The Beatitudes are a pronouncement, based on observation, that a certain way of being in the world produces human flourishing and felicity. These were common in ancient literature, including in Jewish texts. What is uncommon is who Jesus described as the ones who are flourishing ..read more

The Sermon on the Mount provides a lot of guidance for everyday living. But it does so with the end firmly in mind. This is an important understanding for biblical theology - we are never just living for the here-and-now, even while we are encouraged not to worry about tomorrow. We have in view God's grand purpose to redeem and restore all of creation and to bring his people into full and right relationship with himself and each other ..read more

The women came to the tomb that day carrying spices. Those spices represent several things: grief, tension between faith and doubt, tradition and duty, and questions. What have you brought to the tomb ..read more

We are considering Gethsemane, and Jesus' prayer there, and looking at it through the lens of Philippians 2 ..read more

Even when face to face with a resurrection miracle, there are those who doubt. Jesus prayed a specific prayer before calling Lazarus out, and it was for those struggling to believe ..read more

Prayers of blessing are much more than just hoping to get something good for yourself. The blessing of God opens channels of favor and paths of right-living within our hearts, and flows out into our families, our church, our community. We need to seek the Lord's blessing ..read more

Prayer is about talking with God about what you need. And he knows what you need. And he's a loving God who is intensely interested in receiving your sincere prayers and answering. It's not a formula, it's not a guarantee of everything going your way, but it is an invitation to relationship with God ..read more

As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, a vital practice of prayer is listening ..read more

Give something back. Give something forward ..read more

In our consumer culture, saturated by advertising and manipulation, we are accustomed to being baited and targeted. Was this what Jesus had in mind when he said he would teach his followers how to fish for people ..read more