Be transformed by the renewing of your mind !

COVERED IN RAGS For some time now, I have been looking at a beautiful lamp with a rag thrown over it. And it has been eating at me. I know what is underneath that rag. A beautiful lamp full of light . The lamp was made to shine, yet someone has covered it. The light is still on underneath the rag, but nobody can see it. Every time I look at it, I hear the words of Jesus: “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are

THE SECRET OF AGING I have listened to worldly people talk about age and growing old in all the same ways, but none of it made any sense to me. They all seem to end up in the same place as the next. So I sat with God and asked Him, “How do You suggest we grow old?” The words flowed like a river: “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”Psalm 92:13 The house of the LORD is far more than a physical building. Jesus spoke of His bod

WONDER OF GOD Over the years, I have wondered at the things of God, asking question after question. Then one day I saw that wonder itself is the well. Wonder is the spring from which understanding flows. It does not answer every question with an explanation, but it draws us deeper into the heart of God, where our deepest questions find their answer in Him. Knowledge gives understanding, but wonder keeps drawing us deeper into the One we are coming to know. Wonder cannot be ma

His Coming Exposes Hearts "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.'"— Matthew 10:34–36 Jesus is not saying that God delights in family division or commands it. Rather, He is revealing that allegiance to Him can bring division within famili

Made to Belong At the wedding in Cana, Jesus said to His mother, "Woman, why do you involve Me? My hour has not yet come." (John 2:4) Yet Mary quietly turned to the servants and said, "Do whatever He tells you." To me, Mary's response reveals a quiet confidence in the Father's purpose, even though Jesus had said, 'My hour has not yet come.' For years we often choose relationships with hard edges. We grind our way through life, marriages and friendships, trying to change one a

Mortality and the Categories of Man I believe mortality entered the world in the garden on that fateful day. Some call it death. Others call it old age. Yet beneath them both lies mortality—the condition of a creation separated from the life it was created to enjoy. From that day onward, humanity became subject to decay. Time began to leave its mark upon the body, and death became the final expression of mortality. Yet mortality did not come alone. As humanity became separate

Peace Beyond Emotion There is a peace that is deeper than emotion. It is not indifference, nor is it the absence of love. It is the quiet confidence that comes from resting in God. Jesus revealed this peace when He slept in the boat as the storm raged around Him. The wind was real. The waves were real. The disciples' fear was real. Yet Jesus was not drawn into the panic of those around Him. His peace was not determined by the atmosphere; His peace transformed it. He did not d

INTIMACY in EDEN The Hebrew word Eden (עֵדֶן, ʿēden) is associated with delight, pleasure, abundance, and delightfulness. The phrase Garden of Eden can therefore be understood as the Garden of Delight. "The LORD God planted a garden in Eden..."— Genesis 2:8 In one sense, God planted a garden in the place of delight. This gives fresh meaning to the invitation found in Psalm 37: "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart."— Psalm 37:4 As

Delight The Lord tells us to delight in Him, and He will give us the desires of our heart. Yet this can be a difficult invitation while we are still living with the struggles of our fallen nature. For years we walk under the blessing of God as He sustains us while we overcome our fallen nature. His grace carries us, His mercy restores us, and His goodness continually draws us to Himself. Then a day comes when the relationship begins to change. It is no longer centred on us. O

ENTER IN Looking back, I have come to see my journey with God as a long courtship. How long that courtship lasts differs for each person. There is a difference between knowing about God, experiencing God, and abiding in Him. Many people know about God. They know Scripture, theology, and doctrine. Others have genuine experiences of God. They may sense His presence, receive comfort, or have powerful spiritual encounters. Yet neither knowledge nor experience is the destination.

The Great Falling Away "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money... having a form of godliness but denying its power." — 2 Timothy 3:1–5 When we think about the great falling away, we often imagine people leaving churches or no longer identifying as Christians. Yet Paul's first warning is not about where people gather. It is about what rules the heart. He begins with a single description that gives me

"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." — Colossians 3:3–4 I believe the years of being set apart and learning to overcome were not an end in themselves. I believe they were preparation. My hope is that God is forming a people who will serve under the headship of Christ in the purpose He has prepared. I entrust the fulfilment and the identity of that calling to Him. As

Relationship is one of the hardest journeys we undertake. We all live from different levels of understanding, freedom, and maturity, even in our relationship with God the Father. Outwardly, we may appear to be doing the same things, yet inwardly we may be living from very different places. Jesus said: "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left." They were engaged in the same

THE BRIDGE "Food is the bridge that keeps us in the natural world. When fasting, we cross that bridge and become more attentive to the spiritual." In the garden, the first temptation centred on food. The fruit itself was not evil, but eating it represented humanity stepping into independence from God. Then, in the wilderness, Jesus also faced temptation after fasting. Again, food was at the centre. "If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread." His answer

BREAKING CHAINS Patterns often travel through families unnoticed. What begins in one generation can appear again in the next, wearing different faces but carrying the same spirit. Control. Accusation. Division. Verbal wounds. These patterns have touched families, friendships, communities, and relationships throughout history. Many people spend their lives fighting these things, yet somehow find themselves caught in them again. Freedom begins when we recognise the pattern and

CATALYST A catalyst does not always see the changes they set in motion. Often, the catalyst bears the resistance while others later enjoy the benefits. The seed falls into the ground, disappears from sight, and only much later does the harvest appear. Jesus Christ is the greatest catalyst in human history. His sacrifice brought freedom to more people than any other single act. His life revealed what a human being living in union with God could look like. He showed humility in

WHAT IS GOD DOING NEXT? Perhaps the answer is simpler than we imagine. Many people are asking what God is doing in this hour. Some see the shaking of institutions. Others see people leaving churches and familiar structures. Some sense that one season is ending while another is beginning. Yet perhaps the question is not what God is building, but where He is leading His people. The dwelling place of God is not ultimately a building made by human hands. It is His people. Yet bef

FACE TO FACE Many people spend their lives wanting to be seen by others for who they truly are. Yet Jesus was rarely seen for who He was. The religious leaders did not see Him. The crowds did not see Him. Even His disciples only saw in part. What sustained Him was not being recognised by men but being known by the Father. Often, we look at ourselves and wonder why others cannot see Christ in us. We ask why they do not recognise what God has done within us. Yet even these ques

THE GARDEN CENTRE The centre of the Garden, which is you, is a place we travel towards. When we arrive, we discover that what we were seeking was within us all along. It is there that we discover who we are in God and why we are here. Once you know you belong to the One who gave His life for us, and know that you are loved, wanted, and held by Him, something changes within. As the patterns and demands of the world fall away, you discover that you have arrived back at the cent

BELONGING Joseph, Daniel, and the biblical difference between building a reputation and knowing who you belong to. For much of our lives we seek acceptance through achievement. We build names, positions, reputations, and titles, hoping they will give us a place to belong. Yet these things must constantly be defended because they were earned by human effort. But there is another way. There is a difference between building a reputation and knowing where you belong. One seeks