Discipling Life

In Epistle to the Colossians 1:24, Paul writes one of his most challenging and easily misunderstood statements: “I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.” At first glance, it can sound as though Paul is saying Christ’s suffering on the cross was somehow incomplete. But throughout his letters, Paul consistently teaches that Christ’s saving work is fully sufficient. Just a few verses earlier, Paul says that through Christ, God was pleased “to reconcile to himself all things” through the blood of the cross (v. 20). So Paul cannot mean that Jesus’ atoning sacrifice was lacking in saving power. Instead, Paul is speaking about the ongoing suffering connected to the mission of Christ in the world. Christ’s redemptive work is complete, but the church continues to carry the message of the gospel into a broken world, and that mission often involves hardship, sacrifi...

In his letter to the Colossians , the apostle Paul reminds us of where we started and where God’s grace is taking us. He writes, “And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him” (vv. 21-22). Before we even realized we needed fixing, God was already pursuing us, reaching out into our isolation to bring us home. Through Christ, we are not just patched up, we are completely reconciled and made new. This is not about earning God’s love. It is about allowing grace to transform our hearts and lives day by day. This passage ends with a beautiful mystery: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (v. 27). Christ is not distant or unreachable. Through the Holy Spirit, he dwells with his people, strengthening, convicting, comforting, and renewing us. Wesley often spoke of holiness as the love of God filling the heart and overflowing into everyday life. ...

A couple of the churches I served presented me a wonderful gift for Pastors’ Appreciation Month. They both gave me a collection of notes written by members of the congregation. Each of these letters told of ways that I touched their lives and expressed appreciation for my presence and my work. The encouraging words in these letters have been such a blessing that I still look at them from time to time. Today’s reading works the other way around. This is a letter from Paul and Timothy to the people of the church in Colossae. Paul writes, “In our prayers for you we always thank God… for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven” (vv. 3-5). Notice how faith, love, and hope are woven together. Paul hadn’t planted this church himself (Epaphras did). He had simply heard about them, and what he heard moved him to gratitude. Their faith was already bearing fruit, and word was getting around. Pau...

Think of those moments that bring on such a sense of awe. For me, it can be standing on a beach, watching the waves roll in one after another. Or standing at an overlook seeing one of the magnificent vistas on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Or even a moment of seeings a thunderstorm rolling in across an open sky from a distance. Even the sudden whoosh and movement in the leaves and branches of trees from a gust of wind. In those moments, we sense something deeper than just the beauty of nature. We sense the sheer abundance of a loving Creator who delights in making life flourish. Psalm 104 invites us to notice that holy chorus. The psalmist looks around at the world with wonder and says, “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (v. 24). The seas, the animals, the mountains, the plants, and even the rhythm of day and night all bear witness to the wisdom and generosity of God. The psalmist sees the great and wide sea teeming w...

There are moments when you pause and realize how far someone has come. Maybe it is a child learning to read, a friend finding their footing again, or even your own slow healing after a hard season. Growth often feels quiet and unfinished, yet something steady is at work beneath the surface. Paul writes to the Philippians (1:1-11) with deep affection, saying, “I thank my God every time I remember you… because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now” (vv. 3, 5). His gratitude is rooted not in perfection, but in participation. These believers are still growing, still learning, still becoming. Yet Paul sees evidence of grace already alive in them. Then comes this beautiful promise: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (v. 6). This is the rhythm of grace in the Wesleyan way. God’s prevenient grace awakens us before we even know it. Justifying grace meets us in Christ and sets us on...

Most of us know what it feels like to want proof that we matter. Sometimes people point to achievements, appearances, titles, or accomplishments as signs of worth. If you are wealthy enough or powerful enough, you can have your name emblazoned on a building. Other times, we may quietly compare ourselves to others and wonder if we measure up. The pressure to impress can creep into every corner of life, including our faith. We may feel tempted to present ourselves as stronger, holier, or more successful than we truly are. In Galatians 6:11-18 , Paul writes with deep urgency and honesty. He warns against those who are more concerned with outward appearances than inward transformation. Then he says, “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 14). Paul reminds the church that faith is not about earning status or proving spiritual superiority. It is about the grace of God revealed in Christ. The cross changes how we see ourselves and how we see others. Pa...

Have you ever felt like the world is spinning out of control? Between the nightly news and the noise on social media, it is easy to believe that the bullies, the empires, and the exhausting cycles of outrage have already won. We watch powerful people make terrible decisions, and we wonder if justice is just a dream. We continue to witness stories of violence, corruption, and uncertainty. Leaders embrace the appearance and language of religion and faith to cloak their evil designs. Daniel was familiar with the power of empires. ( Daniel 7:9-14 ) One night, God gave Daniel a vision that flipped the script on everything we think we know about power. Daniel writes, “As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire” (v. 9). This is not the image of a distant God. This is the Ancient of Days, the true king of the universe, taking ...

Maybe it is a time for a reset. What does it mean to be sent with a mission to reach people for Christ? Maybe we would do well to just step back a bit and listen again for the call of our Lord. What does it mean to be faithful to the call Christ has given us to be his witnesses? In today’s text we see that the disciples were likely feeling small and ill-equipped for the task of changing the world, yet Jesus redirected their focus from their own limitations to the gift that was coming. Acts 1 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their si...

Have you ever had someone see you at your worst and still choose to sit beside you rather than walk away? Maybe it was a friend who listened without fixing, or a small group member who brought a meal when you could barely get out of bed. In those moments, you tasted something holy. Paul writes about that kind of holy community in Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” ( read Galatians 6:1-10 ). Not the law of Moses. The law of Christ. And what is that law? To love as Jesus loved. A love that gets low, gets messy, and stays. But Paul is also a realist. He knows that churches can become places where we compare our struggles or, worse, pretend we don’t have any. So he begins this passage with a gentle warning: “My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (v. 1). Restoration, not humiliation. Gentleness, not gossip. From a Wesleyan perspec...

Most of us do not expect hardship when we are trying to do the right thing. We pray, serve, care for others, and seek to follow Christ, yet we still face criticism, disappointment, loneliness, and seasons of weariness. There are moments when suffering feel s personal, as though something strange has happened to us. Peter writes to believers who were walking through hardship and uncertainty, and his words still speak gently and truthfully to us today: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you” (v. 4:12). Read the entire text .  The word “beloved” carries the whole theological weight of the passage. Before Peter says a single thing about suffering, he names who these people are to God. They are loved ones. Suffering does not revoke that identity. And yet the suffering is real. Peter does not minimize it. The same letter that calls us to rejoice also tells us to “cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you” (v. 5:7). This ...

You probably remember “Open the Eyes of My Heart” Paul Baloche. He based the lyrics on Ephesians 1:18, “so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may perceive what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.” The version I was most familiar with was the recording by Sonicflood. Michael W. Smith also made a recording that was highly popular. Perhaps you still sing it occasionally in your worship or other gatherings. While the song captures the majesty of the apostle Paul’s writing, the apostle expresses his desire for the Ephesians (and us) in his prayers. Have you ever told someone, “I’m praying for you,” and then paused to wonder what exactly to pray? In moments when words feel thin or situations feel beyond fixing, prayer can become less about changing circumstances and more about opening hearts. The apostle Paul gives us one of those prayers here in this letter to the Ephesians. It is a prayer that reaches d...

Mother’s Day is a beautiful day for many people, but it can also be a difficult one. Some celebrate with joy and gratitude. Others carry grief for mothers who are gone, strained relationships, infertility, miscarriage, loneliness, or the pain of unmet hopes. Some mothers are weary and overwhelmed. Others quietly wonder if anyone notices the sacrifices they make each day. On this day, the church holds space for both joy and sorrow, trusting that God meets us in all of it. Scripture often speaks of God’s tender care in ways that reflect the nurturing love many have experienced through mothers. The prophet Isaiah writes, “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you” (Isaiah 66:13a, NRSVue). These words remind us that God’s love is personal, gentle, and near. Whether this day brings celebration or heartache, God sees each person fully and lovingly. Mother’s Day can also remind us that family is not always simple. Some people have known deep love from their mothers, while othe...

Have you ever tried to follow a rule so carefully that you missed the point of it? I have heard it said, “Rules without love are mean, but love without rules is meaningless.” It reminds me of the words of Martin Luther King, Jr . “What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive and that love without power is sentimental and anemic.” Rules can guide us, but they are not meant to replace the heart behind them. In Matthew 5:17-20 , Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” He goes on to say that not even the smallest part of the law will pass away until all is accomplished. At first glance, that can feel heavy, like an impossible standard. But Jesus is not tightening the rules to trap us. He is revealing their true purpose. The law was always meant to lead us into a life shaped by love of God and neighbor. It is not a cold checklist. It is an invitation into a life shaped by ...

What have you done for me lately? Yes, it is the title of a 1986 hit by Janet Jackson , but the saying goes back much further, at least to the 1950s. It reflects what some people refer to as hedonic adaptation . It means we get so used to the way things were yesterday we expect more today. It echoes the sentiment in John 6, where Jesus notes that followers are seeking him not for the spiritual significance of miracles, but because he provided food, asking implicitly what he can do for them immediately: “you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” (v. 26) Sometimes our prayer life may reflect a bit of that attitude. Sometimes we begin to treat God as a Cosmic Vending Machine . If we just put in enough prayer coins we should get what we want. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it?” (John 14:14) Of course, right after that he says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (v. 15) So, ho...