Chosen for God's Purpose

What makes you burn? Passion. What images strike your mind when you hear that word? Is it the intense pull to excel in a certain hobby or talent? Is it an emotion that arises in human relationship? Is it the driving force behind what you achieve- what you do? By definition, passion is “the state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited”. This is often expressed in emotional forms- passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, fear, etc. For the disciples of Jesus, every one of these emotions raised their heads during the three years he walked with them on earth, and every day of their lives after His ascension. We see Peter rise up in anger against the Roman guards to defend the Lord, but we also see him cower in fear before the crowds, denying he even knew Jesus. We see James and John vie for posit...

Have you ever been to a wedding? I’m sure most have. There are many variations of ceremony out there. Many different cultures and beliefs can alter the way a ceremony proceeds. But there is one moment that occurs in most everyone.  It is that moment…the moment of awe- of reverence- as the chords strike the familiar tune- duh, duh, duh, duh- Here comes the bride. There is a hush that falls on the crowd, and all will rise to watch the bride come towards her groom. They watch to see the love and intimacy that pass between the couple in those moments. They look to see her walking; in purity, in innocence, in love. Here comes the bride, all dressed in white…I am sure that you would recognize that familiar tune if you heard it. But h ave you ever heard the actual lyrics? Here is the first verse for you: Here comes the bride, dressed all in light Radiant and lovely she shines in his sight Gently she glides, graceful as a dove Meeting her bridegroom, her eyes...

There is no fog so thick it cannot be broken by the shining light of the "SON" Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Fog. An interesting thought as I drove into work this morning. The fog in our area was thick, like a visual blanket of mist covering the city. I took the same route I use every day. I have driven this path each morning for nearly two years. I know exactly how long it should take me in most any circumstance. But fog is a different story. That fog made my journey this morning seem twice as long. I wondered if I would ever make it to my destination. What was the reason for this? The mileage had not changed. The traffic flow was the same. So, what caused the shift in my travel time? Nothing. Nothing but my perspective. For you see, the fog had literally clouded my vision. My ability to judge distance and space was significantly impaired. Typi...

Cracks There is nothing so broken it cannot be repaired by the love of God I see cracks in the sidewalk. Where did they come from...can they be repaired? I see cracks in our souls. How did they get there...can they be repaired? Cracks of discouragement. Cracks of failure. Cracks of broken dreams. Cracks of chaos. Cracks of loved ones lost. Cracks of betrayal. Who can touch them...make them whole? The Father is the glue...The Eternal One is His name. He is the repairer of the breach...the cross to span the chasm of brokenness. Like hot tar that fills the crack in the asphalt, so the Lord fills up the cracks in our souls. Cracks...how did they get there...can they be repaired?

Not all things can be taken at face value- sometimes you must dig a bit deeper *** Spoiler alert- I am going to be writing my thoughts about The Shack , by William P. Young. In this review/discussion, some of the details of the book will be revealed. Some may not have read the book, some may not care to. I pray that my discussion will at least pique your curiosity to investigate it for yourself, but I do apologize for any plot revelations. *** Things are not always what they seem. At least that has been my experience in life. As soon as I think I have a situation/person figured out, they shock the daylights out of me. Some things in life are predictable; we know the sun will rise each morning, most of us have our "routine", but there are times when life just surprises. I was given a copy of the book, The Shack  by William P. Young, from a friend at church who told me, "this book has changed my life; you should read it". I took it from her happily, bei...