abundant life

Joy Isn’t Found in Power

“Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” – Jeremiah 10:23 Today, I want to sum up our lessons about King Herod by saying that his legacy is proof that wealth and prestige can’t buy happiness. In fact, when I look at his story, I don’t see joy or success, I see narcissism and rage. Even though he had everything that money and power could procure, he was miserable — constantly fighting to maintain his position and worrying about who he had to conquer next to stay on top. As hard as he tried to make his name immortal, like the compounds and shrines he erected for his glory, he himself came to ruin. And while to his contemporaries he had no rivals, his life is evidence that we cannot gain joy from power. Since the fall, our natural

March 18, 2021 No Comments

Make Small Things Big

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24 As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that we inherit abundant life when big things become small and small things become big. What I mean is that although society teaches us that fulfillment comes when we attain wealth or find worldly success, the truth is that the seemingly ordinary and less glamorous things in life are actually the fabric of contentment, happiness, and productivity. Though I’ve traveled all over the world, I just love New York City. There’s something about that bustling metropolis that allures me, because it seems to represent the American spirit under a magnifying glass. And while many imagine New Yorkers being stern and mean, I haven’t found that to

March 13, 2021 1 Comment

The Blessing in Righteousness

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33 For the next few days, I want to discuss three things that I believe lead to a blessed life. As Christians, we use the word blessed a lot, but I’m not always sure we understand what it means. Because I try to look at the Bible holistically, I’ve come up with a triad of virtues, which, based on the entire compendium of Scripture, seem to lead to the most happy and fulfilling human existence. While this is just my observation, I hope these next few devotions offer a point of focus as we seek to obtain the abundant life that Jesus died to give us. That said, the first thing that causes us to inherit blessing is righteousness. Though this can be an uncomfortable word, the reality is

February 11, 2021 No Comments

Heavenly Happiness

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3 As Christians, we hear the word “blessed” a lot, but we tend to lose sight of its actual meaning. When we read things like “blessed are the poor in spirit,” we imagine that the term denotes goodness, righteousness, or holiness when in reality, it refers to something that seems far less spiritual. In Hebrew, the word most often translated “blessed” is asher, and in Greek, it’s makarios. Both of these can be defined as “happy,” and they infer that blessed people are living the good life. Unfortunately, long-faced religion has taught that true discipleship is not synonymous with happiness…yet perhaps this is because our view of the latter is inaccurate. When we think of being happy, we often associate it with worldly pleasures — stuff, sensuality, wealth, and achievement — rather than the state

January 24, 2021 No Comments

Enjoying Eden

“Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.” – Genesis 2:8 Today, I want to share some interesting information about the Garden of Eden. At the beginning of time, Adam and Eve were put in this very specific place where they could have unhindered fellowship with God. Eden itself was a location — possibly a water spring or a building — somewhere near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, and the garden was the space that surrounded it. While we don’t know this for sure, in reading Scripture, it seems that not all of Creation at the time was part of Eden. It’s quite possible that outside the entrance to this lush and Spirit-inhabited space there was a world that was barren and not nearly as abundant and beautiful. That said, what made Eden so special is

January 10, 2021 No Comments

Do What’s Right

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” – Proverbs 21:3 Sometimes doing the next right thing can be difficult. I remember one summer during high school, when I was living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, my friend Josh — who just loved to fish — would ask me nearly every day to go with him. Now, if you know anything about Tulsa, you know that summertime is not just hot, but humid — it’s like going into hundred degree weather wrapped in a blanket that you’re trying to breathe through. That said, because I minded the heat, each time he would call and want me to go, I would say no. I much preferred lying on the couch in the air conditioning, sipping a Coke, and watching my favorite T.V. shows. Nevertheless, Josh was persistent, and when I finally said yes and accompanied him,

December 13, 2020 1 Comment

Joy Isn’t Found in Power

Make Small Things Big

The Blessing in Righteousness

Heavenly Happiness

Enjoying Eden

Do What’s Right

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