Writing to Help You Find and Share the Hope of Jesus
"For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:8 We recently started a new sermon series at Rock Haven Church in the books of 1 and 2 Kings. These books, found in the Old Testament of … Continue reading Is Your Faith “Ineffective and Unfruitful”?: The Danger of Undiagnosed Spiritual Decline
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, but and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat … Continue reading My Prayer for 2022: Hunger
He bowed the heavens and came downPsalm 18:9 Whenever my wife yells for me from another room in our house, it always means one of three things: Something is leaking,There’s a bug that needs to be killed, orThere’s a lid that needs to be opened. When she does this, I wish I always jumped up … Continue reading He Loves Us, So He Came To Us
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly ...Colossians 3:16 Since I began following Jesus in 2005, I have tried various Bible study methods in my private, devotional time. I’ve used one-year Bible reading plans. I’ve used Replicate Ministry’s HEAR Journal approach. I’ve used a color-coded highlighting method. And I’ve used different devotional books … Continue reading How I Study The Bible
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:17 The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians is about growing up into maturity in Christ. Paul writes to encourage the Colossians to not get distracted or deceived by worldly … Continue reading Growing In Christ By Growing In Thankfulness
"...to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ."Colossians 2:2 A couple weeks ago I had one last meeting with a guy I’ve been meeting with almost weekly through ATLAS for the past few years. During that meeting he said, “I really thought I’d be … Continue reading God Makes Growth Possible … And Five Other Truths About Growing In Christ From Colossians 2
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.1 Timothy 6:18-19 Where sin compels us to say, “I need more and … Continue reading Tight Fists Can’t Grasp True Life
“[S]eek to show hospitality.”Romans 12:13 When my wife and I moved to South Dakota in 2004, I was not following Jesus. My wife Marie was really the only reason I went to church then. At Marie’s prompting, we visited church after church. We would slip in and out each Sunday without anyone ever really engaging … Continue reading Compelled To Welcome: Hospitality And The Great Commission
For the past five years, I’ve deeply enjoyed helping men try to discern what God is up to in their lives through the mentoring ministry of ATLAS of West Central Minnesota. But the past few years I’ve also been learning from my own mentors as I’ve been discerning a call toward pastoral ministry. I’ve had … Continue reading Life Update: Our Family’s Upcoming Transition
My girls love big stories. Like me, they love to read and watch epic adventures. Their first taste of big stories came from Veggie Tales, which was then followed by Pixar’s Cars. As we emerged from the Cars phase (and let me tell you, this was a significant phase at our house), we discovered The … Continue reading Great Stories For The Greatest Story: My Most Frequent Prayer for My Daughters
A Thrill of Hope 