The Problem Isn't the Seed: Understanding the Parable of the Soils
by Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church on April 12th, 2026
There's something deeply unsettling about watching good seed fall on bad ground. Farmers understand this frustration intimately, but perhaps none more so than those who lived through the Great Dust Bowl of the 1930s.Picture it: families who had moved west with hope, claimed their land, and did everything right according to conventional wisdom. They plowed the fields, removed the native grasses, pl... Read More
The Weight of Good Friday: When Heaven's Son Bore Our Sins
by Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church on April 4th, 2026
The cross stands at the center of human history—not as a symbol of defeat, but as the moment when divine love met human rebellion in the most unexpected way.Two Journeys to JerusalemThree years before that fateful Friday, Jesus made a journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem. He came to the Jordan River where John the Baptist was calling sinners to repentance. Picture the scene: the riverbanks crowded w... Read More
The Unforgivable Sin: Understanding Jesus's Warning About Eternal Consequences
by Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church on March 29th, 2026
The Unforgivable Sin: Understanding Jesus's Warning About Eternal ConsequencesThe ground was shaking. Steam shot into the sky. Massive bulges appeared on the mountainside. Every sign pointed to catastrophe. Mount St. Helens was about to erupt, and everyone knew it. Evacuation orders went out, and thousands fled to safety.But one man refused to leave.Harry R. Truman had lived on that mountain his w... Read More
Living Out of Rest: The Rhythms of Kingdom Ministry
by Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church on March 22nd, 2026
Picture this: Jesus and his disciples, exhausted from ministry, withdrawing to the beach. The crowds have been relentless. The sick press in from every side. The religious leaders are plotting destruction. And in this moment of chaos, Jesus does something counterintuitive—he steps away.This scene from Mark 3:7-19 reveals a profound truth that challenges our modern assumptions about productivity, m... Read More
Finding Rest in the King: The True Meaning of Sabbath
by Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church on March 15th, 2026
The question of rest haunts us all. Not just physical rest—though we need that too—but the deep, soul-level rest that comes from knowing we're secure, accepted, and safe. This kind of rest addresses our most fundamental anxiety: How can I know that God is pleased with me? How can I be certain I won't be cut off from His presence?The ancient Israelites wrestled with this same question, particularly... Read More
The God Who Pursues Sinners
by Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church on March 8th, 2026
There's something deeply uncomfortable about the idea of being pursued. We're used to earning our way, proving our worth, demonstrating our value. The notion that someone would seek us out—especially in our worst moments—feels almost too good to be true.Yet this is precisely the scandalous heart of the gospel.When Jesus Calls the UnlikelyPicture a tax booth on the edge of Capernaum, a bustling bor... Read More
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Moving From Knowing About God's Love to Knowing It
November 8th, 2026
What Is More Real To You: The Promises of God or Being Alive?
November 1st, 2026
Is Your View of God Big Enough?
October 25th, 2026
Blog post Who Do You Think You Are? Reflections on Authority, Sin, and the Grace That Outlasts Both
October 18th, 2026
The Tree That Cannot Feed You
October 11th, 2026
Archive
2026
January
The Beginning of the Gospel: Finding Level Ground at the RiverThe Man from Nazareth: Finding Hope in an Unexpected SaviorWhen Jesus Calls: Discovering Your True Identity in the Kingdom of GodWhen Authority Meets MercyWhose Voice Are You Listening To?When Healing Isn't the Point: Finding Diamonds Amongst the Gold
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
2025
January
Standing Firm in the Face of Spiritual Warfare: Insights from Ephesians 6My Words from God’s WordBubble Wrapped LifeTough Questions, Difficult AnswersThe Book of Acts: A Continuing Story of Jesus' MinistryThe Rebirth PortalA Simple Faith; A Complicated LifeHope Rekindled: The Kingdom's Spiritual Power and Global Reach
February
Living StonesLeadership in the Kingdom: Following Jesus Through His Chosen OnesPersistent PrayerThe Great Repair: How God is Mending Our Broken WorldDarkness-Light, Evil-Good, Sin-ForgivenessTrading Up: Finding True Satisfaction in ChristWealth and the Kingdom of GodThe Reluctant Prophet: Lessons from Jonah's Journey
March
April
May
June
The Radical Inclusivity of God's LoveThe Unexpected Power of Prayer: Lessons from Acts 12The Journey Comes Home: Cultivating a Culture of EvangelismSight and InsightThe Extraordinary Church: Lessons from AntiochCan the West Be Won for Christ?The Gospel: Subversive and Submissive“Alles gut.” It’s Okay.
July
