There is a monster waiting to devour us. This stealthy Beast masquerades as a gentle giant, begging you to cuddle up with him. He is green with envy, yellow with fear, and red with comparison. Shiny jewels cover his torso, easily hiding an interior of rotting flesh and pending destruction. There are many captive to his whims. Our culture has befriended this Beast. It has dressed him up to make him look acceptable. It says, "If you want a good life, focus on the Beast. … [Read more...]
Bare Souls
We are so comfortable with a casual glance and hello, than we are with deep conversations and life stories. It is so much easier to connect with people on a level just below the surface and than to reveal our struggles and inadequacies. And so we move through life, never knowing deep friendship. Afraid that if someone really knew us, they wouldn't like us that much. Probably because we know ourselves pretty well, and there are times we don't like ourselves that much either. We put on our … [Read more...]
Pleasing God (part one)
Have you ever tried to please someone who thought they were perfect? It's a losing proposition. No matter how hard you try, you feel like it is never good enough. Frustration ensues. For some people, complacency sets in. They give up, they quit trying. "Why bother if it never seems to matter?" they ask themselves. Others may have thier frustration lead them to rebellion. "If I can't please them, I might as well do what I … [Read more...]
Colossians 1:21-23
"And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your minds as expressed through your evil deeds, but now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death to present you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him - if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, without shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard."I don't know why I do the things I do. I don't mean to, but I do them. OK, sometimes I mean them. But sometimes I don't. … [Read more...]
