Emmaus at Pilot Mill

I have no resume to hold before you, no track record of accomplishments, no letters of commendation, no rights of birth or ethnicity. I have nothing that would place you in my debt, nothing that could curry your favor, nothing that would obligate you. I wish unbridled zeal would commend me to you. I wish unbroken obedience would draw your attention. I wish model wisdom and model love would convinc...

There is no question that sin is dangerous. There is no question that it produces no good. There is no question that it seduces everyone. There is no question of its power to deceive. There’s no question that I am a victim. There is no question that I was born in its fold. There is no question that I have no power to escape it. There is no question that I can’t free myself from its hold. There is...

I want to trust you, but not always. I want to believe that your way is the best way, but not always. I want to believe that you are wisdom, that I have a little, but not always. I want to believe that every boundary you set is good for me, but not always. I have come to love your law, but not always. I have given my heart to worship the Creator, but not always. I’ve come to understand that the we...

God doesn’t want you to come to him empty-handed. No, you can’t come to him full of yourself, and you can’t come to him based on your track record, and you can’t use your performance as a recommendation. No, you can’t come to him based on your family, your personality, your education, your position in life, the successes you’ve had, the possessions you’ve accumulated, or the human acceptance you’v...

It will be the most exuberant celebration ever. It will never grow boring. It will always be fresh. It will consume us all. We will want to do nothing else. The celebration will go on and on, with songs that will never grow old. We will be so amazed that we have been invited into the choir. And our amazement will never abate. This celebration that will never end is the celebration of grace. If you...

Teaching on Luke 9:46-62

I envy too much. Calculating that math of success and possessions to see if my resources add up to more than others. I noticed too much when others enjoy companies. I think too much of how others seem blessed by you. I analyze too much the balance sheet of your goodness. My envy exposes the danger of my selfish heart. My envy reveals that I often worship me more than I worship you. My envy shows I...

Identity amnesia produces identity replacement. It has been humanity’s problem since a man and a woman in a garden (given as a gift) attempted to reach up for the place of Another. ____________ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Ps. 8:4) Take...

I was anxious this morning – too many details, loose ends, “what if‘s“ and “if only‘s.” Demanding schedule, depending on people, deadlines lurking. Feeling out of control, in adequate, and overscheduled. Worry Rob‘s peace. Doubt plunders face. Anxiety decimates rest. Impatient, irritable, demanding, and loving, and thankful, convicted, remorseful, confessing. Worry is forgetful. Anxiety is a form...

You are the sun that shines in the darkness. You are the water that quenches thirst. You are the balm that heals the wounded. You’re the Master that calms the storm. You are the rose of brightest beauty. You are the chosen, perfect Lamb. You are the King of a greater kingdom. You are the captain of battles won. You are the lion of chosen Judah. You are the dove of peace that’s come. You are the sh...

I really wish I could blame somebody else. I wish I could place the responsibility on someone else. I would love to point the finger at someone else. I wish I could convince myself that it was somebody else. I tried to feed myself the logic that it was somebody else. For a moment about my argument that it was somebody else. There is always another sinner who can bear my fault. There’s always some...

I need to see your beauty. I need to remember that you are beautiful in sovereignty, beautiful and wisdom, beautiful in power, beautiful and mercy, beautiful and faithfulness, beautiful in love, beautiful and patience, beautiful in holiness, beautiful injustice, and beautiful and grace. It is only when I look at the trials of my life, the things unwanted, the things unplanned, the things unexpecte...

I think about it all the time. It doesn’t seem fair. It doesn’t seem right. I try to make the equation work, but it doesn’t. They don’t give you the time of day. They couldn’t care less about your law. They are proud of their pride. they are so arrogant their tongues strut. They mock your existence. They scoff at your boundaries. They not only make threats, they resort to violence. Their boasting...

Unthinkable, irrational, impossible to conceive! The Trinity torn asunder. The son wrenched from his Father. Salvation realized. I am the liar. I am the thief. I am the gossip. I am the rebel. I have wanted my own way in my own time at my appointed place. I have rebelled against your law and I have set up my own. I deny your kingship while building a kingdom of my own. I think my wisdom is wiser t...

One thing, One thing, One thing! It’s hard to imagine one thing When I seem to be attracted to so many things. It is a continuing struggle. It is a daily battle. It is my constant war. The world of the physical attracts me, excites me, magnetizes me, and addicts me. I confuse consumption with satisfaction. I confuse satisfied senses with true joy. I confuse a stomach that is full with a heart at r...

Today I am very weak-- weak body, weak heart, lacking ability, devoid of resolve, little anticipation, waves of discouragement, whispers of fear, dreading a sleepless night, expecting the pain of the morning, wishing to run, nowhere to hide, feeling sentenced to what I cannot survive. Wondering, “How long?” Questions-- no answers. But I have come to understand that my weakness is a grace, that hop...

Aren’t you glad you're not like David, such blazoned sin; how could he? Aren’t you glad you’re not like Saul, making up his own rules;what was he thinking? Aren’t you glad you’re not like Cain, Violence against his own brother? Aren’t you glad you’re not like Rebekah, such planned deceit? Aren’t you glad you're not like the Israelites, so easily seduced by idols? Aren’t you glad you’re no like Abs...

There is no one like you. There are no words to adequately capture thewonder of your redeeming power. There is no one like you. No one who knows what you know. No one who is able to do what you do. You reign over all that is. You do with your creation whatever you want to do. No one can question you. No one has the power to stop your hand. You turn hardship into rescue. You turn suffering into red...

I wish I would live with you in view-- eyes to your glory, ears for your wisdom, heart for your grace. But I live with me in view-- eyes to my kingdom, ears for my opinion, heart captured by my will. I know that I was made for you. I know that hope, meaning, purpose, identity, and my agenda for every day is to be found in you. But I want my own kingdom. I love my own glory. I define my own meaning...

Every one of us is a preacher. We are always preaching some kind of gospel to ourselves. Every one of us is a theologian. we are always repeating some kind of belief system to ourselves. Every one of us is a philosopher. We are alway discussing mean and purpose with ourselves. Every one of us is an archaeologist. We are always digging through the mound of experiences that is our life, making sense...

Hard moments Between the already and the not yet. Hard moments in a world gone bad. Hard moments when temptation seduces. Hard moments with a body weak and mind tired. Hard moments when friends promise, but betray. Hard moments when unexpected difficulty surprises. Hard moments when discouragement blinds vision. Hard moments when once again centrals the heart. Hard moments with so many things br...