When God feels distant, believers are called to trust in His promises and seek Him through His Word, persistent prayer, and reflection on His faithfulness. These seasons are not signs of His absence but opportunities to grow in faith, relying on His timing and purpose. By staying connected to Christian community and choosing faith over feelings, we can continue to walk faithfully, confident that God is closer than we realize.
Category Archives: relationships
DEEP DIVE: The Prodigal Son
The gospel message is clearly found in the parable of the Prodigal Son that Jesus tells in Luke 15. The reality is this parable is so much more than just a “lost son.” This parable is about the compassion of the Father. These three videos are from a three-part sermon series on the Lost SonContinue reading “DEEP DIVE: The Prodigal Son”
Limitation of “I”
“I said…” “It is mine…” “I can do…” “I have to do…” These phrases are all part of our everyday vernacular. We tend to focus on “I/me/self” over anyone else. We’ll over exaggerate our part and what we have to do, and (possibly?) inadvertently discredit the work of others which elevates our own self inContinue reading “Limitation of “I””
Focus on Jesus
What reminds you of the joy Jesus brings? What helps you to focus on Jesus? Each month, I am privileged to take Communion to our Homebound people. As a pastor, Communion always means more each time I preside over the sacrament and each time I partake of the sacrament. Something is different this month. Division,Continue reading “Focus on Jesus”
Is AI Technology Helping Us?
Chat GPT and all these other AI (artificial intelligence) tools are pretty cool. You can get incredible information and creative content based on the gazillion data stored online for many years. Combining your thoughts or prompts with the “genius” of brilliant people through the years can help you post great stories, blogs, essays, you nameContinue reading “Is AI Technology Helping Us?”
Sit. Walk. Stand.
I wish I were smart enough to come up with this title and concept, but Watchman Nee did first, and he wrote a great, short book with this same title. Sit. Walk. Stand. This is the picture of the Christian life. It is also the picture and progress the Apostle Paul lays out in theContinue reading “Sit. Walk. Stand.”
What Does the New Testament Say?
This is Part 2 of Overview of the Bible Series. Click here for Part 1: What Does the Old Testament Say? If you could sum up the Bible in one word, what would it be? This may be tricky for some. Some may be thinking we can’t sum up the Bible in one word. IContinue reading “What Does the New Testament Say?”
Made in the Image of God
Created in the Image of God “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”[1] The imago Dei has been aContinue reading “Made in the Image of God”
The Danger of Riches
In 1780, John Wesley wrote a sermon called “The Danger of Riches.” This is a message to help us keep our priorities straight when it comes to material goods. Based on the scripture 1 Timothy 6:9, “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful desires whichContinue reading “The Danger of Riches”
Noah: Nobody’s Perfect
There are movies and books and stories that we allow to speak to our hearts. We fall in love with the characters and root for them, or want what’s coming to them to happen. The stories we seem to pay more attention to add to our notion that life is all about us. One ofContinue reading “Noah: Nobody’s Perfect”
R Y A N S T R A T T O N 