The Cross Is the Way Luke 9:23–25 Jesus said to everyone, “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will save them. What advantage do people have if they gain the whole world for themselves yet perish or lose their lives? Pilgrims need a direction. For Christians, that direction is ultimately revealed in Jesus. We may not know e

You're in the Story Hebrews 11:39–12:2 All these people didn’t receive what was promised, though they were given approval for their faith. God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us. So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer

Remember So You Can Keep Going Psalm 77:11–14 But I will remember the Lord’s deeds; yes, I will remember your wondrous acts from times long past. I will meditate on all your works; I will ponder your deeds. God, your way is holiness! Who is as great a god as you, God? You are the God who works wonders; you have demonstrated your strength among all peoples. Pilgrims remember differently than tourists. Tourists preserve memories so they can look back and say, “I wish we could g

You Don't Need the Whole Map Hebrews 11:8–16 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out without knowing where he was going. By faith he lived in the land he had been promised as a stranger. He lived in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were coheirs of the same promise. He was looking forward to a city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith even Sarah received the a

Tourist or Pilgrim? Hebrews 11:8–10 (CEB) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out without knowing where he was going. By faith he lived in the land he had been promised as a stranger. He lived in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were coheirs of the same promise. He was looking forward to a city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. We live in a world built around exper

Open Hands Psalm 65:5–8 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. 6 By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. 7 You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. 8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening

Look for Where God Is Already Working Matthew 25:34–40 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righte

Availability Over Ability 1 Samuel 3:1–10 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ra

God Says You Are Mine Read: Isaiah 43:1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. Sometimes the greatest limitation we face is the way we see ourselves. We decide that we aren't talented enough, experienced enough, spiritual enough, or important enough for God to use. The students heard a powerful reminder of this through the Deaf/Blind Potter

Don’t Lose Your Wonder Psalm 65:5–8 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. By yourstrength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the ev

FRIDAY — Christ Is Your Future Scripture: 1 John 3:2–3 “When he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” Some of the chapters behind you are beautiful. Some are painful. Some contain things you wish had never happened. Those chapters matter. They have formed you. But they do not have to determine every chapter still to come. And here is the great Christian hope: You don't have to

Practice the Future Scripture: Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are asking the future to invade the present. Your Kingdom come. We believe a day is coming when God will make all things right. A Kingdom of reconciliation. A Kingdom of peace. A Kingdom where outsiders are welcomed. A Kingdom without greed or scarcity. A Kingdom where death and suffering will finally be defeated. That Kingd

We Shall Be Like Him Scripture: 1 John 3:2 “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.” Who are you becoming? Our culture offers plenty of answers. Become successful. Become independent. Become your authentic self. Become everything you have the potential to be. But John gives Christians a surprisingly simple answer: We shall be like Him. That i

You Are Not Stuck Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17 “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!” Your past matters. But it does not get the final word. One of the most hopeful realizations we can have is that what has been does not determine what must be. Maybe anger has characterized your relationships for years. That doesn’t mean it always will. Maybe your family never practiced forgiveness. You can

The Past Is Present Scripture: Psalm 139:23–24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” None of us arrives in the present empty-handed. We carry people with us. Experiences. Relationships. Successes. Failures. Things that were done by us and things that were done to us. Even when we aren’t consciously thinking about the past, it has helped form the people we are today. That m

The Future Is Embodied Ephesians 4:1–6 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: 4 there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of al

We Are Becoming Something Together Read: Ephesians 4:3–6 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: 4 there is ...one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. One detail is easy to miss in English. Paul isn't writing to an individual. He's writing to a people. When he urges them to walk worthy of

The Kingdom Is Built in Ordinary Moments Ephesians 4:2 ...with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love... One of the temptations in following Jesus is believing that faithfulness only happens during significant moments. We imagine that our greatest opportunities for discipleship will arrive in dramatic decisions or extraordinary acts of courage. Sometimes they do. More often, they look remarkably ordinary. Paul's list in Ephesians is wonde

Why Paul Doesn't Give Them a Plan Ephesians 4:1–3 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: There is something almost frustrating about Paul's letter to the Ephesians. After spending three chapters describing the breathtaking work God h

Who Are We Becoming? Ephesians 4:1–6 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: 4 there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all,