strength

Lay Down Your Cross

“The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: ‘This one was born in Zion.’ As they make music they will sing, ‘All my fountains are in you.’” – Psalm 87:6,7 Are you aware that you are the ruler of your own personal kingdom? Every human being has a sphere of influence or an area where their will and power are exerted in a way that influences those around them for better or worse, as weird as that may sound. I have a “Bobby-dom,” and I am the ruler of my realm without supernatural intervention. I will make decisions that favor me and give me more power; I am inherently self-serving. This, I believe, is why Jesus’ thesis — the most important thing He spoke about — was the Kingdom of God. When He arrived, He brought the principles and characteristics of Heaven to earth, providing a far superior

January 6, 2022 No Comments

Home Base of Grace

“Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” – John 1:16,17 I spoke to you yesterday about the crucial understanding that you are not what you do. Today, I want to expand on that idea by assuring you that you are enough. I understand that saying this at the beginning of the year when you’ve just established objectives and resolutions that require you to run faster and strive harder, sounds bizarre. I’m not dismissing those ideas; in fact, I wholeheartedly believe in them. However, I am confident that if you do not first receive God’s grace and then extend it to yourself, you will not be able to accomplish your goals. Remember that grace is not just mercy; it’s God’s overflowing love and favor toward His Son, which He

January 4, 2022 No Comments

You’re Not What You Do

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8,9 Well, the holidays have passed, and many of you will have returned to your regular routine by today. You may return to your office to find an inbox full of messages from folks who require your assistance. There may even be a desire to become overwhelmed and frustrated at the start of the year. If you’re feeling this way, please remember one thing: you are not what you do. Even if you’re still on vacation and haven’t yet returned to the grind, I encourage you to think about this crucial concept. Many people who grew up in religious households are shocked to learn that they are not what they do. In fact, I was asked to

January 3, 2022 No Comments

Worrier to Warrior

“When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’” – Judges 6:12 I implore you to transform from a worrier to a warrior! “I don’t want to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death,” Tony Campolo famously declared. I don’t believe God wants this for any of His precious children. I once heard the story of Eli, a young boy. Eli was terrified of anything sharp or pokey as a child, including scissors, needles, splinters, bee stings, and other similar objects. His parents shielded him from sharp objects because they wanted to help him. They stopped going to movies because of the scary scenes, they let his hair grow out because he was frightened of scissors, and they avoided looking at flowers since bees live in flowers. Eli eventually became fearful of leaving the house or doing anything because

January 2, 2022 No Comments

New Year, New Lessons

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.“ – 2 Peter 1:3 Happy New Year! This particular time, with all the optimism, possibilities, and potential we are faced with at the start of another year, excites me every year. As we progress forward in the wonderful things God has called us to, I like to think of it as an opportunity to reset, shake off the old, and establish new goals for ourselves. Each year will undoubtedly bring new problems and tribulations, but I encourage you to approach each day with optimism and anticipation, and to commit to be a person of action rather than fear. Now, because today is a vacation and many of you are likely to be doing something relaxing, such as watching sports or watching a movie,

January 1, 2022 1 Comment

Vulnerability with Him

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2 As we seek to become resilient and less fragile in our walk with God, we should keep in mind that vulnerability and humility is a difficult task. Stop pretending to be perfect; it’s not going to help anyone. You don’t have to be vulnerable in front of everyone, but you should have a few individuals in your life who are familiar with both your good and bad sides. Be open and honest about the issues you’re dealing with, and you’ll grow stronger as a result. Try to be strong and tough if you want to be vulnerable and weak, and if you want to be powerful, be transparent, modest, and broken. Don’t feel ashamed of your vulnerabilities because the light of Jesus shines brightest and most brightly through the flaws. Devote yourself

December 8, 2021 No Comments

Spiritual Dexterity

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” – Matthew 5:43-45 There are a few practical things you can do in your daily life and in the Kingdom of God to become more robust and strengthen your anti-fragility. First, you must take some hits. If you’ve been playing it safe for a while, you should put yourself in a position to be stretched, even if it hurts. Taking a few punches in the name of growth can and should become part of your daily rhythm and habit. However, don’t forget to rest throughout these developing seasons; you need at

December 7, 2021 No Comments

The Anti-Fragility of Jesus

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” – Galatians 3:26,27 After discussing how love is anti-fragile, I want to continue our conversation focusing on God’s anti-fragility, more specifically Jesus and the early church. Jesus Christ exemplifies what it means to be resilient. More people followed Him when others cursed Him and lied about Him. More people talked about Him when they said He was sent by demons. They grew jealous as He grew in popularity, and eventually crucified Him; but little did they realize, that was the worst thing they could have done! Why? Because new life spilled into the universe as a result of His death and resurrection! Everything shifted at that point, and time was snapped in half like a twig. Because the veil was broken in half, history

December 6, 2021 No Comments

Anti-Fragile Love

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38 We’ve lately discussed being anti-fragile, and how anything that is knocked down, attacked, or destroyed in Jesus will eventually come back stronger. This is true primarily because love is anti-fragile, and God is love. If your daughter is dating someone you don’t like, telling her to break up with them is the worst thing you can do for their relationship. Although it may seem strange and paradoxical, staying positive or neutral is often the best option. Attacking the connection, whether it’s actual love or just infatuation, invalidates the overwhelming feelings that are occurring and nearly guarantees a

December 5, 2021 No Comments

How to be Anti-Fragile

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 You’re not easily broken! The enemy’s primary goal in your life is to keep you comfortable. Don’t get me wrong: relaxation and decent food are important, but you must understand that it is the trials and tribulations of life that make you more like Jesus. “Fire feeds on difficulties,” as Marcus Aurelius famously stated, and so does a believer! Let’s say you buy a box of fine champagne glasses to send across the nation to a friend. I guarantee that when you package them, you’ll take extra precautions to ensure that they don’t break during shipping. You will probably place them in a box, perhaps surrounded by bubble wrap and some styrofoam popcorn, and then tape it up. After that, you’ll make sure the box is labeled “fragile”

December 4, 2021 No Comments

Lay Down Your Cross

Home Base of Grace

You’re Not What You Do

Worrier to Warrior

New Year, New Lessons

Vulnerability with Him

Spiritual Dexterity

The Anti-Fragility of Jesus

Anti-Fragile Love

How to be Anti-Fragile

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