Forged By Faith

2 Corinthians 5:6 NIV considers not what’s next But rather only what’s then next. Because as time goes wherever the rest of time’s gone into what is a past that for now still seems oddly present, this faith presents us with this trust that helps us to grow in both the understanding of and appreciation in what is a faith that says that it’s not what we go through that matters most of all but rather where we get to go to once we’ve gone through whatever He’s determined we need to in order to ensure that we’re by then ready to fit through what is a doorway so narrow that none of us can fit as we sit. Which is the companion understanding that helps us to come to terms with where we’re standing and start here seeking for reasons as to why here we have. For here is still not home and so it makes no sense for us to know still so much of all that’s still here, does it? Honestly, I find myself asking myself this kind of question constantly. Why am I worried about whatever’s happening? Why do th...

2 Corinthians 5:1 NIV delights in the dismantling For there’s just this strange sort of something that begins to become what we come to believe was always there waiting for us to stop believing that seeing was the way to find it. Or that it was our efforts which would get us there to wherever it is that we’re going. Or that we’d find our power of some point or purpose along the way. Or that He needed us to have a say as to how the road goes and what does and doesn’t get to go along it with us. Or that it was even about us to begin with. Because it isn’t. And that’s perhaps the main thing that we need to have destroyed. It’s this idea that has had all of us convinced that we’re more important than we are. This theory that we’ve such authority that we can both call and create, invent and that with intent, that our tents are our pride, our prize, our lives thus our own. They’re not. Alas we’ve fallen so in love with the idea that perhaps they could be that all we see are all these ways an...

1 John 2:28 NIV Lead me indeed And that unto the Rock which remaineth so higher than I. Why? For I’ve a house to build as bought in hope and bridged in the holiness that is both where my hope is held and too in He who is the Way toward that home which is what every house should seek to be. Yes, none builds a house with the express intent of it remaining a tent in which is stored only worldly goods and wayward dreams. No, every house imagines itself a home as is filled with love and joy and peace and purpose as posed upon the protection of all the above. But such homes are only known when built upon the Rock that makes them stand as the shifting of sand only brings to hand the inability to hold together much of anything. And there is found an even deeper depth to this dire desire to dream far bigger and love far better in that promise that our “work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of ...

Hebrews 4:16 NIV To watch a world refuse to step through a door left wide open unto all the goodness one could possibly imagine is an entirely heartbreaking and mind-blowing scene to behold. That is, until you realize that you've done the very same in your own life. One of humanity’s most jarring attributes is without question this tendency to carry such a haughty outlook of ourselves that we’ve not the ability to admit that we often need help to shake off all that we’ve destroyed in our lives. Our general temperament is one of vanity and pride, and due to this condition, we find hearts racing away from healing toward more harm than they really desire, simply because they desire not to temper their behavior and seek refinement through humility. No, we’d rather crash into the wall than have to acknowledge our many failures and flaws, let alone slow down enough to actively repent of them and embrace the grace we know we need before the grave. This reality is one that all of us in com...

Matthew 7:25 NIV Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. I've had this one in mind for a while now and figured it would be a good one for the start of this new year. Today is a new start. It's a new month. A new year. The first day of the rest of our time on this earth. And it's imperative that we remember that everything we do, every choice we make, every challenge we face in the days and weeks ahead is a building block that is building something. We choose what we build and how we build it. What if we start this year off focused on building our lives on the truths and lessons that the Bible tells us? If we once found joy in the simple truth of that little song we sang in Sunday school then why don't we get back to the basics that it was teaching us? Why don't we strip everything back down to the foundation that we've been given in God's word? Why don't we take this opportunity to start new and focus on building everything we think, say,...

Psalm 18:30 NIV After a day like yesterday, knowing that God works differently is about the best chance at peace that we can have. So many things seem to go wrong in life. Plenty of rough days. We've talked a lot about the challenges that we face and the weight that they bring into our lives. It's in those moments that we need to lean most on God and the promise found in this verse. Yesterday was one of the days that you can't wait to be over. Seeing loved ones sick and hurting. Worrying about new issues that come out of nowhere. Not feeling well. Making mistakes. No matter what you try to do it seems like you can't accomplish anything. Stumbling through the entire day more than ready to go to sleep and hopefully wake up to something better. All of us have been there and we've all gotten through those days. They're not easy but God still leads us as faithfully through the hard days as He does the smooth ones. We lose ourselves in our circumstances. We become bli...

1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV We become leery of faith and trust because we place them in all the wrong things. We put our hope in other people who may potentially let us down. Trust is given to things that break or opportunities that never come around. And when we continually put ourselves out there only to see our trust taken for granted it's all too easy to become hardened and close ourselves off. This can be a pretty cold and nasty world. Sadly too many people are only looking out for themselves and they'll only do what benefits them. Kindness and caring should be standard but that's unfortunately not always the case. That's why it always stings when someone else lets us down or proves that they simply don't care about us. We all like to assume the best and it's shaking when it doesn't pan out that way. But we can't afford to harden our hearts just because other people have let us down or simply don't care. At the end of the day it doesn't really mat...

Acts 1:8 NIV I'm telling you, we have to stop limiting who we are in our faith. This world likes to keep people down by convincing them that they're small. We've all been told that we're too weak, too messed up, too unimportant to ever make a difference. But the opinions of this place cannot alter what God says about us. And as this verse points out, He created us to be a part of something massive! We've all been there and that thought of giving up before we even get started. We think, "How can I possibly make a difference? Why should I even try?" Well, because God thinks we can do it. In fact He knows we can do it. He created us to do it! He designed us to be His hands and feet down here. He built us to carry His love and compassion to those around us. So if He doesn't doubt us then we should stop doubting ourselves! The truth is that it's not about us. It's not about our capabilities. Our impact isn't reliant upon our strength, knowledge,...

John 16:33 NIV I woke up today to find that my mom is feeling completely horrible again. I hate seeing people not feel well, especially when they just look done and ready to throw in the towel because it's so miserable. There's been a lot of that for most us lately. Pain, illness, being worn out by everything that we're dealing with. Life is this constant series of ups and downs. But over the past year or so it seems that the downs are more frequent and longer lasting. So it got me to thinking about how rough life can become. That's not some huge secret or surprise to anyone. Every one of us have faced plenty of situations that have helped us see that fact. But what do we do about it? Do we roll over and give up the ghost? Do we whine and complain all the time? Do we let the hard days get us down so far that no amount of good days can lift us back up? Well, all of those are options I guess but not one of them will help us in any way. What will always help though is lean...