Life is complicated and messy. Sometimes God absolutely works miracles. But other times he can respond more like another answer to suffering: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9). And sometimes, God just doesn't answer right away.

What does it mean to worship a God that we cannot see? To sing praises to Jesus, though we haven’t had the opportunity to talk with Him and walk with Him as the disciples did? In short, it means that we are blessed: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29b).

All of us will be up against an impossible task, life event, situation, and we won’t know what to do. But we can fix our eyes on Him, the one who has been faithful time after time.

New City Church has officially joined the Soma Network of Churches.

When we open up our Bibles, the Spirit of God extends an invitation for us to commune with Him. If we believe that this Word is living and active, then we should enter into it expecting for God himself to be present! So what can we do to help make our “quiet time” a little less quiet and more interactive?

The Spiritual Disciplines dutifully practiced cannot produce fruit, or salvation, or love. No matter how dutifully we practice. But, it is not that we need less than that duty, we in fact need more.

In the church, we step into relationship with a family of brothers and sisters who have also been adopted by God. We make a covenant with God to love and follow Him, and we become a part of a covenant community with that as the central goal.

With my brain I confirm “My God is sovereign over time and all Creation!” and with my actions, I proclaim “How could you cross me? Don’t you know who I am and what I am doing?!” How I react to life’s inevitable interruptions exposes my doubt in God.

Yes, death is inevitable. But just as sure as it is inevitable, it stings. To love is to be vulnerable and to open your heart to the possibility of being wrung.

It might surprise you to hear me saying, “Work is a blessing.” But, I can say that for at least two reasons: 1. Our work done well can be a blessing to others 2. Our work can bless us.

I am challenging us, you and me and the church to seriously consider that Jesus had more in mind for us than a single event of faith and a life of waiting for heaven. He is calling us to be with him, become like him now, and do what he did and is doing.

Life is filled with numerous opportunities to talk with and interact with people. Unless you never leave your house, you are bound to interact with someone at some point almost daily. What if in these moments we began to see the people looking back at us? What if we got to know their story? Maybe share a meal or a cup of coffee.