It’s easy for us to look at others and see patterns and choices they make that are detrimental to their well-being. We can see how their decisions are bringing ruin to themselves and those around them. We wonder, “Why are they so committed to living in pain and squalor, especially when there is help, hope, and healing right at their fingertips? Why are they unwilling to let go of what is killing them?” 

The hard truth is that many of us - perhaps most or even all of us - are equally committed to holding on to things and ways of living that are detrimental to ourselves and our world. It’s hard to see that we cling to the bad and convince ourselves that it’s good … or that we’re justified to hold on, even if others aren’t. But Jesus wants more for us - He wants freedom and life, not prison and death. 

#SecondToNone #Jesus #WhatJesusKills #Colossians

What's most important to us isn't always what we say is most important. What's really most important is what our lives demonstrate allegiance and deference towards - that is, what we actually do with our lives shows what's most important.

But how do we come to that place of what our actions show is of most value? God's Word and human experience point to what happens in our minds is the birthplace of our values and what we do in light of them. What we "set our minds on" becomes what we - in all effect - worship.

#SecondToNone #Jesus #RaisedInJesus #WhoDoYouFollow #Colossians

Every parent has undoubtedly been faced with their children challenging authority in their lives. Whether from their parents or school teachers or coaches or really anyone “in charge” in any sphere of their lives, kids force the question, “Who are you to tell me what to do?” And while it can be infuriating to hear this question on repeat, it is actually an essential question to human flourishing, and it’s one that we all honestly ask throughout our lives: who gets to tell me what to do, and how much do I really need to obey them?

The reality is that, while we honestly buck against authority as a natural human reaction, we also clearly act as if someone (or something) is in charge of our lives and dictating our actions, even if we think that authority is ourselves. (Spoiler - we’re not really in charge as much as we think we are!) All of us live under a series of rules and dictates, regardless of how formalized we are about them, and who (or what) we give authority to truly determines the course of our lives. If we want to live “our best lives” now, we need to discover what has authority over us and make sure that that authority aligns with truth.

#SecondToNone #Jesus #QualifiedInJesus #TrulyAlive #Colossians

One of the core tenets of Christianity is the notion of eternal life. It's the idea that God offers us a life with Him and without end. So often, our culture (both secular and religious) has pictured this as some sort of down-the-road, floating on the clouds existence. In fact, if we're honest, it's been pictured in a way that could be called ... well, boring, if we're really honest.

And while this is a very different picture of "heaven" than what the Bible portrays, what's worse is that it pictures this eternal life as something that will happen some day down the road. The Bible, however, indicates that this life that we're promised isn't something that we will only enjoy at some far off point, but rather it's something that we can and should enjoy and manifest right now.

#SecondToNone #Jesus #AliveInChrist #BeingTrulyAlive #Colossians

If Jesus really is who He claims to be, if He actually does what He promises to do, if He truly loves us the way the Bible describes, how should I respond? How should we all act in light of these truths? Too often, it seems, we attempt to “fit Jesus in” where we've got extra space. We seem to make margin for all the other important (and even not-so-important) things in our lives before considering where we might have room for Him.

But what if we reversed this? What if we prioritized Jesus in all His preeminence above and before everything else? What if we were so devoted to the One who so devoted Himself to us that all other priorities and decisions were positioned to honor Him as supreme? And all this done not to somehow earn His favor but rather done out of complete gratitude for His love towards us and in recognition of His divine Kingship? If we were to treat Jesus like King He is, what kind of lives would we live?

#SecondToNone #Jesus #WalkingWorthy #Colossians

What do we do with the reality of Jesus - His life, His teaching, His example, His resurrection, all of it? Well, the Apostle Paul has a lot more to tell us in lots of places, and we're gonna take April to dig into one of His most “Christocentric” writings: an ancient letter called Colossians, his impassioned plea to a fledgling church in the ancient world.

In this book, Paul drops serious truths on relatively new believers in Colossae, setting them straight on who Jesus really is - not just a great teacher or a good man, but the actual divine Son of God who created the entire universe! Paul goes hard against some false teachers who were mixing in weird philosophical ideas and rules about diet and rituals. His big idea is that Jesus is supreme over everything, so we shouldn't get distracted by human traditions and rules when you've got the real truth right in front of you. If we want to grow spiritually, the Apostle claims, we've got to stay rooted in Christ and let Him transform our lives from the inside out - instead of just trying to follow a bunch of dos and don'ts. At the end of the day, living for Christ means putting on qualities like compassion, kindness, and forgiveness - that is, we've got to become more like Jesus each day of our lives.

#SecondToNone #Jesus #Preeminence #Colossians

When we were kids, almost all of us fought against our parents (to one degree or another) when it came to nap time. Regardless of how obviously tired we were, we raged against the one thing that we needed to fully enjoy the waking world around us - rest. As adults, we now long for a quick nap most days, yet we're “too busy” to take one … even though, again, it's what we need.

Our modern world has become frenetic and chaotic, constantly on the move. But we were never designed for this. We were designed from the beginning to rest - not just physically, but the whole totality of our beings. And God offers that way of rest to all of us, regardless of how busy or overwhelming our lives may seem. There is rest for you, rest for your very souls, if you're willing to enter into it.

#RunningOnEmpty #Rest #RunningOnHope #Easter

Boundaries are important. Everyone tells us this, and we tell each other the same. They help us to protect ourselves and our relationships. They can also help us to live in ways that are pleasing to God while still fully engaging in who who we are as individuals. In the Bible, Jesus tells us (Matthew 5.37) that our 'Yes' should be 'Yes' and our 'No' should be 'No' … in fact, He goes on to tell us, anything beyond this comes from the devil. Jesus calls us to be honest and direct with others about our expectations and boundaries.

Even so, boundaries can be difficult to set, but they are worth it. When we have healthy boundaries, we are better able to engage in a Jesus-following life that is pleasing to Him, beneficial to others, and fulfilling for ourselves. Figuring out how to do that is the challenge for each of us.

#RunningOnEmpty #Boundaries #EmptyEffort

“I'm sorry, but I can't … I'm just too busy.”

If you're a human living in North America, you almost certainly can remember a time saying this or something very similar. And it's not that North America is the only place you encounter this, but it does seem like it's become something of cultural value here. We seem to idolize and perpetuate “busy” as a lofty goal and evidence of moral or character virtue.

But what if that isn't right? And what if the solution isn't simply taking a machete to our schedules? What if the margin we know is good has less to do with how much we're doing and way more to do with what, how, and why we're doing the things we do? What if rest isn't the same as inactivity?

#RunningOnEmpty #Margin #EmptyMargins

In life, there are absolutes. There are things that are true at all times, in all places, and for all people. For sure, there will be different ways that these truths are applied or manifest, but truth is true objectively. In other words, it accurately corresponds to reality. When it comes to what we're fueling our tanks with, that means that what we put in matters, regardless of our intentions. The wrong fuel equates with poor performance, impacts the overall health of our entire system, and can even determine if we're able to move at all or simply stranded on the side of the road.

The Bible outlines for us some important principles about what fuels us. There are benefits for proper fuel and dangers associated with improper. And while the wrong fuel hinders or damages, the right kind can propel us powerfully forward into the purpose, design, and joy that God offers and wants for each of us.

#RunningOnEmpty #Margin #EmptyRewards

If we’re honest, most of us struggle to know how to reasonably gauge our purpose & performance in life. The matrix we use is either so insanely complex that we never truly know how we're doing, so blatantly rudimentary that it's ineffective at best, or so wildly focused on the wrong metrics that we have no correct understanding of ourselves in this world. We end up chasing all sorts of activities and allegiances, never knowing if it's the right path for us or not, constantly trying something new or never changing from what we're already doing, whether good or bad.

So how DO we evaluate what we're supposed to be spending our fuel on? How do we determine what we say yes or no to in a world ever demanding our attention & resources? How do we create space on our plates when we're not sure what's supposed to be on them in the first place?

#RunningOnEmpty #Margin #EmptyRewards

One of the ways that many of us today describe ourselves is exhausted. We’re doing too much, too often. But life demands that, right? It’s just what it takes for us to exist in this fast-paced, busy world. If we don’t do it, who will? If I don’t make sure that I’m doing everything I can at every moment I can, things will fall apart, right?

Our world will answer “yes” to these questions, but God has a different design. God has ordered this world to be one that sees the greatest and the best taking place in the margins, in the space between our limits and our loads.

#RunningOnEmpty #Margin #EmptyLogic

“I've got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?” We've all heard this phrase at one time or another. More often than not, it's someone's way of trying to tell you something you really don't want to hear by offering some kind of token nicety alongside of it. But what if the bad news is something we already do know and the good news is the resolution we're all looking for, even if we don't know it?

The Bible is not silent on the brokenness we all encounter (and perpetuate) in this world. But that is NOT its primary message. Instead, the whole of Scripture is focused on God's unwavering pursuit of remedying that brokenness on our behalf, for our good, and to the glory of His sacrificial love for us. While human religions have pushed humanity to earn redemption & the favor of the Divine, the beauty of the Gospel is that we only need to acknowledge our brokenness and receive God's gift of life, eternal-and-full.

#WhosYourOne #Disciple #GoodNewsBadNews #Gospel

Do you ever feel … not enough? Most of us have moments when we’re pretty confident about ourselves, and others when we’re not so sure. And if we’re really honest, most of us find ourselves in the latter category more than the former, even if we try to pretend otherwise.

And while the Bible clearly teaches against any kind of pride or arrogance for God’s people, it also tells us again and again about how much God esteems humanity as His beloved creation. Even more, God makes it clear that His plan for accomplishing His grand design inextricably requires humanity to participate - each and every one of us. There is no one unable, ungifted, or unworthy to play a role … and every role is absolutely indispensable.

#WhosYourOne #Disciple #MyPowerOfOne

We’re prone to think of “one” as small and insignificant. Who wants just one cookie? What is the value of only one dollar? What's the point of only watching one episode of a new series that stops on Netflix when you could watch ALL of them right now?

But the Bible consistently speaks of one: one pearl of great price, one lost sheep, one wayward son. Even more importantly, one Son of the living God and His incredible, singular sacrifice that opens the gates of heaven & eternal life.

As disciples of Jesus, we often overlook the value of one. One invitation to church, one message of hope, one neighbor, one coworker, one friend. When the looming shadow of sin & brokenness darkens the world around us, one seems so very small indeed. But there is a power to one that can shatter that dark, if we don't get in its way.

#WhosYourOne #Disciple #MissionFollowsValue

Perhaps you've heard the quote “Living ain't easy, but it sure is fun!” at some point in your life. While that can be true (and maybe often is for you), the fact remains that sometimes it simply isn't easy OR fun. Sometimes, life is just hard, unfair, or even cruel. And when times like that hit, we're faced with a choice: give up or push through.

Granted, it's much more complex than that binary, but that IS the baseline. And the decisions we make in those moments have everything to do with what we truly believe and in whom we truly believe. It's vitally important, then, to align our belief to real reality. What do we trust in, and in whom do we place our trust? It can literally be the difference between life & death.

#WhosYourOne #Disciple #MissionRequiresMotion

Most of us could easily name a person who’s impacted us in a positive way. In fact, most of us could name more than a handful. And when we think of them, we could list several characteristics that we might even want to replicate in our own lives. But how many of us would say that we’re that person’s follower or disciple? We might be fans of them, but are we truly following them?

The reality is that our lives (way more than our words) will demonstrate if we really are following someone or something - that is, if we’re really a disciple of them. But what if there was someone who was more than just a good example, more than just a successful person, more than just an individual with stuff we might like to emulate? Would we be willing to really, really follow them? Or would we end up as just a fan.

#WhosYourOne #Disciple #FanOrFollower

The beginning of every year brings a time of reflection - reflecting on what has been, what we’ve done, and what the future might hold. It’s also a time of resolutions for many of us. Unfortunately, studies have consistently shown that the vast majority of New Years’ resolutions are abandoned before the end of January. So what will make the difference for us, if we want to make changes this year? And, for those who have chosen to follow after Jesus, how will we decide what changes are most important for us to make in our faith journey with God?

#INTENTIONAL #NewYear #2024 #LivingInTheNewYear