Wednesday's Word

God doesn’t want you to come to Him empty-handed. No, you can’t come to Him full of yourself, And you can’t come to Him based on your track record, And you can’t use your performance as a recommendation. No, you can’t come to Him based on your family, Your personality, Your education, Your position in life, The successes you’ve had, The possessions you’ve accumulated, Or the human acceptance you’ve gained. But God requires you to... Read More

My family and I were in church and had just heard a powerful sermon from the Ten Commandments. I turned to my wife said, “I am so glad our children were here to hear that sermon!” She didn’t even have to say anything to me. She simply gave me that look. You know, the one that says, “I can’t believe you are actually saying what you are saying.” I felt embarrassed and grieved. It had happened so subtly and quickly. I had placed myself outside the circle... Read More

The fourth and final identity in our series is that of saint. Remember, we can’t properly understand what this life is about and what we’re supposed to do unless we first know who we are. “I am” always precedes and determines “I will.” By better understanding who we are, we can better understand how to act in the situations, locations, and relationships of everyday life. So who are we? Creature. Sinner. Sufferer. Saint. Identity #4 - Saint ... Read More

You live in a terribly broken world. The evidence is all around you. Every day you awake to a world that is groaning, eagerly awaiting redemption (see Romans 8:18-23). You probably don’t need me to remind you of this reality, but everybody hurts. If you’re not hurting now, you’ve hurt in the past. If you’re not hurting now, you’re near someone who is. And if you’re not hurting now, you will someday. Therefore, in addition to being a creature and a... Read More

Last week I introduced the first of four foundational identities that we need to embrace – that of creature. We are God’s idea, we reflect his design, we exist for his purpose, and we have been commissioned to do his will. It will be a struggle to submit to the law of the Creator, but when we do, we will experience safety, freedom, and joy inside the good and wise boundaries that God has defined for us. The second foundational identity will be equally as hard to... Read More

“You’re not my daddy,” she said as she laughed to herself. “You’re my grandpa.” Trying to get my attention, my three-year-old granddaughter inadvertently called me “Daddy.” After catching her mistake, she found it humorous that she would confuse her father’s father with her own father. It was a cute moment, but it was an amazing moment. With only three years of total life experience, this little human being was beginning to shape her... Read More

There’s no shortage of self-help literature and social media posts teaching us how to live our best life. The Bible does the same. Although, instead of helping to make the most of us, God’s Word provides us with a roadmap to live our best, God-glorifying life right here, right now. This God-glorifying “best life” never happens by accident; it is never the path of least resistance. It requires intentionality, and constantly reminding yourself of these Biblical... Read More

Last week I wrote how many of us will feel confused and powerless for periods of our life. It’s the reality of living in a fallen world with broken people. These moments are painful, yet necessary and helpful. They expose our functional level of faith in God - our capacity to truly leave things up to him - and they provide us with an opportunity to mature in our faith. If we respond biblically during seasons when life makes little or no sense, we can experience spiritual blessing in... Read More

Are you living through a period of life when you don't understand what God is doing, and you can't seem to improve your situation, location, or relationships? Maybe you don't feel utterly helpless, but you feel something like this: Wanting to honor the Lord and do what he says is right, despite others doing what is wrong and thriving. Frustrated that life isn't going your way, and that what you desire is often a dream and rarely a reality. Confused at why God has... Read More