Nurture Your Friendships

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4 NIV).

I love to grow plants. Every gardener knows that the key to a bountiful harvest of flowers, fruits, or vegetables is to carefully nurture the plants. Gardening is a test of patience. We plant and then wait.

Our friendships are similar to gardening in that both require nurturing. If we don’t feed our relationships with our friends, we will eventually have no friends. Life is about priorities. We make time for the things and the people that are important to us. A friendship with God is like any other friendship—you have to make time for it. God is a jealous God and does not want you to have any false gods before Him (Exodus 34:14). The Word teaches us in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God.” If God is your best friend, then doesn’t He deserve your best?

So, how do you build a deep friendship with God? This is a life-long process of growing closer each day. Some days I make more progress than others. Below are a few tips I have learned over the years.

Slow down.

We all live busy lives. We tend to focus on what is in front of us. There is so much noise in our lives. God is not going to try to out shout all the other voices in your life. To build a relationship with God requires us to slow down, be quiet, and listen. The Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Think about how many times Jesus sought out a quiet place to be alone with the Father.

Seek Him

Psalm 25:14 teaches, “Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone He shares the secrets of his promises.” A blessing for the righteousness is friendship with God. Our righteousness is not from our own doing but is the fruit of our faith in Jesus. One of my favorite Bible verses is Matthew 6:33. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” A friendship with God requires us to slow down and turn away from the desires of the secular world and intentionally turn toward the desires of the Spirit.

Throughout Scripture, God provides invitations for a relationship with us. The key is how we respond to the invitation. The invitation is given to all but not all respond so not all bear good fruit. The Parable of the Sower is a parable of Jesus found in the three Synoptic Gospels in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15. This Parable illustrates that sower sows the Word but not all respond positively.

Prayer: Dear God, We want to hear the Word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold but not for our own glory but for yours. Help us to find time to nurture our relationship with you so we can bear good fruit to help build Your kingdom. Amen.

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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Keep Your Eye On The Prize

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV)

We all have so many distractions that it is very hard to stay focused. We all want to obey the first commandment and put God first in our lives, but we are pulled in so many directions from family, work, and friends. I love the expression “keep your eye on the prize.” It is often associated with athletes that are focused on performing at the highest possible level. The Bible speaks to this in 1 Cor. 9:25 “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.” As Christians, we must realize that our ultimate prize will not be found on earth, but it is much greater than any earthly prize.

Scripture teaches us how to achieve our prize by storing up our treasure. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and

steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21). We store up our treasures in heaven each time we “feed His sheep” (John 21:17) and each time we see someone hungry and provide food, see someone thirty and provide something to drink, see a stranger and invite them in, or someone in need of clothes and provide clothing, and see someone sick in prison and go to visit. (see Matt. 25:31-40).

We all have been given a unique gift and role to help build up the body of Christ. Luke 9:62 warns against distraction from our roles. “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Many people express a desire to be used by God but sadly they will not. They are exercising their free will and have decided that they are too busy. They are “… wise in their own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:7). They want to climb the corporate ladder, or want to buy a second house, or purchase other earthy treasures. These are fine goals but should receive priority over God. In the midst of their busyness, they try to carve out a little sliver from the pie of life and give it to God. This is the definition of a lukewarm Christian. The Bible speaks to this attitude in Rev. 3:16-18.

^“So I will spit you out of my mouth, because you are only warm and not hot or cold.You say, `I am rich and have many things. I need nothing.’ You do not know that you are in trouble and need help. You are poor. You are blind. And you have no clothes to wear. I tell you what you should do. You should buy from me gold that has been made clean by fire. Then you will be rich. And you should buy from me white clothes to wear. Then people will not see that you have no clothes, and you will not be ashamed. You should buy from me healing oil to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see.”

If we are serious about being used by God, we must pray for God’s help to discern what we must prune so that time can be freed and then use the gift of time wisely. We all have 24 hours in a day, but we all don’t use our time for the same purpose. God has laid out a race for us all to run. Adversity will come and try to slow you down. Each time we must meet adversity with perseverance.

I feel that the enemy really enjoys keeping good people busy with church activities that have little or no impact on The Kingdom. Much of our busyness is cast on us by the enemy as a means to keep us occupied and away from Kingdom building – time alone with God, ministry, mission, and reading The Word.

Prayer: Dear God, We want to use the talents that you gave us to join with fellow Christians to build your Kingdom on earth. Help us to use our secular responsibilities in such a way that they bring glory to You. Help us avoid meaningless busy work that does bear good fruit. We know that you sit as a refiner of silver. Burn off our impurities and help us lead a more Christ-like life each day. Amen.

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Meal Time is Ministry Time

“When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them” (Luke 24:30 NIV).

Many people have the false notion that ministry only occurs inside the walls of the local church. The truth is we go to worship on Sunday to be fed the Word so that we can be the hands and feet of Christ – to feed others. However, it should be noted that we need to feed ourselves throughout the week by reading Scripture, prayer and meditation, and small groups.

We are all ministers. We are all called into ministry through our baptism and profession of faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. We all have a ministry that

we have been gifted with through the gifts and graces of the Spirit. The big question is how and where should we do our ministry? The Spirit will guide you in this and close, Christian friends will affirm you as appropriate.

Jesus is the perfect role model for ministry. Yes, he did ministry in the temple by teaching to His fellow Jews. However, the vast majority of His ministry was done outside of the temple. It is interesting to me how many times in Luke’s Gospel Jesus sits around a table for a meal. He regularly shared meals with others, whether they were Pharisees, sinners and tax collectors, or His disciples. Scripture provides us the ability to learn more of what He teaches about His heavenly Father on these occasions than from what He says in the synagogue.

Meal time is an ideal time not only for fellowship but also to drill down deeper to offer a word of hope, grace, peace, and love. Meals at the table are some of Jesus’ favorite settings for Him to make visible to others the good news of God’s mercy and acceptance of all people.

One of the primary roles of a husband as stated in the Bible is to lead his family to Christ. Meal time is a perfect opportunity for the husband to lead by giving thanks to God for the food and all the blessings that He has provided. Leadership simply means influence. Therefore, a biblically-based husband should influence his family. Husbands are not dictators, they should not demand, they should not rule over their wives. Instead, husbands should influence their wives and families in accordance with biblical teaching. They should exemplify, with their voice and their actions, attributes that bring glory to God and value and honor to their spouse and family.

Meal time is ministry time. Men, I encourage you to serve your family by leading them in prayer at this time. The fruit of a good biblically-based husband is a strong, confident, spiritually mature wife and family.

Prayer: Dear God: We are blessed to have an abundance of food. May we always be grateful that you are the provider of this and all of our blessings including our families. Please help us to lead our families in such a way that brings honor and glory to you.

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Defeating Evil

”Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him (Matthew 4:10-11 NIV).

I find it troubling that many Christians do not believe in the existence of satan. I always use a lower case “s” when referring to the enemy because I want to be as disrespectful as possible. If you doubt the reality of evil as an active force in this world, simply remember that Jesus dealt with the enemy first hand on multiple occasions. A single-dimensional outlook, unwilling to confront the possibility of darkness simply plays into the hands of evil. In C. S. Lewis’s classic book, The Screwtape Letters, the crafty older demon acknowledges that the cause of evil accrues much more power when Christians fail to concede that it exists. At the same time, it is important to understand that as children of light evil has no long-term power over us.

The Word of God is authoritative. The Psalmist writes, “All your words are true” (Psalm 119:160). Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” A Christian is on a discipleship pathway to constantly grow closer to Christ and discern His will for our lives. Prayer, worship, and small groups are all important in this regard. However, God primarily reveals himself through His Word. In John 1:14, we learn that, “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” God gave us Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting but also so we can better understand the Word.

We read in Genesis 3 that there was a real serpent and it received a real physical curse to crawl on its belly and eat dust for the duration of its life (Genesis 3:14). satan is not a physical being, although he can operate in the physical realm (Job 1–2). He is a spiritual being that operates in the spiritual realm as evidenced in many passages that detail his spiritual attributes (1 Peter 5:8; Matthew 16:23; Acts 5:3; and Ephesians 6:12).

Jesus cast out demons into pigs. Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, and Luke 8:26-33 state that the demons were concerned about the time, as it was not the “appointed time.” Luke discusses the demons concern about going into the “Abyss” (Luke 8:31). Jesus knew His purpose here on earth – to accomplish the perfect will of His Father. Jesus followed His Fathers plans and did not torment the demons before the “appointed time.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 states, “there is a time for everything.” I think the demons had a concern of their impending doom and thought that their time was over and they would be sent to the Abyss. The “appointed time” comes when Jesus defeats the enemy as detailed in the book of Revelation.

The Lord is speaking to the serpent and satan in Genesis 3. The Bible tells us that satan used a real serpent to deceive Eve. And because of his entrance into the serpent, he can rightly be called the “serpent of old” or “great dragon” (Revelation 12:9, 20:2). To defeat evil, we must acknowledge it and name it, and then rebuke it in the name of Jesus.

Prayer: Dear God: We know that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. The demons believe in you and shudder. Thank you for the ability to rebuke evil in Your name and for Your glory. We are your sheep and we trust in the Good Shepard. Amen.

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The Stranger

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2 NIV).

A friend recently told me an amazing story of kindness that begin with the simple words “excuse me.” She was walking to her car in a parking lot when a voice from behind called out to her, “excuse me.” She froze for a second and did not immediately respond. She thought that this is likely a con man or a beggar wanting a hand out. Questions raced through her mind. Why doesn’t he get a job? If I give him money, is he going to use it to buy drugs? Doesn’t he realize that I have stuff to do?

She turned and looked at the man and before she could respond she saw a man with no arms. She was shocked but managed to respond, “yes?” The man said, “I am sorry ma’am, but I have not eaten for a few days and if you could find it in your heart to buy me some food, I would be very grateful.”

She told me that she knew that this man was authentic because he was not asking for money. He was kind and polite and it seemed sincere as if it was natural part of his inner being. She responded, “yes let’s go to the Wendy’s next door and I will eat with you.”

As they sat and ate the man told her that he was a military veteran and was wounded in action. She was cautious that he may be lying but was reassured by an inner voice in her head that he was sincere. As they finished the meal, she told the man to go back and order more food to take with him – whatever he wanted. He did so. He then thanked my friend and prayed a blessing over her and left. She said that by the time he left she felt a calming presence from him that she had never felt before. He was gentle and humble.

Now as I reflect back on the story, I see the hand of God. First, the man approached my friend and waited for her response. Doesn’t that sound like the invitation “Come to me” (Matthew 11:28) that God extends to us and waits for our response “Come to me” (Matthew 11:28).

Then, I noticed that my friend agreed to provide food for the stranger. Doesn’t that sound like the command “Feed my sheep” that Jesus gave Peter in John 21:17.

Finally, as he left, I note that my friend felt a gentle and humble presence. Doesn’t that sound like how Jesus described himself in Matthew 11:29 – “I am gentle and humble in heart.”

We are all children of God. I have no doubt that my friend met Jesus that day. The Holy Spirit is in each of us so we met Jesus each day when we meet each other. Imagine if we treat each stranger we meet as the child of God. Imagine.

Prayer: Dear God: You are truly gentle and humble in heart. Create in us a new heart that is also gentle, humble, and seeks only to please you. Help us to see You in everyone that we meet. We love you. Amen.

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Finding Clarity in a World of Confusion

“Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!” (Psalm 77:19 NLT).

I think many of dislike to be in “limbo.” We want to know where we stand. We seek clarity. Perhaps at no time is this greater than in times of adversity. It is in these times, that we face the proverbial fork in the road. Pursue clarity from the secular world or obtain clarity from God’s word. If you pursue clarity from the secular world, you will never find it. However, God provides us clarity in the Bible. Matthew 7:7 provides the guide to finding what we seek. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Twice it is recorded in the Gospels that Jesus asked, “What do you want?” (John 1:38); “What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32; Mark 10:51; Luke 18:41). He is prompting us to ask and then it will be given. We must be intentional.

We cannot judge our situation apart from God’s wisdom. In other words, we must leave it up to God to interpret our circumstances. Only He is capable of understanding all the facts, and only He sees the significance of every detail. That’s why it is so important that we test it all by His Word. If you feel overwhelmed or confused about a decision, you may be living in the flesh and not the Spirit. Our selfish desires can hinder our ability to hear God’s voice. The Bible teaches, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). He is not the author of confusion. So, if you’re feeling confused it’s not God’s voice speaking in your life.

Sometimes in life we come up against enormous financial, spiritual, or physical barriers. We seemed trapped and the situation seems hopeless. The temptation is to lean on our own understanding and trust ourselves to make our paths straight. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reads, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

When you don’t know what to do, God will guide you. He didn’t design you to go through life on your own ingenuity and power. God wants to lead you on the right path, and He will when you trust in Him. Seek and you will find “the way out” of confusion and into clarity and a peace that transcends all understanding.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the peace that comes when we trust in you. Help us to always seek clarity in your Word and to wait patiently for the way out to appear. It is in Jesus name that we pray and we live. Amen.

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Defeating the Giants in our Lives

“David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel” (1 Samuel 17:45-46 NIV).

David was a young boy when he defeated the giant Goliath of the Philistine army. This is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. I was intrigued with the mental pictures in my brain when I first heard this story as a young boy.

Now, as an adult I return to this story to see what the Living Word can teach me today. I think most men have giants that are keeping them from being the man God

wants them to be. If you want to reach your full spiritual potential and enjoy the fruits of a life well lived, then it is time to step out in faith to defeat the giants in your life.

Remember how God has helped you in the past
When you remember the ways that God has helped you in the past, it gives you confidence for the future. David says in 1 Samuel 17:37, “The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”
Use the tools that God has given you
David used the tools that God provided that utilized his strengths. “Then Saul gave David his own armor . . . ‘I can’t go in these,’ he protested to Saul. ‘I’m not used to them.’ So David took them off again. He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag”(1 Samuel 17:38-40). We tend to wait for something we don’t have such as money, education, or connections. God has already given you the tools to face your giants with confidence. We need to step out in confidence knowing that God if God is with us, then who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

Ignore the naysayers
Later in life, when others were speaking against him, David had to encourage himself in the Lord: “David was seriously worried, for in their bitter grief for their children, his men began talking of killing him. But David took strength from the Lord”(1 Samuel 30:6). When you encourage yourself in the Lord, it’s not just a positive mental attitude. There is power in God’s grace, provision, and security. David writes in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
Expect God to help you for His glory
David stormed the battlefield, shouting, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty . . . This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands . . . and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel”(1 Samuel 17:45-46). God will use anybody who will trust him and expect to be used by him — not because of who we are, but for His glory.

Prayer: We come to you today with giants in our lives. Each one is different but each one is similar in that it is keeping us from being the person that you desire us to be. Help us dear God to step out from worry and step into faith. Grant us the confidence that you are with us. Amen.

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A Christian Approach to Depression

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV).

God has blessed us with the Living Word known as the Holy Bible. We can turn to the Bible for advice and instruction for our worries and problems. Some may feel that the Bible is too old to be relevant today. However, many, if not all, of our issues of today are essentially the same as when Jesus walked the earth. We learn from Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

One of the most prevalent problems facing our society today is depression. Antidepressant prescribing has risen nearly 400% since 1988, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18-19 is a fascinating example of how God dealt with His servant when he was depressed.

Elijah means “The LORD is my God,” and as a prophet he adamantly shared God’s message and warnings. The Jews were turning to false gods, and he shared his warning. “Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21).

In 1 Kings 19 we read of Elijah fleeing from the evil Jezebel. She was the wife of Ahab, King of Israel. Elijah was overcome with depression and requested that he might die, and said, “It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers” (1 Kings 19:4).

Elijah was so frightened by Jezebel’s threat to kill him that he flees to Mt. Horeb (Sinai). He takes rest under a broom tree and the word of the Lord came to him and asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah” (1 Kings 19:9)? God is omniscient and clearly knew what Elijah was doing, but He was modelling for us how to help a depressed person.

God met him where he was. He did not wait for Elijah to come to Him.

He asked questions and listened. The questions were crafted to lead to self-examination. God did not offer quick answers. God’s actions were in accordance with James 1:19. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

We should be mindful of people that are disappointed because if disappointment is left unresolved it will lead to discouragement which is a step away from depression. The pharmaceutical industry has done tremendous things for people. However, I encourage us all to be proactive and seek out our brothers and sisters that are disappointed and turn them toward the lift of Christ and away from the darkness that leads to depression.

Prayer: If someone reading this is in need of help, please provide it. If someone reading this is not in need of help, open their eyes to the disappointment, discouragement, and depression that is present all around us and help them to meet those in need wherever they are in need. Help us to show your love by being present and quick to listen. Amen.

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Is Your Burden Too Heavy?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV).

Many of us carry heavy burdens due to a wide variety of physical, mental, and spiritual reasons. The burden can cause us to ache at the deepest level, our soul. At this point two conclusions can be drawn: (1) the burden is not from God and (2) the only way to lighten the load is to draw close to Jesus.

So how do we know the burden is not from God? God is our Father and wants peace for His children. He certainly does not want to put a burden on us that is more than we can handle. Jesus knows that we will have problems. Jesus acknowledges that we will have problems and burdens, but He is offering us protection and provision as the Good Shepherd. The Word teaches in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble.” He wants us to cast our anxiety on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

A heavy burden is a result of our tendency to bear the burdens of life on our own. If we try to carry all the weights and cares and burdens, we will end up being crushed. We are all part of the Body of Christ and as such we are all to follow the Word in Galatians 6:2. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Jesus’ solution for profound soul-weariness isn’t complicated. He simply says, “Come to me, all who are weary.” He extends the invitation, but our response is essential. The Christian life is one of total dependence on God. When Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary,” (Matthew 11:28) it’s because He doesn’t want us buying into the lie of independence. He doesn’t want us thinking that we can get by on our own, relying on our own grit. Each of us plays an important role in the Body of Christ. Feeling overwhelmed and weary is a sign that we are living outside of God’s will. The solution to weariness isn’t to be better organized, more efficient, or more productive. The solution is to reject the lie of self-sufficiency and embrace Him – the one who gives living water.

This doesn’t mean that Jesus will necessarily change the circumstances and make everything okay. In fact, He probably won’t. It does mean that He will provide me with all-sufficient grace to bear good fruit, even in the midst of exhausting, wearying circumstances. We must learn to stop trying to put our fingers on everything, and instead reach out with confidence to touch His cloak. When we reach out with even the faith of a mustard seed, He may heal us or He may not, but He will certainly bless us. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).

Prayer: Dear good and gracious God: You continue to bless us with grace upon grace. Continue to draw us near to you so that we walk with confidence that you are with us always. We love you, need you, and trust in you. Amen.

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We Grow In The Light

“But if we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:7-8 NCV).

Light is essential for all life on earth. Many plants will alter their growth to maximize the amount of light that their leaves can capture. I love watching sunflowers move as the sun changes positions in the sky.

The secular world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but true intimacy only occurs in the light. Jesus taught us in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” True intimacy is a close relationship with Jesus Christ and that comes when we bring our entire life to His light, which is the only true light. He is the light of the world!

We tend to use darkness to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures and flaws. But in the light, we bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are. I am reminded of the story in John 3 of Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish ruling council, but he knew that God was with Jesus. It is important to note that in the second verse of John 3 it begins, “He came to Jesus at night…” (John 3:2). Nicodemus was using the darkness to hide his fear of being seen with Jesus. This is ironic because he was using darkness as a cover to go see the light of the world.

For us as Christians to grow we need meaningful relationships. This requires us to be authentic and humble. This is the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. In this atmosphere, we can bring our sins out to the light among our trusted friends. James 5:16 teaches, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed” (James 5:16).

Authenticity is rare today. It only happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. It happens when people share their hurts, reveal their true feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, and ask for help and prayer.

If we become open about our lives, we experience the blessing of authentic fellowship. The Bible instructs, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). What a friend we have in Jesus!

Prayer: As a moth is attracted to an artificial light, our souls are attracted to you dear God – the light of the world. Continue to draw us closer to your way, truth, and light. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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Nurture Your Friendships

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Keep Your Eye On The Prize

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Meal Time is Ministry Time

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Defeating Evil

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The Stranger

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Finding Clarity in a World of Confusion

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Defeating the Giants in our Lives

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A Christian Approach to Depression

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Is Your Burden Too Heavy?

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We Grow In The Light

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