Live Free with Josh Howerton

Envy is resenting God’s goodness in other people’s lives while ignoring His goodness in yours. Envy is found in multiple lists of sins throughout the New Testament, including right next to murder and drunkenness. It rots our bones and robs our joy. Comparison never leads anywhere good, but gratitude for God’s goodness leads to life. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

What do you do when you feel anger rising inside you? Proverbs 15:1 and Proverbs 21:23 warn us to watch our words when we are angry. Instead of spouting off whatever hurtful words come to mind, the Holy Spirit can help us respond with a gentle answer when we come to Him and admit our weakness. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

James 1:19-20 warns us to be slow to anger. Our anger is often a reaction to a different emotion going on inside us. When you start to feel anger, pray and ask God to show you what is happening in your heart. Reflect and remember the results that may come from your choices. Ask the Holy Spirit for the self-control to wisely respond to whatever is going on around and inside you. For more informatio...

This week, we have been looking at the Fatal Four, four deadly opponents that want to take us out. God has righteous anger that comes from sin, injustice and evil. You might experience that, too. However, mismanaged anger causes damage wherever it flares up. Be aware that the enemy wants to keep fanning that flame, so we burn our relationships down. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/da...

Pride wants to run rampant in our lives, but God offers us a strategy to defeat it. Philippians 2 shows us the one who lived a perfectly humble life: Jesus. Jesus left everything He deserved and lowered Himself to death on a cross, a death He did not deserve. God calls us to watch His way of life and mindset so that we can model our lives after Him. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/da...

What do you think is the number one thing that stands in the way of our relationship with God and others? Pride. Self-importance is at the root of every other sin, and it cheats us out of the good things God offers us. We may think it builds us up, but it turns us into toddlers who only know the word “mine.” For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

On this Good Friday, listen in and be reminded of what Jesus’ love looks like. The light of the world, the Son of God, was crucified for you and me. He died and was buried, but that was not the end of the story. Death could not hold Him, and He defeated the grave. Take time to praise Him for this life-giving love and consider who you need to share it with today. For more information, visit lakepoi...

Today, as Easter approaches, we look at events leading up to the most important moment in history. While in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and was then betrayed. He knew what was coming and allowed Himself to be arrested, undergo a series of illegal trials and endure tremendous suffering. What love Jesus has for you! For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

For the last few days, we’ve been hanging out with Jesus and listening in as He gives His final words to His disciples. In John 17, Jesus prays to His Father, giving thanks for the disciples and those who would come after them. On the night He was arrested, Jesus prayed for you! He prayed for us to be unified so we could be a beacon of hope to the world, pointing to Him. For more information, visi...

Sometimes, our lives can change course with just a few words. To illustrate this, Jesus explained to His disciples that He was the true vine. For them to live the full life He wanted for them, they needed to remain in Him. The job of the branch is just to stay connected and bear fruit, but it cannot do that apart from the vine. Imagine how God could work in and through you when you remain in Him....

Join us this week as we look at some of the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples. In John 14, He told them, “Trust in God, and also trust in me.” He knew that what was coming would be hard for His disciples, and He wanted them to trust in the reliability of God. Jesus calls us to trust Him with every trouble we face in life, knowing that He will always be with us. For more information, visit la...

Have you ever failed so badly that recovery seemed impossible? The apostle Peter experienced that, too. Instead of hiding in shame, Peter ran to Jesus. Jesus still bore the marks of suffering and death, but His resurrection brought grace and forgiveness to Peter. No matter what you have done, there is hope. Jesus is waiting for you to run to Him. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/daily...

Just as Jesus prophesied, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times when less than 24 hours prior, he promised to be faithful. Matthew’s account of this story tells us that Peter was grieved and owned his failure. He stayed with the group instead of letting failure isolate him. Are you letting failure or embarrassment keep you from others? Who is one person you can reach out to today? For more inform...

The disciples were distraught when Jesus revealed He was going where they could not follow. Peter pridefully promised that he would remain by Jesus' side no matter what. Jesus knew the weakness in Peter’s heart and prophesied Peter’s denial. Yet nothing would take Jesus’ love away from Peter, and nothing can take it away from you. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

At the Last Supper, Jesus left His disciples with a few final words as He prepared to go to the cross. He called them to love each other as He had loved them. Following His resurrection, they lived out this command, loving others in such a way that love became the defining feature of the early church. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Join us today as we start the week in John 13. During the Last Supper, Jesus forewarned His disciples of an impending betrayal against Him. As He sat with the disciples, Jesus knew that it was Judas who would betray Him. Despite Judas' efforts to retreat into the darkness to hide, he was still seen by God. No sin, no matter how secretive, can be hidden from the One who sees all. Do not linger in h...

We close out the week by looking at John 13, where Jesus demonstrated His deep love for the disciples, including Judas, who succumbed to temptation and betrayed Him. Jesus knew what was coming yet still took on the role of a servant by washing all the disciples’ feet. May we follow the example of our humble servant King and serve those we are around this week. For more information, visit lakepoint...

Despite all the amazing things Jesus said and did, many people still did not believe He was their promised Messiah. Their doubt was prophesized back in Isaiah. It is our choice to stay in the dark or walk toward the light Jesus offers. Jesus loves you and desires you to come to Him no matter where you are or what you’ve done. Will you take Him up on that offer today? For more information, visit la...

Jump in with us today as we continue to look at the way John describes Passover Week in his Gospel. After the Triumphal Entry, we see the Pharisees seeking to preserve their own lives while Jesus was seeking to lay His down for the sake of the world. He had a love for the Father and the whole world in mind as He humbly walked toward His death. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydri...

While the people surrounding Jesus sang praises to Him with the anticipation of political salvation, Jesus wept. Too often, we can get swept up in the crowd and forget what is truly important. Are you seeking the applause of heaven or the applause of the crowd today? For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

The applause and praise from others drive too many of us daily. However, that was not true with Jesus. Although He was tempted in every way we are, He did not give in to sin. The people praising Him as He entered the city on the first Palm Sunday could not grasp what He had come to do. They praised him like a conquering king, but His victory could only come through His humble sacrifice and death....

As people headed to Jerusalem for the Passover, many would stop to see Jesus and Lazarus in Bethany. They had heard of the amazing miracle and wanted to see it themselves. Because of this, the Pharisees were plotting to murder both men, all in the name of God. Their actions would set in motion the epic events of Passion Week. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

In John 12, we see Jesus back in Bethany at the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. During dinner, Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume as an act of worship and gratitude. In contrast, Judas had a heart hardened by greed, and he criticized her actions. Will you approach Jesus with a heart of greed or gratitude today? For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

When we are so self-focused, we miss out on the good things in life. Some of the people who had seen Lazarus' resurrection reported it to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were trying to preserve their selfish interests and missed seeing Jesus for who He is and what He was there to do. Are you missing out on Jesus and the life He has for you? For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Even in the face of death, Martha and Mary believed that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Seeing the grief, sadness and pain experienced by His dear friends in this world caused both anger and tears to well up in Jesus. He approached the tomb, had the stone rolled away from the entrance and proved He is who He says He is by raising Lazarus back to life! For more information, visit lakepoint...