The reality of emotions.

Don’t check your theological brain at the door just because something (a movie, a TV show, a book, an idea, a method, etc.) touches you emotionally.  Emotions are not supposed to define reality, merely (when experienced rightly) enhance it.  Sometimes (perhaps often?), we must choose Truth over feelings.

“If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

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Divine focus!

Divine focus. Everyone I admire had/has it. The ability to stay focused on Jesus and the Kingdom, and to keep these as their priorities, in the midst of many trials and distractions.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

True Identity…

There is a burning desire in the hearts of all people for a true understanding of their identity.  In some ways, this has always been true.  But with the ongoing dismantling of absolutes in our culture, even more so, since many people have always looked for a sense of identity in their surroundings.  Hence, all the focus on personality tests and assessments and quizzes.  Many are looking for a quick, magic bullet that will easily and accurately tell them who they are, so they can have peace.

The problem is that true, personal identity is not an isolated, quantifiable commodity.  It is — and has always, only been — a reality deeply interwoven with, and in response to, the Heart of Jesus.  The challenge is that love and intimacy and a true understanding of identity take a lot of work and time and patience (just like a successful marriage!).  But this is our only true, lasting, unshakeable hope.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3)

The power of worship!

I was reading ROMANS CHAPTER 1 the other day. I was reminded that the greatest, most impacting decision we will ever make is “Whom will I worship?” No other decision we can make is as important or life-changing. Every other thing we think and say and do is merely a SYMPTOM of Whom or what we have decided to worship. That one decision sets in motion all other decisions, and reverberates into all the aspects of our lives — and changes forever who we are and who we will be in eternity.

I am not saying that we cannot resist God’s grace — I believe we can. (“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.” 2 Cor. 6:1) But once we choose to worship and follow Jesus and are born again, I believe there is a wind of grace at our backs, always helping us to move forward, always making the right choice easier (not always EASY, but EASIER) than the wrong choice. And that is what I am talking about.

The Bible, Religion and Relationship…

Every serious Jesus-follower should read through the entire Bible at least once.  Otherwise, you don’t really know what you signed up for.  And you end up taking a lot of other people’s word for what God wrote and who He is. 

We talk a lot about RELATIONSHIP vs RELIGION and how “religion” is bad…and yet it’s easy to let others spoon-feed us and to fool ourselves into thinking second-hand knowledge (religion!) is enough — but a real, living relationship takes work.

It’s out there.

LOVE is out there.

LOVE so amazing and sweet and fulfilling and thrilling…beyond words!

This LOVE is our highest calling…and it is our destiny.

But the only way we will find this LOVE is if we decide to not settle for anything less.