Joel 2:12-14"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessinggrain offerings...

Psalm 103:13-17[13] As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. [14] For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. [15] As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; [16] for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. [17] But the steadfast love of ...

Ezekiel 18:2121 "But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.I am constantly mesmerized by the apparent tension between grace and works in scripture.I am also always learning about the truth of God's character through scripture passages like...

Phil 3:10-1110 I want to know Christyes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.Mark Twain wrote, "The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." The answer to this why question is often times ...

Then Job answered the Lord:"Indeed, I am completely unworthy how could I reply to you?I put my hand over my mouth to silence myself.I have spoken once, but I cannot answer;twice, but I will say no more."(Job 40:3-5, NET2)Then Job answered the Lord:"I know that you can do all things;no purpose of yours can be thwarted;you asked,'Who is this who darkens counselwithout knowl...

Perhaps it's because I didn't grow up observing Lent that I seem to find it in the oddest places.Like in the bottom of a sinking boat filled with flopping fish.When I think of Lent these days, I think of three thingsself-reflection, repentance, and giving something upand Luke 5:1-11 has all three.Peter finds himself in an awkward situation.A carpenter/rabbi is giving him f...

James 4:1315Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.""I'm letting all t...

We had just finished an intense stretch of travel, conferences, meetings, and hosting missionaries. With Steve heading out for the next six days, I was looking forward to an empty house and some rest. However, the next day, I received a photoof Hannah C. and a beautiful baby boy in her arms. Wyatt had been born during the night, the son of a Vietnamese International studen...

With this year's vision focus we have been talkingabout kingdom-advancing risks. This is guidingme to a new way to think about my daily interactions, like the one I had with the UPS store notary yesterday.The young store manager was notarizing a few forms for a friendwhen I commented on his sparkly wedding-band-like ring, curiously worn on his right hand. I asked if he was...

Our neighbors, "Kami"and "Pete" are becoming friends. They think very differently than we do on some subjects yet we are learning to listen well and love one another.Last fall "Pete", a Buddhist, brought over a hand towel they selected for us while on vacation. It is well with my soul is embroidered on it. He recognized it as something Christian and thought we'd like it. W...