Last Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus—our risen Savior who conquered sin and death. Easter is a powerful reminder that Jesus did what no one else could do: He took the weight of our sin upon Himself, died in our place, and rose again to offer new life to all who believe. But here’s the truth we must not miss—Easter wasn’t the end of the story. Easter was just the beginning.

After His resurrection, Jesus spent time with His disciples, teaching them and preparing them for what would come next. And just before He ascended into heaven, He gave them this commission in Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”Jesus had completed His mission on earth, but the mission wasn’t over—the baton was handed to His followers. And now, it’s in our hands.

This is both a privilege and a responsibility. Jesus didn’t rise from the grave just so we could celebrate once a year. He rose so that we could rise with Him—to a new life, a new purpose, and a new mission. We have been entrusted with the Good News of Jesus Christ, and our call is to go and share it. To live lives that shine so brightly with His love and truth that others are drawn to Him.

There’s a story of a man who was known for carrying a small candle everywhere he went. People thought it was odd—until they noticed that wherever he went, he brought light to dark places. He’d sit with the lonely, comfort the grieving, help the struggling, and speak encouragement to the weary. His candle wasn’t just a symbol; it was a reminder to let his life be a light. That’s our calling too. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The resurrection wasn’t just a moment in history—it’s the catalyst for our mission today. We don’t serve a distant or dead Savior. We serve a living King who is still transforming lives. And He’s chosen us to carry His message of hope, forgiveness, and new life to a world that desperately needs it.

The question is, are we running with the baton, or have we left it sitting at the empty tomb? Are we letting the light of Jesus shine through us in our homes, our workplaces, our neighborhoods? Are we looking for opportunities to share His love, not just with words, but with actions that reflect His heart?

Easter is the reminder of what Jesus did—but this week, and every week after, is about what we’re called to do. Let’s not just remember the resurrection—let’s live it. Let’s be His witnesses. Let’s carry the flame. Let’s go and tell. 

In Luke 9:23, Jesus speaks words that would echo through eternity: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” At the time, His disciples couldn’t really grasp the weight of what He was saying. But I imagine that as they watched Him on Good Friday—bloody, beaten, and stumbling under the weight of His cross—those words must have become painfully clear. The call to “take up your cross” wasn’t just a poetic metaphor; it was a preview of the path Jesus Himself would walk—and the road He invites us to walk with Him.

I try to avoid pain whenever I can. I think most of us do. We’re creatures of comfort, who are naturally drawn to what feels safe and secure. And in many ways, there’s wisdom in that. But when it comes to following Jesus, comfort cannot be our go-to. Christ doesn’t call us to self-preservation, He calls us to surrender.

Jesus was never about comfort. He left the majesty and safety of heaven to take on flesh and enter a broken world. He was born in a stable, walked dusty roads, endured rejection, loved the unlovable, and served the ungrateful. And on that Friday we now call “Good,” He willingly subjected Himself to public humiliation, vicious beatings, and one of the most excruciating forms of execution the world has ever known. The Son of God—who was perfect, sinless, and divine—endured it all for us. Romans 5:8 tells us: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

At any moment, Jesus could have stopped it. He could have summoned angel armies, silenced the mockers, and stepped down from the cross. But He didn’t. Why? Because He knew the cross was the only way: the only way to break the curse of sin; the only way to reconcile us to the Father; the only way to make a way for grace.

And now, He invites us to follow Him—with our own cross: a daily surrender; a daily sacrifice. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). This is not a call to suffering for suffering’s sake, but to be a life poured out in love. It’s a call to die to pride, selfish ambition, bitterness, and fear—and to rise in obedience, compassion, mercy, and mission.

As we reflect on the cross this Good Friday, it gives us an opportunity to ask ourselves the hard but necessary questions: 

• Have I truly been taking up my cross daily or have I been clinging to comfort and safety? 
• What does it mean for me to deny myself and follow Jesus—at home, at work, in my relationships, in my decisions?

For some, carrying the cross might mean forgiving someone who deeply hurt you. For others, it might mean stepping out in faith into a ministry God has placed on your heart. It could look like quiet faithfulness in a world chasing recognition, or bold truth-telling in a world that prefers silence. Whatever it looks like, the cross always involves a choice—to surrender our will to God’s.

On this Good Friday, may we remember that the cross is not just a symbol to wear or a story to remember—it’s a lifestyle to embrace. The road is not easy, but it leads to life. Luke 9:24 tells us “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” 

Lord, give us the courage to take up our cross daily. Show us the areas where we’ve grown comfortable and help us surrender them to You. Teach us to follow You not just in word, but in action—in love, in sacrifice, in faith. And may the cross not only be what saved us, but what shapes us into the people you are calling us to be. -Amen

This Sunday is Palm Sunday—a day we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The scene described in all four Gospels is one of celebration and joy. Crowds lined the streets, waving palm branches, laying their coats on the ground, and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” -Matthew 21:9. It was a moment of public praise and hope. The people were rejoicing, convinced that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah who had come to save them.

But just a few days later, that same crowd—or at least many from that crowd—were shouting something altogether different: “Crucify Him!” The cheers of Sunday quickly became the jeers of Friday. This drastic change seems almost impossible to comprehend. But, when we look honestly at our own hearts, we realize that we are not that different.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see this same pattern in God’s people. Time and time again, Israel praised God in seasons of blessing and then turned away in seasons of struggle or complacency. It’s not just their story—it’s ours, too. We sing worship songs on Sunday, but how quickly our hearts can grow cold by Wednesday. We rejoice when things go our way, but we grumble when life gets hard.

The irony of Palm Sunday is at the very heart of why Jesus came. He entered Jerusalem not just to receive praise, but to carry out the mission of salvation. He came to die for a people who were—and still are—inconsistent, praising Him in one breath and doubting Him in the next. And though the people wanted a Messiah who would overthrow Rome, Jesus came as a Savior who would overthrow sin and death.

This is the beauty of the Gospel: Jesus knew what was coming. He knew the shouts of “Hosanna” would become cries of “Crucify,” and still He rode into Jerusalem. Hebrews 12:2 tells us: “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.” That joy was you and me. That joy was the chance for broken people to be made whole again through His death and resurrection.

Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus is worthy of our praise—not just when life feels triumphant, but when it feels like Good Friday, full of pain and questions. He’s worthy on the mountaintops and in the valleys. The key is learning to worship Him not just with our words on Sunday, but with our lives every day.

The people praised the idea of a Messiah, but when Jesus didn’t meet their expectations, they turned on Him. And truthfully, we can fall into the same trap. When life doesn’t look the way we thought it would, we may question God’s plans or distance ourselves from Him. But faith isn’t about everything making sense—it’s about trusting the One who never changes.

Are we worshipping Jesus only when things are going our way, or are we committed to worshipping Him in all seasons? Let us be people who praise Him on Sunday and on Friday—when it’s easy and when it’s hard, when the crowd cheers and when the road leads to the cross.

As Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:23: “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” May that be true of us. May we be the kind of worshipers who lift His name high—not just when palms are waving, but when the path is painful. Because even then, Jesus is worthy.

This morning, as I was reading Colossians 4, these verses stood out to me: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” — Colossians 4:5-6

I believe these words are as relevant today as they were when Paul wrote them. In a world where many people have preconceived notions about Christians—often negative ones—how we speak and act matters. Sadly, we don’t always do the best job of changing these perceptions. We are often quick to judge and can be critical of those who don’t share our beliefs. We expect people who don’t know Jesus to live as if they do, forgetting that transformation comes through Him, not before we know Him.

This is why the way we interact with others is so important. There’s a well-known saying: “You may be the only Jesus some people ever see.” If that’s true, then the question we must ask ourselves is: What kind of Jesus are they seeing? Are they seeing the love, grace, and kindness of Jesus? Or are they seeing someone who is quick to condemn, slow to listen, and unwilling to extend the very grace that God has given us?

The reality is, this isn’t always easy. We are broken people interacting with other broken people. It’s natural to want to respond in frustration when someone offends us or to lash out when someone disagrees with us. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to respond differently. James 1:19 reminds us: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” This requires intentionality. It means pausing before we speak, asking ourselves if our words are necessary, helpful, and full of grace. Sometimes, the wisest response is no response at all. As my first-grade teacher used to say (or actually sing), “If you can’t say something nice, don’t talk at all is my advice.”

Jesus Himself modeled this wisdom. When He was falsely accused and mocked before His crucifixion, He remained silent (Matthew 27:12-14). When He did speak, His words were purposeful, filled with truth, and grace. Even from the cross, He chose words of forgiveness rather than condemnation: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

We have opportunities every day to reflect Christ to the world around us. Whether in our workplaces, online interactions, or daily conversations, we have the opportunity to choose to respond in wisdom, grace, and love. My prayer is that we can be intentional about seasoning our words with salt—adding flavor, preserving truth, and bringing healing to those who hear them. And may we always strive to reflect the kindness and mercy of Jesus in everything we say and do.

Lord, help us to be wise in our words and actions. Fill our hearts with grace so that we may respond to others with love and kindness. Teach us to listen before we speak and to reflect You in every conversation. -Amen

Jonah 1:3 tells us: “But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.”

In the last month or two, the story of Jonah has continued to pop up for me in many different settings. It’s a story with a very basic point, but sometimes we can get so caught up in the miraculous—a man being swallowed by a giant fish, surviving for three days, and then being spit out onto the beach—that we forget the heart of the story: obedience. God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah chose to run in the opposite direction. He knew what God wanted him to do, yet he deliberately disobeyed.

How often do we do the same thing? We sense God calling us to something—maybe to forgive someone who has wronged us, to step out in faith and experience a new opportunity, or to speak truth in a difficult situation—but instead of obeying, we run. Maybe it’s fear that keeps us from following God’s call, maybe it’s our own selfish desires or maybe we simply want to blend in with the world rather than stand out for God. Whatever the reason, the reality is when we run from God’s will, we’re walking in disobedience. And disobedience always has consequences.

Jonah’s disobedience didn’t just affect him; it put others in danger. The sailors on the ship he boarded were caught in a violent storm because of Jonah’s choice to run from God (Jonah 1:4-5). Likewise, when we resist God’s will, it can impact the lives of others as much as it does ours. Perhaps our delayed obedience is holding back a blessing for someone else. Maybe our unwillingness to share the gospel is keeping someone from hearing the good news of Jesus.

The good news is that God, in His mercy, still pursues us even when we run. Jonah’s story didn’t end in disobedience. After being swallowed by the fish, he had a change of heart and turned back to God in prayer. God gave him a second chance, just as He does for us. No matter how far we run, God is always ready to receive us when we turn back to Him.

Here are a few questions that might be good for us to ask ourselves: Are there areas in our life where we’re running from God’s call? Are there things in our life that are keeping us from fully obeying Him? How can we take a step of obedience today, even if it’s small?

Lord, forgive us for the times we’ve run from Your will. We know that Your plans are good, even when they don’t align with our desires or comfort. Give us the courage to obey You, no matter what. And help us trust that You are always with us, guiding us every step of the way. Amen.

“ They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. “   –Nehemiah 9:17

For 430 years, the Israelites suffered under the harsh rule of Egypt. When God sent Moses to lead them out of captivity, they should have been overjoyed. They had prayed for deliverance and God answered! But instead of being grateful, they complained. When faced with difficulties in the wilderness, many longed to return to Egypt. Even though it was a place of bondage, it was familiar and—to them—familiarity seemed safer than the “uncertainty” of God’s promises.

How often do we do the same? We cry out for God to bring change to our lives, to lead us into something new. But when the journey gets difficult, we hesitate. We romanticize the past, even the parts that weren’t good for us, simply because they were comfortable. Instead of walking forward in faith, we retreat back to what we know, even if it means settling for less than what God has for us.

The Israelites were meant to enter the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, but their unwillingness to trust God kept them wandering in the wilderness for forty years. How many times do we miss out on God’s best for our lives because things are more difficult than we expected? The road to freedom isn’t always easy. It requires faith, perseverance, and complete trust in God.

Jesus calls us to a life of faith, not fear. In Luke 9:62, He says, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” When God calls us forward, we can’t afford to look back. The enemy will try to convince us that life was easier before we followed God’s path. And that might be true, but nothing in “Egypt” is worth going back to. The chains may be familiar, but they’re still chains.

We have to ask ourselves: Are there areas in life where we’re clinging to the past instead of trusting God for the future? Are we resisting change because it feels uncomfortable? God has a Promised Land for each of us—a place of freedom, purpose, and blessing. But we have to trust Him to lead us there…and to keep leading us when things get difficult. The journey might be tough, but the Promised Land He has for us is worth it. 

In Luke 9:23 Jesus tells us: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

As Christians, we call ourselves followers of Jesus. It’s the very essence of what it means to be a disciple—our goal is to follow Him. But while we love the idea of being a follower of Jesus, we often struggle with actually following Him. It’s easy to say we follow Jesus when life is smooth and His path aligns with our own, but what about when His direction challenges our desires or requires sacrifice?

When I baptize someone, I ask them a question: “Have you confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life?” That question has two parts: Is Jesus your Savior? And is Jesus your Lord? The Savior part is easy to accept. If we truly recognize our sin and brokenness, why wouldn’t we want to be rescued—to be saved? But the Lord part—that’s where the real challenge begins.

To declare Jesus as Lord means recognizing His authority and submitting to His will. It means making Him the central focus of our life, allowing Him to lead instead of trying to lead ourselves. But that’s hard for most of us. We like control. We like calling the shots. And often, without even realizing it, we try to get Jesus to follow us instead of truly following Him.

In Luke 9:23, we see that following Jesus isn’t just about believing in Him—Taking up our cross means surrendering to His will. It means trusting His way over our own, even when we don’t fully understand it.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” We’re told here to submit to Him in all our ways. The problem is we have this way of compartmentalizing our faith. Our Church stuff goes to God, while we try to handle everything else. But God doesn’t want part of us—He wants ALL of us.

How are we doing when it comes to following Jesus? Are we truly allowing Him to lead, or are we still holding onto control? When was the last time we asked God if we were doing what He called us to do? When was the last time we sought His guidance about our work, family, finances or our future? Jesus doesn’t just want to be our Savior—He wants to be our Lord. And when we fully surrender to Him, we discover that His way is always better than our own. May we choose today to truly follow Him—not just in word, but in every area of our lives.

We’ve all had those days. We wake up feeling refreshed, ready to tackle our to-do list with optimism. The plan is set, the schedule is in place, and we head out the door expecting a productive day. But then—life happens. An unexpected phone call brings bad news. The car won’t start. Traffic is worse than usual. A last-minute responsibility derails all our carefully laid-out plans. By the end of the day, our list remains largely untouched, and frustration sets in.

Very rarely do my days go exactly the way I expect them to. Maybe you’ve felt that too. The question is, how do we respond when life doesn’t go the way we planned?

The crazy thing is, while these moments catch us off guard, they never surprise God. Psalm 139:16 reminds us, “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” That means God is not only aware of every detour, inconvenience, and challenge we face, but He has already gone before us in them. He knows what we need, and He is ready to help us through.

Instead of getting frustrated, anxious, or discouraged, what if we saw these moments as opportunities to turn to Jesus? What if instead of allowing the unexpected to ruin our day, we let it deepen our dependence on Him? Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Rather than grumbling and complaining when things don’t go as planned, we can choose to surrender our day to the Lord. He wants us to bring our frustrations, our delays, and our disappointments to Him. He is not bothered by them and He invites us to lean on Him. When we do, we find that He gives us the strength and patience we need to press on.

The truth is, these things we see as interruptions or inconveniences might be opportunities for growth, protection, or a deeper connection with God. Instead of allowing frustration to take over, we can choose to trust that God is at work, even in the unexpected.

So the next time our day takes an unforeseen turn, we need to take a deep breath and turn to Jesus. Give our unexpected moments to Him, and allow Him to work in ways we may not yet see. Because nothing is too big—or too small—for God.

In our Western culture, prayer has often become more about speaking than listening. We come before God with a list of requests—things we need Him to do, problems we need Him to fix, situations we want Him to change. And, though God tells us to make our requests known, prayer is meant to be more than just a one-sided conversation. How often do we take time to simply be silent before the Lord? Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” But in this fast-paced, noisy world, being still is not something we often practice.

Part of the struggle comes from the constant busyness of our lives. We move from one task to another, filling every moment with productivity, entertainment, or distractions. Silence feels unnatural because we are so used to the hum of activity around us. Technology plays a major role in this as well. Many of us have grown up with phones in our hands, always looking at something, always listening to something. We rarely allow ourselves to just sit quietly, and because of this, we miss an important aspect of prayer—listening.

The truth is, listening is essential in any relationship. A relationship cannot grow if one person does all the talking. The same is true in our relationship with God. He has much to say to us, but are we taking the time to hear Him? Elijah experienced this truth firsthand in 1 Kings 19. He was desperate to hear from God, and as he stood on the mountain, there came a mighty wind, an earthquake, and a fire—but God was not in any of them. Then came a gentle whisper, and that is where Elijah encountered the Lord (1 Kings 19:11-12). God’s voice is often found in the quiet, but we have to create space in our lives to actually hear Him.

If we only come to God with hurried requests and never take time to simply be with Him, we miss out on the depth of intimacy He desires with us. Prayer should not just be about asking for things; it should be about abiding in His presence. Jesus Himself modeled this. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” If the Son of God needed time away in silence with the Father, how much more do we?

What would it look like if we made space for silence in our prayers? If instead of rushing through a list of needs, we sat quietly and let God speak into our hearts? What if we embraced stillness, allowing our souls to rest in the presence of the One who holds all things together?

My prayer for myself—and for all of us—is that we would learn to practice the discipline of silent prayer. That we would take moments to pause, to unplug, and simply be with God. Because the more we do that, the more we will truly know…that He is God.

We’ve all been there—standing on the edge of an opportunity, feeling the nudge to step out in faith, but we we’re held back by our fears. Sometimes it’s the fear that we’re not equipped, that we don’t know enough. Other times, it’s the fear of failure. What if we fall flat on our faces? What if we say the wrong things?

But here’s the incredible truth: God is okay with failure. Failure means we tried. It means we stepped out in faith. And while we often see failure as the end of the road, God sees it as a lesson, a stepping stone to something greater. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This includes our mistakes, our missteps, and even our failures.

Think about Peter. He was bold enough to step out of the boat and walk on water toward Jesus. But then fear crept in, doubt took over, and he began to sink. Yet Jesus didn’t scold him for failing—He reached out and saved him. Peter’s failure became a lesson in trust. And later, even after denying Jesus three times, Peter was restored and used mightily by God to build His Church. His story shows us that God isn’t afraid of failures—He redeems them.

The enemy wants to paralyze us with the fear of making mistakes, keeping us from stepping into all that God has for us. But the truth is, God does His greatest work through imperfect people. Moses doubted his ability to lead, yet God used him to deliver Israel. David made devastating mistakes, yet he remained a man after God’s own heart. Paul persecuted Christians, yet God transformed him into one of the greatest apostles.

So, what’s keeping us from stepping out? What’s stopping us from saying yes to what God is calling us to do? Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That doesn’t mean we won’t stumble along the way—but it does mean that Christ will be our strength when we do.

Yes, we’re going to mess up at times. Yes, we’re going experience failure. But in God’s hands, even our mistakes can become something beautiful. He has the ability to take the messes we make and turn them into testimonies of His goodness and grace. So, let’s step out and trust in Him. He is working through both the good and the bad and everything in between to accomplish His good purpose in all of us. -Amen