"I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me." - John 15:5 We live in a world that praises self-sufficiency. We are taught from a young age to stand on our own two feet, to work hard, and to prove ourselves. So it is no surprise that many of us struggle to grasp what true spiritual dependence looks like. Yet...  Read More

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." - 2 Chronicles 15:7 There is something inspiring about watching someone push through when everything tells them to quit. You can see it in athletes who keep training through injuries. You see it in marriages that have weathered decades of storms. And you see it in believers who keep walking by faith even when the answe...  Read More

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires." - Psalm 37:4 There is something powerful about desire when it is anchored in the right place. The promise in Psalm 37 is clear. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. But don’t miss that first part. The order matters. Delight in Him first, then He gives. Not the other way around. We live i...  Read More

"Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Rabbi, let me recover my sight.’" - Mark 10:51 When Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus in Mark 10, the crowd tried to silence him. But he just got louder. He knew what he wanted, and when Jesus asked him directly, “What do you want me to do for you?” He did not hesitate. He had a clear desire, and he was not afraid...  Read More

“Then Jesus answered him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabboni,’ the blind man said to him, ‘I want to see.’” – Mark 10:51 Every now and then in life, we get the chance to make a bold request. A shot at asking for something big. But even then, most people play it safe. We ask for things that seem possible, things that feel reasonable, things we think we might deserve. Bartimaeus didn’t pl...  Read More

"For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." – John 3:16 We have looked at all kinds of exchanges lately. We have talked about trading comfort for the cross, selfishness for the Savior, and judgment for joy. But none of those matter without the one exchange that makes them all possible. The exchange...  Read More

"For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done." – Matthew 16:27 There is something strange about judgment. None of us likes to be on the receiving end of it, but somehow, we often feel justified when we are the ones handing it out. We may not say it out loud, but our thoughts can be quick to assume, quick...  Read More

"For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?" – Matthew 16:26 There is a story about Lord Castlereagh, who once owned one of the most beautiful castles in all of Ireland. After years of abandonment, he returned to find the walls of his castle picked apart by locals who had scavenged the stones to build with. Ho...  Read More

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it." – Matthew 16:25 If we’re honest, most of us like control. We like to steer the ship, manage the schedule, and call the shots. We build our routines around predictability and comfort, and the moment something feels uncertain, we tighten our grip even more. But Jesus challenges us with something...  Read More

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." - Matthew 16:24 There is something brutal about a cross. It is not made for comfort. The wood is raw, the edges are splintered, and the weight is not just physical but emotional and spiritual too. It is not built for relaxation or ease. It is built for death. Jesus did no...  Read More

"If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself…" – Matthew 16:24 You do not have to teach a child to be selfish. It just comes naturally. Maybe that is why a story like this hits home. A mom was making pancakes for her two young boys, Tom and Ryan, when a fight broke out over who would get the first one. Seizing the moment, she said, “If Jesus were here, He would say, ‘Let my brother ha...  Read More

"For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?" – Matthew 16:26 Jesus never asked empty questions. Every word He spoke was purposeful, meant to cut through the noise and reach the heart. In Matthew 16, He asks one of the most piercing questions of all. What does it really profit a person if they gain the world, b...  Read More