"We fail to remember that God is as the Psalmist describes: an abundant fountain, a river of delights, a full house, a radiant light. The Psalmist knows God never operates out of scarcity. Where we must begin with Deeper is recognizing the ever flowing depths of the fountain of God. He is living water, because it is always abundant and always flowing. Scarcity mindset keeps us from going deeper, because we are afraid the safety net either isn’t there or doesn’t go deep enough. We won’t risk, because we can’t. We can’t possibly risk such things. There might not be anything left. There might not be any left for me. We are all like Goldilocks lamenting lost porridge, broken chairs, and occupied beds. But God always has room and always makes room. He is an overflowing fountain."
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Abiding through the fall at City Pres meant holding on for dear life to your life preserver ring hoping the other side of the rope is attached to the rescue boat, continually clinging, continually waiting. But abiding in the new year at City Pres is what I think we’re being called into: “Deeper.”
Keep ReadingJul 19
2018
"The God of the universe is walking with you, bringing peace, comfort, provision, rest, feast, promise, goodness, mercy & dwelling. It’s a big, glorious story that we are a part of, and we need to cultivate joy, allow it to well up in us, celebrate and revel in the goodness of our loving Savior."
Jun 14
2018
So here I sit, wrestling through this reality, all the while examining areas of my life where my worship is misplaced. How have I been duped?
Jun 7
2018
I may feel exhausted or discouraged or wounded by events in my life, but do I recognize the underlying battle?
May 31
2018
...the Revelation of John for things to come points to a people so engrossed in their self-sufficiency that the thunder of heaven cannot turn their unrepentant hearts - how much like that are we? How much like that am I?
May 17
2018
“How long this world will suffer, how long I will suffer… Do you hear my cries? Do you know the brokenness?”
Apr 19
2018
I don’t have to deny or hide my weakness because the beauty of them is they point to a God who promises to make me new.
Mar 29
2018
Despite the fact that Jesus literally states in the verse that he will be with us “always, to the end of the age,” I often feel alone when confronted with the idea of trying to share the Gospel.
Mar 23
2018
As broken as this earthly existence can be, there are eternal promises that break through and transcend the brokenness.
Mar 15
2018
Much like the city of Pergamum, I followed the only way I had known, and in doing so I had no compass for my life...
Feb 22
2018
The book of Revelation, I have found, as I’m sure have many of you, is one of the books of the Bible where I really have a difficult time getting the message from my head to my heart.
Feb 1
2018
Living under the new covenant of Jesus’ blood, we also get to see the beautiful picture of Jesus drawing people from every nation, tribe, and tongue to Himself.
Jan 18
2018
There’s nothing like a natural disaster to inspire people to ask deep questions about the meaning of life, justice, and the existence of evil and hardship.
Jan 4
2018
The rainbow is not a promise that life will get better after experiencing a storm. The rainbow is the promise that God will send a rescue, that God will be our refuge.
Nov 29
2017
Adam and Eve based their hope on Cain, as a result of an incomplete and flawed understanding of God’s promised redemption.
Nov 23
2017
We look forward and say there is a better day coming because of Jesus. And not only do we look forward, but we hasten it by living today as a renewed people in the midst of that broken world.
Nov 23
2017
Entering into moments of vulnerability consciously and intentionally is risky, but it stops shame in it’s tracks.
Nov 16
2017
What was once unending, immediate, and bountifully provided, within a few bites of fruit was now cursed with enmity, great pain, and toil. Marriage was once to be harmonious and is now divisive, pain is brought forth at the births of our children, God is farther away from us and we dig through thistles for fruit.
Oct 25
2017
Satan placed doubt of God's goodness and sovereignty in the minds of Adam and Eve just as sin does to us now. Instead of looking to God, we look to the “Tree” for our fulfillment...
Oct 19
2017
We were made for this interdependent community. We were made to share those extreme differences in order to produce extreme growth. We were made to be with one another in order to remove the possibility of the bad: loneliness.
Oct 12
2017
The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents the fall of men and the tree of life reflects the way God designed us to exist. Between these two trees, there stands the tree that Jesus died on to pay the price of the fall and reconcile us to God.
Sep 8
2017
I sit there and soak it up with a candle lit and music playing, because the orderliness of the house makes me feel in control and relaxed for the 5 minutes that it stays that way. Maybe heaven will smell like cleanliness and soap...
Aug 24
2017
As we deal with so much uncertainty in this life, what do we do with that? More often than not, we try to create safety, security, comfort, “home” in the temporary things of this world.
Aug 17
2017
"Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul" -Mark Twain
Aug 10
2017
This Sunday, as we unpacked hospitality, and love was intertwined in every part. Fear creates exclusive community, but love gives way to inclusive hospitality.
Jun 8
2017
There is such an urgent need for Jesus in this city that it becomes overwhelming and easy to give up on people and our mission.
May 25
2017
You see, I’m not that different from Nebuchadnezzar. He wanted to build a legacy for himself, and he did. Just like him, I’m trying to build a legacy… And I’m anxious when I think that I might not accomplish these goals or, even worse, that having accomplished them I might see them taken away from me.
Sep 8
2016
Unpacking Psalm 121 as a picture of life's journey and God's protection.