Several years ago, a story circulated that captured the attention of the nation. A billionaire philanthropist stood before a graduating class at Morehouse College and announced that he would personally pay off all of their student loan debt. Hundreds of graduates were suddenly released from millions of dollars in financial obligation. As reactions poured in, many of the students described the moment with words like “liberation,” “disbelief,” and “overwhelming gratitude.” One statement stood out above the rest. The donor encouraged the graduates, essentially saying, “Go out into the world. Do what makes your heart sing. Don’t worry about your debt.”…
“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4 I deeply treasure my alone time with God. There is intimacy in the secret place that cannot be replicated. Yet, there is also something uniquely precious about gathering with the body of Christ. When I worship beside fellow believers, I am strengthened because their faith stirs mine, and their praise reminds me that I am not walking this journey alone. We need one another. David’s desire was not merely for a place, but for presence. He desired to dwell and abide in the house of the Lord. That same longing should guide us when we gather as the church. We do not come simply out of habit, nor for inspiration alone, but with hearts inclined toward encounter. We do not go to church to be entertained; we go to church to entertain the presence of God. And yet, remember—we are the church. We carry Jesus into a broken world wherever we go. Our gatherings should shape…
“If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.” Haggai 2:12–13, KJV. The book of Haggai is written to the Jewish people who had finally returned home after seventy years of Babylonian exile. They were given the sacred privilege of rebuilding the Temple; the very place where God’s presence would dwell among them once again. From the outside, everything looked right. The work had resumed, the altar stood, and the people were busy with the Lord’s work. Yet in love, God paused their progress. Through Haggai, the Lord asked His priests two simple but searching questions. First, Can touching something holy transfer holiness? The priests answered, “No.” Then, He asked, Can touching something unclean transfer uncleanness? The answer was, “Yes.” He wanted His people to understand that working on a holy assignment does not automatically heal their heart, just as sacred…
“And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household.” 2 Samuel 6:11 Scripture tells us that Obededom’s household was blessed for one powerful reason: the ark of the covenant resided in his home. In the Old Testament, the ark represented the tangible presence, glory, and mercy of God. Where God’s presence dwelled, blessing followed. Yet the ark was never intended to remain in one man’s house. Its purpose was far greater, it was meant to dwell among an entire nation. What appeared to be…
“A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench; He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.” Isaiah 42:3 I love camping. There’s nothing quite like building a fire, roasting marshmallows, and creating the perfect ooey, gooey s’more—one that somehow still manages to drip chocolate down your wrist no matter how careful you are. But the real test of the fire comes in the morning. You wake up cold. Your bones ache. You unzip the tent, already dreaming of warmth, and walk over to the fire pit… only to find a sad pile of gray ash. No flames. No crackle. Just the remains of what used to be an all-consuming fire. It looks like all hope is lost. But if you’ve ever camped before, you know better. When you begin to stir the ashes, you’ll often discover red-hot embers still glowing underneath. The fire didn’t die—it just went quiet. Add a little kindling, blow gently, fan the flame, and suddenly that fire is alive again. That’s how it can feel in our walk with God. Some of you may feel cast aside, worn down, or like your spiritual fire has burned out completely. Maybe life…
“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” (Luke 8:16, ESV) I like light. If you walk through my home, you will notice several lamps in each room. I also have plug-in nightlights, lights on timers, flashlights, and even rechargeable lights in case the electricity goes out. Outside I have motion lights and other lights on timers. I even take a nightlight when I travel. Without light, I’m apt to stumble in the dark. I feel much safer when there is light. A few months ago, a severe storm disrupted the power in several neighborhoods, including mine. For two days, I was without electricity. At night, I sat in the dark with one small oil lamp providing a little light. The flashlight batteries were weak, and the beam didn’t reach far. Hours later, learning of my predicament, friends brought some rechargeable lightbulbs. What a difference they made! The light was much stronger! LIGHT IS ESSENTIAL Light is important to our existence because light is life-sustaining. We have life on earth because we have the light and…