Gospel Coalition Commentary (Online Free) - Great free online commentary

For Everyone Commentary Series - Great for devotional Reading

God's Word for You - Another preferred commentary series and great for devotions

Bible Gateway - Some free resources or a small subscription for quality resources

Blue Letter Bible Study Guides - Quality Study Guides by David Guzik for Scripture.

New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp - One of my favorite devotionals

The Songs of Jesus by Tim Keller - A great yearly devotional for the Psalms

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers - A short daily devotional

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Radical by David Platt

Not a Fan by Kyle Edelman

Recently, a few mothers in our church have discovered a book called Domestic Monastery.

This very short book is a great encouragement for moms who don’t feel like they have enough time to spend with Jesus in the midst of the chaos of raising a family.

Hannah Garcia shared 3 insights she found helpful from the book:

• When we consider some of the great Christian monks who spent at least an hour a day in prayer, this degree of commitment seems unattainable to the everyday layperson, let alone those at home with young children. However, this book reflects on the idea that the irreplaceable work of tending to the needs of children can be like prayer in and of itself. 

• In a vocation like raising children, where the setting is typically removed from “the centers of important power”, parents or guardians are often given the opportunity to let go of the pride of professional success. Becoming mild daily to then serve the mild is an exercise that makes us more like Christ Himself. 

• In monasteries, there is a bell that rings throughout the day, to which the residents are typically expected to drop everything they are doing and move on to the next task. This illustrates that we need to continually be reorienting our agenda to God’s agenda. In parenting and the endless needs of children, may our hearts also be stretched as we set aside personal wants and needs of our own, to obey the calling of parenthood and discipleship. 

Taking a few minutes to read this book each day over a week will give you fresh insight on what it means to follow Jesus in your busy life. 

Christmas is coming quickly! We are only 24 days away. Over the next 3 weeks, we as parents have an opportunity to help our families make this holiday about Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about Christmas music, cookies, gifts and hot cocoa, but that can easily become the focus instead of Jesus. Here are some ways you can keep Jesus front and center this year.

• Ideas for serving your own family – Here is a list of ways kids can serve their families this Christmas season. You can cut out each one, put it in a jar and have the kids pick one out.

 

• Ideas for serving as a family – Here is another list of ways you and your kids can serve your neighbors and friends this Christmas season.

 
 Have a great Christmas!

Did you know you can get a FREE Subscription through our church to this service that has over 140 engaging shows for your kids that are safe, fun and full of biblical truth? It also has Bible studies, devotionals and other free resources. It’s a great alternative to trying to find appropriate content for them on YouTube other streaming services.
 
In addition to kid's resources and videos, there are studies for everyone, no matter what your stage of life. There is content for women, men, marriage, parenting and more. Our church has invested in this service so you can access any of this content on your mobile device, Apple TV, Roku or Fire Stick. Using this on a regular basis is a great way to grow in your faith journey and help your kids do the same!

The summer is a beautiful time for making memories, going on vacation and embracing a different rhythm of life. If you have school age children, you know the end of this break can come with mixed emotions. Some kids can’t wait to get back to school and others never want to go back. 

Regardless of where they stand, the new school year brings an opportunity to start new rhythms for your family that can lead each person closer to Jesus and one another. We are about four weeks away and I wanted to give you some ideas to get you thinking so you can start off the school year with intentionality.

There have been numerous studies done about the benefits of eating together. One way to be more intentional at dinner time to have some questions ready to ask around the table. This will help you know your kids better and it may even lead to spiritual conversations. When we use cards with questions on them (like these Conversation Cards), my kids often look forward to it and are excited to answer.

Dust off the children’s bible or devotional that may have been sitting on the book shelf all summer. Help your kids engage in God’s word by adding reading at mealtime or bedtime to create a new routine for your kids to embrace.
 
Here are some of our favorite children’s bible and devotionals:
 
Jesus Story Book Bible  
Bible Storybook from Life Church 
Indescribable: 100 Devotions about God and Science 
Long Story Short: 10 Minute Devotions

Each month, your kids get a Monthly Challenge sheet during the Connection Kids Elementary service. These challenges include activities like listening to a worship song, memorizing a verse, picking a bible story and studying it simply. Once they complete 4 activities, they can bring to church to get a chance to spin the wheel. Each box on the sheet is meant to help them develop spiritual disciplines that will serve them the rest of their lives as they follow Jesus.

This one doesn’t involve your whole family but can make an impact on them. I recently read an autobiography of a missionary whose father would go into his prayer closet after each meal and just pray for every child. He talked about how he remembered his father’s prayers and how they were some of his most impactful moments on his faith journey. Praying for your family doesn’t have to be within earshot but bringing our kids to God each day will make a difference.
 
Here are some ideas to help guide your prayers:
 
Four Daily Prayers for your Children 
Praying Big Things for your Little Ones

A few weeks ago my wife came to me and told me she just read a book that was going to change our lives. The book is called Praying Circles around Your Children by Mark Batterson. Intrigued, I read the book and found it very helpful and challenging for a number of reasons.

I became a parent in my early twenties and didn’t know what I was doing (like most first time parents). My wife and I were determined to raise children who love Jesus and who love and obey their parents. We read parenting books and asked experienced parents what we should and shouldn’t do. Together, we sit down and discuss how we can strategically correct behaviors in our children. We read our kids the Bible and teach them the good news of the Gospel. Don’t get me wrong, we mess up all the time. We try to be good parents, but I have come to realize that sometimes being “good parents” isn’t enough.

I have always struggled with prayer. I pray, but they often lack depth. My prayers tend to be short and generic. I didn’t even pray for my kids everyday–and when I did, I would pray they would have a good day at school, or feel better from a cold, or that they would be kinder to their sister. In the book Praying Circles around Your Children, Batterson challenges his readers to pray specifically and intentionally.
 
“Prayer turns ordinary parents into prophets who shape the destiny’s of their children, grandchildren, and every generation that follows.” –Mark Batterson
 
I believe prayer is one of the most humbling things we can do. Prayer says “I can’t, I need God's help.” Millennials are often stereotyped as thinking they know everything. I am a millennial and I often find myself trying to do things without prayer. I believe God hears my prayers, and that he answers them, but I still find myself NOT praying for the most important things in my life. 

In the book Batterson said “You can’t choose Christ for your kids, but you can pray that they find Christ.” I often get stuck thinking that with the right strategy or methods, I can make it work. The truth is, great parents still have wayward children and I need to start interceding for my kids.

After I read this book, my wife and I discussed how we should be praying for our children. We asked our friends and family what strengths they see in them. We want to encourage and pray into these natural God given strengths. We are also actively looking for bible verses that speak truth into our kids' lives. Each of our children have different struggles, but God's word gives us promises that we can pray over our kids to remind them of his goodness.

Our biggest takeaway from this book is that our prayers need to be big and intentional. We will circle (identify) things in our kid’s lives, consistently pray, and believe that God will answer our prayers. Parenting is the hardest and most important job I will ever have. I can’t be successful without God's grace and favor. Moving forward I want to define what success looks like in my kids, and pray God's promises over their lives.
 
I encourage all parents to read Praying Circles around Your Children and start praying with intentionality. “You’ll never be a perfect parent, but you can be a praying parent.”

My Alexa at home plays a mix of Disney soundtracks and worship music. As we try to disciple our children, music can be a great tool. 

A 17th century song writer gave this timeless piece of wisdom: “What is learned in song is longer retained in memory and sooner recollected.” - Isaac Watts

The songs our kids listen to on a regular basis are helping form their beliefs about God and themselves. When they listen to songs that teach great truths about Jesus, it can often bypass their heads and go straight to their hearts. Some kids' songs teach Scripture verses set to music. What better way to memorize something than putting it to a memorable tune that literally gets stuck in your head. 

We want to help you be intentional about the type of music you play in your house and car by providing some age appropriate suggestions. You can find most of these on your favorite music streaming service. Also, the worship songs you love may also become favorites of your kids. 

Elementary

Connection Kids Worship Playlist: Songs from Sunday Morning Worship at Connection Kids

Sparkle, Pop, Rampage by Rend Co Kids: Fun and upbeat songs with truth about God

Favorite Songs from Roar VBS by LIfetree Kids

Undefeated by Elevation Church Kids


Pre-K & Toddler

Love Like Jesus , Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop by Orange Kids Music: Many of these songs are heard in the classrooms every Sunday

Turn It Up by Kidspring

Taste and See by Yancy and Little Praise Party

Babies

Hidden in my heart by Scripture lullabies

Faith Hope and Lullabies by Lullaby Ensemble

-Pastor Andrew and Miss Marie

No one talks to you more than yourself. All day long, we tell ourselves things that may or may not be true. Those words sink deep into our hearts and start to shape our identities if we allow them. Our biggest problem is that we look inside of us to figure out who we are instead of looking up to God to define us.
 
To have a healthy view of ourselves, we need to tell ourselves the truth every single day. We can hear what God says about us by looking into scripture. This past Sunday, Pastor Joe shared 7 lies we believe about ourselves. Below is a list of those lies and three scriptures for each that point us to the truth. I would encourage you to decide which lie is most present in your life and then memorize one of the scriptures underneath that you can tell  yourself on a regular basis.
 
We’ve also created images of some of the scriptures that you can save as your lock screen on your phone or in your images to help internalize the God’s word.

Lie: I’m not good enough.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." –Galatians 2:20

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Lie: I’m a failure

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." – Ephesians 2:10

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." – Romans 8:28

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." – John 15:5

Lie: I am my appearance

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth." – Psalm 139:14-15

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." –1 Samuel 16:7

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." – Genesis 1:27

Lie: I’m too far gone

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." – Romans 8:38-39
 
"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation." – Isaiah 12:2
 
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." – Romans 5:6-8

Lie: I am what people say I am

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." – 1 John 3:1-2
 
"The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living." – Psalm 118:6-9
 
"On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts." – 1 Thessalonians 2:4

Lie: It all depends on me

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." – Colossians 1:17
 
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." – Psalm 62:5-8
 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." – Proverbs 3:5-6

Lie: I just can’t do it all

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
 
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." – Ephesians 3:20
 
"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." – 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

It was half past 5 on a Friday evening.
 
I sat on the floor playing with my then 10-month-old and 2-year-old sons waiting for my husband to get home from work. I was disheveled and saggy-eyed from the duties of the day, and as I looked around my house from my vantage point on the floor, all I saw was a hairy carpet full of crumbs and a kitchen floor speckled with a tapestry of food remains and, you guessed it, more crumbs.
 
I remember thinking, “I could really use company right now. I’d love to host some friends tonight.” But I knew another day was about to pass without me finding the energy to bring my home back to the unspoken standard required to open it.
 
They don’t call parenting children under 5 “the trenches” for no reason. Any autonomy you used to have vanishes overnight. While you once impressed yourself with a smattering of career accomplishments and various hobbies you now impress yourself with things like your new fancy ability to keep both yourself and your little ones alive at the end of each day.
 
Since life feels like a rotating door of serving other people’s needs, you might consider it easier to try your hand at Olympic Water Polo than to invite some more people into your home where they’d expect an orderly meal in a peaceful atmosphere… and don’t forget dessert!
 
But here is what I also knew that day on the rug. I knew I served a God who had welcomed me home with open arms, and who hadn’t stopped caring I go and do likewise just because I’d popped out a couple of kids.
 
I was reminded that our world is hurting for home.
 
When my husband and I got married our Pastor told us our home was now the newest outpost for the kingdom of God, an embassy in a foreign land. Today it seems as if homes are treated more like docking stations for human re-charge than places where souls are welcomed, encouraged, nurtured, challenged, nourished, and transformed.
 
The Bible says, “Above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:8-9). Hospitality is an irreplaceable tool for loving others well. Through hospitality we both invite the lost and encourage the found. Theologian Henri Nouwen said it well, “Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place…”
 
How dare I disqualify myself from this holy work because I was too proud to let others see a less than perfect home and too lazy to take a little creative initiative.
 
That day I told God I was ready to offer hospitality to others, crumbs and all. I told him there was no way I could keep our floors perfectly clean, I couldn’t cook a three course meal and I couldn’t even promise him I’d be up for dessert but I told him I’d do it and I’d do the best I could. That day I offered God my “fish and loaves” and then, I got to work.
 
Here are a few practical ideas we’ve implemented in hopes it will encourage you towards embracing hospitality cheerfully, even if you have crumbs covering your floor or a less than “perfect” anything!
 
1) Try Breakfast
 
This is a creative alternative to dinner that we find works wonderfully for us and our fellow friends with little ones. Kids tend to be at their best in the morning, and I’ve never seen a toddler turn down a sticky bun. We do Saturday mornings with friends and tell them to come in sweats and let their kids stay in PJs. Making a simple breakfast is often more affordable and requires less creative energy than dinner. So far, we’re finding it’s a great way to kick off a weekend!
 
2) Invite Someone Unexpected
 
Did you know young couples with young kids can hang out with more than just other young couples with young kids? Gasp! Did you know there are plenty of single people who might enjoy having dinner at your house? Did you know there are married couples without children who might enjoy being hosted at your house? Did you know there are teenagers and older folks who might enjoy spending time at your house?
 
For a long time, space was also a major concern for us. I felt like I could “never have anyone over” because we didn’t have the space to invite three families at a time. Turns out we have plenty of space for hosting a single parent and his or her children, a college student or an elderly couple. It’s been a joy to see my kids learn how to welcome people of all ages and stages into our home.
 
3) Pizza Counts
 
A few weeks ago we felt a prompting to invite some friends over for dinner last minute and guess what we served? Homemade pizza on paper plates. I rustled up some leftover chocolate for dessert and called it a night. You know what? We had a really great time. My husband and I were reminded that we’ve never once regretted welcoming someone into our home, but we have certainly regretted going too long without doing so.
 
Please don’t take my words here to mean I think we should lower our standards for serving others so we’re never inconvenienced. What I hope instead is that this might serve as a big “permission slip” for reimagining hospitality, especially for those with little children.
 
If you’re struggling to welcome others in your home, bring it to God, ask him to change your heart and open your mind to the creative possibilities before you.

In the words of Shauna Neiquist, “(Hospitality) is an act of love, if you let it be. You can twist it and turn it into anything you want—a way to show off your house, a way to compete with your friends, a way to earn love and approval. Or you can decide that every time you open your door, it's an act of love, not performance or competition or striving. You can decide that every time people gather around your table, your goal is nourishment, not neurotic proving. You can decide.”

The word meditation can conjure up weird ideas of people ‘chanting mantras’ while sitting on a pillow cross legged. In the Scripture, the idea of meditation is thinking deeply about God or his word. 

Before Joshua was going to take the people into the promised land, God spoke to him about what would make him successful. He said, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8) 

Another place in Scripture we see meditation as a key to a thriving life is in Psalm 1:1-2. It says “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

As followers of Jesus, we are not just supposed to read God’s word as a religious activity but for the purpose of growing closer to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If you read and the words go in one ear and out the other, there is not much gained. Meditating or thinking deeply about God’s word after we read it can help us connect with what God wants for us. 

Here are 5 simple ways to meditate on Scripture.

While reading your passage(s), find a phrase or sentence that sticks out to you. Then take that phrase and examine it like you’re looking at every facet of a diamond. In John 6:68, Peter responds to Jesus’ question by saying "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Take the phrase ‘you have the words of eternal life” and emphasize different words each time you say it. 

YOU have the words of eternal life
You HAVE the words of eternal life
You have THE words of eternal life
You have the WORDS of eternal life
You have the words OF eternal life
You have the words of ETERNAL life
You have the words of eternal LIFE

As you look at the verse in different ways, you will start to see new truths to believe or apply.

Meditating on the text can’t be like chewing food but never swallowing it. Thinking deeply without some kind of application is a waste of time. Here are some questions you can ask of each passage or section you read to help you think deeper about a text. 

1. Does this text reveal something I should praise or thank or trust God for? 
2. Does this text reveal something I should pray about for myself or others? 
3. Does this text reveal something I should have a new attitude about? 
4. Does this text reveal something I should make a decision about? 
5. Does this text reveal something I should do for the sake of Christ, others, or myself? 

When a passage of Scripture stands out to you or you just want to pray through something, you can take the scripture thought by thought and pray through it. One of my favorites is Ephesians 3:16-18. Here is how I would pray through it. 

"16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being..." God bring me the strength I need and fill me with your power in the places I need it the most.

"17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..."  God, dwell deeply in me and make me aware of your presence.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ..." Make me a man who is rooted in your love and help me to see who you truly are, and how amazing your love is for me.

God has given us his Holy Spirit who leads us into truth (John 14:26) and as we pray the truth of Scripture, he will guide us. The Psalms are always great scriptures to pray through as well.

There are times when you are reading a narrative or story in Scripture and you begin to imagine yourself as part of the story. This concept comes from a 16th century monk named Ignatius of Loyola. In this type of meditation, you read through a story and then allow yourself to imagine you are one of the characters in it or a bystander who is watching close by. 

As you read the passage over again, look for small details that can help you picture it. Think about what people may have been feeling based on what happened in the story. Then, focus on what it might teach you about God’s character and his work in people’s lives.

Thinking deeply about the text doesn’t have to only happen in quiet. You can do some of your best thinking with a pen and a journal. Some people think studying is complicated but it doesn’t have to be.

You can study a passage of Scripture by reading it a few times and then jotting down the things you see. You can start with the who, what, where and when of a passage. If it’s not a story, you can write down all of the truths that it shares or what it says about God. You can dig deeper if you want using commentaries, a study bible or some other resource. Studying should help us understand what a passage means.

Then, you want to ask the question: So What? You are asking, why does this matter in my life or what does God want me to do with it. It might be an action you need to take, an attitude you need to have or a new perspective about God you can internalize.

When studying the bible, I break it down into 3 steps:

O - Observe: What does it say?

I - Interpret: What does it mean?

A - Apply: What should I do because of it?


All of these methods are helpful and can be used at different times in your life. I would encourage you to start with one of them the next time you sit down with God’s word. Meditation on God’s word will help you know him better.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, then you need to know that you have an enemy. His name is Satan and he has other spiritual forces under his control (Eph 6:12) that all have the main purpose of destroying your relationship with God. He and his minions are headed for impending doom in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10) and want to take as many people with them as possible.  While these evil forces can do no more than God permits, they do have specific ways of attacking followers of Jesus.
 
I want to pull back the curtain and give an example of how he has and will attack you. The apostle Paul thought it was of utmost important for us to be aware of Satan’s schemes and not outwitted by them (2 Cor 2:11). There are two main ways Satan will attack you and we will only get to one of them here.
 
In Revelation 12:10, we find out that Satan is the accuser of the people of God. His accusations against us can throw us off track not only in how we see our relationship with God but also how we see ourselves. His accusations sound like this:

If we allow ourselves to believe these accusations, it will affect our spiritual lives. Pastor J.R. Vassar says, “Insecurity is the enemy of intimacy in relationships and especially with God.”

Believing these lies will cause us to believe we aren’t worthy and not able to be connected to the creator of the world. This insecurity also leads to isolation from others. Our thinking will take us places where lies like, “I am the only one who deals with this sin”, “if anyone knew about _____, they would reject me”, “I am the worst” become common place. When these accusations go unchallenged, they damage our partnership with God and relationship with him and others.
 
What should we do to fight this tactic?
    
When Satan tries to accuse you, don’t try to defend yourself – just remember what Christ has done for you and the unbreakable relationship God has promised to you.
 
Next time, we’ll talk about how Satan tries to deceive us.
 
Note: If you want to hear more about Satan’s schemes and how he tries to defeat us, listen to a sermon by J.R. Vassar called, “Facing a Defeated Enemy.”

If you were fortunate enough to be one of the 300 ladies who came to the Enough One-Day Event recently, you know that the day was truly amazing! From engaging worship to the impactful message, from the wise words of the panelists to the tangible presence of God, it was truly a life-changing day. (And if you weren’t able to make it, no worries – you can check out the event here: Enough Replay!)

After the Enough Event was over (and I got to take a nap), I began to assess the day. I’ve spent many hours replaying moments, thinking through feedback, and considering what God spoke to me in those few hours.

Here is what I’ve come up with…

Throughout the event, God was moving in the lives of all who attended. Whether in person or online, it was clear that God’s presence was among us. He was speaking through His Word. He was speaking through His servants. And, most notably, He was speaking in times of worship. There is something incredibly beautiful about hundreds of women lifting their voices to their king. 

While there are many reasons to celebrate Enough One Day, the best one is that we spent time in God’s presence. Being with Jesus truly refreshes us, brings us joy, encourages us and strengthens us! (Psalm 16:11)

This truth is built into the name of our church. Connection, to Christ and one another, matters. One of the highlights of the day was watching as women deepened old friendships and started new ones. I especially loved hearing about the ladies who attended the event online. It was set up through Zoom so they could connect with each other throughout the day… and even after the event was over, the ladies remained on Zoom for an extra half-hour!

Connection matters because no one is meant to walk through life alone. God, in His incredible graciousness, places us in community. And it’s within community that we sharpen one another, grow in faith and spur one another on. (Proverbs 27:17, Hebrews 10:23-25)

Personally, my favorite part of the day was the panel. I love a good panel… and this one was GOOD! It was such an encouragement to hear how other women have grown in their faith, walked through difficult moments and recognized this truth – Jesus is enough. From the youngest panelist, to the most seasoned, words of wisdom flowed from the stage into each ear listening. 

Christ-centered wisdom will always lead to life, because it’s rooted in who Jesus is and not in ourselves. “For those who find me [wisdom] find life and receive favor from the Lord.” (Proverbs 8:35)

Overall, Enough One Day was awesome. I learned that God’s presence is always available to us, connection with other Christ-followers can happen in a variety of ways (even in a pandemic), and life-giving wisdom can be found by simply opening God’s Word. 

When we got our puppy years ago, the first thing we did was sign her up for obedience school. She is a beautiful black lab that we got from a local family and we named her Bella. During the 8 weeks of classes, she slowly learned how to sit, lay down, shake our hand, and wait.

It was an amazing transformation to see this dog learn to recognize my authority over her, learn new behaviors and be able to do them on command. The big secret behind all of the training was rewards. She learned that if she sat, laid down, waited or put her paw up, she would get what she wanted most; a small pellet full of processed chicken, rice and other mystery ingredients.

You know what would be great? If people in our lives could be motivated by a small treat to do what we wanted. Of course husbands, wives, kids, co-workers and friends don’t function in any way like my dog. The motivation to change and even their ability to do so are far more complex. No class that I’ve ever seen promised to teach you how to train your husband in only 8 short weeks. But that doesn’t stop us from trying to find ways to change them.

There are 3 main techniques that we use to try to control other people’s behavior. As we go through them, see which one is your weapon of choice.

1. Threat:  Threats have this idea underneath of them; “I’ll make you afraid enough that you’ll never do this again.” You tell them that if they do this or do it again, their life will change in a painful way. It could be withholding something they want or need from you. It could be taking something away. When you use a threat, you believe fear is the best motivator to make that person change. 

2. Manipulation: Manipulation at its core says, “I’ll find something you really want and tell you I’ll give it to you if you do what I ask.” This goes beyond rewarding someone for good behavior to reinforce that action. It is saying since I want or need you to do this, I am going to bribe you to accomplish my will. How many parents have said in the grocery store to their child who is throwing a temper tantrum that if you stop, I’ll get you “x” before we leave. 

3. Guilt: Guilt accomplishes its purpose by saying, “I’ll make you feel so bad, so ashamed, that you’ll decide never to do this again.” This one attacks the core of people you are trying to control. You are telling them that they will become less valuable as a person because of this specific behavior or lack of behavior. For some people, this is quite an effective technique to control others. 

The unifying problem with all of these techniques is that they won’t bring lasting change to anyone. As a parent, I do set some boundaries in place and let my kids know about the consequences of their disobedience. I also reward them at times when I see them doing something positive and I may have bribed them at times in a tough spot. But I don’t believe fear, manipulation, rewards, guilt or shame are going to change anyone’s heart.
 
Jesus said in Mark 7:21-22 that all of the dysfunctions of our lives come from what is in our heart. What your husband, wife, friend, co-worker or kids need is not an outside motivator but a heart change. God promised his people through the prophet Ezekiel that he would give them a new heart so they would have new motivations (Ezekiel 36:26).

The best way for us to help people change is by pointing them to the good news of Jesus Christ, praying for them, and being open to God’s Spirit. You can be used by God to help people change but you can’t do it for him. A good parent will teach their kids about authority, have healthy boundaries, and lovingly discipline. But only Jesus can change their hearts. A good spouse will forgive their partner, encourage them and repent when they have wronged them. But only God can bring about change. In all of our relationships, pointing one another to Jesus and being open to the Holy Spirit is our part in bringing about change.  

I overheard a hilarious story this week about a young woman who bought her first houseplant.

The woman, having no prior experience caring for houseplants, decided to purchase a small succulent in hopes this would be the easiest kind of plant to keep alive.

She faithfully watered her little plant every day and to her great satisfaction, the plant thrived! It always sat perfectly on her windowsill, robust, green and un-wilting.

Then, one fateful day, the woman accidentally knocked her precious plant off of the windowsill in her haste and it went crashing to the ground, the small pot shattering to pieces...

To her horror, she discovered the “plant” which lay all over the ground was nothing more than an imitation succulent…a fake, rubbery houseplant imposter.

She had just spent weeks of her life catering to an illusion.

Sometimes, we do the same thing when it comes to our faith.

We live in a world that glorifies appearances. The way we present ourselves to the world, what people think about us, who people think we are matters deeply in our social economy and it invites us to prance right into the trap of watering fakery.  

It’s easier to water the appearance of a faithful and virtuous life than it is to water true virtue and faithfulness.

We must ask ourselves the honest question; is it more important to me to appear righteous, or actually be righteous? Sometimes those two will go hand-in-hand, but other times we must release appearances to take hold of the real living thing.

Do I spend a lot of time talking about how to love my neighbor, or actually doing something to love my neighbor this week?

Do I spend a lot of time pondering with friends how to be more generous, or giving more in secret?

Do I tend to over-exaggerate my good works in public, or do I speak plainly and honestly about how I’m taking small steps to trust God?  

Do I prefer sharing posts that “humble brag” about my kids or my accomplishments or praying how I can show up more like Christ daily within the four walls of my home.  

Jesus makes it clear which one he cares about. In fact, he has some harsh words for the religious pretends, and self-promoters of his day.  

“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.” Matthew 6:1

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…” Matthew 15:8

“For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.” Romans 10:3

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Romans 12:9

Like caring for a real plant, a life of real faith is sometimes messy and nuanced. It requires creativity, initiative and perseverance. But it’s always better than the imitation, because only the real thing yields the beauty, the sweetness, and the satisfaction we crave.   

What will you water today?

 

Have you ever tried something that wasn’t as good as the real thing? 

Maybe you bit into a generic Oreo before realizing it wouldn’t taste the same. Maybe it was a refreshing gulp of milk, only to be met with something soy. Or perhaps you ordered a California burger thinking it was just beef raised on the west coast… think again!

Substitutes aren’t just limited to food products. In fact, it’s easy to find the substitute for almost anything in our lives. Sometimes without even realizing it. 

For those of us who follow Jesus, it’s a good practice to check your heart for substitute gods. These are people or things that occupy the place which God alone should occupy. In other words, an idol.

Most of us want to believe we don’t have any, but stop and ask yourself these questions:

• Who/What do I turn to when I am bored, lonely or frustrated?
• Where do I find my sense of value in life? 
• Who/What do I love the most?  

It’s easier than we think to put our hope in substitutes and miss the real thing – but we don’t have to if we know Jesus!

Here are a couple thoughts from Acts 17 about why the real thing is always better than substitutes:

Idols will always over-promise and under-deliver. We’ll always be disappointed when we turn to them in our moment of need. Why? Because they can’t actually deliver what they promise. 

But Jesus can. 

Acts 17:25 tells us “God is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.”

Jesus is not only the source of all life, but the one who sustains it. He’s not depleted when the economy changes, or shaken by politics. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever and he can be trusted. 

When Jesus is who we love the most, we’ll stop running to things that can’t satisfy us and we’ll find lasting satisfaction in him.

Idols deceive us by making us believe that we’re in control. The problem is, it only takes a few moments in real life to know that isn’t true.

When we believe the lie that we’re in control, we also believe the lie that God is not. 

But Acts 17:28 tells us “‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’”

This means that we come from God, not the other way around. In other words, God is in control! And he is perfect in all his authority.

When we believe the truth that Jesus is in control, the burden of trying to hold it all together disappears and we gain true peace.

Ultimately, the worst thing about idols is that they destroy our lives by keeping our attention focused on the things we don’t need, so we miss out on the One we do need. 

Acts 17: 26-27 tells us that “from one man God made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”

God’s plan has always been for us to seek him and be in relationship with him. And that relationship is only possible through Jesus. 

Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we find forgiveness from our sins and a relationship with God. Not only that, but when Jesus is who we love the most, we get a brand-new life!

Jesus satisfies, helps us live in truth and gives us life. 
So, the question is… would you rather have a substitute or the real thing?

As we have been making our way through the book of Acts at Connection Church there is a passage that I didn’t get to talk about during a sermon. I think it’s one of the most fascinating stories in the New Testament, but it gets little attention.

At the end of Acts 15, we read this brief report from Luke the author in vv. 36-41, 

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Think about what we’re being told. 

The Apostle Paul and Barnabas had a major disagreement as they were getting ready to leave on their second missionary journey. The issue was simple; Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark and Paul didn’t because John Mark had abandoned them on their first missionary journey. Two of the most prominent men in the HISTORY of Christianity disagreed so strongly about this that they literally decided not to work together. They went in two different directions. 

This passage has actually been really helpful for me as a pastor. I think about it often. In ministry and within the church, we often find ourselves seeing methods, decisions and issues very differently from one another. So what should we do when we disagree?

First, if we disagree about a major doctrinal or theological issue, the Scriptures must be our final authority. If we disagree about whether Jesus rose from the grave, that would be a dividing line between being a Christian and not being a Christian. But oftentimes our disagreements aren’t even in the ballpark of this level of importance. 

Usually our disagreements are about a difference of perspective and style. Barnabas wanted to give John Mark another chance, Paul didn’t want to risk being left high and dry again. This isn’t an issue of right and wrong. This isn’t an issue where we can find chapter and verse of what we are supposed to do. This is just two men who deeply love Jesus not being on the same page. 

When we disagree we have some options:

1. We can choose to compromise which in Paul and Barnabas’ case didn’t seem possible. 
2. We can choose to defer to one another which would have meant either Paul allowed John Mark to go or Barnabas agreed not to take him.
3. We can choose to not work together.

This last one is admittedly tough. However, I believe that it’s the best option sometimes. Choosing not to work together isn’t an affront to anyone’s godliness either, it’s just how things may be best for everyone. Here is the big point I want to make: Just because someone doesn’t see an issue the same way you do, especially when it isn’t clear in scripture, you don’t have to assassinate their character or question the genuineness of their faith. 

Going to the grocery store is an adventure for me, especially when the list from my wife is vague. She knows that if the list says “bread” she may get one of any number of interesting types of bread. I mean, have you ever stood in the bread aisle at a grocery store and looked at how many types of bread exist?  
 
While bread is not always seen as a healthy food option these days, in biblical times, it was a staple of daily life. Jesus used this food as a metaphor for what sustains your life and even brings it up in a cosmic conversation with Satan.
 
In Matthew 4, we see Jesus prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to the wilderness and fast for 40 days. At the end of the time, Satan tries to take advantage of Jesus’ hunger and challenges him to prove he is God by turning the rocks into bread. (Specifically, 100% organic, whole wheat, artisan style bread.)

Jesus’ response is to quote a verse from the book of Deuteronomy saying, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
 
Jesus’ point is that while physical food may keep our bodies alive, we need something more. Using a similar metaphor, he later tells a large crowd, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35). Jesus is referencing the thirst and hunger all people have for a real ongoing spiritual connection with something bigger than themselves. Without it, there is a void that needs to be filled.
 
We easily forget there is a need for spiritual nourishment, as well as physical. When there is an empty feeling inside of us, we can turn to entertainment, shopping, video games, social media, food or even other people. But none of those can satisfy our spiritual hunger and thirst.
 
If you try to live on physical bread alone, you may survive, but you won’t truly live. Survival is about trying to maintain life under difficult situations. You’ll run from one thing to the next trying to find meaning, purpose and peace. Living means enjoying life with peace (Phil 4:6-7) and contentment (v. 11-13). This life doesn’t come because you have it all together or you have everything you’ve ever wanted but because you have a connection to the one that can fill the spiritual void in your life.
 
You can move from surviving to living by engaging with Jesus and his Word on a regular basis. We need to renew our connection to him each day. I love what Pastor Joe said recently, “Yesterday’s bread is stale today.” You could have a great day with Jesus one day, but the next day you need to get connected again. When we try to make sure we have a diet of spiritual bread (i.e. connection with Jesus), he promised that we would live and live life to the fullest. (John 10:10)
 
More Resources:
 

• New Testament in a year
• Reading Plans on YouVersion

 

• New Morning Mercies
• My Utmost for His Highest
• The Power of Prayer

Recently, one of my friends had her identity stolen… for the third time.

The first time, someone purchased an Escalade in her name and tried to sell it for parts.

The second time, someone tried to open a Target credit card in her name (a huge step down from the Escalade). Thankfully, their plans were thwarted.

The last time, someone took out a sizable loan in her name, which unfortunately moved to collections.

As you can imagine, having your identity stolen is frustrating, infuriating, and can leave you feeling insecure. The fact that someone else is posing as you and making decisions that impact your life without your permission is not something any of us would choose.  

Yet, some of us actually live this way all the time. 

When we come to Jesus, we get a new identity as a child of God, but we allow that identity to be stolen and redefined by other things that were never meant to have as much influence in our lives as we give them. Instead of holding securely to the life changing work of Jesus, we look to things like our accomplishments, our feelings, and others’ opinions to determine who we are. 

The problem with shaping your identity that way is that it’s unstable. What we’re able to achieve changes throughout our lifetimes. Our feelings change, sometimes by the hour, and they lie to us often. (What you feel may be real, but it’s not always true!) People’s opinions can conflict and leave you feeling torn in two, rather than secure in who you are. 

Stolen identities always leave you feeling confused, anxious, stressed, exhausted… and fearful of losing yourself again.  

So, what’s the solution? 

Read these incredible words in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21:

Anyone who comes to Christ receives a new identity. Their old identity is gone; a new one has begun. And all of this is a GIFT from God. Through Jesus, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the opportunity to help others find peace with him by sharing this message – because of Jesus, God does not hold people guilty for their sins. Instead, God made Jesus, who had no sin, to become our sin, so that through him, we could become right with God.

Here's the solution: Jesus gives us His identity!  

In the greatest exchange of all time, Jesus takes on our sin and we take on his righteousness. When Jesus is who we love the most, he defines our identity. Then, no longer do our actions, feelings and the opinions of others get to steal our identity. Instead, our identity gets defined by what Jesus did for us. 

When Jesus defines our identity, actions become worship, not ways to earn our value.
When Jesus defines our identity, we can trust the truth of the Bible instead of how we feel.
When Jesus defines our identity, what he says about us is what matters most. 

You have a choice:

Continue to let your identity be stolen by things that will leave you broken; or, receive a new identity from Jesus, secured by his finished work on the cross. 

There is something about the cover of darkness that can make us feel safe. Perhaps you’ve believed the lie that if you sin in private and no one finds out about it, then it’s not a big deal. Eventually, you may have to lie or deceive others to keep it hidden but you feel OK because you haven’t been outed. You might even justify your sin by saying it’s private and not affecting anyone else. All of this wrong thinking will lead to one outcome: DESTRUCTION.

If you want a surefire way to ruin your life, keep all of your sin hidden and never confess it. You may be thinking the opposite is true; that if you confess your sin, life as you know it will be over. When you sin, there will be consequences whether you confess your sin or keep it a secret. Keeping your sin secret delays the consequences and the longer you delay the consequences, the worse they will get.

If you want to avoid ruining your life, marriage, family, career, reputation, and friendships, here’s what you need to do:

1. Believe nothing is really a secret.

Your sin is not a secret from God. You may be able to hide it from your family, friends and your boss but not from the one who knows all and sees all. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”  The one who we are accountable knows everything. Followers of Jesus don’t have to be afraid of this truth because although God sees your sin, he still loves you. He loves you enough to bring conviction to you in the midst of it. Those times when you feel convicted may be God trying to get your attention.

2. Confess your sins to another person.

The best first step is confessing your sins to God and asking for his forgiveness. He also calls us to confess to other people as well. This is the hardest step, but a crucial one. James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

When you confess the sin to another person, you bring it into the light. I’ve found that a sin that I was unable to shake by simply confessing it to God loses some power over me when I bring it out into the open with others. There is freedom in confession. The truth does set us free! (John 8:32)
 
You won’t do these two things unless you have the right motivation. Being fearful that continuing to sin will ruin your life may help at first. After a while, the fear will dwindle and you will move back into the dark.

Only a love for Jesus will help you stay on the road towards life. When you understand that you are loved unconditionally no matter what you’ve done, your motivation can change to live a life that will honor Christ. Ask him to help you believe the truth and confess as you try to live for him.

This morning my son announced with a yawn, “I’m still sleepy...”

After shunning my repeated suggestion that he return to bed (a mom has to try), I decided to turn on a short kids exercise video to help his troubled morning adjustment.

I set up our ipad with a 15-minute video right beside me in the kitchen and returned to doing my morning assortment of dishes when I heard, “Mom! They’re praying to Coco!”

Momentarily wondering where the time had gone (and who in the world was Coco?), I quickly offered my son an exaggerated look of surprise and declared, “Well, that’s weird! We only pray to God!” Then I proceeded to trip over myself to interrupt whatever modern paganism had entered my kitchen. Bye Coco.

But I continued thinking…humans do a lot of things but some things are for sure,

we will breathe
we will eat
we will sleep 

and we will worship. 

The need to worship something is written into our DNA. Too often, we refuse to direct it toward the one true God and decide instead to find a golden calf (or a tropical bird named Coco) of our own on which to pour out our praise. We see this in the way some worship self-knowledge, ambition, or self-indulgence. We see it in the worship of political leaders, political ideas, money, food, fashion, sex, our children, the universe, “positive energy”, etc. You name it, someone has their everything invested at its altar.

It’s not a matter of will we worship, but what?

If you’re a parent like me, this is something we must keep in mind as we shepherd our children through daily life. We’re raising little worshippers. If we’re not taking the time to tell them who they are, why they matter and then even more time to answer a thousand “whys” and “Oh yea, so what’s?” that follow, there is a line at your door (and behind your media screens) waiting to do the job.

Will you teach your children to worship the living God? Will you show them how? Will you teach them who God says they are? Will you show them God’s mission for their lives? Will you teach them to discern truthful messages from lies? 

The Bible speaks clearly about the importance of a parent’s role in a child’s spiritual journey:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

The most important thing we can do as parents is point our children to Christ as he has been revealed in scripture. There are a variety of resources that help summarize our faith for young minds. Some of these include: The Jesus Storybook Bible, Grace for the Moment 365 Day Devotional, the YouVersion Bible app for kids, The Westminster Shorter Catechism, The Heidelberg Catechism, and so many more.

When we were kids, my brother and I received one of our favorite presents – a Super Nintendo. We were overjoyed to jump into the world of Donkey Kong, Joe & Mac, and of course, Mario. It’s amazing how quickly we learned to maneuver our players and dominate entire games.

Super Mario World was my favorite game, but my brother enjoyed racing games. I was really bad at racing games; and here’s why: 

First, I get motion sick very easily. 

Second, I’m unable to control my player, especially in a first-person view. 

And third, anytime a game involves a split screen, I forget which player is mine. My quick glance to another player’s screen inevitability turns into the belief that I’m controlling the car in first place. Meanwhile, my car is actually driving into a wall, pretty close to the starting line. 

The only time I ever had any hope of winning, or finishing, a racing game was when I surrendered my controller to my brother and allowed him to do what he was good at. 

Go ahead, you can laugh… but there’s a huge life lesson in there. Many of us live our lives like I play racing games. We believe that we are in control, but we’re really just making a mess of things on our own. And our only hope to finish well is to surrender. 

One of the best examples of this is from the book of Daniel, in the life of King Nebuchadnezzar. Although King Neb had witnessed firsthand the authority God had in plenty of circumstances (see Daniel 1-3), he continued to believe he was in control of his own life.

Until one day, everything changed.

King Neb was on his rooftop, admiring his kingdom and gloating about his own power: 


In the midst of his self-acclamation, he lost all control. 


Can you imagine how awful that must have been?! And King Neb remained like that until the day he turned his eyes toward heaven and acknowledged that God is the only one truly in control. 


While this seems like an extreme example, we can learn from it because we have the same choice that King Neb did:

1. Choose to believe that God, who is perfectly good, right and just, has all authority to lead and guide our lives.

OR:

2. Try to maintain control of our own lives with our limited knowledge and imperfection. 

It may be a hard truth, but it’s an easy choice. It’s time to hand over the controller. 

Recently, I shared a message on fasting at Connection Church (you can watch it here).

I have a love/hate relationship with fasting. Not only because I hate being far from food, and love being close to Jesus, but It’s also because I have found myself fasting for all the wrong reasons. I actually started my message by giving reasons why we shouldn’t fast. The truth is, I used to fast to fit in. I would see other leaders and churches doing times of fasting and would think that because they’re doing it, I probably should too. 

When we approach growth in the spiritual life with motives born out of guilt, or a desire to fit in, or because we feel the need to prove the authentic nature of our Christian commitment, fasting is no longer serving to fuel our desire for God. In fact, the moment we turn any spiritual discipline into a way for us to get glory, even if it’s just in our own hearts without anyone else knowing, we are no longer seeking God, we are seeking to save ourselves. 

The Lord says through his prophet, “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.” (Isaiah 42:8)

God is not in the glory-sharing business. He is kind, gracious, just, true and loving, but when it comes to glory, He is jealous for all of it. And for the record, He is the only being in all the Universe that is able to desire that with total purity of heart and motive. 

So when it comes to fasting, we must decide that abstaining from food for a set period of time is connected to knowing God, seeking God and getting more of God. I actually think for many of us, we need to ramp up the fasting in our lives. Who doesn’t need more intentional times of prayer? Who doesn’t need to feel their weakness and have nowhere else to turn at 3:00 pm than God Almighty? Who doesn’t need to say with their appetites that nothing satisfies like Jesus does? 

Fasting isn’t about proving yourself, fitting in, or guilt. Fasting is about pushing away from food for a time so we can posture our hearts to see and savor Jesus Christ. 

I know some of us have medical issues that make it impossible to go without food due to the medications we’re on, God knows that. But no matter where you’re at, let me encourage you to build the practice of fasting and prayer into the rhythm of your life. It will be hard, you might feel lousy as your body goes through withdrawal for a time, but stay focused on the reason you’re fasting, to feast on Christ.

When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing you do? 

For many of us, we grab our phones. According to a study done by Tony Reinke for his book, 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You, 54% of people check their smartphones within minutes (or less) of waking up.  While there is nothing wrong with looking at your phone, email, news or social media, prioritizing it as the first thing you do may reveal something about us.

We’re not good at being alone with our thoughts, and we’re not good at being alone with God either. How many times have we started to spend time with God and his Word but then get distracted by an email, text message, or social media post? 

Distraction is one of the things that weakens our relationship with our Savior. In 1820, Pastor John Flavel wrote that if Satan can’t destroy our devotional life by getting us to ignore the habit, he will try to “distract our thoughts and break them into a thousand vanities.” We live in a world where constant distraction is the norm. This hinders us from making deep connections with God and others. 

One researcher wanted to test the theory that we are uncomfortable being distraction free. They conducted an experiment and had participants sit in an almost empty room for 10-20 minutes with no phone, watch, device or anything else that could distract them. The only thing in the room was a button next to them. Before they started the experiment, the researchers had each person practice pressing the button, which administered an uncomfortable electric shock. After they pressed the button, they were asked if they would pay not to feel the shock again. Most of the people said yes.

They were kept in the room for a total of 12 minutes where they were supposed to be silent and not get up. At the end of the experiment, 67% of the males and 25% of the females pushed the button to give themselves a shock. Look at how many people would rather experience pain over sitting quietly and thinking! 

Perhaps the reason that solitude has been a spiritual discipline practiced for centuries is because it is key in growing in our relationship with Jesus. 

In Psalm 46:10, we see God speaking and he says, “Be still and know that I am God.” When the prophet Elijah went to hear from God, God did not speak through a powerful wind, a large earthquake or a devouring fire, but through a gentle whisper or as it says in the King James Version, a “still small voice.” 

If we want to go deeper with God, we need to make it a priority to find distraction-free time to sit with him and his word, to be still and listen for his voice.

This Sunday, Pastor Joe shared about the importance of going to war with our sin.

In his message he equipped us with meaningful strategies for battle and brought it all home with a powerful analogy none will soon forget. 

This message got me thinking this week; if we know what God wants and what we need to do, why is it still so hard? Why do we hold tight to our sin, unable or unwilling to call it what it is?

Three ideas came to mind:

There was a time when everyone smoked everywhere, all the time. Smoking looked cool and the nicotine high felt great. But then we realized it was actually killing us in a thousand different ways. 

Some sins are like cigarettes... they feel great and even look great at first. Maybe our manipulative attitude is getting us the control we want in our family, maybe our over-investment in a political party is helping us feel safer in uncertain times, maybe our gossip habit is keeping life interesting, maybe obsessive attention to our physical appearance is getting us accolades, maybe our preoccupation with material possessions is getting us the status we’re desperate to maintain. 

Sometimes “cigarette sins” are a sign that we have a greater problem with the sin of idolatry (believing something else is ultimate other than God). Search your heart, do you believe the lie that something other than God is more satisfying?

We treasure ourselves and our “unique personalities” like no other generation in history. Many of us pride ourselves on labels like “the loud one,” “the chill one,” “the one who always speaks their mind,” “the peacekeeper,” “the neat freak,” or “the funny one.” 

We may joke about these various identities but many of us really treasure parts of our personality because we really value the identity it gives us. The truth is, if you’re a Christian your personality is good for one thing… kindling. It’s something to offer up to God as a burning sacrifice because he has already given us our truest identity in Himself. 

Through his spirit, those once impatient can be patient, the overly-frugal are now generous, the chronic worriers are now peaceful. Remember, your sin isn’t making you look as good as you think it is. You may be proud of it, but God isn’t impressed.

There are some sins that are so well practiced and finely tuned they actually feel normal to us.  But when we take a moment to be still, we know we need to let them go in order to embrace God’s glory and our greatest good. 

A voice inside might protest, “If I let go of this sin… well, then what?” Much like leaving an addiction, sometimes it is an act of courage to step away from sin we’ve indulged for so long and reach for the arms of our Savior. It can feel like a trust fall of sorts. A better question to ask is, “If I keep living against God’s design for me, then what?”

I once heard that humanity’s biggest problem is that we don’t hate our own sin as much as it hates us. If demise, destruction, and separation from God are words you can find on sin’s “to do” list for your life, it’s time to get honest, and go to war. Turn away from habits, attitudes and actions that have kept you ensnared for too long and turn to God, trusting him to meet your every need along the way.