No matter what reasons we give for not being generous ("that's just how the world works"..."if I don't take it someone else will"..."no one else will help me"..."I need to prepare for the worst"..."I'm just being realistic"...) every excuse boils down to one core issue…
Read MoreDo you love God? Truly love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? If you answered yes, how do you know? Is it a feeling you have? Some sort of emotion? If it is, then you are in trouble.
Read MoreWhat is faith, exactly? We know it’s powerful, because at least six times after healing someone Jesus says to them, “Your faith has healed you.” However, how do we know we have faith, especially the faith that saves and heals and empowers?
Read MoreOne of the shortcomings of the English language is we have one word for love, and that one word must describe our relationship with many people and many things (like friends, pets, and food). Rather than lump all these loves into one word, it would be helpful to dig into the nuances of love and its purpose in our life.
Read MoreWhat is “character growth”? When it occurs in a person, what is happening? More importantly, is character growth something we choose to make happen or is it something that happens to us? Actually, there is a passive and an active path to character formation.
Read MoreSin. This word has become a 3-letter "4-letter word" in our culture today. We feel judged when people throw this word at us, and the way certain churches or people claiming to be Christian have handled this word has been nothing short of spiritual abuse, causing "ex-vangelicals" to leave the church in droves. But that doesn't mean it's an evil word.
Read MoreHas anyone ever said to you "I thank God for you..."? If so, what about you were they thanking God for? Perhaps your help in something, or your ongoing presence in their life, or for a gift you gave them? There are two qualities for which the Apostle Paul consistently gave thanks. Do you have them?
Read MoreIt is a loving action to give a person autonomy and not try to control them, but it also causes us great pain to watch that person's life turn into a dumpster fire. We may offer help, but if the person refuses to turn from their own stubborn desires, we can only lament, pray, and continue to love.
Read MoreWe've all likely been there in one form or another. "What have I done? How could I be so stupid?" This feeling may have arisen over something most would find innocuous, or something much more serious. Either way, we are all familiar with regret, and some of us are familiar with deep regret. Today, let's talk about the latter.
Read MoreSomething about Jesus attracted broken people far from God. Sadly, I'm not sure that people “far from God” today seek out Jesus' followers like “tax collectors and sinners” sought Jesus.
Read MoreWhat makes a person spiritually mature? Perhaps their number of years following Jesus? No. Maybe the amount of knowledge they have about spiritual topics? No. Perhaps the regularity with which they engage in spiritual practices? No.
All of the above are good, and they can lead to maturity when done regularly and relationally with God and others, but they are not the evidence of spiritual maturity.
Read More“His faithful love endures forever.” It's easy to say these words in times of mountaintop joy. The power of the saint is to be able to say these in the middle of the valley.
Read MoreHow are we to "bloom where we're planted" as resident aliens in this spiritual city of Babylon? What does a flourishing life look like in the midst of Empire? Hebrews 13 answers that question with some very practical advice.
Read MoreChances are you do not see yourself as a fundamentalist.
Chances also are you might be one.
Read MoreI saw a creepy white van early this morning. Later, when I sat down for some quiet time, my thoughts drifted back to the van and I became curious: "Why was my first reaction to be suspicious?"
Read MoreAlways being served by others is un-Christlike and unloving. However, avoiding being served by others is also un-Christlike and unloving. It may be hard for servant-hearted people to allow themselves to be served, but avoiding it robs another person the opportunity to obey Jesus by serving you.
Read MoreWhen it comes to issue of vaccines (or any other pandemic decision) the answer is not about what we fear more, or how we feel about being told what to do, or even whether we trust the science / government that has brought about current restrictions. Rather, the question is, "How can I best love God and best love the people around me as I go through this pandemic?"
Read MoreGod is love. Therefore love is the one evidence of God's presence in a church, movement, or heart that the devil cannot replicate, because he is not God. All the other above mentioned evidences are wonderful, but as Paul says, if those other things are there and love is not, then something is amiss.
Read MoreBeing cancer-free is worth the suffering of chemotherapy. The delight of newborn life is worth the suffering of childbirth. You knowing and receiving God's love, and being in relationship with him is worth the Cross. However, perhaps there are end goals that are not worth the sacrifice or suffering you are making.
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