Sharing Life and Christ

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed. Mark 1:35 I love being a “morning person.” I love waking up early before the busyness of the day has begun. I love the freedom of having the first two-plus hours of my day spent in almost complete silence without distractions and schedules. I love the opportunity to start the day slowly and prepare for the hustle and bustle that awaits me the moment I walk out the door of my apartment. But mostly, I love waking to a loving God who never sleeps who desires for me to know Him intimately. It is in the sweetness of the morning that I am able to focus on pursuing Jesus Christ. My interests at 5:15 a.m. are not divided. I know why I am awake. And God has blessed that in spectacular ways. I’ve been an advocate of morning devotional time for the past few years since I got serious about studying the Bible and deepening my relationship w...

Having risen this morning with the Son well before the sun has peaked above the horizon, I have come back to this question asked to everyone who attended CrossWay Community Church on Sunday. Pastor Mike Bullmore asked us to consider why we would actually commit ourselves to Jesus Christ and follow Him. As a musician, I know the importance of fundamentals. If I don’t practice scales and articulation exercises and breathing exercises, I will not be as successful when it comes time to play real music. It is always good to go back to the fundamentals no matter how skilled at something we become. It is no different with our faith as Christians. And the question, “Why should I entrust myself to Jesus?” is a fundamental question that is good to return to. It begs us to search the deepest reaches of our hearts to find comfort. Even when the world (and possibly our loved ones) claims to offer a better alternative, as Christians, we know through experience that Jesus Christ ...

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus… Philippians 2:5 And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it… Luke 19:41 Here is Jesus nearing Jerusalem only days away from being beaten and hung on a cross. He had been telling His disciples that this day was approaching, and they refused to believe it. Now, Jesus is coming into town riding on a colt, lowly, meekly, yet with such exuberant joy from His followers. At this point, Jesus is the only one that knows how His kingdom will be established, and I imagine that had His followers known, their welcome rally may have looked a little different. Nonetheless, their King has arrived in Jerusalem. Jesus sees the city and weeps. It isn’t for the city but for the people that He weeps. He weeps for their hardened hearts and murderous thoughts. He weeps for their darkened souls and impending destruction. And these aren’t just any people. These are the people that will yell, “Crucify Hi...