"Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?" There's a story Jesus told that makes people uncomfortable, and honestly, it should. A landowner hires workers throughout the day. Some work twelve hours in the burning heat. Others work just one hour. At the end of the day, he pays them all the same amount. The workers who labored all day are furious...  Read More

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" Here's what I need you to know...you can be looking right at Jesus and still be completely blind.In the first century, when Jesus said "if your eye is bad," everyone l...  Read More

 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Can I just say something that might make you uncomfortable? You probably don't know what you'r...  Read More

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fe...  Read More

"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Here's something you ne...  Read More

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap...  Read More

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy...  Read More

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "If I just pray more, give more, or serve more, then God will real...  Read More

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." He looks at the dirt right in front of him, then he looks at the massive acreage stretching to the horizon. He could dream all day about the incredible harvest that distant field might produce. He could make plans about how he'll ...  Read More

"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" Notice that Jesus didn't say, "Take up your cross once and you're done." He didn't say, "Have one moment of surrender and coast from there." He said daily. Every single day. Because every single day you'll face a choice between responding out of human instinct or responding out of...  Read More

"And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." Imagine you're building a fence for your property, and your neighbor walks over and demands that you help him build his fence too. The law says you have to give him one hour of your time. You resent every minute of it because you didn't choose this. You're being forced. But then imagine that after that required hour is up, you keep ...  Read More

"And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." Imagine you're building a fence for your property, and your neighbor walks over and demands that you help him build his fence too. The law says you have to give him one hour of your time. You resent every minute of it because you didn't choose this. You're being forced. But then imagine that after that required hour is up, you keep ...  Read More