Living Christly

Three thousand years ago, after building his kingdom and acquiring immense wealth and wisdom, King Solomon wrote a guide to life. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, he shares a fundamental truth: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up."

A wife's intuitive nature is her superpower. She can be your sounding board, offering a second opinion and a broader perspective when you have tunnel vision. She can see potential pitfalls before they happen and point out exciting new paths you might otherwise miss. Working with your wife doesn't guarantee victory, but working against her almost always guarantees failure. If we do this, the math changes; 1-1 ≤ 0.

Life, as we all know, has a particular knack for handing us a few scrapes, bruises, and sometimes, a full-on demolition. It's not just the classic "I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!" kind of injury, but the more subtle, soul-crushing blows—the heartbreak that feels like a physical ache, the anxious thoughts that race around your mind like a recurring tune, but it’s a song you hate. Or, the spiritual emptiness that feels like a cold, damp room you can’t seem to walk out of. We spend a lot of our lives in repair mode, grabbing for some spiritual duct tape and a few feeble prayers to patch things up. But what if healing isn't just about fixing? What if it’s a more profound, holistic, and divine enterprise? Would that get your attention? Wouldn't that make you keep that divine wrench always within reach?

Man carries his beliefs around like three coins in his pocket. One coin might have immense value, while another might be completely worthless and counterfeit—a fugazi! The denominations for the coins are experiential, influential, and intuitive. The easiest way to determine their value and express it is what we “know,” what we “think,” and what we “feel.” 

We’ve all been there, right? That moment when a friend, a family member, or even just our conscience drops a truth bomb that lands with the grace of a bowling ball on a glass table. It’s the kind of truth that makes you want to cover your ears, squeeze your eyes shut, and hum loudly to yourself, hoping you can somehow un-hear the words. That nails this feeling perfectly, describing the desperate, childish act of singing "la, la, la, la…" to drown out a reality we’d rather ignore. It’s a beautifully human, if not entirely mature, response to discomfort.

Drowning in the chaotic noise of the world? Discover how the simple yet profound command from Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God," can silence the chaos and bring true peace to your soul.

Vignette of The Mundane Western Thursday

I awoke with a sigh this morning. “It’s only Thursday.”  For most of us, that’s probably the universal relatable feeling. I’ll describe it not as the energetic, fresh start of the week (Monday) or the dreaded midpoint (Wednesday’s “Hump Day”), but as the long gray corridor leading to the weekend. For most of us, our perception of Thursday is mostly disposable and chore-filled. But if we examine it more closely, it's a day that's nestled in the luxury of peace and prosperity. This article will explore Thursday from three distinct perspectives: the mundane routine, the desperate struggle, and the divine appointment, ultimately arguing that no day we are gifted is without immense value.

So, what do we do about overcoming fear? God’s promise is essentially the universe’s best insurance policy. He guarantees He’s with us. The world is essentially a giant petri dish for fear germs, and it’s impossible not to get some on you. But God gives us His divine assurance: He’s always there. Jesus was, and is, “Emmanuel”—translated literally, "God with us."

Think of it this way: we’ve been given an immunization against the worst consequences of fear. Our vaccine is the presence of Jesus himself. The Creator of the entire cosmos is telling us He’s got our back. He’s saying, "No matter what the world is telling you, don’t listen to it and don’t be troubled. I’ll give you the strength and grace to get through this."

Find the ultimate debt-relief program for your soul. This devotional explores how prioritizing God's Kingdom breaks the power of financial worry, trading anxiety for a peace that money can't buy. Overcoming Financial Stress.

People are looking for excuses not to attend church. They throw up all kinds of illogical reasons why they shouldn’t have to. By the way, “throw up” is an oddly appropriate phrase. They’ve got better things to do with their time and money. Let’s look at a few examples of some of those justifications.

Now, before we dive in, let’s talk about that title. Calling these questions “stupid” is a bit like calling a Marine drill sergeant “cuddly.” It’s intentionally provocative. During my Air Force days, we were told that there were no stupid questions, only stupid mistakes that come from not asking. And that’s the truth. These questions aren’t stupid because the people asking them are unintelligent, far from it. They are often deeply felt, painful, and born from genuine confusion. They’re “stupid” in the sense that they’re usually used as roadblocks, as final answers to slam the door on faith when they should be the very starting point of a deeper investigation. They’re the questions we ask when we’re looking at the world through a keyhole and trying to describe the entire mansion.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Some may call him the Holy Spirit, but He is the third person of the Trinity, the spirit of the one true living God. He was introduced to early Christians forty days after Jesus’ resurrection, and He’s been with us ever since. He is known as our Comforter, Advocate, and Counselor. He's not just some fuzzy concept hovering somewhere up in the atmosphere supervising our guardian angels. He is our personal powerhouse, ready to equip us for service and worship, two of our primary purposes on Earth.

When he arrives in our freshly born-again lives, he doesn't come empty-handed. He brings us gifts, excellent rewards we’ve never asked for; something like a welcome aboard bag of swag. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you’ve received one. Yet, so many are unaware that their gift has already arrived, and even fewer have explored the treasure it holds. Even if we were to look inside, we might still be scratching our heads, unsure of how or when to put its contents to use.