Our world has systems of power—religious and secular—that have been in place for millenia. They’ve lulled humanity into the belief that their way of doing things is the way of doing things. But ideas like prestige by birth and rule by might are now nothing more than vestiges of an old world. Jesus has ushered in a new Kingdom that turns the world’s systems upside down.
Read MoreThe old way of thinking? Impress God. Keep His codes, commands, and regulations so that you don’t get struck down by the Almighty—and if you’re good enough, He might just bless you. But then came Christmas. And now, in the full-God revelation of Jesus Christ, we see the true reality—there’s no need to stress to impress God. He spoke it—we’re already blessed.
Read MoreOne of the more amazing aspects of biblical faith is that it trusts in God’s plan, even when all available evidence points to the contrary. That’s the kind of faith Joseph had. A faith that— even when thrust into slavery, prison, and certain death—said: “I still have faith in the end of my story, because I still have faith in the God who holds me.” Yeah...I want that kind of faith.
Read MoreForgiveness. It’s a beautiful thing. Until it becomes a personal thing. Then it’s a difficult thing. How in the world can we truly forgive those who have wronged us? Hurt us? Lied about us? There may be no more challenging aspect of the Christian faith than the call to radical forgiveness. But “that kind of faith”—a faith that forgives—is a faith we can and need to seek.
Read MoreAnyone can have a faith that looks good on Sundays. Hands stretched high during worship. Money put in the offering plate. Giving the pastor an “Amen!” during the sermon. But how about a faith that still looks good on Tuesday? A faith that works when temptation is high and there isn’t anyone to impress? How do we develop faith that works when no one is watching?
Read MoreMovie after movie, sequel after sequel...Horror History repeats itself. Whether it’s deciding to split up or buying a house that’s probably haunted, protagonists in horror movies make the same mistakes over and over again. If you want to make sure you always survive a horror movie, it comes down to one thing: know horror history, or be doomed to repeat it.
Read MoreIf there’s ever a time you need a strong cell signal, it’s when you’re running for your life. You don’t want to face down a killer only to realize your 911 call can’t connect. So how’s your cell signal—your prayer life? Is there a good, solid connection no matter where you go? Or do you have spotty service that will let you down in the moment you need it most?
Read MoreYou know the moment that someone starts recording a video in a horror movie, things are about to go south. It’s because the more that you focus on the camera, the less you focus on your surroundings. Many poor cameramen would still be alive if they put the camera down and paid attention in the moment—a lesson that many of us would do well to heed.
Read MoreYou can want to survive a horror movie all day long - but if you run up the stairs instead of out the house when you’re chased by the killer? Yeah, you’re not likely to live to see the sequel. And the same is true in our lives. You can want a happy ending for your movie, but if you’re making daily choices that will lead to regret and ruin—guess where you’ll end up?
Read MoreOut of all the fatal mistakes that are made in horror movies, losing track of the killer may be the worst. How do you take your eyes off the thing that’s intent on killing you? Well believe it or not, we do it every day. We lose sight of our sins and weaknesses. And if we’re not careful to get our focus back where it needs to be, we’re living on borrowed time.
Read MoreWe all have a past. We all have mistakes. We all have regrets. And what the Devil tries to do is get us to fall into the mindset that those things define us—that who we were before Jesus is who we still are. But the good news of the Gospel is that those who are in Christ are new people with a new lease on life. And because of that, our past—no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done—can actually be redeemed and used to the glory of God!
Read MoreOne of the most hopeless feelings in the world? Isolation. So naturally, that’s exactly what the Devil wants to foster in a discussion: Isolation. He wants us to buy into the lie that we’re all by ourselves—that we’re the only one who sins, the only one who struggles, the only one who fears, and the only one who doubts. But thanks to God, we never have to feel isolated! God has given us Himself and His Church to ensure we never face life alone.
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