Before you judge the splinter in someone else's eye, check for the beam in your own. In Matthew 7:1-6, Jesus challenges us to turn our gaze inward first. We're quick to condemn others while overlooking major issues in our own lives. But Jesus calls us to something better: confess our own sin, receive His mercy, and then approach others with compassion instead of condemnation. When we humble ourselves before God and deal with our own faults first, we gain the heart of Christ—one that loves rather than judges, that helps rather than condemns. Not everyone is ready to receive God's truth at every moment, and that requires wisdom and discernment from the Spirit.

The more time we spend with Jesus, the less we'll judge others and the more we'll see ourselves clearly. That's the mind of Christ.

John 15:1-7 | When was the last time you truly spent time with Jesus—not just reading words, but really communing with Him? This Sunday, we practiced something powerful together: being still, reading Scripture, meditating on God's Word, and applying it to our lives. We explored John 15, where Jesus calls us to abide in Him—to remain connected like branches to a vine. Without that daily connection, we can't produce the fruit He's designed us to bear.

Isaiah 43:18-19 | This year, don't wait for New Year's resolutions. Start today. Pick up your Bible. Pray until something happens. Get involved in your church. God has placed you in this moment, with these people, for a reason. When He moves mountains, don't just sit there—move with Him. Read one verse. Make one call. Take one step. Just move.

Where is peace in our chaotic world? Jesus came not just to save us for eternity, but to heal us NOW. From the Garden of Eden to today, humanity has been caught in a cycle of brokenness—hurting God, hurting each other, hurting ourselves. But Isaiah prophesied about a Redeemer who would be called the Prince of Peace. Through Christ's blood, God tore down the dividing wall of hostility.

Luke 1:46-55 | Mary faced impossible circumstances. Unmarried and pregnant, she could have been consumed by worry about what others would think, how she would explain her situation, or what challenges lay ahead. Instead, she made a radical choice that changed everything.

Isaiah 9:1-7, John 1:1-18 | The prophet Isaiah spoke to people living in exile, surrounded by darkness and despair. He promised them a light was coming that would break through their gloom. That light was Jesus. We decorate our homes with lights each Christmas for a reason. As darkness arrives earlier each evening and winter's gloom settles in, we're drawn to light. But the lights on our trees and in our yards point to something deeper - the Light of the World who came for us.

Matthew 6:25-34 | There are two ways of being concerned: for the right things in the right amount, or for the wrong things in the wrong amount. When we cross that line, concern becomes worry. Jesus uses birds and wildflowers to remind us of something profound: God sustains what He has made. And if He cares for the birds and adorns the flowers with such beauty, how much more does He care for you?

Matthew 6:19-24 | What exactly are these "heavenly treasures" we're supposed to be storing up? The answer appears consistently throughout Scripture, and it's beautifully subversive: heavenly treasure is found in acts of generosity, in selling possessions to give to those in need, in doing good works that help others who are struggling. In other words, heavenly treasure is valuing people more than possessions. This is the economy of the Kingdom—an economy that runs completely counter to everything our culture teaches us about success, security, and smart living.

Matthew 6:16-18 | In his teaching about fasting, Jesus says this practice should be focused on drawing closer to God in secret, where only He sees. And looking more closely at what the Bible says about fasting shows us that God cares more about how we treat people than how well we follow spiritual practices. We can fast twice a week, pray all the right prayers, and still miss the heart of God if we are ignoring the hungry, the oppressed, and the broken around us.

Matthew 6:5-15 | When Jesus says "pray like this," he is inviting us into a relationship with our Father that shapes everything about who we are. This prayer isn't about performance or impressing others. It's about positioning our hearts in right relationship with God and with the people around us.