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Showing posts from August, 2013

From Brita to Bible: How Stillness Helps Us Hear God

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How is a Brita water bottle like God? Stick with me, because that sounds like the setup for a bad joke, but a missing blue bottle taught me more about stillness, anxiety, and hearing the Holy Spirit than most sermons I've sat through. I like my water cold and clean — not lukewarm, not "good enough," cold. I used to run a whole rotation with three Brita sports bottles in the fridge so one was always ready to go: one beside me, one cooling, one on backup. Don't laugh. It mattered to me. Then one night I got home and the blue one was just... gone. And in my head, this small nothing of a problem turned into a full-blown crisis. I scanned the fridge with my eyes over and over. I rehearsed where it should have been. I started talking myself into buying a replacement. The more I fixated, the more worked up I got. It was a water bottle, y'all. But that little meltdown exposed something a lot bigger: when we get consumed by a problem, we lose the peace we need to actua...

Falsely Accused: Finding Strength and Vindication in Faith

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 When False Accusations Sting: My Journey Through Spiritual Warfare Let me tell you, the spiritual warfare has been real this week. Just getting this video message out felt like a fight. It shouldn't be this difficult, right? But as I prayed about it, a sense washed over me: some of you are facing accusations, even from within the church family. It's a confusing situation. These attacks can come in various forms, from online slander to accusations based on twisted interpretations of scripture. It's easy to feel hurt, isolated, and desperate to defend ourselves. But here's what I'm learning: this isn't a random struggle. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 54:17 that "no weapon formed against thee shall prosper..." We might face trials, but God's ultimate vindication is promised. Here are a few key takeaways that have helped me navigate this season: * Discerning Truth Through the Holy Spirit: When someone throws accusations your way, especially ones that ...

How to Grow in Communication with God

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  Relationship With Christ Requires Communication Relationship with Christ has a lot to do with communication. That sounds simple, but it is worth slowing down and really thinking about. A relationship cannot grow without communication. We know this in everyday life. If a husband and wife never talk, the relationship suffers. If close friends only communicate in emergencies, the friendship becomes shallow. If a child only comes to a parent when there is a crisis, there may still be love, but there is not much intimacy. The same principle applies to our walk with Jesus. Many believers want guidance from God, but they have not cultivated communication with Him. They want direction, but they have not learned to draw near. They want clarity, but the relationship is still mostly built on occasional requests, quick prayers, and emergency moments. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice. That is not a religious slogan. It is part of the normal Christian life. "My sheep hear my voice, ...

From Hearer to Doer: Igniting a Passionate Faith

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Are You Just Saying "Yes Lord" or Are You Truly Living for Him? I wanna light a fire in your spirit and challenge you to examine your walk with the Lord. We all know the frustration of those "hearers only" churches, filled with empty rituals and hollow promises. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself:  Is my faith more than just words? Romans 6:16 lays it bare: "We are slaves to the one we obey."  We serve one master – sin or righteousness. There's no middle ground.  Jesus Himself said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46)  Imagine an angel following you today, seeing only your actions, not hearing your words. Would their report say your true Lord is Jesus?   The Missing Ingredient: Relationship The secret weapon for obedience isn't willpower, it's relationship .  Think about a tree. We're the branches, Jesus is the mighty trunk.  The xylem and phloem, the tree's circulatory syst...