“Ask and it will be given to you.” - Matthew 7:7Prayer is a gift and privilege, not merely a duty or obligation. Through Jesus, we have direct access to speak with and make requests of God as our Abba Father.This privilege is clear in Scripture, such...

“Everything they do is done for people to see.” - Matthew 23:5The Pharisees would have loved social media.The opportunity to carefully curate an idealized version of their life would fit perfectly with Jesus' evaluation in Matthew 23:5, "Everything t...

“Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.'" — John 13:8bYears ago, a church I served on staff hosted a community car wash. Since lots of these events are fundraisers for sports teams or mission trips, we wanted to leverage t...

"In my distress, I called upon the Lord; to my God, I cried for help." — Psalm 18:6aWhen you read the Psalms, one thing that stands out is how often God's people find themselves in distress.The Hebrew word translated distress (צָרָה, tsarah) in Psalm...

"John the Baptizer appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” — Mark 1:4As a pastor, I had taught about repentance more times than I could count and assumed I knew what I was talking about. But it was t...

Sadly, I am a consummate excuse-maker.For example, if I’m playing tennis and miss a shot, it is because the sun got in my eyes. If driving and I slam on my brakes, causing my passengers to lunge forward uncomfortably, it is because the car in front o...

In December 1998, NASA launched a spaceship called The Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO). Its primary objective was to collect data on Mars’ climate and weather patterns, serving as a communication relay for upcoming Mars missions. However, shortly after en...

"But God..." — Ephesians 2:4aAs we survey the biblical record, we discover one primary purpose of signs and wonders was to authenticate God’s messengers and to confirm the authority of God’s message. Therefore, it should not surprise us that after th...

“Christ died for the ungodly.” — Romans 5:6Throughout human history, it has been expected that someone convicted of high treason against a king would suffer the consequences for their rebellion.When we apply this principle theologically, we begin to ...

“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” - Mark 4:41bGripping the WheelTo this day, it ranks as one of the very worst storms I’ve encountered. At the time, my family lived in Greenwood, Mississippi, about an hour north of my in-law’s home...

"And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." - Mark 1:11 Years ago, when D. James Kennedy’s Evangelism Explosion was a popular tool for sharing the good news of Jesus, the first question the evangelis...

"Hallowed be your name." - Matthew 6:9bWhen introduced to someone who has a unique name, you can't help but ask, "Where did you get your name?"What's the story?Sometimes, the story is funny. "My parents were watching this episode of Seinfeld…" Often,...

The English word iceberg is derived from the Dutch, ijsberg, which literally means ice mountain.Icebergs form when pieces of a glacier break off into the ocean to form frozen islands. Some are small, while others are enormous. Some are ...

For the past several decades, my family has spent two weeks every summer at my uncle's mountain cottage in Monteagle, TN. Totally for free. He won't even let me pay the cleaning fee. It's a kindness for which I am perpetually grateful....

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9In contemporary Western society, we view weakness as an obstacle to overcome or a liability to avoid. Our flaws, struggles, and limitations are seen as de...