Kingdom of God

The Surprising Truth About Heresy

“In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.” – 1 Corinthians 11:17,18 What do you think of when you hear the word heretic? If you’re like most Christians, you probably think of someone who ascribes to and promotes a false doctrine. Like maybe they don’t believe in the Trinity or they don’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Surprisingly, this may not have been the Apostle Paul’s intent when he used this term! The root word used to derive heresy is hairesis, which in Greek means “one who chooses.” So a heretic, in Paul’s view, is someone who causes division in the church by choosing their own way over God’s. Thus, it

April 30, 2022 1 Comment

You are a Leader!

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” – Hebrews 13:7 Did you know that you are a leader? Regardless of whether or not leadership is implied in your title, if you are a Christian, you are called to lead. No matter where you are today and how insignificant you think your title is, because you are empowered by the Holy Spirit, you have influence! As we continue talking about our workplaces and how we handle professional relationships, my challenge to you is this: Don’t worry so much about the perfections or imperfections of your employer, but instead focus on transforming your organization’s culture one relationship at a time. Rather than trying to find a perfect boss or a workplace that’s known for being joyful and productive, work to cultivate the atmosphere you seek in

April 27, 2022 1 Comment

Wisdom is Weightier than Gold

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” – Proverbs 16:16 Let me ask you a question: Would you rather have a million dollars or the wisdom to make a million dollars? How you answer that says a lot about your priorities. However, don’t feel bad if you chose the money — who wouldn’t want resources like that just thrown in their lap? Though it’s always tempting to go the route of instant gratification or a quick-fix, living in the Kingdom of God means that you don’t have to. You already have all that you need! We talked yesterday about the fact that you have many callings and that everything you do in life has a purpose that builds upon the one before. Today, I want to encourage you with the thought that all of your jobs, positions, and vocational appointments work together to

April 23, 2022 2 Comments

Overcoming Injustice

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.” – Colossians 3:23-25 Yesterday, we talked about God’s view of injustice and slavery and we looked at how His love for us never wavers, even when we are being mistreated. Today, I want to talk about how this is possible. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian Jew who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during the Second World War, once wrote about his experience that, “The one thing they can’t take away from me is my ability to choose how I will respond.” This is the same sentiment that Paul asserts when he writes the

April 12, 2022 No Comments

Radical Mercy

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” – James 2:12,13 I believe it was Rick Warren who once said, “Hurting people hurt people.” As a pastor who has seen a lot of pain, I don’t know of any truer statement than this. So today, I want to invite you to consider what would happen if you purposefully adopted this view of the ones who wrong you? Do you have any idea how life changing it might be if someone blatantly offended you and you purposely show them the Kingdom of God instead? What if someone cuts in front of you in line at the store or at Disneyland? While your natural inclination might be to read them the riot act, do you

April 9, 2022 No Comments

Turn Over Your Cloak and Tunic

“And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” – Matthew 5:40 Yesterday we talked about what it meant in the time of Jesus to turn the other cheek and what that teaches us about how to stand against insults without retaliating. Today, we’re going to look at the second example the Lord gives us in the Sermon on the Mount, this one dealing with how we handle those who steal from us. I hate to say it, but in Jesus’ time, men didn’t really have underwear. Instead, they wore two basic pieces of clothing — a tunic and a cloak. The tunic was the undergarment. Think of it like a man mumu, kind of a big, white sheet that went around their bodies to keep their outer garments from getting soiled. Then they had their cloaks that went over their tunics,

April 7, 2022 No Comments

Death to Self

“Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?’” – Luke 9:23-25 Over the past few days, we’ve learned a lot about agape love, so today, I want to talk more about the flip side of that wonderful gift, which is death to self. No good thing in this life comes without sacrifice, and the most divine and precious gifts of God can only be experienced as we make a choice to deny ourselves. In fact, this theme is echoed over and over again in the New Testament, both in the teachings of Jesus and in

March 15, 2022 2 Comments

What Motivates Love?

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4,5 For the past week, we’ve been talking a lot about types and characteristics of faith, which is the first element in what I call “the triangle of sufficiency.” In other words, there are three things that you and I need to live in the fullness of the Kingdom of God — faith, death to self, and agape love. For the next couple of days, we’re going to look at the last two, death to self and agape love, in more detail because they go together. Have you ever been annoyed by someone trying to help you or wounded by someone attempting to love you? If you’re like me,

March 12, 2022 1 Comment

Three Kinds of Faith

“Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” – Matthew 9:29 We’ve been talking a lot about faith — what it is and what it isn’t and how it plays out in our lives. Today, I want to assert that there are different kinds of faith that correspond to distinct seasons of our lives as Christians. Different things motivate our trust at various times in our lives, but the bottom line is that faith is essential to our survival and quality of life. Why? Because faith has to do with the future. When we are unable to put our hope in anyone or anything, we quickly become despondent and crippled by worry, anxiety, and depression. Faith is the essential component of a productive, abundant, and fruitful life, which is why living in the Kingdom of God is absolutely the best way.

March 6, 2022 No Comments

Authority Over Darkness

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” – Matthew 10:16 Yesterday we talked about how Satan does exist but how we, as Christians, have power and authority over the darkness he tries to bring into our lives. Overall, we affirmed that Jesus has won the war! Today, I want to talk a little bit more about our adversary and where his pseudo-power comes from. I believe that lack and evil in this world are carried out through the agency of people; however, their root cause is found in the angelic world, namely through Satan and the fallen angels who followed him rather than serving the Lord. Now, whenever we talk about the devil and Satanic influences in modern society, it’s easy for educated people to put their guard up — that’s because the enemy doesn’t want us

February 19, 2022 1 Comment

The Surprising Truth About Heresy

You are a Leader!

Wisdom is Weightier than Gold

Overcoming Injustice

Radical Mercy

Turn Over Your Cloak and Tunic

Death to Self

What Motivates Love?

Three Kinds of Faith

Authority Over Darkness

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