“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28-29 ESV). Worship isn’t a service you attend, but one that you offer; not somewhere you go, but something you do. Christians do not gather on Sunday mornings to be a passive audience for a performance by the most talented members: we gather to personally worship God with gratitude, reverence, and awe. And what is that if not emotion? Sometimes we overcompensate for American churchgoers’ consumeristic te ..read more

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isa. 43:19 ESV). Unprecedented. Challenging times. Abundance of caution. None of these turns of phrase originated in 2020, but they will forever be associated with the global pandemic that began that year. None were spared its devastating effects. Beyond the obvious impacts to life and health – with many still mourning the death and disability it wrought – the enemy used the scourge of COVID-19 to dramatically accelerate the fraying in personal relations ..read more

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:16-18 ESV). Ever wonder what God’s will for you is? This. Maybe that seems too simple or impractical: isn’t prayer just how you bless food, close meetings, or get children ready for bed? Sadly, some Christians limit their view of prayer to a public speaking role at church or a way to convince God to do something (cf. Matt. 6:5-8). Yet, there is power when God’s people pray (cf. Jam. 5:16). Jesus believed that so strongly He would rise “very early in the morn ..read more

“The mystery of the gospel” – that’s how the Apostle Paul described the message about Jesus that he boldly proclaimed through his preaching, writing, and life (Eph. 6:19-20 ESV). It is “good news” about Jesus that is so simple people the world considers foolish, weak, and lowly can freely receive it (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26-29). Yet at the same time, it requires “a secret and hidden wisdom” that eluded the world’s political leaders and religious elite (1 Cor. 2:7-8). It is “the power of God for salvation” – an incredible demonstration of His amazing grace to us when we trust Him (Rom. 1:16). Yet, it i ..read more

You are as good as dead. “What is your life?” James asked, “For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (Jam. 4:14 ESV). Sin is to blame for this frailty: it came into the world and spread like a cancer, bringing death with it (cf. Rom. 5:12). You see, God is the Author of life, Father of lights, and source of every good and perfect gift (cf. Acts 3:15, Jam. 1:17). When we sin – using our thoughts, words, or actions differently than what God created us for, as everyone does – it separates us from all of that, which means, even if there is still breath in your lungs, yo ..read more

When Jesus was arrested by the chief priests and a band of soldiers, the Apostle Peter ran. While Jesus stood trial before the Jewish authorities, Peter stood outside in the courtyard and denied even knowing Him to the bystanders and servant girls questioning him there. Yet, just a few weeks later, that same Peter stood before those same Jewish authorities and boldly declared Jesus to be the Christ whom they had rejected. He defied their authority, insisting that God wanted him to continue speaking of what he had seen and heard. He later traveled to the city where the region’s Roman officials ..read more

Sooner or later, we all come face-to-face with the difficult reality of death. Our first brush might be in childhood, like losing a beloved pet. It doesn’t get easier. In time, we may survive (if you can call it that) grandparents, parents, siblings, even a spouse. Death is inevitable, the Bible declaring “it is appointed for man to die once” (Heb. 9:27 ESV). Yet, it pains us so that we risk for our future selves – and guarantee for our loved ones – heavy burdens by fearing even discussing it. Part of the problem may be that we don’t really understand it. As Christians, we believe God is sover ..read more

One of the great things about exercise is how easily you can measure your progress.  You can assign a number to the weight you have lost, the mass you have gained, or the improvement in your blood pressure. It’s easy to recognize jogging at a faster pace or loading heavier plates onto the bar. With enough time and success, other people notice, too. Your clothes fit differently or your demeanor changes. If you try hard enough and stick with it, that is. Because sometimes we want to lose weight – but we don’t want to change our diet or do cardio. We want to build muscle – but we miss a lot ..read more

It seems counterintuitive, but you need rest to grow stronger. Exercise creates small tears in your muscles. As they heal, new muscle results. Without rest, though, your muscles don’t get a chance to fully recover. You can even overexercise: instead of getting stronger, it limits your growth and increases your risk of injury or burnout. Part of ancient Israel’s journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land was learning to rest. In a way that was totally foreign to the world at that time, God commanded His people to take a break from their daily struggles and enjoy His provision ..read more

There’s a right way to perform certain exercises, to hold a golf club, or even to play piano – but that’s not always how we do it. Maybe we were self-taught and never thoroughly trained in the proper technique. Maybe we grew lax as the moves became familiar, the weight we carried increased, or schedule demands limited our practice time. Gyms are full of mirrors to help weightlifters with this – but do we use them? To stay healthy and grow stronger, we must watch our form. The Apostle Paul coached Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ..read more