God’s will

Thriving in Times of Trouble

“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” – Proverbs 4:6-7 What does it mean to live in God’s Kingdom? Do you have an idea? The Kingdom of God is the place where God’s will is carried out; it is the place where He reigns supreme! More specifically, it is a place where individuals follow Jesus’ instructions and live as He directed. In essence, the Kingdom of God is made up of people who are morally wise and knowledgeable. More than everything else in the world, I believe in Jesus’ teachings. In fact, I am confident that if you live by the Sermon on the Mount, even if you are an atheist, your life will be better. This is because I believe that what Jesus

November 15, 2021 1 Comment

Whose Voice Are You Heeding?

“Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.’” – 2 Chronicles 20:14,15 As the citizens of Judah gathered in the temple to pray about the impending invasion of their land by the nations of Ammon, Moab, and Mt. Seir, they were expectantly awaiting the Lord’s answer. Interestingly, it came in the form of a prophecy that was spoken through a man named Jahaziel. As he was overcome by the Spirit, this faithful priest foretold that God would give the Jews victory over

October 8, 2021 No Comments

Live With Open Hands

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 One of the most revolutionary shifts we can have in our thinking is to understand that when the Lord leads us away from something, it’s because He always has something better prepared. If we’ve invested a lot of time and energy somewhere or with someone — whether a relationship, business, ministry, or job — it’s easy to hold on to it with clenched fists. However, because God’s ways are much higher than ours, He often uses unexpected circumstances to make us uncomfortable so He can guide us to better things. He sees more than we do, and He understands the duration of each season of our lives. While He wants to use us where we’re at, it’s imperative that we don’t try

August 3, 2021 No Comments

The Words of Jesus

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:4 Yesterday, we talked about solitude, the first of three habits we observe as we study the life of Jesus. Today, I want to introduce the second discipline we see our Savior exercising consistently, and that is Scripture memorization. Committing the Word of God to heart was a practice that was deeply embedded in Hebrew culture, and for good reason. Unlike today, when nearly everyone has a Bible in their possession, the scrolls were kept at the synagogue, so memorizing them was the primary way to carry them into daily life. Perhaps this is why every Jewish child was required to commit to their minds the Torah — or the first five books of the Old Testament — while they were still young. If they

June 5, 2021 2 Comments

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

Chase After His Kingdom

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:33,34 Though it’s not easy, if we want to experience the fullness of God and inherit all of His beauty and riches, then we must pursue and give priority to His Kingdom and His righteousness. Contrary to how it seems, however, this doesn’t happen by running faster and trying harder. When I was in seminary and preparing to step into ministry, I had mentors who walked alongside me to warn me of the hardships of modern pastoral life. There are many things that make running a church difficult, and as I observed the stress and strain endured by a few of my fellow shepherds, I noticed that the ones

March 10, 2021 No Comments

Prepare Your Feet

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” – Isaiah 52:7 In addition to equipping our minds, hearts, and hands for action, the fourth and final thing we should do to proactively move from a place of waiting to preparation is to ready our feet. Just as Jewish worshippers cleansed their legs and feet during Mikvah as a symbolic way of asking the Lord to guide their coming and going, we should listen to His voice before we commence or stop any forward motion. When I was in college, I had a spiritual mentor teach me to pray every day, “Lord, please let me be in the right place at the right time doing the right things with the right people.” And though it seemed simple then,

March 7, 2021 2 Comments

On Earth as It Is in Heaven

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10 Not only do I love the Lord’s Prayer because it’s the perfect model for us to follow as we approach our Heavenly Father but also because it reflects the heart of God. Jesus taught us to pray: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” Though it’s easy to gloss over that phrase, it actually paints a very powerful picture of the manner in which the Lord of Creation wants His will, priorities, and power to prevail on this planet. Many of us get so focused on reaching eternity that we forget there is work to do here and now. While it’s tempting to discard the future of the world, especially when it looks chaotic and uncertain, it’s important to remember that as Christ’s disciples, we are

January 27, 2021 No Comments

Get Back Up

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 When I finished seminary, the average time a graduate spent in pursuit of ministry was just five years. Even after countless hours of formal education and the sacrifice of months spent studying and training, the unforeseen yet inevitable challenges of doing the Lord’s work in a fallen world are too much for many. And unfortunately, this isn’t just true in ministry. Most people stay at a job for an average of four years before moving on in search of something better. And while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it speaks to the truth that consistency in any endeavor is hard, because it comes at a cost. In whatever we undertake, there’s a “honeymoon” period when things are new and exciting, and the

December 12, 2020 3 Comments

Don’t be afraid…

“But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’” -Jonah 2:9 Sometimes we ask the question, “What is God’s calling for my life?” I say that whatever you think it is, even if you’re not sure, do it anyway. A lesson we learn from the story of Jonah and the whale, if you think it’s God’s calling but you’re not sure, just do it. If it’s not his calling, he will send a “whale” to get you back on track. Many of us know that. You take an action, You go to do something, and all of a sudden, this “whale” comes out of nowhere, picks you up, and spits you out into your calling. There is something about that in life that, even if you’re not doing what God has called you to do, I

January 21, 2016 No Comments

Thriving in Times of Trouble

Whose Voice Are You Heeding?

Live With Open Hands

The Words of Jesus

Joy Isn’t Found in Power

Chase After His Kingdom

Prepare Your Feet

On Earth as It Is in Heaven

Get Back Up

Don’t be afraid…

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