A Personal Journal of Grace and Discipleship
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved me and gave himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20
From the blog
The Exchanged Life: Finding Freedom and Wholeness Through Spirituotherapy
In a world filled with competing counseling models, it’s not uncommon to find contrasting views on what “biblical” or “Christian” counseling truly means. Searching for answers can feel overwhelming, and the terms alone—“biblical counseling” versus “Christian counseling”—can spark endless debates on how, or whether, secular counseling methodologies fit within a Christian framework.
Living in the Garden of Grace: Those Faithful Ones
Faithfulness is a hallmark of a life that honors God, yet Scripture reminds us that it is far from common. Proverbs declares both the rarity of faithfulness and its profound impact. It contrasts the steadfast servant with the burden of unfaithfulness, painting a vivid picture of the blessing faithfulness brings to others and the sorrow caused by its absence.
The Holiness of God: Reflections on Chapter 21 of The Knowledge of the Holy
In The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer explores the majestic and often overwhelming concept of God’s holiness. Holiness, as Tozer emphasizes, is not simply one attribute of God among others—it is the defining characteristic of His being. It is the unapproachable light of His purity, the very essence of His perfection, and the foundation of His moral authority over creation.
The Harmony of Many Parts
The diversity within the body of Christ reflects God's wisdom and purpose. Just as each part of the body has a unique function, so each believer has a distinct role in God’s plan. Whether our role is public or hidden, vocal or supportive, each is vital to the harmonious functioning of the whole.
Worship: Giving Back the Best to the Best
Worship, as Oswald Chambers describes, is the act of giving God the best of what He has given us. It is a deliberate offering, a recognition that every blessing is meant to flow back to the Giver. Abraham's altar-building near Bethel symbolizes this communion with God—a life lived between the sacred and the secular, dedicated to worship in all circumstances.
Be Loving: The Heart of God's Law
In response to a question about the greatest commandment, Jesus summarizes the essence of God's law: love. “Love the Lord your God…love your neighbor.” These two commandments form the foundation of all the law and the prophets, binding together God’s expectations for His people.
Fullness of Self
In our Christian journey, we are governed by one of two powers: the self-life or the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The self-life leads to turmoil and strife, while life in the Spirit brings peace, purpose, and joy.
J.H. McC. describes the self-life as an “awful power” that resists the Spirit's work, grieves God, and suffocates the fruits of the Spirit. N.G. reminds us that the knowledge of self is vital, second only to knowing the Lord Jesus. Understanding our own nature prepares us to fully embrace the transformative power of the Spirit. F.M. encourages us to surrender self to the cross, allowing the Holy Spirit to keep the old nature in the place of death so that Christ may have preeminence.
Reflections on Revelation 20: The Thousand-Year Reign, Final Battle, and Final Judgment
In this passage, Satan is bound and imprisoned for a symbolic thousand years, signifying God’s sovereign control over the forces of evil. This temporary binding prevents Satan from deceiving the nations, offering a period of peace and rest for God’s people. The imagery of keys and chains underscores the absolute authority of God over Satan and his domain.
Reflections on Matthew 20: Gratitude, Servanthood, and Compassion
This parable challenges our natural inclination to compare ourselves with others. The landowner's generosity is the central theme, illustrating the grace of God’s kingdom. The workers hired first struggle with envy, believing their effort warrants greater reward. Yet, the landowner gently reminds them that they agreed to their wage and invites them to see his generosity as a cause for gratitude, not resentment.
Reflections on Jeremiah 37: A Lesson in Faith, Leadership, and Divine Purpose
As Babylon threatened Jerusalem, Zedekiah found himself in a precarious position. Hoping for divine intervention, he sought a favorable word from Jeremiah, much like Hezekiah had sought from Isaiah during the Assyrian siege generations earlier (Isaiah 36–37). However, the context was starkly different. Unlike Hezekiah, Zedekiah and the people of Judah had persistently ignored God's word. Jeremiah had explicitly been instructed by God not to pray for their deliverance (Jeremiah 14:11), and the divine judgment on Jerusalem was irreversible.
The Futility of Earthly Pursuits: A Reflection on Ecclesiastes 2
The Teacher begins by exploring the pursuit of pleasure as a means to find meaning in life. He discovers that even the most extravagant pleasures fail to satisfy the human heart. Solomon's life, marked by immense wealth, splendor, and indulgence (1 Kings 4–11), serves as a vivid backdrop to this conclusion. The endless pursuit of pleasure becomes a laborious task, leaving the soul empty and unfulfilled.
Building God's True Temple: A Reflection on 1 Chronicles 22
David’s zeal for the glory of God shines brightly as he begins preparations for building the temple. Although David longed to construct this dwelling place for the Lord, God prohibited him from doing so due to the bloodshed and warfare that characterized his reign. Instead, the temple was to be built by Solomon, a king whose reign would bring peace and rest to the nation.
From Desperation to Transformation: A Christ-Centered Perspective
On January 1, 2025, a tragic event shook Las Vegas: a Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel injured seven people and claimed the life of its perpetrator, Matthew Livelsberger. His letters and manifesto revealed a man deeply burdened by guilt, despair, and a search for meaning. This tragedy invites reflection on the human condition and how lives burdened by brokenness can find peace and transformation through God’s grace.
Preparation: Embracing the Process of Becoming Like Christ
In The Green Letters, Miles Stanford leads us through a vital truth: God's preparation in our lives is as essential as His purpose for us. Without preparation, there can be no fulfillment of His eternal plan to conform us to the image of His Son. Yet, preparation often involves uncomfortable and humbling experiences, designed to show us the insufficiency of self and the sufficiency of Christ.
God uses need—our awareness of inadequacy—to draw us into dependence upon Him. In this, we come to know that every failure, struggle, and season of waiting is part of His gracious process of forming Christ in us.
The Love of God: An Infinite, Active, and Personal Reality
In The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer presents a profound exploration of God’s love—a love that transcends human understanding yet manifests itself so intimately that it transforms the lives of those who receive it. God’s love is not merely an attribute or a passive force; it is active, infinite, and deeply personal. It is a love that seeks, draws, sacrifices, and sustains.
Living in the Garden of Grace: Is There Any Hope?
Once, in a bustling marketplace, there lived a master weaver renowned for his breathtaking tapestries. People marveled at his ability to turn seemingly worthless threads into magnificent works of art. One day, a young man brought him a tattered bundle of frayed, mismatched threads. "Can you make something of this?" he asked, his voice trembling. "There’s no pattern, no beauty, just scraps."
The weaver smiled gently. "These threads are more than enough," he replied.
The Faith That Stands Firm
Abraham’s life reveals what it means to be dependable in the hands of God. When the Lord declared, “I know him,” He affirmed Abraham’s steadfastness and trustworthiness. Abraham’s commitment to righteousness allowed God to fulfill His promises through him. In the same way, God calls us to be vessels capable of bearing His love, power, and promises.
The Journey to True Discipleship
Peter’s journey from eager disciple to a broken denier and finally to a Spirit-filled apostle mirrors the transformation every believer undergoes in truly following Jesus. Initially, Peter followed Christ with the excitement of new discovery and the confidence of his own strength. Yet, at the moment of greatest trial, he faltered, denying the very Lord he vowed to never forsake.
Be Holy: Reflecting God’s Character
God’s directive to His people in Leviticus 19:1–4 is both simple and challenging: “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” Holiness, rooted in the very nature of God, becomes the guiding standard for how we live and relate to Him and one another. His call to holiness is not arbitrary but flows from His own character—pure, righteous, and without blemish.
Love That Draws and Conforms: The Everlasting Initiative of God
In Jeremiah 31:3, the Lord reminds us: “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” These words unveil a divine truth—God’s initiative in loving and drawing us to Himself is eternal and unchanging. From the very beginning, He has taken the first step. His love is not reactive but proactive, seeking us even before we knew we needed Him.
Discovering God’s Purpose in Spiritual Growth
Miles J. Stanford’s Chapter 4, Purpose, unveils the incredible truth of God’s eternal plan for each believer: to conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. By understanding this purpose, we gain clarity, rest, and assurance in our walk with the Lord, as well as a deeper appreciation for His sovereignty in every circumstance.