The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
The ministry of Jesus was one of life-giving transformation. His life, death, and resurrection ushered in a completely new way of relating to God: the way of grace. One of the best examples of Jesus shifting paradigms comes in his parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Luke 18:10-14 says,...
Read More
The Parable of the Lamp on a Stand
Reading Matthew 5:14-15 used to stress me out. Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house." How can we with all our mistakes, misgivings, ...
Read More
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Jesus tells a beautiful parable of the kingdom of God in Matthew 13:31-32. He teaches, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tr...
Read More
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Valuable Pearl
If you could only have one thing in life, what would it be? Take an honest look at your heart for a minute today. What do you love most? What would you give up everything else for?
Would you believe that your heavenly Father's answer to those questions is you? That the Creator of the universe ...
Read More
The Parable of the Good Shepherd
Have you ever experienced a sense of grand perspective where you realize your smallness in comparison to the earth's grandeur? Have you ever contemplated your small stature in light of how colossal the universe is? Every now and then, when I get a sense of my smallness I am overcome by the fear o...
Read More
The Desire to Live a Life of Significance
People often ask a common question when it looks like their time on earth is drawing to a close—"Did my life matter?" Have you ever wondered that? Have you ever taken a minute to look back on your life and wonder if all your efforts will mean a thing when you're gone?
We all dream of being a g...
Read More
The Desire to be Passionate
Passionate devotion, love, and purpose captivate us. As a culture we cling to stories like Romeo and Juliet, Gone with the Wind, Don Quixote, The Count of Monte Cristo and Les Miserables for the passionate actions of the characters. These stories evoke within e...
Read More
The Desire to be Fully Known and Fully Loved
All of humanity is in a constant search for intimacy. We devote ourselves to earning the affections of others, whether it be a close friend or a stranger. We long to be loved for who we truly are, but we've also been burned by others in attempt to find acceptance. We give our hearts to the world ...
Read More
The Desire to be Great
As children, we dream of a life of adventure and impact. We pretend to be astronauts adventuring into the unknown, police officers serving and seeking justice, or even a king rightly deserving respect from all in our kingdom. No child ever dreams of doing something mundane or meaningless. But as ...
Read More
The Desire to Behold Beauty
Beauty is captivating in all its forms. From sunsets to mountain tops, flower petals to starry nights, we devote countless hours, years, and even lives to the wonder and pursuit of beauty. We write songs and poetry in devotion to that which inspires us with its beauty. We spend our blood, sweat, ...
Read More