1 Thing Matters

“Be true to yourself, no matter what.” This is the encouragement the world provides. Along with it? An emphasis on the importance of self-discovery, self-image, self-love, self-esteem, self-acceptance, etc. Do you notice a theme?  Jesus has a shockingly different take when it comes to “self.” He encourages denial. Deny yourself. Die to self.  But Jesus goes even a step further! He also calls us to...

Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Make no mistake. That is the most important question in the world. And it is a question every human must answer. A complimentary answer can still be dead wrong. Some in Jesus’ day thought he was John the Baptist or the prophet Elijah come back from the dead. Complimentary, but dead wrong. Today plenty of people believe Jesus existed. They believe he was a w...

“All are welcome!” Is that true at our church? Historically, it rarely is true. In the gospels, the average Jewish person would have thought it odd, even offensive, if someone who wasn’t an Israelite walked into their place of worship. Taking it a step further, some of the Jewish religious leaders would imply that church was meant for those who zealously followed religious customs and traditions....

Wherever faith clings to the promises of God, doubt, deception, and/or distraction linger in the back of our minds in some capacity. When they flare up and attempt to smoke out our faith, we easily end up taking our eyes off Jesus. In those times, the solution is not found in some great miracle that removes adversity, but in the still small voice of our Savior God whispering to us in his Word. Thr...

The hardest times to trust in God are the times we need him most. It’s easy to trust God when your job is great, your health is fine, your relationships are strong, your family is well. It’s easy to trust God when the sun is shining, but what happens when your life is suddenly overshadowed by dark days?  When tragedy or conflict affect us, we may wonder if God continues to care and provide for us....

What do you consider your life’s priorities? If you made a list, what would be near the top? Faith, family, and friends would probably head the lists of many. Financial security and health would be right up there. Reputation and recreation would likely make the cut. But perhaps a more interesting question than “What do you consider your life’s priorities?” is “Which of the items on that list would...

The wheat that grows in the Middle East is a variety that looks much like wild grass or weeds. It is difficult to tell wheat and weeds apart until shortly before harvest time, when the wheat stalks develop a head containing the kernels of grain. Try and pull the weeds out of a wheat field and you will likely pull up a fair amount of wheat accidentally. So you need to wait for the harvest to separa...

Planting seed by hand can seem magical. In your hand the seed looks insignificant and lifeless. Yet you put the seed into the soil, and the natural process of life begins. All by itself, the seed germinates and sprouts and reaches to the sun. Except when it doesn’t! Plant multiple seeds and often only some, perhaps just a small amount, will sprout. As these few sprouts grow, birds and pests and we...

Without rest, we suffer. Studies show that after 36 hours without sleep, most people will experience extreme fatigue and hormonal imbalances, resulting in decreased attention, poor decisions, and even speech impairment. Other studies show if someone takes no breaks during their workday, their productivity is lower than those who do take periodic breaks. We need rest.  Christians know they need mor...

They never forgot their past. Moses never forgot how, in a fit of anger, he killed a man. Paul never forgot how he had savaged the Church of God, overseeing the persecution and execution of Christians around Jerusalem. Matthew never forgot how, as a tax collector for the Roman Empire, he was disdained as a swindler and traitor to his people. These men never forgot their past.  But God did. God for...

Already in the very first chapter of the Bible we read, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image…” (Genesis 1:26). Note the singular “God” and the plural “us.” Scripture teaches us that there is only one God but that he exists as three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is triune (three-in-one). This teaching is not some logical exercise or philosophical excursion. The doctrine of t...

Fifty days after the Passover, God’s Old Testament people celebrated Pentecost (Greek for “fifty”). Pentecost commemorated the gathering of the harvest and was also used to remember the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai, the start of the Church of Israel. Christ chose Pentecost to be the birthday of his New Testament Church too. By pouring out his Holy Spirit, Christ empowered the Church to gather in...

They may serve up some amazing food at the new restaurant near you, but you’d never know if you never heard about it. The series that just started streaming may be the best thing you’ve ever watched, but you’d never discover it without first hearing about it. Even in a FOMO world, there’s still so much going on that escapes our notice; so many things about which we’re unaware because no one ever t...

The gospel is the most inclusive message in the world. The benefits of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are meant for every man, woman, and child who ever lived.  The gospel is also the most exclusive message in the world, for it maintains that salvation can only be found in one place—the person of Jesus Christ.  Pay attention to how Jesus speaks: “I am the way and the truth and the life...

Thomas had been taught and trained by Christ himself. He heard Jesus predict his death and resurrection. Yet, even after hearing the eyewitness testimony of friends, who all saw the resurrected Jesus, Thomas had doubts: "Rising from the dead. That can’t be possible!" Today is a day of great comfort for any follower of Jesus who wrestles with doubt concerning Christ’s promises or doubts a...

Imagine someone you love is near death. Their only hope of survival is a risky brain surgery, one so complicated that only one surgeon in the state will attempt it. The surgery is scheduled. But as that doctor drives to the hospital, he is killed in a car accident. Any hope you had for your loved one’s salvation died along with that surgeon.  That is how Jesus’ disciples felt after his death. “We...

Walk through a cemetery at dusk. What do you feel? Is it sadness as you think of loved ones now gone? Is it fear as you sense that it will not be long before you too are buried deep in the ground? Those are natural emotions. For in the normal realm of human existence, dead is dead. Someone dies, and all you have are pictures and memories. Every day that goes by only brings you one step closer to t...

Pick any head of state: the president, a prime minister, a king. Hopefully, they care about the people over whom they have authority. But even if they care, they live and operate above the people. The British royals live in a palace, not a three-bedroom ranch. The President does not fly coach. He sits in a recliner on Air Force One. There’s nothing wrong with this. Those offices are worthy of high...

The author and poet George Eliot once wrote, “Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.” The Roman philosopher Cicero said much the same. He wrote, “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.”  What second-rate comfort!  But that is the best the unbelieving world can offer—the sappy sentiment that our dead loved ones somehow “live on” in our memories. It is a sa...

The Old Testament said that restoration of sight to the blind was one of the works of the Messiah. In his ministry, Jesus healed those who were physically blind. But even if our eyes work just fine, we still need Jesus to give us spiritual vision. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” Christ comes to shine his light into our darkened eyes that we might see him and live. Jesus meets our greate...

What is our greatest need in the face of suffering? Our initial response might be, “relief.” After all, when dealing with suffering in some capacity, what do our initial prayers for others or for ourselves tend to focus on? We want the Lord to diminish or take away any suffering.  But what if God is actually accomplishing something better in us and for us through suffering that we wouldn’t ot...

What do we need more than anything else? We need a pass. Permission. Access. We need a way to get in with God. Since God’s holiness keeps unholy sinners on the outside looking in, we don’t stand a chance of ever gaining access to his presence or residence in heaven on our own. But God has not left us on our own. Instead, his love prompted him to leave his home to carry out everything necessary to...

Our modern English word “champion” comes from an old English word that meant “warrior.” In ancient times, when two armies gathered to fight, sometimes as a prelude to the battle—and sometimes in place of the battle—each army would pick a mighty soldier, and these two men would fight each other. These elite warriors, these champions, would represent their people in battle. They would meet in the mi...

Jesus grabbed the attention of Peter, James, and John on top of a high mountain when he was transfigured - changed - right before their eyes, revealing himself to be much more than a normal man. Here was God himself revealing his glory in their presence! He got their attention! Peter encourages us to continue to pay attention to the words and works of Jesus recorded for us in his Word, the Bible....

The word “holy” comes from an Old English word, “halig” which means “whole” or “healthy.” We have a holy God. He wants us to live a holy life, one that is wholly dedicated to him, one that is spiritually and emotionally healthy for us. So, as Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount, he makes a crucial point that not all his followers (including present-day followers) understand well: Jesus ca...