What does unity have to do with repentance? As it turns out, a whole lot. Repentance acknowledges that we all fall short of the glory of God and need the Savior to rescue us from ourselves. We humans like to “sin score,” attributing points for this sin or that—usually making our own sin seem less grievous or offensive. And while there are some sins God highlights as compromising community more than others (1 Corinthians 5:10–13; Revelation 2–3), the fact is we all need Jesus

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) The enemy wants to separate you. Jesus wants to draw you near. Knock down any barrier. Get closer. The enemy whispers that your sin is too great, that you cannot go back. That’s a lie from the pit of hell. Jesus always wants you back. Here is the truly remarkable reality of our Savior: He is the Author of new beginnings. He makes all things new. He restores lost time in ways that defy imagination. I know this becau

✨Days of Awe 10 of 10 Re/Turn✨ As sunset falls and Yom Kippur rises, Jews enter 25 hours of fasting and prayer—seeking God’s forgiveness, releasing others, and repenting. Tomorrow at nightfall, the “book” is closed and the year sealed. Repentance was the very first word Jesus preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) Repentance remains essential — it restores our relationship with Him and opens access to His cleansing power and grace. I often

✨ Day 9 of the 10 Days  ✨— Complacency & The Lukewarm Church These past days we’ve named the sins no one likes to talk about—the ones that tear us and our churches apart and keep us blind to God. Of all of them, this one may be the most dangerous because it breeds everything else. Alongside greed, complacency is the American church’s blind spot. We are just too darn comfy. Jesus said it best: “ I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you w

✨ TOOLS & INSIGHTS: The Four Absolutes ✨ The Four Absolutes—Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, Love—give us a simple way to hold our lives up to the light of Christ. Don’t get stuck on the word absolute. This isn’t about perfectionism or nit-picking every tiny mistake. It’s about clarity and repentance: bringing our motives, desires, and choices into the open before God so His Spirit can transform us. Sometimes we get hung up on this sin or that. Sometimes we catalog every small

✨ Days of Awe 8 of 10: Drunkenness ✨ “You must not associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.” 1 Corinthians 5:11 (NLT) At first glance, Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 5 about drunkenness can seem random and harsh. After all, what’s so bad about “a good buzz”? But Paul is stern: a chronically drunken person should be removed

10 Days of Awe TOOLS & INSIGHTS Judging gets a bad rap, but truth is, we all make judgments every day—sometimes life or death. It’s also a little hypocritical. Even in recovery, we say “stick with the winners” (a judgment!) while condemning judgment—even if it happens behind closed doors. WHAT JESUS REALLY SAID When Jesus said “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1, ESV), He wasn’t calling for moral free-for-all. He was calling for humility. 3 “And why worry about a

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” (Ephesians 4:25, ESV) Brothers and sisters, please—let’s heed what God is saying here. There’s no way to make light of this. No Isabella wit to take the edge off. Forms of Falsehood Slander and reviling both appear on Paul’s short list of sins that warrant removal from Christian fellowship. And Jesus condemns hypocrisy and false teaching not only i

✨ Days of Awe TOOLS & INSIGHTS: Shame ✨ When the Pharisees dragged a woman caught in adultery before Jesus (John 8:3–11), they were ready to stone her. In truth, they were projecting their own sin and hiding behind false righteousness. Jesus turned the tables: “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” Convicted, they slipped away, ashamed. To the woman, He offered both mercy and a charge: “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” That’s the tension we al

Forgiveness can feel impossible when the wound is deep. Yet Jesus gives us a framework that is both sobering and freeing. Forgiveness isn’t for the other person first—it’s for us. 1. Examine yourself before confronting another, coming in humility (Luke 17:3). 2. Talk privately first, aiming at reconciliation (Matthew 18:15). 3. If they repent, forgive—again and again (Matthew 18:22). 4. If they refuse, involve others or, in some cases, step away. It may even be obedience to

“The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10 (NLT) Jesus flipped the script. In the Old Testament, material prosperity was often seen as a sign of God’s favor. In the New Testament, not so. Christ warns that wealth can blind us, enslave us, and even keep us out of the kingdom (Matthew 19:23–24). I’ve written extensively on this subject in my Bles

During these Days of Awe, as we self-reflect and repent of what God shows us (Steps 4–10), praying David’s Psalm 51 can help. Try praying it daily—or more. I love this prayer and the painfully instructive failings that inspired it. We want to learn from David’s experience and apply the wisdom he learned the hard way. David himself tells God, “Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you”  (v. 13). There’s nothing more powerful than sharing our true stor

✨Days of Awe #2 of 10 – Idolatry✨ “ They know about God, but they don't honor him or even thank him. Their thoughts are useless, and their stupid minds are in the dark. They claim to be wise, but they are fools. They don't worship the glorious and eternal God. Instead, they worship idols…” Romans 1:21-23 (CEV) Speaking of sexual sin—which God often links to idolatry—Let’s be honest: as Americans, we really have a big problem. Anything we put before God is an idol, so that co

Did I get your attention? I’ll bet! I’m so sorry to tell you there’s no version of Christianity that allows for sexual immorality. Just to clarify: No premarital sex. No extramarital sex. No porn. No unchecked fantasizing. No self-indulgence. No spouse-swapping or orgies. Not of the heterosexual or the homosexual variety. God considers all of it—every bit of it—outside of His will. Call it “love” all you like. God says it’s not. Jesus said pluck your eye out (Matthew 5:29). Y

10 Days to Re/Turn Tonight at sunset marks Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the Ten Days of Awe—ten days of intensified reflection, repentance, and restitution leading up to Yom Kippur (October 1). These days were observed by Jesus, the early believers, and many faithful still today. Regardless, it’s always a good time for a holy housecleaning. " No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harves

What Jesus really said about prosperity. "Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and... if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." C.S. Lewis, Author & Oxford/Cambridge scholar/theologian. I’ve been sitting on this second Blessed blog installment since early June, when my internal conflict and trip to Italy stalled progress. Since then, I got busy with paying work, a handy, avoidant escape. Yet God just would not let me call

We want to change. We try to change, We need to change, How can we change?

It had been a fabulous fourth so far. I woke early Monday and went for a good run on my town's pretty waterfront path. Added perk: The...

7 ways Baby Jesus is relevant to modern-day challenges. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon...

3 reasons to be (more) OK with familial breaks. The holiday season can be difficult for all sorts of reasons. For one thing, the stretch...