Relax

A Meaningful Life is a Peaceful Life

“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.” – Titus 3:14 I am passionate about you having a peaceful life. I’ve said in past sermons that Jesus was relaxed and that spending time in His presence frees us from a lot of the fear and angst we face. Today, I want to introduce another concept to you: that a peaceful life is a meaningful life. In order to have a relaxed and calm mind, especially in difficult times, we need to devote ourselves to pursuits that are noble, praiseworthy, and that require effort and discipline. I believe that meaning in life comes before happiness. As much as our American orthodoxy says that we should pursue happiness before all else, a transformed and tranquil existence demands the opposite. To experience the abundant life God promises,

September 29, 2022 1 Comment

God Has an Idea

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19 I remember when Shepherd’s Grove was located in St. Callistus in Garden Grove, California. We were looking for a way out of our lease, which was very expensive and crushing our ministry. We could not afford it and had no place to go. As we attempted to buy the building, our landlord had already sold it but didn’t inform us. Because our landlord contract gave us the first right of refusal, we could have easily pursued legal action, but we chose not to. We didn’t think that was a good or wise use of our time or money. I took the landlord’s actions as a sign that maybe God had something else in store. Pastor Russ had been in conversation with the former pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church and

May 19, 2022 2 Comments

Three Keys to Becoming a Servant Leader

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5,6 As we wrap up our discussion about what it means to love our enemies and bring unity to our workplaces, I want to offer three practical tips that will help you to be a conduit of peace from the inside out. You see, becoming a servant leader is not a matter of trying harder, it’s a matter of the heart. The more you trust the Lord with your life and the more assuredly you believe that serving others is His best plan for you, the more naturally peace and goodness will flow from you. That said, here are a few things to remember: First of all, be patient. Intentionally practice patience and quit hurrying through your life. Instead

May 1, 2022 1 Comment

Trust God’s Heart

“They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” – Psalm 112:7 As we have learned about the winter and wilderness seasons, as well as King David’s life, we’ve come to the understanding that difficult times often bring mixed blessings and that they always serve a purpose. I have a few practical tips that can help you better manage these difficult times in your life, which will surely occur. First and foremost, avoid asking too many questions. It’s natural to want to know why something bad is happening to us, so we ask questions like, “Why is this happening to me?” “What does this mean?” or “What does this mean?” While I don’t want you to feel bad about asking those questions, I do want to reassure you that you don’t need to know all the answers. Whenever something bad happened to our

January 21, 2022 1 Comment

Jesus was at Ease

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” – Mark 6:30,31 We talked about the power of intentional rest the other day, and how it may help us free our minds and find peace. Today, I want to give you a second challenge for the new year, one that I feel will significantly improve your quality of life — don’t hurry! You’ve undoubtedly heard me say it before, but you must “ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life,” as Dallas Willard, one of my religious heroes, puts it. Slowing down my pace has improved my quality of life and my capacity to be an effective Jesus follower significantly.

January 11, 2022 No Comments

Rest with God

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” – Hebrews 4:9-11 It’s the weekend again, and I want to encourage you to Sabbath, or truly relax, as you establish new habits this year. There’s a reason God advised the Jews to set aside a specific day of the week to relax and unwind. Rest is a sacred thing, and I believe that God’s Spirit resides in times when we intentionally relax and slow down. He communicates to us, leads us, and blesses us with great interactions with Him in such moments. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that our world is strained, and it’s stressed like crazy! People are

January 8, 2022 2 Comments

Just Relax

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30

March 30, 2017 No Comments