So much about the pace of life conspires against us. We might even be convinced that the faster we go and the busier we become, the more we’ll get done. But what does that kind of toxicity do to our souls? Could it be that God invites us to find Him through a...
Resilience is such a powerful concept. Some of our greatest heroes and inspirational characters in stories are defined as people of resilience. But what does it look like to have a resilient faith? Spoiler alert... it doesn't mean that things are always going to go...
When we fail to listen to God, it’s a hearing problem for us not a speaking problem for God. Most notably, God has spoken in His Son Jesus. In the fifth and final warning in the book of Hebrews, the author warns us that it’s a mistake to turn away from God and ignore...
Even Christians can behave badly. And the Bible acknowledges that a believer can walk away from Jesus all together. To treat God with this kind of contempt is a terrible act of defiance. In the fourth of five warnings in the book of Hebrews, the author tells us about...
Salvation is guaranteed the moment one believes Jesus for it. But becoming a Christian never guarantees that we’ll live like one. Spiritual maturity is not automatic. It requires diligent engagement with Jesus if we hope to change and grow. In the third of five...
Even Christians can be people of unbelief. Given tempting circumstances, we might cave under pressure and cease to follow God wholeheartedly. This certainly was the case with the children of Israel who took a major detour of unbelief while on their journey to the land...
Like other people, there’s a chance you have entertained thoughts about returning to an easier, more comfortable way of life—one that pushes God aside. When the pressure is on, even Christians can become disillusioned with following Jesus. The book of Hebrews is...
Easter is the celebration of all celebrations! Jesus Christ has conquered sin and death and is raised to life. The resurrection of Jesus is not some legend that has been passed down through the ages meant to give us an excuse for another holiday. In Easter we see the...
We are accountable for the words we choose to use. As believers who have put off the old self and put on the new self, we have to make a conscious effort to move from using corrupting words to using encouraging words. Although we have lots of words and scriptures to...
There’s a tension we may experience between truth and love: telling someone the truth doesn’t always seem loving, and sometimes loving people can feel as though it comes at the expense of telling the truth. It’s easy to embrace one while neglecting the other. Yet,...
Most of us are desperate for hope—especially words of hope spoken to us by others. Hearing the right words can completely change our course in difficult or terrible circumstances. And here’s the thing about words of hope; they’re contagious. What if our eyes and...
Words have power. Power to build up or power to destroy. Armed with any other weapon as strong as words, you might be required to be trained and certified. That’s not a bad idea. God’s word is filled with instructions about how to skillfully speak life into others...
We live in a world that is more connected than ever before. This is something to be excited about, right? But what if the connection we are experiencing isn't what God intended? What if we've been chasing something that isn't what it seems to be? God offers us...
Some of the secrets God keeps are meant to be revealed but only to His friends. And one secret, in particular, is meant for you and you alone. It’s an individual secret revealed to each overcomer—one who faithfully lives for Jesus. A secret prepared by God. A secret...
Sometimes God keeps secrets and sometimes He likes to reveal them. Regardless of the outcome, one thing is always true: God’s thoughts and ways are bigger and higher than our own. And He has a right to keep or disclose secrets as He chooses. But can we get to a place...
Can you keep a secret? Maybe you can or maybe not. Secrets are mysterious, hidden, and concealed sometimes for good reason. But sometimes secrets are meant to eventually be revealed. Do you think God keeps secrets? Of course, He does. Some of God’s secrets we will...
From childhood, most of us have learned to love games. The excitement, the cheering, even the competition creates a rush of adrenalin that’s hard to find anywhere else. And on the playing field of life—even life with God—we can find excitement too. But living your...
Growing in Christian community is sometimes reduced to our gathering together in worship services and attending other congregational activities and events. While community growth can certainly occur in these venues, it is much more than that. Meaningful, life-changing...
We’re commanded, over and over again in the Bible, to meditate on God’s word. So it makes sense that when the “Reveal” study surveyed thousands of Christians the behavior found to be most important for growing in Christ was “reflection on scripture” or meditation. Yet...
Our muscles grow stronger when we repeatedly push against a weight or force. Similarly, as followers of Jesus, we can grow spiritually stronger when we encounter resistance. Today, we’ll identify the three primary forces that push against us on our path towards...
While salvation is instantaneous, spiritual maturity involves a process. It’s one filled with twists and turns and failures and successes. And each stage of our growth requires an awareness of whether we’re a spiritual baby, a young person in the faith or a mature...