I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. John 15:5 MSG Comment Pastor Giovanni holds two grape branches in his hands. One budding, able to bear fruit. The other from a wild grapevine...

Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.” Matthew 11:25-26 MSG Comment The phrase that struck me here is ‘Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer….’ He didn’t say, ‘Let me get...

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years…. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body...

I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. Hosea 11:4 NIV Comment Ever feel tied down, tied up? Limited by your limits? I do. I chafe against all the restrictions that come day by day as I try to get work done, spend time with family, deal with my latest tech crisis and have a bit...

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning...

I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. Psalm...

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 (NLT) Comment How do you feel about what’s in the news these days? I have to admit to feeling downright depressed when I hear about...

When they (the Magi) saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11 NIV Comment Do you ever feel Christmas is upside-down? A season which should be...

Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another. Ephesians 5:21 MSG Comment Sometimes in a marriage, the balance of power gets skewed. One person grabs the controls while the other locks down into victim mode. Or one person becomes passive and their spouse thinks, ‘I’d better take charge or nothing will ever happen.’ It often occurs slowly...

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NIV Comment Love came down at Christmas….who was this Love? The winsome baby lying in a cow’s feeding trough – the determined Love walking...