have and do provides for your needs and the needs of your family.

If we are willing to work so hard, sometimes through tough parts, for our jobs on earth, why don’t we work harder for God’s Kingdom? The work that we do on earth is and can be important, I won’t deny that. But working for the Kingdom of God is much better, and far more significant. What can you do for the Kingdom of God? Can you work harder for God’s Kingdom?

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts and abilities you’ve given me to work and provide for myself and others. I pray that you would help me to grow closer to you and to use my abilities for your Kingdom. I pray that you would give me the passion to work for Your Kingdom and that my faith would not be dead, but that my faith would be energized by the work that I can do for you. In your name I pray, Amen.

My dad is a preacher at a church in Richmond. Both my grandfathers are in ministry, my great-great-grandfather was a preacher at a large church in Georgia. My older brother is in ministry as well. I guess you could say that ministry is the ‘family business.’ I’ve grown up in church and went to a Bible college. One of the things that consistently comes up repeatedly in church and Bible college is the spiritual gifts test. I’ve taken a spiritual gifts test several times, and as I got older the answers that I got changed. One of the big answers that I normally get is Hospitality. This is something that my parents and grandparents are great at, and I learned it from them for sure.

It’s always interesting for me to hear what other people’s spiritual gifts are. I like to try and guess ahead of time to see if I can figure it out based on how well I know a person. I’m not particularly good at guessing usually, but most people tend to have 2-3 spiritual gifts that they’re good at – most tests give somewhere between 3-5. I think it’s important, ahead of time, to say that everyone has the capacity for any and all spiritual gifts – as the Holy Spirit empowers them – but everyone has some that they’re better with than others. God, however, has the capacity to be adept at each and every gift of the Spirit. These are His gifts and abilities that He bestows upon us with His Holy Spirit.

As we’re talking about reflecting God in your life, one of the best ways is to utilize your Spiritual Gifts in your life. Why does God bestow the gifts of His Spirit on us? Because He wants us to use them to further His Kingdom! We’ll talk more about that tomorrow, but it’s important to understand that God’s given you these gifts for a reason. God wants you to use your gifts, and that’s a way to reflect God in your life!

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gifts that you’ve given to me. I pray that you guide me and help me to use my Spiritual Gifts in such a way that I can reflect You to the world around me. God thank you for being with me and blessing me with the gifts that you’ve given me. I thank you for everything you’ve given me. In your name I pray, Amen.