Fight of Faith

We all experience brokenness. Whether it comes in the form of physical weakness, emotional pain, strained relationships, anxiety, grief, disappointment, or the limitations of our own bodies, brokenness is a reality of life in a fallen world.

But what if our brokenness is not merely something to endure? What if God intends to use it?

This past weekend, I had the privilege of preaching at Artesia CRC. In 2 Corinthians 4, the Apostle Paul describes believers as “jars of clay” containing the priceless treasure of the gospel. God has intentionally placed His treasure in fragile vessels so that the surpassing power would be seen as His and not ours.

In this message, we explore three truths:

• We are weak and fragile
• Our brokenness is part of God’s plan
• Brokenness becomes a testimony.

Through the examples of Paul, Jacob, Gideon, and ultimately Jesus Christ, we see that God often displays His greatest power through our greatest weakness.

Many people can no longer sit in silence for five uninterrupted minutes without reaching for their phones.

This article, written by Doug Eaton, explores seven ways compulsive smartphone use may be harming us mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. From endless scrolling and short-form videos to social media algorithms and constant stimulation, modern phone habits are quietly reshaping our attention, desires, relationships, and inner lives.

This is not an argument against smartphones themselves. Phones are incredibly useful tools. The problem is the way many of us use them: compulsively seeking distraction, stimulation, and escape at every spare moment.

Topics include:

digital distraction

smartphone addiction

social media and loneliness

attention and focus

overstimulation

fulfillment vs stimulation

algorithms and desire

presence and human flourishing

Christian living and spiritual formation

The way you spend your attention is the way you spend your life.

We live in a world that celebrates freedom from limits—but what if those limits are part of our design? What if the emptiness so many experience is not random, but the result of living against the very nature we were created with?

In this episode, we explore the idea that “unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles,” tracing the consequences of rejecting God’s design—from cultural confusion to personal emptiness. Drawing from Scripture and the tragic vision of Macbeth, we consider how a life untethered from truth ultimately collapses into meaninglessness.

But that is not the end of the story.

There is one who entered into our disorder, bore our guilt, and made a way for restoration. If life feels empty, there is a reason—and there is a way back.

We live in a world of constant stimulation.

Scroll. Watch. Click. Repeat.

It feels like life—but it leaves us empty.

In this video, we explore the difference between excitement and fulfillment. Why the endless stream of content we consume every day weakens our attention, drains our self-control, and keeps us from pursuing what actually matters.

The truth is simple:

Stimulation is not satisfaction.

Distraction is not peace.

Consumption is not contentment.

If you feel restless, unfocused, or quietly empty, this may be why.

Scripture tells us that true fullness isn’t found in what we consume, but in who we abide in.

“In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” — Psalm 16:11

It may be time to put the phone down… and recover the life you’ve been too distracted to live.

My wife and I heard a worship song that was theologically rich, beautifully composed, and emotionally moving.But something felt off.By the end, we realized why—it wasn’t written or performed by a person. It was entirely AI-generated.And my wife said something simple that stuck with me: “That makes me sad.”Why does that reaction matter? What does it reveal about worship, art, and what it means to offer something to God?In this podcast, I reflect on why AI worship music can feel empty—and why that feeling might actually be a kind of clarity.Topics covered:Can AI create worship music?Why worship requires a worshiperThe difference between simulation and offeringWhat we lose when art has no costHow AI may shape the future of worship and creativity#Christian #Worship #AI #Faith #Theology #ChristianLiving #Church #ArtificialIntelligence #Discernment

Why doesn’t the Christian life get easier? Because the battles don’t go away—they go deeper. In this short writing, Doug Eaton walks through Exodus 13–14 to show how God prepares His people for future battles by first leading them around what they’re not ready to face. This is a call to reject spiritual complacency and press on in the fight of faith, trusting the God who has already defeated your enemies.

Why does God allow you to go through the fire?In this video, we look at a powerful truth many Christians struggle to understand: God is not wasting your trials—He is using them. The fire is not random. It is not out of control. It is purposeful.Drawing from Octavius Winslow’s reflection on Malachi 3:3, we explore how Christ acts as a Refiner—carefully shaping, purifying, and strengthening His people through suffering. As the original piece puts it, “He prepares the furnace that refines you as silver and purifies you as gold.”This message will help you see:Why your trials are necessaryWhat God is removing from your lifeHow Christ is present in the fire with youWhy you are safer in the fire than you thinkIf you’re walking through hardship, this is not punishment—it’s refinement.The knife is in a Father’s hand.The flame is under a Savior’s control.#devotional #christianliving #theology #puritans #reformedtheology

This story follows a woman who spent decades pursuing power, recognition, and success—only to discover that what she had built could not sustain her. What once looked like a palace had become a prison.But the story does not end there.There is One who enters into what sin has made and brings life where only decay remained.#Christian #Faith #Gospel #Jesus #Redemption #Sin #Grace #ChristianLiving #Repentance #NewLife #Transformation #ChristianStory #FaithStory #Truth #HopeAsk

A man returns to the church where he gave his life to Christ as a boy.

What he finds there forces him to confront something he didn’t realize he had lost.

Sometimes we don’t walk away all at once.

We drift—slowly, quietly—until what once felt alive becomes distant.

But God does not forget.

And He does not leave.

“If I ever wander…”

What would you say to your future self?

#Christian #Faith #Testimony #ReturnToGod #ShortStory

Are you weary from the weight of life’s trials—physical, emotional, or spiritual? In this episode, we reflect on God’s faithfulness in the midst of hardship. Drawing from Ezekiel 34:26 and personal stories of unexpected provision and answered prayer, this devotion reminds us that the Lord still sends showers of blessing—even in our driest seasons. Whether you feel undeserving or overwhelmed, take a few moments to be encouraged and look again to Jesus, who meets us with mercy in every storm.