Are you feeling paralyzed by the complexities of life? If so, there is good news for you as a sheep. All you really need to focus on is better hearing and recognizing the voice of the Shepherd and following Him.   This is the technical definition of a “sheep”: The common name for many species... Continue Reading

We not only receive the blessings and favor that come from being chosen and adopted, but we also receive the responsibilities and opportunities. Because we are God’s chosen ones, we should live like it. It should change how we live because of who we belong to, whose family we are in, and what our new... Continue Reading

Remember, the Bible was not written to you. It was written to specific people, at a specific time in history, for a specific purpose. By seeking the author’s intent, we avoid reading modern assumptions into the text and instead discover its true meaning. So, grab your Bible, take your time, and dig deep—God’s Word is... Continue Reading

Suffering regularly reveals to me just how weak and feeble I truly am. Stress has a way of graciously reminding me how desperately in need of him I am. I can honestly affirm with Paul that God’s grace is sufficient for me, and that his strength is made perfect in my weaknesses.   In the... Continue Reading

Feelings of adequacy are the enemy. They try to rob the glory from God. If I am sufficient, then God is unnecessary. (I hope that feels bad to even read.) To say it plainly, feelings of sufficiency are sin. When we think too highly of ourselves we are prideful, we bear false witness about ourselves,... Continue Reading

It’s easy for us to assume we know what God is like when really we’ve reduced and tamed him to something less than.  And all of that begins subtly, drip by drip, degree by degree, as we drift from knowing God and his word and stop examining ourselves in light of what we see.   Do... Continue Reading

Even if we’ve done the right thing or arrived at the right belief, we haven’t necessarily walked worthy. We have to get there for the right reasons and in the right way. We can only do that if outcomes have their proper, lower, place in our priorities.   As humans, we have a strong bias toward... Continue Reading

Never the let money be the master or idol that captures your focus, and the grace of God will grant to you riches beyond belief—riches that never fade away—eternal riches of heaven itself, the true and lasting treasure of the heart.   The Parable of the Dishonest Manager (Luke 16:1-13) is considered to be one... Continue Reading

Sanctification is not optional for the believer. It is God’s will. John Owen urged, “There is no safety against sin but in a constant warfare.” The believer must fight, knowing that God is faithful to complete the work He has begun. Let us press on, pursuing holiness with zeal and endurance.   Sanctification is not a passive... Continue Reading

Over the clanging gong of breaking news, we listen for the first notes from a trumpet that will signal the end of evil (Matt. 24:31). Then, final judgment will be rendered to the butchers of Buchenwald and Berdychiv. No evil word will go unpunished. On that day, every child’s cries will find consolation.   Speak... Continue Reading