Forrest Gump told us life was like a box of chocolates because you never know what you're going to get. This existential view of life is 'sweet'. A perspective that frames all the good and bad, gain and loss in a term that we can all appreciate. It's a it-always-works-out-in-the-end sort of plot.

The Exodus story isn’t about Moses’ most improved leadership, or even the people of Israel and what happened to them on the way to the promised land. The hero of the story is God. God who said he will… and he does. He makes slaves into a nation. He makes a murderer into his humble mediator. He will for those who can’t.

Multiplication is promised by God. His people pray for it and pursue it. The book of Acts describes that multiplication when it says, “the Word of God spread”. In fact, the church is the intersection of God leading people to himself and they being introduced to Jesus. But, unlike two lines on a graph, it is alive! Living hands, feet and mouths that glorify God and do the good that Jesus teaches by the enabling Spirit of God. In other words, loving God and loving others. Although found all over the world, the church is always grounded on and upholds the truth of Jesus. As Paul describes the church, it is a pillar and buttress of the truth…

All the world
All the minds
All the thoughts
All the scholars
All the time
in eternity could not heart-beat enough praise that you deserve.

How does strengthening happen? When the Word of God is preached, spoken and shared with those who have not heard. Where the good news is being believed and shared, God leads hearers to find him and his people.

“ He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz.” 1 Kings 7:21

Looking down the road of a new year, I am always tempted to begin a new endeavor. It could be a work out routine, reading list, hobby, or skill. But at the begging of this year, I have been challenged to think about the presence and ministry of RIC in the context of what God has been doing, is doing and will do in this city. After all, RIC is not the first to preach the gospel, love the Bible, gather believers for fellowship and discipleship, and organize activities.

This is my prayer going into 2022, that the Lord would further establish his foundation in this city and strengthen his church. How do we participate in what he would do here? Well, we'll talk about that over the coming weeks, but for now, I believe the first and best place to begin is by establishing a pattern of immersion in God's Word.

God sends a gift. A care package to meet our exact need. Yes, Israel deserved judgement. Yes, we deserve judgement, but instead, he gives us the Savior from judgement.

When a child is born, parents tend to dream of what the child's future will look like. What will they become? Who will they marry? What will they do? Jesus' parents were no different. Except, his parents anticipated a great and glorious future for him because, unlike most children, the future of Jesus was foretold and eagerly anticipated for hundreds (thousands) of years! Even before he was born, his mother was given insider information on who this miracle child was and what he would do!

In anticipation of the Christmas season. I hope to be found with you, in the Word.

We are, by God's divine and perfect creativity a composition of very different parts. Yet, God by his grace working in and through us is bringing life to this local, visible body of believers.

“Wherever we go, the dumb get wise, and the crime rates drop and the markets rise. Bullies make nice, crooks repent and the ozone layer shows improvement Where we’re led, all the living dead wanna leave their zombie mob. It’s a touching scene when they all come clean. God help us, we just love our job.”
- Newsboys, Go, 2006, Wherever we go