No one likes a fake person. You get that feeling when you talk to someone, and you can sense that there is nothing genuine. Christians can be accused of being fake. When you go to church, and someone asks you how you are doing, and your response is, "great!" If that...

One of the struggles in life is misplaced trust. It's when we put our trust in someone we thought was a good person, but they ended up betraying us. It often is someone close to us, like a family member or longtime friend. It hurts and usually costs us something, but...

You've been set free. That happened when Jesus died on the cross and defeated din's death grip on the human race. When you confess your sins, those chains are removed, and you've been set free. Your debt has been paid, and you can walk without the burden of your sin...

If you have ever bought a house that required a mortgage, you have probably gone through the process known as escrow. Escrow checks all of the boxes to ensure the change of ownership happens legally. At the end, you sign a multipage contract which tells you your right...

There is an old adage for parents which states, “The days are long, but the years are short.” Basically, what it is saying is don’t blink, or your time with your children will be gone before you know. Paul expresses the same concern when he says, the Lord will return in the twinkling of an eye, and we will all be changed. Don’t Blink. Jesus could come back, and you could be left behind.

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:52

“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.”

No one wants to think about death or the end of life. Paul addresses some of the concerns people in the church in Corinth had been asking about. What will it be like when Jesus returns, and what happens to those who have already died? Paul also addressed this with the church in Thessalonica. They thought the rapture had happened, and they missed out. Paul explains that when Jesus comes, it is going to be so quick that if you blink, you could miss it. The trumpet is going to sound, and Jesus is going to return on the clouds and gather those who are His. It will start with those who died first, and then those who are still alive will be caught up in the air with Him. It will be a glorious moment.

The darkness of a room can be disconcerting and confusing. It is easy to lose your frame of reference and not know where you are. Very little good comes out of the darkness. That is why Jesus said He was the light of the world. He illuminates the darkness and exposes the evil that resides there. Sadly, people who are in the darkness don’t want to be exposed. If you are struggling you can overcome the darkness. The power of the light Jesus brings is more powerful than any darkness.

John 3:17-19
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Come out of the dark. The pressure of life builds up for everyone. How we handle that pressure can make or break us. Many people choose to cope with that pressure by indulging in private sin. That momentary escape gives them a brief respite from the stress of life. Unfortunately, that temporary fix becomes a necessity. It starts taking up more time than we want it too. Soon we find ourselves in a place where we can’t stop and we are too embarrassed to seek help. When we finally get exposed there is a sense of relief but there is still that pull to run back to our dark place. We can get free from that bondage that ensnares us. Come out of the dark and turn to Jesus.

Pleasing God is Impossible Without Faith. No good work or behavior will get you over the top. It is stepping out in faith that will please Him. Your willingness to step out of your comfort zone when you don't know the outcome and when things don't look promising is...

You need to set the example for others to follow. Whether they are your children or younger workers at your job, you need to set the example for them to follow. They have questions and are looking for good examples to model their lives after. Your actions could show...

One of the most painful things to deal with is when someone turns on you. You thought they were a friend and when you needed them they turned against you. Getting over pain like that can take some time. Some people never recover. Fortunately, one of the greatest...

The phrase “Every cloud has a silver lining” means you can derive good from every bad situation. It probably originated from a John Milton poem from 1634. While it may be a generalization, there is some truth to the idiom. Finding the silver lining may not always be...

Do you ever wish you could silence the foolish people? Those who blab off their mouths and spew gossip and lies? Maybe you would like to walk up to them and deliver the perfect one-liner that leaves them without a response? Fortunately, most of us aren’t that witty or quick, which saves us a lot of headaches. There is a way to silence the foolish people. It is through your good deeds. Leave them speechless by what you do, not by what you say.

1 Peter‬ ‭2:15

“For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.” ‭‭‬

The Way of the Foolish

‭When wronged by another person, our initial reaction is to defend ourselves. They attack us by spreading rumors and gossip. We want to confront the person. We dream of the perfect comeback to their slander. Unfortunately, the reason the person is foolish is that nothing silences them. Their mouths run on and on. Proverbs often warns us about stooping to the level of a foolish person. Prov 10:8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. Just as the old saying goes: “it does no good to wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty, but he enjoys it.”

Have you ever been so excited you couldn’t keep quiet? Have you kept thinking that you gotta tell someone? That’s what the resurrection of Jesus Christ did to the disciples. They were so transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit that they couldn’t keep quiet and needed to tell everyone about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Of course, this got them into trouble as well. We should all want to get to the point where you can’t keep quiet about Jesus.

Acts 4:19-20 NIV

But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 

Would You Stand Firm in Your Faith?

What drives you to follow Jesus? Is it a promise of eternal reward? Is it the relief that comes from forgiveness of your sins? What if you were brought in before authorities to give an answer? Would you stand firm in your faith if you were told to stop following Jesus? Peter and John were brought before the religious council and told to stop proclaiming Jesus’ name. Their reply; “What is right in God’s eyes?” They answered to a higher calling, and even at the threat of harm, they would not back down.