Growing up in school, my grades were decidedly average. I hovered around the B and C range, getting my occasional A in gym class, and D in science. Then, all of a sudden, I received straight As during my sophomore year of high school. From that point on, something changed. I continued on with a 4.0 for the next 6 years until I graduated college.
Read MoreWhy do we do what we do? Do we do it for recognition from the world? Or even for recognition from God? Or do we give and serve out of obedience to God and love for his people, with no expectation of a return. This is the humility of a heart fully devoted to God.
Read MoreLove has the power to bring together good. Love has the strength to tear apart evil. Love is the reason for hope, and the engine of faith. Love gives life, robs death, and when it’s perfect, casts out all fear. Love fills what is empty, and pours out generously. Love lifts us up, and brings hate down. Love can repair our wounds and shatter our insecurities.
Read MoreWhile training as an actor, one of the first things I learned is whenever you have a word repeated in the text, it should never be said the same way twice. There is a reason the author felt the need to repeat the word, and so it must take on new or deeper meaning every time the character says it.
Read MoreThe Christian life is counter-intuitive. We are called to see things that are unseen. We are made great by becoming small. We are exalted most in humility. We glory in our sufferings. The death of Jesus has given us new life. The only way to truly live is to die to ourselves. And we are set free to be slaves to righteousness and serve others.
Read MoreMy first job out of college was performing in a long running Broadway musical in New York City. Obviously, this was a dream job, especially for a twenty-two year old recent drama school graduate. I was so excited to go to work every day in a new city, meeting new people, performing in front of new audiences every night. I was fulfilled artistically, relationally, and financially. I was having the time of my life.
Read MoreThe mission of the great commission is just this, to make the name of Jesus known in all the earth. We do this through the practice of evangelism, by spreading the good news. But what exactly does that mean?
Read MoreAs believers, there is a fine line we must walk between caring nothing for this world, and caring fully for those in this world. The Bible tells us that as citizens of heaven we are not of this world. But scripture also makes it clear that while we’re here, we are called to serve those in this world. Essentially, one could say that the best way to serve God is to serve others without a hint of earthly motivation for personal gain or satisfaction.
Read Morewhen I walk with Jesus at my right hand, I land on a path of righteousness. I land in the assembly of the forgiven. I land in hope. I land in healing. I land in restoration. When I look to the Lord, when I fix my eyes on him, then nothing formed against me shall stand. I will not be shaken, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever.
Read MoreAt times, it can feel like God is asking a lot of us. To give, to serve, to live righteously, to sacrifice for the good of others, to lay down our lives! The list goes on and on. The encouragement we have as Christians is that we worship a God who moves first. Everything God calls us to do, he has already done it. He has gone ahead of us and set the example.
Read MoreThe message of christianity could be summed up in three simple words: it gets better. It doesn’t get better in the sense that all of our problems are miraculously solved the minute we come to know Jesus. Paul, at the point of writing this has had a face to face encounter with the resurrected Christ, and yet he still experienced much present suffering.
Read MoreI used to attend a christian, summer, theatre camp as a high school student. During my first summer as a camper, two things happened that changed my life. First, and most importantly, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. On the final night of camp, as has happened to so many young Christians before me, I heard the gospel message, and I responded by laying down my life to follow Jesus.
Read MoreWhat greater exercise do we have to strengthen our faith than that of remembering? When we remember what God has done in our past, it gives us greater hope for what he’s doing in our present.
Read MorePerhaps the reason we’re struggling so much in the battle is because we’re trying to fight it without God in his proper role. Without a fortress, the army is left extremely vulnerable to the attack of the enemy.
Read MoreSometimes it can feel like God is far off. With brokenness, racism, bigotry, hatred, violence, and so much evil in the world, it’s hard to see where a good God fits in to all of that.
But what if God is closer than we think? What if, instead of sitting on his mighty throne in heaven, laughing at our misfortune and foolishness, what if he’s right on the other side of the door?
Read MoreThe gospel is not built on self-help. The gospel is not built on behavioral modification. The gospel is not built on making us feel better about ourselves. It is not built on guilt, condemnation, or having all the answers.
Read MoreMy high school basketball coach hated me. I know he did because he was yelled at me for every mistake I made. He made me run extra if I would show up late or get lazy on a drill. And on top of all that, sometimes he wouldn’t even let me play in the games.
Read MorePlease excuse a controversial opening, but sometimes the Bible can get downright scientific. Here, we find Paul using a classic “if/then” statement. IF this is true, THEN this is also true.
His hypothesis alone would be encouraging enough. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave is dwelling in me? You mean the same Spirit that gave him the power to walk on water?
Read MoreA few weeks ago, I was in a conversation with some friends after church on the subject of Christian giving and contentment, and we found ourselves in a bit of a debate. When it comes to our worldly resources, specifically our finances, are we as Christians called to gain more in order to give more, or are we called to simply be content with what we have?
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Two years ago, my wife and I stood on the altar. Actually, it was more like a piece of shiplap. You know those Pinterest weddings. We stood on the banks of a river, surrounded by trees, and made our vows to love one another always. Selflessly, mercifully, and sacrificially.
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