“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." -Luke 6:45 What are you filled up with? The Bible says, "out of the heart the mouth speaks." What do our words say about the condition of our hearts? Sometimes hurtful things happen to us. An event happens that triggers us back to an earlier negative situation. Ouch, it still hurts. I

“Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord." -Ephesians 2:20-21 It seems there is a lot of confusion today about what is the church and what isn't. Often we get confused about the church building where we meet versus the people within the building. But when Jesus references the church in the New Testament, He i

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." -Romans 12:10 I love seeing how Asian cultures treat their elders. Honor in their culture is a big part of respecting someone who has lived life longer than you, (and hopefully has more wisdom, too!) That may be why they have the highest life expectancy! (Ephesians 6:2&3) Honor is also a trademark of military life. Honor is very much a kingdom idea. In our American culture, honor is rare, while idolatry

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." -Matthew 6:5&6 J. John, a gifted and creative Christian speaker told a story once about preparing the way for a

"Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank." -Proverbs 22:29 Marketing guru Seth Godin wrote a book called The Dip. In it he describes the natural lull we experience after beginning a project, changing a habit, or beginning something new. He examines the difference between "the dip" and something that is not worth pursuing. His recommendation is if you're not the best at something, quit while you'r

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." -Luke 6:37 Have you ever felt judged? It's not the best feeling. Sometimes, with even the best of intentions, we fall short in being Christ-like in this area. We feel we have a right to proclaim God's justice to the world, and to other believers. The world already tends to think of Christians as judgmental - but we are supposed to be known for Chr

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." -2 Corinthians 13:14 In many organizations, the driving force is fear. Workers are afraid of losing their job, so they work themselves to the bone. People fear failing, or not being accepted, so they do whatever is asked. Perhaps there is a fear of authority, due to past experiences. Whatever type of organization, fear can be a powerful motivator, but it

“Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." -Titus 2:6-8 Have you ever been around someone who believed slightly different than you? Every day we encounter those with different beliefs that us. In an age where t

"He walked away, about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 'Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.' Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him." -Luke 22:41-43 Have you ever prayed the prayer above? Have you ever said to God, "Not my will Father, but Yours be done." What an amazing statement by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It may seem like quite a dangerous stateme

"Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God." -Philippians 4:6 In our world today, anxiety and depression are two of the most common unseen ailments we face. Does God have anything to say about mental health? Can Jesus help us with these struggles? Absolutely! My husband Justin struggled with intense anxiety and claustrophobia