Church

Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,  “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." - John 4:27-34 In John 4, Jesus and his disciples find themselves traveling through the region of Samaria. Taking a…

If you are trying to live the right way but believe the wrong things, you will never truly live the right way. When it comes to right beliefs, not all voices are equal. Some are well-intentioned but wrong. Other voices might be void of any good intention at all. Since not all voices are equal, it's important to listen to the right voice. In particular, there are three voices all vying for our attention: What other people say about me. What I say about myself. What God says about me. Only one of those voices is right one hundred percent of the time -- and it sure isn't my voice ... or your voice! My own voice is often self-serving or skewed, which is another way of saying it is often wrong. My own perspective resembles what you see when you look into a carnival mirror -- it never reflects…

When it comes to how we approach our spiritual lives, many of us only look at the tip of the iceberg. We only focus on what appears on the surface. I go to church. I pray before meals. I hold the door for strangers. I pay my taxes. Since I do all (or most) of these things, I must be a pretty good person. In fact, compared to that guy over there, I’m a really great person. I can live that way and never worry about what lies below the surface. Based on my experience, it's not the exposed parts of the iceberg that do the most damage. By focusing on externals, I can convince myself that I'm doing alright ... and avoid having to deal with what is in my heart. That way of living eventually catches up to you. Jesus put it this way: "For it is from within,…

As a young child, I can remember sprawling out across the living room and watching The Wizard of Oz on our old Zenith television. I was fascinated by Toto the dog, the Munchkins, and a bit terrified by the Wicked Witch of the West. At the time, I was too young to have a crush on Judy Garland. Then there was Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Lion. Actually, the Cowardly Lion.  Scarecrow wants a brain, Tin Man desires to have a heart, and the Cowardly Lion needs courage. It's an interesting twist on stereotypes. The needs of the Scarecrow and Tin Man make sense - of course a scarecrow wouldn't have a brain and a metal box would need a heart. But we don't usually think of lions as cowards. When C.S. Lewis wrote Chronicles of Narnia, he portrayed Jesus as a lion called Aslan. In the first book, a young…

We are growing in Christ to the extent that we are increasing our ability to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. As a church, we want our members to mature in every aspect of their Christian walk. This growth includes our knowledge of God and his Word, our sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit, and having our values shaped by the gospel.Watch more videos at the Mountainview YouTube channel. Need a Speaker or Presenter? Interested in having me speak for your church, conference, or organization? Follow this link to learn more. Looking for a Speaking Coach? The most successful people are not always the smartest people. But they have one thing in common: they communicate well. I'd love to help you become a better communicator. Click here.