A life devoted to the teachings of Jesus is a tall order. When you discover Jesus' high standard for our behaviours as well as our attitudes, perspectives, and motives, it can seem nearly impossible to live up to. But what if there's a key to unlocking a Jesus-shaped life? What if there's a simple solution to getting this right? What if we could find everything we need to follow everything Jesus said?
There's no use putting lipstick on a pig. No matter how much you dress it up, it's going to roll around in its own slop and filth, ruining any attempts to improve its image. So why do we think we can dress up sin to make it appear as something better than it is? What if we saw ourselves as the precious pearl that we are; would we be less careless with the treasure we've been given? Hear what Jesus has to say about why pearls have no place on pigs.
Sometimes the smallest cuts can hurt the most. And like a tiny sliver, the small issues in our lives can consume our full attention, so much so that we don't even notice the very large issues that threaten our spiritual well-being. As Jesus teaches us how to deal with the sin in our lives, he reminds us to not miss the forest for the trees by focusing on the slivers and forgetting the stumps.
A walk in the woods can be very peaceful. As the birds sing and the animals play, there's no anxiety about where their next meal will come from. Trees and flowers grow big and beautiful without so much as a thought about self-improvement. Most living things enjoy such a carefree existence that it makes you wonder if we, humans, have got it all wrong. We labour and strive, hurry and stress, piling up worry upon worry. But are we any better for it? Perhaps we have something to learn from the birds...
Most of us are totally confused when it comes to knowing how much to spend, save, or invest wisely. We all want to get ahead, but these days it seems you need a whole lot more, just to have enough. The more you earn, the more you get taxed. The nicer your house or car, the more you pay for upkeep and insurance. All the while, our assets depreciate and our interest is devoured by inflation. But believe it or not, Jesus has invaluable advice about protecting your investments from the gnawing and n...
There is one thing we all have in common: a mother. For some our mom means fond memories of a nurturing and caring spirit, for others, our relationship with our mom was defined by difficulties and challenges. But whatever the case, we all share a picture and desire for who only a mom can be in our lives: and it may be the toughest job on the planet. So how do we best honour our moms on a day like Mother's Day? What can we learn about God from our moms? Does God really have a maternal side?...
Having given His life on the cross and then risen from the dead, Jesus rallied His newly inspired followers around a brand new vision for life on earth. It was a vision defined by all-consuming, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. He commissioned this fledgling community to change the world, even predicting that the impact of their love would exceed His own. It's hard to imagine how this could possibly be true. Could Jesus love us this much to include us in His vision? But what if Jesus' predi...
Having given His life on the cross and then risen from the dead, Jesus rallied His newly inspired followers around a brand new vision for life on earth. It was a vision defined by all-consuming, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. He commissioned this fledgling community to change the world, even predicting that the impact of their love would exceed His own. It's hard to imagine how this could possibly be true. Could Jesus love us this much to include us in His vision? But what if Jesus' predi...
His message was misunderstood; His miracles were forgotten. He was rejected, betrayed, and abandoned, and was ultimately executed as a common criminal. But what happened next changed everything! The resurrection was His greatest miracle and is the defining moment in all of history. It is also what separates Christianity from every religion, philosophy, and way of life. But what do the events of the first Easter Sunday mean for us today? How does the resurrection affect our daily lives?
"This is the last time... I promise!" The heart-felt but hollow words of a person who has messed up again. It's easy to write each other off, especially when we make the same mistakes over and over again. So, what happens to God's love for us when we constantly disregard, disrespect, and disappoint Him? How can we be sure He still loves us after all we've done?
What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you love the image staring back at you, or do you only see all the flaws and shortcomings? When we focus on our errors and imperfections, it's hard to see how anyone could love us... especially God. But what does He see when He looks at us? Are we His biggest mistake, or His greatest masterpiece?
It's a classic movie scene: the plane is going down, and as a last resort, the otherwise agnostic character suddenly prays to God for help. What is it about being in trouble that turns our attention to prayer? And does God actually tune in to hear these distress calls? What if we were aware of the darkness and desperation all around us? Would we turn to prayer and find deliverance?
The "Jesus Prayer" is one of the most commonly recited prayers around the world. It simply asks, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." For many of us, the most natural thing to ask God for in prayer is forgiveness. We've all made mistakes; we all need a second chance. But is there a way to ensure that God will show us mercy? How can we guarantee that our sins will be forgiven?
Have you ever secretly prayed to win the lottery, get a promotion, or have your favourite sports team win? When we pray, the Bible tells us, "ask and it shall be given." So why don't we always get what we ask for? Why is my wish list still unfulfilled? Is there some secret to getting what you want from God? How do we get our requests to the top of God's "to do" list?
We often view prayer as a way of persuading God to act on our behalf, to see things from our perspective, solve our problems, and steer our circumstances. It's almost as if we treat prayer like it's God's suggestion box. But does God ever really change His plans because of our prayers? Can we actually influence His decisions? Is prayer about convincing God to advance our agenda, or does it have a higher purpose?
It's natural to want to make a name for yourself. Our name represents who we are, our reputation, our character, and status. For instance, God is called by many names: Jesus, the Almighty, the Lord, and the Man Upstairs, just to name a few. But does it matter how we refer to him? Or her? Or it? Does God have a preference? And why should we care about God's name anyway?
What would it look like if nobody was lonely? What would it be like if everyone in our neighbourhoods, schools, sports teams, families, and churches felt like they belonged and had friends who really care for them? What would it feel like if each person who came to Southridge was included into a community of meaningful and authentic relationships? And what if God is inviting each of us to be part of shaping this reality?
In our relationships, the opportunity to invest in the life of a child is so important. The job of parents is to provide for physical, mental, and emotional needs, but making a positive spiritual influence in the life of a child is the job of the church, right? Or is it? What if there's a way for the church and the family to work together to fight for the spiritual future of the next generation?
Some of us feel like the job of inviting and including people into our social circle is best left to someone else: the extravert, the people person, or the leader-type. But what if God has a very distinct purpose for each one of us as part of His plan to include outsiders? What if God actually needs you to play a specific role in inviting others into His way of life? What if we could finally see ourselves the way Jesus does?
There are many things that get in the way of including people in our lives. If we're honest, we all have a tendency to make judgments on the people around us, and these judgments often lead to excuses of why we're better off keeping certain people at a distance. But what if we saw people the way God does? What if we saw people the way Jesus looks at us? That might change everything about who and how we include.
The heart of God pursues us, invites us, and includes us in an incredible way of life; a life of freedom, abundance, and purpose. In fact, God won't stop at anything to include us in His plan and His purpose for the world. And God's greatest invitation might just be for us to imitate and reflect His heart for inclusion to those around us. So what would it look like if we could embrace the heart of a God who always includes?
We live like no one ever has. We have so much at our fingertips: so much food, entertainment, technology, information, and choice. So much of everything. It's hard to resist the impulse to overindulge. And when we see people intentionally going without, they tend to stand out. We admire those who live without a cell phone, without TV, without two cars, without... And when it's done for reasons of faith, they seem like radicals or saints, people who are really "going for it " with God. But is thi...
It's better to give than to receive, especially when other people notice, isn't it? Whether it's the name on a new building, a plaque on the wall, a "thank you" in a speech, or a paper heart at the checkout line, we all appreciate being recognized for making a donation or supporting a cause. It's nice to have those efforts rewarded, to feel like what you gave mattered. But what if there's a greater reward for our giving? What does it look like for God to "like" our giving?
It's better to give than to receive, especially when other people notice, isn't it? Whether it's the name on a new building, a plaque on the wall, a "thank you" in a speech, or a paper heart at the checkout line, we all appreciate being recognized for making a donation or supporting a cause. It's nice to have those efforts rewarded, to feel like what you gave mattered. But what if there's a greater reward for our giving? What does it look like for God to "like" our giving?
The Christmas season is full of traditions. From trimming the tree to putting up lights, from carolling with neighbours to attending the office party, from baking ginger bread to re-gifting fruitcake, the holiday season has no shortage of memorable and repeatable festivities. But what's the point of all these traditions? Where do they come from and what do they mean? Is it possible that in the midst of our traditions we can lose sight of the reason for the season? What would it look like to get ...
At some level, everybody has an "us" and "them" reality. There are people who are "for" me, that have my back and are in my corner, and there are people who are "against" me. Maybe it's a feuding family member. Maybe an ex who lives to see you suffer. Maybe a boss or a teacher who, for some reason, has your number. Or maybe a friend who has disowned you. So what do we do with the "them's" of our world? How does Jesus expect us to treat our enemies?
Have you ever been hurt by someone so badly that you just had to have revenge? Because of the way you were treated, the only restitution was to get back at them in the same way. Sometimes this seems right, just, and fair, doesn't it? But is this really the best way to respond? Is getting revenge actually a better way to live? How does Jesus expect us to react when we're mistreated?
Are you an honest person? I think most of us would say we are. But what if truth telling isn't as common as we'd like to think? One study suggests that the average person lies once every three minutes! If that's the case, why are we compelled to avoid the truth? Why do we fudge the facts even when we have little to gain and much to lose? What does Jesus have to say about telling the truth?
Despite the feeling we get from the average romantic comedy, falling in love is hard. But staying in love is an accomplishment of epic proportions. Anyone who's been in love, is in love, wants to be in love or has seen someone in love knows it's true. And you've watched some relationships beat the odds while others haven't. So what does it take to overcome the odds? What does Jesus say about living out a commitment to love?
"Sex sells." In our day, that phrase is less of a marketing truism, and more of a philosophy of life. It's what it means to live in the Western world. We're a sexual culture, on the big screen and on little screens, in novels and video games, in print, online, in ads, and music videos. So what is all this "sex" doing to our hearts? What does it mean to follow Jesus with our sex lives?
