We can lean so far into the things we love that we cross the line and make people turn away in disgust. Zeal without discernment has the opposite effect that is intended, and that is what has been happening in the western Church. As we move towards our corners we stop gathering around the cross, and the world is turning away in disgust. It doesn’t matter how good the causes in the corners are, they are not worth abandoning the gospel of love. That’s what we are called to, it is our commission, it is Jesus’ final wish for us as He finished His physical life here.

If you have ever struggled with pride or false humility, it can be confusing to discern between true and false humility. The best measuring stick is always the person of Jesus. He is a great example of someone who had cultivated confidence, but was not operating in pride or arrogance. We see throughout the gospels that Jesus walked with a quiet confidence. He knew who He was in every room (or field) He walked into. There is no hint of false humility in Christ, no matter how much He was rejected or ridiculed. It’s part of what makes Him so attractive.

We are called to be this aroma to the world - a signal that the Victor, Christ, is present! Our actions and words should cause people to join the procession of God, to praise Him and celebrate His presence. And this picture of the enemy - captured, chained up, but still making noise. So true of what we are still facing - Christ has conquered our enemy and he will soon be completely defeated. We need to remember that he may be making noise, but we don’t need to fear him because Christ has the victory!

Looking at Scripture from this lens of responsibility is helpful because the Holy Spirit will show us how to walk in the freedom of obedience, without trying to control or manipulate. It helps us have a right view of who God is, and to have clear boundaries in our lives. We need to know what we are responsible for, what others are responsible for, and what God is responsible for. When these 3 areas get mixed up, a whole host of problems will follow.

I’ve found, in my own experiences that the enemy wants me to be convinced that I don’t have options. He wants us to feel like we are backed into a corner and can do nothing but retaliate. Fight back. Eye for an eye. But wonder makes us actually turn around and see what the options really are. It makes us see that there are multiple routes we could take, that our back is not in a corner but actually facing an open field. 

What does it mean to live in the grace and favour of God? Is it something we are given or something we can request? Is it only for some people, some circumstances, or is it available to us all?

Maybe, the point isn’t the promise. Maybe the point isn’t us. Maybe, like the Patriarchs, we are supposed to partner with God and walk with Him, sowing seeds for future generations. Maybe we’re supposed to be ok with sojourning in a land that we will never build a home in.

I think there’s a bit of a universal cycle we all go through when we have a dream.

Deposit - Excitement - Disappointment - Waiting - Breakthrough

And the tricky thing? The timing of each part of the cycle is never the same. At least not in my experience!

Saying yes is always easier than saying no. We’re drawn to yes’s, to positivity, to making good choices. You are wired for making good choices, because you have the Spirit of the living God in you. His plans for you are good, and He is always leading you on the righteous right path. The Holy Spirit loves saying yes, and loves teaching us how to say yes. Where it gets difficult, is when we have to say no. Saying no to something that we know feels good, or looks good, or is pleasurable, or easy - saying no to these things is difficult. It’s difficult because it appears to be a choice between two things, between pleasure in the moment or a value we have that doesn’t seem to have any immediate benefit. A choice between spirit and flesh.

Restoration is God’s business. He loves to restore, to redeem, to rebuild. He does it in our lives, in our businesses, and in our families. Is there something in your life that is crying out for restoration? Something that has been stolen from you? Maybe you don’t see yourself as a leader, but God does. You don’t have to have a job title to exercise leadership. You’re a leader of your life and your choices, and perhaps there’s something within your scope that can be done.

The Bible talks about inheritance quite a bit. I’ve always thought of it as like a big cheque you get when a relative dies. A list of treasured possessions that get passed down from one generation to the next. A stack of golden crowns you get to wear when you walk into heaven. Now I’m not saying that’s wrong, but perhaps there’s more under the surface of our inheritance.

Here is something I know to be true about spiritual warfare: God has equipped you, and He fights with you. Here’s something else I know - a lot of the time this doesn't feel true. When we are under attack, we often feel powerless, frustrated and discouraged. It's hard to remember this truth and to act on it, but there are some practical steps you can take the next time you find yourself on the battle field fighting for spiritual health and freedom.

I've always been someone who feels God in worship, and would do devotionals out of obedience, but never really felt close to God through reading. But over the past few years, I have felt God in Scripture. I have experienced life changing moments with Him. I have wept, I have laughed, I have been lit up with joy as I read my Bible. I have felt the closeness of the Holy Spirit, bringing wisdom and revelation from studying books and chapters I never would have considered powerful.

If we want a relationship with the Lord that is full of intimacy, that produces fruit of the Spirit, that is exciting and captivating, we must sow now. And we must sow without hinging it on immediate results. Just because you don't see dramatic improvement, doesn't mean you aren't sowing well. Let's be a people that press in with obedience for obedience' sake. Let's be a people who prioritize time with God because our future self is worth it.

It seems that the book of Job is not an answer to suffering, but it does hold wisdom for us about what to do when life doesn't make sense. Remember, Job didn't have that behind the scenes info where God gave permission to Satan to test if his love was unconditional. Job believed that God was kind and that He didn't punish innocent people, but when his circumstances didn't match up with his belief, he couldn't decide what to believe.

One of the things that really becomes clear through this prophetic book is that God desires to get to the root of our brokenness and promises to heal it. He's not interested in our sacrifices or making sure we act a certain way. He wants our hearts to come into full healing and be free to experience the fullness of wisdom and blessing that we receive when we are in intimate relationship with Him.

Here are 40 Leadership Principles from the books of 1 & 2 Kings! These are all the Kings (and 1 Queen) of Israel and Judah that are listed in these books. You might notice that some of these kings only reigned for a couple of days and have no more than a verse or two in Scripture. I hope you are encouraged, and see that no matter how small your story seems, God can do something great with it!

This is a pretty famous Scripture - fan into flame the gift of God. If you grew up in the church you know it, and it might even be too familiar. Some passages are like that, you've read them so many times you think there's nothing more to learn from it. But if you ask the Holy Spirit to bring revelation, He will! So let's take a closer look! What does it really mean to fan something into flame?

I'm a person who loves logic. I need things to make sense, I like puzzle pieces to fit and I can't sleep until my t's are crossed and my i's are dotted. I struggled a lot with toxic thinking in the past because it made sense. It was logical, experience based conclusions that dominated my thinking, but it was toxic.

Fatherhood is a Kingdom idea. God designed families to have mothers and fathers, and no matter how much we as humans have misrepresented these roles, He is willing and eager to show His intentions as a Father. I believe God wants to restore your understanding of fatherhood, and He wants you to know Him as your Father, no matter how good or bad your associations with fatherhood are.