If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, you’ve probably heard the exclamation, totally righteous! Or maybe you were part of the era that heard that phrase from a very excited sea turtle. At whichever point you heard it, the phrase ‘totally righteous’ carried with it a tone of something that was really excellent. In the latter half of the 20th century it was usually in reference to a surfer or skater who caught a major wave or airtime. For our gnarly aquatic friend, it was in exclamation of describing a seriously awesome journey through some jellyfish. But there’s a third undercurrent to this particular exclamation. To say something is totally righteous is to carry this undertone of being morally just and upright. It’s what the travelers to the new world sought after when they left Europe for a new life of religious freedom. 

The Puritans used to speak in terms of a righteousness that was imputed and then a righteousness that was imparted. They were seeking to distinguish between the objective righteousness that Christ affords us and the subjective righteousness that we enact in our lives in the power of the Spirit. As believers, we are the grateful possessors of both. Whatever your preferred terminology, this much is always true: the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ isn’t simply a free pass that excuses us to do as we please. No, the gospel calls us and empowers us to do what pleases the Lord. The key is that the gospel always turns us back to Jesus (Alistar Begg, Righteousness in Action).

The Puritans sought to lead totally righteous lives that continually pointed them back to Jesus as their barometer. But the concept of righteous living goes back further than that. If the phrase existed in Paul’s day, he would have used it as a cultural reference to describe a way of life. Using the language of the day, it’s how he described life to the Ephesian church. Paul writes that once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord (Ephesians 5:8-10 NLT).

Paul calls the church to live in the light. In other words to live in a way that reflects the life of Jesus. And if there’s a question as to what one should do, Paul says to determine first what would please the Lord. The life of the Christian isn’t meant to be a free for all once we’ve received salvation. It’s not a free pass to live however we want without repercussions. The gospel message of Jesus calls us to something different. To live differently. Paul, and the Puritans, make the point that if your way of life doesn’t point you back to Jesus, then you may be going in the wrong direction. Carefully determine what that is this week so that we may live a totally righteous life.

When you were growing up, did you ever catch an episode of The Joy of Painting on PBS with Bob Ross? Throughout each episode, Bob would spend his time painting on a blank canvas while teaching the viewers how to paint as an artist would. Many would follow along with Bob on this whimsical journey through the world of painting. Inevitably, we novice artists wouldn’t do it exactly as our host did. We’d smear, dot, and dribble paint in all the places it didn’t belong. Little things, but to us, it ruined the painting. This stroke was too hard. I put too much paint there. That color doesn’t match. Our natural instinct is to give up. To throw away the piece and start over next week when the program comes on again. However, throughout each episode, Bob would remind everyone that when it came to art, there were no mistakes. Just happy little accidents. It was a chance to create something beautiful out of what once seemed ruined. He would remind us that even if a brush stroke was off, we just needed to keep creating until something beautiful came out of it.

And isn’t that a picture of our own lives. Sometimes the road leads off in the wrong direction. We get distracted and miss a step. We make plans that lead us somewhere we didn’t want to be. Or maybe something happened that we didn’t expect. Some sort of pain or heartache that just doesn’t seem to let up. And we end up feeling broken, battered, and beaten down. Like we can’t do this anymore and we’re just confused about how we got here. It can be exhausting.

But there is good news today. You may feel like a mistake. You may feel broken. You may be hurting and scared. But God has better things for you today. The prophet Jeremiah shared this message from the Lord to the people of Israel. Jeremiah saw in a vision that he went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel (Jeremiah 18:3-6 NIV).

The road may be rocky. You may be marred up from the journey. But the joy of the day is that God is still shaping you as seems best to him. Stand firm in your faith and remember that humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps (Proverbs 16:9 NIV). He knows the way and He’s shaping you for the good plans He’s making.

Do you remember going to the beach as a kid? The hype to get there and see the ocean. To get your feet in the sand and pull out all of your tools to build the best and greatest castle of all time. You get close to the water so you can even add a moat. And if you were really fancy, you brought with you the makings of a great drawbridge to cross that moat and enter your fortress of sand. Do you remember the excitement of constructing that castle? Finishing your great endeavor, stepping back and admiring your work. In all of your work, you only forgot one piece of the puzzle. The tide came in while you were working. And as the waves crashed against the walls of your mighty structure, you watched in amazement and horror as your castle began to erode from the water coming in. Your castle just wasn’t strong enough to withstand the waves. 

Isn’t that how life feels sometimes. We spend all of this time building our lives. We make these castles and fortresses to protect ourselves. But is it strong enough against the waves? Have we built it on the right foundation? Jesus put it this way saying everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash (Matthew 7:26-27 NIV). We can know all of the Scripture. We can understand the greatest truths of the Bible. We can know what it takes to have a regular routine in faith. But if we never put it into practice, one day it will all wash away as the tide comes in on our lives.

The Christian faith is more than just knowledge and hearing of the word. It’s meant to be put into practice. Moved forward by our belief that Jesus is Lord and that He’s saved us for a purpose. Jesus said a little earlier that everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock (Matthew 7:24-25 NIV). Putting the lessons learned from Jesus is like building your castle on a foundation that won’t wash away when the tide rolls in. It’s a foundation on the person and salvation of Jesus Christ where the practical steps we take each week in faith will build something that can withstand. Maybe you won’t have a drawbridge and a moat, but the castle you build on Jesus Christ will still be standing when the tide ebbs. 

What’s your faith built on right now? Are you still building sandcastles out of sand? Just going through the motions without putting the words of Jesus into practice. What’s one step you can take this week to move forward? To begin building on a solid foundation?

Has it ever happened to you that you walked into a room and forgot why? Or had a plan or grocery list, but by the time you got to the location you forgot the plan and most of the list? It can be confusing and maybe a little frustrating. Isn’t that how life works sometimes, too. You get a few years down the road and forget why you started on this path. You don’t know how you got here or when the years passed by so fast. Maybe you stopped going to church. Maybe you’ve stopped praying as often or aren’t really reading Scripture too much. Or you open the Bible and wonder where you’re supposed to start because it’s all confusing. I mean, how are we supposed to make sense of it? And all this thinking brought back a reminder of the movie The Lion King. Simba has run away from home, scared to return. Then the years go by and he’s forgotten everything of his past life, until Simba learns of what’s become of his homeland. In a moment of despair and frustration, he begins looking for answers in the stars. The image of his father comes to Simba and says Simba, remember who you are. He was the rightful king and needed to be reminded of that fact. No matter how the years had gone. No matter how far he ran away. He was still king. 

Truth be told, we need to remember who we are at times. The years fly by too fast. But we have been claimed for a purpose. From the very beginning. God spoke through Moses to the enslaved people of Israel saying I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord’” (Exodus 6:7-8 NIV).

Through the years, God’s chosen people became more than a single nation. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price so that we might have salvation. And Peter had to remind the church of that fact saying you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV).

Our lives, as believers, have been claimed for a purpose. To share the Good News of Jesus Christ. That He will return one day as the Lion of Judah to claim His people. Remember who you are today! A people brought out of our sin and shame. Given a fresh start and a new identity. So that we might in turn, lift the name of Jesus high and say to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father - to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Revelation 1:5b-6 NIV).

Have you ever been in a place where you felt like you’ve lost a handle on the situation? A place where things progressed too fast for you to be able to keep up. All of a sudden everything feels out of control. Your blood pressure goes up. Heart rate increases. You find yourself sighing just to catch a breath. It can be stressful when we find ourselves in a situation like that. Often we ask, shouldn’t this be easier? Or maybe even, why does this have to be so hard or stressful?

As believers, we developed this assumption that if we do all of the right things and follow God with all of our best intentions, then nothing bad will happen to us in this life. That somehow blessing will just be heaped on us. However, that’s simply not true. Throughout Scripture we’ve watched so many struggle and face hardship in the midst of following God. Even Christ was perfect, yet look at the suffering He had to endure. Christ didn’t waver in His obedience to the Father because He knew even at the foot of the cross, God was still in control (Stacey Salsbery, God Is in Control Even When Life Isn’t). The same holds true for us today. Even when life feels out of control, God is still holding all of the pieces in place.

Look at the life of David. He came from nothing and found himself as best friend to the king’s son and a member of the court. But something changed and Saul feared that David was making a play for the throne. So David was on the run for his own life. Everything he had and everything he knew was now gone. The life he had was spiraling out of control. Yet he wrote in the 24th psalm The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters (Psalm 24:1 NIV).

The situation you’re in may feel like it’s out of control. You may feel helpless as the waves crash around you. But no place or person or situation escapes the sovereignty of God. Did you hear that? Just because a situation looks bad, that doesn’t mean God’s not in it (Stacey Salsbery, God Is in Control Even When Life Isn’t). He’s there with you in the storm. He’s there when the stress of the moment hits. He’s there when you look around at the chaos of the world. Nothing escapes His vision and His sovereignty. He’s still working His plan for good. For you and the rest of the world. It may feel out of control, but God is still on the throne weaving a beautiful tapestry for the redemption of the world. Rest in His peace this week!

Life has a way of leading us to places where we simply can't see what's next, doesn’t it? However, we are people who want a straight road with clear signs with a visible destination. Instead, God often leads us to a bend in the river where the current carries us beyond what our eyes can see. Something is out there just around the riverbend. But we can’t see it. We can’t grasp what it might be. It’s simply unknown. And the truth is for us that those moments can be unsettling. Questions inevitably begin to surface. What if things don't work out? What if this changes everything? What if I'm heading toward something I never expected? What if I go around the bend and get stuck where I don’t want to be? Our instinct is to want answers, but the reality of our faith is that God often offers something better. His presence.

The prophet Isaiah delivered a message to the people of Israel from God saying “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:8-11 NIV).

The message from God through Isaiah reveals that God’s perspective is infinitely greater than our own. We see only the stretch of river directly in front of us. Beyond that, we’re blind. But He sees the source of the river, its current, and ultimately, its destination. He sees every twist, turn, and the place where it finally reaches the sea. What feels uncertain to us has never been uncertain to Him. He is the worthy one who holds it all together. Jesus Christ is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word (Hebrews 1:3a NIV). The One who gave His life for us is also the One entrusted with our future. The hands that bear the scars of the cross are the same hands that hold tomorrow. He can be trusted with what’s lying just around the corner because He’s holding it all together.

We may not know what lies just around the riverbend, but we know who’s already there. Faith isn’t the absence of questions. Faith isn’t about putting on a display of strength to make everything seem ok. Faith is choosing to trust the character of Christ when the path ahead is hidden. His wisdom is higher than ours. His plans are better than we can imagine. His promises never fail.

Whatever bend in the river you face today, resist the temptation to measure God's faithfulness by how much of the journey you can see. Instead, measure it by the worthiness of the One who leads you. The Lamb who was found worthy to unfold God's perfect plan is more than worthy to guide your next step.

What do you see when you look around? Is it a happy sight? Or is there more tension than there was last year? It seems that conflict is inevitable. We’ve watched it rise and fall throughout the history books. It’s a tale as old as time. And the truth is, it can be discouraging. To constantly wake up and see pain and struggle. To press on when we can’t keep our emotions in check. To be scared of tomorrow. Or to be in such a state of worry that we find it hard to go outside. What do we do when the world is a mess?

Often we look to books for the answer. We seek out others to give us advice. We change our diet. We exercise more often. Ultimately, we spend an exorbitant amount of time on these exterior resources that are supposed to fix it all. But what if there was a better way? That’s not to say we shouldn’t care for our mental health and physical wellbeing. We should take care of ourselves, but what if we started somewhere else first? To change our perspective about the order of things. Instead of looking around, what if we started by looking up? The author of Genesis wrote in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1 NIV). All things began when God created them. Sounds so far out of our reach doesn’t it? Why would we matter to the God of the universe? Listen to what the psalmist says: You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely (Psalm 139:1-4). 

The God of the universe. The Creator of all things. The beginning and end sees you. What you’re going through. He knows your thoughts, your fears, your apprehensions. The psalmist goes on to say that You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me (Psalm 139:5 NIV). The road ahead may be uncertain for us. It may be a little rocky. Our problems, struggles, and anxieties will probably still be here tomorrow, but the hand of God is on those who love Him. He’s got you covered from the struggles in front of you as well as behind. If struggle has been a tale as old as time, the Living God comes before time. He created all things and is in all things. And in the vastness of all of creation, He sees you, knows you, and protects you.

There’s a motto that has become famous throughout the American Navy that says “Don’t give up the ship.” Maybe you’ve heard it before. Maybe you’ve used the phrase before. The reality is that many people know the phrase but not the story. During the War of 1812, Captain James Lawrence was mortally wounded aboard the USS Chesapeake. As he was being carried below deck, his dying command was: "Don't give up the ship." The battle was lost that day, but Capt. Lawrence’s words became the rallying cry for the young American navy. The phrase was later sewn into a battle flag under the command of Oliver Hazard Perry before the Battle of Lake Erie where a decisive American victory was won. The power and fortitude of the phrase didn’t make the battle easy. It made the resolve of the sailors deeper. Surrender was never considered.

However, more than forty years before Perry raised that flag, George Whitefield had been preaching another message. In one of his messages Whitefield said press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you (George Whitefield, The Works of the Reverend George Whitefield, 1772). It’s a message that has lived in our history. One was to sailors and the other to the believers. But both understood that victory belongs to those who refuse to quit. It’s the same message that the people of God have been hearing since the early church. The author of Hebrews writes let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:22-23 NIV). As believers, we’re called to remember and to preserve the faith that we’ve been handed. To hold fast. To strive for the mark. To remain faithful. 

Living the Christian life is more than just knowing the history or knowing the facts. We’ve got to protect, defend, and preserve the faith that’s been given to us. Founding Father Samuel Adams once said religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness (Samuel Adams, Letter to James Warren November 4, 1775). Samuel Adams believed that liberty was sustained not merely by laws but by the character of the people who lived under them. The life of the Christian isn’t about winning every battle. It’s about refusing to abandon the One who has already won the war. We’re called to press on. To hold unswervingly to the freedom we’ve been given through the gospel. But true freedom begins with transformed hearts. Awakening always precedes lasting change. Hold fast to the faith you've received. Stand firm in the hope you profess. Strive toward the mark with assurance that Christ still reigns. Don’t give up the ship.

Have you ever felt so impassioned by something that it consumed your thoughts? Maybe a project that you devoted all of your time and energy to. Maybe that new courtship that you wanted to get just right. Or even a cause that you felt needed to be defended. 250 years ago, the founders of America felt that way about the cause for freedom. Patrick Henry once declared during the session to discuss independence said the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave (Patrick Henry, Second Virginia Convention, 1775). A statement often attributed to Samuel Adams on the steps of Independence Hall in Philadelphia captures the spirit of the Revolution in that If you love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom... go home from us in peace (Samuel Adams att., Independence Hall, August 1776). The leaders of what would become the United States believed so deeply in their cause that they were willing to fight to the end for it. So inflamed was their passion for the cause that it set in motion events that would change the course of history. Reflecting on that, should we, as believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ, be equally as impassioned to share the message of Jesus with the world?

That’s how the movement began. Paul once wrote to Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God (2 Timothy 1:6-8 NIV). The Spirit God gave us is a spark within our soul meant to give us power. As believers, Paul tells us to fan that spark into a flame. To set it ablaze within our hearts that burn for more. The reality we face in the modern age is that the greatest threat to the Church isn’t persecution or false teaching. Those are problematic, no doubt. But the greatest threat to the movement of the gospel in this world is spiritual indifference. It’s allowing the fire we had for the gospel to die down to embers.

The call from Paul here is to reignite the passion we had to share the gospel. To become so impassioned by the Spirit that it consumes us with renewed energy. To say set a fire down in my soul that I can't contain, I can't control. I want more of You, God (Jesus Culture, Set a Fire). 250 years of independence is truly something worth celebrating, but if there’s something to be learned by our founding fathers is that the nation’s beginning wasn’t fueled by comfort. It was fueled by conviction. Patrick Henry said the battle was for the vigilant, the active and the brave. Samuel Adams spoke of an “animating contest for freedom.” They understood something that we often forget. That great causes are sustained by hearts set on fire, not merely minds informed. Fan the embers. Ignite the spark. Let conviction fuel the flame of the Spirit of God within you this week!

How many hobbies did you have growing up? Were you one of those kids that found one thing that they loved and did that into adulthood? Or were you the one that had a new hobby each week. Every new week brought with it a new passionate exploration into a new endeavor. For the first few days, you burned brightly. Excited by the new task. Researching. Buying all the supplies you might need and jumping into it feet first. However, by the end of the week, your fast flame for the new hobby died to a flicker. And so the end of the week closed the chapter on a promising new hobby only to make way for the next impassioned project. For many of us, that sums up about childhood, adolescence, and even some of us in adulthood. Constantly on the move to find the next passion project because we lost the passion for what we started. It goes much farther than hobbies. In this day and age we’ve treated our careers, social circles, and even the church this way. Our need for constant entertainment and peaked interest is at an all time high while devotion to one thing seems to be at an all time low.

While we can’t force people to be devoted, it may be that we have made it too easy for them not to be. By trying to keep everyone interested and excited, we’ve created a cheap substitute for devotion. Rather than busying themselves with countless endeavors, the early followers devoted themselves to a few. And it changed the world. It seems like the Church of America is constantly looking for the next new thing (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church). Perhaps it's time to return the passion of the early church fathers. They changed the world by being filled and fueled to spread the message of Jesus Christ. The prophet Jeremiah had a similar feeling and experience as the early church did. He wrote of God that his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot (Jeremiah 20:9 NIV). The word of God consumed Jeremiah so much that he couldn’t hold it in. It had to be spoken to the people of Israel. The early church experienced much of the same. So what are we missing today? Where is the passion that we started out with for the gospel? The apostle Paul once said do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV)

The goal of the Christian life isn’t to find a comfortable place to worship, good music sets, or even to listen to a charismatic preacher. The Christian life is rooted in our belief in who Jesus Christ is, what He has done for us, and then being His witness to the world! We can have the best understanding of theology and Scripture, but without practical application, we’ve missed the mark and are simply living out a flickering faith rather than a blazing fire that is shut up in our bones. The theology that matters is not the theology we profess but the theology we practice (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church).

What would the letter to the Church be today? What is the theology that we practice? If you were to ask yourself honestly, what would need to change to return to the passion for the gospel?

In 1988 Disney produced an animated movie based on the story of Oliver Twist. Except it took place in the animal kingdom of cats and dogs living in New York City. A young cat named Oliver is orphaned on the streets of the Big Apple with no way to care for itself. Worried about all the new and scary things of this new world, he runs into a ragtag bunch of street dogs living high on life. The secret of their ring leader, the artful dodger, comes through a song called Why Should I Worry. Everything he needed was available to him on the streets of New York once he understood the rhythm of the city. He didn’t have to worry about the next because each new morning brought with it new provision to live. But can we say the same about ourselves in relation to our faith and interaction with the Living God?

How often do we find ourselves carrying this burden of what tomorrow will bring? We worry about our finances, our schedules, the relationships we have. We worry about our health and how we will navigate this thing or that. Often we plow forward as if the outcome of it all somehow rests entirely on our own strength and planning. There’s no question that there is struggle in this world. There is hurt and pain. The future is ultimately unknown. Where we will be a year from now is often hidden from our view. So how do we go through each day without being crushed by the weight of tomorrow. I believe Jesus gives us the answer to that question.

During the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s account of the gospel, Jesus says I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life (Matthew 6:25-27 NLT)?

Can your worries add extra time to your life? What will you get for all the worrying that we do? Anxiety? Stress? Wrinkles and a total lack of peace? The truth is we hate the unknown. We’ve spent most of our known history trying to uncover what is hidden. To somehow predict what the future will be. All in the hopes to be at peace. However, true peace doesn’t come to us from having every single detail of our lives perfectly figured out. It comes from intimately knowing the One who does have it all figured out. When we can shift our focus from our own issues and struggles to the character of God as our Provider, peace inevitably follows to replace the stress and anxiety. You do not have to hustle for your worth or worry about your next season. 

Jesus went on to say seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today (Matthew 6:33-34 NLT). God knows exactly what you need even before you ask and is weaving together your story for His glory. Your job is simply to seek His kingdom first and trust that His grace will be sufficient for today. He is faithful. He will fulfill all of His promises.

Fear is an inexplicable thing. It can drive us to make choices that we never thought. It can lead us down paths we never dreamed. It drives our conversations, occupies our minds, and overwhelms the soul at times. One author even went on to write that you may take the most gallant sailor, the most intrepid airman or the most audacious soldier, put them at a table together - what do you get? The sum of their fears (Tom Clancy, The Sum of All Fears). We live and operate in a world that has nearly been consumed by fear. Fear of the past, the future, illness, germs, employment, relationships, and a host of other things. How are we supposed to manage it all? The truth is, we really can’t. We try to with all of our strength. We try breathing techniques, exercises, and medications to control our fear and anxiety. And to an extent, it helps take the edge off. But does it solve the problem? If you asked anyone who suffers from long term anxiety or stress, they would most likely answer no. We need help at a deeper level. Perhaps what we need is a calming of the spirit. And that can only come from one place.

God spoke to the people of Israel through the prophet Isaiah saying do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10 NIV). God offers that same help to us today. What is the sum of all your fears? What is the thing that sits at the top of the list that you can’t seem to shake? What fear is driving your decisions today? God says don’t be afraid because He is with us. He brings strength to the weak and help to the weary. The psalmist went as far to say that great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit (Psalm 147:5 NIV)

There’s no limit to the greatness and power of our God. There’s no limit to His understanding of what you’re going through. The sum of all fears can be a scary thought. It can leave us feeling like we’re in a dark place, but the message of the gospel is clear; Jesus is still there to say, “don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Cast your fears onto Him this week. Give Him your loss. Give Him your frustration because great is the Lord. He’s mighty in power. And He has promised to never leave you or forsake you. His greatness and power knows no end.

It’s been said that we should live each day like it’s the last day of our lives. But is that really sound advice? What would happen if everyone did that? The likely scenario would be that the people of the earth would make hundreds if not thousands of irrational decisions. Because the reality is that we are a race of people who will fall back on our needs and desires when pressed. It’s been that way since the beginning. At the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world and we’ve been dealing with the effects of it ever since. It’s a constant cycle that has put a weight on us throughout the history of the human race. We each have a story to tell. All of us have experienced pain throughout our lives. Or maybe we’ve put aside dreams and impulses because we have so much life in front of us. So if someone asked you to live like there’s no tomorrow, would you make the best choice? Or the one you’ve held back?

But what if there was a better way? What if in the end, the choices that you’ve made day in and day out, do indeed matter? The truth is, there is a better way because of one person. Jesus Christ paid the price so that we might live. Scripture tells us that the end is coming. Jesus will return and we need to be ready for it. Not so that we hurry up and do all the things on our bucket list just in case it’s tomorrow. But so that we weigh the choices of the day in light of who God is calling us to be. The author of Hebrews says it this way, What about us, then? We have such a great cloud of witnesses all around us! What we must do is this: we must put aside each heavy weight, and the sin which gets in the way so easily. We must run the race that lies in front of us, and we must run it patiently. We must look ahead, to Jesus. He is the one who carved out the path for faith, and he’s the one who brought it to completion. He knew that there was joy spread out and waiting for him. That’s why he endured the cross, making light of its shame, and has now taken his seat at the right hand of God’s throne (Hebrews 12:1-2 NTFE). 

We don’t know what the future holds for us. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. But we know who holds the key to the future. The race we run isn’t a sprint trying to get to the end as fast as possible. It’s a marathon that’s run patiently with our eyes on the One who is and was and is forevermore. He endured the cross so that we might live. So that we might live in a way that brings glory to His name on the path of faith that He’s carved for us. Don’t rush it thinking you’re running out of time. In the end, run patiently.

Have you ever gone on a long road trip? Hours and hours of travel to get to the destination. If you were around before GPS, you may remember reading the atlas in your car trying to navigate. Or even printing out directions that you could follow step by step. It’s an exciting time to just hit the open road. But have you ever gone on that trip and after hours and hours of driving, stopping at the rest stops, and grabbing whatever coffee and food you could find; you realize that you missed your turn and are miles and miles in the wrong direction. All of sudden your road trip has found you in a place you didn’t expect miles from where you want to be, and unsure how to navigate the road ahead to find a new path. Eventually you land on the only possible solution. The U-turn. You turn around and head back where you came from. You find the last known direction and begin back on the path toward the destination. Without the U-turn, you would only find yourself further from the goal. There’s freedom in turning around. It’s a reset and gets you back on the right track.

That’s the role of repentance for the believer. Oftentimes, because of sin, we find ourselves in places we never thought we’d be. Facing situations we never thought possible. And traveling roads that are far from our intended destination. Sin has ravaged the world leaving us feeling lost and confused. Wondering how we even got there. As believers, we’ve been given a U-turn option. The apostle John wrote that If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9 NIV).

The God we serve is a God of hope, justice, and forgiveness. He wants us on the path that leads to righteousness. Our sin has thrown a wrench into our journey and set us on an unforeseen detour. Repentance is the U-turn toward righteousness. However, too often we see repentance as a bright spotlight being cast on our failures revealing how bad of people we are. However, true repentance is an act of courage. It slams on the breaks on the destructive path we're on and makes the U-turn back toward where God is leading. When we honestly come to those we’ve hurt and before God to confess our shortcomings, there’s freedom. Instead of running away further down the wrong direction, repentance turns us around to run into the arms of a loving Father waiting to give us a fresh start. 

Wherever you might be today. Whatever may be holding you down. Whatever the struggle that has led you to this point. And no matter how far away you may feel, there’s time to make a U-turn and get back on the path God has called you to. He’s faithful and just.

Waiting is hard. The unknown is scary. And there are times we’re called to step out and go where we haven’t gone before. There are also times we’re called to just sit back and wait to see what will happen. And the truth is, I’m not sure if there is anything more nerve racking than the process of waiting. It causes stress, anxiety, frustration, and even heartbreak at times. “We must keep this thing going.” If we are in God’s order the thing will go; if we are not in His order, it won’t (Oswald Chambers, Conformed to His Image). The truth of it all is, it comes down to where we put our trust while we sit in a season of waiting.

When you look at the scope of who we put our faith in, hasn’t he already proved His faithfulness to those who love Him. After seventy years of exile, the Israelites were given their release and able to return to Jerusalem only to find it in ruins. So much waiting seemingly all for nothing. Until the prophet Haggai speaks to the people on behalf of the Lord. Haggai says, ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty (Haggai 2:9 NIV). Essentially what God is saying through the prophet here is God saying trust my timing. It may feel like a loss right now. You may be tired and frustrated from the waiting. You’ve been hurting, but what I have prepared for you is greater than what you lost.

And so He calls us to wait. For a time. For a season. Until He moves. The Good News of the day is that Our creator is the same and never changes despite the names given Him by people here and in all parts of the world. Even if we gave Him no name at all, He would still be there, within us, waiting to give us good on this earth (George Washington Carver). The promises of God will prevail over the season we are in. He reigns today as He did over those who returned from exile. And so He calls us to wait. Not for a sign. Not for a regime change. Not even for our favorite team to win. He calls us to wait on Him. For Him to move in His time. As the psalmist has said I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning (Psalm 130:5-6 NIV).

His promises still stand and great is His faithfulness. Trust in His timing. What He has promised and prepared for you is greater than whatever has been lost. More than watchmen wait for the coming dawn and the end of danger, Wait for the Lord to move! He’s on the move today!

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48 NIV). When you were growing up and heard these words, how would you feel? Like it was something to work toward or, maybe, that it was impossible? In our day and age, perfection seems like a dream that I’ll never reach. One could go as far to say that if you look for perfection, you'll never be content (Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina). Yet why do we work so hard to be? Just look at our social media. Perfection is all about the flawless photos, curated live reel, and the fully edited posts to show how great things are and that we don’t mess up. But the truth is, perfection is about as illusive as grabbing the air. The reality is we will never be perfect beings. We make mistakes. We miss opportunities. We get ill, are in pain, and fall short more times than we can count. So what did Jesus mean when he spoke these words? How can we be perfect as God is perfect.

It comes down to our understanding of the word being used here. Perfect, according to Scripture, isn’t the same usage as we throw the word around today. Our modern use of the word “perfect” is that we can never make a mistake, that we need to do whatever the task is over and and over again until we can achieve it with our eyes closed, or that we will reach our end goal by way of a straight line. And in that understanding, we’ve misunderstood what Jesus is saying. Christian perfection therefore does not imply an exemption either from ignorance or mistake, or infirmities or temptations. Indeed, it is only another term for holiness… Everyone that is holy is, in the Scripture sense, perfect (John Wesley, Christian Perfection, 1741). To be perfect, according to Scripture, is to move toward holiness every single day. To become more like Jesus every single day. 

The reality of our lives is that we will err. We will veer from the designated path. In truth, we are weak beings in need of something greater than ourselves. And it’s here that the truth of Scripture rings out. God said once to Paul, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV). In our weakness, God is strong. He is with us and moving us toward that end goal of our lives. But our end goal of perfection isn’t to never make a mistake, but rather to move toward holiness more and more each day. To be a little more like Jesus. The truth behind biblical perfection is less like an Instagram filter that pulls out all the unsightly things of our lives and is more like a sculptor slowly shaping stone into a work of art. Every day God chips away at the rough parts of our lives. Shaves off all the jagged edges and what doesn’t belong so that He can form us into something beautiful over time. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48 NIV). Move toward biblical perfection today, letting go of the unattainable goals of this world. Embrace the process He has you on to be a little more like Him each and every day.

Have you ever started a new routine or regiment? Whether it was a diet, exercise routine, or shift in your daily schedule. There’s a point about two weeks into it that you feel ready to give up. You’re not seeing the results you want. You’re tired and can’t keep up with the new pace of life. And then someone who’s been through it before comes to you and says “trust the process.” How many times have you heard that throughout your lifetime? Just trust the process of what you’re working towards. If you’re being honest with the person who said that to you, it makes you mad most of the time. You’re at a point when you want to give up. You gave it a shot and it’s not working out. Why should you keep going? Well, the quick answer that anyone who’s been through it before, is that there’s a greater reward on the other side. The process is the process for a reason. It takes time, endurance, and a certain amount of perseverance. The goal is there ahead of us, we just have to keep moving forward. The same is true for the Christian faith. 

As believers, we are in a constant process to become more like Jesus everyday. It’s a process called sanctification. Yet there are days that are hard. There are weeks we want to give up. I mean, will we ever reach that level of perfection? To answer that question, we need to look at those who have gone through this before us. The apostle Paul went through some extremely hard times as he navigated through the Christian life. Toward the end of his life, while he was in prison, he wrote I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT).

Paul hadn’t reached the goal yet, but he kept going through the process. Even in prison, he saw the goal ahead. Through every hard day, he kept going through the process to reach the other side. And you can too. Because the truth we need to hear today is that on the other side of the process is a promise. Paul wrote earlier in that letter that of this I’m convinced: the one who began a good work in you will thoroughly complete it by the day of Messiah Jesus (Philippians 1:6 NTFE). The process that has begun in you will be completed. God will finish the good work he started in your life. Trust the process today!

What’s your favorite rags to riches story? Was it watching Cinderella transform into a ball gown ready thanks to the Fairy Godmother? Or maybe it was seeing Charlie Bucket find the golden ticket that launched him into a new life? Or maybe even John Rockafeller who began his life with nothing and went on to become known as the all time wealthiest men in American history. Truth be told, we love the stories of those who started at a humble beginning and went on to be so much more. They’re inspirational. They drive us to achieve the ending for ourselves. And the reality is, what if that could be our story.

When it comes to our faith and the journey we’re on, every believer has been transformed from rags to riches. We’ve been given something greater than wealth, status, or society could ever provide. You may feel ordinary. But the truth is, because of Jesus Christ working in your life, something extraordinary is about to happen. Don’t believe that? The evidence of this work is all over Scripture. One psalmist records one such story this way, [God] chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them (Psalm 78:70-72 NIV). Before he was King David with all the riches and exploits that went along with his title, David was a simple shepherd who cared for his father’s flock. He wasn’t even the most acclaimed son of Jesse. There were six others who were seen as more favorable. Yet God saw something in David and had great plans for him. Even with all his ups and downs, David knew who was the one working behind the scenes. At the end of his life, his last words were David, the son of Jesse, speaks - David, the man who was raised up so high, David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, David, the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Samuel 23:1 NLT).

David knew who he was. And he knew who got him there. God had done a great work in this humble shepherd. Transformed his life from rags to riches. And the amazing news is that he’s still doing that for every single believer today. You may feel completely ordinary. Wandering the same path as every other day. And that’s exactly where God has called you to be. Jesus is still transforming hearts and minds. Raising each of us from the rags of our past into the riches of the kingdom of Heaven. He has you where you are for a purpose. He’s still doing the extraordinary things in the most ordinary of circumstances of our lives. Be transformed today!

What do you do when you feel lost? One could answer that question multiple ways. If we were physically lost, we’d probably consult a map, ask directions, or wander until we find something familiar. However, if we felt emotionally or spiritually lost, would we not do the same thing? Many turn to Scripture. Some would ask for help. And then there are those who would wander around until they found a path that looked familiar to them. Life can often feel this way. Constantly wondering if things will change, get better, or end up differently. All the while, God is working out His plan for the world. As believers, we’re a part of that plan. We fit into it just as perfectly as the last puzzle piece fits in to complete the picture. Too often, we find ourselves in the weeds of the issue that we can’t always see the big picture until we step back and look at it in its entirety. The Good News today, God is always looking at the big picture and how each piece fits into the grand design.

Time and again God has shown His sovereignty of His redemptive plan for the world. After the resurrection, many disciples went out to share the gospel. However, there was a man named Saul who was bent on putting an end to the movement of Jesus’ followers. God had other plans for this Pharisee of Pharisees. On the road to Damascus, Saul encountered the living Jesus, blinded him, and changed the course of his life. God then sent Ananias to come and bring Saul further on this new path. Ananias responded to God’s call saying, “Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel (Acts 9:13-15 NIV).

There was work happening here under the surface. God was working out His plan through Saul (who would now be known as Paul). Paul went on to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ further than anyone before Him. Paul had no idea that this was the path his life would take. But God did. And He was working out that plan well before Paul got to that road. And so it is for every believer. We may feel lost, confused, angry, or even discouraged. The roads may be long and we may be wandering feeling like we belong to a different puzzle altogether. However, it was Jesus who said in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33 NIV).

Take heart, dear reader, God knows exactly the place where your piece fits into the puzzle!

What do you think about yourself? The modern age has filled us with so many of these reflective questions. And we usually turn toward self help books. We analyze our self doubt, self esteem, and evaluate our self worth. We struggle with our self image and what people think about us. And when we break it down, what’s the common denominator of all of these things? Self. We are people who are consumed, motivated, and obsessed with ourselves. The real issue behind that is that we’ve missed the point of who we really are and whose opinion matters most. When we turn our thoughts inwardly, it’s easy to see how our actions can become really self focused. 

However, when our attention is stuck on self, often the image isn’t one that we like. And no manner of diets, exercise routines, beauty products, or clothes will ever change our feelings about what we see in the mirror. Especially when what we see is the emotional scars left behind from years of hurt. So maybe we need to start looking through a different mirror. The gospel writer, Matthew, records a conversation Jesus had with His disciples saying, Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31 NIV). The issue we run into when we look at, listen to, or dwell in all of the “self” products out there is that they don’t deal with the greater issue and the deeper truth. Who you are isn’t a product of your past or the mistakes of your future. You are who God made you to be. You have value that may be hidden under years of hurt, stress, or illness. But He sees you for the value you have and is working to transform you into who He has made you to be. 

The reality of the believer is that, when we look inside, we should see something different. Salvation has made a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and with that has changed who we are. Not from the outside working against what’s going on inside of us. The Holy Spirit begins the work from the inside. Deep in our souls. Where our thoughts, feelings, and image questions begin to change. We begin to see things through a different set of lenses. Our value and worth don’t come from the books, media, likes, or people around us. Our value is found in the One who knows the number of hairs on every head. What can you do this week to unstick from self and see you value through His eyes?

Do you remember the last time you were afraid? I mean really afraid. Maybe it was the time someone tricked you into riding a thrill ride and by the time you realized it was too late to get off. Maybe it was something not so silly, but very serious and extremely frightening. Do you remember what that felt like? It’s the kind of feeling that could stop you in your tracks. It could paralyze you from making decisions. It could even be the very thing that makes you afraid to step out the front door or take a step one foot in front of the other. The truth is, we all feel fear at one time or another. The question isn’t how do we stop feeling it. The question is how do we deal with it.

After Jesus had died, the disciples found themselves in the exact same position. Everything they knew was not gone. The life they left to be with Jesus was essentially dead with him. What do they do now? Fearing for their own safety after a very hostile situation. So what did they do? They hid away. Afraid and alone. But it wouldn’t remain that way. The gospel writer John writes that on the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord (John 20:19-20 NIV). In their fear, Jesus came to them. He showed them that He still lives and that everything had changed. So much so that as we move into Luke's account in Acts, we see a very different Peter and John. The crowd who witnessed these two disciples speak couldn’t believe it was the same men. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13 NIV). So what changed to take them from fearful to courageous? Only one thing. They had been with Jesus. His very Spirit working inside of the disciples gave them the courage to move and overcome the fear that once held them.

The same is true for every believer today. The celebration of the resurrection isn’t the end of a church calendar. It’s the beginning of something greater for each of us. We may be going through something right now that’s hard. At times we might be afraid. But Jesus has promised to be with us. And our worship of Him changes how we see our circumstances. The greater the storm, the louder our song will be. Battles may roar, but we sing from victory. Darkness will tremble, prison walls are gonna shake 'cause fear has no power when we worship [His] name… The enemy knows what your name is and scatters when we're giving [Him] our praises. The only overcomer of the grave is Jesus (Phil Wickham, Fear Has No Power). Fear doesn’t get the final word today. Jesus has risen! And we can walk in that assurance through whatever the storms of life bring us. Jesus has won the day!

 Did you have a favorite team growing up? Maybe you had their poster on your wall. Maybe there was a favorite player and you had them sign your memorabilia. But you followed this team hoping they made it to the championship. You rooted for the win, but felt the sting of the loss. Maybe you were the one playing on the team. Do you remember the feeling you had as the team entered the biggest game of the year? Will you win? Will you lose? The nerves are running high. Do you remember the feeling of victory? The elation of the task at hand. It feels good, doesn’t it? What if it could always be that way for us? To never have to feel the sting of losing. For every believer in Jesus Christ, that is the reality that we can live into.

The truth of the power of the resurrection is that the victory has been decisive for all time. There's power in the mighty name of Jesus. Every war He wages He will win. I'm not backing down from any giant 'cause I know how this story ends. Yes, I know how this story ends. I'm gonna see a victory for the battle belongs to You, Lord (Elevation Worship, See A Victory). We know the story ends for all eternity. Jesus Christ has won the victory over sin, shame and the death that we deserve. The Apostle Paul takes it one step further to say that overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37b-39 NLT).

We’ve been given the greatest gift of all through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Nothing in heaven or on earth nor can anything in all creation can separate us from the love of God. Where once we felt the sting of the loss. Separated from God. Jesus won the victory for us and the elation we have felt for our favorite team’s win can also be the elation we have each and everyday over the victory for our souls. Jesus has won every battle. Finished the campaign that secured our victory over sin and death. Because of that work, we are no longer separated from God, but able to come close to the Father, through Jesus. Easter is more than just a celebration that we have once a year. It’s a renewed declaration that victory has happened. Decisively and with such a finality that we still can feel the effects of it today. Live into that victory today! Feel the triumph that the enemy no longer has a hold on your life. Jesus Christ reigns victorious!

We all handle death differently. Some of us laugh. Some cry. Others take many years to recover from losing a loved one. But one thing that is universal is that a dead person shouldn’t walk around. At least outside of Hollywood. However, if we were to read and understand the Scriptures well, everyone is, or was, a dead person walking. Because of what we call original sin, mankind has been plagued with eternal death. Inescapable really. Paul writes to the Romans that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a NIV). It’s a bleak picture for the future when you end the conversation there. The good news is that this isn’t the end of the story. We serve a God who works miracles. And the truth is, He’s done it before.

Way back in the time of the prophets, God spoke to the prophet Ezekiel to share His message. But it wasn’t a message to the people of Israel this time. God sent Ezekiel to a field of bones. These bones were so old that they had dried. We’d consider them fossils today. Yet God sends Ezekiel to the field of dry bones to deliver a message. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord’” (Ezekiel 37:4-6 NIV). God declared that He would bring these old, dry bones to life. And guess what? That’s exactly what God did. Out of death and decay, God raised those bones to life again with the promise to bring everything under one king as Ezekiel went on to declare. It would be hundreds of years before God would fulfill that prophecy in the person of Jesus Christ. And it’s through the work of Jesus on the cross that our old, dry, and dead bones can be made alive again.

The Holy Spirit continues to fill believers with new life. You may feel like a dead person walking. The weight of sin and shame at the forefront of your mind. You may feel at the end of your rope. The future may be uncertain and you may not know how to act through it. You may feel like everything is falling around you. These are all places where death reigns. But the truth and hope that we have in the gospel message of Jesus Christ is that out of the death and decay, new life can begin. Dry bones are still coming alive. Our bones and spirits are being called forward into motion. Given renewed strength for the day through the power of the resurrection. 

Check your pulse today. Are you still a dead person walking or do you hear the call that brings dry bones to life again?

Have you ever felt the winter blues? That period of time when the sky always seems grey. The weather is really trying to become warmer, but winter is just holding on and you’re not sure whether to wear a coat or put spring clothes on. It can make you feel tired or even a little sad. It can make it harder to wake up in the morning. Especially if there’s a time change involved. It gets tiring. And if we’re being honest with ourselves, that’s how our faith journey can feel at times. We feel like God has been silent. There are just too many things piling up that seem to be against us. The pain of the past comes back to haunt us. The struggles of today are too much. We get tired. We get weary. We wonder even why we should keep going. It can be difficult. 

But all is not lost. At the end of winter, a new season emerges. Flowers bloom. New life comes. And at the end of our hope, something special happens. We realize that that’s when God can take over in our lives and give us new life. The prophet Isaiah spoke the words of God to the tired and so to be exiled people of Israel saying, Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV).

It’s the work of the Holy Spirit moving inside of us that a new season, a new faith, and a new life can emerge inside of what has seemed so tired and broken. It’s by Your spirit I will rise from the ashes of defeat. The resurrected King is resurrecting me. In Your name I come alive to declare Your victory. The resurrected King is resurrecting me (Elevation Worship, Resurrecting). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is more than just a story we tell year in and year out. It’s a declaration of hope for all who feel the winter blues. For all those who feel tired and weary. The hope we have in the resurrected king can renew our strength today. And He can renew your life in this season. Will you let Him?

There’s an investment strategy that has become popular with first time or novice investors called the “do-nothing” approach. Essentially one invests in a diversified portfolio and leaves it alone for a long time collecting the return on investment with little risk and little fees. In some spaces, it earns more than someone who is very active in the market. Many of us who don’t understand the game of the stock market have invested our pensions this way as a way to preserve our retirement. For all intents and purposes, this can and is considered to be a smart investment strategy. Do nothing and your investment will grow. However, it’s also considered to be a passive way to invest in the future. And the truth is this strategy has become a way of life for many. We go about our day to day. Do the same thing week in and week out. Investing little in the world market around us. Passive in our approach to the gospel. We do what we need to with little energy left over for anything else. The reality is that this isn’t something new, but inherited by the church of the modern day. We’ve lost the sense of urgency that Jesus will return. Lost the sense that how we spread the gospel here and now matters. In short, we’ve become comfortable with the way things are. The expectation now is that the church and its leaders are here to feed us rather than motivate or challenge us. Church has become a place of feeding rather than a place of equipping. 

The author of Hebrews said it best that by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:12-14 NIV). The problems that the church is facing today has been an issue from the beginning. It’s why this warning was written. To remind us all of the task at hand. To remind us of the urgency of the situation. Jesus promised to come back. We are promised that one day we will have to account for our lives. For the investment we made in the gospel message. The prophet Jeremiah once spoke for the Lord saying I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve (Jeremiah 17:11 NIV).

One day our investment will be judged by how faithfully we put it to work. Did we have a passive approach to all we’ve been entrusted with? Or did we faithfully attend our resources, skills, and time for the movement and advancement of the Kingdom of God? No one can answer that but you. When you’re called to give an account of your life, will your investment be seen as passive? Where we did nothing and hoped it grew. Or will it be seen as an active movement to grow the kingdom? How you invest is up to you. How will you invest this week?