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Salvation in Christ

Nothing Is Impossible With God

Nothing Is Impossible With God

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“For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

The angel Gabriel said those words to Mary, a young woman who had just been told she would conceive a child as a virgin. Her elderly cousin Elizabeth, barren her entire life, was already six months pregnant. Neither woman engineered any of it. Both impossibilities were pieces of a plan God had set in motion long before either of them knew anything was happening.

That’s worth pausing on. When we hear “nothing is impossible,” we tend to hear a blank check — God will do anything I ask. But Gabriel wasn’t handing Mary a blank check. He was announcing a purpose. God wasn’t reacting to a problem; He was unfolding what He had planned from the beginning. God has your life planned out, and your every step still counts (Psalm 139:16; Proverbs 16:9). He is sovereign. And He has never once had to improvise. You are responsible, but this does not threaten your security.

The Real Impossibility

The virgin birth isn’t the greatest impossibility in Scripture. Jesus used the same language about something closer to home. After the rich young ruler walked away sorrowful, the disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus answered: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

Consider what that means. A spiritually dead heart cannot revive itself. It cannot choose God, love God, or even want to want God. That is our condition by birth: life without God’s indwelling Spirit is doomed to failure, because the Spirit supplies the motivation for every good thing — faith, repentance, love, obedience. The impossible thing God does is not mainly changing our circumstances. It is putting His Spirit in us and making dead people alive (Romans 4:17). If you are in Christ, the greatest impossibility has already happened to you. The spiritual life is cooperating with what God has done, is doing, and will do, not mustering up your will to perform works to make up for sin.

The Bedrock of the Gospel

So what happens when life seems hopeless — when only a miracle will do? When you’re guilty, wrong, suffering. When you’re at your worst. When you’ve reached bottom. You’ve reached the bedrock of the gospel. You need not sink any further.

And here’s what I want you to hear: you can return to the event of Jesus’s sacrifice and receive cleansing and forgiveness (1 John 1:9) — not because returning re-earns your standing, but because your standing never rested on you in the first place. A loving Father does not unbirth His children. Christ has already paid for your sins, and His finished work doesn’t expire. Every day can be new, not because you keep starting over, but because God can discipline you without ever casting you out.

Don’t Give Up

You need to understand your past, so you can learn from it and find healing. But you need not let your past hold you back from God’s best for you today — because your past doesn’t get a vote on your future. God’s purpose does.

If you give up, you might miss what God is doing. Wait expectantly. Your waiting is not in vain — not because you’re hoping God will finally notice you, but because the One who planned your life before you were born is still carrying out His plan. All that God promises will be fulfilled.

Name Your Impossibility

What is the “impossible” in your life right now? Name it honestly. Then ask which kind it is. Is it a circumstance you’re asking God to change? He may or may not change it, but either way His purpose stands. Or is it a heart — yours, or someone you love — that only God can change? Then take courage: hearts are His specialty. The God who made a virgin conceive and who raises the spiritually dead to life is not intimidated by your impossibility. He acts for those who wait for Him (Isaiah 64:4).

Without Faith it is Impossible to Please God

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Are You Suffering Needlessly Become Spiritually Competent Instead

Are You Suffering Needlessly? Become Spiritually Competent Instead

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Spiritual competence is the ability to discern truth and live it out as you grow emotionally healthy. To be secure in Christ is to be spiritually competent: knowing how to interpret Scripture and actively pursuing growth—not perfection, but the steady movement from self-deception toward truth.

Carl Jung put it this way: “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious” (Jung, Collected Works, Vol. 13). The key that makes this a spiritual endeavor and not a worldly one is knowing that God defines our true potential. To be that aware is only possible with God’s divine help. If we want to know ourselves better, we must also know God better. When we know God better, we will also know ourselves better.

Each moment in life presents an opportunity to either improve your competence or to remain indifferent. Your choice won’t change your worth before God, however, how you experience life will be vastly different.

Jung had another well-known phrase, “Neurosis is always a substitute for legitimate suffering.” It is profound but it is also somewhat cryptic. It’s worth a deeper look. Put another way, Jung is saying you can either suffer legitimately or suffer neurosis (Jung, Psychology and Religion, 1938).

The Spiritually Competent Avoid Suffering Needlessly

The greatest way to suffer needlessly is at your own hand. So often we inflict unnecessary punishment upon ourselves as a penance. Life has enough consequences built in without you adding your own.

Christ has already paid for your past, present, and future sins. What happens if you don’t fully grasp this core truth of the gospel? You probably develop a neurosis.

C. George Boeree described neurosis as a “poor ability to adapt to one’s environment, an inability to change one’s life patterns” (1). Common symptoms include anxiety, sadness or depression, anger, irritability, low self-worth, phobic avoidance, impulsive and compulsive acts, lethargy, disturbing thoughts, obsessive repetition, habitual fantasizing, negativity and cynicism, unhealthy dependency, aggressiveness, and perfectionism.

Is it possible that these symptoms show up as a result of avoiding the hard work of spiritual growth? I’m not suggesting it’s wrong to feel anxious or depressed — anxiety and depression are real experiences, sometimes with biological roots, and professional care has its place. But spiritual growth has its place too, and pursuing it can significantly reduce these symptoms.

Jung was an early advocate for character development in its most pure sense. He knew that we can only really be happy, fulfilled, and socially productive when we have not only come to know but also come to terms with our biggest challenge: ourselves.

Dr George Simon, Phd (2)

The Spiritually Competent Suffer As God Wills

Hebrews 10:32-39 and 1 Peter 3:13-17 provide a biblical perspective on legitimate suffering. It’s better to suffer while doing good than doing evil. Sometimes no matter what you do, you’re going to suffer. So it might as well be for noble reasons.

To suffer legitimately means you accept life as it is. You don’t need to escape from the fact that all living beings experience some suffering. The criminals on their crosses illustrate this idea:

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:39-43 ESV

The first criminal was trying to weasel his way out of the punishment as if he didn’t deserve it. The second criminal accepted the punishment but appealed to God’s grace. The avoidance of developing character leads away from legitimate suffering and toward distressing symptoms. The worst kind of suffering is suffering for no good reason.

If you try to cheat life by hoping someone will ignore your sins and give you a free pass, your circumstances will likely overtake you. This requires no effort on your part, but you can end up suffering more this way than the way of character development.

If you choose growth you will become more resilient and better able to meet life’s demands. This way requires you to choose humility by owning your sins and relying on God’s grace. Accepting responsibility for what you’ve done doesn’t usually remove consequences. You might still suffer, but your suffering will bear fruit such as being spiritually competent and easing your pain.

The second criminal’s attitude was far better than the first. He saw Jesus for who He is, and so he also saw himself for who he was: a guilty man with nothing to offer but an appeal to grace. He did not escape his cross — but he was secure in Christ, and that made all the difference.

This is the choice before you in every moment. You can suffer legitimately — owning your sin, accepting the consequences, and resting in grace — or you can suffer neurosis, dodging the pain and wearing the symptoms instead. Spiritual competence is choosing the first. Which suffering will you choose?

Read more about suffering needlessly.

(1) Boeree, C. G., Personality Theories e-text, http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/perscontents.html
(2) Additional thoughts on Carl Jung can be found at https://counsellingresource.com/features/2010/08/03/jung-words-of-wisdom

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Last Updated 20261004

Have Mercy On Me

Lord Jesus Have Mercy On Me

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When I get stressed I sometimes pray the Jesus Prayer to help me focus on God more than my concerns: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me (some people add, a sinner).

I first heard about the Jesus Prayer through a friend who uses it for his personal meditations. It dates back to the 5th century AD, to the Desert Fathers of Egypt, and is based upon three separate scriptures. The prayer definitely brings to mind the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector in Luke 18:

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

Luke 18:13 ESV

The parable focuses on dependence upon God. It’s a humble plea for forgiveness. The prayer’s references to Jesus and Son of God emphasize God’s strengths amidst our weakness.

Because I know Jesus saved me from my sin already, I don’t repeat this prayer to secure my salvation. God hears all our prayers the first time. Repeating the prayer helps me focus on God’s presence in the moment of my concern.

I can struggle with how to best use my time while I’m still on earth. Am I focusing on what matters most? Will I have enough time to accomplish my goals? I realize God knows what is best; where my goals differ from His, His goals are more important. But this knowledge alone doesn’t remove all of my stress.

The prayer helps me focus on surrendering my life into Jesus’s hands. Praying this way reminds me that He is in control. The more I’m able to do this, the more relaxed I become.

Would you like to strengthen your connection with God? Connecting with God can help put your worries to rest. Repeating the Jesus Prayer can create a unique focus. The main goal is not to see all your wishes come true. Instead, the focused prayer, when used the right way, becomes worship. Whenever you worship God, you are automatically more relaxed.

When you repeat the phrase multiple times (sincerely and pausing in between each time) it’s impossible to not come away with a sense of Jesus’s position of power and your position of vulnerability. The moment this happens, you can release your burdens to the One who has all things under control.

Alternate Uses

You can customize the Jesus Prayer according to your immediate need. I recommend you start with the original phrase and then consider various changes to move deeper into prayer. When you are ready for something different, try emphasizing words or shortening the prayer. Eventually you might try substituting different words.

Emphasize Key Words

Focus on one or two words at a time. For example, if you emphasize Lord, you can begin to examine how Jesus being Lord influences how you feel about your concerns.

  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.
  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.
  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.
  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Focusing on the name Jesus Christ allows for more intimacy. You are calling the God of the universe by His personal name. When you experience God’s care for you, that’s personal.

Son of God emphasizes that Jesus comes from God and is God. But it also alludes to Jesus being the son of man, which emphasizes that Jesus is our human priest who is perfect and can sympathize with our weaknesses.

Emphasizing mercy is also helpful when you want to acknowledge and confess your sin. “Have mercy on me” is an intimate plea to experience God’s love and forgiveness.

Remove Key Words

Next, try shortening the phrase to discover different meanings. Each of the following has a different feel to them than the longer version.

  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy.
  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God.
  • Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Lord Jesus.
  • Lord.
  • Lord have mercy.
  • Son of God have mercy.

Substitute Key Words

Swap out a word to create your own meaning. For example, instead of “have mercy on me”, you could say, “strengthen my spirit.”

  • Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, grant me wisdom.
  • Lord Jesus Christ, your will be done in my life.
  • Lord Jesus Christ, my savior, have mercy on me.
  • Jesus, be near to me and save me from my troubles.
  • Jesus, I surrender all of me.
  • Jesus, forgive me for all of my sins.
  • Lord Jesus, have your way with me.

You can’t go wrong by focusing on powerful truths about who God is. In case you are wondering, repeating specific words doesn’t grant you any special or magical powers. But, there is power in prayer and in the truth of the scriptures.

You can trust a powerful God who also cares enough to relate to you in your weakness. The brevity of the prayers allows you to focus on the spiritual connection so you can relax your heart and mind, instead of filling your mind with many words and many worries.

Speaking of which, here is another type of prayer from me to you:

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 NIV

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Last Updated 20261004

How to Climb High (Without Falling)

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I’m not afraid of heights (at least not as much as I used to be). But I’m not fearless either. A few years ago, my wife and I decided to paint the exterior of our house. It’s a tri-level. Not only that, but one section has a sunken patio.

I was fine with 8′ ladders, but this job required a 25′ ladder. At first, I was scared to go much beyond the 8′. By the end of the project, I was climbing all the way to the top. I found a healthy balance between too-afraid-to-climb and too-fearless-to-prevent-accidents.

Perfectionism is completing a task with a greater amount of energy or effort than is needed to meet the task’s objectives, in a way that leaves other areas of life lacking needed attention. Unchecked perfectionism creates an imbalanced life that can produce significant deficiencies.

Procrastination is different but can be related. You could spend an extra 2 hours cleaning your car because it allows you to delay an undesirable task (such as apologizing to your spouse).

The pure perfectionist finds satisfaction in the cleaning (for example) while not necessarily avoiding something else. Instead, the perfectionist seeks perfection to satisfy their desire for perfection. Sounds perfectly logical, doesn’t it?

The desire for perfection is okay. Nothing wrong there. Perfectionism becomes a “sickness” when it becomes obsessive or irrational. No person can hide that all of creation is under a curse–but that’s what a perfectionist tries to do. The time spent to bring order to one area of life means another area will suffer. When the effort becomes out of balance, life can become out of balance.

We took four months to paint our house. We kept up with our normal everyday tasks, but we cut out the non-essentials. I don’t think we could have shaved more time off of the project. I certainly didn’t want to have to paint it again. But I admit I’m somewhat of a perfectionist.

A desire for excellence is different but can be related. If perfectionism is over-compensating, then its opposite, negligence, is under-compensating. Both miss the mark. A perfectionist might call the negligent person “lazy.” Perhaps the lazy person has more fun?

The perfectionist doesn’t give up soon enough. The lazy person gives up too quickly. Somewhere in the middle is the pursuit of excellence. But even then the pursuit of excellence at some point must surrender to “it’s good enough for our purposes.” Every once in a while the perfectionist should ask, “Is there something more important I could be doing with my time? Has another task worked its way up to the top of my priority list?” Actually, those are the same questions a “lazy” person should ask, too. Although, I suspect they’d answer differently.

Perfectionism can also be expecting a higher standard than is necessary or possible at any given moment. The cost of missing the mark can be high.

The core questions are, “When is enough, enough?” and “When is not enough, not enough?” These are actually best left as deeply personal (subjective) questions. Keep in mind that all behavior (including lack of behavior) has consequences. Just because you’re fine showing up for work 30 minutes late most days, doesn’t mean you’re employer will agree.

Just because you’re fine to keep on sinning and pursue your own way of life, doesn’t mean God approves. God expects you to be perfect (holy), but He also provides the help you need to get there, which includes His infinitely loving patience. Thank God He is a lover of excellence and not a ruthless demander of instant perfection.

God’s love both accepts us as we are and motivates us to reach our full potential. Love wouldn’t be love without both. God sets the standard as high as Himself but then provides the ladder you need to reach it.

An unhealthy person might:

  • go for perfect foot placement on each rung and never reach the top.
  • climb all the way to the top but extend beyond the ladder too far and fall off in the process.
  • worry about how high the ladder goes and never start climbing.
  • look with hatred or mistrust at the person holding the ladder and walk away.
  • freeze during the climb, unable to continue up or down.
  • climb part of the way and jump off because the jumping is fun.
  • climb part of the way and fall off because climbing requires letting go of things considered to be too important.

Of course, I think you know the correct way to climb:

  • trust the ladder holder.
  • don’t look down.
  • don’t climb too fast or too slow.
  • focus on the ladder holder, not how high you have to go.
  • when the time is right, drop the heavy stuff that you don’t need anymore.
  • don’t wait until you are fearless to start climbing.
Stop Squinting Why Biblical Faith Isn't Blind

Stop Squinting: Why Biblical Faith Isn’t Blind

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We often hear the phrase “blind faith” used as if trusting God requires us to close our eyes and take a reckless leap into the dark. But biblical faith isn’t blind. It doesn’t ask you to shut down your mind or ignore reality. Faith simply means operating by a different set of senses—trading physical optics for spiritual vision.

Physical Sight or Spiritual Faith?

Anyone who has tried navigating a pitch-black bedroom at night knows the reality of physical darkness firsthand. You creep across the floor, hands outstretched, trying not to disturb your sleeping spouse, only to bang your toe against a dresser you were certain was two feet to the left.

In those moments, a curious question arises: would it be easier to navigate if you could see just a tiny bit, or not at all?

Instinctively, we assume a little light is better than complete darkness. But partial light carries its own trap. When we see dim outlines, we are tempted to squint, guess, and double down on our own self-reliance. We lock our focus onto shadows, convinced we can engineer our own path if we just strain a little harder. In a spiritual context, partial physical vision often breeds self-effort, distracting us with visual noise. We end up focusing so heavily on what little we think we see that we forget to consider our new native seeing ability: faith.

To the worldly person, the visible appears solid and reliable, while the spiritual seems suspect and uncertain (2 Corinthians 4:18). Yet God grants spiritual sight, healing blindness so that discerning believers understand that the unseen holds eternal stability, while the visible proves fleeting and temporary. This clarity and conviction grounds and assures believers so they can act with “trusting faith”—far removed from the “blind faith” of the world.

Sometimes, God allows physical sight to fail—or renders what we see entirely irrelevant—so that we finally stop squinting. When you realize your physical vision offers no useful answers, you are finally ready to activate your spiritual eyes.

By Faith not by Sight

Scripture reminds us that we “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This isn’t a call to walk blindly, but a shift in perspective. Physical eyes observe temporary, fleeting circumstances, whereas spiritual eyes perceive the unseen, eternal reality of God’s presence and promise (Hebrews 11:1). As Jesus pointed out, it is entirely possible to have perfect physical vision and yet remain spiritually blind—looking without ever truly seeing (Matthew 13:10–13, Mark 4:12).

When God asked Abraham to journey into the unknown, Abraham didn’t move forward because the physical path made sense; it didn’t (Hebrews 11:8). Likewise, when Moses stood against the power of Pharaoh, he persevered not because the visible circumstances were in his favor, but because he saw “Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). They walked forward because their spiritual eyes were fixed on the trustworthiness of the Creator (Proverbs 3:5–6).

True faith is not stepping blindly into a void. It is choosing to rely on spiritual reality when physical sight is useless or misleading. To human pride, abandoning physical control feels uncomfortably vulnerable. But to a humble heart, it yields a blissfully peaceful surrender. You no longer have to strain to figure out the dark—you simply rest in the care of the One who sees all things clearly.

Questions About Faith

Consider these questions to help you appreciate your faith.

  • What does “walk by faith, not by sight” mean?
  • How does the world define “blind faith”? How is this different from biblical faith?
  • What are some things you can only see with spiritual eyes?
  • What might you be relying on that is actually temporary and fleeting?
  • What might you need to rely on that is actually solid and permanent?

Learn more about relying on your spiritual eyes or about looking but not really seeing (Matthew 13:10–13).

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Last updated 20260906

Woman in forest trusting God's Gospel for purpose and identity.

Pure Gospel, Purposeful Identity

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Your true identity isn’t found in pleasing others or adding rules to God’s grace—it is grounded entirely in the unaltered Gospel. When you compromise the message of Christ, you lose the power that brings clarity and joy to your daily purpose. Here is why protecting Gospel purity is the foundation of a confident, God-given identity.

The Gospel is the foundation of Christian identity. Without the Gospel, you couldn’t become born spiritually, so you’d never have access to your true identity as a child of God.

Altering the Gospel Destroys Its Power

When Paul wrote to the Galatians, he stressed repeatedly that the Gospel can’t be altered in any way. As soon as you add to it or subtract from it, you no longer have the Gospel. Paul made it clear that the primary reason anyone attempts to alter the message is to secure human approval:

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 ESV

In our desire to be liked or accepted, we fall into two subtle traps:

  • Watering Down the Gospel (Compromise): You might soft-pedal the truth to make it more palatable or socially acceptable. We want to make the doorway wider so more people qualify without feeling convicted. But the Gospel is already a free gift of grace—though it requires coming to God on His terms, not ours. When we try to make it fit human trends or subjective feelings, we strip away its power to actually transform lives.
  • Tightening Up the Gospel (Legalism): On the flip side, you might try to add extra rules, standards, or performance metrics to make faith feel like an exclusive club. But making people jump through man-made hoops to earn God’s favor also robs the Gospel of its power. You cannot charge admission for something Christ already paid for in full.

Both extremes stem from people-pleasing. Whether through compromise or legalism, modifying the Gospel substitutes God’s approval for man’s opinion. Only the pure Gospel has the power to save.

Why Your Purpose Is Hidden in Your Identity

The more we try to please anyone but God, the further we drift from fulfilling His plan for our lives.

Worldly culture tells us that performance defines identity—that what you do, what you achieve, or what others think of you dictates who you are. This leaves people trapped on an endless treadmill of striving, constantly anxious about their purpose. When your job changes, a relationship ends, or your performance stumbles, your “identity” shatters along with it. Learn more about identity and performance.

The Gospel speaks the opposite: Your identity in Christ dictates your purpose.

God has a specific blueprint for your life. Every single day carries intentionality. God knows the exact day of spiritual rebirth. He strategically hides your purpose inside your new identity in Christ, so as you discover who you are in Him, your purpose naturally unfolds. When you know who you are in Christ—loved, redeemed, set apart, and secure—you no longer have to waste energy trying to prove yourself or seek human applause.

From a place of secure identity, your daily purpose becomes clear:

  • You don’t serve to get an identity; you serve from an identity.
  • You don’t love others to earn approval; you love because you are already fully approved in Christ.
  • You can navigate life’s decisions with confidence rather than fear of failure.

When you protect the purity of the Gospel, you protect the purity of your identity. And when your identity is secure in Christ, living out your purpose becomes an act of freedom and joy.

Want to Go Deeper?

What can you do if you believe God gave you an identity and purpose, but you haven’t found them yet? You might start to doubt God when He says He made you for good works. Don’t give up on identity-comes-before-purpose.

Discovering who God made you to be doesn’t happen by accident—it takes intentional reflection and grounding in truth. If you want practical guidance in uncovering your God-given design, check out my workbook, Confident Identity.

Last Updated 20260809

Break Free From Spiritual Debt

Break Free From Spiritual Debt

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How are you doing spiritually right now? If you had to describe your current season, would you say you are running your spiritual race with ease, or are you grinding with friction?

When we talk about friction in the Christian life, we are often talking about the invisible, exhausting weight of spiritual debt. Just like financial debt, spiritual debt doesn’t necessarily paralyze you completely. You can still get up, go to church, and move forward in life. However, your progress is limited, your internal energy is drained, and every step forward requires twice the effort it should.

If you want to experience the freedom and endurance God intended for your journey, you have to understand what this debt is, how to audit your heart, and how to actively step into the victory already paid for on your behalf.

What is Spiritual Debt?

Spiritual debt consists of doubt, disbelief, and even condemnation. It is a compounding problem. Condemnation naturally follows from doubt because doubt fundamentally discredits God’s character. The moment we doubt His promises, His timing, or His goodness, we inadvertently shift the responsibility for our spiritual life back onto our own shoulders. We begin acting as if we are the ones who must fund our own security, righteousness, and peace.

This shifting of weight is precisely where the friction comes from. True poverty is not a lack of material resources; true poverty is a lack of faith. When we operate out of spiritual bankruptcy, we ignore the vast inheritance available to us as children of God.

The Apostle James redefines wealth for us clearly:

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

James 2:5 NIV

When we carry spiritual debt, we are running a race while weighed down by heavy, unnecessary baggage. The author of Hebrews challenges us to handle this burden directly:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Hebrews 12:1 NLT

Having doubt is exactly like having financial debt. It compromises your mobility. It acts as a constant drag on your spiritual progress.

Struggling with Doubt Increases Spiritual Debt

Let’s be honest: everybody doubts. Experiencing doubt is completely okay for a moment. It is a natural human response to a broken world, difficult circumstances, and unseen spiritual realities. You should never feel a sense of condemnation just because a doubt crosses your mind.

However, there is a distinct difference between a passing question and a permanent residence. Heavy, chronic doubt is a clear indication of a weak, immature faith. It creates an emotional and spiritual barrier because you simply cannot feel close to God while simultaneously doubting His heart toward you.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us of the baseline requirement for true intimacy with God:

And without faith it is impossible to please [God], for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

God doesn’t want you to remain in a state where your spiritual life is weak or ineffective (2 Peter 1:5-8). Doubt is something you must actively work to get out of, not an identity you settle into.

The Heart Audit Discovers Spiritual Debt

How do we stop the bleeding of chronic doubt? It begins with a regular, honest evaluation. Some might worry that focusing on our shortcomings leads back to legalism, but the opposite is true. God actually wants us to monitor our own performance.

Monitoring your performance is what keeps you humbly dependent on Him. It is what keeps faith alive and active. The very moment we lose awareness of what is taking place in our internal world, we lose the momentum of faith.

The daily discipline is not about judging yourself to see if you are earning God’s favor. Instead, it is about acknowledging the exact condition of your heart, recognizing the deficits, and then choosing to fully rely on Christ for healing and spiritual riches. It is a spiritual audit that drives you back to the One who owns the treasury.

Faith Destroys Spiritual Debt

Once the audit exposes the areas of doubt, you have to take action. Faith is like a muscle, and just like any physical muscle, it will atrophy if it isn’t utilized. Faith is like breathing: proof of spiritual life.

You cannot manipulate God into doing your will through sheer willpower or formulaic prayers. That is not what faith is for. Rather, exercising your faith alters you—it brings you deeper into His presence. Faith is belief, and ultimately, faith is a gift of God. You increase its capacity in two practical ways:

  • Hold Firm: Maintain a tight grip on everything you already know to be true. Stand your ground on the baseline convictions of your belief, refusing to let changing emotions dictate your theology.
  • Ask Generously: Increase your faith by actively asking God to increase it. Ask Him to deepen your conviction that He is fundamentally good and that He genuinely wants to reward you for seeking Him.

We can rejoice that God is entirely on our side. Through Christ, He has fully set us free from condemnation. Because that debt is canceled in full, we have the legal and spiritual right to stand firm and refuse the enemy’s friction.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NIV

Moving Beyond Spiritual Debt

Do not let the length or the weight of your spiritual race discourage you. You are not trapped in a cycle of spiritual debt unless you choose to stay there. Today, take a deep breath and step out of the friction.

Look at your heart, see yourself as a work in progress, accept God’s payment, and walk in faith and victory.

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Last Updated 20260628

Faith Hope And Love

Faith Hope and Love

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The Three Pillars of the Soul are Your Greatest Assets

In the famous “Love Chapter” of the Bible, the Apostle Paul concludes a masterpiece on human relationships with a definitive statement:

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

While we often focus on love, it is important to realize that Paul presents these three as a set. They are the tripod of the spiritual life; if one leg is missing, the structure collapses. For anyone feeling spiritually exhausted or directionless, understanding the distinct roles of faith, hope, and love isn’t just an academic exercise—it is the key to finding a steady rhythm in a chaotic world.

The Root: Faith is Trusting a Person

We often treat faith as a vague “feeling,” but biblical faith is much more robust. It is the “root” system of your spiritual life.

Faith and trust are inseparable. If you have faith, you are actively placing your weight on the character and person of Jesus Christ. You cannot have a vibrant faith without trust, just as you cannot sit in a chair without trusting that it will hold you.

Faith precedes hope:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

This tells us that faith is the substance—it is the ground you stand on today so that you can look toward tomorrow. Faith is the conviction that the One who made the promises is not only capable of keeping them, but He will keep them without fail. Without faith, our desires for the future are just wishful thinking; faith is what gives our hope its “teeth.”

The Oxygen: Hope is Trusting a Promise

If faith is the root, hope is the flower that reaches toward the sun. While faith is built on our current stance and our history with God’s faithfulness, hope is inherently forward-looking. It is the excitement and “blessed assurance” of an anticipated event.

Biblical hope is different from worldly “wishing.” You can “hope” it doesn’t snow tomorrow, but that is a hope built on a vacuum because no one promised you clear skies. However, when we have faith in Jesus, we aren’t just wishing; we are trusting in a guaranteed outcome.

If Jesus never promised us anything, there would be no need for hope. Faith would be enough.

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

Romans 8:24 ESV

Hope is the fuel that carries us across the finish line. It is the spiritual oxygen that allows us to breathe when the present moment feels suffocating. It tells us that the current chapter is not the end of the book. Through faith, we have a hope that doesn’t just exist—it carries us along.

The Source: Love is the Heartbeat of Faith and Hope

Why is love the greatest? Because love is the “why” behind the “what.”

If Jesus were not the embodiment of love, He would have no reason to provide a way for us to trust Him, nor would He have provided the promises we hope in (Ephesians 2:8-9). Love is the primary mover. It is the greatest because it involves the most risk and the highest sacrifice. Love is what drove Christ to sacrifice everything to bridge the gap between us and God.

Anyone can hope for their own benefit, and many can believe in a set of facts. But few truly love. To love is to sacrifice; it is to put another’s value above your own comfort. It is also the only one of the three that will continue into eternity. In heaven, our faith will become sight and our hope will be fully realized, but love will simply go on forever.

Why You Need the Full Tripod

A healthy spiritual life requires the balance of all three. Without this balance, our walk with God can become lopsided:

  • Faith without Hope is a dry, intellectual assent—you believe God is real, but you don’t actually expect Him to move in your future.
  • Hope without Faith is a fragile dream—you want things to get better, but you have no foundation to believe they actually will.
  • Faith and Hope without Love is cold and mechanical—it feels like a legal contract rather than a vibrant relationship.

When you have all three, you become resilient. You have a faith that stabilizes you in the storm, a hope that gives you a reason to keep sailing, and a love that makes the entire journey worth the effort.

Summary for the Heart

  • Faith is trusting the Person.
  • Hope is trusting the Promises of the Person.
  • Love is the Person that makes both possible.

Anyone can hope. Many people believe in something. They trust and have faith. Few truly love.

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Last updated 20260503

Already Eternal, Even When You Feel Useless

Already Eternal, Even When You Feel Useless

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Hope for the Days You Feel Unseen, Unworthy, or Not Enough

I’ve come to believe that salvation doesn’t just lead to eternity—it begins it.

It’s not a future reward for a present decision. It’s the unfolding of something already decreed, already alive, already rooted in the eternal purposes of God. Ephesians 1:4 says He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. That means my salvation didn’t start with me—it started with Him.

I am already an eternal being—not because I chose to be, but because God says I am. That’s not presumption. That’s faith. 2 Timothy 1:9 reminds me that grace was given “before the ages began.” My identity is not something I earn or maintain. It’s something I receive.

And I trust that it’s not up to me. Because I know myself. I will always fall short. I will always doubt, stumble, forget, and fail. If salvation depends on my grip, I’m lost. But if it depends on God’s grip, then I’m held.

Philippians 1:6 says He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion. That’s the kind of promise I can rest in. That’s the kind of God I can trust.

So when I say “salvation begins eternity,” I mean:
It’s not just a rescue. It’s a rebirth.
It’s not just a future. It’s a present reality.
It’s not just a hope. It’s a declaration—spoken by the One who cannot lie.

And that’s amazingly good news.

Already Eternal: When You Can’t Feel It

But let’s be honest: sometimes eternity feels distant. Sometimes salvation feels like a theological idea instead of a living reality. Sometimes we wake up discouraged, bored, or quietly hopeless—wondering if anything in our lives is actually changing.

You might know the verses. You might believe the doctrine. But you still feel stuck.
Stuck in the same routines.
Stuck in the same weaknesses.
Stuck in a life that feels small or unimpressive.

And in those moments, it’s easy to think, Maybe God isn’t using me. Maybe I’m too ordinary. Maybe I’ve missed something. Maybe I’m not enough.

But that’s exactly where the truth that “salvation begins eternity” becomes more than theology—it becomes oxygen.

Because if salvation is the beginning of eternity, then eternity is already in you, even when you don’t feel eternal. God’s life is already at work in you, even when you feel lifeless. His purposes are already unfolding, even when your circumstances look painfully ordinary.

Eternity doesn’t begin when you feel spiritual.
Eternity doesn’t begin when you overcome your weaknesses.
Eternity doesn’t begin when you finally “get it together.”

Eternity began the moment God set His love on you—long before you took your first breath.

Already Eternal: God Works in the Places We Overlook

Discouragement often comes from believing that God only works in dramatic moments — the big calling, the big breakthrough, the big transformation. But Scripture shows us a God who delights in working through the small, the hidden, the overlooked.

  • A shepherd boy in a field.
  • A widow with two coins.
  • A mustard seed.
  • A stable in Bethlehem.

God’s eternal purposes rarely look impressive at first glance. They look ordinary. They look slow. They look like nothing is happening—until suddenly everything is happening.

Faith is recognizing the unseen reality God has already established. So if your life feels quiet, unimpressive, or directionless, that doesn’t mean God is absent. It means He is working in the same way He always has: faithfully, patiently, eternally.

Already Eternal: When You Feel Not Good Enough

One of the deepest lies discouragement whispers is this: God is disappointed in you.

But salvation that begins eternity means God didn’t choose you because you were impressive—and He doesn’t keep you because you’re consistent. He keeps you because He is faithful.

Your weakness doesn’t threaten His plan.
Your doubts don’t cancel His promises.
Your failures don’t undo His calling.

If anything, your insufficiency is the very stage where His sufficiency shines.

Already Eternal: Hope for the Discouraged Heart

So if you feel like your life is going nowhere, hear this:
Eternity is already going somewhere—and it’s carrying you with it.

If you feel like God has no use for you, remember:
He chose you before the world began. He doesn’t make meaningless choices.

If you feel like you’re too broken, too inconsistent, or too ordinary, remember:
God’s eternal work is often invisible before it becomes undeniable.

Salvation doesn’t just secure your future.
It anchors your present.
It steadies your heart.
It breathes hope into the places where you feel stuck or forgotten.

Eternity begins the moment we entrust our lives to Him—and we taste it every time we surrender to His truth.

More About Hope

Unshakable Hope In Times Of Despair
The Kingdom Of God Ordinary Yet Powerful

The Kingdom Of God: Ordinary Yet Powerful

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The kingdom of God is hidden in plain sight. It’s like an expensive gift placed in a recycled cardboard box and wrapped with out‑of‑season discount paper. Nothing about the packaging suggests value. Nothing about the presentation demands attention. And yet, inside that ordinary wrapping is something priceless—something capable of reshaping a life from the inside out.

Jesus: King of the Kingdom

God’s kingdom is alive wherever Jesus Christ reigns. The best place for God to reign is in our hearts, but focusing on the spiritual reality behind the physical world requires persistence. We are surrounded by noise, urgency, and distraction. The visible world feels more “real” than the invisible one. Yet Jesus continually reminded His followers that His kingdom is not only real—it is already here, quietly advancing, quietly transforming, quietly renewing.

During His ministry, Jesus emphasized His kingdom, speaking of it often. He compared it to everyday objects and ordinary experiences, inviting His listeners to see His truth in the most unremarkable places:

  • A farmer planting seeds in various types of soil (Matthew 13:24)
  • A treasure worth selling everything for (Matthew 13:44)
  • A rare pearl worth giving up all else to obtain (Matthew 13:45–46)
  • A large fishing net capable of gathering all kinds of fish (Matthew 13:47)
  • A mustard seed—tiny, unimpressive, yet able to grow into a sheltering tree (Luke 13:18–19)
  • Yeast that spreads invisibly through dough (Luke 13:20–21)

What do you get when you put all these images together?
You get something small and powerful.
Deceptively small and unbelievably powerful.
But also vast in scope.
Resilient and unstoppable.
Silent yet active.
Focused and purposeful.
Hidden yet always growing.

Jesus was showing us that His kingdom does not arrive with spectacle. It does not demand superficial applause. It is not a passing fad—popular one day and forgotten the next. God delivers His kingdom through common packages—ordinary people, simple obedience, quiet faithfulness, unnoticed moments of surrender. Appearances can be deceiving. It’s not how the kingdom is presented but what it contains that matters. To benefit from it, we must learn to see beyond the common wrapping to the extraordinary reality inside.

Seeking the King of the Kingdom

When Jesus finished describing these analogies, He added something sobering: the way into the kingdom is narrow and hard to find (Luke 13:24). This fits perfectly with the image of buried treasure. Treasure is not discovered casually. It requires searching, digging, persistence, and desire. Nothing in all creation is more worthwhile or meaningful than God’s kingdom, but it is not stumbled into accidentally. It is found by those who seek.

Jesus also spoke about the exclusivity of the kingdom (Matthew 13:11). Not everyone sees it. Not everyone recognizes its worth. Two people can hear the same message—one walks away unchanged, while the other discovers a treasure that redefines their entire life. The difference is not intelligence or education. The difference is spiritual sight.

The ability to see God’s kingdom is itself a gift of the kingdom.

Jesus promised that those who see even a glimpse of the kingdom will be given more—an abundance of understanding, insight, and spiritual clarity (Matthew 13:12). God does not merely want you to recognize His kingdom; He wants you to understand its secrets. He wants you to perceive the invisible work He is doing in and around you. He wants you to experience the joy of discovering treasure after treasure as you walk with Him.

So ask yourself:
Can you see His kingdom?
Does it feel alive to you?
Do you sense its quiet movement in your life?

If not, ask God to open your eyes. Ask Him to give you the kind of sight that sees beyond the surface of things. Ask Him to reveal the hidden treasure buried in the ordinary moments of your day. Tell Him you want His reign to be more than an idea—you want it to be the governing reality of your heart.

The kingdom of God may look ordinary on the outside, but it carries the power to transform everything it touches. When we intentionally cooperate with the King, that transformation becomes reality.

More About the Kingdom of God

7 Kingdom Secrets Revealed By Jesus

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Last updated 20260118

Romans 8: No Condemnation, No Separation

Romans 8: No Condemnation, No Separation

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Romans 8 has been called the ‘Mount Everest’ of Scripture—a towering peak that rises above the surrounding landscape, offering breathtaking views of God’s grace. Paul begins with a stunning declaration: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (v.1). He concludes with an unshakable promise: “Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v.39). Between these two truths lies a path marked by assurance, hope, and victory.

The chapter’s heartbeat is love. God’s love is what removes condemnation. God’s love is what sends His Son. God’s love is what indwells us by His Spirit, gives us life, makes us children, and calls us heirs. God’s love is what sustains us in suffering, fills us with hope, intercedes for us in weakness, works all things for good, and ultimately secures us forever. Romans 8 is not merely a theological treatise—it is a love song written in the language of assurance.

Romans 8: No Condemnation

At the beginning, Paul announces freedom: no condemnation. This is not a tentative hope but a definitive act of love. God has sent His Son to fulfill the law’s righteous requirement, so that those who belong to Christ are no longer defined by sin but by the Spirit. As Robert Haldane reminds us in his Exposition of Romans, this is not conditional—it is the believer’s identity. To be in Christ is to be loved with a love that cancels guilt and breaks the dominion of sin.

Psalm 34:22 echoes this truth: ‘The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.’ Paul’s declaration in Romans 8:1 is not new—it is the fulfillment of God’s ancient promise. Discover more about this theme in my post about trusting God.

Romans 8: No Defeat

As the path winds upward, we encounter suffering, weakness, and spiritual battle. Yet Paul insists that defeat is impossible. The Spirit intercedes when words fail. God works all things together for good. Christ makes us “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (v.37). Sinclair Ferguson calls Romans 8 the believer’s hymn of assurance, because even in our frailty, the Spirit guarantees victory. Love is the reason we cannot be defeated—God’s love is stronger than our weakness, deeper than our groaning, and wider than our trials.

Romans 8: No Separation

Finally, at the summit, Paul lifts our eyes to the horizon: nothing can separate us from God’s love. Not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present struggles or future fears, not height or depth—nothing in all creation can sever the bond of love established in Christ. John MacArthur emphasizes that this is eternal security: salvation is God’s work, not ours, and therefore unshakable. Love is the anchor that holds us fast, the assurance that keeps us safe, the promise that carries us home.

Romans 8: A Mountain of Love

Think of Romans 8 as a mountain trail. At the trailhead (Romans chapters 1-7), you gain the understanding of everyone’s complete sinfulness. Beginning in Romans 8:1, you are freed from the weight of condemnation—you climb unburdened. Along the path, you face steep ascents and rocky terrain, but you discover you cannot be defeated because the Spirit intercedes and Christ conquers. And at the summit, you look out over the horizon and realize: nothing can separate you from God’s love.

The whole journey is secure because love is not only present at the beginning and end, but woven into every step along the way. God’s love isn’t simply waiting at the peak as a distant reward, nor only at the trailhead as a starting gift. God Himself walks with us, energizing every step: the Spirit indwelling us, our adoption as children, the hope of future glory, the Spirit’s intercession, and God’s providence working all things for good. Without love, there would be no path at all—no way forward, no assurance, no victory. Love carries us through suffering without fail, because we have no condemnation from sin and no separation from love.

Romans 8: Series Preview

Over the next weeks and months, we’ll walk verse by verse through Romans 8:

  1. Freedom from condemnation (v. 1–4)
  2. Life in the Spirit (v. 5–11)
  3. Adoption as children of God (v. 12–17)
  4. Hope in suffering (v. 18–25)
  5. The Spirit’s intercession and God’s purpose (v. 26–30)
  6. Triumph in Christ (v. 31–39)

Romans 8 is not just a chapter to study—it’s a truth to live. It is the Spirit-led trail of love that defines the believer’s journey: no condemnation, no defeat, no separation.

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Fear Of God Repulsion Rejection Or Respect Halloween Pumpkin

Fear of God: Repulsion, Rejection, or Respect?

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Some people are repelled by good and instead attracted to evil. They fear good but are curious about evil. How can good seem shallow while evil feels endlessly deep? Why does holiness feel like a closed door, while darkness feels like a labyrinth of possibility?

People get this backwards because of deception. Evil powers work tirelessly to convince us that God is the villain and everything else is freedom. Is God the “bad guy” or the “good guy” in your life? Do you fear Him out of repulsion, anticipated rejection, or respect?

Unhealthy Fear: Being Repelled by a False Understanding of God

What will heaven be like? Will it be boring? Goodness can appear dull or simplistic. Who wants to explore the same question that always has the same “right” answer? But this is a caricature. God made us to crave the depths of His infinite goodness. Evil, however, has done well selling the lie that God is either boring or impossibly complex.

When good seems boring and evil seems exciting, we’re in dangerous territory. It’s possible to be so disappointed with goodness that evil becomes fascinating. Horror movies, for example, thrive on this dynamic. They offer a thrill—a controlled descent into fear. But obsession with fear is never neutral. It conditions the soul to seek adrenaline over peace, chaos over clarity.

Why is fear so attractive? Because it feels powerful. It awakens something primal. It offers a counterfeit depth—a sense of mystery, danger, and intensity. But this depth is hollow. It doesn’t lead to truth; it leads to fragmentation. The more we indulge in fear for entertainment or escape, the more we normalize spiritual distortion.

Halloween can be a harmless celebration of costumes and candy. But for the careless, it can become an invitation to journey further into darkness, unaware of the spiritual danger ahead. The thrill of being scared—You nearly scared me to death!—connects us with our deepest fears before we’ve had time to discern the threat. Our bodies react instinctively, even when the danger is fictional.

But what happens when fear becomes a lifestyle? Whatever we focus on is where we’re heading. If we’re obsessed with fear, how will that ever end well? Excessive fascination with anything other than God is, essentially, an addiction. Fear becomes a false god—one that demands attention, feeds anxiety, and distorts reality.

I don’t blame anyone. We’re all looking for a way out of suffering. But in our desperation, let’s look to what brings life.

Have you ever been “scared to life”? It’s the opposite of being fascinated by evil. One day you realize your focus is leading you over a cliff, and you finally feel appropriately scared. You want to turn around and run the other direction.

That’s awesome! But if you run recklessly in any direction, you’ll eventually come to another cliff. The goal isn’t just to flee fear—it’s to reorient toward truth. Healthy fear doesn’t just warn us; it redirects us toward wisdom.

Unhealthy Fear: Anticipating Rejection from God

Another unhealthy caricature of God is seeing Him as an impossible-to-please master. Some people believe they’re one mistake away from being cast out of His presence. This fear isn’t reverence—it’s dread rooted in shame. It’s the fear of being judged and discarded, not the fear of being lovingly corrected.

This kind of fear leads to spiritual paralysis. Instead of drawing near to God, we hide. We perform. We try to earn what was never meant to be earned. But God’s love is not fragile. His grace is not conditional. He disciplines those He loves, but He does not abandon them.

When we anticipate rejection, we stop trusting. We start managing God instead of worshiping Him. We see ourselves as spiritual orphans, always wondering if we’re still welcome. But Scripture tells us that perfect love casts out fear—not the fear of reverence, but the fear of punishment (1 John 4:18-19).

Healthy Fear: Respecting Reality

A healthy fear of a deadly weapon, such as a gun, keeps you alive. Without fear, you might mishandle it. With hysterical fear, you might freeze or panic. But with respectful fear, you stay alert, careful, and wise.

Healthy fear has nothing to do with anxiety or worry. It’s not about being afraid of God’s mood swings. It’s about recognizing that God is holy, sovereign, and just—and that dependence on Him is the only way to live.

Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28 NLT

This fear is not terror—it’s awe. It’s the trembling joy of standing before the One who holds all things together. It’s the humility of knowing we are not in control, and the peace of knowing He is.

Healthy fear leads to intimacy, not avoidance. It draws us into worship, not performance. It anchors us in reality, not illusion. And most importantly, it teaches us that the deepest mystery is not found in darkness—but in the radiant holiness of God.

Learn More

Learn more about trusting God instead of worrying.

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Last Updated 20251109

You Can’t Save Yourself—But the Good News Sets You Free

You Can’t Save Yourself—But the Good News Sets You Free

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Discover why the Gospel is good news for the broken—and why you can’t save yourself. Trials, grace, and freedom all point to Christ alone.

What the World Gets Wrong About Good News

I’ve got good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?

We live in a world that thrives on this contrast. Headlines, conversations, and even our inner thoughts often toggle between hope and despair. But here’s the truth: nothing is truly “free.” Every true blessing comes at a cost to someone, and every sacrifice can point to a deeper blessing.

Where there is good news, bad news often lurks nearby—or so it seems. So what exactly is good news? And what qualifies as bad news?

From a worldly perspective, good news is anything that makes life easier, more pleasurable, or more secure. Winning the lottery? Good news. Getting a flat tire? Bad news. A friend being available for lunch? Good news. A cancer diagnosis? Bad news.

But this is a shallow lens—one that only sees the surface of life. It’s rooted in the temporal, the immediate, the flesh. Scripture reminds us that “the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). There is more to this life than just this life.

Why Trials Can Be Good News in God’s Economy

A godly perspective flips the script. In God’s economy, a painful trial can be good news. A desire to indulge the flesh is bad news. Why? Because suffering leads to endurance, character, and hope. Meanwhile, ease and comfort can lull us into spiritual apathy, making God seem unnecessary.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5 ESV

The Gospel: Good News for the Broken, Bad News for the Proud

So, is the Gospel good news or bad news?

That depends on your heart. For the self-righteous, the Gospel is offensive. It declares that no one is good enough, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It confronts our pride and exposes our inability to save ourselves. That’s bad news for anyone clinging to self-sufficiency.

But for the broken, the humble, the weary—it is the best news imaginable. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8–9). The Gospel is not a performance-based contract. It’s a covenant of mercy.

God’s Law Reveals Our Need for Good News

Think of parenting. Do you want your child to live in constant fear of being kicked out of the family? Of course not. But you do want her to develop a healthy respect for your authority. Likewise, God’s law is not meant to terrify us into obedience, but to reveal our need for grace. “Through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20), but “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).

The law is good—it reflects God’s holiness. But it cannot save. It awakens sin, exposes rebellion, and leads to death (Romans 7:7–11). Only the Gospel can transform the heart. Repentance is not the cause of salvation—it is the fruit of a heart already made alive by grace.

The Best News: You Can’t Save Yourself—But Christ Can

The good news is that suffering is temporary. But here’s the paradox: suffering itself—though painful—can be part of God’s good news. It refines us, draws us closer to Christ, and prepares us for eternal glory (Romans 5:3–5; 2 Corinthians 4:17). What feels like bad news in the moment may be the very soil where eternal hope grows.

Suffering is inevitable in this life. But even that suffering is not wasted.

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT

The Gospel offers a way out of eternal suffering. There are no strings attached. If salvation required perfect human execution—like carrying a tablespoon of water across a continent without spilling it—it would be a cruel joke, not good news. That would be hell, not heaven.

But here’s the miracle: Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly. He did what we could never do.

By works of the law no human being will be justified… but now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law… through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe…

Romans 3:20–22 ESV

The Gospel is 100% faith in Christ’s perfection and 0% trust in our performance. If salvation depended on us, we’d all fail. But with Christ dying for us, rising for us, and living in us, salvation cannot fail.

Do you believe this? Do you believe that salvation comes by trusting in Christ alone? Jesus said, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). But “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Salvation is not something to be controlled or achieved. It is a gift to be humbly received. “Not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy” (Titus 3:5).

That’s not just good news. That’s the best news.

Learn more about the Good News of the Gospel
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The Good News Of The Gospel Is Forever

The Good News Of The Gospel Is Forever

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The Gospel is Good News only because salvation is permanent and not dependent on human effort to maintain it (Romans 9:16). If salvation were dependent on my efforts in any amount, I would not be able to keep it very long. The Good News is a positive motivation to abide in Christ and bear the fruit of His love.

The motive to love cannot come from fear of not performing. On the contrary, perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). God doesn’t love us because He fears negative consequences. He loves us because He is love. Being made in His image, our love will have the same motive.

Good News: Salvation is Initiated, Maintained, and Completed By Jesus

God does not wait for people to turn, or even do anything else, but saves sovereignly. It would have been unlawful to deliver us without first redeeming us. “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14 ESV). The Holy Spirit testifies in us and to us of Christ’s death showing us the Good News, how:

  • our cruel sins received their due in the sufferings of Christ;
  • God is satisfied;
  • the law is honored, justice fully met with all its claims, as if you had suffered eternally in hell;
  • it was for you and in your place that Jesus died, and
  • all this is true, and we poor, guilty sinners are saved.

This was Paul’s mind when he exclaimed with triumphant joy:

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one.

Romans 8:33-34 NIV

The Eternal Judge solemnly and in all truth (because of the death of Christ), says of us, “Just.” He says this not for anything in or of us, or done by us, but because of what Christ has done for us. Paul asks, “Who is the one who condemns?” Where is a power that can unsay what God has said? Where is the court of appeals? Who can say guilty of those whom God justifies?

Now, if there is no power above God, and none can set aside his decision, then the final salvation of everyone so justified is certain, unless God reverses his judgment. But this he will not do because with him “there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17 ESV). Besides, he knows who and what he justifies, and no evil conduct can come from one that he justifies that was not foreseen by him. Neither can any evil influence beset them that was not also of him foreseen.

Therefore, those whom God justifies are securely “sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30 ESV). To say otherwise is to say that God has taken to himself a bride, an heir, and a child, one that he knows will desert him and prove unworthy of the relationship in the end, or to say he did not know those he loves. Now, because we are sure God is free from such monstrous imperfections, we are sure the doctrine of the possibility of falling from grace is a libel on the character of God.

Paul also assigns the very reason why he justifies, saying, “Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised” (Romans 8:34 ESV). He understood that Christ’s death was the whole ground of our hope and that because of his death, God could justify; but after showing that Christ has died, turning our eyes to the cross, where our elder brother and Savior was crucified, he leads us on to his resurrection, as though we were destined to enjoy the same glorious mercy; and that his being raised from the dead is a pledge to us that our bodies shall participate in his whole glory.

Then, the apostle makes another glorious revelation of Good News. Jesus “is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). This shows that Christ, after his death, resurrection, and ascension, is still intently interested in us — “who indeed is interceding for us” as though it gives additional strength to our hope. In all, showing that the heart of Jesus is set for us, to die for us, to rise even to heaven for us, and there before God, like a mighty advocate, to plead for us. All this because we are such poor, erring, sinful beings, so forgetful, so unmindful, that no part of our salvation dare be left for us to make sure.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:35, 37 ESV

Good News: Salvation Comes Not Through Our Strength or Doings

What a blessed faith we have! What Good News it is! The believer only needs Christ to have eternal life, not self-effort to attempt to obey the law (John 14:6, 17:3; Romans 6:14). This happy, triumphant faith in Jesus hushes all fears. He is our hiding place from every wind and shelter from every storm. Because of this, David could say:

I love you, O Lord, my strength.

Psalm 86:1 ESV

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1 ESV

Oh, Christian! Christian! If God is your light, life, and strength; if he is your shelter from the storm, what can harm you? Danger and deep trouble may be and are before you. But oh! Look, do look, “To the hills from which my help comes” (Psalm 121:1-2 ESV) and at the mighty bulwarks around you and sweetly and safely sing praises to God. Christ, as our advocate, has securely guarded every weakness.

To pay our fearful debt of sin, the dagger of Justice he received into his own heart, poured out his blood, not to make anything possible, but to make it sure with his eye fixed on one objective, our salvation. He suffered on the cross, and there, as a true and faithful shepherd, died. Language fails to express the intensity of his love for us. Our imaginations cannot do it justice, and when he arose from the dead, he still remembered the objective of his death, and now at the right hand of God, he prays for us making intercessions for us.

So, if apostasy or falling from grace is possible, it is also possible that:

  • Christ’s blood is ineffective;
  • Those purchased by his blood will remain forever in hell;
  • God will not hear and answer Christ’s prayers, for he intercedes for us, and prays for every believer;
  • Jesus, after all his pains, and after all that has been said of the virtue of his blood, and his power to save, and after all that we have hoped or believed of his influence and power in winning the hearts of sinners — yet after all this, he may be sadly disappointed;
  • Heaven’s expected guests dragged down to hell;
  • Seats in heaven unoccupied;
  • God’s will not done (which was, “I should lose nothing of all that he has given me” John 6:39 ESV);
  • The devil is a victor (at least to some extent).

Good News: We know that such fearful events as these cannot occur as long as God is the God of heaven and earth, and therefore we know that apostasy cannot be possible.

Learn more about the Good News of the Gospel.
This is post 3 in a series; you can read the previous post. This post started as the public domain works of J. H. Oliphant. While substantially the same in many ways, I modernized the language and added my thoughts to provide greater clarity for my readers.
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Unshakable Hope In Times Of Despair

Unshakable Hope In Times Of Despair

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In a world filled with uncertainty, discouragement can feel overwhelming. But Christian hope isn’t wishful thinking—it’s a confident trust in God’s eternal promises. Here’s how to shift your focus from temporary pain to lasting purpose.

When you feel discouraged, where do you turn? Hoping in worldly riches is empty. Positive thinking won’t last long unless it’s rooted in the reality that comes from God. I want to hope in something real. That’s what truly inspired me when I first became a Christian.

Hope That Transforms Meaninglessness Into Purpose

Before I knew Christ, life felt like a chaotic stream of disconnected events. I couldn’t see any overarching meaning. But when I became a Christian, my whole understanding of life crossed over from emptiness to a meaningful, ordered plan. I realized that God was not only real—He was intentional. He had a purpose for me, and for every moment I live.

Even now, I sometimes lose sight of that order. When bad things happen, life doesn’t make much sense. But this doesn’t change the ultimate truth: God is real, and His eternal plan is still unfolding. Our circumstances may feel random, but God is never random. He is always working, even when we can’t see it.

Hope That Endures When Everything Else Fails

When all seems hopeless, there is still hope for a believer in Jesus Christ. You might have had the worst “luck” or just received devastating news. You might feel like you’ve lost everything. But if you’re breathing—if you’re alive—then God still has a purpose for you being here.

You may be walking through a season where nothing feels meaningful. You may be surrounded by silence, pain, or confusion. But even in that silence, God is speaking. Even in that pain, God is present. Even in that confusion, God is guiding.

Hope doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means trusting that God is still writing your story.

Hope That Shifts Our Eyes to Eternity

The Apostle Paul reminds us:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV

This passage invites us to shift our gaze. Earthly troubles are real, but they are not ultimate. The pain we feel now is temporary. The glory God is preparing for us is eternal. When we fix our eyes on what is unseen—on Christ, on heaven, on the promises of God—we begin to live with a hope that cannot be shaken.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.

Hebrews 12:28 ESV

Hope That Grows Through Pruning

I encourage you to ponder what your life might look like if you hold onto God and move in the direction He is leaving open to you. Are doors closing? That may be God pruning you—not to punish, but to redirect. Pruning is painful, but it’s also purposeful. It clears space for new growth.

God doesn’t want you to give up. He wants you to try something new—something you haven’t tried yet. With God, there are infinite possibilities. Closed doors are not the end; they are invitations to explore new paths.

Hope That Pursues the Dream God Planted in You

What dream is in your heart? What desire has God placed within you that still burns, even when everything else feels cold?

Don’t let discouragement extinguish that flame. Instead, ask God to breathe on it. Ask Him to show you new ways to pursue your calling. Maybe the path you imagined is blocked—but the destination is still possible. God may be leading you through a different route, one that requires deeper trust and greater surrender.

I’d love to hear how God is stirring hope in your heart. Leave a comment or contact me here so I can pray with you and encourage your journey toward eternal purpose.

Learn more about hopeful pruning.
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Last updated 20251026

Obedience Is Impossible Without The Spirit

Obedience Is Impossible Without The Spirit

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Christ in Me: Rescuing Holiness from Despair and Self-Effort

Is Obedience a Weight or a Gift?

Many Christians live under a quiet weight: the sense that God is perpetually disappointed in them. Through obedience, we long to please Him, yet feel perpetually behind. Is obedience a burden we carry alone—or the fruit of God’s indwelling gift? Can we truly please God with our obedience, or are we destined to fall short and suffer His displeasure?

Is Obedience Possible?

In Impossible Christianity, Kevin DeYoung offers a pastoral correction to the burden of “never good enough.” He teaches that pleasing God through obedience is possible. We don’t have to live with a perpetual sense of not doing enough every day. His aim is to lift the fog of guilt and restore confidence in God’s grace and commands.

Obedience Flows From Union, Not Effort

But for those of us who’ve walked through seasons of intense loss, the message can feel incomplete. For me, focusing on obedience, without considering the Spirit and faith, risks sounding like a return to effort-based righteousness. When obedience is framed as “possible,” it can subtly imply that we can meet God’s standard—when in reality, many of us are already exhausted from trying. The ache isn’t from rebellion; it’s from longing to please God and feeling like we never quite do.

It’s not that we reject holiness. It’s that we know—deep in our bones—that holiness is impossible apart from union. Not union as a doctrine, but union as a lived reality:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20, ESV

Obedience is not the engine of holiness—it’s the fruit. The engine is union. Christ in us is not merely the goal of obedience; He is its source.

Faith, Not Performance

DeYoung wants to rescue obedience from despair. This is helpful, but I also want to rescue obedience from self-effort. We must be clear: we can only please God by faith. Faith is complete trust in God and no trust in ourselves for spiritual life. God is the source of life and faith. We cannot think for a moment that we produce any of it—not naturally, not independently, not even partially.

Yet, faith is not passive resignation—it’s active participation in the life of Christ. It’s not effort in our strength, but activity because of His. We definitely need to grow in holiness. But our actions must be powered by Christ, not self. Any obedience that originates in our own strength is not obedience at all—it’s performance.

God empowers us and we apply His work to our lives. The sense of cooperative effort driven by God is highlighted by Paul:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12–13, ESV

The Spirit is Our Source of Life

The Christian life isn’t about trying harder to be good. It’s about surrendering deeper to the One who is good. Consider Ezekiel 36 which says it plainly:

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Ezekiel 36:26–27 ESV

That’s not motivational coaching. That’s divine indwelling. We must come to the realization, the conviction, that we “can’t accomplish anything apart from Christ.” We must simultaneously despair because of our lack of inherent moral goodness, while knowing that God is pleased with us as He empowers us with faith.

Our only hope is not better performance. It’s the Holy Spirit constantly showing us the way to live rightly. Not just convicting us, but empowering us. Not just guiding us, but living through us.

The Mirror of Scripture Reflects Hope

We must never lose sight of the goal: to be holy as God is holy. The standard is perfect, and it is good. Scripture is our mirror—not to shame us, but to show us where we are yet unfinished. We look into that mirror not to despair, but to surrender. It is through the lamenting of our weakness, and the honest naming of our sinfulness, that God’s power rests on us. We go forth not because we’ve measured up, but because His mercy and grace carry us.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

2 Corinthians 4:7, ESV

A Prayer of Surrender

This is not a call to try harder. It’s a call to surrender deeper. Let this prayer be your posture—not of striving, but of abiding.

Lord,
You are holy, and Your standard is good.
We confess that we fall short—not just in action, but in affection, in trust, in surrender.
But You have not left us to strive alone.
You have given us a new heart, and your life-giving Spirit.
Christ in us—the hope of glory.
Teach us to walk not by effort, but by union.
Not by fear, but by grace.
Let Your power rest on our weakness,
and let our obedience be the fruit of Your indwelling life.
Amen.

If you feel weary from striving, take heart: obedience is not a test of your worth—it’s the evidence of His life in you. Rest in Christ. Walk by the Spirit. And let your obedience be worship, not weight.

An Invitation to Rest

If this message resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who feels weary. Holiness is not a solo pursuit—it’s a Spirit-led journey we walk together.

Learn more about love, control, and obedience.
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Effectual Choosing Enables Complete Assurance

Effectual Choosing Enables Complete Assurance

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Many Christians wrestle with the tension between divine sovereignty and human response. Some frame salvation as a universal invitation: “God chooses everyone, but people have to choose Him.” At first glance, this sounds inclusive and fair. But beneath its surface lies a troubling implication—that salvation ultimately hinges on human decision. And that undermines the very security the gospel promises.

If God chooses everyone, then He is also not really choosing anyone. In my mind, this makes God indecisive and weak. It drains the power out of salvation.

Divine Rescue, Not Human Activation

The New Testament paints a different picture. It doesn’t present salvation as a transaction waiting for human activation. It presents it as a divine rescue—initiated, sustained, and completed by God.

This is the heart of effectual choosing: when God reveals Himself convincingly, the human response is not coerced—it’s inevitable. The soul awakens, not because it’s clever or morally superior, but because it has truly seen.

God is irresistible because He fulfills perfectly.

Firm Choosing, Not Fragile Invitation

This distinction matters deeply. If salvation is merely an invitation, then assurance becomes fragile. We start asking:

  • Did I choose rightly?
  • Did I choose enough?
  • What if I change my mind?

But if salvation is rooted in God’s irrevocable choice and sealed by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14), then assurance becomes not just possible—but essential.

Unbreakable Choosing

Effectual choosing means God doesn’t just offer salvation—He accomplishes it. Romans 8:30 lays out the unbreakable chain:

Those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

Romans 8:30 NIV

There’s no drop-off. No conditional “if you choose Him back.” The security is anchored in God’s sovereign grace, not human performance or decision.

This doesn’t negate human response—it reframes it. The response is real, but it’s not the root. It’s the fruit. When God reveals Himself in truth and beauty, the soul doesn’t weigh options—it surrenders. The response isn’t forced; it’s awakened. Like light flooding a dark room, the heart receives God because He has made the heart soft.

Consider Paul’s words:

For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV

This is not a vague invitation—it’s a decisive unveiling. God speaks light into the soul, and the soul responds because it has been illuminated.

God’s Consistent Pattern of Choosing

Effectual choosing also honors the Old Testament pattern. God chose Israel not because they were righteous, but because of His covenantal love (Deuteronomy 7:6–8). Within that covenant, individuals were called to respond—but the foundation was always God’s initiative.

The sacrificial system, the prophets, the promises—all pointed to a deeper reality: God chooses, and His choosing transforms.

Faith: Authored and Perfected by Christ

The only way to respond to God is by faith. Where does faith come from? Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 11:6, 12:2).

When we reduce salvation to an open invitation that does not involve God’s working in human hearts, we risk turning “faith” into empty, ineffective performance. We make assurance conditional on our ability to choose, to believe, to hold on. But the gospel offers something better:

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:28 NIV

That’s not an invitation—it’s a guarantee.

Believers Are Secure in Christ

In my book, Secure in Christ, I explore this truth in depth. Salvation is not a fragile hope—it’s a firm foundation. It’s not a door we might walk through—it’s a home we’ve been brought into. Effectual choosing means we are not just invited—we are wanted, pursued, and secured.

So yes, human response matters. But it’s not the engine—it’s the echo. When God reveals Himself convincingly, the response is sincere but inevitable—not because we’re robots, but because we’ve been reborn.

That’s why effectual choosing is superior to an invitation. It doesn’t just offer salvation—it ensures it.

Understanding salvation this way allows us to trust and rest in God.

Learn more about how God softens hearts.
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Salvation Is Secure The Spirit Moved In—He’s Not Moving Out

Salvation Is Secure: The Spirit Moved In—He’s Not Moving Out

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Why Salvation Is Secure Even When Life Isn’t

Salvation is secure even while sin and suffering persist in this life. To be saved is to cross over from spiritual death to spiritual life. This is not a metaphor—it’s a spiritual reality. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24 ESV). Salvation is not a probationary state. It is a permanent transfer of citizenship—from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Colossians 1:13).

The Holy Spirit indwells every believer at the moment of salvation. His presence is not symbolic—it is transformative. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you” (Romans 8:9). The indwelling Spirit is the seal of our salvation, the guarantee of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13–14). He doesn’t come and go based on our performance. He abides. He makes us spiritually alive, and once alive in Christ, we cannot return to spiritual death.

God promises never to abandon His children. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus Himself declared, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). The born-again Christian is already saved and guaranteed to be finally saved at the end of earthly life—not because of our grip on God, but because of His grip on us.

Salvation is Secure But this Life is Transitional

We are saved, but not yet glorified. Christians can still sin because of the flesh. Paul wrestled with this reality: “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). We have been permanently connected to Christ—“he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Corinthians 6:17)—but we are not yet fully disconnected from sin. That disconnection will come when our bodies die and we are raised incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:42–44).

We “already” have eternal life (John 3:16), but we “not yet” have the inability to sin. This tension—the “already/not yet”—explains why suffering persists. Because we can sin and others can too, suffering remains. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Romans 8:22). We are free from suffering “not yet,” but the promise stands: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more” (Revelation 21:4).

Salvation is Like a House

Consider the house analogy. Jesus has already paid for the house in full—“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). The deed is signed, sealed, and delivered. But the house is in need of ongoing repair. Sanctification is the Spirit’s renovation project. “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Jesus has also paid for the repairs in full—His blood covers every sin, past, present, and future. But not all the repair work has been done yet. That’s the “not yet.”

Some fear that cracks in the walls mean the house is condemned. But the foundation is Christ, and it cannot be shaken (1 Corinthians 3:11). The Spirit moved in—and He’s not moving out. He is the down payment, the pledge, the guarantee. Salvation is not a lease—it’s ownership. And God does not revoke what He has purchased.

So when life feels unstable, when sin still clings, when suffering clouds the view—remember: the house is secure. The Spirit is present. The repairs are underway. And the final restoration is guaranteed.

I expand on these ideas and more in my book Secure in Christ.

Learn more about the permanence of God’s covenant.
See my answer to a related question on Quora.
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Trust Is Superior To Knowledge

Trust Is Superior To Knowledge

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If we waited until we knew God completely before trusting Him, we’d wait forever. Even in heaven, we won’t exhaust the depths of who He is. Trust is not the reward for perfect understanding—it’s the posture of a person who knows he is loved.

This truth reshapes how we live today. We don’t need omniscience to walk in peace. We need confidence in the One who knows all things.

Knowing Everything Is Impossible

Sometimes I imagine life would be easier if I just knew everything. If I had all the answers, maybe I’d feel more secure. But the pursuit of exhaustive knowledge can become a trap—an endless loop of analysis that never leads to rest.

Explanations can be helpful, but they’re not always necessary. If you don’t need to know something to live a content, productive, and faithful life, then maybe it’s not yours to carry.

Wisdom begins with knowing God, but it doesn’t end with knowing all the answers. You can be wise and still be learning. In fact, it’s the fool who believes he’s finished learning (see Proverbs 10:14; 12:15).

To the one who thinks he has everything, what motive is there to act?
To the one who thinks he is well, what motive is there to seek a doctor?
To the one who thinks he knows everything, what motive is there to seek wisdom?

To be God is to have more to reveal.
To be human is to receive what He reveals—and respond with trust.

Consider these different translations of Proverbs 25:2:

It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.

God is praised for being mysterious; rulers are praised for explaining mysteries.

We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain.

Proverbs 25:2 ESV, NLT, CEV, GNT

God’s mystery isn’t a barrier—it’s an invitation. He conceals not to frustrate, but to draw us deeper. Our glory is not in mastering Him, but in seeking Him.

Faith Makes Trusting God Possible

Faith is not blind—it’s relational. It bridges the gap between knowing facts about God and knowing God as a person. It’s the shortcut to intimacy.

Knowledge is like a house, but trust makes it a home. Knowledge builds the framework; trust walks across the bridge. We don’t climb to God through facts—we’re carried by faith into His presence.

The framework alone is incomplete. Trust is the bridge that leads to communion—where we don’t just observe God’s truth, we abide in His love.

You can study theology for decades and still miss the heart of God. But one moment of living faith can lead to surrender and bring you into communion with Him. In that communion, Christian concepts are no longer just ideas; they become living, nourishing truths.

The road of factual knowledge alone doesn’t lead to love. Faith is the only way to experience the depth of God’s love.

Knowledge Puffs Up, But Love Builds Trust

There’s a tension here: we’re invited to seek God, to pursue wisdom, to ask questions. But we’re also called to rest in Him, even when the answers don’t come.

You can enjoy the pursuit of God and all His mysteries. But don’t let the unknowns rob you of joy in the present moment.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

Finding God doesn’t mean finding all the answers. It means finding His loving arms. When you’re secure in His love, many of the details lose their urgency.

When you trust God to guide you, you don’t have to obsess over the condition or direction of the road.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

What Is the Condition of Your Road?

Maybe your road feels uncertain. Maybe it’s steep, winding, or shrouded in fog. But that doesn’t mean you have to be afraid. Ask God for His touch, His love. Ask Him for wisdom. Then trust Him with whatever road lies before you—because faith and trust flourish not in worldly facts, but in the presence of God’s mystery and love.

What mystery are you facing today?
Don’t wait for perfect clarity. Ask for perfect love.
And let trust carry you forward.

What part of your journey feels foggy right now? Write down what you wish you understood—and then ask God what He’s inviting you to trust.

Learn more about trusting God.
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Last updated 20250914.

Hebrews 6: Two Fields, Two Hearts

Hebrews 6: Two Fields, Two Hearts

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Have you ever tasted the sweetness of God’s grace—felt its warmth, its promise—and wondered, “What if my heart is too hard to hold it?” Hebrews 6 confronts that fear head-on, warning against falling away after tasting the heavenly gift. It’s a passage that can freeze you with fear: Can believers really lose the very grace they’ve already received? Let’s look closely at how to rightly interpret Hebrews 6.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

Hebrews 6:4-8 ESV

Two Fields: Soft or Hard

Picture two fields after a spring rain. One field is freshly tilled, its soil soft and receptive. Every drop of rain sinks in, awakening seeds into life. The other is compacted clay—dry, cracked, and barren. In the first field, seeds sprout; in the second, the earth remains unchanged. The same shower falls, but the hardened ground cannot absorb it. In Hebrews 6, grace is like rain—but only a heart prepared by God can receive it.

You might whisper, “I’ve confessed my sins. I’ve felt God’s power in my life. Am I still at risk of that clay-like heart?” That’s the honest ache of many readers of Hebrews 6—worried that a single misstep could undo what God has done. But that anxiety, while real, is unfounded when the author’s purpose is rightly understood.

Two Hearts: Belief or Unbelief

Hebrews 6 isn’t a door to eternal exile—it’s a call to spiritual maturity. The warning is not aimed at believers who stumble, but at those who never truly believed. God has cultivated a new heart within His people (Ezekiel 36:26)—a heart that is fertile by His design. When He indwells us, He transforms hard soil into soft, receptive ground. The warning stirs us to cooperate with that work—not to despair as though eternal life were fragile.

In Secure in Christ, I explore how this new heart is both a gift and a responsibility. Believers have already received the seed of truth and grace; rebirth invites us into a Spirit-led partnership to keep the soil fruitful. The believing heart, reborn in Christ, will never revert to clay. God’s Spirit keeps it richly fertile. You are secure.

Still, every farmer knows that even fertile land can crust over or grow weeds if neglected. Through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship, we tend the soil—not to preserve salvation, but to bear fruit from it.

Two Outcomes: Heaven or Hell

Apostasy in Hebrews 6 is not the fall of a struggling believer—it’s the hardened resistance of an unbelieving heart. A true believer may wrestle, wander, or weep, but they do not fall away. Pride can form a crust: we think we need no more rain. Disobedience lets weeds choke new shoots: we resist God’s commands. Isolation bakes the soil: we prioritize work over relationship. These are real threats—but they do not undo God’s initial work. They simply invite us back to the plow.

  1. Picture your heart as one of those two fields. Which one are you tending today?
  2. Journal where pride, neglect, or isolation might be weakening your connection with God.
  3. Plant fresh seeds of obedience—what step is God asking you to take?
  4. Reach out to a fellow believer for encouragement in this journey.

Two Lenses: Grace or Judgment

Hebrews 6 is not a trap—it’s a divine invitation. Believers have gone beyond merely tasting the heavenly gift; they consume it and bear fruit by it. You are called to cultivate the fertile heart God has given you. From a place of security in God’s unconditional love, you can grow into a mature, steadfast believer—one whose life yields a harvest that blesses others and glorifies God.

Learn more about the security of the true believer found in Hebrews 6.
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Discernment Is Better Than Judgment

Discernment Is Better Than Judgment

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When you use discernment instead of judgment, you give others and yourself a second chance.

Judgment can be condemning and therefore it can limit the opportunity to develop healthy relationships. Passing judgment has an uncomfortable finality to it–it’s a dead-end. Discernment is forgiving and graceful and, therefore, more like a two-way street. Using discernment allows you to filter out what is harmful, but stay in touch with what is good in others.

In Matthew 7, Jesus first speaks against judgment and then recommends using discernment:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew 7:1-6 NIV

What do you consider to be some of the most difficult things to do? Would any of these make your list?

  • Public speaking
  • Saying “I’m sorry.” or “I was wrong.”
  • Skydiving
  • Running a marathon
  • Being rejected
  • Confronting a bully

Discernment Increases Your Self-Awareness

Looking in a mirror (both literally and figuratively) can be challenging. Most people try to avoid seeing themselves as they really are. No one likes bad news. Who wants to look in a mirror and notice a long list of defects? So, I say looking for the log in your eye is the hardest thing you’ll ever do.

Fortunately, it’s also the most rewarding. What would you rather do:

  1. Get up, go to church, come home.
  2. Get up, go to church, come home, look in the mirror, and make any adjustments.
  3. Get up, look in the mirror, make any adjustments, go to church, come home.

I think you’ll agree that #1 requires the least amount of effort (unless you plan to sleep in and skip church altogether). #2 and #3 are about the same amount of effort, but #3 is likely to produce the best results (if you don’t want to be laughed at because your hair is a mess).

Exploring what’s going on inside of you is called introspection. Too much of it and you can become caught in “analysis paralysis.” But with too little, you can be like a bull in a china shop.

Discernment Improves Your Relationships

If you can learn how you work, you’ll have a much better chance to know how to help someone else. Introspection is hard work, but it can prevent you from judging others.

So much conflict could be avoided if people could be humble enough to engage in frequent introspection. Luke has a good example of this:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

Luke 18:10-13 ESV

The first guy is focused only on his strengths and the other guy’s weaknesses. The second guy is focused on himself–he is trusting God will make him righteous. When you are feeling vulnerable or weak, which person would you rather have as a friend?

Read more about the meaning of Matthew 7.
Read more about using feelings to help you discern.
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Worry Less Trust More

Worry Less Trust More

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Worry and anxiety are pretty much the same. Spiritually speaking, they both are rooted in fear which is essentially an inability to trust God no matter what.

Life brings many situations that challenge our ability to trust God. What can you do to worry less and trust more?

Worry Less By Focusing On The Present Moment

When you worry, you are looking too far ahead into the future. All of us would like to know the future. But it can interfere with your faith. If you could only have one or the other, God would always prefer you maintain your faith (your trust) in Him instead of knowing anything about the future.

How far into the future is too far to be looking? For some people or in some situations looking 100 years might be too far. But others can stir up anxiety even by looking 100 seconds. Where you focus is more important than how far ahead you look. If you try to find security somewhere out into the future, you will never find it because you will miss that God is with you in the present.

If you want to worry less, then reduce how far you are looking ahead until you reclaim a sense of peace. Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow (the future). Each day (the present) has enough to occupy you. If even the events of later in the day concern you, focus on the present moment. At this very second, there’s not a whole lot to be concerned about. Take one day (one moment, one second) at a time.

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:27,34 NIV

If you find yourself saying, “yes, but…” about something that’s going to be happening or needs to happen, then you’ve already shifted your focus away from the present and onto a future moment. If you want to experience peace instead of stress, stop and recenter yourself back to the present.

Worry Less By Surrendering All Outcomes to God

You might be having an awesome day and find it easy to trust God. You might be having a horrible day, month, or year but God would have you trust Him the same. Nothing should come between you and God. Bad luck? Nope. Evil? Nope. Disease? Nope. Your health? Nope. Your very life? Nope. See Romans 8:31-39 for more on this.

It’s easy to value your life more than God. If you suffer a serious illness, your very existence is threatened. Or is it? It really depends upon your perspective. As a believer, you’re going to live forever. Do you allow God to determine how long you will live in this life? Or are you wringing your hands trying to figure out how to squeeze another hour out of it?

It’s easy to care about what happens in this life because it’s all we know. Or is it? As a believer, you have the Holy Spirit. So you have a taste of heaven today. Right now you can sense the goodness of heavenly living.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

Do what is reasonable for each day to move your life forward. Leave the rest up to God (by praying and letting it go). If you find yourself panicking because of one thing or another, stop trying to be God: reduce what is on your plate. You weren’t meant to save the world. God sent Jesus for that!

Read more about trusting God.
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7 Kingdom Secrets Revealed By Jesus

7 Kingdom Secrets Revealed By Jesus

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Matthew 13 contains 7 parables that Jesus admits are Kingdom secrets (13:11). When Jesus tells stories about God’s Kingdom, He is speaking about heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven can be best described as having growth, value, and exclusivity.

A dichotomy appears in every story that Jesus tells. Jesus teaches us about heaven by using strong contrasts. It seems like He doesn’t want there to be any room for ambiguity. The people who listen to His stories are without excuse because He speaks plainly enough. Yet, Jesus emphasizes that people can be divided into two groups: those who can understand Him (the Good) and those who listen to Him but can’t hear or understand Him (the Bad) (13:13).

Good and Bad have other relevant labels that Jesus uses throughout Chapter 13:

  • Good and Evil
  • Haves and Have Nots
  • Understanding and Confused
  • Seeing and Not Seeing (Blind)
  • Hearing and Not Hearing (Deaf)
  • Open Minds and Stubborn Minds
  • Turn to God and Turn Away from God
  • Fruitful and Barren
  • God-planted and Enemy-planted
  • Saved/Selected and Unsaved/Rejected
  • Preserved and Destroyed

Kingdom Growth Parables

Secret #1: Receptive Hearts Required

In the Parable of the Sower (13:3-9, 18-23), Jesus divides people into those who have “good soil” and those who have “bad soil.” Only those with receptive hearts (good soil) are in God’s Kingdom.

Secret #2: Jesus’s Good Seed Required

In the Parable of the Weeds (13: 24-30, 36-43), Jesus divides people into those who come from “good seed” and those who come from “bad seed.” There are actually two farmers planting seeds in the same garden (the world). The good farmer plants good seeds. The bad farmer plants bad seeds. Only those planted by Jesus will make it into heaven.

Secret #3: Humble Beginnings Lead to Powerful Endings

In the Parable of the Mustard Seed (13:31-32), Jesus contrasts the smallness of the seed with the largeness of the outcome. He is saying that size doesn’t matter and can even be misleading. Appearances can be deceiving. A lot can come from a little. That’s part of God’s design. Jesus is the perfect example of this, being born in a manger.

Secret #4: Reaches Everywhere

In the Parable of the Yeast (13:33), Jesus continues the theme of humble beginnings by describing His kingdom as starting in one place but with the ability to spread everywhere. There is no place that it cannot reach (Psalm 139:7-8).

Kingdom Value Parables

Secret #5: Source of Greatest Joy

In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (13:44), Jesus emphasizes that His Kingdom provides the greatest personal fulfillment possible. It’s worth pursuing at all costs. It’s worth giving up everything to obtain it.

Secret #6: Worth More Than Anything You Own

In the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (13:45-46), Jesus emphasizes that His Kingdom has a greater value than anything you can own. It’s worth going all in to obtain it. The value is in the quality and rarity of the item. Nothing else comes close to heaven. It is beneficial in every way.

Kingdom Exclusivity Parable

Secret #7: Some Will Inherit It and Some Won’t

In the Parable of the Fishing Net (13:47-50), Jesus returns to the theme of dichotomy to summarize His main teaching point. People will be sorted into two groups: the ones selected for the Kingdom and the ones rejected from the Kingdom.

What is the main message behind all these secrets? It’s in what Jesus says to His disciples after they are alone. If Jesus is speaking to you and you can understand what He is saying, then you are blessed!

I have explained the secrets about the kingdom of heaven to you, but not to others.
But God has blessed you, because your eyes can see and your ears can hear! Many prophets and good people were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you that they did not see or hear.

Matthew 13:11,16,17 CEV

Rejoice that you can see, hear, and understand!

How to advance God’s Kingdom.
Photo from PxHere.

Complete Character, Confidence, and Commitment

Complete Character, Confidence, and Commitment

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Journeying through life without character is like navigating a boat without a rudder. You are moving but direction and destination will be determined by the current. Character results from the convictions of the truth that you have learned. If you haven’t learned well you will lack wisdom. Wisdom provides the opportunity to steer. Wisdom provides sure footing.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” If you’re not aware of your heart motives, you likely feel lost and confused. Life is the journey of making discoveries about who God is and who you are. The more you know who you are, the more responsible you are for your actions.

Priorities Reveal Character

Taking a look at how you spend your time will reveal your commitments. But there is even more you can find if you look deeper. How do you feel about your priorities? Prideful? Fearful? Content? Do they align with your character?

Even more interesting than your feelings is contemplating why. Why are you focused on certain things over others? Your commitment reveals your values but your values reveal your deepest longings, the motivations of your heart.

For your heart will always pursue what you value as your treasure.

Matthew 6:21 TPT

What do you treasure the most based on your priorities? While there may be some changes you will want to make, you might also discover some positives. Your priorities likely align with your personality. God wants you to be able to enjoy life and pursue His priorities.

Building Character is God’s Work in You

God is working to bring you to completion. He created you and He’s working to consummate His work. To do this, He builds your character, which builds your confidence. Understanding who you are is a prerequisite to accomplishing His plan for your life.

God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:6 CEV

The more you know who you are, the more you can commit to accomplishing a great work for God. This means increased efficiency in reaching your destination. There will be fewer distractions and second-guessing.

Sowing Character Reaps Spiritual Progress

When you are locked onto a target and committed to seeing God’s priorities through to the end, that’s when you maximize your potential. Maximum potential leads to maximum results (eventually). Whatever you commit yourself to is the exact area in which you will increase, grow, and achieve.

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

Galatians 6:7 NLT

God sending Jesus in human form to sacrifice Himself for our benefit is the ultimate expression of commitment. God proved He is willing to play by the same rules He’s given us. He didn’t take a “short-cut” path to victory. He proved He can walk the talk. He’s better than any of us and therefore makes the perfect example.

What things in life matter most to you? What are you truly committed to? If you don’t like what you discover, if you aren’t committed to the right things, then as you gain a greater understanding of who you are, rededicate your efforts to what matters most.

How are you feeling right now? If you find feelings of inadequacy or guilt because you aren’t doing enough of the right things for God, that’s the wrong direction. I want you to see the power of commitment. I want you to see the strength and peace when you stay focused on the truth. God means for corrections to your travels to be a hopeful experience.

The scenic route isn’t often the easiest route, but it is the most beautiful and it will be the one that will get you to where God wants you to be. Ask God to build your character, then your confidence, and then be prepared to commit to advancing God’s plans.

Learn more about personality and character.
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Last updated 2024/01/28

Brokenness Is Beautiful

Brokenness Is Beautiful

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When you can see your brokenness, you see yourself as you really are. It’s a wonderful moment of freedom from pretense. Seeing brokenness is simply another way to perceive what you are lacking.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18 NIV

Since God is the ultimate source of all we lack, we should welcome becoming aware of our brokenness. Why is it often so terrifying then? Believe it or not, it’s possible to fear something good. We crave consistency. After we start depending on something or someone, we don’t want it to go away.

If we lack something good we can fear both:

  • that we’ll never receive what we need.
  • that what we receive will inevitably be taken away.

Both fears are realistic, yet, painful. Both are ultimately rooted in doubting God is who He says He is. God gives good things to those who believe and ask.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 7:11 NIV

Fear Makes Brokenness Ugly

So you can see how when fear is present, needs and desires can become completely overwhelming. If you’ve lived with deprivation for a long time, you know what I mean.

If your needs go unmet, you lose touch with what it’s like to have them met. Often this means living with an awareness that you don’t know what it is like to have them met. The longer this continues, the more difficult it is to trust it will ever be different. And, if it does happen, it will be doubly painful to lose it.

Anyone who experiences the trauma of abuse or neglect usually lives with a sense of deprivation. Abuse and neglect break trust which is essential if you want to risk the vulnerability required to have your needs met. Deprivation can be so painful that it is often more intense than the original trauma.

Coping Forever Prevents Healing

Depriving yourself for any length of time usually requires numbing your desires. If you can’t feel your hunger (emotional needs), it’s nearly impossible to over-eat (be self-centered). Unfortunately though, it is possible to under-eat (be deprived).

Cutting off your cravings for love and acceptance is a coping mechanism called dissociation. I believe dissociation to be a necessary coping to manage intense trauma. However, all coping is meant to be temporary until genuine healing and transformation are available and the person is ready.

How much a person relies on coping depends on at least two factors:

  • The intensity of the pain experienced from trauma.
  • The availability of a safe-enough relationship that promotes healing.

The intensity of the pain is mostly subjective. Some people can tolerate more pain than others. But the more the event is severe enough and prolonged enough, and if the person doesn’t have access to a caring person, the more extreme coping is needed.

One of the most intense efforts to cope with trauma is dissociation. When it becomes a mental health disorder it’s called dissociative-identity-disorder (DID).

For a person with DID, their self-awareness becomes divided into multiple parts in order to survive trauma. Therapy involves integrating the parts so that all parts receive needed healing. The end result is a person with a sense of being one integrated person (no longer needing “multiple parts”).

Another word for dissociated is broken. Everyone is broken. On this side of heaven, the opposite of being broken is being in denial. Meaning: if I can’t see my brokenness, I must be denying it.

Embrace your brokenness because it is what will drive you to God. He can help you become free from the trauma and deprivation you’ve been through.

Push Through Fear And Find Hope
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Complete Your Training To Resist Evil

Complete Your Training To Resist Evil

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In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda challenges Luke Skywalker, “you must complete the training.” Yoda knew that Luke wasn’t ready yet to face his ultimate trial in a fight against Darth Vader.

How are you doing in your battle against the evil spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12)? To reach a place of confidence in overcoming life problems, you must complete your training.

God’s school for persevering and winning against evil is called “life.” To complete the transformative journey, you must pass through four steps.

Step 1 Training: Overcome Resistance

Luke works for his Aunt and Uncle but isn’t happy as a farmer. He feels duty-bound to help them so he refuses to leave them. His hope to join the academy remains an unfulfilled dream. He is out of place. He isn’t pursuing his calling.

What is blocking you from attaining your dreams? In what ways are you resisting God’s call to adventure in your life? Step one’s purpose is to increase your level of frustration with your current life so much that you are willing to risk making a change. It is characterized by:

  • Pride that covers the pain of your life.
  • Believing lies such as “what others want for me is more important than what I want or what God wants for me.”
  • Resisting God’s call to spiritual growth.
  • Attempting to cope to remain self-sufficient.

Too much pride will destroy you.

Proverbs 16:18 CEV

By the time you finish step one, you are ready to seek the help of a counselor.

Step 2 Training: Commit To Recovery

Luke meets his mentor, Obi-Wan, and agrees to go with him to Alderaan. He learns he has other allies (Han, Chewbacca, Princess Leia) as well as enemies (Darth Vader and the empire). But he and his friends face a huge setback when Alderaan is destroyed.

What setbacks have brought further discouragement into your life, just when you decided to get help? Instead of turning back to your old ways, commit to your emotional recovery. Step two’s purpose is to solidify your reason why you want to pursue change. It is characterized by:

  • Being humbled enough to be willing to seek help.
  • Being willing to consider how the truth applies to your life.
  • Accepting God as good–that He has a plan worth following.
  • Acknowledging your problems and dysfunctional behaviors.

Too much pride can put you to shame.
It’s wiser to be humble.

Proverbs 11:2 CEV

By the time you finish step two, you have uncovered so much pain that you have no choice but to rely on God and other allies.

Step 3 Training: Learn To Trust

Luke fights his way out of the death star with Princess Leia but loses Obi-Wan. He struggles for his freedom only to experience greater suffering with the loss of his mentor.

I see Obi-Wan’s sacrifice and pronouncement that he will become even more powerful as similar to Christ being crucified and becoming more powerful as someone who has defeated death.

What painful memories continue to hold you back from pursuing your dreams? Instead of running from challenges, face them and be transformed by them. Find out what is most important to you. Step three’s purpose is to shift your focus onto how powerful God is and how positive your life is. It is characterized by:

  • Being vulnerable so you can receive the emotional healing you need.
  • Confronting the lies you believe with the truth so can freely move forward in life.
  • Accepting suffering as unavoidable at times and even beneficial.
  • Realizing that God is worthy of your trust.

The Lord’s people may suffer a lot,
but he will always bring them safely through.

Psalm 34:19 CEV

Even David went through years of training while defending his sheep from bears and other beasts (1 Samuel 17:34-37). By the time you finish step three, your training has prepared you to face the Goliath-sized problems.

Step 4 Training: Walk By Faith

Luke joins the rebels, trusts his mentor’s guidance, and destroys the death star. He is no longer self-sufficient. He is trusting in a power greater than himself. He becomes a hero that can inspire others.

What Goliath-sized problem is looming large over your life? How has God proven Himself faithful to you? Look for the opportunities to prove your training has accomplished its purpose. Step four’s purpose is to test your faith as you fulfill your God-planned destiny. It is characterized by:

  • Confidence in your ability to face problems with God’s help.
  • Embracing the truth to overcome doubts and other spiritual attacks.
  • Resisting evil by not giving it any room to thrive.
  • Faithful dependence on God for strength.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear.

Psalm 46:1-2 NIV

By the time you finish step four, your journey is complete. You are ready to help others if they want help with their struggles. You can also identify new problems and start the journey again for yourself. Or, maybe you are like Luke and didn’t finish your training the first time around. That’s okay. With God, it’s never too late to start on a journey of transformation. Future posts will cover each of the four steps in greater detail.

Sometimes a mentor can be a person like a counselor. But a mentor can also be a process like the ones in any of my books. Try either of those if you feel unhappy with where you are in life and want some help to complete your training so you can overcome the big problem in your life.

Learn more about freedom as you experience positive change.
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When Joy Feels Elusive And Faith Feels Thin

When Joy Feels Elusive And Faith Feels Thin

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Joy can be elusive, especially when you look in the wrong place.

If you’re hungry for strawberries, where do you get them? Strawberries don’t grow on apple trees. So, there’s little point in looking up a tree.

Where does joy come from? It’s a fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

The Gospel is the only true source of joy. Nothing inspires deeper joy than the Spirit revealing the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ in the hearts of the believer.

Joy is otherworldly. It’s spiritual. It can be difficult to grasp. It doesn’t always make sense when viewed from an isolated moment. It becomes elusive when you search for it in the narrow circumstances of your life, without the context of the Gospel.

But joy becomes logical when you look beyond the present moment. It flows from a truth greater than any fact of your current situation. Real joy is rooted in the reality of salvation. That’s the only way you can suffer and still be joyful at the same time.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

James 1:2-3 NIV

Faith Makes Joy Possible

Faith sees beyond the physical to the spiritual reality. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. And where the Spirit is, there is true freedom. Without the Spirit, joy would be impossible.

Joy results from trials because trials reveal the “too good to be true, even though it is true” reality of God’s kingdom. It is always possible because it’s based on the unchanging truth of God’s promises.

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43 ESV

No matter what is happening to you today, if you are in Christ, then God has prepared a place for you in heaven. But He does not want you to rush there. He has you alive and present for a reason.

While you’re still here, God has a purpose for you. It’s okay to borrow joy from your heavenly future. In fact, that’s the only way to do it. The Spirit makes the heavenly reality known to you today.

Joy in the Middle of the Story

Joy isn’t just for the end of the story—it’s for the middle, too.

We often think joy will come after the resolution: when the diagnosis is reversed, the relationship is restored, the job is secured. But joy, as a fruit of the Spirit, grows in the soil of the present moment—even when that soil feels dry and cracked.

Joy doesn’t require the absence of sorrow. It coexists with it. It’s not a denial of pain but a defiant hope in the midst of it. That’s why Paul could write from prison about rejoicing always (Philippians 4:4). He wasn’t waiting for release to rejoice—he was already free in Christ.

Joy is not the reward for enduring the trial. It’s the companion that walks with you through it.

Enjoy!

Joy is not a reward for good behavior or a prize for spiritual maturity. It’s a gift of the Spirit, available to you now. You don’t have to manufacture it. You don’t have to fake it. You just have to receive it—by contemplating the wonderful Gospel message: Jesus saves people, not by their work, but by His work alone.

So go ahead—enjoy.
Not because life is easy, but because God is good.
Not because everything makes sense, but because His promises are true.
Not because you feel joyful, but because joy is yours in Christ.

Learn more about finding joy.
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Last updated 2025/07/06

I Am Scared I Will Lose My Salvation

I Am Scared I Will Lose My Salvation

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If salvation is secure, why do I still feel so insecure? If I’m in Christ, why do I still fear being cast out—not just by God, but by people? I try to love people well, but I fall short. I can’t always tell whether it’s my failure or theirs. And somewhere in the confusion, I start to wonder: Am I really saved?

Living with that question is like dwelling in a house built on sand. One day, the room feels safe and warm. The next, the ground shifts beneath you, the walls tremble, and you’re not sure the structure will hold. You try to brace it with good behavior, patch it with apologies, reinforce it with spiritual effort—but the anxiety remains.

Evil wants to sift and shake you (Luke 22:31). It discourages. It distorts. It whispers that you’re not enough, that you’ll be abandoned, that you’re one mistake away from collapse. It turns relationships into measuring sticks and failures into verdicts. It makes you question not just your salvation, but your worth.

But God builds differently.

His encouragement isn’t cosmetic—it’s foundational. He doesn’t patch up your insecurities; He replaces them with Himself. In Christ, you’re not living in a fragile structure. You’re anchored to a cornerstone that cannot be moved.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
John 6:37 ESV

Salvation Is Not a Transaction—It’s a Transformation

The gospel isn’t a deal you strike with God. It’s a new birth, a new identity, a new life. When you trust in Christ, you’re not signing a contract—you’re united with Him. You’re not merely forgiven; you’re made new.

This is the heartbeat of my book Secure in Christ. Salvation isn’t a prize you earn or a status you maintain. It’s a gift rooted in the unshakable character of God. It’s not about your grip on Him—it’s about His grip on you.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
John 10:28 ESV

Jesus said no one will snatch them from His hand. That’s not poetic exaggeration—it’s a promise.

Why Assurance of Salvation Matters

Without assurance, the Christian life becomes exhausting. You’re always second-guessing, always striving, always fearing. But with assurance, you can rest. You can grow. You can love boldly, serve freely, and worship joyfully.

Assurance doesn’t lead to complacency—it leads to confidence. It’s not the enemy of holiness—it’s the fuel for it. When you know you’re secure, you stop performing and start accepting God’s transforming work.

How Secure in Christ Can Help

This book was born out of years of pastoral care in counseling and theological reflection. It’s for the believer who feels stuck between faith and fear. It’s for those who know the gospel but struggle to feel its weight in their soul—or its stability beneath their feet.

In Secure in Christ, you’ll discover:

  • Why salvation is anchored in God’s nature, not your performance
  • How identity in Christ reshapes your view of sin, failure, and growth
  • What it means to live in and from assurance, not longing for it from a distance
  • How to dismantle the lies that keep you spiritually anxious
  • The freedom that God gives and how it differs from worldly freedom

This isn’t just a book—it’s a blueprint for rebuilding your spiritual house. Not with sand beneath your feet, but with eternal foundations.

You’re Not Meant to Live in Fear

If you’ve been quietly asking, “Am I really saved?”—it’s time to stop living in spiritual limbo. You were never meant to walk on eggshells with God. You were meant to walk in freedom.

Salvation isn’t a tightrope—it’s a foundation. And once you’re in Christ, you’re secure. Not because you’re strong, but because He is. Is your salvation shaky—or solid?

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Matthew 7:24–27 NLT

Jesus teaches that He will never cast out those who belong to Him. So let’s move from confusion to clarity. From fear to faith. From striving to resting.

You are secure in Christ. And it’s time to live like it.

If this resonates with you, I invite you to explore Secure in Christ. It’s not just a book—it’s a place to realize who holds you, then rebuild and rest.

For Reflection

From sand to stone. From striving to resting. From fear to freedom. This is the journey of Secure in Christ.

🫂From Anxiety to Assurance

  • When you think about your salvation, do you feel more like you’re holding onto God—or that He’s holding onto you?
  • What voices in your life have shaped your view of being “enough”? Are they encouraging or discouraging?
  • Do you believe God’s love for you is conditional? What makes you feel that way?

💔From Rejection to Acceptance

  • Have you ever felt rejected by other Christians? How did that affect your view of God?
  • When someone fails to love you well, do you internalize it as your fault—or theirs?
  • How do you respond when you fall short in loving others? Do you spiral into shame or lean into grace?

🏚️ From Sand to Stone

  • What does your spiritual “house” feel like right now—stable or shaky?
  • What parts of your foundation feel built on truth, and what parts feel built on fear?
  • If you could rebuild your spiritual house from scratch, what would you want it to be anchored in?

🔍 From Confusion to Clarity

  • What lies have you believed about salvation that keep you anxious or uncertain?
  • What would change in your life if you truly believed you were secure in Christ?
  • What does “living from assurance” look like in your daily relationships, decisions, and worship?

Lord, help me see the places where I’ve built on sand. Replace my fear with Your foundation. Anchor me in the truth that You will never cast me out. Build me into Your house, secure and whole.

Secure in Christ is a blueprint. Not for patching up your spiritual life—but for rebuilding it on bedrock. You don’t have to live with spiritual anxiety. You can live with assurance. Let Secure in Christ guide you toward the foundation that never fails—and the Savior who never lets go.

Learn more about the security of salvation in Christ.
Secure in Christ is available starting August 29, 2025

Rescue Before Recognition

Rescue Before Recognition

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A diver plunges deep into the ocean, chasing a glimmering object. The pressure mounts. Oxygen fades. Panic sets in. Just as the diver blacks out, a hand breaks through the water—pulling him upward. He awakens on the surface, gasping, surrounded by light and air.

This is not a story of self-rescue. It’s a story of divine intervention.

What was the glimmering object? Why was the diver risking so much to get it? In life, we often chase after things we do not need—things that distract us from pursuing what is good, or even harmful things. We’re drawn to illusions of clarity, success, or fulfillment, diving deeper into confusion while believing we’re getting closer to what we need.

We think we’re pursuing something valuable, but often we’re simply descending into pressure and panic. The deeper we go, the more disoriented we become. And yet, we rarely stop. We seldom ask whether the object we’re chasing is worth the cost.

But what we need most is freely available from God. It doesn’t require risky behavior or heroic effort. It requires connecting with God’s life, love, and truth. God rescues people from the depths of their trouble because they cannot find safety. He doesn’t wait for us to reach the surface because it would be too late. He meets us in the depths.

In Secure in Christ, I explore how assurance begins not with our grasp of God, but with His grip on us. The diver didn’t choose the rescue. He didn’t signal for help. He was unconscious—incapable of saving himself. And yet, he was saved. When God saves us by His strength, He also keeps us saved the same way. The rescue is not dependent on our awareness, our effort, or our ability to hold on. It’s rooted in His initiative and sustained by His power.

God’s Rescue Is Not Transactional

We often imagine salvation as a mutual agreement—our decision, our prayer, our moment of clarity. But Scripture paints a more radical picture:

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8 NLT

God doesn’t wait for permission. He intervenes at the brink. His rescue precedes our awareness. His love reaches into our darkness before we even understand we’re lost. And once awakened, we know the truth of it—we’ve been pulled from death to life.

This is the wonder of grace: that God acts first. He rescues not the strong, but the helpless. He doesn’t negotiate terms—He resurrects people from the dead. And once He gives life, He doesn’t revoke it. His rescue is not a temporary fix—it’s a permanent transformation.

God’s Rescue Is Robust

The diver awakens to light and air. He doesn’t need to be convinced that he was drowning. He knows. And he knows he’s been saved.

That’s the essence of assurance:

  • Not a feeling we conjure, but a reality we awaken to.
  • Not a fragile hope, but a firm foundation.
  • Not a transaction, but a transformation.

Assurance isn’t about maintaining a spiritual performance. It’s about recognizing the permanence of God’s work. It’s about breathing freely in the light of His grace, knowing that the rescue was real—and that it holds.

Connecting the Story to Your Journey

If you’ve ever felt like you’re sinking—chasing something that promised relief but delivered confusion—my book Secure in Christ is your invitation to stop striving and start breathing: to recognize that the hand of God has already reached into your chaos and pulled you into His light.

People cannot rescue themselves. As a believer, you don’t have to prove your worth. You don’t need to reach for rescue—you need only awaken to it.

Learn more about safety and God’s rescue.
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How To Make Trusting God Easier

How To Make Trusting God Easier

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Are you trusting God more or less than you were yesterday? If you are trusting Him less than you used to, perhaps something has happened to cause you to give up on God. God promises you are not wasting your time when you seek Him, trust Him, and make your requests known to Him.

Trusting God throughout your day can be challenging because of distractions. Some distractions are positive and some are negative. Either way, consider how much you have increased your trust in God today. The best thing you can accomplish each day is to end it by trusting God a little more.

Strengthening your faith requires an intentional effort to cleanse negative memories with God’s truth. If you want to trust God more, you must apply biblical truth to infected memories. Infected memories cause you to doubt God’s character.

Trust God Because He Knows Everything

In Isaiah 46, God says much about who He is and what He likes to do. God promises He will act. He isn’t a worthless idol. God doesn’t forget about you. He knows your future, so of course, He knows your past. He’s been attending to you since even before you were born.

I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born.

Isaiah 46:3 NLT

Trust God Because He Keeps You Safe

But that’s not all. God proclaims that He will care for you and carry you throughout your future.

I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.

Isaiah 46:4 NLT

If you put your trust in something other than God, you will be disappointed. But God cares about you enough to rescue you from trouble.

[An idol] can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It can’t rescue anyone from trouble.

Isaiah 46:7 NLT

God has already rescued you and is more than capable of keeping you safe.

Trust God Because He is in Control

God is in complete control of the past, present, and future. Only God can make such bold statements as these:

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.

Isaiah 46:9-10 NLT

God can and will do whatever He wants. For those who are friends of God, this should provide increased comfort and trust. For those who are yet enemies of God, this is likely scary and irritating. I remember the emptiness I felt when I was unable to understand who God is.

Memories Can Help You Trust God

If you are a believer, then you must have some positive memories. At the very least, God has done a work in your life to cause you to cross over from death to life. Can you remember what that felt like? I remember how uplifting and hopeful I felt when I first believed.

Remembering what God has done in your life is a source of spiritual strength. When you recall the ways God has touched your life, it helps you trust Him with current life challenges. When God breaks into your life, that’s God building trust with you. Use it for all it’s worth to make your faith solid.

As you focus on the positive, be equally willing to revisit the negative memories. These significant life events desperately need to be considered in light of the truth you now know. Learn details of how to cleanse hurtful memories so you can trust God more.

God is real. Let’s pray with anticipation of the good things He will do. No matter what is happening around us, God is still good and in control.

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Last Updated 2024/09/22

Trusting God After Buying Deception

Trusting God After Buying Deception

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How grace rebuilds your trust after a costly compromise. The road to recovery can be long, but it’s worth the effort.

Deception Erodes Trust

Recently, I missed a meeting—just a scheduling mistake. With time to spare, I wandered past a bookstore and felt the tug to step inside. I wasn’t looking for anything, just passing time. Ten minutes later, I walked out with three books I hadn’t planned to buy. They were on sale, and two were Christian titles. That makes it okay… right?

There was no pressure. No clever pitch. Just quiet curiosity. But later I realized: this is how deception often works.

If Satan were a salesman, he wouldn’t lead with blatant evil. He’d offer something good, cloaked in logic that feels reasonable. “Books are for learning. Surely God doesn’t want you to stay ignorant?”

The deceiver doesn’t shove. He suggests. He rebrands desire as wisdom, indulgence as growth. He offers reasons that feel noble while eroding trust. And it’s not really about books—it’s about how innocent decisions can quietly plant seeds of doubt.

Satan’s Whisper Erodes Trust

Satan doesn’t announce his lies—he murmurs them. He doesn’t need control—just enough permission to shift your gaze.

In Eden, he didn’t accuse—he suggested. He framed God as withholding, twisting truth just enough to create suspicion. That whisper hasn’t changed. It still echoes:

  • You deserve more.
  • God hasn’t been fair.
  • Why would a good God allow this?

Sometimes it hides behind self-doubt: I’m not enough. God must be disappointed.
Sometimes it rides on unhealed hunger: I need more success. More control. Just one more click, one more step to feel secure.

Every whisper shares one root: God is not perfectly good.

The All-or-Nothing Nature of Trust

God doesn’t ask us to trust Him halfway. Either He’s completely good, or He’s not trustworthy at all. A God with even a trace of darkness would no longer be safe. If He could change, lie, or withhold without purpose, then what hope remains?

The deceiver doesn’t need to unravel our theology in one stroke. He just has to convince us that God is slightly less than perfect—just enough for fear, suspicion, and control to creep in.

Once you entertain the idea that God may not be fully good, your foundations start to crumble. Doubt spreads. Security fades. You begin to search for goodness elsewhere—in performance, people, possessions.

This is why trusting God’s character is not abstract theology—it’s daily survival.

Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
    Psalm 9:10 NIV

Healing the Trust Deficit

If you’re struggling to believe that God is good, you may be experiencing a positive experience deficit—a soul-level hunger for reassurance that God hasn’t abandoned you. And that deficit can’t be ignored or stuffed down with more information. It needs healing.

Ask God to show you His goodness again—not in grand gestures, but in the small kindnesses you’re tempted to overlook. A timely word from a friend. A moment of peace in your day. A Scripture that pierces through your fog.

Even a glimpse of God’s goodness can rekindle your trust. Because if He’s good in one place, He must be good everywhere. His character is indivisible. And when that goodness begins to live in you—not just as doctrine, but as experience—it reshapes how you see pain, identity, and even failure.

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

Leaning into Trust

How would your self-image change if you believed—fully and without reservation—that God is perfectly good? What decisions would you make differently? What fears could you lay down?

The deceiver wants you to second-guess God’s heart. But the Spirit invites you to rest in it. You don’t have to earn God’s goodness. You just have to taste it. Let it anchor you. Let it silence the hiss that says, God is holding out on you. He isn’t. He never has.

Overflowing Trust

Trust isn’t just a shelter—it’s a spring. When you’ve tasted God’s goodness in weakness, your confidence shifts from striving to resting. And when trust stops being conditional—based on outcomes, feelings, or performance—it becomes generative. It bears fruit even in drought.

The same Spirit who whispered comfort when you were compromised is now anchoring you in clarity. What once felt fractured is now fertile. What once felt shameful is now sacred—a testimony of grace rebuilding what deception tried to erode. This is the paradox of redemption:

  • The compromise becomes a classroom.
  • The whisper becomes a warning bell.
  • The deficit becomes overflow.

God doesn’t just restore your trust—He refines it. And when you trust His character fully, fear loses its voice.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NIV

Learn more about how to trust God.
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Last updated 20250803

Is God’s Love Uncontrolling?

Is God’s Love Uncontrolling?

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Recently, I read a blog post that thoughtfully explored the nature of God’s love, suggesting that divine love is “inherently uncontrolling.” The author, drawing from Thomas Oord’s theology, raised important questions about how we experience God’s power and whether control is compatible with love. While I appreciate the heart behind this reflection—especially the emphasis on God’s gentleness and compassion—I believe Scripture paints a fuller picture of a God whose love is not diminished by His sovereignty, but upheld by it.

God’s Sovereignty Is Not Domination

It’s true that God doesn’t override our humanity or force us into robotic obedience. But His control is not oppressive—it’s purposeful and redemptive. The Bible consistently reveals a God who actively governs all things according to His will. As Paul writes:

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

Ephesians 1:11 ESV

God’s sovereignty is not passive. It’s the reason we can trust that history is moving toward His intended end. He doesn’t always act with immediate force, but nothing He wills ultimately fails.

Transformation, Not Coercion

Consider Saul’s dramatic conversion. One moment he was persecuting Christians; the next, he was proclaiming Christ. God didn’t violate Saul’s will—He revealed Himself so powerfully that Saul’s heart was changed. God gave him a new nature, one that desired Him. This is the essence of salvation: God initiates, transforms, and secures. Our response is awe and gratitude, not resistance.

If God’s will were contingent on human cooperation, salvation would be fragile. But Jesus assures us that those the Father gives Him will come to Him—and He will lose none (John 6, 10, 15). God’s love doesn’t compete with His control; it’s expressed through it.

Does 1 Corinthians 13 Deny Divine Control?

Oord’s interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13 suggests that love “does not force itself on others,” implying that God’s love must be non-controlling. But this reading stretches beyond the text. Paul’s description of love emphasizes humility and endurance—not a denial of divine authority.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful…

1 Corinthians 13:4–5 ESV

“Not insisting on its own way” speaks to selfishness, not sovereignty. God’s love is not self-serving, but that doesn’t mean He relinquishes control over creation, redemption, or judgment. In fact, His control is what ensures that love triumphs over evil.

Power That Secures Salvation

Paul declares:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…

Romans 1:16 ESV

God’s power is not a threat to love—it’s the very means by which salvation is accomplished. Without divine sovereignty, there would be no guarantee of redemption, no assurance of resurrection, no hope in suffering. But because God is both loving and in control, we can rest secure in Him.

📘 Secure in Christ

This theme is central to my upcoming book, Secure in Christ. In it, I explore how God’s sovereign love provides the foundation for lasting assurance. His attributes don’t compete—they harmonize. God would not be God if He were not in control. And because He is, we can trust that His love will never fail.

To suggest that divine love must be powerless to be pure is to misunderstand both power and purity. God’s love is not reckless or weak—it’s decisive, holy, and unfailing. Scripture does not invite us to imagine a God who merely hopes for our salvation, but to trust in a Savior who accomplishes it. Love isn’t the absence of power; it’s the redemptive use of it.

It’s like the hand of a skilled surgeon—precise, intentional, and filled with care. The scalpel may cut, but always toward healing. God’s sovereignty is not cold control; it is love that moves with clarity and purpose. Because He governs with goodness, we can rest not in probabilities but promises.

Learn more about the nature of God’s love.
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