"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." Let's be honest for a moment. Some of us have stopped asking God for things. Not because we don't believe He exists, but because we're not sure He's listening. Or worse, we're not sure He cares th...  Read More

"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." We've come a long way this week. We discovered that we ARE called to discern, not to avoid judgment. We learned to clear our vision by dealing with unconfessed sin, admitting our ignorance, and replacing indifference with compassion. But here's what I need you to know...  Read More

"So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." We've been on a journey this week. We discovered that we ARE called to discern, not to avoid judgment altogether. We learned that unconfessed sin blinds us to grace. We saw how ignorance keeps us from understanding the full story. ...  Read More

"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purpos...  Read More

"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." Yesterday we discovered that we ARE called to...  Read More

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." Can I just say something that might surprise you? Jesus actually commands us to judge. I know that sounds incredible given what we've been taught, but stay with me.Matthew 7:1 has become the favorite verse of people who don't want anyone pointing out...  Read More

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Paul tells us not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known to God. But notice something incredible here. He doesn't just say "make your requests known." He adds something: "with ...  Read More

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So after exposing anxiety's lies about birds and lilies, preservation and plans, Jesus gives us the solution. And it's simpler than we think: seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.But what does that actually mean right now in your everyday lif...  Read More

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Jesus uses lilies to make an incredible ...  Read More

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? Jesus asks an incredible question: "Are you not of more value than the birds?" But anxiety twists that question around and whispers, "So the birds are more blessed th...  Read More

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" Yesterday I said over 458 million people have connected with the words "my anxiety, can't shake it off of me." That's not just a song lyric. That's a reality for so many of us right now. But here...  Read More

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We end this week where we began...with a choice. Because that's what this has always been about. Not information, but decision. Not understanding, but surrender.Jesus makes it clear, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." All. These. Thing...  Read More