The Heretic Within
History is filled with people who used the Bible to justify their desires and plans. For example, Adolf Hitler once declared, “Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.” Cult leader […]
God Includes You
We include our friends in our plans, in our lives. When someone gives you great seats to a game, you think of friends you can invite. When Memorial Day or Labor Day rolls around, you include your friends in the plans for the cookout. Jesus declares that as His friend, you know the Father’s business […]
Everyday Serving in the Workplace
A common misconception among Christians is that their work is not spiritual, that a regular 9-to-5 day cannot be sacred. If they’re going to do anything spiritual or ministry-oriented, it’ll have to happen around these occupied time slots. But this implies that everybody needs to be a full-time pastor of some kind if they’re going […]
God Shows His Greatness
When something great happens in our lives, we call our friends. If we have great news to share, we tell people we love. Moses enjoyed a close friendship with God, and God showed Moses His greatness. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. . . . […]
Our Identity As Children
Romans 8:14-16 says, All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children. The phrase […]
The Words We Use Matter
In his book The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle tells the fascinating story of some experiments that Stanford psychologist and author Carol Dweck has conducted with fifth graders in multiple settings. The fifth graders were put into two different groups and given the same tests. After completing the first test, the first group was told, “You […]
Digging in the Wrong Hole
For years, generations of people have wondered how Stonehenge became Stonehenge. How did these massive stones end up where they are? One theory is that the stones were moved from one of the Preseli Hills—150 miles away. To learn as much as possible about the stones and life surrounding them, archeologists have been digging on […]
Spirit-Filled Leaders Are Better Leaders
In his popular books Emotional Intelligence and Primal Leadership, researcher and author Daniel Goleman writes that the most effective leaders are emotionally intelligent. More than a high IQ (intelligence quotient), great leaders have a high EQ (emotional quotient). Because these leaders are emotionally intelligent, they are able to create environments and cultures that are highly […]
Not Only Servants
In John 13, Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, holding high the value of serving. He challenges them to embrace their identity as servants. Moments later Jesus tells His disciples that they are more than servants. He calls them friends. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. […]
Living Our Identity
Our identity in Christ necessitates rejecting an identity built on something else, on something less. In the research behind Transformational Discipleship, believers consistently showed that they know this to be the case. When asked about denying selfish impulses, believers expressed their understanding of the privilege of living a new and transformed life. Transformation is seen […]