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The Open Tomb

Depression snuck up on me as I transitioned from childhood to adulthood. Struggles come with a cost, we just have to remember who already paid the price.

If It's Not God, Why Do We Pursue It?

It’s impossible to live our best life when we’re looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places. Our best life is lived out when we desire and pursue the right things — all things Jesus.

The Best God Life

Often our "best life" is usually someone else’s idea of it. God's best life for us is one that reproduces something (good) and reproduces Someone (Him).

5 Historical Facts of Jesus' Resurrection

Even the greatest event in history wouldn’t be without controversy. How do we know the resurrection happened? Are the Gospels reliable? What does history say?

Finding Purpose In Your Pain

We all enjoy a good story about overcomers conquering challenges and unbelievable odds. But we don’t always enjoy it when we’re the one in the story that needs to overcome.

How Can A Good God Allow Evil To Exist?

A question both believers and unbelievers struggle with. Yet, the presence of evil actually proves that God not only exists but is the originator of good.

10 Ways You Can Powerfully Pray For Someone

We know we should always pray, but do we always know how to pray? God loves when we share our concerns with Him. Here's a few ways we can pray with focus.

Elevating The Elevator

Freedom is a beautiful thing. But it comes with a responsibility to the Giver of it all. Life has much to offer us but God never wants any of it to be elevated above Him. He wants to be elevated in us and around us.

A Life Laid Down

A sacrifice isn’t really a sacrifice unless it costs us something. It’s love in action and Jesus said the greatest love we can put into action is laying down our lives. Sometimes it’s convenience, but sometimes it’s the ultimate sacrifice.

What Trusting God Really Looks Like

To be honest, it can be hard for us to trust God sometimes. Not because we don’t believe He’s real, but because trusting Him means giving up control and adjusting our expectations. Trusting God means trusting Him in ALL outcomes and just for AN outcome that we want.

The Exchanged Life

We can’t do anything for God without His help to help us do it. The exchanged life is taking His strength for our weakness and His peace for our chaos. The exchanged life acknowledges our dependence on a Greater – Him.

Peace Peace

Peace is not the absence of chaos. Peace is God’s presence with us. God doesn’t promise that we won’t have troubles. But He promises to be with us through it all.

Rest Is A Superpower

Rest is truly a superpower. It’s when muscles recover and grow, wounds heal, cells regenerate, the brain flushes toxins, and more! Rest also reveals our trust in God. Rest is not being lazy. It’s staging for the next step. Rest isn't weakness. It’s for the weary. The confident, and the strong.

Keeping The Joy Of The Game

ESPN asked Oklahoma University’s softball team how do they keep the joy of the game? Their answer: The only way that you can have a joy that doesn't fade away is from the Lord.

6 Things You Don't Have To Pray About

Weighing our decision to act is not the same as weighing how we should act. As followers of Christ, some things just require our “yes.” While we may always have to pray about the "how,” here are 6 things that we don't have to pray about doing.

Relentless Love of God

The love of God is many things – perfect, complete, sweet. But above all, the love of God is relentless for us. 🤍

Make Time

It’s easy to be consumed with the busyness of life. Rest is vital but even more important is our time with the Source. We must intentionally make time and room to be with God.

Love: Something For Everyone

What comes to mind when you think of love? If the first thing is romance and couples, you've been duped! Love is so much more than that.

The Whole Picture

Life doesn’t always make sense because we’re not seeing the whole picture. Even when our view and understanding are limited, God is not.

Why Is There So Much Violence In The Old Testament?

Ultimately, the reason there is such an abundance of violence in the Bible is because there's so much violence in our hearts and in our depraved world.

It’s Good But Is It God?

Spiritual maturity is less concerned about what we can get away with and more about discerning and following the heart of God in our situations. Even a good thing can end up not being the heart of God for a moment if we’re leading and not Him.

God Shows Us On The Way There

It’s very like God to not give us the whole plan or even the first half. Sometimes He shows us just the next step, but He shows us on The Way as we respond in obedience and walk toward the assignment. God is FOR you, not against you. He’s our certainty in uncertainty, always.

Information Overload

Information overload is real. It’s pretty impossible to sift through all the information that’s available to us each day with an overwhelming and constant flow of studies, data, ads, and reels that claim they can transform our minds, bodies, and eating habits. When it comes to our spiritual lives,

In Dependence On Him

We know that we’re supposed to do everything in or with God, but what does that really mean? God doesn’t just sit at the top of the ladder in our lives, He is the spoke of the wheel that holds it all together. He doesn’t want us to do things apart from Him – He wants us to do all things with and thr

God’s Not Through With Me Yet?

“What do people mean when they say “God’s not through with me yet?” Is it a confession or a brag? That depends. But is God ever really through with us or have we told Him ‘that’s enough, I don’t want to go any further?’”

Can I Do All Things In Christ?

It’s true that we can do all things through Christ who empowers us. That isn’t a blank check, however, to pursue things how we see fit – even if they’re good things. We can do all things through Christ *that He gives us to do.* He leads, we follow.

Can We Ask For Anything In God’s Name?

Jesus welcomes us to ask for anything in His name and He’ll fulfill it. But that’s not a blank check to ask and do whatever we want.

Is The Bible Just Historical And Irrelevant For Today?

The Bible consists of God’s Word, which is timeless, living, and just as compelling and current as when it was written. Through it, the power of the Gospel meets us at the point of our deepest confusion and at the height of our loftiest ideals.

Is The Story of Jesus Borrowed From Egyptian Gods?

The theory that Christianity is a copycat religion has been discredited for years. The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus aren’t mythology but specific written history.

Where Is Your Faith?

It’s possible, and all too often, that we have Jesus with us and yet still not have our faith and confidence in Him. It’s possible to love and live for Jesus but still be crippled by fear (faith in the opposite direction). God wants our faith to be unshakably in Him so that when fear comes, faith a

The Excellent Spirit

Daniel carried himself with such an excellent spirit that the only thing his enemies could attack him about was His devotion to God. He boldly hid behind and was consumed by the image of God, living above accusation and corruption at all costs.

How Can The Bible Be True With So Many Contradictions?

A common question for skeptics and believers is about what to do with Bible contradictions. For the New Testament alone, there are over 5,000 manuscript copies making it the most preserved and numerous among any other ancient writings. When considering what to do with supposed contradictions, a clos

Humility: No More, No Less

Pride is wanting something other than, more than, less than God would have and desire for us. Humility, however, is a willingness to be known for who we are and for what we want God wants for us – no more, no less. Our desires and pursuits should match the Father’s heart for us in any particular si

Is God Pruning You?

As Christians, we all have difficult seasons in our lives where things don’t seem to ever be working out. We know God hears us but we’re still struggling. You may be in a pruning season. What is it and how do we know?

Images Of God As Father

It’s true that the image of God that we carry around in our hearts and minds affects our everyday lives. To enjoy the best and fullness of God, which shows up in the rest of our lives, it becomes imperative that we see who He really is and what He’s really like. That includes His Father love for us.

This Little Light Of Mine, I’m Going To Let It Shine!

The light that Jesus gives us has influence and impact on those around us. Sometimes our light is bright. Sometimes our light is dim. But we still shine.

Is It Just A Sin Problem?

Ultimately, we know that all societal ills are sins and all sins are against God. But why is that some issues call for legislation, protest, and action where others are simply met with “it’s a sin problem, just preach the Gospel.” Addressing sin is ultimately a matter of the heart that the Gospel a

God Gives His Best To Those That Leave The Choice To Him

The ways of God aren’t just suggestions for the Christian life, they are Who and what we follow. Following Christ means choosing Him, His will, and ways with each decision each day. As Lord of our lives, He wants to be our choice and deserves our full “yes.”

The Ways Of God: Becoming More Like Him

What does it mean to become more like God? Genesis tells us that we were made in His image. And because we are, God also intends for us to take on His likeness. But before we can do that, we must know, like really know, what He is really like.

Victory Always Belongs To Jesus

Our worst days with Jesus are better than our best days apart from Him. Life in Christ is fighting from the victory He’s already secured for us since the day that death died. The goodness of God is always present. He’s our Hope for tomorrow and our Truth for today.

Christians and Profanity (What the $%&!)

If all words matter to God, they should matter to us too. Contrary to growing belief, profanity isn’t something we should be embracing if we’re called to stand apart.

Spheres of Friendship

Wisdom says that we’re permitted to speak into other’s lives only to the degree they allow us. While we value all of our relationships, every friendship isn’t equal and not all require the same commitment.

Was The Bible Written By White People?

Contrary to the popular misconception about the Bible being a product of the White man’s religion, history tells us most of the people in the Bible were actually Jews of middle eastern descent.

Was The Bible Used To Enslave Black People?

There are lots of people who believe that Christianity is the White man’s religion and the misguided faith of our oppressors. But what does the real history tell us?

Ministry of Availability

I joined Pittsburgh Steelers Chaplain, Kent Chevalier, to discuss our availability, focus, and margin as a commitment to discipleship

Jesus Is The Hope Of Christmas

Christmas is a reminder that God has given us a life on the love letter of Jesus. Our Hope for the world comes from outside of it. He’s our Hope for tomorrow and our Truth for today. He’s our Peace. Our Light in the darkness. And He is with us.

God’s Aim Is Always To Redeem

Though the days are long, the years are short. When will Jesus return? When will all of this end? And why is He taking so long? God’s delay is not for His negligence but His extraordinary patience and love for us. The time to do good is now.

It’s Not What’s On You But What’s In You That Counts

Today we’re so often consumed with how we look and what others think of us. Yet no matter how fast and how much the world changes, God’s still more concerned with who’s after His own heart and who will do His will.

To Be Broken By You

The pain of discipline is sweeter than the pain of regret. To be broken and chastised by the Lord is better than to be broken and chastised by the world. God corrects those that He loves and we can trust His heart that we’ll be better for it.

Is Cussing Or Cursing A Sin?

Are all words relative or neutral in meaning? Is it really our intent or meaning that matters and not so much our word choice? Is cussing really just an issue of what we’re personally convicted by? Ultimately, it’s God that puts a premium on our words.

Healing Is A Person

It’s an incredible thing to behold that God is not just able to heal us, but that He is the literal embodiment of healing itself. When we know and trust the Source, we’re prepared for whatever comes. He is Yahweh-Rapha, “The Lord Who heals.”

My Life Is Not My Own

To follow Jesus means to yield our lives, and our perceptions of it, wholly to Him. When we say our life is not our own, it means that we’re giving God a full “yes.” It means that we’re giving Him our best gift — us.

The Father’s In The Room

Sometimes it feels like God is disconnected from our struggles and challenges. Or maybe we’ve just “gone it alone.” But He’s never too far away and is always present.

Not Good Enough

When it comes to the sin that destroys our lives, it’s our job to repent. And God’s promise to save us. There’s never enough good karma to save or make us “good enough” because we’ll never be good enough on our own. But God is good, and more than enough!

How Do I Try To Live & Work At Jesus’ Pace?

The pacing of our lives is so important that it can help or hinder the call of God in our lives. When we look at Jesus, we see that He responded in obedience rather than being driven by need. Here are 3 believers from 3 walks of life sharing some steps we’ve taken to follow Jesus’ pace.

Collateral Damage: Find The Lie

I joined Pastor Phonz Phillips of Detroit Church for the Sunday Recap of Collateral Damage: Find The Lie. A message about perils spiritual warfare, our role in it, and how we should respond.

Hardest Verses To Live Out: Forgiveness

As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Forgiveness doesn’t always come easy or natural, but it’s what God calls us to do. We’re carriers of His greatest gift — love through forgiveness.

The Royals: People Of The Margins

I join Pastor Sonny Smith of Detroit Church for their Sunday Recap of The Royals: People of The Margins. God’s idea of royalty for us.

The Day Death Died

Humanity was defeated and it seemed like sin had won. But then Jesus reset the scene and changed the game forever. Death from this body is only temporary. Because Jesus rose and lives, so now can we. Today we can say, death has been defeated.

What The Resurrection Means For Us Today

To one it represents the finished work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross to atone for our sins. To another, it represents the extent of the love of God for mankind. To yet another, it represents our path to life everlasting. Yet, when we recognize that the Resurrection does not refe

What The Resurrection Means To Us Today

What the resurrection means for us today is that we still have Hope in Jesus Christ. That just as God raised Him from the dead, no matter how bad the situations of life may look to us — there is still that Hope and possibility that everything will be alright. We walk by Faith and not by sight.

12 Pillars Every Godly Relationship Needs: Harmony Vibes

As the author of love, God has much to say about how we love each other through our relationships. In this post, we explore our final 3 pillars ofGodly relationships: blessing, understanding and trust, and harmony. When we love each other well, we love God the best.

12 Pillars Every Godly Relationship Needs: The Mechanics

Love is more than the feelings we express. Love is a person. And we call Him, God. As the author of love, God has much to say about how we love each other through the conduit of relationships, whether they be spousal, dating, friendships, familial, and even professional connections. In this week’s b

12 Pillars Every Godly Relationship Needs: Love On The Move

Love is so much more than a feeling. Love is a person. And we call Him, God. God has much to say about how we love through how we relate to one another in our relationships. Here are 3 of the 12 foundational pillars from the apostle Paul for walking in healthy relationships according to the ways of

No, Really… Why Am I Still Single?

In today’s society, singleness just ain’t pretty! Everywhere we turn it seems like there’s someone boo’ed up, engaged or walking down the aisle. Meanwhile, us singles struggle daily just to understand why we are still single. Welp, I found the answer to that question and I’m sharing it with you in t

12 Pillars Every Godly Relationship Needs

God didn’t create us as islands but we were created for relationship and community. Healthy relationships of all kinds are key to living the life that God intended for us. In this February blog series, we’ll share 12 universal pillars of Godly relationships for friends, family, spouse, professional,

Faith & Fitness: It’s Your Journey

Our fitness and health are mission-critical to our purpose and faith as we look to steward our lives well. No matter where you’re starting, growth and success are possible with the right steps. Here are 4 more lessons for your faith and fitness journey.

Faith & Fitness: Believing Is Seeing

Our fitness and health are mission-critical to our purpose and faith as we aim to steward our lives well. Every goal has a price. And distractions will come. In order to say “no,” we must have a bigger “yes.” In part 3 of this series, I share 3 more lessons from my faith and fitness journey.

Faith & Fitness: Going For The Win

Our fitness and health are mission-critical to our purpose and faith and are thus a practice of stewardship. Sometimes we never realize success because we sabotage our goals instead of setting them up for a win. In part 2 of this series, I share 4 more lessons from my faith and fitness journey that

Faith & Fitness: Stewarding Your Body Well

Our fitness and health are more than just extracurricular or vanity parts of our lives, they’re mission-critical to our purpose and faith. In fact, fitness is really a practice of stewardship. Our bodies are the vehicle for our time here on Earth. Nothing that we do, even spiritual matters like pray

His Plan: When God Is Goddin’

Life can look so much different from the outside vs. being in it. God rarely gives spoiler alerts, but instead, He says “follow me”. He’s not just God of the beginning and end, He’s God of the middle details too. God not only knows what will happen but He also determines what will be.

Peace Has Come

As we commemorate the birth of our Savior, it’s hard to imagine a more chaotic arrival; unimaginable family drama, and a bounty on the head of a helpless infant. But here God is — peace Himself — in the midst of chaos. This Christmas, remember that Peace is a person. And He’s come.

Sermon Review: The God Of The Night Before

Many of us are familiar with the story of Jesus, His virgin birth, the wise men, and so on. But what’s less talked about in the Christmas story is the dysfunction surrounding His birth.

God’s Presence Within Us

It’s often said that if you want to judge whether or not something is good or right, ask yourself, does it produce the fruit of the Spirit? Or better yet, does it allow you to produce the fruit of the Spirit? A successful life rises and falls on His presence being within us.

Is Truth Relative Or Absolute? Based On Conviction Or Objective Observation?

In today’s “live your truth” era, it’s very on-brand to stand on the idea of ‘what’s true for you isn’t necessarily true for me.’ There is an absolute Truth and we can know it by knowing Him. Wherever we land, we can know that the real truth will always be consistent with the ways and will of God.

We Produce What’s In Our Hearts

What’s in our hearts is the real us. And the fruit of it follows accordingly. God knows our hearts but the world needs to know our actions and love. With so many voices, agendas, and distractions competing for our allegiance, our lives must be a daily demonstration of who we live for and serve.

Finding Gratefulness In Grace

Grace is more than something that we receive or extend — grace is also a perspective. Understanding the grace that we’ve been given helps us to posture our hearts in a continual state of gratefulness.

How To Find Peace In Chaos

Peace is not the absence of chaos. Jesus Himself was on the boat with the disciples while the storm was raging. Peace is God’s presence holding and keeping us through it. When everything else isn’t there, God always is.

Can We Talk About Forgiveness For A Minute?

Forgiveness is God’s greatest gift to mankind that He gives unconditionally. When we live and love like God, we too live out of forgiveness. But when should we forgive? How? And are there ever exceptions?

Is It Wrong To Question God?

God is never afraid of our questions. But there’s a time to ask and a time to follow. In the end, God wants our trust, our obedience, and most of all, our heart.

God’s Plan

Sometimes God’s ‘no’ is really a ‘not yet,’ or at the very least, a ‘not this way.’ Keeping God’s way doesn’t just demonstrate our love to Him through obedience, it also preserves and refreshes us. God’s plan is perfect if we follow Him.

A Love That Burns

Imagine a God so great and loving that He would allow Himself to be subjected to circumstances that He is above. Though Jesus had the power to overturn death, He was not exempt from the emotional grip of sin’s toll on humanity — His love. He weeps because He loves His people. A love that burns.

Created To Worship

Why am I here? Why was I created? It’s one of life’s most pondering questions about our ultimate purpose. And thankfully, God is 💯 about it. We will always worship someone or something because we were created and designed for it.

When God Asks: Where Are You?

When God asks us a question, it’s not because He doesn’t know the answer. His question to us serves as a locator for our hearts.

Favor Ain’t Fair?

Scripture tells us that God is not only impartial but that He is just (fair) and operates as such. God’s favor is not necessarily equally distributed in all cases but His favor is fair because God is fair, always.

In That Order

It’s true that how we approach a thing, the order and manner, can reveal our true motive of the heart. When it comes to God, our manner will usually reveal what or who we’re really after. The psalmist David didn’t just ask God to help Him, He asked for a teachable to receive.

Make My Steps

We never have to do life alone when God is in the picture. He wants to direct our steps and will — if we’re willing to let Him have His way. The psalmist David understood the power of our human weakness, sin, while also recognizing God’s hand and plan over it.

The Posture of Your Heart: Inclining To God

David understood that he could only be as close to God as much as he inclined his heart to Him. And he inclined his heart to God by keeping the ways of God — desiring what God desired. We are not saved by works but God does instruct us how to live. And we must work in our salvation.

Loving His Ways

One of the greatest gifts that we could ever ask for and receive is to have a teachable heart. When we’re teachable, everything becomes accessible. When we surrender our hearts to God and submit ourselves in obedience, He does the transformation of changing our ways and creating us anew.

Pain Has A Purpose

Pain serves a greater purpose beyond just reminding us of what we did wrong — it directs us to where we should be. Suffering in God’s eyes is about what the pain is being used to position us for, leading us to, more than it is about what we’re going through in the moment; because God always operates

Are You More Like Jesus Today?

The more we look like Jesus, the more we can love, be like, and respond like Jesus. Being more like Jesus today than yesterday, in any measure, whether an inch or a mile, is a step forward. And the only way to get more of God in our lives is to spend time with Him.

What Do You Trust?

God is so good that He will not allow us to live a life that doesn’t need Him. And that’s a great thing because this is not a life that we could live without Him.

Justice Is Love In Action

Justice is what love looks like when it faces the problems its neighbors face. In a moment of examination, we must make what’s important to God important to us. The God that left the 99 sheep for the one is the same God that believes Black lives matter. We must seek justice. Love compassion. And wal

Being A Doer, Not Just A Listener

Imagine that; looking at yourself in the mirror only to leave and immediately forget what you looked like. And not just forget what you were wearing or how you were styled, but forgetting your face, and forgetting who you are. When we pull away from God to do our own thing, we forget who we are.

Faith In Crisis

Scripture tells us to not fear but to trust God in times of crisis. Trusting Him now is more important than ever because He is all that we have. Even though we are struggling with this pandemic, our hope will bring sunshine to ou stormy world.

Unselfish Love

Real love is unselfish and outward-focused. Love is seeking the best for and choosing someone’s highest good. Love is meant to be shared and given away. And it’s impossible to do that living selfishly.

Expectation Needs Preparation

One of life’s greatest ironies is to live in the expectation of something and yet not be prepared for it to arrive. In fact, it’s counterproductive, not just to our progress, but to our faith as well. How we prepare says everything about what we believe and what we’re ready for. Success happens when

From Instruction To Freedom

A ‘no’ from God is a ‘yes’ destiny. There is a freedom that is only accessed by keeping God’s instruction. Everything that God does is to help us to look more like Him every day. Whatever boundaries God gives are for our good.

Provision For Purpose

God always assigns provision for the purpose(s) that He’s destined for us. We exist for His pleasure. God is always for our success but our picture of success shouldn’t contrast His. He will never allow us to live a life that doesn’t need Him.

We Rest To Work

Last week, I shared about how Jesus “reset” the scene of humanity when He paid the ultimate price for our sins and thereby restoring our relationship with the Father. As I thought about all of the things that a reset ushers into our lives during challenging times like this, I began to think about ho

Reset

Humanity was defeated and sin had won. But then Jesus hit the reset button! Almost 2,000 years ago, He finished the work of restoring humanity to God.